diff --git a/python/examples/test_examples.py b/python/examples/test_examples.py
index c9c38c26d..914db39e7 100644
--- a/python/examples/test_examples.py
+++ b/python/examples/test_examples.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def test_echo_quit_plugin(acfactory, lp):
 
     lp.sec("sending a message to the bot")
     bot_contact = ac1.create_contact(botproc.addr)
-    ch1 = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(bot_contact)
+    ch1 = bot_contact.create_chat()
     ch1.send_text("hello")
 
     lp.sec("waiting for the bot-reply to arrive")
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index 0dfdb7f9d..96cbce0ec 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -214,27 +214,27 @@ class Account(object):
         """
         return Contact(self, const.DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF)
 
-    def create_contact(self, email, name=None):
+    def create_contact(self, addr, name=None):
         """ create a (new) Contact. If there already is a Contact
         with that e-mail address, it is unblocked and its display
         name is updated.
 
-        :param email: email-address (text type) or Contact (from other account).
+        :param addr: email-address (text type) or Contact (from other account).
         :param name: display name for this contact (optional)
         :returns: :class:`deltachat.contact.Contact` instance.
         """
-        if isinstance(email, Contact):
+        if isinstance(addr, Contact):
             # might come from another account
-            name = email.name
-            addr = email.addr
+            name = addr.name
+            addr = addr.addr
         else:
-            realname, addr = parseaddr(email)
-            if not name and realname:
-                name = realname
+            parse_name, addr = parseaddr(addr)
+            if not name and parse_name:
+                name = parse_name
         name = as_dc_charpointer(name)
         addr = as_dc_charpointer(addr)
         contact_id = lib.dc_create_contact(self._dc_context, name, addr)
-        assert contact_id > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
+        assert contact_id > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL, contact_id
         return Contact(self, contact_id)
 
     def delete_contact(self, contact):
@@ -256,6 +256,19 @@ class Account(object):
         if contact_id:
             return self.get_contact_by_id(contact_id)
 
+    def get_contact_by_id(self, contact_id):
+        """ return Contact instance or None.
+        :param contact_id: integer id of this contact.
+        :returns: None or :class:`deltachat.contact.Contact` instance.
+        """
+        return Contact(self, contact_id)
+
+    def _port_contact(self, contact):
+        assert isinstance(contact, Contact)
+        if self != contact.account:
+            return self.create_contact(addr=contact.addr, name=contact.name)
+        return contact
+
     def get_contacts(self, query=None, with_self=False, only_verified=False):
         """ get a (filtered) list of contacts.
 
@@ -286,36 +299,19 @@ class Account(object):
         yield from iter_array(dc_array, lambda x: Message.from_db(self, x))
 
     def create_chat(self, obj):
-        """ Create a 1:1 chat with Account/Contact/e-mail addresses. """
+        """ Create a 1:1 chat with Account or e-mail addresse. """
         if isinstance(obj, Account):
             if not obj.is_configured():
                 raise ValueError("can only add addresses from a configured account")
-            other = obj.get_self_contact()
-            contact = self.create_contact(other.addr, other.name)
+            contact = self.create_contact(obj.get_self_contact().addr)
         elif isinstance(obj, Contact):
-            contact = obj
+            contact = self._port_contact(obj)
         elif isinstance(obj, str):
-            realname, addr = parseaddr(obj)
-            contact = self.create_contact(addr, realname)
+            name, addr = parseaddr(obj)
+            contact = self.create_contact(addr, name)
         else:
             raise TypeError("don't know how to create chat for %r" % (obj, ))
-        return contact.get_chat()
-
-    def create_chat_by_contact(self, contact):
-        """ create or get an existing 1:1 chat object for the specified contact or contact id.
-
-        :param contact: chat_id (int) or contact object.
-        :returns: a :class:`deltachat.chat.Chat` object.
-        """
-        if hasattr(contact, "id"):
-            if contact.account != self:
-                raise ValueError("Contact belongs to a different Account")
-            contact_id = contact.id
-        else:
-            assert isinstance(contact, int)
-            contact_id = contact
-        chat_id = lib.dc_create_chat_by_contact_id(self._dc_context, contact_id)
-        return Chat(self, chat_id)
+        return contact.create_chat()
 
     def create_chat_by_message(self, message):
         """ create or get an existing chat object for the
@@ -376,13 +372,6 @@ class Account(object):
         """
         return Message.from_db(self, msg_id)
 
