diff --git a/mutiny-core/src/nostr/mod.rs b/mutiny-core/src/nostr/mod.rs
index 304567026..54efa2c3b 100644
--- a/mutiny-core/src/nostr/mod.rs
+++ b/mutiny-core/src/nostr/mod.rs
@@ -234,9 +234,15 @@ impl<S: MutinyStorage> NostrManager<S> {
         let event = self.storage.get_data::<Event>(NOSTR_CONTACT_LIST)?;
 
         // listen for latest contact list events
-        let time_stamp = match event.map(|e| e.created_at) {
+        let time_stamp = match event {
             None => Timestamp::from(0),
-            Some(time) => time + 1_i64, // add one so we get only new events
+            Some(event) => {
+                if event.pubkey == self.public_key {
+                    event.created_at + 1_i64 // add one so we get only new events
+                } else {
+                    Timestamp::from(0)
+                }
+            }
         };
 
         Ok(Filter::new()
@@ -262,7 +268,23 @@ impl<S: MutinyStorage> NostrManager<S> {
         lnurl: Option<LnUrl>,
         nip05: Option<String>,
     ) -> Result<Metadata, MutinyError> {
-        let current = self.get_profile()?;
+        // pull latest profile from primal
+        let current = match self.primal_client.get_user_profile(self.public_key).await {
+            Ok(Some(meta)) => meta,
+            Ok(None) => {
+                log_warn!(self.logger, "No profile found for user, creating new");
+                Metadata::default()
+            }
+            Err(e) => {
+                // if we can't get the profile from primal, fall back to local
+                // otherwise we can't create/edit profile if the primal server is down
+                log_error!(
+                    self.logger,
+                    "Failed to get user profile from primal, falling back to local: {e}"
+                );
+                self.storage.get_nostr_profile()?.unwrap_or_default()
+            }
+        };
 
         let with_name = if let Some(name) = name {
             current.name(name)
@@ -309,16 +331,35 @@ impl<S: MutinyStorage> NostrManager<S> {
 
         let builder = match event {
             Some(event) => {
+                // if event is for a different key, we need to pull down latest
+                let (mut tags, content) = if event.pubkey != self.public_key {
+                    let (opt, _) = self
+                        .primal_client
+                        .get_nostr_contacts(self.public_key)
+                        .await?;
+
+                    // if key doesn't have a contact list, create a new one
+                    match opt {
+                        None => (vec![], String::new()),
+                        Some(event) => {
+                            let tags = event.tags.clone();
+                            let content = event.content.clone();
+                            (tags, content)
+                        }
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    (event.tags.clone(), event.content.clone())
+                };
+
                 // check if we're already following
-                if event.iter_tags().any(|tag| {
+                if tags.iter().any(|tag| {
                     matches!(tag, Tag::PublicKey { public_key, uppercase: false, .. } if *public_key == npub)
                 }) {
                     return Ok(());
                 }
 
-                let mut tags = event.tags.clone();
                 tags.push(Tag::public_key(npub));
-                EventBuilder::new(Kind::ContactList, &event.content, tags)
+                EventBuilder::new(Kind::ContactList, content, tags)
             }
             None => EventBuilder::new(Kind::ContactList, "", [Tag::public_key(npub)]),
         };
@@ -346,7 +387,26 @@ impl<S: MutinyStorage> NostrManager<S> {
         match event {
             None => Ok(()), // no follow list, nothing to unfollow
             Some(event) => {
-                let mut tags = event.tags.clone();
+                // if event is for a different key, we need to pull down latest
+                let (mut tags, content) = if event.pubkey != self.public_key {
+                    let (opt, _) = self
+                        .primal_client
+                        .get_nostr_contacts(self.public_key)
+                        .await?;
+
+                    // if key doesn't have a contact list, create a new one
+                    match opt {
+                        None => (vec![], String::new()),
+                        Some(event) => {
+                            let tags = event.tags.clone();
+                            let content = event.content.clone();
+                            (tags, content)
+                        }
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    (event.tags.clone(), event.content.clone())
+                };
+
                 tags.retain(|tag| {
                     !matches!(tag, Tag::PublicKey { public_key, uppercase: false, .. } if *public_key == npub)
                 });
@@ -357,7 +417,7 @@ impl<S: MutinyStorage> NostrManager<S> {
                     return Ok(());
                 }
 
-                let builder = EventBuilder::new(Kind::ContactList, &event.content, tags);
+                let builder = EventBuilder::new(Kind::ContactList, content, tags);
                 let event = self.primary_key.sign_event_builder(builder).await?;
                 let event_id = self.client.send_event(event.clone()).await?;
 
diff --git a/mutiny-core/src/storage.rs b/mutiny-core/src/storage.rs
index 6abdd3a80..388769907 100644
--- a/mutiny-core/src/storage.rs
+++ b/mutiny-core/src/storage.rs
@@ -989,10 +989,16 @@ pub(crate) fn update_nostr_contact_list<S: MutinyStorage>(
         return Err(MutinyError::InvalidArgumentsError);
     }
 
-    // if the event is newer than the one in storage, update it
+    // if the event is for the same key and is older than the one in storage
+    // if it is a different key, always save it, that means the user has imported an nsec
     // otherwise ignore it
     match storage.get_data::<Event>(NOSTR_CONTACT_LIST) {
-        Ok(Some(event)) if event.created_at > contact_list_event.created_at => Ok(false),
+        Ok(Some(event))
+            if event.created_at > contact_list_event.created_at
+                && contact_list_event.pubkey == event.pubkey =>
+        {
+            Ok(false)
+        }
         _ => storage
             .set_data(NOSTR_CONTACT_LIST.to_string(), contact_list_event, None)
             .map(|_| true),