diff --git a/apps/android/app/src/main/java/chat/simplex/app/views/chat/ChatInfoView.kt b/apps/android/app/src/main/java/chat/simplex/app/views/chat/ChatInfoView.kt
index a97d59138..c3c35aa7a 100644
--- a/apps/android/app/src/main/java/chat/simplex/app/views/chat/ChatInfoView.kt
+++ b/apps/android/app/src/main/java/chat/simplex/app/views/chat/ChatInfoView.kt
@@ -196,8 +196,8 @@ fun ChatInfoLayout(
       }
       ContactPreferencesButton(openPreferences)
     }
-
     SectionDividerSpaced()
+
     if (contact.contactLink != null) {
       val context = LocalContext.current
       SectionView(stringResource(R.string.address_section_title).uppercase()) {
@@ -208,6 +208,17 @@ fun ChatInfoLayout(
       SectionDividerSpaced()
     }
 
+    if (developerTools) {
+      SectionView(title = stringResource(R.string.contact_info_section_title_contact)) {
+        val connLevel = contact.activeConn.connLevel
+        val connLevelDesc =
+          if (connLevel == 0) stringResource(R.string.conn_level_desc_direct)
+          else String.format(generalGetString(R.string.conn_level_desc_indirect), connLevel)
+        InfoRow(stringResource(R.string.info_row_connection), connLevelDesc)
+      }
+      SectionDividerSpaced()
+    }
+
     SectionView(title = stringResource(R.string.conn_stats_section_title_servers)) {
       SwitchAddressButton(switchContactAddress)
       if (connStats != null) {
diff --git a/apps/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/apps/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 2017bae84..5f6094f3a 100644
--- a/apps/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/apps/android/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -1140,6 +1140,7 @@
   <string name="member_will_be_removed_from_group_cannot_be_undone">Member will be removed from group - this cannot be undone!</string>
   <string name="remove_member_confirmation">Remove</string>
   <string name="member_info_section_title_member">MEMBER</string>
+  <string name="contact_info_section_title_contact">CONTACT</string>
   <string name="role_in_group">Role</string>
   <string name="change_role">Change role</string>
   <string name="change_verb">Change</string>
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatInfoView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatInfoView.swift
index b72006b3f..2e083d86e 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatInfoView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatInfoView.swift
@@ -131,6 +131,14 @@ struct ChatInfoView: View {
                     }
                 }
 
+                if developerTools {
+                    Section("Contact") {
+                        let connLevel = contact.activeConn.connLevel
+                        let connLevelDesc = connLevel == 0 ? NSLocalizedString("direct", comment: "connection level description") : String.localizedStringWithFormat(NSLocalizedString("indirect (%d)", comment: "connection level description"), connLevel)
+                        infoRow("Connection", connLevelDesc)
+                    }
+                }
+
                 Section("Servers") {
                     networkStatusRow()
                         .onTapGesture {
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
index 4b6b5d259..f344d24cb 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
@@ -2656,7 +2656,7 @@ processAgentMessageConn user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
       _ -> Nothing
 
