diff --git a/src/matrix-handles.c b/src/matrix-handles.c
index 7bb2b4d..e703e6c 100644
--- a/src/matrix-handles.c
+++ b/src/matrix-handles.c
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 #include "matrix-handles.h"
 
+#include <telepathy-glib/telepathy-glib.h>
+
 #define MATRIX_DEBUG_FLAG MATRIX_DEBUG_PARSER
 #include "matrix-debug.h"
 
@@ -40,3 +42,20 @@ matrix_id_is_valid(const gchar *matrix_id, gboolean strict_mode)
 
     return TRUE;
 }
+
+gchar *
+matrix_normalize_id(const gchar *id, GError **err)
+{
+    if (!matrix_id_is_valid(id, FALSE)) {
+        g_set_error(err,
+                    TP_ERROR, TP_ERROR_INVALID_HANDLE,
+                    "Invalid Matrix ID");
+
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    /* telepathy-idle sets the nickname to lowercase here. I’m not
+     * sure it can be done with Matrix IDs. TODO: check if it can.
+     */
+    return g_strdup(id);
+}
diff --git a/src/matrix-handles.h b/src/matrix-handles.h
index eda9e5a..aa9bf3a 100644
--- a/src/matrix-handles.h
+++ b/src/matrix-handles.h
@@ -22,5 +22,6 @@
 #include <glib.h>
 
 gboolean matrix_id_is_valid(const gchar *matrix_id, gboolean strict_mode);
+gchar *matrix_normalize_id(const gchar *id, GError **err);
 
 #endif /* __MATRIX_HANDLES_H__ */
diff --git a/src/matrix-protocol.c b/src/matrix-protocol.c
index e604daa..2f19905 100644
--- a/src/matrix-protocol.c
+++ b/src/matrix-protocol.c
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ new_connection(TpBaseProtocol *protocol G_GNUC_UNUSED,
                         NULL);
 }
 
+static gchar *
+normalize_contact(TpBaseProtocol *protocol G_GNUC_UNUSED,
+                  const gchar *contact,
+                  GError **err)
+{
+    return matrix_normalize_id(contact, err);
+}
+
 static void
 matrix_protocol_class_init(MatrixProtocolClass *klass)
 {
@@ -90,8 +98,8 @@ matrix_protocol_class_init(MatrixProtocolClass *klass)
 
     base_class->get_parameters = get_parameters;
     base_class->new_connection = new_connection;
-    /*
     base_class->normalize_contact = normalize_contact;
+    /*
     base_class->identify_account = identify_account;
     base_class->get_interfaces_array = get_interfaces_array;
     base_class->get_connection_details = get_connection_details;