diff --git a/nostr/nostr.go b/nostr/nostr.go
index 4adb3ae..d2b2626 100644
--- a/nostr/nostr.go
+++ b/nostr/nostr.go
@@ -134,8 +134,7 @@ func NewRelay(version string) *khatru.Relay {
 	relay.DeleteEvent = append(relay.DeleteEvent, RelayDb.DeleteEvent)
 
 	// apply policies
-	// disabled during backporting
-	//policies.ApplySaneDefaults(relay)
+	policies.ApplySaneDefaults(relay)
 
 	relay.RejectEvent = append(
 		relay.RejectEvent,
@@ -153,6 +152,11 @@ func NewRelay(version string) *khatru.Relay {
 
 func RejectUnregisteredNpubs(ctx context.Context, event *nostr.Event) (reject bool, msg string) {
 	l := gologger.Get(config.GetConfig().LogLevel).With().Str("context", "nostr-reject-unregistered").Logger()
+	authenticatedUser := khatru.GetAuthed(ctx)
+
+	if authenticatedUser == "" {
+		return true, fmt.Sprintf("auth-required: user (%s) not authed", event.PubKey)
+	}
 
 	// reject nip-04 messages to users who aren't registered
 	if event.Kind == 4 {
@@ -180,7 +184,7 @@ func RejectUnregisteredNpubs(ctx context.Context, event *nostr.Event) (reject bo
 	var uid int
 	err := DB.QueryRow("SELECT id FROM users WHERE pubkey=$1", event.PubKey).Scan(&uid)
 	if err != nil {
-		l.Debug().Msgf("poster pubkey %s not found: %s", event.PubKey, err.Error())
+		l.Debug().Msgf("kind: %v, pubkey: %s, error: %s", event.Kind, event.PubKey, err.Error())
 		return true, fmt.Sprintf("pubkey %s is not registered to any users", event.PubKey)
 	}
 	return false, ""