diff --git a/irc/accounts.go b/irc/accounts.go
index b9082083..63371d6f 100644
--- a/irc/accounts.go
+++ b/irc/accounts.go
@@ -1152,6 +1152,7 @@ func (am *AccountManager) Unregister(account string) error {
 	}
 	for _, client := range clients {
 		if config.Accounts.RequireSasl.Enabled {
+			client.Logout()
 			client.Quit(client.t("You are no longer authorized to be on this server"), nil)
 			// destroy acquires a semaphore so we can't call it while holding a lock
 			go client.destroy(nil)
diff --git a/irc/channel.go b/irc/channel.go
index 3b241435..3958355f 100644
--- a/irc/channel.go
+++ b/irc/channel.go
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) Transfer(client *Client, target string, hasPrivs bool) (
 	status = channelTransferFailed
 	defer func() {
 		if status == channelTransferComplete && err == nil {
-			channel.Store(IncludeAllChannelAttrs)
+			channel.Store(IncludeAllAttrs)
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) transferOwnership(newOwner string) {
 func (channel *Channel) AcceptTransfer(client *Client) (err error) {
 	defer func() {
 		if err == nil {
-			channel.Store(IncludeAllChannelAttrs)
+			channel.Store(IncludeAllAttrs)
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ func (channel *Channel) Join(client *Client, key string, isSajoin bool, rb *Resp
 		channel.AddHistoryItem(histItem)
 	}
 
-	client.addChannel(channel)
+	client.addChannel(channel, rb == nil)
 
 	if rb == nil {
 		return
diff --git a/irc/channelmanager.go b/irc/channelmanager.go
index dc711e55..9312313c 100644
--- a/irc/channelmanager.go
+++ b/irc/channelmanager.go
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ func (cm *ChannelManager) SetRegistered(channelName string, account string) (err
 	defer func() {
 		if err == nil && channel != nil {
 			// registration was successful: make the database reflect it
-			err = channel.Store(IncludeAllChannelAttrs)
+			err = channel.Store(IncludeAllAttrs)
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func (cm *ChannelManager) Rename(name string, newName string) (err error) {
 	var info RegisteredChannel
 	defer func() {
 		if channel != nil && info.Founder != "" {
-			channel.Store(IncludeAllChannelAttrs)
+			channel.Store(IncludeAllAttrs)
 			// we just flushed the channel under its new name, therefore this delete
 			// cannot be overwritten by a write to the old name:
 			cm.server.channelRegistry.Delete(info)
diff --git a/irc/channelreg.go b/irc/channelreg.go
index 984bd9fd..c1140538 100644
--- a/irc/channelreg.go
+++ b/irc/channelreg.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ const (
 
 // this is an OR of all possible flags
 const (
-	IncludeAllChannelAttrs = ^uint(0)
+	IncludeAllAttrs = ^uint(0)
 )
 
 // RegisteredChannel holds details about a given registered channel.
diff --git a/irc/client.go b/irc/client.go
index 9e1e3ff3..58be9196 100644
--- a/irc/client.go
+++ b/irc/client.go
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ func (server *Server) RunClient(conn clientConn, proxyLine string) {
 		nickCasefolded: "*",
 		nickMaskString: "*", // * is used until actual nick is given
 	}
+	client.writerSemaphore.Initialize(1)
 	client.history.Initialize(config.History.ClientLength, config.History.AutoresizeWindow)
 	client.brbTimer.Initialize(client)
 	session := &Session{
@@ -307,16 +308,16 @@ func (server *Server) RunClient(conn clientConn, proxyLine string) {
 	client.run(session, proxyLine)
 }
 
-func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, chnames []string, lastActive time.Time) {
+func (server *Server) AddAlwaysOnClient(account ClientAccount, chnames []string, lastSeen time.Time) {
 	now := time.Now().UTC()
 	config := server.Config()
-	if lastActive.IsZero() {
-		lastActive = now
+	if lastSeen.IsZero() {
+		lastSeen = now
 	}
 
 	client := &Client{
-		lastSeen:   now,
-		lastActive: lastActive,
+		lastSeen:   lastSeen,
+		lastActive: now,
 		channels:   make(ChannelSet),
 		ctime:      now,
 		languages:  server.Languages().Default(),
@@ -1496,13 +1497,15 @@ func (session *Session) Notice(text string) {
 	session.Send(nil, session.client.server.name, "NOTICE", session.client.Nick(), text)
 }
 
-func (client *Client) addChannel(channel *Channel) {
+// `simulated` is for the fake join of an always-on client
+// (we just read the channel name from the database, there's no need to write it back)
+func (client *Client) addChannel(channel *Channel, simulated bool) {
 	client.stateMutex.Lock()
 	client.channels[channel] = true
 	alwaysOn := client.alwaysOn
 	client.stateMutex.Unlock()
 
-	if alwaysOn {
+	if alwaysOn && !simulated {
 		client.markDirty(IncludeChannels)
 	}
 }
@@ -1621,6 +1624,7 @@ func (client *Client) performWrite() {
 	dirtyBits := client.dirtyBits
 	client.dirtyBits = 0
 	account := client.account
+	lastSeen := client.lastSeen
 	client.stateMutex.Unlock()
 
 	if account == "" {
@@ -1637,9 +1641,6 @@ func (client *Client) performWrite() {
 		client.server.accounts.saveChannels(account, channelNames)
 	}
 	if (dirtyBits & IncludeLastSeen) != 0 {
-		client.stateMutex.RLock()
-		lastSeen := client.lastSeen
-		client.stateMutex.RUnlock()
 		client.server.accounts.saveLastSeen(account, lastSeen)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/irc/getters.go b/irc/getters.go
index cd1a75d1..a74a44da 100644
--- a/irc/getters.go
+++ b/irc/getters.go
@@ -321,13 +321,19 @@ func (client *Client) AccountSettings() (result AccountSettings) {
 }
 
 func (client *Client) SetAccountSettings(settings AccountSettings) {
+	// we mark dirty if the client is transitioning to always-on
+	markDirty := false
 	alwaysOn := persistenceEnabled(client.server.Config().Accounts.Multiclient.AlwaysOn, settings.AlwaysOn)
 	client.stateMutex.Lock()
 	client.accountSettings = settings
 	if client.registered {
+		markDirty = !client.alwaysOn && alwaysOn
 		client.alwaysOn = alwaysOn
 	}
 	client.stateMutex.Unlock()
+	if markDirty {
+		client.markDirty(IncludeAllAttrs)
+	}
 }
 
 func (client *Client) Languages() (languages []string) {