diff --git a/pkg/connector/handletelegram.go b/pkg/connector/handletelegram.go
index af31829a..7f1c2d1a 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/handletelegram.go
+++ b/pkg/connector/handletelegram.go
@@ -763,6 +763,10 @@ func (tc *TelegramClient) onUserName(ctx context.Context, e tg.Entities, update
 		slices.Sort(userInfo.Identifiers)
 		userInfo.Identifiers = slices.Compact(userInfo.Identifiers)
 	}
+	err = tc.main.Store.Username.Set(ctx, ids.PeerTypeUser, update.UserID, firstUsername)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to store username: %w", err)
+	}
 
 	name := tc.main.Config.FormatDisplayname(update.FirstName, update.LastName, firstUsername, false, update.UserID)
 	userInfo.Name = &name
diff --git a/pkg/connector/store/username.go b/pkg/connector/store/username.go
index 20f45908..cabd37b4 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/store/username.go
+++ b/pkg/connector/store/username.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ const (
 			entity_id=excluded.entity_id
 	`
 	getByUsernameQuery  = "SELECT entity_type, entity_id FROM telegram_username WHERE LOWER(username)=$1"
-	clearUsernameQuery  = `DELETE FROM telegram_username WHERE entity_type=$1 AND entity_id=$2`
+	clearUsernameQuery  = `DELETE FROM telegram_username WHERE entity_type=$1 AND entity_id=$2 AND LOWER(username)<>$3`
 	deleteUsernameQuery = `DELETE FROM telegram_username WHERE LOWER(username)=$1`
 )
 
@@ -55,9 +55,12 @@ func (s *UsernameQuery) Get(ctx context.Context, entityType ids.PeerType, userID
 
 func (s *UsernameQuery) Set(ctx context.Context, entityType ids.PeerType, entityID int64, username string) (err error) {
 	if username == "" {
-		_, err = s.db.Exec(ctx, clearUsernameQuery, entityType, entityID)
+		_, err = s.db.Exec(ctx, clearUsernameQuery, entityType, entityID, "")
 	} else {
 		_, err = s.db.Exec(ctx, setUsernameQuery, username, entityType, entityID)
+		if err == nil {
+			_, err = s.db.Exec(ctx, clearUsernameQuery, entityType, entityID, username)
+		}
 	}
 	return
 }
diff --git a/pkg/connector/userinfo.go b/pkg/connector/userinfo.go
index 35d3dd54..22c7adca 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/userinfo.go
+++ b/pkg/connector/userinfo.go
@@ -192,14 +192,22 @@ func (tc *TelegramClient) wrapChannelGhostInfo(ctx context.Context, channel *tg.
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	var identifiers []string
-	if username, set := channel.GetUsername(); set {
-		err = tc.main.Store.Username.Set(ctx, ids.PeerTypeChannel, channel.ID, username)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		identifiers = append(identifiers, fmt.Sprintf("telegram:%s", username))
+	// TODO store alternate usernames in database too
+	err = tc.main.Store.Username.Set(ctx, ids.PeerTypeChannel, channel.ID, channel.Username)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
+	var identifiers []string
+	if channel.Username != "" {
+		identifiers = append(identifiers, fmt.Sprintf("telegram:%s", channel.Username))
+	}
+	for _, username := range channel.Usernames {
+		if username.Active {
+			identifiers = append(identifiers, fmt.Sprintf("telegram:%s", username.Username))
+		}
+	}
+	slices.Sort(identifiers)
+	identifiers = slices.Compact(identifiers)
 
 	return &bridgev2.UserInfo{
 		Name:        &channel.Title,
@@ -222,6 +230,7 @@ func (tc *TelegramClient) wrapUserInfo(ctx context.Context, u tg.UserClass, ghos
 			}
 		}
 
+		// TODO store alternate usernames in database too
 		if err := tc.main.Store.Username.Set(ctx, ids.PeerTypeUser, user.ID, user.Username); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
@@ -230,7 +239,9 @@ func (tc *TelegramClient) wrapUserInfo(ctx context.Context, u tg.UserClass, ghos
 			identifiers = append(identifiers, fmt.Sprintf("telegram:%s", user.Username))
 		}
 		for _, username := range user.Usernames {
-			identifiers = append(identifiers, fmt.Sprintf("telegram:%s", username.Username))
+			if username.Active {
+				identifiers = append(identifiers, fmt.Sprintf("telegram:%s", username.Username))
+			}
 		}
 		if phone, ok := user.GetPhone(); ok {
 			normalized := strings.TrimPrefix(phone, "+")