diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index ec48e0b..d727bce 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
     <groupId>org.example</groupId>
     <artifactId>Widerhall</artifactId>
-    <version>0.2.33</version>
+    <version>0.2.34</version>
     <build>
         <plugins>
             <plugin>
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/widerhall/data/MailingList.java b/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/widerhall/data/MailingList.java
index 33ad39c..b6e6a85 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/widerhall/data/MailingList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/widerhall/data/MailingList.java
@@ -163,24 +163,22 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
         return this;
     }
 
-    private void forward(Message message) throws MessagingException {
-        try {
-            String newSender = !hasState(STATE_FORWARD_FROM) ? email() : null;
-            var receivers = members()
-                    .stream()
-                    .map(ListMember::user)
-                    .map(User::email)
-                    .toList();
-            var subject = message.getSubject();
+    private void forward(Message message, Stream<ListMember> members) throws MessagingException {
+        if (hasState(STATE_PUBLIC_ARCHIVE)) storeMessage(message);
+        String newSender = !hasState(STATE_FORWARD_FROM) ? email() : null;
+        var receivers = members
+                .map(ListMember::user)
+                .map(User::email)
+                .toList();
+        var subject = message.getSubject();
 
-            if (!subject.contains(stamp())) subject = stamp()+" "+subject;
-            var replyTo = (newSender == null && hasState(STATE_REPLY_TO_LIST)) ? email() : null;
-            smtp.forward(newSender,receivers,message,subject,hasState(STATE_FORWARD_ATTACHED),hasState(STATE_HIDE_RECEIVERS),replyTo);
-        } catch (SQLException e) {
-            LOG.error("Failed to read list members of {} from database. Cannot forward message!",email(),e);
-        }
+        if (!subject.contains(stamp())) subject = stamp()+" "+subject;
+        var replyTo = (newSender == null && hasState(STATE_REPLY_TO_LIST)) ? email() : null;
+        smtp.forward(newSender,receivers,message,subject,hasState(STATE_FORWARD_ATTACHED),hasState(STATE_HIDE_RECEIVERS),replyTo);
     }
 
+
+
     public MailingList forwardAttached(boolean forward) throws SQLException {
         return setFlag(STATE_FORWARD_ATTACHED,forward);
     }
@@ -216,16 +214,6 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
         return ml;
     }
 
-    private boolean hashMember(String senderEmail) {
-        if (senderEmail == null) return false;
-        try {
-            return members().stream().map(ListMember::user).map(User::email).anyMatch(senderEmail::equals);
-        } catch (SQLException e) {
-            LOG.warn("hasMember() failded for {}",email(),e);
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
     public boolean hasState(int test){
         return (state & test) > 0;
     }
@@ -238,20 +226,6 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
         return setFlag(STATE_HIDE_RECEIVERS,hide);
     }
 
-    public boolean isAllowedSender(String senderEmail){
-        if (senderEmail == null || senderEmail.isBlank()) return false;
-        try {
-            var user = User.load(senderEmail);
-            if (user == null) return this.isOpenForGuests();
-            var member = ListMember.load(this,user);
-            if (member == null) return this.isOpenForGuests();
-            if (member.isModerator()) return true;
-            if (member.isSubscriber()) return this.isOpenForSubscribers();
-        } catch (SQLException e) {
-            LOG.warn("Failed to load User for {}",senderEmail,e);
-        }
-        return this.isOpenForGuests();
-    }
     /**
      * test, whether the current ML is subscribable by a given user
      * @param user
@@ -343,8 +317,8 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
         return false;
     }
 
-    public Set<ListMember> members() throws SQLException {
-        return ListMember.of(this);
+    public Stream<ListMember> members() throws SQLException {
+        return ListMember.of(this).stream();
     }
 
     public boolean membersMayBeListedBy(User user) {
@@ -386,6 +360,10 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
 
     }
 
+    public Stream<ListMember> moderators() throws SQLException {
+        return members().filter(ListMember::isModerator);
+    }
+
     public boolean modsMayEditMods(){
         return hasState(STATE_MODS_CAN_EDIT_MODS);
     }
@@ -412,27 +390,52 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
     public void onMessageReceived(Message message) throws MessagingException {
         LOG.info("Message received: {}",message.getFrom());
         String subject = message.getSubject();
-        if (subject.toLowerCase().contains("undelivered")){
-            try {
-                var receivers = members().stream().filter(ListMember::isOwner).map(ListMember::user).map(User::email).toList();
-                smtp.forward(email(), receivers, message, message.getSubject(), false,false,null);
-            } catch (SQLException e){
-                LOG.error("Was not able to load members of {}; Non-Delivery notification dropped!",this.email(),e);
-            }
-            return;
-        }
 
