diff --git a/hivemind_core/protocol.py b/hivemind_core/protocol.py
index f4bad8d..3a604a8 100644
--- a/hivemind_core/protocol.py
+++ b/hivemind_core/protocol.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import json
+import uuid
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from enum import Enum, IntEnum
 from typing import List, Dict, Optional
@@ -260,7 +261,6 @@ def get_bus(self, client: HiveMindClientConnection):
 
     def handle_new_client(self, client: HiveMindClientConnection):
         LOG.debug(f"new client: {client.peer}")
-        self.clients[client.peer] = client
         message = Message(
             "hive.client.connect",
             {"ip": client.ip, "session_id": client.sess.session_id},
@@ -398,6 +398,8 @@ def handle_handshake_message(
     ):
         LOG.debug("handshake received, generating session key")
         payload = message.payload
+        if "session" in payload:
+            client.sess = Session.deserialize(payload["session"])
         if "site_id" in payload:
             client.sess.site_id = client.site_id = payload["site_id"]
         if "pubkey" in payload and client.handshake is not None:
@@ -445,22 +447,36 @@ def handle_handshake_message(
             client.socket.close()
             return
 
+        LOG.debug(f"client site_id: {client.sess.site_id}")
+        if client.sess.session_id != "default":
+            LOG.debug(f"client session_id: {client.sess.session_id}")
+            self.clients[client.peer] = client
+        else:
+            LOG.warning("client did not send a session in it's handshake")
+
         msg = HiveMessage(HiveMessageType.HANDSHAKE, payload)
         client.send(msg)  # client can recreate crypto_key on his side now
 
     def handle_bus_message(
         self, message: HiveMessage, client: HiveMindClientConnection
     ):
-        # update the session as received by the client
-        old = client.peer
-        client.sess = Session.from_message(message.payload)
-        LOG.debug(f"Client session updated: {client.sess.serialize()}")
-        if old != client.peer:
-            LOG.debug(f"Client session_id changed! new peer_id: {client.peer}")
-            if old in self.clients:
-                self.clients[client.peer] = self.clients.pop(old)
+        # track any Session updates from client side
+        sess = Session.from_message(message.payload)
+        if client.sess.session_id == "default":
+            LOG.warning(f"{client.peer} did not send a Session via handshake")
+            if sess.session_id == "default":
+                client.sess.session_id = str(uuid.uuid4())
+                LOG.debug(f"Client session_id randomly generated: {client.sess.session_id}")
             else:
-                self.clients[client.peer] = client
+                client.sess.session_id = sess.session_id
+                LOG.debug(f"Client session_id assigned via client first message: {client.sess.session_id}")
+            self.clients[client.peer] = client
+
+        if sess.session_id == "default":
+            sess.session_id = client.sess.session_id
+        if client.sess.session_id == sess.session_id:
+            client.sess = sess
+            LOG.debug(f"Client session updated from payload: {sess.serialize()}")
 
         self.handle_inject_mycroft_msg(message.payload, client)
         if self.mycroft_bus_callback:
@@ -672,8 +688,8 @@ def handle_inject_mycroft_msg(
             return
 
         # ensure client specific session data is injected in query to ovos
-        if "session" not in message.context:
-            message.context["session"] = client.sess.serialize()
+        LOG.debug("replacing message metadata with hivemind client session")
+        message.context["session"] = client.sess.serialize()
         if message.msg_type == "speak":
             message.context["destination"] = ["audio"]  # make audible, this is injected "speak" command
         elif message.context.get("destination") is None: