diff --git a/commonspace/object/tree/synctree/synctreehandler.go b/commonspace/object/tree/synctree/synctreehandler.go
index 7865f2a7..7b4cb2a8 100644
--- a/commonspace/object/tree/synctree/synctreehandler.go
+++ b/commonspace/object/tree/synctree/synctreehandler.go
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ func (s *syncTreeHandler) handleFullSyncRequest(
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
 			log.With(zap.Error(err)).DebugCtx(ctx, "full sync request finished with error")
-			s.syncClient.SendWithReply(ctx, senderId, treechangeproto.WrapError(treechangeproto.ErrorCodes_FullSyncRequestError, header), replyId)
+			s.syncClient.SendWithReply(ctx, senderId, treechangeproto.WrapError(treechangeproto.ErrFullSync, header), replyId)
 			return
 		} else if fullResponse != nil {
 			cnt := fullResponse.Content.GetFullSyncResponse()
diff --git a/commonspace/object/tree/treechangeproto/treechange.go b/commonspace/object/tree/treechangeproto/treechange.go
index 0dc5d668..92ef3f16 100644
--- a/commonspace/object/tree/treechangeproto/treechange.go
+++ b/commonspace/object/tree/treechangeproto/treechange.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package treechangeproto
 
+import "github.com/anytypeio/any-sync/net/rpc/rpcerr"
+
 func WrapHeadUpdate(update *TreeHeadUpdate, rootChange *RawTreeChangeWithId) *TreeSyncMessage {
 	return &TreeSyncMessage{
 		Content: &TreeSyncContentValue{
@@ -27,10 +29,10 @@ func WrapFullResponse(response *TreeFullSyncResponse, rootChange *RawTreeChangeW
 	}
 }
 
-func WrapError(code ErrorCodes, rootChange *RawTreeChangeWithId) *TreeSyncMessage {
+func WrapError(err error, rootChange *RawTreeChangeWithId) *TreeSyncMessage {
 	return &TreeSyncMessage{
 		Content: &TreeSyncContentValue{
-			Value: &TreeSyncContentValue_ErrorResponse{ErrorResponse: &TreeErrorResponse{ErrCode: uint64(code)}},
+			Value: &TreeSyncContentValue_ErrorResponse{ErrorResponse: &TreeErrorResponse{ErrCode: rpcerr.Code(err)}},
 		},
 		RootChange: rootChange,
 	}
diff --git a/commonspace/objectsync/objectsync.go b/commonspace/objectsync/objectsync.go
index 10075d34..e0f35893 100644
--- a/commonspace/objectsync/objectsync.go
+++ b/commonspace/objectsync/objectsync.go
@@ -84,18 +84,30 @@ func (s *objectSync) handleMessage(ctx context.Context, senderId string, msg *sp
 		log = log.With(zap.Bool("isDeleted", true))
 		// preventing sync with other clients if they are not just syncing the settings tree
 		if !slices.Contains(s.configuration.NodeIds(s.spaceId), senderId) && msg.ObjectId != s.spaceStorage.SpaceSettingsId() {
-			return spacesyncproto.ErrSpaceIsDeleted
+			return s.unmarshallSendError(ctx, msg, spacesyncproto.ErrSpaceIsDeleted, senderId)
 		}
 	}
 	log.DebugCtx(ctx, "handling message")
+	hasTree, err := s.spaceStorage.HasTree(msg.ObjectId)
+	if err != nil {
+		return s.unmarshallSendError(ctx, msg, spacesyncproto.ErrUnexpected, senderId)
+	}
+	// in this case we will try to get it from remote, unless the sender also sent us the same request :-)
+	if !hasTree {
+		treeMsg := &treechangeproto.TreeSyncMessage{}
+		err = proto.Unmarshal(msg.Payload, treeMsg)
+		if err != nil {
+			return s.sendError(ctx, nil, spacesyncproto.ErrUnexpected, senderId, msg.ReplyId)
+		}
+		// this means that we don't have the tree locally and therefore can't return it
+		if s.isEmptyFullSyncRequest(treeMsg) {
+			return s.sendError(ctx, treeMsg.RootChange, treechangeproto.ErrGetTree, senderId, msg.ReplyId)
+		}
+	}
 	obj, err := s.objectGetter.GetObject(ctx, msg.ObjectId)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.DebugCtx(ctx, "failed to get object")
-		respErr := s.sendErrorResponse(ctx, msg, senderId)
-		if respErr != nil {
-			log.DebugCtx(ctx, "failed to send error response", zap.Error(respErr))
-		}
-		return
+		return s.unmarshallSendError(ctx, msg, err, senderId)
 	}
 	return obj.HandleMessage(ctx, senderId, msg)
 }
@@ -104,12 +116,20 @@ func (s *objectSync) MessagePool() MessagePool {
 	return s.messagePool
 }
 
