diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
index 7036c9f589e96c2308447c2280cdb2ec327839ab..3654c98e94e8e4d4a0d4f568a9c8e63db1e28620 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/MessageParser.java
@@ -759,6 +759,7 @@ public class MessageParser extends AbstractParser implements OnMessagePacketRece
 							mXmppConnectionService.getAvatarService().clear(conversation);
 							mXmppConnectionService.updateMucRosterUi();
 							mXmppConnectionService.updateConversationUi();
+							Contact contact = user.getContact();
 							if (!user.getAffiliation().ranks(MucOptions.Affiliation.MEMBER)) {
 								Jid jid = user.getRealJid();
 								List<Jid> cryptoTargets = conversation.getAcceptedCryptoTargets();
@@ -767,7 +768,11 @@ public class MessageParser extends AbstractParser implements OnMessagePacketRece
 									conversation.setAcceptedCryptoTargets(cryptoTargets);
 									mXmppConnectionService.updateConversation(conversation);
 								}
-							} else if (isNew && user.getRealJid() != null && account.getAxolotlService().hasEmptyDeviceList(user.getRealJid())) {
+							} else if (isNew
+									&& user.getRealJid() != null
+									&& conversation.getMucOptions().isPrivateAndNonAnonymous()
+									&& (contact == null || !contact.mutualPresenceSubscription())
+									&& account.getAxolotlService().hasEmptyDeviceList(user.getRealJid())) {
 								account.getAxolotlService().fetchDeviceIds(user.getRealJid());
 							}
 						}
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/PresenceParser.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/PresenceParser.java
index a05b1aac25c44ee1e451d16a5d5c8a4bab5747a3..4657dbe02da9c534bae5fb42412e27d78fb67750 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/PresenceParser.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/parser/PresenceParser.java
@@ -80,7 +80,12 @@ public class PresenceParser extends AbstractParser implements
 						}
 						boolean isNew = mucOptions.updateUser(user);
 						final AxolotlService axolotlService = conversation.getAccount().getAxolotlService();
-						if (isNew && user.getRealJid() != null && mucOptions.isPrivateAndNonAnonymous() && axolotlService.hasEmptyDeviceList(user.getRealJid())) {
+						Contact contact = user.getContact();
+						if (isNew
+								&& user.getRealJid() != null
+								&& mucOptions.isPrivateAndNonAnonymous()
+								&& (contact == null || !contact.mutualPresenceSubscription())
+								&& axolotlService.hasEmptyDeviceList(user.getRealJid())) {
 							axolotlService.fetchDeviceIds(user.getRealJid());
 						}
 						if (codes.contains(MucOptions.STATUS_CODE_ROOM_CREATED) && mucOptions.autoPushConfiguration()) {