     processDirectMessage :: ACommand 'Agent e -> ConnectionEntity -> Connection -> Maybe Contact -> m ()
-    processDirectMessage agentMsg connEntity conn@Connection {connId, viaUserContactLink, groupLinkId, customUserProfileId} = \case
+    processDirectMessage agentMsg connEntity conn@Connection {connId, viaUserContactLink, customUserProfileId} = \case
       Nothing -> case agentMsg of
         CONF confId _ connInfo -> do
           -- [incognito] send saved profile
@@ -2758,7 +2758,6 @@ processAgentMessageConn user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
               whenUserNtfs user $ do
                 setActive $ ActiveC c
                 showToast (c <> "> ") "connected"
-              forM_ groupLinkId $ \_ -> probeMatchingContacts ct $ contactConnIncognito ct
               forM_ viaUserContactLink $ \userContactLinkId ->
                 withStore' (\db -> getUserContactLinkById db userId userContactLinkId) >>= \case
                   Just (UserContactLink {autoAccept = Just AutoAccept {autoReply = mc_}}, groupId_, gLinkMemRole) -> do
@@ -2903,6 +2902,11 @@ processAgentMessageConn user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
             whenUserNtfs user $ do
               setActive $ ActiveG gName
               showToast ("#" <> gName) "you are connected to group"
+            withStore' (\db -> getContactViaMember db user m) >>= \case
+              Nothing -> messageWarning "connected host does not have contact"
+              Just ct@Contact {activeConn = Connection {groupLinkId}} -> do
+                let connectedIncognito = contactConnIncognito ct || memberIncognito membership
+                forM_ groupLinkId $ \_ -> probeMatchingContacts ct connectedIncognito
           GCInviteeMember -> do
             memberConnectedChatItem gInfo m
             toView $ CRJoinedGroupMember user gInfo m {memberStatus = GSMemConnected}
@@ -3825,8 +3829,9 @@ processAgentMessageConn user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
     probeMatch c1@Contact {contactId = cId1, profile = p1} c2@Contact {contactId = cId2, profile = p2} probe =
       if profilesMatch (fromLocalProfile p1) (fromLocalProfile p2) && cId1 /= cId2
         then do
-          void . sendDirectContactMessage c1 $ XInfoProbeOk probe
-          mergeContacts c1 c2
+          let (toCt, fromCt) = mergeToFromContacts c1 c2
+          void . sendDirectContactMessage toCt $ XInfoProbeOk probe
+          mergeContacts toCt fromCt
         else messageWarning "probeMatch ignored: profiles don't match or same contact id"
 
     xInfoProbeOk :: Contact -> Probe -> m ()
@@ -3834,9 +3839,22 @@ processAgentMessageConn user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
       r <- withStore' $ \db -> matchSentProbe db user c1 probe
       forM_ r $ \c2@Contact {contactId = cId2} ->
         if cId1 /= cId2
-          then mergeContacts c1 c2
+          then do
+            let (toCt, fromCt) = mergeToFromContacts c1 c2
+            mergeContacts toCt fromCt
           else messageWarning "xInfoProbeOk ignored: same contact id"
 
+    mergeToFromContacts :: Contact -> Contact -> (Contact, Contact)
+    mergeToFromContacts c1 c2
+      | d1 && not d2 = (c1, c2)
+      | d2 && not d1 = (c2, c1)
+      | ctCreatedAt c1 <= ctCreatedAt c2 = (c1, c2)
+      | otherwise = (c2, c1)
+      where
+        d1 = directOrUsed c1
+        d2 = directOrUsed c2
+        ctCreatedAt Contact {createdAt} = createdAt
+
     -- to party accepting call
     xCallInv :: Contact -> CallId -> CallInvitation -> RcvMessage -> MsgMeta -> m ()
     xCallInv ct@Contact {contactId} callId CallInvitation {callType, callDhPubKey} msg@RcvMessage {sharedMsgId_} msgMeta = do
@@ -3943,9 +3961,10 @@ processAgentMessageConn user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
       messageError $ eventName <> ": wrong call state " <> T.pack (show $ callStateTag callState)
 
     mergeContacts :: Contact -> Contact -> m ()
-    mergeContacts c1 c2 = do
-      withStore' $ \db -> mergeContactRecords db userId c1 c2
-      toView $ CRContactsMerged user c1 c2
+    mergeContacts toCt fromCt = do
+      deleteAgentConnectionAsync user $ aConnId $ contactConn fromCt
+      withStore' $ \db -> mergeContactRecords db userId toCt fromCt
+      toView $ CRContactsMerged user toCt fromCt
 
     saveConnInfo :: Connection -> ConnInfo -> m ()
     saveConnInfo activeConn connInfo = do
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
index 12ac37032..e6b7a3805 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
@@ -1708,9 +1708,8 @@ matchSentProbe db user@User {userId} _from@Contact {contactId} (Probe probe) = d
     cId : _ -> eitherToMaybe <$> runExceptT (getContact db user cId)
 
