diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/v2/exporters/ChatItemArchiveExporter.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/v2/exporters/ChatItemArchiveExporter.kt
index bc8863c750..8f431435c3 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/v2/exporters/ChatItemArchiveExporter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/v2/exporters/ChatItemArchiveExporter.kt
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ class ChatItemArchiveExporter(
         }
 
         MessageTypes.isThreadMergeType(record.type) -> {
-          builder.updateMessage = record.toRemoteThreadMergeUpdate(record.dateSent)?.takeIf { exportState.recipientIdToAci[builder.authorId] != null } ?: continue
+          builder.updateMessage = record.toRemoteThreadMergeUpdate(record.dateSent)?.takeIf { builder.authorIsAciContact(exportState) } ?: continue
           transformTimer.emit("thread-merge")
         }
 
@@ -1721,6 +1721,10 @@ private fun ChatItem.withDowngradeVoiceNotes(): ChatItem {
   )
 }
 
+private fun ChatItem.Builder.authorIsAciContact(exportState: ExportState): Boolean {
+  return exportState.recipientIdToAci[this.authorId] != null && this.authorId != exportState.selfRecipientId.toLong() && this.authorId != exportState.releaseNoteRecipientId
+}
+
 private fun Cursor.toBackupMessageRecord(pastIds: Set<Long>, backupStartTime: Long): BackupMessageRecord? {
   val id = this.requireLong(MessageTable.ID)
   if (pastIds.contains(id)) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/v2/processor/AccountDataArchiveProcessor.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/v2/processor/AccountDataArchiveProcessor.kt
index 77397adc4c..b84c61a752 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/v2/processor/AccountDataArchiveProcessor.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/backup/v2/processor/AccountDataArchiveProcessor.kt
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import android.content.Context
 import okio.ByteString.Companion.EMPTY
 import okio.ByteString.Companion.toByteString
 import org.signal.core.util.UuidUtil
-import org.signal.core.util.isNotNullOrBlank
 import org.signal.core.util.logging.Log
 import org.signal.core.util.toByteArray
 import org.signal.libsignal.zkgroup.backups.BackupLevel