diff --git a/src/LegacySocket/messages.ts b/src/LegacySocket/messages.ts
index 8e4f4e2..f842b86 100644
--- a/src/LegacySocket/messages.ts
+++ b/src/LegacySocket/messages.ts
@@ -120,12 +120,16 @@ const makeMessagesSocket = (config: LegacySocketConfig) => {
 			ev.emit('groups.update', [ { id: jid, ...update } ])
 		}
 
+		const normalizedContent = normalizeMessageContent(message.message)
+		const protocolMessage = normalizedContent?.protocolMessage
+
 		if(
 			(
-				!!message.message ||
+				!!normalizedContent ||
 				(message.messageStubType === WAMessageStubType.CIPHERTEXT && treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal)
 			)
-			&& !message.message?.protocolMessage
+			&& !normalizedContent?.protocolMessage
+			&& !normalizedContent?.reactionMessage
 		) {
 			chatUpdate.conversationTimestamp = +toNumber(message.messageTimestamp)
 			// add to count if the message isn't from me & there exists a message
@@ -143,9 +147,6 @@ const makeMessagesSocket = (config: LegacySocketConfig) => {
 			}
 		}
 
-		const normalizedContent = normalizeMessageContent(message.message)
-		const protocolMessage = normalizedContent?.protocolMessage
-
 		if(normalizedContent?.reactionMessage) {
 			const reaction: proto.IReaction = {
 				...normalizedContent.reactionMessage,
diff --git a/src/Socket/messages-recv.ts b/src/Socket/messages-recv.ts
index 6cd9efa..cc425b7 100644
--- a/src/Socket/messages-recv.ts
+++ b/src/Socket/messages-recv.ts
@@ -562,12 +562,15 @@ export const makeMessagesRecvSocket = (config: SocketConfig) => {
 					() => processMessage(msg, chat)
 				)
 
+				const normalizedContent = msg.message ? normalizeMessageContent(msg.message) : undefined
+
 				if(
 					(
-						!!msg.message ||
+						!!normalizedContent ||
 						(msg.messageStubType === WAMessageStubType.CIPHERTEXT && treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal)
 					)
-					&& !msg.message?.protocolMessage
+					&& !normalizedContent?.protocolMessage
+					&& !normalizedContent?.reactionMessage
 				) {
 					chat.conversationTimestamp = toNumber(msg.messageTimestamp)
 					if(!msg.key.fromMe) {