diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/__main__.py b/mautrix_telegram/__main__.py
index 5da4d4dc..6c17faee 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/__main__.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/__main__.py
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import sys
 import copy
 import signal
 
-from sqlalchemy import orm
 import sqlalchemy as sql
 
 from mautrix_appservice import AppService
@@ -73,13 +72,10 @@ log = logging.getLogger("mau.init")  # type: logging.Logger
 log.debug(f"Initializing mautrix-telegram {__version__}")
 
 db_engine = sql.create_engine(config["appservice.database"] or "sqlite:///mautrix-telegram.db")
-db_factory = orm.sessionmaker(bind=db_engine)
-db_session = orm.scoping.scoped_session(db_factory)
 Base.metadata.bind = db_engine
 
-session_container = AlchemySessionContainer(engine=db_engine, session=db_session,
-                                            table_base=Base, table_prefix="telethon_",
-                                            manage_tables=False)
+session_container = AlchemySessionContainer(engine=db_engine, table_base=Base, session=False,
+                                            table_prefix="telethon_", manage_tables=False)
 session_container.core_mode = True
 
 try:
@@ -102,8 +98,9 @@ appserv = AppService(config["homeserver.address"], config["homeserver.domain"],
                      aiohttp_params={
                          "client_max_size": config["appservice.max_body_size"] * mebibyte
                      })
-
-context = Context(appserv, db_session, config, loop, session_container)
+bot = init_bot(config)
+context = Context(appserv, config, loop, session_container, bot)
+context.mx = MatrixHandler(context)
 
 if config["appservice.public.enabled"]:
     public_website = PublicBridgeWebsite(loop)
@@ -120,8 +117,6 @@ with appserv.run(config["appservice.hostname"], config["appservice.port"]) as st
     start_ts = time()
     init_db(db_engine)
     init_abstract_user(context)
-    context.bot = init_bot(context)
-    context.mx = MatrixHandler(context)
     init_formatter(context)
     init_portal(context)
     startup_actions = (init_puppet(context) +
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py b/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
index 258dc19b..6839f2e8 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ import asyncio
 import logging
 import platform
 
-from sqlalchemy import orm
 from telethon.tl.patched import MessageService, Message
 from telethon.tl.types import (
     Channel, ChannelForbidden, Chat, ChatForbidden, MessageActionChannelMigrateFrom, PeerUser,
@@ -56,7 +55,6 @@ class AbstractUser(ABC):
     session_container = None  # type: AlchemySessionContainer
     loop = None  # type: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop
     log = None  # type: logging.Logger
-    db = None  # type: orm.Session
     az = None  # type: AppService
     bot = None  # type: Bot
     ignore_incoming_bot_events = True  # type: bool
@@ -175,11 +173,8 @@ class AbstractUser(ABC):
     async def ensure_started(self, even_if_no_session=False) -> 'AbstractUser':
         if not self.puppet_whitelisted or self.connected:
             return self
-        session_count = self.session_container.Session.query.filter(
-            self.session_container.Session.session_id == self.mxid).count()
-        self.log.debug("ensure_started(%s, even_if_no_session=%s, session_count=%s)",
-                       self.mxid, even_if_no_session, session_count)
-        if even_if_no_session or session_count > 0:
+        self.log.debug("ensure_started(%s, even_if_no_session=%s)", self.mxid, even_if_no_session)
+        if even_if_no_session or self.session_container.has_session(self.mxid):
             await self.start(delete_unless_authenticated=not even_if_no_session)
         return self
 
@@ -388,7 +383,7 @@ class AbstractUser(ABC):
 
