diff --git a/commonspace/headsync/headsync.go b/commonspace/headsync/headsync.go
index c118a751..0030ac92 100644
--- a/commonspace/headsync/headsync.go
+++ b/commonspace/headsync/headsync.go
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ func (h *headSync) Close(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 func (h *headSync) fillDiff(ctx context.Context) error {
 	var els = make([]ldiff.Element, 0, 100)
 	err := h.storage.HeadStorage().IterateEntries(ctx, headstorage.IterOpts{}, func(entry headstorage.HeadsEntry) (bool, error) {
+		if entry.IsDerived && entry.Heads[0] == entry.Id {
+			return true, nil
+		}
 		els = append(els, ldiff.Element{
 			Id:   entry.Id,
 			Head: concatStrings(entry.Heads),
diff --git a/commonspace/headsync/headupdater.go b/commonspace/headsync/headupdater.go
index 7d9d092c..b242e358 100644
--- a/commonspace/headsync/headupdater.go
+++ b/commonspace/headsync/headupdater.go
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ type headUpdater struct {
 
 func newHeadUpdater(update func(update headstorage.HeadsUpdate)) *headUpdater {
 	return &headUpdater{
-		batcher: mb.New[headstorage.HeadsUpdate](0),
+		batcher:    mb.New[headstorage.HeadsUpdate](0),
+		updateFunc: update,
 	}
 }