diff --git a/src/contact.rs b/src/contact.rs
index 46fc7541e..7c902555e 100644
--- a/src/contact.rs
+++ b/src/contact.rs
@@ -807,14 +807,28 @@ impl Contact {
             .query_get_value(
                 "SELECT id FROM contacts
                  WHERE addr=?1 COLLATE NOCASE
-                 AND id>?2 AND origin>=?3 AND (? OR blocked=?)
-                 ORDER BY last_seen DESC, fingerprint DESC LIMIT 1",
+                     AND id>?2 AND origin>=?3 AND (? OR blocked=?)
+                 ORDER BY
+                     (
+                         SELECT COUNT(*) FROM chats c
+                         INNER JOIN chats_contacts cc
+                         ON c.id=cc.chat_id
+                         WHERE c.type=?
+                             AND c.id>?
+                             AND c.blocked=?
+                             AND cc.contact_id=contacts.id
+                     ) DESC,
+                     last_seen DESC, fingerprint DESC
+                 LIMIT 1",
                 (
                     &addr_normalized,
                     ContactId::LAST_SPECIAL,
                     min_origin as u32,
                     blocked.is_none(),
-                    blocked.unwrap_or_default(),
+                    blocked.unwrap_or(Blocked::Not),
+                    Chattype::Single,
+                    constants::DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL,
+                    blocked.unwrap_or(Blocked::Not),
                 ),
             )
             .await?;
diff --git a/src/contact/contact_tests.rs b/src/contact/contact_tests.rs
index a4cc2fbfa..14ccc4d93 100644
--- a/src/contact/contact_tests.rs
+++ b/src/contact/contact_tests.rs
@@ -1035,8 +1035,7 @@ async fn test_was_seen_recently_event() -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
-async fn test_lookup_id_by_addr_recent() -> Result<()> {
+async fn test_lookup_id_by_addr_recent_ex(accept_unencrypted_chat: bool) -> Result<()> {
     let mut tcm = TestContextManager::new();
     let bob = &tcm.bob().await;
 
@@ -1053,10 +1052,12 @@ Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2022 $TIME +0100
 
 Hi"#
     .to_string();
-    for (time, is_key_contact) in [("20:05:57", true), ("20:05:58", false)] {
+    for (time, is_key_contact) in [("20:05:57", true), ("20:05:58", !accept_unencrypted_chat)] {
         let raw = raw.replace("$TIME", time);
         let received_msg = receive_imf(bob, raw.as_bytes(), false).await?.unwrap();
-        received_msg.chat_id.accept(bob).await?;
+        if accept_unencrypted_chat {
+            received_msg.chat_id.accept(bob).await?;
+        }
         let contact_id = Contact::lookup_id_by_addr(bob, "alice@example.org", Origin::Unknown)
             .await?
             .unwrap();
@@ -1066,6 +1067,18 @@ Hi"#
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
+async fn test_lookup_id_by_addr_recent() -> Result<()> {
+    let accept_unencrypted_chat = true;
+    test_lookup_id_by_addr_recent_ex(accept_unencrypted_chat).await
+}
+
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
+async fn test_lookup_id_by_addr_recent_accepted() -> Result<()> {
+    let accept_unencrypted_chat = false;
+    test_lookup_id_by_addr_recent_ex(accept_unencrypted_chat).await
+}
+
 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
 async fn test_verified_by_none() -> Result<()> {
     let mut tcm = TestContextManager::new();
diff --git a/src/receive_imf.rs b/src/receive_imf.rs
index 0c31cac54..21dcf1c05 100644
--- a/src/receive_imf.rs
+++ b/src/receive_imf.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use crate::chat::{
     self, Chat, ChatId, ChatIdBlocked, ProtectionStatus, remove_from_chat_contacts_table,
 };
 use crate::config::Config;
-use crate::constants::{Blocked, Chattype, DC_CHAT_ID_TRASH, EDITED_PREFIX, ShowEmails};
+use crate::constants::{self, Blocked, Chattype, DC_CHAT_ID_TRASH, EDITED_PREFIX, ShowEmails};
 use crate::contact::{Contact, ContactId, Origin, mark_contact_id_as_verified};
 use crate::context::Context;
 use crate::debug_logging::maybe_set_logging_xdc_inner;
@@ -3793,7 +3793,7 @@ async fn add_or_lookup_key_contacts(
 /// Looks up a key-contact by email address.
 ///
 /// If provided, `chat_id` must be an encrypted chat ID that has key-contacts inside.
-/// Otherwise the function searches in all contacts, returning the recently seen one.
+/// Otherwise the function searches in all contacts, preferring accepted and most recently seen ones.
 async fn lookup_key_contact_by_address(
     context: &Context,
     addr: &str,
@@ -3836,11 +3836,26 @@ async fn lookup_key_contact_by_address(
                 .sql
                 .query_row_optional(
                     "SELECT id FROM contacts
-                     WHERE contacts.addr=?1
+                     WHERE addr=?
                      AND fingerprint<>''
-                     ORDER BY last_seen DESC, id DESC
+                     ORDER BY
+                         (
+                             SELECT COUNT(*) FROM chats c
+                             INNER JOIN chats_contacts cc
+                             ON c.id=cc.chat_id
+                             WHERE c.type=?
+                                 AND c.id>?
+                                 AND c.blocked=?
+                                 AND cc.contact_id=contacts.id
+                         ) DESC,
+                         last_seen DESC, id DESC
                      ",
-                    (addr,),
+                    (
+                        addr,
+                        Chattype::Single,
+                        constants::DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL,
+                        Blocked::Not,
+                    ),
                     |row| {
                         let contact_id: ContactId = row.get(0)?;
                         Ok(contact_id)
diff --git a/src/sql/migrations/migrations_tests.rs b/src/sql/migrations/migrations_tests.rs
index 7f0d0ae59..d3ed58898 100644
--- a/src/sql/migrations/migrations_tests.rs
+++ b/src/sql/migrations/migrations_tests.rs
@@ -116,11 +116,15 @@ async fn test_key_contacts_migration_email2() -> Result<()> {
     )?)).await?;
     t.sql.run_migrations(&t).await?;
 
-    let pgp_bob_id = Contact::lookup_id_by_addr(&t, "bob@example.net", Origin::Hidden)
-        .await?
-        .unwrap();
-    let pgp_bob = Contact::get_by_id(&t, pgp_bob_id).await?;
+    // Hidden key-contact can't be looked up.
+    assert!(
+        Contact::get_all(&t, 0, Some("bob@example.net"))
+            .await?
+            .is_empty()
+    );
+    let pgp_bob = Contact::get_by_id(&t, ContactId::new(11)).await?;
     assert_eq!(pgp_bob.is_key_contact(), true);
+    assert_eq!(pgp_bob.origin, Origin::Hidden);
 
     let email_bob_id = *Contact::get_all(&t, constants::DC_GCL_ADDRESS, Some("bob@example.net"))
         .await?