diff --git a/nostr/nostr.go b/nostr/nostr.go
index edb1701..4adb3ae 100644
--- a/nostr/nostr.go
+++ b/nostr/nostr.go
@@ -134,12 +134,12 @@ func NewRelay(version string) *khatru.Relay {
 	relay.DeleteEvent = append(relay.DeleteEvent, RelayDb.DeleteEvent)
 
 	// apply policies
-	policies.ApplySaneDefaults(relay)
+	// disabled during backporting
+	//policies.ApplySaneDefaults(relay)
 
 	relay.RejectEvent = append(
 		relay.RejectEvent,
 		RejectUnregisteredNpubs,
-		policies.PreventLargeTags(80),
 		policies.RejectEventsWithBase64Media,
 		policies.ValidateKind,
 	)
@@ -147,9 +147,6 @@ func NewRelay(version string) *khatru.Relay {
 	relay.RejectFilter = append(
 		relay.RejectFilter,
 		policies.RejectKind04Snoopers,
-		policies.AntiSyncBots,
-		policies.NoComplexFilters,
-		policies.NoEmptyFilters,
 	)
 	return relay
 }
@@ -160,11 +157,21 @@ func RejectUnregisteredNpubs(ctx context.Context, event *nostr.Event) (reject bo
 	// reject nip-04 messages to users who aren't registered
 	if event.Kind == 4 {
 		receiver := event.Tags.GetFirst([]string{"p"}).Value()
-		var uid int
-		err := DB.QueryRow("SELECT id FROM users WHERE pubkey=$1", receiver).Scan(&uid)
+		var rid int
+		err := DB.QueryRow("SELECT id FROM users WHERE pubkey=$1", receiver).Scan(&rid)
 		if err != nil {
-			l.Debug().Msgf("recipient pubkey %s not found: %s", receiver, err.Error())
-			return true, fmt.Sprintf("recipient pubkey %s is not registered to any users", receiver)
+			rid = -1
+		}
+
+		var sid int
+		err = DB.QueryRow("SELECT id FROM users WHERE pubkey=$1", event.PubKey).Scan(&sid)
+		if err != nil {
+			sid = -1
+		}
+
+		if rid != -1 || sid != -1 {
+			l.Debug().Msgf("pubkeys %s or %s not found to be registered", receiver, event.PubKey)
+			return true, fmt.Sprintf("nobody in this nip04 message is registered to the relay")
 		}
 		return false, ""
 	}