-        Address from = message.getFrom()[0];
-        if (from instanceof InternetAddress internetAddress){
-            var senderEmail = ((InternetAddress) from).getAddress();
-            if (!isAllowedSender(senderEmail)) {
-                retainMessage(message);
-                sentRetentionNotification(senderEmail);
+        try {
+            if (subject.toLowerCase().contains("undelivered")){
+                forward(message,moderators());
                 return;
             }
+
+            Address from = message.getFrom()[0];
+            if (from instanceof InternetAddress internetAddress) {
+                var senderEmail = internetAddress.getAddress();
+
+                var user = User.load(senderEmail);
+                if (user == null) { // no subscription
+                    if (this.isOpenForGuests()) {
+                        forward(message,subscribers());
+                    } else {
+                        retainMessage(message);
+                        sentRetentionNotification(senderEmail);
+
+                    }
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                var member = ListMember.load(this, user);
+                if (member == null || member.isAwaiting()) { // no subscription
+                    if (this.isOpenForGuests()) {
+                        forward(message,subscribers());
+                    } else {
+                        retainMessage(message);
+                        sentRetentionNotification(senderEmail);
+                    }
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                // at this point the member is at least a subscriber!
+
+                if (member.isModerator() || this.isOpenForSubscribers()) {
+                    forward(message,subscribers());
+                } else {
+                    forward(message,moderators());
+                }
+            }
+        } catch (SQLException e){
+            LOG.warn("Failed to process message '{}'",subject,e);
         }
-        if (hasState(STATE_PUBLIC_ARCHIVE)) storeMessage(message);
-        forward(message);
+
     }
 
     public MailingList openForGuests(boolean open) throws SQLException {
@@ -463,6 +466,10 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
         return list;
     }
 
+    public Stream<ListMember> owners() throws SQLException {
+        return members().filter(ListMember::isOwner);
+    }
+
     public MailingList replyToList(boolean on) throws SQLException {
         return setFlag(STATE_REPLY_TO_LIST,on);
     }
@@ -536,9 +543,7 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
 
     private void sentRetentionNotification(String senderEmail) {
         try {
-            var receivers = members()
-                    .stream()
-                    .filter(ListMember::isOwner)
+            var receivers = moderators()
                     .map(ListMember::user)
                     .map(User::email)
                     .collect(Collectors.joining(", "));
@@ -619,6 +624,10 @@ public class MailingList implements MessageHandler, ProblemListener {
         }
     }
 
+    private Stream<ListMember> subscribers() throws SQLException {
+        return members().filter(ListMember::isSubscriber);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Request list subscription for the given user.
      * Usually creates a ListMember entry with AWAITING_CONFIRMATION state is created and a confirmation request email is sent.
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/widerhall/web/Rest.java b/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/widerhall/web/Rest.java
index b8df3f6..4c7313e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/widerhall/web/Rest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/srsoftware/widerhall/web/Rest.java
@@ -94,10 +94,15 @@ public class Rest extends HttpServlet {
         if (!allowed) return Map.of(ERROR,"You are not allowed to remove this list!");
         try {
             list.hide(true).enable(false).openForGuests(false).openForSubscribers(false);
-            for (ListMember member : list.members()) { // drop all list members except for owner
-                if (!member.isOwner()) member.unsubscribe();
-            }
-        } catch (SQLException e) {
+            list.members().forEach(listMember -> {
+                try {
+                    listMember.unsubscribe();
+                } catch (SQLException e) {
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                }
+            });
+
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             LOG.debug("Disabling and hiding of {} failed",list.email(),e);
         }
         return Map.of(SUCCESS,t("List {} disabled, closed for subscribers and hidden. Members have been removed.",list.email()));
@@ -338,7 +343,6 @@ public class Rest extends HttpServlet {
         if (!list.membersMayBeListedBy(user)) Map.of(ERROR,t("You are not allowed to list members of '{}'",list.email()));
         try {
             var members = list.members()
-                    .stream()
                     .map(ListMember::safeMap)
                     .toList();
             return Map.of(MEMBERS,members,LIST,list.minimalMap());