diff --git a/lib/pangea/activity_planner/activity_plan_model.dart b/lib/pangea/activity_planner/activity_plan_model.dart
index 7b72b877e..978d448a6 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/activity_planner/activity_plan_model.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/activity_planner/activity_plan_model.dart
@@ -44,8 +44,9 @@ class ActivityPlanModel {
         _roles = roles,
         _imageURL = imageURL;
 
-  String? get imageURL =>
-      _imageURL != null ? "${Environment.cmsApi}$_imageURL" : null;
+  Uri? get imageURL => _imageURL != null
+      ? Uri.tryParse("${Environment.cmsApi}$_imageURL")
+      : null;
 
   Map<String, ActivityRole> get roles {
     if (_roles != null) return _roles!;
diff --git a/lib/pangea/chat_settings/pages/edit_course.dart b/lib/pangea/chat_settings/pages/edit_course.dart
index fea6057cf..c8a024ba1 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/chat_settings/pages/edit_course.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/chat_settings/pages/edit_course.dart
@@ -204,8 +204,7 @@ class EditCourseController extends State<EditCourse> {
                                                 fit: BoxFit.cover,
                                               )
                                             : ImageByUrl(
-                                                imageUrl:
-                                                    _room?.avatar?.toString(),
+                                                imageUrl: _room?.avatar,
                                                 width: 200.0,
                                                 borderRadius:
                                                     BorderRadius.circular(0.0),
diff --git a/lib/pangea/common/widgets/url_image_widget.dart b/lib/pangea/common/widgets/url_image_widget.dart
index 23874ab36..30bff2b9b 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/common/widgets/url_image_widget.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/common/widgets/url_image_widget.dart
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import 'package:fluffychat/widgets/matrix.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/widgets/mxc_image.dart';
 
 class ImageByUrl extends StatelessWidget {
-  final String? imageUrl;
+  final Uri? imageUrl;
   final double width;
   final BorderRadius borderRadius;
   final Widget? replacement;
@@ -41,19 +41,19 @@ class ImageByUrl extends StatelessWidget {
       height: width,
       child: ClipRRect(
         borderRadius: borderRadius,
-        child: imageUrl!.startsWith("mxc")
+        child: imageUrl!.toString().startsWith("mxc")
             ? MxcImage(
-                uri: Uri.parse(imageUrl!),
+                uri: imageUrl,
                 width: width,
                 height: width,
-                cacheKey: imageUrl,
+                cacheKey: imageUrl.toString(),
                 fit: BoxFit.cover,
               )
             : CachedNetworkImage(
                 width: width,
                 height: width,
                 fit: BoxFit.cover,
-                imageUrl: imageUrl!,
+                imageUrl: imageUrl.toString(),
                 placeholder: (
                   context,
                   url,
diff --git a/lib/pangea/course_chats/course_chats_page.dart b/lib/pangea/course_chats/course_chats_page.dart
index 6945aadfe..1b962497b 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/course_chats/course_chats_page.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/course_chats/course_chats_page.dart
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ class CourseChatsController extends State<CourseChats>
 
   @override
   void initState() {
-    loadHierarchy(reload: true);
+    loadHierarchy(reload: true).then(
+      (_) => _joinDefaultChats(),
+    );
 
     // Listen for changes to the activeSpace's hierarchy,
     // and reload the hierarchy when they come through
@@ -212,7 +214,6 @@ class CourseChatsController extends State<CourseChats>
 
     try {
       await _loadHierarchy(activeSpace: room, reload: reload);
-      if (mounted) await _joinDefaultChats();
       if (mounted) {
         final futures = [
           loadRoomSummaries(
diff --git a/lib/pangea/course_chats/course_default_chats_enum.dart b/lib/pangea/course_chats/course_default_chats_enum.dart
index a8390cb58..e9e335fbd 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/course_chats/course_default_chats_enum.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/course_chats/course_default_chats_enum.dart
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import 'package:fluffychat/l10n/l10n.dart';
+import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/chat/constants/default_power_level.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/pangea/spaces/space_constants.dart';
 
