diff --git a/irc/accounts.go b/irc/accounts.go
index 1dc4dced..e573ed04 100644
--- a/irc/accounts.go
+++ b/irc/accounts.go
@@ -903,23 +903,6 @@ func (am *AccountManager) Verify(client *Client, account string, code string) er
 			am.server.RandomlyRename(currentClient)
 		}
 	}
-	// #1216: we may have created an always-on client
-	if client == nil {
-		config := am.server.Config()
-		if persistenceEnabled(config.Accounts.Multiclient.AlwaysOn, PersistentUnspecified) {
-			accountData, err := am.LoadAccount(account)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			am.server.AddAlwaysOnClient(
-				accountData,
-				nil,
-				nil,
-				config.Accounts.defaultUserModes,
-				"",
-			)
-		}
-	}
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index 8a40aaf9..ed7f3e33 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -1242,7 +1242,9 @@ func (client *Client) destroy(session *Session) {
 	wasReattach := session != nil && session.client != client
 	sessionRemoved := false
 	registered := client.registered
-	alwaysOn := client.alwaysOn
+	// XXX a temporary (reattaching) client can be marked alwaysOn when it logs in,
+	// but then the session attaches to another client and we need to clean it up here
+	alwaysOn := registered && client.alwaysOn
 
 	var remainingSessions int
 	if session == nil {
diff --git a/irc/getters.go b/irc/getters.go
index b7aaae7a..af83790a 100644
--- a/irc/getters.go
+++ b/irc/getters.go
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func (client *Client) SetAway(away bool, awayMessage string) (changed bool) {
 
 func (client *Client) AlwaysOn() (alwaysOn bool) {
 	client.stateMutex.Lock()
-	alwaysOn = client.alwaysOn
+	alwaysOn = client.registered && client.alwaysOn
 	client.stateMutex.Unlock()
 	return
 }
@@ -290,11 +290,8 @@ func (client *Client) Login(account ClientAccount) {
 	client.account = account.NameCasefolded
 	client.accountName = account.Name
 	client.accountSettings = account.Settings
-	// check `registered` to avoid incorrectly marking a temporary (pre-reattach),
-	// SASL'ing client as always-on
-	if client.registered {
-		client.alwaysOn = alwaysOn
-	}
+	// mark always-on here: it will not be respected until the client is registered
+	client.alwaysOn = alwaysOn
 	client.accountRegDate = account.RegisteredAt
 	return
 }
@@ -375,7 +372,7 @@ func (client *Client) SetMode(mode modes.Mode, on bool) bool {
 func (client *Client) SetRealname(realname string) {
 	client.stateMutex.Lock()
 	client.realname = realname
-	alwaysOn := client.alwaysOn
+	alwaysOn := client.registered && client.alwaysOn
 	client.stateMutex.Unlock()
 	if alwaysOn {
 		client.markDirty(IncludeRealname)