diff --git a/src/ssb.c b/src/ssb.c
index 61822e7d..59efb628 100644
--- a/src/ssb.c
+++ b/src/ssb.c
@@ -963,7 +963,7 @@ bool tf_ssb_verify_and_strip_signature(JSContext* context, JSValue val, char* ou
 		}
 		return true;
 	}
-	else if (out_sequence_before_author)
+	else
 	{
 		JSValue reordered = JS_NewObject(context);
 		JS_SetPropertyStr(context, reordered, "previous", JS_GetPropertyStr(context, val, "previous"));
@@ -977,7 +977,10 @@ bool tf_ssb_verify_and_strip_signature(JSContext* context, JSValue val, char* ou
 		JS_FreeValue(context, reordered);
 		if (result)
 		{
-			*out_sequence_before_author = true;
+			if (out_sequence_before_author)
+			{
+				*out_sequence_before_author = true;
+			}
 			return true;
 		}
 	}
@@ -3373,25 +3376,33 @@ tf_ssb_blob_wants_t* tf_ssb_connection_get_blob_wants_state(tf_ssb_connection_t*
 	return connection ? &connection->blob_wants : NULL;
 }
 
-bool tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(tf_ssb_t* ssb, JSValue value)
+bool tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(tf_ssb_t* ssb, JSValue value, bool* out_is_new)
 {
 	JSContext* context = tf_ssb_get_context(ssb);
 	char signature[crypto_sign_BYTES + 128] = { 0 };
 	char id[crypto_hash_sha256_BYTES * 2 + 1] = { 0 };
 	bool sequence_before_author = false;
+	if (out_is_new)
+	{
+		*out_is_new = false;
+	}
 	if (tf_ssb_verify_and_strip_signature(context, value, id, sizeof(id), signature, sizeof(signature), &sequence_before_author))
 	{
 		if (tf_ssb_db_store_message(ssb, context, id, value, signature, sequence_before_author))
 		{
 			tf_ssb_notify_message_added(ssb, id);
-			return true;
+			if (out_is_new)
+			{
+				*out_is_new = true;
+			}
 		}
+		return true;
 	}
 	else
 	{
 		tf_printf("failed to verify message\n");
+		return false;
 	}
-	return false;
 }
 
 bool tf_ssb_connection_get_sent_clock(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection)
diff --git a/src/ssb.h b/src/ssb.h
index 305b33bf..62a515ea 100644
--- a/src/ssb.h
+++ b/src/ssb.h
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ bool tf_ssb_id_bin_to_str(char* str, size_t str_size, const uint8_t* bin);
 
 bool tf_ssb_verify_and_strip_signature(JSContext* context, JSValue val, char* out_id, size_t out_id_size, char* out_signature, size_t out_signature_size, bool* out_sequence_before_author);
 void tf_ssb_calculate_message_id(JSContext* context, JSValue message, char* out_id, size_t out_id_size);
-bool tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(tf_ssb_t* ssb, JSValue value);
+bool tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(tf_ssb_t* ssb, JSValue value, bool* out_is_new);
 
 bool tf_ssb_connection_is_client(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection);
 const char* tf_ssb_connection_get_host(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection);
diff --git a/src/ssb.js.c b/src/ssb.js.c
index b2ff6185..29ea4225 100644
--- a/src/ssb.js.c
+++ b/src/ssb.js.c
@@ -642,7 +642,15 @@ static JSValue _tf_ssb_sqlAsync(JSContext* context, JSValueConst this_val, int a
 static JSValue _tf_ssb_storeMessage(JSContext* context, JSValueConst this_val, int argc, JSValueConst* argv)
 {
 	tf_ssb_t* ssb = JS_GetOpaque(this_val, _tf_ssb_classId);
-	return tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(ssb, argv[0]) ? JS_TRUE : JS_FALSE;
+	bool is_new = false;
+	if (tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(ssb, argv[0], &is_new))
+	{
+		return is_new ? JS_TRUE : JS_FALSE;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		return JS_UNDEFINED;
+	}
 }
 
 typedef struct _broadcasts_t
diff --git a/src/ssb.rpc.c b/src/ssb.rpc.c
index db825207..a2461941 100644
--- a/src/ssb.rpc.c
+++ b/src/ssb.rpc.c
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ static void _tf_ssb_rpc_ebt_replicate(tf_ssb_connection_t* connection, uint8_t f
 	if (!JS_IsUndefined(author))
 	{
 		/* Looks like a message. */
-		tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(ssb, args);
+		tf_ssb_verify_strip_and_store_message(ssb, args, NULL);
 	}
 	else
 	{