-func (s *objectSync) sendErrorResponse(ctx context.Context, msg *spacesyncproto.ObjectSyncMessage, senderId string) (err error) {
+func (s *objectSync) unmarshallSendError(ctx context.Context, msg *spacesyncproto.ObjectSyncMessage, respErr error, senderId string) (err error) {
 	unmarshalled := &treechangeproto.TreeSyncMessage{}
 	err = proto.Unmarshal(msg.Payload, unmarshalled)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-	resp := treechangeproto.WrapError(treechangeproto.ErrorCodes_GetTreeError, unmarshalled.RootChange)
-	return s.syncClient.SendWithReply(ctx, senderId, resp, msg.ReplyId)
+	return s.sendError(ctx, unmarshalled.RootChange, respErr, senderId, msg.ReplyId)
+}
+
+func (s *objectSync) sendError(ctx context.Context, root *treechangeproto.RawTreeChangeWithId, respErr error, senderId, replyId string) (err error) {
+	resp := treechangeproto.WrapError(respErr, root)
+	return s.syncClient.SendWithReply(ctx, senderId, resp, replyId)
+}
+
+func (s *objectSync) isEmptyFullSyncRequest(msg *treechangeproto.TreeSyncMessage) bool {
+	return len(msg.GetContent().GetFullSyncRequest().GetHeads()) == 0
 }
diff --git a/commonspace/spacestorage/mock_spacestorage/mock_spacestorage.go b/commonspace/spacestorage/mock_spacestorage/mock_spacestorage.go
index 82a14be2..93baa877 100644
--- a/commonspace/spacestorage/mock_spacestorage/mock_spacestorage.go
+++ b/commonspace/spacestorage/mock_spacestorage/mock_spacestorage.go
@@ -81,6 +81,21 @@ func (mr *MockSpaceStorageMockRecorder) CreateTreeStorage(arg0 interface{}) *gom
 	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "CreateTreeStorage", reflect.TypeOf((*MockSpaceStorage)(nil).CreateTreeStorage), arg0)
 }
 
+// HasTree mocks base method.
+func (m *MockSpaceStorage) HasTree(arg0 string) (bool, error) {
+	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	ret := m.ctrl.Call(m, "HasTree", arg0)
+	ret0, _ := ret[0].(bool)
+	ret1, _ := ret[1].(error)
+	return ret0, ret1
+}
+
+// HasTree indicates an expected call of HasTree.
+func (mr *MockSpaceStorageMockRecorder) HasTree(arg0 interface{}) *gomock.Call {
+	mr.mock.ctrl.T.Helper()
+	return mr.mock.ctrl.RecordCallWithMethodType(mr.mock, "HasTree", reflect.TypeOf((*MockSpaceStorage)(nil).HasTree), arg0)
+}
+
 // Id mocks base method.
 func (m *MockSpaceStorage) Id() string {
 	m.ctrl.T.Helper()
diff --git a/commonspace/spacestorage/spacestorage.go b/commonspace/spacestorage/spacestorage.go
index ebd4b68d..3f21c22e 100644
--- a/commonspace/spacestorage/spacestorage.go
+++ b/commonspace/spacestorage/spacestorage.go
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ type SpaceStorage interface {
 	StoredIds() ([]string, error)
 	TreeRoot(id string) (*treechangeproto.RawTreeChangeWithId, error)
 	TreeStorage(id string) (treestorage.TreeStorage, error)
+	HasTree(id string) (bool, error)
 	CreateTreeStorage(payload treestorage.TreeStorageCreatePayload) (treestorage.TreeStorage, error)
 	WriteSpaceHash(hash string) error
 	ReadSpaceHash() (hash string, err error)
diff --git a/net/rpc/rpcerr/registry.go b/net/rpc/rpcerr/registry.go
index 5160fec3..e8a749e6 100644
--- a/net/rpc/rpcerr/registry.go
+++ b/net/rpc/rpcerr/registry.go
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ func RegisterErr(err error, code uint64) error {
 	return errWithCode
 }
 
+func Code(err error) uint64 {
+	return drpcerr.Code(err)
+}
+
 func Err(code uint64) error {
 	err, ok := errsMap[code]
 	if !ok {