diff --git a/src/status_im/chat/models.cljs b/src/status_im/chat/models.cljs
index 001ab283cff5..dc682c6ee6bf 100644
--- a/src/status_im/chat/models.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/chat/models.cljs
@@ -281,14 +281,25 @@
 
 (fx/defn start-public-chat
   "Starts a new public chat"
-  [cofx topic {:keys [dont-navigate?] :as opts}]
-  (fx/merge cofx
-            (add-public-chat topic)
-            #(when-not dont-navigate?
-               (navigate-to-chat % topic opts))
-            (public-chat/join-public-chat topic)
-            (when platform/desktop?
-              (desktop.events/change-tab :home))))
+  [cofx topic {:keys [dont-navigate? sync?] :or {sync? true} :as opts}]
+  (let [chats           (into []
+                              (comp (filter :is-active)
+                                    (filter :public?)
+                                    (filter #(= topic (:chat-id %))))
+                              (vals (get-in cofx [:db :chats])))
+        already-active? (seq chats)]
+    (if already-active?
+      (when-not dont-navigate?
+        (navigate-to-chat cofx topic opts))
+      (fx/merge cofx
+                (add-public-chat topic)
+                #(when-not dont-navigate?
+                   (navigate-to-chat % topic opts))
+                (public-chat/join-public-chat topic)
+                #(when platform/desktop?
+                   (desktop.events/change-tab % :home))
+                #(when sync?
+                   {:dispatch [:chat.ui/sync-public-chat topic]})))))
 
 (fx/defn disable-chat-cooldown
   "Turns off chat cooldown (protection against message spamming)"
diff --git a/src/status_im/events.cljs b/src/status_im/events.cljs
index 7b9f283eccc4..bbedc433b417 100644
--- a/src/status_im/events.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/events.cljs
@@ -769,10 +769,12 @@
 (handlers/register-handler-fx
  :chat.ui/start-public-chat
  (fn [cofx [_ topic opts]]
-   (fx/merge
-    cofx
-    (chat/start-public-chat topic opts)
-    (pairing/sync-public-chat topic))))
+   (chat/start-public-chat cofx topic opts)))
+
+(handlers/register-handler-fx
+ :chat.ui/sync-public-chat
+ (fn [cofx [_ topic]]
+   (pairing/sync-public-chat cofx topic)))
 
 (handlers/register-handler-fx
  :chat.ui/remove-chat
diff --git a/src/status_im/pairing/core.cljs b/src/status_im/pairing/core.cljs
index bf00bce2b5b5..a7eca8a7491b 100644
--- a/src/status_im/pairing/core.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/pairing/core.cljs
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@
                 :data-store/base-tx [{:transaction   (data-store.accounts/save-account-tx new-account)
                                       :success-event success-event}]}
                #(when (:public? chat)
-                  (models.chat/start-public-chat % (:chat-id chat) {:dont-navigate? true}))]
+                  (models.chat/start-public-chat % (:chat-id chat) {:dont-navigate? true :sync? false}))]
               contacts-fx)))
     (confirm-message-processed cofx (or (:dedup-id cofx)
                                         (:js-obj cofx)))))