diff --git a/commonspace/object/acl/list/aclstate.go b/commonspace/object/acl/list/aclstate.go
index 61fbfeab..8e332630 100644
--- a/commonspace/object/acl/list/aclstate.go
+++ b/commonspace/object/acl/list/aclstate.go
@@ -681,6 +681,13 @@ func (st *AclState) applyInviteJoin(ch *aclrecordproto.AclAccountInviteJoin, rec
 			}),
 		}
 	}
+	for _, rec := range st.requestRecords {
+		if rec.RequestIdentity.Equals(identity) {
+			delete(st.pendingRequests, mapKeyFromPubKey(rec.RequestIdentity))
+			delete(st.requestRecords, rec.RecordId)
+			break
+		}
+	}
 	if st.pubKey.Equals(identity) {
 		return st.unpackAllKeys(ch.EncryptedReadKey)
 	}
diff --git a/commonspace/object/acl/list/acltestsuite.go b/commonspace/object/acl/list/acltestsuite.go
index bf61312c..a3b178c8 100644
--- a/commonspace/object/acl/list/acltestsuite.go
+++ b/commonspace/object/acl/list/acltestsuite.go
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func (a *AclTestExecutor) buildBatchRequest(args []string, acl AclList, getPerm
 				}
 			}
 			if recId == "" {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("no join records for approve")
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("no join records to approve")
 			}
 			perms := getPerm(argParts[1])
 			afterAll = append(afterAll, func() {
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ func (a *AclTestExecutor) Execute(cmd string) (err error) {
 			}
 		}
 		if recId == "" {
-			return fmt.Errorf("no join records for approve")
+			return fmt.Errorf("no join records to approve")
 		}
 		perms := getPerm(argParts[1])
 		res, err := acl.RecordBuilder().BuildRequestAccept(RequestAcceptPayload{
diff --git a/commonspace/object/acl/list/acltestsuite_test.go b/commonspace/object/acl/list/acltestsuite_test.go
index ec06267f..5cefe156 100644
--- a/commonspace/object/acl/list/acltestsuite_test.go
+++ b/commonspace/object/acl/list/acltestsuite_test.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func TestAclExecutor(t *testing.T) {
 		{"g.join::inv1Id", nil},
 		{"g.cancel::g", nil},
 		// e cannot approve cancelled request
-		{"e.approve::g,rw", fmt.Errorf("no join records for approve")},
+		{"e.approve::g,rw", fmt.Errorf("no join records to approve")},
 		{"g.join::inv1Id", nil},
 		{"e.decline::g", nil},
 		// g cannot cancel declined request
@@ -144,6 +144,12 @@ func TestAclExecutor(t *testing.T) {
 		{"new4.add::super,r,superm", nil},
 		// check that users can't join using request to join for anyone can join links
 		{"new5.join::someId", ErrNoSuchInvite},
+		{"a.invite::requestJoinId", nil},
+		{"joiner.join::requestJoinId", nil},
+		// check that users can join under a different link even after they created a request to join
+		{"joiner.invite_join::someId", nil},
+		// check that they can't be approved after they joined under a different link
+		{"a.approve::joiner,rw", fmt.Errorf("no join records to approve")},
 	}
 	for _, cmd := range cmds {
 		err := a.Execute(cmd.cmd)
diff --git a/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/tree.go b/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/tree.go
index 3d0c783e..3b7222bf 100644
--- a/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/tree.go
+++ b/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/tree.go
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ func (t *Tree) Root() *Change {
 }
 
 func (t *Tree) AddFast(changes ...*Change) []*Change {
+	if len(changes) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
 	defer t.clearUnattached()
 	t.addedBuf = t.addedBuf[:0]
 	for _, c := range changes {
diff --git a/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/tree_test.go b/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/tree_test.go
index c22d6efd..bfe9c84a 100644
--- a/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/tree_test.go
+++ b/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/tree_test.go
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ func TestTree_Add(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, tr.root.Id, "root")
 		assert.Equal(t, []string{"root"}, tr.Heads())
 	})
+	t.Run("empty tree add should not panic", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tr := &Tree{}
+		tr.AddFast()
+	})
 	t.Run("linear add", func(t *testing.T) {
 		tr := new(Tree)
 		res, _ := tr.Add(
diff --git a/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/treebuilder.go b/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/treebuilder.go
index 4ebb646b..b9e87c34 100644
--- a/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/treebuilder.go
+++ b/commonspace/object/tree/objecttree/treebuilder.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import (
 
 var (
 	log      = logger.NewNamedSugared("common.commonspace.objecttree")
-	ErrEmpty = errors.New("logs empty")
+	ErrEmpty = errors.New("database is empty")
 )
 
 type treeBuilder struct {
@@ -146,6 +146,9 @@ func (tb *treeBuilder) build(opts treeBuilderOpts) (tr *Tree, err error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get changes after order: %w", err)
 	}
+	if len(changes) == 0 {
+		return nil, ErrEmpty
+	}
 	tr = &Tree{}
 	changes = append(changes, opts.newChanges...)
 	tr.AddFast(changes...)