-    def get_contact_by_id(self, contact_id):
-        """ return Contact instance or None.
-        :param contact_id: integer id of this contact.
-        :returns: None or :class:`deltachat.contact.Contact` instance.
-        """
-        return Contact(self, contact_id)
-
     def get_chat_by_id(self, chat_id):
         """ return Chat instance.
         :param chat_id: integer id of this chat.
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/chat.py b/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
index 32b50a1a0..d6f02e2df 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ class Chat(object):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, account, id):
+        from .account import Account
+        assert isinstance(account, Account), repr(account)
         self.account = account
         self.id = id
 
@@ -328,11 +330,6 @@ class Chat(object):
 
     # ------  group management API ------------------------------
 
-    def _port_contact(self, contact):
-        if contact.account != self.account:
-            contact = self.account.create_contact(contact.addr, contact.display_name)
-        return contact
-
     def add_contact(self, contact):
         """ add a contact to this chat.
 
@@ -343,7 +340,7 @@ class Chat(object):
         :raises ValueError: if contact could not be added
         :returns: None
         """
-        contact = self._port_contact(contact)
+        contact = self.account._port_contact(contact)
         ret = lib.dc_add_contact_to_chat(self.account._dc_context, self.id, contact.id)
         if ret != 1:
             raise ValueError("could not add contact {!r} to chat".format(contact))
@@ -356,7 +353,7 @@ class Chat(object):
         :raises ValueError: if contact could not be removed
         :returns: None
         """
-        contact = self._port_contact(contact)
+        contact = self.account._port_contact(contact)
         ret = lib.dc_remove_contact_from_chat(self.account._dc_context, self.id, contact.id)
         if ret != 1:
             raise ValueError("could not remove contact {!r} from chat".format(contact))
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/contact.py b/python/src/deltachat/contact.py
index 4eb5efc68..7b7a59f6c 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/contact.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/contact.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 from . import props
 from .cutil import from_dc_charpointer
 from .capi import lib, ffi
+from .chat import Chat
+from . import const
 
 
 class Contact(object):
@@ -11,6 +13,8 @@ class Contact(object):
     You obtain instances of it through :class:`deltachat.account.Account`.
     """
     def __init__(self, account, id):
+        from .account import Account
+        assert isinstance(account, Account), repr(account)
         self.account = account
         self.id = id
 
@@ -61,6 +65,16 @@ class Contact(object):
             return None
         return from_dc_charpointer(dc_res)
 
-    def get_chat(self):
-        """return 1:1 chat for this contact. """
-        return self.account.create_chat_by_contact(self)
+    def create_chat(self):
+        """ create or get an existing 1:1 chat object for the specified contact or contact id.
+
+        :param contact: chat_id (int) or contact object.
+        :returns: a :class:`deltachat.chat.Chat` object.
+        """
+        dc_context = self.account._dc_context
+        chat_id = lib.dc_create_chat_by_contact_id(dc_context, self.id)
+        assert chat_id > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL, chat_id
+        return Chat(self.account, chat_id)
+
+    # deprecated name
+    get_chat = create_chat
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/testplugin.py b/python/src/deltachat/testplugin.py
index 411e4a6af..933496835 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/testplugin.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/testplugin.py
@@ -387,14 +387,9 @@ def acfactory(pytestconfig, tmpdir, request, session_liveconfig, data):
                     imap.dump_account_info(logfile=logfile)
                     imap.dump_imap_structures(tmpdir, logfile=logfile)
 
-        def get_chats(self, ac1, ac2, both=True):
-            chat12 = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(
-                ac1.create_contact(email=ac2.get_config("addr")))
-            chat21 = None
-            if both:
-                chat21 = ac2.create_chat_by_contact(
-                    ac2.create_contact(email=ac1.get_config("addr")))
-            return chat12, chat21
+        def get_accepted_chat(self, ac1, ac2):
+            ac2.create_chat(ac1)
+            return ac1.create_chat(ac2)
 
     am = AccountMaker()
     request.addfinalizer(am.finalize)
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index c6aad913e..676ee88fd 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -105,8 +105,8 @@ class TestOfflineAccountBasic:
 class TestOfflineContact:
     def test_contact_attr(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
-        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(email="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
-        contact2 = ac1.create_contact(email="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
+        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
+        contact2 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
         str(contact1)
         repr(contact1)
         assert contact1 == contact2
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ class TestOfflineContact:
 
     def test_get_contacts_and_delete(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
-        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(email="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
+        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@hello.com", name="some1")
         contacts = ac1.get_contacts()
         assert len(contacts) == 1
         assert contact1 in contacts
@@ -134,9 +134,8 @@ class TestOfflineContact:
 
     def test_get_contacts_and_delete_fails(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
-        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(email="some1@example.com", name="some1")
-        chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact1)
-        msg = chat.send_text("one message")
+        contact1 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@example.com", name="some1")
+        msg = contact1.create_chat().send_text("one message")
         assert not ac1.delete_contact(contact1)
         assert not msg.filemime
 
