diff --git a/src/chat/chat_feedback.c b/src/chat/chat_feedback.c
index 26972fadf..ad84f885b 100644
--- a/src/chat/chat_feedback.c
+++ b/src/chat/chat_feedback.c
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ int chat_feedback_set(struct UTUN_INSTANCE* inst, const char* channel, const uin
     memcpy(r.message_id, message_id, 32); if (len) memcpy(r.data, data, len);
     uint8_t author_key[32];
     enum ms_author_status status = member_sync_author_key(inst, channel, inst->node_id, author_key);
-    if (status != MS_AUTHOR_ACTIVE) {
+    if (status != MS_AUTHOR_ACTIVE || !topo_node_sqlite_member_allowed(inst->topo_sqlite_db, channel, inst->node_id)) {
         DEBUG_WARN(DEBUG_CATEGORY_CHAT_SYNC, "feedback: local action denied ch=%s node=%016llx status=%d",
             channel, (unsigned long long)inst->node_id, status); goto finish;
     }
@@ -455,7 +455,9 @@ static int fb_apply_page(void* ctx, const char* channel, uint64_t peer, const ui
 
 static int fb_peer(void* ctx, const char* channel, uint64_t peer) {
     struct UTUN_INSTANCE* inst = ctx; uint8_t key[32];
-    return member_sync_verified_ed25519(inst, channel, peer, key) == 0;
+    return topo_node_sqlite_member_allowed(inst->topo_sqlite_db, channel, inst->node_id) &&
+        topo_node_sqlite_member_allowed(inst->topo_sqlite_db, channel, peer) &&
+        member_sync_verified_ed25519(inst, channel, peer, key) == 0;
 }
 
 static const struct merkle_sync_data_ops fb_ops = {
diff --git a/src/chat/chat_msg.c b/src/chat/chat_msg.c
index a73051a33..ab443201f 100644
--- a/src/chat/chat_msg.c
+++ b/src/chat/chat_msg.c
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ int chat_core_submit_message(struct UTUN_INSTANCE* inst, struct chat_msg_submit*
         DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_CHAT_SYNC, "%s: invalid message submission", CC_ID); return -1;
     }
     memset(req->message_id, 0, sizeof(req->message_id));
+    if (!topo_node_sqlite_member_allowed(cc->db, req->channel_id, inst->node_id)) {
+        DEBUG_WARN(DEBUG_CATEGORY_CHAT, "message denied: local member excluded ch=%s", req->channel_id); return -1;
+    }
     struct DB_SYNC_INSTANCE* si = si_find(inst, req->channel_id);
     if (!si) { DEBUG_ERROR(DEBUG_CATEGORY_CHAT_SYNC, "%s: no history for ch=%s", CC_ID, req->channel_id); return -1; }
 
diff --git a/src/chat/group_policy.c b/src/chat/group_policy.c
index 820732c4b..55e8d7579 100644
--- a/src/chat/group_policy.c
+++ b/src/chat/group_policy.c
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ int group_policy_refresh(struct UTUN_INSTANCE* inst, const char* channel) {
         if (g && conn && m[i].allowed && conn->links_up && !conn->close_requested) topo_group_new_conn(g, conn);
     }
     if (changes) {
+        merkle_sync_revalidate_peers(inst, MT_DATA_FEEDBACK, channel);
         db_sync_members_changed(inst, channel);
         uint8_t evt[21]; evt[0] = (uint8_t)strlen(channel); memcpy(evt + 1, channel, evt[0]);
         chat_event_post(inst, CHAT_EVT_MEMBERS_CHANGED, evt, evt[0] + 1);