diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
index 727926dcf8..d7b729220b 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
@@ -1070,8 +1070,9 @@ processChatCommand = \case
     pure $ CRInvitation user cReq
   AddContact -> withUser $ \User {userId} ->
     processChatCommand $ APIAddContact userId
-  APIConnect userId (Just (ACR SCMInvitation cReq)) -> withUserId userId $ \user -> withChatLock "connect" . procCmd $ do
+  APIConnect userId (Just (ACR SCMInvitation cReq)) mc_ -> withUserId userId $ \user -> withChatLock "connect" . procCmd $ do
     -- [incognito] generate profile to send
+    when (isJust mc_) $ throwChatError CEConnReqMessageProhibited
     incognito <- readTVarIO =<< asks incognitoMode
     incognitoProfile <- if incognito then Just <$> liftIO generateRandomProfile else pure Nothing
     let profileToSend = userProfileToSend user incognitoProfile Nothing
@@ -1079,13 +1080,11 @@ processChatCommand = \case
     conn <- withStore' $ \db -> createDirectConnection db user connId cReq ConnJoined $ incognitoProfile $> profileToSend
     toView $ CRNewContactConnection user conn
     pure $ CRSentConfirmation user
-  APIConnect userId (Just (ACR SCMContact cReq)) -> withUserId userId (`connectViaContact` cReq)
-  APIConnect _ Nothing -> throwChatError CEInvalidConnReq
-  Connect cReqUri -> withUser $ \User {userId} ->
-    processChatCommand $ APIConnect userId cReqUri
-  ConnectSimplex -> withUser $ \user ->
-    -- [incognito] generate profile to send
-    connectViaContact user adminContactReq
+  APIConnect userId (Just (ACR SCMContact cReq)) mc_ -> withUserId userId $ \user -> connectViaContact user cReq mc_
+  APIConnect _ Nothing _ -> throwChatError CEInvalidConnReq
+  Connect cReqUri msg_ -> withUser $ \User {userId} ->
+    processChatCommand $ APIConnect userId cReqUri $ MCText <$> msg_
+  ConnectSimplex msg_ -> withUser $ \user -> connectViaContact user adminContactReq $ MCText <$> msg_
   DeleteContact cName -> withContactName cName $ APIDeleteChat . ChatRef CTDirect
   ClearContact cName -> withContactName cName $ APIClearChat . ChatRef CTDirect
   APIListContacts userId -> withUserId userId $ \user ->
@@ -1536,12 +1535,14 @@ processChatCommand = \case
       CTDirect -> withStore $ \db -> getDirectChatItemIdByText db userId cId SMDSnd msg
       CTGroup -> withStore $ \db -> getGroupChatItemIdByText db user cId (Just localDisplayName) msg
       _ -> throwChatError $ CECommandError "not supported"
-    connectViaContact :: User -> ConnectionRequestUri 'CMContact -> m ChatResponse
-    connectViaContact user@User {userId} cReq@(CRContactUri ConnReqUriData {crClientData}) = withChatLock "connectViaContact" $ do
+    connectViaContact :: User -> ConnectionRequestUri 'CMContact -> Maybe MsgContent -> m ChatResponse
+    connectViaContact user@User {userId} cReq@(CRContactUri ConnReqUriData {crClientData}) mc_ = withChatLock "connectViaContact" $ do
       let cReqHash = ConnReqUriHash . C.sha256Hash $ strEncode cReq
       withStore' (\db -> getConnReqContactXContactId db user cReqHash) >>= \case
         (Just contact, _) -> pure $ CRContactAlreadyExists user contact
         (_, xContactId_) -> procCmd $ do
+          let groupLinkId = crClientData >>= decodeJSON >>= \(CRDataGroup gli) -> Just gli
+          when (isJust groupLinkId) $ throwChatError CEConnReqMessageProhibited
           let randomXContactId = XContactId <$> drgRandomBytes 16
           xContactId <- maybe randomXContactId pure xContactId_
           -- [incognito] generate profile to send
@@ -1552,8 +1553,7 @@ processChatCommand = \case
           incognito <- readTVarIO =<< asks incognitoMode
           incognitoProfile <- if incognito then Just <$> liftIO generateRandomProfile else pure Nothing
           let profileToSend = userProfileToSend user incognitoProfile Nothing
-          connId <- withAgent $ \a -> joinConnection a (aUserId user) True cReq $ directMessage (XContact profileToSend $ Just xContactId)
-          let groupLinkId = crClientData >>= decodeJSON >>= \(CRDataGroup gli) -> Just gli