 mergeContactRecords :: DB.Connection -> UserId -> Contact -> Contact -> IO ()
-mergeContactRecords db userId ct1 ct2 = do
-  let (toCt, fromCt) = toFromContacts ct1 ct2
-      Contact {contactId = toContactId} = toCt
+mergeContactRecords db userId toCt fromCt = do
+  let Contact {contactId = toContactId} = toCt
       Contact {contactId = fromContactId, localDisplayName} = fromCt
   currentTs <- getCurrentTime
   -- TODO next query fixes incorrect unused contacts deletion; consider more thorough fix
@@ -1719,10 +1718,6 @@ mergeContactRecords db userId ct1 ct2 = do
       db
       "UPDATE contacts SET contact_used = 1, updated_at = ? WHERE user_id = ? AND contact_id = ?"
       (currentTs, userId, toContactId)
-  DB.execute
-    db
-    "UPDATE connections SET contact_id = ?, updated_at = ? WHERE contact_id = ? AND user_id = ?"
-    (toContactId, currentTs, fromContactId, userId)
   DB.execute
     db
     "UPDATE connections SET via_contact = ?, updated_at = ? WHERE via_contact = ? AND user_id = ?"
@@ -1735,6 +1730,10 @@ mergeContactRecords db userId ct1 ct2 = do
     db
     "UPDATE chat_items SET contact_id = ?, updated_at = ? WHERE contact_id = ? AND user_id = ?"
     (toContactId, currentTs, fromContactId, userId)
+  DB.execute
+    db
+    "UPDATE chat_item_reactions SET contact_id = ?, updated_at = ? WHERE contact_id = ?"
+    (toContactId, currentTs, fromContactId)
   DB.executeNamed
     db
     [sql|
@@ -1754,17 +1753,6 @@ mergeContactRecords db userId ct1 ct2 = do
   deleteContactProfile_ db userId fromContactId
   DB.execute db "DELETE FROM contacts WHERE contact_id = ? AND user_id = ?" (fromContactId, userId)
   DB.execute db "DELETE FROM display_names WHERE local_display_name = ? AND user_id = ?" (localDisplayName, userId)
-  where
-    toFromContacts :: Contact -> Contact -> (Contact, Contact)
-    toFromContacts c1 c2
-      | d1 && not d2 = (c1, c2)
-      | d2 && not d1 = (c2, c1)
-      | ctCreatedAt c1 <= ctCreatedAt c2 = (c1, c2)
-      | otherwise = (c2, c1)
-      where
-        d1 = directOrUsed c1
-        d2 = directOrUsed c2
-        ctCreatedAt Contact {createdAt} = createdAt
 
 getConnectionEntity :: DB.Connection -> User -> AgentConnId -> ExceptT StoreError IO ConnectionEntity
 getConnectionEntity db user@User {userId, userContactId} agentConnId = do
@@ -2364,6 +2352,7 @@ createNewContactMemberAsync db gVar user@User {userId, userContactId} groupId Co
             :. (userId, localDisplayName, contactId, localProfileId profile, createdAt, createdAt)
         )
 
