diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py b/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
index 3b6c89d0..c76e166c 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
@@ -168,16 +168,13 @@ class AbstractUser(ABC):
         return self
 
     async def ensure_started(self, even_if_no_session=False) -> 'AbstractUser':
-        if not self.puppet_whitelisted:
+        if not self.puppet_whitelisted or self.connected:
             return self
-        self.log.debug("ensure_started(%s, connected=%s, even_if_no_session=%s, session_count=%s)",
-                       self.mxid, self.connected, even_if_no_session,
-                       self.session_container.Session.query.filter(
-                           self.session_container.Session.session_id == self.mxid).count())
-        should_connect = (even_if_no_session or
-                          self.session_container.Session.query.filter(
-                              self.session_container.Session.session_id == self.mxid).count() > 0)
-        if not self.connected and should_connect:
+        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:
             await self.start(delete_unless_authenticated=not even_if_no_session)
         return self
 
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/user.py b/mautrix_telegram/user.py
index 92efc9d3..f75fff82 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/user.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/user.py
@@ -14,7 +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 Coroutine, Dict, List, Match, NewType, Optional, Tuple, cast, TYPE_CHECKING
+from typing import Awaitable, Dict, List, Match, NewType, Optional, Tuple, TYPE_CHECKING
 import logging
 import asyncio
 import re
@@ -207,9 +207,6 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
     # endregion
     # region Telegram actions that need custom methods
 
-    def ensure_started(self, even_if_no_session: bool = False) -> Coroutine[None, None, 'User']:
-        return cast(Coroutine[None, None, 'User'], super().ensure_started(even_if_no_session))
-
     async def set_presence(self, online: bool = True) -> None:
         if not self.is_bot:
             await self.client(UpdateStatusRequest(offline=not online))
@@ -399,9 +396,9 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
     # endregion
 
 
-def init(context: 'Context') -> List[Coroutine]:  # [None, None, AbstractUser]
+def init(context: 'Context') -> List[Awaitable['AbstractUser']]:
     global config
     config = context.config
 
     users = [User.from_db(user) for user in DBUser.query.all()]
-    return [user.ensure_started() for user in users]
+    return [user.ensure_started() for user in users if user.tgid]