+          connId <- withAgent $ \a -> joinConnection a (aUserId user) True cReq $ directMessage (XContact profileToSend (Just xContactId) mc_)
           conn <- withStore' $ \db -> createConnReqConnection db userId connId cReqHash xContactId incognitoProfile groupLinkId
           toView $ CRNewContactConnection user conn
           pure $ CRSentInvitation user incognitoProfile
@@ -2921,8 +2921,8 @@ processAgentMessageConn user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
       REQ invId _ connInfo -> do
         ChatMessage {chatMsgEvent} <- parseChatMessage connInfo
         case chatMsgEvent of
-          XContact p xContactId_ -> profileContactRequest invId p xContactId_
-          XInfo p -> profileContactRequest invId p Nothing
+          XContact p xContactId_ mc_ -> profileContactRequest invId p xContactId_ mc_
+          XInfo p -> profileContactRequest invId p Nothing Nothing
           -- TODO show/log error, other events in contact request
           _ -> pure ()
       MERR _ err -> do
@@ -2934,19 +2934,21 @@ processAgentMessageConn user@User {userId} corrId agentConnId agentMessage = do
       -- TODO add debugging output
       _ -> pure ()
       where
-        profileContactRequest :: InvitationId -> Profile -> Maybe XContactId -> m ()
-        profileContactRequest invId p xContactId_ = do
+        profileContactRequest :: InvitationId -> Profile -> Maybe XContactId -> Maybe MsgContent -> m ()
+        profileContactRequest invId p xContactId_ _mc_ = do
           withStore (\db -> createOrUpdateContactRequest db user userContactLinkId invId p xContactId_) >>= \case
             CORContact contact -> toView $ CRContactRequestAlreadyAccepted user contact
             CORRequest cReq@UserContactRequest {localDisplayName} -> do
               withStore' (\db -> getUserContactLinkById db userId userContactLinkId) >>= \case
                 Just (UserContactLink {autoAccept}, groupId_, _) ->
+                  -- TODO add chat item for contact request
                   case autoAccept of
                     Just AutoAccept {acceptIncognito} -> case groupId_ of
                       Nothing -> do
                         -- [incognito] generate profile to send, create connection with incognito profile
                         incognitoProfile <- if acceptIncognito then Just . NewIncognito <$> liftIO generateRandomProfile else pure Nothing
                         ct <- acceptContactRequestAsync user cReq incognitoProfile
+                        -- TODO move chat item to contact
                         toView $ CRAcceptingContactRequest user ct
                       Just groupId -> do
                         gInfo@GroupInfo {membership = membership@GroupMember {memberProfile}} <- withStore $ \db -> getGroupInfo db user groupId
@@ -4546,9 +4548,9 @@ chatCommandP =
       (">#" <|> "> #") *> (SendGroupMessageQuote <$> displayName <* A.space <* char_ '@' <*> (Just <$> displayName) <* A.space <*> quotedMsg <*> msgTextP),
       "/_contacts " *> (APIListContacts <$> A.decimal),
       "/contacts" $> ListContacts,
-      "/_connect " *> (APIConnect <$> A.decimal <* A.space <*> ((Just <$> strP) <|> A.takeByteString $> Nothing)),
+      "/_connect " *> (APIConnect <$> A.decimal <* A.space <*> ((Just <$> strP) <|> A.takeTill (== ' ') $> Nothing) <*> optional (A.space *> msgContentP)),
       "/_connect " *> (APIAddContact <$> A.decimal),
-      ("/connect " <|> "/c ") *> (Connect <$> ((Just <$> strP) <|> A.takeByteString $> Nothing)),
+      ("/connect " <|> "/c ") *> (Connect <$> ((Just <$> strP) <|> A.takeTill (== ' ') $> Nothing) <*> optional (A.space *> msgTextP)),
       ("/connect" <|> "/c") $> AddContact,
       SendMessage <$> chatNameP <* A.space <*> msgTextP,
       "/live " *> (SendLiveMessage <$> chatNameP <*> (A.space *> msgTextP <|> pure "")),
@@ -4572,7 +4574,7 @@ chatCommandP =
       ("/freceive " <|> "/fr ") *> (ReceiveFile <$> A.decimal <*> optional (" inline=" *> onOffP) <*> optional (A.space *> filePath)),
       ("/fcancel " <|> "/fc ") *> (CancelFile <$> A.decimal),