 enum CourseDefaultChatsEnum {
@@ -26,4 +27,11 @@ enum CourseDefaultChatsEnum {
         CourseDefaultChatsEnum.introductions => l10n.introChatDesc,
         CourseDefaultChatsEnum.announcements => l10n.announcementsChatDesc,
       };
+
+  dynamic powerLevels(String userID) => switch (this) {
+        CourseDefaultChatsEnum.introductions =>
+          RoomDefaults.defaultPowerLevels(userID),
+        CourseDefaultChatsEnum.announcements =>
+          RoomDefaults.restrictedPowerLevels(userID),
+      };
 }
diff --git a/lib/pangea/course_creation/selected_course_page.dart b/lib/pangea/course_creation/selected_course_page.dart
index f43fa3401..65642cd6e 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/course_creation/selected_course_page.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/course_creation/selected_course_page.dart
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ class SelectedCourseController extends State<SelectedCourse>
               },
             ),
           ],
-          avatarUrl: course.imageUrl,
+          avatarUrl: course.imageUrl.toString(),
           spaceChild: 0,
         )
         .then((spaceId) => completer.complete(spaceId))
diff --git a/lib/pangea/course_creation/selected_course_view.dart b/lib/pangea/course_creation/selected_course_view.dart
index 463ceb453..fad7bfbe8 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/course_creation/selected_course_view.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/course_creation/selected_course_view.dart
@@ -75,9 +75,8 @@ class SelectedCourseView extends StatelessWidget {
                                         ClipPath(
                                           clipper: MapClipper(),
                                           child: ImageByUrl(
-                                            imageUrl: controller
-                                                    .widget.roomChunk?.avatarUrl
-                                                    ?.toString() ??
+                                            imageUrl: controller.widget
+                                                    .roomChunk?.avatarUrl ??
                                                 course.imageUrl,
                                             width: 100.0,
                                             borderRadius:
diff --git a/lib/pangea/course_plans/course_topics/course_topic_model.dart b/lib/pangea/course_plans/course_topics/course_topic_model.dart
index 36e1404d1..aa2f3434d 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/course_plans/course_topics/course_topic_model.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/course_plans/course_topics/course_topic_model.dart
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ class CourseTopicModel {
     return allLocationMedia;
   }
 
-  String? get imageUrl => loadedLocationMediaIds.isEmpty
+  Uri? get imageUrl => loadedLocationMediaIds.isEmpty
       ? null
-      : "${Environment.cmsApi}${loadedLocationMediaIds.first}";
+      : Uri.tryParse("${Environment.cmsApi}${loadedLocationMediaIds.first}");
 
   bool get activityListComplete =>
       activityIds.length == loadedActivities.length;
diff --git a/lib/pangea/course_plans/courses/course_plan_model.dart b/lib/pangea/course_plans/courses/course_plan_model.dart
index f696c3a9b..f944739ab 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/course_plans/courses/course_plan_model.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/course_plans/courses/course_plan_model.dart
@@ -127,9 +127,11 @@ class CoursePlanModel {
           uuids: mediaIds,
         ),
       );
-  String? get imageUrl => loadedMediaUrls.mediaUrls.isEmpty
+  Uri? get imageUrl => loadedMediaUrls.mediaUrls.isEmpty
       ? loadedTopics.values
           .lastWhereOrNull((topic) => topic.imageUrl != null)
           ?.imageUrl
-      : "${Environment.cmsApi}${loadedMediaUrls.mediaUrls.first.url}";
+      : Uri.tryParse(
+          "${Environment.cmsApi}${loadedMediaUrls.mediaUrls.first.url}",
+        );
 }
diff --git a/lib/pangea/course_plans/courses/course_plan_room_extension.dart b/lib/pangea/course_plans/courses/course_plan_room_extension.dart
index 94a59ae83..cb9110a17 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/course_plans/courses/course_plan_room_extension.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/course_plans/courses/course_plan_room_extension.dart
@@ -193,13 +193,14 @@ extension CoursePlanRoomExtension on Room {
       preset: CreateRoomPreset.publicChat,
       visibility: Visibility.private,
       name: name,
-      roomAliasName: "${type.alias}_${id.localpart}",
+      roomAliasName:
+          "${type.alias}_${id.localpart}_${DateTime.now().millisecondsSinceEpoch}",
       initialState: [
         StateEvent(
           type: EventTypes.RoomAvatar,
           content: {'url': uploadURL},
         ),
-        RoomDefaults.defaultPowerLevels(client.userID!),
+        type.powerLevels(client.userID!),
         await client.pangeaJoinRules(
           'knock_restricted',
           allow: [
diff --git a/lib/pangea/login/pages/public_courses_page.dart b/lib/pangea/login/pages/public_courses_page.dart
index db782fcf4..18c0f3dde 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/login/pages/public_courses_page.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/login/pages/public_courses_page.dart
@@ -274,8 +274,7 @@ class PublicCoursesPageState extends State<PublicCoursesPage> {
                                     spacing: 8.0,
                                     children: [
                                       ImageByUrl(
-                                        imageUrl:
-                                            roomChunk.avatarUrl?.toString(),
+                                        imageUrl: roomChunk.avatarUrl,
                                         width: 58.0,
                                         borderRadius:
                                             BorderRadius.circular(10.0),
diff --git a/lib/widgets/avatar.dart b/lib/widgets/avatar.dart
index bfba786b1..4745ba53d 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/avatar.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/avatar.dart
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class Avatar extends StatelessWidget {
                     // #Pangea
                     : !(mxContent.toString().startsWith('mxc://'))
                         ? ImageByUrl(
-                            imageUrl: mxContent.toString(),
+                            imageUrl: mxContent,
                             width: size,
                             replacement: Center(
                               child: Icon(
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index 0e30c0b85..0270e844f 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ description: Learn a language while texting your friends.
 # Pangea#
 publish_to: none
 # On version bump also increase the build number for F-Droid
-version: 4.1.16+2
+version: 4.1.16+3
 
 environment:
   sdk: ">=3.0.0 <4.0.0"