diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 55805cf13e..e3b478d414 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -34,22 +34,12 @@ Then you need `git`, if you don't have that yet: https://git-scm.com/
 
 ### Windows
 
-Building on Windows versions 8+ is supported out of the box
+Building on Windows is a pain, but is possible see our CI/Windows build machine prerequisites here [Windows-2022 GH image](https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/win/Windows2022-Readme.md)
 
 ### Linux
 
-1.  Pick your favorite package manager.
-1.  Install `python`
-1.  Install `gcc`
-1.  Install `g++`
-1.  Install `make`
-1.  Depending on your distro, you might need to install `hunspell` and `hunspell-<lan>` (e.g. `hunspell-en-au`)
-
-If you are using a Debian based Linux distribution gcc, g++ and make can be installed as part of the `build-essential` package using
-
-```
-apt install build-essential
-```
+1.  Install build tools `apt install build-essential cmake` (this installs make, g++, gcc)
+2.  Depending on your distro, you might need to install `hunspell` and `hunspell-<lan>` (e.g. `hunspell-en-au`)
 
 ### All platforms
 
diff --git a/ts/node/sql.ts b/ts/node/sql.ts
index 2964865b87..0a12bd7e64 100644
--- a/ts/node/sql.ts
+++ b/ts/node/sql.ts
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ import path from 'path';
 import * as BetterSqlite3 from '@signalapp/better-sqlite3';
 import rimraf from 'rimraf';
 
+import { base64_variants, from_base64, to_hex } from 'libsodium-wrappers-sumo';
 import {
   chunk,
   compact,
   difference,
+  differenceBy,
   forEach,
   fromPairs,
   isArray,
@@ -20,7 +22,6 @@ import {
   omit,
   uniq,
 } from 'lodash';
-import { base64_variants, from_base64, to_hex } from 'libsodium-wrappers-sumo';
 
 import { ConversationAttributes } from '../models/conversationAttributes';
 import { PubKey } from '../session/types/PubKey'; // checked - only node
@@ -60,11 +61,13 @@ import {
 } from '../types/sqlSharedTypes';
 
 import { KNOWN_BLINDED_KEYS_ITEM, SettingsKey } from '../data/settings-key';
+import { Quote } from '../receiver/types';
 import {
   getSQLCipherIntegrityCheck,
   openAndMigrateDatabase,
   updateSchema,
 } from './migration/signalMigrations';
+import { configDumpData } from './sql_calls/config_dump';
 import {
   assertGlobalInstance,
   assertGlobalInstanceOrInstance,
@@ -72,8 +75,6 @@ import {
   initDbInstanceWith,
   isInstanceInitialized,
 } from './sqlInstance';
-import { configDumpData } from './sql_calls/config_dump';
-import { Quote } from '../receiver/types';
 
 // eslint:disable: function-name non-literal-fs-path
 
@@ -620,11 +621,28 @@ function getAllConversations() {
     .prepare(`SELECT * FROM ${CONVERSATIONS_TABLE} ORDER BY id ASC;`)
     .all();
 
-  return (rows || []).map(m => {
-    const unreadCount = getUnreadCountByConversation(m.id) || 0;
-    const mentionedUsStillUnread = !!getFirstUnreadMessageWithMention(m.id);
-    return formatRowOfConversation(m, 'getAllConversations', unreadCount, mentionedUsStillUnread);
+  const formatted = compact(
+    (rows || []).map(m => {
+      const unreadCount = getUnreadCountByConversation(m.id) || 0;
+      const mentionedUsStillUnread = !!getFirstUnreadMessageWithMention(m.id);
+      return formatRowOfConversation(m, 'getAllConversations', unreadCount, mentionedUsStillUnread);
+    })
+  );
+
+  const invalidOnLoad = formatted.filter(m => {
+    return isString(m.id) && m.id.startsWith('05') && m.id.includes(' ');
   });
+
+  if (!isEmpty(invalidOnLoad)) {
+    const idsInvalid = invalidOnLoad.map(m => m.id);
+    console.info(
+      'getAllConversations removing those conversations with invalid ids before load',
+      idsInvalid
+    );
+    removeConversation(idsInvalid);
+  }
+
+  return differenceBy(formatted, invalidOnLoad, c => c.id);
 }
 
