diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/API/Requests/GetUpdatesRequest.cs b/osu.Game/Online/API/Requests/GetUpdatesRequest.cs
index ce2689d262..529c579996 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/API/Requests/GetUpdatesRequest.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/API/Requests/GetUpdatesRequest.cs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.API.Requests
             var req = base.CreateWebRequest();
             if (channel != null) req.AddParameter(@"channel", channel.Id.ToString());
             req.AddParameter(@"since", since.ToString());
+            req.AddParameter(@"includes[]", "presence");
 
             return req;
         }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Notifications/NotificationsClient.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Notifications/NotificationsClient.cs
index 6198707111..5654fa6396 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Notifications/NotificationsClient.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Notifications/NotificationsClient.cs
@@ -67,8 +67,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Notifications
 
         protected void HandleChannelParted(Channel channel) => ChannelParted?.Invoke(channel);
 
-        protected void HandleMessages(List<Message> messages)
+        protected void HandleMessages(List<Message>? messages)
         {
+            if (messages == null)
+                return;
+
             NewMessages?.Invoke(messages);
             lastMessageId = Math.Max(lastMessageId, messages.LastOrDefault()?.Id ?? 0);
         }