@@ -160,10 +159,7 @@ class TestOfflineChat:
 
     @pytest.fixture
     def chat1(self, ac1):
-        contact1 = ac1.create_contact("some1@hello.com", name="some1")
-        chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact1)
-        assert chat.id > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL, chat.id
-        return chat
+        return ac1.create_contact("some1@hello.com", name="some1").create_chat()
 
     def test_display(self, chat1):
         str(chat1)
@@ -180,7 +176,7 @@ class TestOfflineChat:
 
     def test_chat_idempotent(self, chat1, ac1):
         contact1 = chat1.get_contacts()[0]
-        chat2 = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact1.id)
+        chat2 = contact1.create_chat()
         assert chat2.id == chat1.id
         assert chat2.get_name() == chat1.get_name()
         assert chat1 == chat2
@@ -379,13 +375,11 @@ class TestOfflineChat:
         contact2 = ac1.create_contact("display1 <x@example.org>", "real")
         assert contact2.display_name == "real"
 
-    def test_create_chat_mismatch(self, acfactory):
+    def test_create_chat_and_mismatch(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
         ac2 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
         contact1 = ac1.create_contact("some1@hello.com", name="some1")
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
-            ac2.create_chat_by_contact(contact1)
-        chat1 = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact1)
+        chat1 = contact1.create_chat()
         msg = chat1.send_text("hello")
         with pytest.raises(ValueError):
             ac2.create_chat_by_message(msg)
@@ -409,8 +403,7 @@ class TestOfflineChat:
     def test_import_export_one_contact(self, acfactory, tmpdir):
         backupdir = tmpdir.mkdir("backup")
         ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
-        contact1 = ac1.create_contact("some1@hello.com", name="some1")
-        chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact1)
+        chat = ac1.create_contact("some1 <some1@hello.com>").create_chat()
         # send a text message
         msg = chat.send_text("msg1")
         # send a binary file
@@ -429,7 +422,7 @@ class TestOfflineChat:
         assert len(contacts) == 1
         contact2 = contacts[0]
         assert contact2.addr == "some1@hello.com"
-        chat2 = ac2.create_chat_by_contact(contact2)
+        chat2 = contact2.create_chat()
         messages = chat2.get_messages()
         assert len(messages) == 2
         assert messages[0].text == "msg1"
@@ -534,7 +527,7 @@ class TestOfflineChat:
 
 def test_basic_imap_api(acfactory, tmpdir):
     ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
-    chat12, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+    chat12 = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
 
     imap2 = ac2.direct_imap
 
@@ -569,7 +562,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac1.start_io()
         ac2.wait_configure_finish()
         ac2.start_io()
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
 
         lp.sec("ac1: send unencrypted message to ac2")
         chat.send_text("message1")
@@ -630,7 +623,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac1_clone.wait_configure_finish()
         ac1_clone.start_io()
 
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
 
         self_addr = ac1.get_config("addr")
         other_addr = ac2.get_config("addr")
@@ -672,7 +665,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
 
     def test_send_file_twice_unicode_filename_mangling(self, tmpdir, acfactory, lp):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
 
         basename = "somedäüta.html.zip"
         p = os.path.join(tmpdir.strpath, basename)
@@ -704,7 +697,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
 
     def test_send_file_html_attachment(self, tmpdir, acfactory, lp):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
 
         basename = "test.html"
         content = "<html><body>text</body>data"
@@ -742,7 +735,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac1.start_io()
 
         lp.sec("ac1: send message and wait for ac2 to receive it")
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
         chat.send_text("message1")
         ev = ac2._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_INCOMING_MSG")
         assert ev.data2 > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
@@ -755,7 +748,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac2.start_io()
         ac1.wait_configure_finish()
         ac1.start_io()
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
         chat.send_text("message1")
         ev = ac2._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_INCOMING_MSG")
         assert ev.data2 > const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
@@ -770,7 +763,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac1.wait_configure_finish()
         ac1.start_io()
 
