diff --git a/portal.go b/portal.go
index be07262..ddf13a7 100644
--- a/portal.go
+++ b/portal.go
@@ -110,7 +110,13 @@ func (portal *Portal) MarkEncrypted() {
 
 func (portal *Portal) ReceiveMatrixEvent(user bridge.User, evt *event.Event) {
 	if user.GetPermissionLevel() >= bridgeconfig.PermissionLevelUser || portal.HasRelaybot() {
-		portal.matrixMessages <- PortalMatrixMessage{user: user.(*User), evt: evt, receivedAt: time.Now()}
+		portal.events <- &PortalEvent{
+			MatrixMessage: &PortalMatrixMessage{
+				user:       user.(*User),
+				evt:        evt,
+				receivedAt: time.Now(),
+			},
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -199,9 +205,7 @@ func (br *WABridge) newBlankPortal(key database.PortalKey) *Portal {
 		log:    br.Log.Sub(fmt.Sprintf("Portal/%s", key)),
 		zlog:   br.ZLog.With().Str("portal_key", key.String()).Logger(),
 
-		messages:       make(chan PortalMessage, br.Config.Bridge.PortalMessageBuffer),
-		matrixMessages: make(chan PortalMatrixMessage, br.Config.Bridge.PortalMessageBuffer),
-		mediaRetries:   make(chan PortalMediaRetry, br.Config.Bridge.PortalMessageBuffer),
+		events: make(chan *PortalEvent, br.Config.Bridge.PortalMessageBuffer),
 
 		mediaErrorCache: make(map[types.MessageID]*FailedMediaMeta),
 	}
@@ -232,6 +236,12 @@ type fakeMessage struct {
 	Important bool
 }
 
+type PortalEvent struct {
+	Message       *PortalMessage
+	MatrixMessage *PortalMatrixMessage
+	MediaRetry    *PortalMediaRetry
+}
+
 type PortalMessage struct {
 	evt           *events.Message
 	undecryptable *events.UndecryptableMessage
@@ -279,9 +289,7 @@ type Portal struct {
 	currentlyTyping     []id.UserID
 	currentlyTypingLock sync.Mutex
 
-	messages       chan PortalMessage
-	matrixMessages chan PortalMatrixMessage
-	mediaRetries   chan PortalMediaRetry
+	events chan *PortalEvent
 
 	mediaErrorCache map[types.MessageID]*FailedMediaMeta
 
@@ -337,7 +345,7 @@ var (
 	_ bridge.TypingPortal              = (*Portal)(nil)
 )
 
