diff --git a/src/chat.rs b/src/chat.rs
index 1001e2102..35d03b836 100644
--- a/src/chat.rs
+++ b/src/chat.rs
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ impl ChatId {
         let chat_id = match ChatIdBlocked::lookup_by_contact(context, contact_id).await? {
             Some(chat) => {
                 if create_blocked == Blocked::Not && chat.blocked != Blocked::Not {
-                    chat.id.unblock_ex(context, Nosync).await?;
+                    chat.id.set_blocked(context, Blocked::Not).await?;
                 }
                 chat.id
             }
@@ -1903,6 +1903,7 @@ impl Chat {
             context
                 .add_sync_item(SyncData::AlterChat { id, action })
                 .await?;
+            context.send_sync_msg().await?;
         }
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/src/contact.rs b/src/contact.rs
index 750b7a762..f375123a3 100644
--- a/src/contact.rs
+++ b/src/contact.rs
@@ -1466,6 +1466,7 @@ WHERE type=? AND id IN (
                     action,
                 })
                 .await?;
+            context.send_sync_msg().await?;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/sync.rs b/src/sync.rs
index 9e7de104b..a078e42d8 100644
--- a/src/sync.rs
+++ b/src/sync.rs
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ pub(crate) struct SyncItems {
 
 impl Context {
     /// Adds an item to the list of items that should be synchronized to other devices.
+    ///
+    /// NB: Private and `pub(crate)` functions shouldn't call this unless `Sync::Sync` is explicitly
+    /// passed to them. This way it's always clear whether the code performs synchronisation.
     pub(crate) async fn add_sync_item(&self, data: SyncData) -> Result<()> {
         self.add_sync_item_with_timestamp(data, time()).await
     }
@@ -584,9 +587,8 @@ mod tests {
         alices[1].recv_msg(&sent_msg).await;
 
         async fn sync(alices: &[TestContext]) -> Result<()> {
-            alices.get(0).unwrap().send_sync_msg().await?.unwrap();
-            let sent_msg = alices.get(0).unwrap().pop_sent_msg().await;
-            alices.get(1).unwrap().recv_msg(&sent_msg).await;
+            let sync_msg = alices.get(0).unwrap().pop_sent_msg().await;
+            alices.get(1).unwrap().recv_msg(&sync_msg).await;
             Ok(())
         }