diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationActivity.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationActivity.java
index 1f473a117c..5f60da222b 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationActivity.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationActivity.java
@@ -1189,17 +1189,11 @@ public class ConversationActivity extends PassphraseRequiredActionBarActivity
   }
 
   private boolean isSelfConversation() {
-    try {
-      if (!TextSecurePreferences.isPushRegistered(this))       return false;
-      if (!recipients.isSingleRecipient())                     return false;
-      if (recipients.getPrimaryRecipient().isGroupRecipient()) return false;
+    if (!TextSecurePreferences.isPushRegistered(this))       return false;
+    if (!recipients.isSingleRecipient())                     return false;
+    if (recipients.getPrimaryRecipient().isGroupRecipient()) return false;
 
-      return Util.canonicalizeNumber(this, recipients.getPrimaryRecipient().getNumber())
-                 .equals(TextSecurePreferences.getLocalNumber(this));
-    } catch (InvalidNumberException e) {
-      Log.w(TAG, e);
-      return false;
-    }
+    return Util.isOwnNumber(this, recipients.getPrimaryRecipient().getNumber());
   }
 
   private boolean isGroupConversation() {
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/sms/MessageSender.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/sms/MessageSender.java
index 28f59b0fe8..8fb91178ee 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/sms/MessageSender.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/sms/MessageSender.java
@@ -255,25 +255,19 @@ public class MessageSender {
   }
 
   private static boolean isSelfSend(Context context, Recipients recipients) {
-    try {
-      if (!TextSecurePreferences.isPushRegistered(context)) {
-        return false;
-      }
-
-      if (!recipients.isSingleRecipient()) {
-        return false;
-      }
-
-      if (recipients.isGroupRecipient()) {
-        return false;
-      }
-
-      String e164number = Util.canonicalizeNumber(context, recipients.getPrimaryRecipient().getNumber());
-      return TextSecurePreferences.getLocalNumber(context).equals(e164number);
-    } catch (InvalidNumberException e) {
-      Log.w("MessageSender", e);
+    if (!TextSecurePreferences.isPushRegistered(context)) {
       return false;
     }
+
+    if (!recipients.isSingleRecipient()) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    if (recipients.isGroupRecipient()) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    return Util.isOwnNumber(context, recipients.getPrimaryRecipient().getNumber());
   }
 
   private static boolean isPushDestination(Context context, String destination) {
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/DirectoryHelper.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/DirectoryHelper.java
index f32a9fcaca..f2e656e71b 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/DirectoryHelper.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/DirectoryHelper.java
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ public class DirectoryHelper {
     if (!TextSecurePreferences.isNewContactsNotificationEnabled(context)) return;
 
     for (String newUser : newUsers) {
-      if (!SessionUtil.hasSession(context, masterSecret, newUser)) {
+      if (!SessionUtil.hasSession(context, masterSecret, newUser) && !Util.isOwnNumber(context, newUser)) {
         IncomingJoinedMessage message        = new IncomingJoinedMessage(newUser);
         Pair<Long, Long>      smsAndThreadId = DatabaseFactory.getSmsDatabase(context).insertMessageInbox(message);
 
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/Util.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/Util.java
index f0c40af315..fe2bb39c5b 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/Util.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/util/Util.java
@@ -184,6 +184,16 @@ public class Util {
     else                                  return canonicalizeNumber(context, number);
   }
 
+  public static boolean isOwnNumber(Context context, String number) {
+    try {
+      String e164number = canonicalizeNumber(context, number);
+      return TextSecurePreferences.getLocalNumber(context).equals(e164number);
+    } catch (InvalidNumberException e) {
+      Log.w(TAG, e);
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
   public static byte[] readFully(InputStream in) throws IOException {
     ByteArrayOutputStream bout = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
     byte[] buffer              = new byte[4096];