 def init(context: "Context") -> None:
     global config, MAX_DELETIONS
-    AbstractUser.az, AbstractUser.db, config, AbstractUser.loop, AbstractUser.relaybot = context.core
+    AbstractUser.az, config, AbstractUser.loop, AbstractUser.relaybot = context.core
     AbstractUser.ignore_incoming_bot_events = config["bridge.relaybot.ignore_own_incoming_events"]
     AbstractUser.session_container = context.session_container
     MAX_DELETIONS = config.get("bridge.max_telegram_delete", 10)
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/bot.py b/mautrix_telegram/bot.py
index 3a35792c..db3f40ea 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/bot.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/bot.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class Bot(AbstractUser):
         self.username = None  # type: str
         self.is_relaybot = True  # type: bool
         self.is_bot = True  # type: bool
-        self.chats = {chat.id: chat.type for chat in BotChat.all()}  # type: Dict[int, str]
+        self.chats = {}  # type: Dict[int, str]
         self.tg_whitelist = []  # type: List[int]
         self.whitelist_group_admins = (config["bridge.relaybot.whitelist_group_admins"]
                                        or False)  # type: bool
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class Bot(AbstractUser):
                 self.tg_whitelist.append(user_id)
 
     async def start(self, delete_unless_authenticated: bool = False) -> 'Bot':
+        self.chats = {chat.id: chat.type for chat in BotChat.all()}
         await super().start(delete_unless_authenticated)
         if not await self.is_logged_in():
             await self.client.sign_in(bot_token=self.token)
@@ -280,9 +281,9 @@ class Bot(AbstractUser):
         return "bot"
 
 
-def init(context: 'Context') -> Optional[Bot]:
+def init(cfg: 'Config') -> Optional[Bot]:
     global config
-    config = context.config
+    config = cfg
     token = config["telegram.bot_token"]
     if token and not token.lower().startswith("disable"):
         return Bot(token)
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/commands/handler.py b/mautrix_telegram/commands/handler.py
index 43b45968..dc432605 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/commands/handler.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/commands/handler.py
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ class CommandProcessor:
     log = logging.getLogger("mau.commands")
 
     def __init__(self, context: c.Context) -> None:
-        self.az, self.db, self.config, self.loop, self.tgbot = context.core
+        self.az, self.config, self.loop, self.tgbot = context.core
         self.public_website = context.public_website
         self.command_prefix = self.config["bridge.command_prefix"]
 
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/context.py b/mautrix_telegram/context.py
index 9f2375d8..f1b99830 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/context.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/context.py
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@ from typing import Optional, Tuple, TYPE_CHECKING
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     import asyncio
 
-    from sqlalchemy.orm import scoped_session
-
     from alchemysession import AlchemySessionContainer
     from mautrix_appservice import AppService
 
@@ -31,20 +29,17 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 
 
 class Context:
-    def __init__(self, az: 'AppService', db: 'scoped_session', config: 'Config',
-                 loop: 'asyncio.AbstractEventLoop', session_container: 'AlchemySessionContainer'
-                 ) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, az: 'AppService', config: 'Config', loop: 'asyncio.AbstractEventLoop',
+                 session_container: 'AlchemySessionContainer', bot: Optional['Bot']) -> None:
         self.az = az  # type: AppService
-        self.db = db  # type: scoped_session
         self.config = config  # type: Config
         self.loop = loop  # type: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop
-        self.bot = None  # type: Optional[Bot]
-        self.mx = None  # type: MatrixHandler
+        self.bot = bot  # type: Optional[Bot]
+        self.mx = None  # type: Optional[MatrixHandler]
         self.session_container = session_container  # type: AlchemySessionContainer
-        self.public_website = None  # type: PublicBridgeWebsite
-        self.provisioning_api = None  # type: ProvisioningAPI
+        self.public_website = None  # type: Optional[PublicBridgeWebsite]
+        self.provisioning_api = None  # type: Optional[ProvisioningAPI]
 
     @property
-    def core(self) -> Tuple['AppService', 'scoped_session', 'Config',
-                            'asyncio.AbstractEventLoop', Optional['Bot']]:
-        return (self.az, self.db, self.config, self.loop, self.bot)
+    def core(self) -> Tuple['AppService', 'Config', 'asyncio.AbstractEventLoop', Optional['Bot']]:
+        return self.az, self.config, self.loop, self.bot
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/db/telegram_file.py b/mautrix_telegram/db/telegram_file.py
index c8f53a39..65070533 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/db/telegram_file.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/db/telegram_file.py
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 from sqlalchemy import Column, ForeignKey, Integer, BigInteger, String, Boolean
-from sqlalchemy.orm import relationship
 from typing import Optional
 
 from .base import Base
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ class TelegramFile(Base):
     width = Column(Integer, nullable=True)
     height = Column(Integer, nullable=True)
     thumbnail_id = Column("thumbnail", String, ForeignKey("telegram_file.id"), nullable=True)
-    thumbnail = relationship("TelegramFile", uselist=False)
+    thumbnail = None  # type: Optional[TelegramFile]
 
