diff --git a/libretroshare/src/services/p3msgservice.cc b/libretroshare/src/services/p3msgservice.cc
index bf6e0be8d..33d522d43 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/services/p3msgservice.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/services/p3msgservice.cc
@@ -2288,7 +2288,7 @@ void p3MsgService::sendPrivateMsgItem(RsMsgItem *msgitem)
 		DistantMessengingContact& contact( _messenging_contacts[hash] ) ;
 
 		if(it == _messenging_contacts.end())
-			it->second.status = RS_DISTANT_MSG_STATUS_TUNNEL_DN ;
+			contact.status = RS_DISTANT_MSG_STATUS_TUNNEL_DN ;
 
 		contact.pending_messages.push_back(msgitem) ;								 // record the msg to be sent.
 	}