diff --git a/core/ssb.js b/core/ssb.js
index ba986a9f..0eaaa3d3 100644
--- a/core/ssb.js
+++ b/core/ssb.js
@@ -320,6 +320,9 @@ function ebtReplicateServer(request) {
 ssb.addRpc(['ebt', 'replicate'], ebtReplicateServer);
 
 ssb.addRpc(['createHistoryStream'], function(request) {
+	if (!request?.args) {
+		print('missing request.args in createHistoryStream');
+	}
 	var id = request.args[0].id;
 	var seq = request.args[0].seq;
 	var keys = request.args[0].keys || request.args[0].keys === undefined;
diff --git a/src/ssb.db.c b/src/ssb.db.c
index 1a80c2cf..0221c44f 100644
--- a/src/ssb.db.c
+++ b/src/ssb.db.c
@@ -1010,9 +1010,15 @@ static following_t* _get_following(tf_ssb_t* ssb, const char* id, following_t***
 {
 	int index = tf_util_insert_index(id, *following, *following_count, sizeof(following_t*), _following_compare);
 	following_t* entry = NULL;
+	bool already_populated = false;
 	if (index < *following_count && strcmp(id, (*following)[index]->id) == 0)
 	{
 		entry = (*following)[index];
+		already_populated = entry->depth < max_depth;
+		if (depth < entry->depth)
+		{
+			entry->depth = depth;
+		}
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -1027,40 +1033,40 @@ static following_t* _get_following(tf_ssb_t* ssb, const char* id, following_t***
 		memset(entry, 0, sizeof(*entry));
 		snprintf(entry->id, sizeof(entry->id), "%s", id);
 		entry->depth = depth;
+	}
 
-		if (depth < max_depth)
+	if (depth < max_depth && !already_populated)
+	{
+		sqlite3* db = tf_ssb_get_db(ssb);
+		sqlite3_stmt* statement = NULL;
+		if (sqlite3_prepare(db, "SELECT json_extract(content, '$.contact'), json_extract(content, '$.following'), json_extract(content, '$.blocking') FROM messages WHERE author = ? AND json_extract(content, '$.type') = 'contact' ORDER BY sequence", -1, &statement, NULL) == SQLITE_OK)
 		{
-			sqlite3* db = tf_ssb_get_db(ssb);
-			sqlite3_stmt* statement = NULL;
-			if (sqlite3_prepare(db, "SELECT json_extract(content, '$.contact'), json_extract(content, '$.following'), json_extract(content, '$.blocking') FROM messages WHERE author = ? AND json_extract(content, '$.type') = 'contact' ORDER BY sequence", -1, &statement, NULL) == SQLITE_OK)
+			if (sqlite3_bind_text(statement, 1, id, -1, NULL) == SQLITE_OK)
 			{
-				if (sqlite3_bind_text(statement, 1, id, -1, NULL) == SQLITE_OK)
+				while (sqlite3_step(statement) == SQLITE_ROW)
 				{
-					while (sqlite3_step(statement) == SQLITE_ROW)
+					const char* contact = (const char*)sqlite3_column_text(statement, 0);
+					if (sqlite3_column_type(statement, 1) != SQLITE_NULL)
 					{
-						const char* contact = (const char*)sqlite3_column_text(statement, 0);
-						if (sqlite3_column_type(statement, 1) != SQLITE_NULL)
+						bool is_following = sqlite3_column_int(statement, 1);
+						following_t* next = _get_following(ssb, contact, following, following_count, depth + 1, max_depth);
+						if (is_following)
 						{
-							bool is_following = sqlite3_column_int(statement, 1);
-							following_t* next = _get_following(ssb, contact, following, following_count, depth + 1, max_depth);
-							if (is_following)
-							{
-								_add_following_entry(&entry->following, &entry->following_count, next);
-							}
+							_add_following_entry(&entry->following, &entry->following_count, next);
 						}
-						if (sqlite3_column_type(statement, 2) != SQLITE_NULL)
+					}
+					if (sqlite3_column_type(statement, 2) != SQLITE_NULL)
+					{
+						bool is_blocking = sqlite3_column_int(statement, 2);
+						following_t* next = _get_following(ssb, contact, following, following_count, depth + 1, 0 /* don't dig deeper into blocked users */);
+						if (is_blocking)
 						{
-							bool is_blocking = sqlite3_column_int(statement, 2);
-							following_t* next = _get_following(ssb, contact, following, following_count, depth + 1, 0 /* don't dig deeper into blocked users */);
-							if (is_blocking)
-							{
-								_add_following_entry(&entry->blocking, &entry->blocking_count, next);
-							}
+							_add_following_entry(&entry->blocking, &entry->blocking_count, next);
 						}
 					}
 				}
-				sqlite3_finalize(statement);
 			}
+			sqlite3_finalize(statement);
 		}
 	}
 	return entry;