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
         chat.send_text("message1")
         chat.send_text("message2")
         chat.send_text("message3")
@@ -813,7 +806,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
 
     def test_forward_own_message(self, acfactory, lp):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
 
         lp.sec("sending message")
         msg_out = chat.send_text("message2")
@@ -838,7 +831,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
     def test_send_self_message_and_empty_folder(self, acfactory, lp):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_one_online_account(mvbox=True, move=True)
         lp.sec("ac1: create self chat")
-        chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(ac1.get_self_contact())
+        chat = ac1.get_self_contact().create_chat()
         chat.send_text("hello")
         ac1._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_SMTP_MESSAGE_SENT")
         ac1.empty_server_folders(inbox=True, mvbox=True)
@@ -1002,7 +995,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac2.set_config("save_mime_headers", "1")
 
         lp.sec("ac1: create chat with ac2")
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
 
         lp.sec("sending multi-line non-unicode message from ac1 to ac2")
         text1 = "hello\nworld"
@@ -1021,7 +1014,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         lp.sec("wait for ac2 to receive multi-line unicode message")
         msg_in = ac2._evtracker.wait_next_incoming_message()
         assert msg_in.text == text2
-        assert ac1.get_config("addr") in msg_in.chat.get_name()
+        assert ac1.get_config("addr") in [x.addr for x in msg_in.chat.get_contacts()]
 
     def test_reply_encrypted(self, acfactory, lp):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
@@ -1097,7 +1090,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
 
     def test_send_mark_seen_clean_incoming_events(self, acfactory, lp, data):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
-        chat, _ = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat = acfactory.get_accepted_chat(ac1, ac2)
 
         message_queue = queue.Queue()
 
@@ -1174,8 +1167,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
 
         lp.sec("create some chat content")
         contact1 = ac1.create_contact("some1@hello.com", name="some1")
-        chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact1)
-        chat.send_text("msg1")
+        contact1.create_chat().send_text("msg1")
         backupdir = tmpdir.mkdir("backup")
 
         lp.sec("export all to {}".format(backupdir))
@@ -1196,7 +1188,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         assert len(contacts) == 1
         contact2 = contacts[0]
         assert contact2.addr == "some1@hello.com"
-        chat2 = ac2.create_chat_by_contact(contact2)
+        chat2 = contact2.create_chat()
         messages = chat2.get_messages()
         assert len(messages) == 1
         assert messages[0].text == "msg1"
@@ -1331,9 +1323,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac2.set_avatar(p)
 
         lp.sec("ac1: send message to ac2")
-        chat = ac1.create_chat(ac2)
-
-        msg1 = chat.send_text("hi -- do you see my brand new avatar?")
+        msg1 = ac1.create_chat(ac2).send_text("with avatar!")
         assert not msg1.is_encrypted()
 
         lp.sec("ac2: wait for receiving message and avatar from ac1")
@@ -1357,7 +1347,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
 
         lp.sec("ac1: delete profile image from chat, and send message to ac2")
         ac1.set_avatar(None)
-        msg5 = chat.send_text("i don't like my avatar anymore and removed it")
+        msg5 = ac1.create_chat(ac2).send_text("removing my avatar")
         assert msg5.is_encrypted()
 
         lp.sec("ac2: wait for message along with avatar deletion of ac1")
@@ -1398,7 +1388,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
 
         lp.sec("ac1: create group chat with ac2")
         chat = ac1.create_group_chat("hello")
-        contact = ac1.create_contact(email=ac2_addr)
+        contact = ac1.create_contact(ac2_addr)
         chat.add_contact(contact)
 
         lp.sec("ac1: send a message to group chat to promote the group")
@@ -1412,7 +1402,7 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         lp.sec("ac1: add address2")
         # note that if the above create_chat() would not
         # happen we would not receive a proper member_added event
-        contact2 = ac1.create_contact(email="notexistingaccountihope@testrun.org")
+        contact2 = ac1.create_contact(addr="notexistingaccountihope@testrun.org")
         chat.add_contact(contact2)
         ev = in_list.get(timeout=10)
         assert ev.action == "chat-modified"
@@ -1459,12 +1449,12 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         assert chat.get_profile_image()
 
         lp.sec("ac2: check that initial message arrived")
-        c1 = ac2.create_contact(email=ac1.get_config("addr"))
-        ac2.create_chat_by_contact(c1)
+        c1 = ac2.create_contact(addr=ac1.get_config("addr"))
+        c1.create_chat()
         ac2._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_MSGS_CHANGED")
 
