diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index dc3019a44..36190f393 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -2264,6 +2264,26 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_chat_is_self_talk(chat: *mut dc_chat_t) -> libc::c_i
     ffi_chat.chat.is_self_talk() as libc::c_int
 }
 
+#[no_mangle]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_chat_is_device_talk(chat: *mut dc_chat_t) -> libc::c_int {
+    if chat.is_null() {
+        eprintln!("ignoring careless call to dc_chat_is_device_talk()");
+        return 0;
+    }
+    let ffi_chat = &*chat;
+    ffi_chat.chat.is_device_talk() as libc::c_int
+}
+
+#[no_mangle]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_chat_is_writable(chat: *mut dc_chat_t) -> libc::c_int {
+    if chat.is_null() {
+        eprintln!("ignoring careless call to dc_chat_is_writable()");
+        return 0;
+    }
+    let ffi_chat = &*chat;
+    ffi_chat.chat.is_writable() as libc::c_int
+}
+
 #[no_mangle]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_chat_is_verified(chat: *mut dc_chat_t) -> libc::c_int {
     if chat.is_null() {
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/const.py b/python/src/deltachat/const.py
index e3e2bfc7e..ff22addb2 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/const.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/const.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ DC_STATE_OUT_DELIVERED = 26
 DC_STATE_OUT_MDN_RCVD = 28
 DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF = 1
 DC_CONTACT_ID_INFO = 2
+DC_CONTACT_ID_DEVICE = 5
 DC_CONTACT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL = 9
 DC_MSG_TEXT = 10
 DC_MSG_IMAGE = 20
diff --git a/src/chat.rs b/src/chat.rs
index b1c6f777b..c806a2a9c 100644
--- a/src/chat.rs
+++ b/src/chat.rs
@@ -109,6 +109,14 @@ impl Chat {
         self.param.exists(Param::Selftalk)
     }
 
+    pub fn is_device_talk(&self) -> bool {
+        self.param.exists(Param::Devicetalk)
+    }
+
+    pub fn is_writable(&self) -> bool {
+        self.id > DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL && !self.is_device_talk()
+    }
+
     pub fn update_param(&mut self, context: &Context) -> Result<(), Error> {
         sql::execute(
             context,
@@ -605,7 +613,11 @@ pub fn create_or_lookup_by_contact_id(
             "INSERT INTO chats (type, name, param, blocked, grpid) VALUES({}, '{}', '{}', {}, '{}')",
             100,
             chat_name,
-            if contact_id == DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF as u32 { "K=1" } else { "" },
+            match contact_id {
+                DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF => "K=1", // K = Param::Selftalk
+                DC_CONTACT_ID_DEVICE => "D=1", // K = Param::Devicetalk
+                _ => ""
+            },
             create_blocked as u8,
             contact.get_addr(),
         ),
diff --git a/src/constants.rs b/src/constants.rs
index 23ce20c1b..68783837f 100644
--- a/src/constants.rs
+++ b/src/constants.rs
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ const DC_MAX_GET_INFO_LEN: usize = 100000;
 pub const DC_CONTACT_ID_UNDEFINED: u32 = 0;
 pub const DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF: u32 = 1;
 pub const DC_CONTACT_ID_INFO: u32 = 2;
+pub const DC_CONTACT_ID_DEVICE: u32 = 5;
 pub const DC_CONTACT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL: u32 = 9;
 
 pub const DC_CREATE_MVBOX: usize = 1;
diff --git a/src/param.rs b/src/param.rs
index 9fcdf0db3..524fcedf6 100644
--- a/src/param.rs
+++ b/src/param.rs
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ pub enum Param {
     ProfileImage = b'i',
     // For Chats
     Selftalk = b'K',
+    // For Chats
+    Devicetalk = b'D',
     // For QR
     Auth = b's',
     // For QR
diff --git a/src/sql.rs b/src/sql.rs
index eab1374b7..2b9fa2aac 100644
--- a/src/sql.rs
+++ b/src/sql.rs
@@ -383,8 +383,8 @@ fn open(
             )?;
             sql.execute(
                 "INSERT INTO contacts (id,name,origin) VALUES \
-                 (1,'self',262144), (2,'device',262144), (3,'rsvd',262144), \
-                 (4,'rsvd',262144), (5,'rsvd',262144), (6,'rsvd',262144), \
+                 (1,'self',262144), (2,'info',262144), (3,'rsvd',262144), \
+                 (4,'rsvd',262144), (5,'device',262144), (6,'rsvd',262144), \
                  (7,'rsvd',262144), (8,'rsvd',262144), (9,'rsvd',262144);",
                 params![],
             )?;