       ("/fstatus " <|> "/fs ") *> (FileStatus <$> A.decimal),
-      "/simplex" $> ConnectSimplex,
+      "/simplex" *> (ConnectSimplex <$> optional (A.space *> msgTextP)),
       "/_address " *> (APICreateMyAddress <$> A.decimal),
       ("/address" <|> "/ad") $> CreateMyAddress,
       "/_delete_address " *> (APIDeleteMyAddress <$> A.decimal),
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
index 6f2dafeba0..9aa77bf7cf 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
@@ -298,9 +298,9 @@ data ChatCommand
   | Welcome
   | APIAddContact UserId
   | AddContact
-  | APIConnect UserId (Maybe AConnectionRequestUri)
-  | Connect (Maybe AConnectionRequestUri)
-  | ConnectSimplex -- UserId (not used in UI)
+  | APIConnect UserId (Maybe AConnectionRequestUri) (Maybe MsgContent)
+  | Connect (Maybe AConnectionRequestUri) (Maybe Text)
+  | ConnectSimplex (Maybe Text)
   | DeleteContact ContactName
   | ClearContact ContactName
   | APIListContacts UserId
@@ -769,6 +769,7 @@ data ChatErrorType
   | CEChatStoreChanged
   | CEInvalidConnReq
   | CEInvalidChatMessage {message :: String}
+  | CEConnReqMessageProhibited
   | CEContactNotReady {contact :: Contact}
   | CEContactDisabled {contact :: Contact}
   | CEConnectionDisabled {connection :: Connection}
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Protocol.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Protocol.hs
index 4e686d2e80..a1b6339857 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Protocol.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Protocol.hs
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ data ChatMsgEvent (e :: MsgEncoding) where
   XFileAcptInv :: SharedMsgId -> Maybe ConnReqInvitation -> String -> ChatMsgEvent 'Json
   XFileCancel :: SharedMsgId -> ChatMsgEvent 'Json
   XInfo :: Profile -> ChatMsgEvent 'Json
-  XContact :: Profile -> Maybe XContactId -> ChatMsgEvent 'Json
+  XContact :: Profile -> Maybe XContactId -> Maybe MsgContent -> ChatMsgEvent 'Json
   XGrpInv :: GroupInvitation -> ChatMsgEvent 'Json
   XGrpAcpt :: MemberId -> ChatMsgEvent 'Json
   XGrpMemNew :: MemberInfo -> ChatMsgEvent 'Json
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ toCMEventTag msg = case msg of
   XFileAcptInv {} -> XFileAcptInv_
   XFileCancel _ -> XFileCancel_
   XInfo _ -> XInfo_
-  XContact _ _ -> XContact_
+  XContact {} -> XContact_
   XGrpInv _ -> XGrpInv_
   XGrpAcpt _ -> XGrpAcpt_
   XGrpMemNew _ -> XGrpMemNew_
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ appJsonToCM AppMessageJson {msgId, event, params} = do
       XFileAcptInv_ -> XFileAcptInv <$> p "msgId" <*> opt "fileConnReq" <*> p "fileName"
       XFileCancel_ -> XFileCancel <$> p "msgId"
       XInfo_ -> XInfo <$> p "profile"
-      XContact_ -> XContact <$> p "profile" <*> opt "contactReqId"
+      XContact_ -> XContact <$> p "profile" <*> opt "contactReqId" <*> opt "content"
       XGrpInv_ -> XGrpInv <$> p "groupInvitation"
       XGrpAcpt_ -> XGrpAcpt <$> p "memberId"
       XGrpMemNew_ -> XGrpMemNew <$> p "memberInfo"
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ chatToAppMessage ChatMessage {msgId, chatMsgEvent} = case encoding @e of
       XFileAcptInv sharedMsgId fileConnReq fileName -> o $ ("fileConnReq" .=? fileConnReq) ["msgId" .= sharedMsgId, "fileName" .= fileName]
       XFileCancel sharedMsgId -> o ["msgId" .= sharedMsgId]
       XInfo profile -> o ["profile" .= profile]
-      XContact profile xContactId -> o $ ("contactReqId" .=? xContactId) ["profile" .= profile]
+      XContact profile xContactId content -> o $ ("contactReqId" .=? xContactId) $ ("content" .=? content) ["profile" .= profile]
       XGrpInv groupInv -> o ["groupInvitation" .= groupInv]
       XGrpAcpt memId -> o ["memberId" .= memId]
       XGrpMemNew memInfo -> o ["memberInfo" .= memInfo]
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
index 6a401f69df..088750cfc9 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
@@ -1271,6 +1271,7 @@ viewChatError logLevel = \case
     CEChatStoreChanged -> ["error: chat store changed, please restart chat"]
