diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index 8d5ebd1f1..85f040d99 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@
     specialConvInited = true;
   };
 
-  const initAPIs = async () => {
+  const initAPIs = () => {
     if (window.initialisedAPI) {
       return;
     }
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@
     // If already exists we registered as a secondary device
     if (!window.lokiFileServerAPI) {
       window.lokiFileServerAPIFactory = new window.LokiFileServerAPI(ourKey);
-      window.lokiFileServerAPI = await window.lokiFileServerAPIFactory.establishHomeConnection(
+      window.lokiFileServerAPI = window.lokiFileServerAPIFactory.establishHomeConnection(
         window.getDefaultFileServer()
       );
     }
@@ -1468,7 +1468,7 @@
       const ourKey = textsecure.storage.user.getNumber();
       window.lokiMessageAPI = new window.LokiMessageAPI(ourKey);
       window.lokiFileServerAPIFactory = new window.LokiFileServerAPI(ourKey);
-      window.lokiFileServerAPI = await window.lokiFileServerAPIFactory.establishHomeConnection(
+      window.lokiFileServerAPI = window.lokiFileServerAPIFactory.establishHomeConnection(
         window.getDefaultFileServer()
       );
       window.lokiPublicChatAPI = null;
@@ -1488,7 +1488,7 @@
       return;
     }
 
-    await initAPIs();
+    initAPIs();
     await initSpecialConversations();
     messageReceiver = new textsecure.MessageReceiver(
       USERNAME,
diff --git a/js/modules/loki_file_server_api.js b/js/modules/loki_file_server_api.js
index 601ab2e9a..c38609467 100644
--- a/js/modules/loki_file_server_api.js
+++ b/js/modules/loki_file_server_api.js
@@ -291,14 +291,14 @@ class LokiFileServerFactoryAPI {
     this.servers = [];
   }
 
-  async establishHomeConnection(serverUrl) {
+  establishHomeConnection(serverUrl) {
     let thisServer = this.servers.find(
       server => server._server.baseServerUrl === serverUrl
     );
     if (!thisServer) {
       thisServer = new LokiHomeServerInstance(this.ourKey);
       log.info(`Registering HomeServer ${serverUrl}`);
-      await thisServer.establishConnection(serverUrl);
+      thisServer.establishConnection(serverUrl);
       this.servers.push(thisServer);
     }
     return thisServer;
diff --git a/ts/components/session/LeftPaneChannelSection.tsx b/ts/components/session/LeftPaneChannelSection.tsx
index f7a9cdd08..c5131f448 100644
--- a/ts/components/session/LeftPaneChannelSection.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/session/LeftPaneChannelSection.tsx
@@ -406,7 +406,8 @@ export class LeftPaneChannelSection extends React.Component<Props, State> {
       return;
     }
 
-    await window.doCreateGroup(groupName, groupMembers);
+    const groupMemberIds = groupMembers.map(m => m.id);
+    await window.doCreateGroup(groupName, groupMemberIds);
     this.handleToggleOverlay(undefined);
 
     window.pushToast({