diff --git a/src/status_im/ui/screens/add_new/new_chat/db.cljs b/src/status_im/ui/screens/add_new/new_chat/db.cljs
index fae24a5ad8c..b2534b7ef90 100644
--- a/src/status_im/ui/screens/add_new/new_chat/db.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/ui/screens/add_new/new_chat/db.cljs
@@ -9,9 +9,12 @@
   [{:keys [multiaccount]} public-key]
   (= (:public-key multiaccount) public-key))
 
+(def empty-public-key "0x0400000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000")
+
 (defn validate-pub-key [db public-key]
   (cond
-    (not (spec/valid? :global/public-key public-key))
+    (or (not (spec/valid? :global/public-key public-key))
+        (= public-key empty-public-key))
     (i18n/label (if platform/desktop?
                   :t/use-valid-contact-code-desktop
                   :t/use-valid-contact-code))
diff --git a/status-go-version.json b/status-go-version.json
index ebf1f8b5e51..4826df02ac5 100644
--- a/status-go-version.json
+++ b/status-go-version.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     "_comment": "DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE BY HAND. USE 'scripts/update-status-go.sh <tag>' instead",
     "owner": "status-im",
     "repo": "status-go",
-    "version": "v0.43.0",
-    "commit-sha1": "f2eebd1e499e1eb7ab84d634792ec7927b1e79b3",
-    "src-sha256": "1pcsigvwlv1k4hnzfw2f7c9shhavinyqg6711xnq3jkr4j53j2p8"
+    "version": "bug/validate-pubkey",
+    "commit-sha1": "84a6cb2d3d63c01b334b5b7727b135293075b3a8",
+    "src-sha256": "1f1kcfhf0drxcazmmla9irdj9ji2lrzm53slyfkrl2fjdk4gklsd"
 }