diff --git a/persistence/sessions.go b/persistence/sessions.go
index fd520d1..b42d3a3 100644
--- a/persistence/sessions.go
+++ b/persistence/sessions.go
@@ -34,8 +34,14 @@ type SessionsMap struct {
 
 // Session is a key-values subtree
 type Session struct {
-	Login    string `yaml:":login"`
-	Timezone string `yaml:":timezone"`
+	Login      string `yaml:":login"`
+	Timezone   string `yaml:":timezone"`
+	KeepOnline bool   `yaml:":keeponline"`
+}
+
+var configKeys = []string{
+	"timezone",
+	"keeponline",
 }
 
 var sessionDB *SessionsYamlDB
@@ -102,6 +108,8 @@ func (s *Session) Get(key string) (string, error) {
 	switch key {
 	case "timezone":
 		return s.Timezone, nil
+	case "keeponline":
+		return fromBool(s.KeepOnline), nil
 	}
 
 	return "", errors.New("Unknown session property")
@@ -110,7 +118,7 @@ func (s *Session) Get(key string) (string, error) {
 // ToMap converts the session to a map
 func (s *Session) ToMap() map[string]string {
 	m := make(map[string]string)
-	for _, configKey := range []string{"timezone"} {
+	for _, configKey := range configKeys {
 		value, _ := s.Get(configKey)
 		m[configKey] = value
 	}
@@ -124,6 +132,13 @@ func (s *Session) Set(key string, value string) (string, error) {
 	case "timezone":
 		s.Timezone = value
 		return value, nil
+	case "keeponline":
+		b, err := toBool(value)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		s.KeepOnline = b
+		return value, nil
 	}
 
 	return "", errors.New("Unknown session property")
@@ -139,3 +154,22 @@ func (s *Session) TimezoneToLocation() *time.Location {
 	// default
 	return zeroLocation
 }
+
+func fromBool(b bool) string {
+	if b {
+		return "true"
+	} else {
+		return "false"
+	}
+}
+
+func toBool(s string) (bool, error) {
+	switch s {
+	case "true":
+		return true, nil
+	case "false":
+		return false, nil
+	}
+
+	return false, errors.New("Invalid boolean value")
+}
diff --git a/telegram/commands.go b/telegram/commands.go
index 4b0ee13..82dca91 100644
--- a/telegram/commands.go
+++ b/telegram/commands.go
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ var chatCommands = map[string]command{
 }
 
 var transportConfigurationOptions = map[string]configurationOption{
-	"timezone": configurationOption{"00:00", "adjust timezone for Telegram user statuses"},
+	"timezone": configurationOption{"<timezone>", "adjust timezone for Telegram user statuses (example: +02:00)"},
+	"keeponline": configurationOption{"<bool>", "always keep telegram session online and rely on jabber offline messages (example: true)"},
 }
 
 type command struct {
@@ -293,6 +294,7 @@ func (c *Client) ProcessTransportCommand(cmdline string, resource string) string
 			if err != nil {
 				return err.Error()
 			}
+			gateway.DirtySessions = true
 
 			return fmt.Sprintf("%s set to %s", args[0], value)
 		} else if len(args) > 0 {
diff --git a/telegram/connect.go b/telegram/connect.go
index 8cee376..f2ea01d 100644
--- a/telegram/connect.go
+++ b/telegram/connect.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func (c *Client) Connect(resource string) error {
 	c.locks.authorizationReady.Wait()
 
 	if c.Online() {
-		c.refresh(resource)
+		c.roster(resource)
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ func (c *Client) Disconnect(resource string, quit bool) bool {
 		c.deleteResource(resource)
 	}
 	// other resources are still active
-	if len(c.resources) > 0 && !quit {
+	if (len(c.resources) > 0 || c.Session.KeepOnline) && !quit {
 		log.Infof("Resource %v for account %v has disconnected, %v remaining", resource, c.Session.Login, len(c.resources))
 		log.Debugf("Resources: %#v", c.resources)
 		return false
diff --git a/telegram/utils.go b/telegram/utils.go
index cdd2914..4c73f9e 100644
--- a/telegram/utils.go
+++ b/telegram/utils.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func (c *Client) GetContactByUsername(username string) (*client.Chat, *client.Us
 
 // GetContactByID gets user and chat information from cache (or tries to retrieve it, if missing)
 func (c *Client) GetContactByID(id int64, chat *client.Chat) (*client.Chat, *client.User, error) {
-	if !c.Online() {
+	if !c.Online() || id == 0 {
 		return nil, nil, errOffline
 	}
 
@@ -600,17 +600,19 @@ func (c *Client) deleteResource(resource string) {
 	}
 }
 
-// refresh roster
-func (c *Client) refresh(resource string) {
+// resend statuses to (to another resource, for example)
+func (c *Client) roster(resource string) {
 	if _, ok := c.resources[resource]; ok {
-		return
+		return // we know it
 	}
 