     CEInvalidConnReq -> viewInvalidConnReq
     CEInvalidChatMessage e -> ["chat message error: " <> sShow e]
+    CEConnReqMessageProhibited -> ["message is not allowed with this connection link"]
     CEContactNotReady c -> [ttyContact' c <> ": not ready"]
     CEContactDisabled Contact {localDisplayName = c} -> [ttyContact c <> ": disabled, to enable: " <> highlight ("/enable " <> c) <> ", to delete: " <> highlight ("/d " <> c)]
     CEConnectionDisabled Connection {connId, connType} -> [plain $ "connection " <> textEncode connType <> " (" <> tshow connId <> ") is disabled" | logLevel <= CLLWarning]
diff --git a/tests/ProtocolTests.hs b/tests/ProtocolTests.hs
index 97ece72b05..9137c8108e 100644
--- a/tests/ProtocolTests.hs
+++ b/tests/ProtocolTests.hs
@@ -201,16 +201,16 @@ decodeChatMessageTest = describe "Chat message encoding/decoding" $ do
       #==# XInfo Profile {displayName = "alice", fullName = "", image = Nothing, preferences = testChatPreferences}
   it "x.contact with xContactId" $
     "{\"event\":\"x.contact\",\"params\":{\"contactReqId\":\"AQIDBA==\",\"profile\":{\"fullName\":\"Alice\",\"displayName\":\"alice\",\"image\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAgAAAAIAQMAAAD+wSzIAAAABlBMVEX///+/v7+jQ3Y5AAAADklEQVQI12P4AIX8EAgALgAD/aNpbtEAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\",\"preferences\":{\"voice\":{\"allow\":\"yes\"}}}}}"
-      #==# XContact testProfile (Just $ XContactId "\1\2\3\4")
+      #==# XContact testProfile (Just $ XContactId "\1\2\3\4") Nothing
   it "x.contact without XContactId" $
     "{\"event\":\"x.contact\",\"params\":{\"profile\":{\"fullName\":\"Alice\",\"displayName\":\"alice\",\"image\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAgAAAAIAQMAAAD+wSzIAAAABlBMVEX///+/v7+jQ3Y5AAAADklEQVQI12P4AIX8EAgALgAD/aNpbtEAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\",\"preferences\":{\"voice\":{\"allow\":\"yes\"}}}}}"
-      #==# XContact testProfile Nothing
+      #==# XContact testProfile Nothing Nothing
   it "x.contact with content null" $
     "{\"event\":\"x.contact\",\"params\":{\"content\":null,\"profile\":{\"fullName\":\"Alice\",\"displayName\":\"alice\",\"image\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAgAAAAIAQMAAAD+wSzIAAAABlBMVEX///+/v7+jQ3Y5AAAADklEQVQI12P4AIX8EAgALgAD/aNpbtEAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\",\"preferences\":{\"voice\":{\"allow\":\"yes\"}}}}}"
-      ==# XContact testProfile Nothing
-  it "x.contact with content (ignored)" $
+      ==# XContact testProfile Nothing Nothing
+  it "x.contact with content" $
     "{\"event\":\"x.contact\",\"params\":{\"content\":{\"text\":\"hello\",\"type\":\"text\"},\"profile\":{\"fullName\":\"Alice\",\"displayName\":\"alice\",\"image\":\"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAgAAAAIAQMAAAD+wSzIAAAABlBMVEX///+/v7+jQ3Y5AAAADklEQVQI12P4AIX8EAgALgAD/aNpbtEAAAAASUVORK5CYII=\",\"preferences\":{\"voice\":{\"allow\":\"yes\"}}}}}"
-      ==# XContact testProfile Nothing
+      #==# XContact testProfile Nothing (Just $ MCText "hello")
   it "x.grp.inv" $
     "{\"event\":\"x.grp.inv\",\"params\":{\"groupInvitation\":{\"connRequest\":\"https://simplex.chat/invitation#/?v=1&smp=smp%3A%2F%2F1234-w%3D%3D%40smp.simplex.im%3A5223%2F3456-w%3D%3D%23%2F%3Fv%3D1-2%26dh%3DMCowBQYDK2VuAyEAjiswwI3O_NlS8Fk3HJUW870EY2bAwmttMBsvRB9eV3o%253D&e2e=v%3D1-2%26x3dh%3DMEIwBQYDK2VvAzkAmKuSYeQ_m0SixPDS8Wq8VBaTS1cW-Lp0n0h4Diu-kUpR-qXx4SDJ32YGEFoGFGSbGPry5Ychr6U%3D%2CMEIwBQYDK2VvAzkAmKuSYeQ_m0SixPDS8Wq8VBaTS1cW-Lp0n0h4Diu-kUpR-qXx4SDJ32YGEFoGFGSbGPry5Ychr6U%3D\",\"invitedMember\":{\"memberRole\":\"member\",\"memberId\":\"BQYHCA==\"},\"groupProfile\":{\"fullName\":\"Team\",\"displayName\":\"team\",\"groupPreferences\":{\"voice\":{\"enable\":\"on\"}}},\"fromMember\":{\"memberRole\":\"admin\",\"memberId\":\"AQIDBA==\"}}}}"
       #==# XGrpInv GroupInvitation {fromMember = MemberIdRole (MemberId "\1\2\3\4") GRAdmin, invitedMember = MemberIdRole (MemberId "\5\6\7\8") GRMember, connRequest = testConnReq, groupProfile = testGroupProfile, groupLinkId = Nothing}