-func (portal *Portal) handleWhatsAppMessageLoopItem(msg PortalMessage) {
+func (portal *Portal) handleWhatsAppMessageLoopItem(msg *PortalMessage) {
 	if len(portal.MXID) == 0 {
 		if msg.fake == nil && msg.undecryptable == nil && (msg.evt == nil || !containsSupportedMessage(msg.evt.Message)) {
 			portal.log.Debugln("Not creating portal room for incoming message: message is not a chat message")
@@ -369,7 +377,7 @@ func (portal *Portal) handleWhatsAppMessageLoopItem(msg PortalMessage) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (portal *Portal) handleMatrixMessageLoopItem(msg PortalMatrixMessage) {
+func (portal *Portal) handleMatrixMessageLoopItem(msg *PortalMatrixMessage) {
 	portal.latestEventBackfillLock.Lock()
 	defer portal.latestEventBackfillLock.Unlock()
 	evtTS := time.UnixMilli(msg.evt.Timestamp)
@@ -483,12 +491,16 @@ func (portal *Portal) handleOneMessageLoopItem() {
 		}
 	}()
 	select {
-	case msg := <-portal.messages:
-		portal.handleWhatsAppMessageLoopItem(msg)
-	case msg := <-portal.matrixMessages:
-		portal.handleMatrixMessageLoopItem(msg)
-	case retry := <-portal.mediaRetries:
-		portal.handleMediaRetry(retry.evt, retry.source)
+	case msg := <-portal.events:
+		if msg.Message != nil {
+			portal.handleWhatsAppMessageLoopItem(msg.Message)
+		} else if msg.MatrixMessage != nil {
+			portal.handleMatrixMessageLoopItem(msg.MatrixMessage)
+		} else if msg.MediaRetry != nil {
+			portal.handleMediaRetry(msg.MediaRetry.evt, msg.MediaRetry.source)
+		} else {
+			portal.log.Warn("Portal event loop returned an event without any data")
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/user.go b/user.go
index 5926fe7..00e276c 100644
--- a/user.go
+++ b/user.go
@@ -635,15 +635,17 @@ func (user *User) handleCallStart(sender types.JID, id, callType string, ts time
 	if callType != "" {
 		text = fmt.Sprintf("Incoming %s call. Use the WhatsApp app to answer.", callType)
 	}
-	portal.messages <- PortalMessage{
-		fake: &fakeMessage{
-			Sender:    sender,
-			Text:      text,
-			ID:        id,
-			Time:      ts,
-			Important: true,
+	portal.events <- &PortalEvent{
+		Message: &PortalMessage{
+			fake: &fakeMessage{
+				Sender:    sender,
+				Text:      text,
+				ID:        id,
+				Time:      ts,
+				Important: true,
+			},
+			source: user,
 		},
-		source: user,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -865,11 +867,15 @@ func (user *User) HandleEvent(event interface{}) {
 		go user.handleChatPresence(v)
 	case *events.Message:
 		portal := user.GetPortalByMessageSource(v.Info.MessageSource)
-		portal.messages <- PortalMessage{evt: v, source: user}
+		portal.events <- &PortalEvent{
+			Message: &PortalMessage{evt: v, source: user},
+		}
 	case *events.MediaRetry:
 		user.phoneSeen(v.Timestamp)
 		portal := user.GetPortalByJID(v.ChatID)
-		portal.mediaRetries <- PortalMediaRetry{evt: v, source: user}
+		portal.events <- &PortalEvent{
+			MediaRetry: &PortalMediaRetry{evt: v, source: user},
+		}
 	case *events.CallOffer:
 		user.handleCallStart(v.CallCreator, v.CallID, "", v.Timestamp)
 	case *events.CallOfferNotice:
@@ -885,22 +891,26 @@ func (user *User) HandleEvent(event interface{}) {
 			if v.Implicit {
 				text = fmt.Sprintf("Your security code with %s (device #%d) changed.", puppet.Displayname, v.JID.Device)
 			}
-			portal.messages <- PortalMessage{
-				fake: &fakeMessage{
-					Sender:    v.JID,
-					Text:      text,
-					ID:        strconv.FormatInt(v.Timestamp.Unix(), 10),
-					Time:      v.Timestamp,
-					Important: false,
+			portal.events <- &PortalEvent{
+				Message: &PortalMessage{
+					fake: &fakeMessage{
+						Sender:    v.JID,
+						Text:      text,
+						ID:        strconv.FormatInt(v.Timestamp.Unix(), 10),
+						Time:      v.Timestamp,
+						Important: false,
+					},
+					source: user,
 				},
-				source: user,
 			}
 		}
 	case *events.CallTerminate, *events.CallRelayLatency, *events.CallAccept, *events.UnknownCallEvent:
 		// ignore
 	case *events.UndecryptableMessage:
 		portal := user.GetPortalByMessageSource(v.Info.MessageSource)
-		portal.messages <- PortalMessage{undecryptable: v, source: user}
+		portal.events <- &PortalEvent{
+			Message: &PortalMessage{undecryptable: v, source: user},
+		}
 	case *events.HistorySync:
 		if user.bridge.Config.Bridge.HistorySync.Backfill {
 			user.historySyncs <- v
@@ -1235,7 +1245,9 @@ func (user *User) handleReceipt(receipt *events.Receipt) {
 	if portal == nil || len(portal.MXID) == 0 {
 		return
 	}
-	portal.messages <- PortalMessage{receipt: receipt, source: user}
+	portal.events <- &PortalEvent{
+		Message: &PortalMessage{receipt: receipt, source: user},
+	}
 }
 
 func (user *User) makeReadMarkerContent(eventID id.EventID, doublePuppet bool) CustomReadMarkers {