diff --git a/ts/receiver/configMessage.ts b/ts/receiver/configMessage.ts
index 4df55f14d..37f0e2637 100644
--- a/ts/receiver/configMessage.ts
+++ b/ts/receiver/configMessage.ts
@@ -124,12 +124,15 @@ const handleContactReceived = async (
     };
     // updateProfile will do a commit for us
     contactConvo.set('active_at', _.toNumber(envelope.timestamp));
-    contactConvo.setIsApproved(Boolean(contactReceived.isApproved));
 
-    if (contactReceived.isBlocked === true) {
-      await BlockedNumberController.block(contactConvo.id);
-    } else {
-      await BlockedNumberController.unblock(contactConvo.id);
+    if (window.lokiFeatureFlags.useMessageRequests === true) {
+      contactConvo.setIsApproved(Boolean(contactReceived.isApproved));
+
+      if (contactReceived.isBlocked === true) {
+        await BlockedNumberController.block(contactConvo.id);
+      } else {
+        await BlockedNumberController.unblock(contactConvo.id);
+      }
     }
 
     await updateProfileOneAtATime(contactConvo, profile, contactReceived.profileKey);
diff --git a/ts/receiver/queuedJob.ts b/ts/receiver/queuedJob.ts
index 00ce7d73c..9be31a3a8 100644
--- a/ts/receiver/queuedJob.ts
+++ b/ts/receiver/queuedJob.ts
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ async function handleRegularMessage(
     updateReadStatus(message, conversation);
   }
 
-  if (type === 'outgoing') {
+  if (type === 'outgoing' && window.lokiFeatureFlags.useMessageRequests) {
     handleSyncedReceipts(message, conversation);
 
     // assumes sync receipts are always from linked device outgoings?