     @classmethod
     def get(cls, id: str) -> Optional['TelegramFile']:
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/matrix.py b/mautrix_telegram/matrix.py
index 573cbd75..3f80bc94 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/matrix.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/matrix.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class MatrixHandler:
     log = logging.getLogger("mau.mx")  # type: logging.Logger
 
     def __init__(self, context: 'Context') -> None:
-        self.az, self.db, self.config, _, self.tgbot = context.core
+        self.az, self.config, _, self.tgbot = context.core
         self.commands = com.CommandProcessor(context)  # type: com.CommandProcessor
         self.previously_typing = []  # type: List[MatrixUserID]
 
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/portal.py b/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
index d81655d7..a4d54824 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
@@ -2039,7 +2039,7 @@ class Portal:
 
 def init(context: Context) -> None:
     global config
-    Portal.az, _, config, Portal.loop, Portal.bot = context.core
+    Portal.az, config, Portal.loop, Portal.bot = context.core
     Portal.max_initial_member_sync = config["bridge.max_initial_member_sync"]
     Portal.sync_channel_members = config["bridge.sync_channel_members"]
     Portal.sync_matrix_state = config["bridge.sync_matrix_state"]
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/puppet.py b/mautrix_telegram/puppet.py
index b22d9210..a3569997 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/puppet.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/puppet.py
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@
 #
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-from typing import (Awaitable, Coroutine, Dict, List, Iterable, Optional, Pattern, Union,
-                    TYPE_CHECKING)
+from typing import Awaitable, Any, Dict, List, Iterable, Optional, Pattern, Union, TYPE_CHECKING
 from difflib import SequenceMatcher
 from enum import Enum
 from aiohttp import ServerDisconnectedError
@@ -23,8 +22,6 @@ import asyncio
 import logging
 import re
 
-from sqlalchemy import orm
-
 from telethon.tl.types import UserProfilePhoto, User, FileLocation, UpdateUserName, PeerUser
 from mautrix_appservice import AppService, IntentAPI, IntentError, MatrixRequestError
 
@@ -45,7 +42,6 @@ config = None  # type: Config
 
 class Puppet:
     log = logging.getLogger("mau.puppet")  # type: logging.Logger
-    db = None  # type: orm.Session
     az = None  # type: AppService
     mx = None  # type: MatrixHandler
     loop = None  # type: asyncio.AbstractEventLoop
@@ -400,8 +396,7 @@ class Puppet:
 
         if create:
             puppet = cls(tgid)
-            cls.db.add(puppet.db_instance)
-            cls.db.commit()
+            puppet.db_instance.insert()
             return puppet
 
         return None
@@ -481,9 +476,9 @@ class Puppet:
     # endregion
 
 
-def init(context: 'Context') -> List[Coroutine]:  # [None, None, PuppetError]
+def init(context: 'Context') -> List[Awaitable[Any]]:  # [None, None, PuppetError]
     global config
-    Puppet.az, Puppet.db, config, Puppet.loop, _ = context.core
+    Puppet.az, config, Puppet.loop, _ = context.core
     Puppet.mx = context.mx
     Puppet.username_template = config.get("bridge.username_template", "telegram_{userid}")
     Puppet.hs_domain = config["homeserver"]["domain"]
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 68078c58..860da486 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ setuptools.setup(
         "ruamel.yaml>=0.15.35,<0.16",
         "future-fstrings>=0.4.2",
         "python-magic>=0.4.15,<0.5",
-        "telethon>=1.5.5,<1.6",
-        "telethon-session-sqlalchemy>=0.2.9,<0.3",
+        "telethon>=1.5.5,<1.7",
+        "telethon-session-sqlalchemy>=0.2.11,<0.3",
     ],
     extras_require=extras,