diff --git a/telegram/utils.go b/telegram/utils.go
index 8ff25b2..5e8900c 100644
--- a/telegram/utils.go
+++ b/telegram/utils.go
@@ -137,6 +137,11 @@ const (
 )
 type ChatMemberStatus int
 
+// IsNil is a simple check to use client objects via interfaces safely
+func (c *Client) IsNil() bool {
+	return c == nil
+}
+
 // GetContactByUsername resolves username to user id retrieves user and chat information
 func (c *Client) GetContactByUsername(username string, own bool) (*client.Chat, *client.User, error) {
 	if !c.Online() {
diff --git a/xmpp/gateway/gateway.go b/xmpp/gateway/gateway.go
index ac80698..3079fe3 100644
--- a/xmpp/gateway/gateway.go
+++ b/xmpp/gateway/gateway.go
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ func GetDiscoInfo(session TelegramSession, node string, to string) (*stanza.Disc
 
 	if node == "" {
 		var isMuc bool
-		if session != nil {
+		if !session.IsNil() {
 			conf := session.GetPersistenceSession()
 			if conf.MUC {
 				if toOk && toIsGroup {
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ func GetDiscoInfo(session TelegramSession, node string, to string) (*stanza.Disc
 		disco.AddFeatures("jabber:iq:version")
 		disco.AddFeatures("urn:xmpp:time")
 	} else if node == "x-roomuser-item" {
-		if session != nil {
+		if !session.IsNil() {
 			conf := session.GetPersistenceSession()
 			if conf.MUC {
 				if toOk && toIsGroup {
@@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ func GetDiscoInfo(session TelegramSession, node string, to string) (*stanza.Disc
 		// noop yet, empty result as intended, TODO: add XHTML whenever supported
 	} else if strings.HasPrefix(node, capsNode) {
 		nodeParts := strings.Split(node, "#")
-		if session != nil && len(nodeParts) == 2 && nodeParts[0] == capsNode {
+		if !session.IsNil() && len(nodeParts) == 2 && nodeParts[0] == capsNode {
 			di, ok := session.GetVerDisco(nodeParts[1])
 			if ok && di != nil {
 				return di, 0
@@ -959,7 +959,7 @@ func GetDiscoInfo(session TelegramSession, node string, to string) (*stanza.Disc
 	} else {
 		var chatType ChatType
 		var chatTypeErr error
-		if session != nil {
+		if !session.IsNil() {
 			chatType, _, chatTypeErr = session.GetChatType(toID, true)
 		}
 
diff --git a/xmpp/gateway/telegram_session.go b/xmpp/gateway/telegram_session.go
index 251ae96..a2f5525 100644
--- a/xmpp/gateway/telegram_session.go
+++ b/xmpp/gateway/telegram_session.go
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ func IsCommandForChatType(cmd command, chatType ChatType) bool {
 
 // TelegramSession exists merely to circumvent a circular dependency
 type TelegramSession interface {
+	IsNil() bool
 	GetPersistenceSession() *persistence.Session
 	GetContactByID(int64, *client.Chat, bool) (*client.Chat, *client.User, error)
 	IsGroup(*client.Chat) bool