         lp.sec("ac1: add ac2 to promoted group chat")
-        c2 = ac1.create_contact(email=ac2.get_config("addr"))
+        c2 = ac1.create_contact(addr=ac2.get_config("addr"))
         chat.add_contact(c2)  # sends one message
 
         lp.sec("ac1: send a first message to ac2")
@@ -1496,7 +1486,8 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
 
         lp.sec("ac1: create chat with ac2")
-        chat1, chat2 = acfactory.get_chats(ac1, ac2)
+        chat1 = ac1.create_chat(ac2)
+        chat2 = ac2.create_chat(ac1)
 
         assert not chat1.is_sending_locations()
         with pytest.raises(ValueError):
@@ -1642,14 +1633,12 @@ class TestGroupStressTests:
             contacts.append(contact)
 
             # make sure we accept the "hi" message
-            ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact)
+            contact.create_chat()
 
             # make sure the other side accepts our messages
-            c1 = acc.create_contact(ac1.get_config("addr"), "ä member")
-            chat1 = acc.create_chat_by_contact(c1)
+            acc.create_chat(ac1).send_text("hi")
 
             # send a message to get the contact key via autocrypt header
-            chat1.send_text("hi")
             msg = ac1._evtracker.wait_next_incoming_message()
             assert msg.text == "hi"
 
@@ -1746,11 +1735,10 @@ class TestGroupStressTests:
             contacts.append(contact)
 
             # make sure we accept the "hi" message
-            ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact)
+            contact.create_chat()
 
             # make sure the other side accepts our messages
-            c1 = acc.create_contact(ac1.get_config("addr"), "a member")
-            chat1 = acc.create_chat_by_contact(c1)
+            chat1 = acc.create_chat(ac1)
 
             # send a message to get the contact key via autocrypt header
             chat1.send_text("hi")
diff --git a/python/tests/test_increation.py b/python/tests/test_increation.py
index 99d49771d..da61c1b24 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_increation.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_increation.py
@@ -36,9 +36,7 @@ def wait_msgs_changed(account, msgs_list):
 class TestOnlineInCreation:
     def test_increation_not_blobdir(self, tmpdir, acfactory, lp):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
-
-        c2 = ac1.create_contact(email=ac2.get_config("addr"))
-        chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(c2)
+        chat = ac1.create_chat(ac2)
 
         lp.sec("Creating in-creation file outside of blobdir")
         assert tmpdir.strpath != ac1.get_blobdir()
@@ -48,9 +46,7 @@ class TestOnlineInCreation:
 
     def test_no_increation_copies_to_blobdir(self, tmpdir, acfactory, lp):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
-
-        c2 = ac1.create_contact(email=ac2.get_config("addr"))
-        chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(c2)
+        chat = ac1.create_chat(ac2)
 
         lp.sec("Creating file outside of blobdir")
         assert tmpdir.strpath != ac1.get_blobdir()
@@ -64,9 +60,7 @@ class TestOnlineInCreation:
     def test_forward_increation(self, acfactory, data, lp):
         ac1, ac2 = acfactory.get_two_online_accounts()
 
-        c2 = ac1.create_contact(email=ac2.get_config("addr"))
-        chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(c2)
-        assert chat.id >= const.DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL
+        chat = ac1.create_chat(ac2)
         wait_msgs_changed(ac1, [(0, 0)])  # why no chat id?
 
         lp.sec("create a message with a file in creation")
@@ -80,7 +74,7 @@ class TestOnlineInCreation:
 
         lp.sec("forward the message while still in creation")
         chat2 = ac1.create_group_chat("newgroup")
-        chat2.add_contact(c2)
+        chat2.add_contact(ac2.get_self_contact())
         wait_msgs_changed(ac1, [(0, 0)])  # why not chat id?
         ac1.forward_messages([prepared_original], chat2)
         # XXX there might be two EVENT_MSGS_CHANGED and only one of them
diff --git a/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py b/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
index 2e7640e36..62fce7275 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ def test_sig():
 def test_markseen_invalid_message_ids(acfactory):
     ac1 = acfactory.get_configured_offline_account()
 
-    contact1 = ac1.create_contact(email="some1@example.com", name="some1")
-    chat = ac1.create_chat_by_contact(contact1)
+    contact1 = ac1.create_contact(addr="some1@example.com", name="some1")
+    chat = contact1.create_chat()
     chat.send_text("one messae")
     ac1._evtracker.get_matching("DC_EVENT_MSGS_CHANGED")
     msg_ids = [9]