diff --git a/src/contact.rs b/src/contact.rs
index 02e34dcac..19d641485 100644
--- a/src/contact.rs
+++ b/src/contact.rs
@@ -752,6 +752,9 @@ impl Contact {
 
         let addr_normalized = addr_normalize(addr);
 
+        if addr_normalized == ContactId::DEVICE_ADDR {
+            return Ok(Some(ContactId::DEVICE));
+        }
         if context.is_self_addr(&addr_normalized).await? {
             return Ok(Some(ContactId::SELF));
         }
@@ -810,8 +813,11 @@ impl Contact {
         ensure!(!addr.is_empty(), "Can not add_or_lookup empty address");
         ensure!(origin != Origin::Unknown, "Missing valid origin");
 
+        if addr.as_ref() == ContactId::DEVICE_ADDR {
+            return Ok((ContactId::DEVICE, Modifier::None));
+        }
         if context.is_self_addr(addr).await? {
-            return Ok((ContactId::SELF, sth_modified));
+            return Ok((ContactId::SELF, Modifier::None));
         }
 
         let mut name = sanitize_name(name);
diff --git a/src/contact/contact_tests.rs b/src/contact/contact_tests.rs
index 3691d5752..294b7b94b 100644
--- a/src/contact/contact_tests.rs
+++ b/src/contact/contact_tests.rs
@@ -249,6 +249,10 @@ async fn test_add_or_lookup() {
     assert_eq!(contact.get_name(), stock_str::self_msg(&t).await);
     assert_eq!(contact.get_addr(), ""); // we're not configured
     assert!(!contact.is_blocked());
+
+    let contact = Contact::get_by_id(&t, ContactId::DEVICE).await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(contact.get_addr(), "device@localhost");
+    assert!(!contact.is_blocked());
 }
 
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
@@ -705,6 +709,11 @@ async fn test_lookup_id_by_addr() {
         .await
         .unwrap();
     assert_eq!(id, Some(ContactId::SELF));
+
+    let id = Contact::lookup_id_by_addr(&alice.ctx, ContactId::DEVICE_ADDR, Origin::Unknown)
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(id, Some(ContactId::DEVICE));
 }
 
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]