diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/account.py b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
index 8b314f7b..2d990bf5 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/account.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/account.py
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ class Contact:
     def __init__(self, dc_context, contact_id):
         self.dc_context = dc_context
         self.id = contact_id
-        # XXX do we need to free dc_contact_t? (we own it according to API)
         self.dc_contact_t = capi.lib.dc_get_contact(self.dc_context, contact_id)
 
+    def __del__(self):
+        capi.lib.free(self.dc_contact_t)
+
     @property
     def addr(self):
         return ffi_unicode(capi.lib.dc_contact_get_addr(self.dc_contact_t))
@@ -161,6 +163,8 @@ class Account:
         return ffi_unicode(res)
 
     def get_self_contact(self):
+        if not capi.lib.dc_is_configured(self.dc_context):
+            raise ValueError("need to configure first")
         return Contact(self.dc_context, capi.lib.DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF)
 
     def create_contact(self, email, name=ffi.NULL):
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index 76353489..a6c1628f 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
+import pytest
 from deltachat.capi import lib
 
 
 class TestOfflineAccount:
-    def test_selfcontact(self, acfactory):
+    def test_selfcontact_if_unconfigured(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_offline_account()
-        me = ac1.get_self_contact()
-        assert me.display_name
-        # assert me.addr  # xxx why is this empty?
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            ac1.get_self_contact()
 
     def test_contacts(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_offline_account()
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@ class TestOnlineAccount:
                 print("** CONFIG PROGRESS {}".format(target), account.dc_context)
                 break
 
+    def test_selfcontact(self, acfactory):
+        ac1 = acfactory.get_live_account()
+        self.wait_configuration_progress(ac1, 1000)
+        me = ac1.get_self_contact()
+        assert me.display_name
+        assert me.addr
+
     def test_basic_configure_login_ok(self, acfactory):
         ac1 = acfactory.get_live_account()
         self.wait_successful_IMAP_SMTP_connection(ac1)
diff --git a/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py b/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
index c88d4afe..74332574 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_lowlevel.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ def test_event_defines():
     assert capi.lib.DC_EVENT_INFO == 100
     assert capi.lib.DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF
 
+
 def test_sig():
     sig = capi.lib.dc_get_event_signature_types
     assert sig(capi.lib.DC_EVENT_INFO) == 2
diff --git a/src/dc_chat.c b/src/dc_chat.c
index a53dba75..6a34c934 100644
--- a/src/dc_chat.c
+++ b/src/dc_chat.c
@@ -2181,7 +2181,7 @@ uint32_t dc_send_text_msg(dc_context_t* context, uint32_t chat_id, const char* t
 	uint32_t  ret = 0;
 
 	if (context==NULL || context->magic!=DC_CONTEXT_MAGIC || chat_id<=DC_CHAT_ID_LAST_SPECIAL || text_to_send==NULL) {
-        dc_log_info(context, 0, "some error");
+		dc_log_info(context, 0, "some error");
 		goto cleanup;
 	}