 function getPubkeysInPublicConversation(conversationId: string) {
diff --git a/ts/session/utils/libsession/libsession_utils_contacts.ts b/ts/session/utils/libsession/libsession_utils_contacts.ts
index 0db5442c35..f955f192d6 100644
--- a/ts/session/utils/libsession/libsession_utils_contacts.ts
+++ b/ts/session/utils/libsession/libsession_utils_contacts.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ const mappedContactWrapperValues = new Map<string, ContactInfo>();
  * We want to sync the message request status so we need to allow a contact even if it's not approved, did not approve us and is not blocked.
  */
 function isContactToStoreInWrapper(convo: ConversationModel): boolean {
+  try {
+    PubKey.cast(convo.id as string);
+  } catch (e) {
+    return false;
+  }
   return !convo.isMe() && convo.isPrivate() && convo.isActive() && !PubKey.isBlinded(convo.id);
 }
 
diff --git a/ts/test/session/unit/libsession_wrapper/libsession_wrapper_contacts_test.ts b/ts/test/session/unit/libsession_wrapper/libsession_wrapper_contacts_test.ts
index b5763c03a6..f839159d31 100644
--- a/ts/test/session/unit/libsession_wrapper/libsession_wrapper_contacts_test.ts
+++ b/ts/test/session/unit/libsession_wrapper/libsession_wrapper_contacts_test.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ describe('libsession_contacts', () => {
   describe('filter contacts for wrapper', () => {
     const ourNumber = '051234567890acbdef';
     const validArgs = {
-      id: '051111567890acbdef',
+      id: '050123456789abcdef050123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef050123456789ab',
       type: ConversationTypeEnum.PRIVATE,
       isApproved: true,
       active_at: 123,
@@ -137,6 +137,58 @@ describe('libsession_contacts', () => {
       ).to.be.eq(false);
     });
 
+    it('excludes contacts not matching a pubkey syntax (space in middle)', () => {
+      const validIdWithSpaceInIt =
+        '050123456789abcdef050123456789 bcdef0123456789abcdef050123456789ab'; // len 66 but has a ' ' in the middle
+      expect(
+        SessionUtilContact.isContactToStoreInWrapper(
+          new ConversationModel({
+            ...validArgs,
+            id: validIdWithSpaceInIt,
+          } as any)
+        )
+      ).to.be.eq(false);
+    });
+
+    it('excludes contacts not matching a pubkey syntax (space at the end)', () => {
+      const validIdWithSpaceInIt =
+        '050123456789abcdef050123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef050123456789a '; // len 66 but has a ' ' at the end
+      expect(
+        SessionUtilContact.isContactToStoreInWrapper(
+          new ConversationModel({
+            ...validArgs,
+            id: validIdWithSpaceInIt,
+          } as any)
+        )
+      ).to.be.eq(false);
+    });
+
+    it('excludes contacts not matching a pubkey syntax (space at the start)', () => {
+      const validIdWithSpaceInIt =
+        ' 050123456789abcdef050123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef050123456789ab'; // len 66 but has a ' ' at the start
+      expect(
+        SessionUtilContact.isContactToStoreInWrapper(
+          new ConversationModel({
+            ...validArgs,
+            id: validIdWithSpaceInIt,
+          } as any)
+        )
+      ).to.be.eq(false);
+    });
+
+    it('excludes contacts not matching a pubkey syntax (non hex char)', () => {
+      const validIdWithSpaceInIt =
+        '050123456789abcdef050123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef050123456789aU'; // len 66 but has 'U' at the end
+      expect(
+        SessionUtilContact.isContactToStoreInWrapper(
+          new ConversationModel({
+            ...validArgs,
+            id: validIdWithSpaceInIt,
+          } as any)
+        )
+      ).to.be.eq(false);
+    });
+
     it('includes approved only by them ', () => {
       expect(
         SessionUtilContact.isContactToStoreInWrapper(