-	log.Warnf("Refreshing roster for resource %v", resource)
+	log.Warnf("Sending roster for %v", resource)
 
 	for _, chat := range c.cache.ChatsKeys() {
 		c.ProcessStatusUpdate(chat, "", "")
 	}
 
+	gateway.SendPresence(c.xmpp, c.jid, gateway.SPStatus("Logged in as: "+c.Session.Login))
+
 	c.addResource(resource)
 }
diff --git a/xmpp/component.go b/xmpp/component.go
index 109d3d5..4f5ad79 100644
--- a/xmpp/component.go
+++ b/xmpp/component.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package xmpp
 
 import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"dev.narayana.im/narayana/telegabber/config"
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 var tgConf config.TelegramConfig
 var sessions map[string]*telegram.Client
 var db *persistence.SessionsYamlDB
+var sessionLock sync.Mutex
 
 // NewComponent starts a new component and wraps it in
 // a stream manager that you should start yourself
@@ -69,12 +71,14 @@ func heartbeat(component *xmpp.Component) {
 	var err error
 	probeType := gateway.SPType("probe")
 
+	sessionLock.Lock()
 	for jid := range sessions {
 		err = gateway.SendPresence(component, jid, probeType)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Error(err)
 		}
 	}
+	sessionLock.Unlock()
 
 	log.Info("Starting heartbeat queue")
 
@@ -89,6 +93,13 @@ func heartbeat(component *xmpp.Component) {
 				delete(gateway.Queue, key)
 			}
 		}
+
+		if gateway.DirtySessions {
+			gateway.DirtySessions = false
+			// no problem if a dirty flag gets set again here,
+			// it would be resolved on the next iteration
+			SaveSessions()
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -104,7 +115,10 @@ func loadSessions(dbPath string, component *xmpp.Component) error {
 
 	db.Transaction(func() bool {
 		for jid, session := range db.Data.Sessions {
-			getTelegramInstance(jid, &session, component)
+			// copy the session struct, otherwise all of them would reference
+			// the same temporary range variable
+			currentSession := session
+			getTelegramInstance(jid, &currentSession, component)
 		}
 
 		return false
@@ -122,22 +136,24 @@ func getTelegramInstance(jid string, savedSession *persistence.Session, componen
 			log.Error(errors.Wrap(err, "TDlib initialization failure"))
 			return session, false
 		}
+		if savedSession.KeepOnline {
+			if err = session.Connect(""); err != nil {
+				log.Error(err)
+				return session, false
+			}
+		}
+		sessionLock.Lock()
 		sessions[jid] = session
+		sessionLock.Unlock()
 	}
 
 	return session, true
 }
 
-// Close gracefully terminates the component and saves active sessions
-func Close(component *xmpp.Component) {
-	log.Error("Disconnecting...")
-
-	// close all sessions
-	for _, session := range sessions {
-		session.Disconnect("", true)
-	}
-
-	// save sessions
+// SaveSessions dumps current sessions to the file
+func SaveSessions() {
+	sessionLock.Lock()
+	defer sessionLock.Unlock()
 	db.Transaction(func() bool {
 		for jid, session := range sessions {
 			db.Data.Sessions[jid] = *session.Session
@@ -145,6 +161,21 @@ func Close(component *xmpp.Component) {
 
 		return true
 	}, persistence.SessionMarshaller)
+}
+
+// Close gracefully terminates the component and saves active sessions
+func Close(component *xmpp.Component) {
+	log.Error("Disconnecting...")
+
+	sessionLock.Lock()
+	// close all sessions
+	for _, session := range sessions {
+		session.Disconnect("", true)
+	}
+	sessionLock.Unlock()
+
+	// save sessions
+	SaveSessions()
 
 	// close stream
 	component.Disconnect()
diff --git a/xmpp/gateway/gateway.go b/xmpp/gateway/gateway.go
index eb46e48..a4f3aca 100644
--- a/xmpp/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/xmpp/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ var Queue = make(map[string]*stanza.Presence)
 // Jid stores the component's JID object
 var Jid *stanza.Jid
 
+// DirtySessions denotes that some Telegram session configurations
+// were changed and need to be re-flushed to the YamlDB
+var DirtySessions = false
+
 // SendMessage creates and sends a message stanza
 func SendMessage(to string, from string, body string, component *xmpp.Component) {
 	componentJid := Jid.Full()
diff --git a/xmpp/handlers.go b/xmpp/handlers.go
index 59d4c62..1b4f6a3 100644
--- a/xmpp/handlers.go
+++ b/xmpp/handlers.go
@@ -170,7 +170,9 @@ func handlePresence(s xmpp.Sender, p stanza.Presence) {
 	// destroy session
 	case "unsubscribed", "unsubscribe":
 		if session.Disconnect(fromJid.Resource, false) {
+			sessionLock.Lock()
 			delete(sessions, bareFromJid)
+			sessionLock.Unlock()
 		}
 	// go offline
 	case "unavailable", "error":