+-- this method differs from getViaGroupContact in that it does not join with groups on contacts.via_group
 getContactViaMember :: DB.Connection -> User -> GroupMember -> IO (Maybe Contact)
 getContactViaMember db user@User {userId} GroupMember {groupMemberId} =
   maybeFirstRow (toContact user) $
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
index c13318250..70fb01a13 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
@@ -116,11 +116,7 @@ responseToView user_ ChatConfig {logLevel, showReactions, testView} liveItems ts
   CRGroupCreated u g -> ttyUser u $ viewGroupCreated g
   CRGroupMembers u g -> ttyUser u $ viewGroupMembers g
   CRGroupsList u gs -> ttyUser u $ viewGroupsList gs
-  CRSentGroupInvitation u g c _ ->
-    ttyUser u $
-      if viaGroupLink . contactConn $ c
-        then [ttyContact' c <> " invited to group " <> ttyGroup' g <> " via your group link"]
-        else ["invitation to join the group " <> ttyGroup' g <> " sent to " <> ttyContact' c]
+  CRSentGroupInvitation u g c _ -> ttyUser u ["invitation to join the group " <> ttyGroup' g <> " sent to " <> ttyContact' c]
   CRFileTransferStatus u ftStatus -> ttyUser u $ viewFileTransferStatus ftStatus
   CRFileTransferStatusXFTP u ci -> ttyUser u $ viewFileTransferStatusXFTP ci
   CRUserProfile u p -> ttyUser u $ viewUserProfile p
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests/Groups.hs b/tests/ChatTests/Groups.hs
index 305f1620c..860826e8c 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests/Groups.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests/Groups.hs
@@ -1544,7 +1544,7 @@ testGroupLink =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ do
             alice <## "bob (Bob): contact is connected"
-            alice <## "bob invited to group #team via your group link"
+            alice <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to bob"
             alice <## "#team: bob joined the group",
           do
             bob <## "alice (Alice): contact is connected"
@@ -1580,7 +1580,7 @@ testGroupLink =
             <### [ "cath_1 (Catherine): contact is connected",
                    "contact cath_1 is merged into cath",
                    "use @cath <message> to send messages",
-                   EndsWith "invited to group #team via your group link",
+                   StartsWith "invitation to join the group #team sent to cath",
                    EndsWith "joined the group"
                  ],
           cath
@@ -1634,7 +1634,7 @@ testGroupLinkDeleteGroupRejoin =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ do
             alice <## "bob (Bob): contact is connected"
-            alice <## "bob invited to group #team via your group link"
+            alice <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to bob"
             alice <## "#team: bob joined the group",
           do
             bob <## "alice (Alice): contact is connected"
@@ -1660,7 +1660,7 @@ testGroupLinkDeleteGroupRejoin =
             <### [ "bob_1 (Bob): contact is connected",
                    "contact bob_1 is merged into bob",
                    "use @bob <message> to send messages",
-                   EndsWith "invited to group #team via your group link",
+                   StartsWith "invitation to join the group #team sent to bob",
                    EndsWith "joined the group"
                  ],
           bob
@@ -1690,7 +1690,7 @@ testGroupLinkContactUsed =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ do
             alice <## "bob (Bob): contact is connected"
-            alice <## "bob invited to group #team via your group link"
+            alice <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to bob"
             alice <## "#team: bob joined the group",
           do
             bob <## "alice (Alice): contact is connected"
@@ -1752,7 +1752,7 @@ testGroupLinkIncognitoMembership =
         [ do
             bob <## ("cath (Catherine): contact is connected, your incognito profile for this contact is " <> bobIncognito)
             bob <## "use /i cath to print out this incognito profile again"
-            bob <## "cath invited to group #team via your group link"
+            bob <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to cath"
             bob <## "#team: cath joined the group",
           do
             cath <## (bobIncognito <> ": contact is connected")
@@ -1778,7 +1778,7 @@ testGroupLinkIncognitoMembership =
         [ do
             bob <## (danIncognito <> ": contact is connected, your incognito profile for this contact is " <> bobIncognito)
             bob <## ("use /i " <> danIncognito <> " to print out this incognito profile again")
-            bob <## (danIncognito <> " invited to group #team via your group link")
