diff --git a/app/sql.js b/app/sql.js
index 034028b5e..e94bd5728 100644
--- a/app/sql.js
+++ b/app/sql.js
@@ -914,7 +914,12 @@ async function updateToLokiSchemaVersion1(currentVersion, instance) {
     profileAvatar: 'images/loki/loki_icon.png',
   };
 
-  await initConversation(publicChatData);
+  const autoJoinLokiChats = false;
+
+  if (autoJoinLokiChats) {
+    await initConversation(publicChatData);
+  }
+
   await initConversation(newsRssFeedData);
   await initConversation(updatesRssFeedData);
 
diff --git a/js/modules/loki_app_dot_net_api.js b/js/modules/loki_app_dot_net_api.js
index db017e403..f969dae67 100644
--- a/js/modules/loki_app_dot_net_api.js
+++ b/js/modules/loki_app_dot_net_api.js
@@ -1350,6 +1350,7 @@ class LokiPublicChannelAPI {
     /* eslint-enable no-param-reassign */
 
     // process remaining messages
+    /* eslint-disable no-param-reassign */
     slaveMessages.forEach(messageData => {
       const slaveKey = messageData.source;
 
@@ -1377,6 +1378,7 @@ class LokiPublicChannelAPI {
         message: messageData,
       });
     });
+    /* eslint-enable no-param-reassign */
 
     // if we received one of our own messages
     if (lastProfileName !== false) {