+            bob <## ("invitation to join the group #team sent to " <> danIncognito)
             bob <## ("#team: " <> danIncognito <> " joined the group"),
           do
             dan <## (bobIncognito <> ": contact is connected, your incognito profile for this contact is " <> danIncognito)
@@ -1841,7 +1841,7 @@ testGroupLinkUnusedHostContactDeleted =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ do
             alice <## "bob (Bob): contact is connected"
-            alice <## "bob invited to group #team via your group link"
+            alice <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to bob"
             alice <## "#team: bob joined the group",
           do
             bob <## "alice (Alice): contact is connected"
@@ -1861,7 +1861,7 @@ testGroupLinkUnusedHostContactDeleted =
             <### [ "bob_1 (Bob): contact is connected",
                    "contact bob_1 is merged into bob",
                    "use @bob <message> to send messages",
-                   EndsWith "invited to group #club via your group link",
+                   StartsWith "invitation to join the group #club sent to bob",
                    EndsWith "joined the group"
                  ],
           bob
@@ -1936,7 +1936,7 @@ testGroupLinkIncognitoUnusedHostContactsDeleted =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ do
             alice <## (bobIncognito <> ": contact is connected")
-            alice <## (bobIncognito <> " invited to group #" <> group <> " via your group link")
+            alice <## ("invitation to join the group #" <> group <> " sent to " <> bobIncognito)
             alice <## ("#" <> group <> ": " <> bobIncognito <> " joined the group"),
           do
             bob <## (bobsAliceContact <> " (Alice): contact is connected, your incognito profile for this contact is " <> bobIncognito)
@@ -1973,7 +1973,7 @@ testGroupLinkMemberRole =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ do
             alice <## "bob (Bob): contact is connected"
-            alice <## "bob invited to group #team via your group link"
+            alice <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to bob"
             alice <## "#team: bob joined the group",
           do
             bob <## "alice (Alice): contact is connected"
@@ -1986,12 +1986,11 @@ testGroupLinkMemberRole =
       cath ##> ("/c " <> gLink)
       cath <## "connection request sent!"
       alice <## "cath (Catherine): accepting request to join group #team..."
-      -- if contact existed it is merged
       concurrentlyN_
         [ alice
             <### [ "cath (Catherine): contact is connected",
-                   EndsWith "invited to group #team via your group link",
-                   EndsWith "joined the group"
+                   "invitation to join the group #team sent to cath",
+                   "#team: cath joined the group"
                  ],
           cath
             <### [ "alice (Alice): contact is connected",
@@ -2041,7 +2040,7 @@ testGroupLinkLeaveDelete =
             <### [ "bob_1 (Bob): contact is connected",
                    "contact bob_1 is merged into bob",
                    "use @bob <message> to send messages",
-                   EndsWith "invited to group #team via your group link",
+                   StartsWith "invitation to join the group #team sent to bob",
                    EndsWith "joined the group"
                  ],
           bob
@@ -2057,7 +2056,7 @@ testGroupLinkLeaveDelete =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ alice
             <### [ "cath (Catherine): contact is connected",
-                   "cath invited to group #team via your group link",
+                   "invitation to join the group #team sent to cath",
                    "#team: cath joined the group"
                  ],
           cath
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests/Utils.hs b/tests/ChatTests/Utils.hs
index db8d63457..58b80fa1e 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests/Utils.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests/Utils.hs
@@ -267,7 +267,11 @@ cc <##.. ls = do
   unless prefix $ print ("expected to start from one of: " <> show ls, ", got: " <> l)
   prefix `shouldBe` True
 
-data ConsoleResponse = ConsoleString String | WithTime String | EndsWith String
+data ConsoleResponse
+  = ConsoleString String
+  | WithTime String
+  | EndsWith String
+  | StartsWith String
   deriving (Show)
 
 instance IsString ConsoleResponse where fromString = ConsoleString
@@ -287,6 +291,7 @@ getInAnyOrder f cc ls = do
       ConsoleString s -> l == s
       WithTime s -> dropTime_ l == Just s
       EndsWith s -> s `isSuffixOf` l
+      StartsWith s -> s `isPrefixOf` l
 
 (<###) :: HasCallStack => TestCC -> [ConsoleResponse] -> Expectation
 (<###) = getInAnyOrder id