diff --git a/app/build.gradle b/app/build.gradle
index d2163fc4..472c5040 100644
--- a/app/build.gradle
+++ b/app/build.gradle
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ ext {
 }
 
 dependencies {
-    implementation 'com.simplemobiletools:commons:3.5.5'
+    implementation 'com.simplemobiletools:commons:3.5.6'
     implementation 'joda-time:joda-time:2.9.9'
 
     //debugImplementation "com.squareup.leakcanary:leakcanary-android:$leakCanaryVersion"
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/ContactActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/ContactActivity.kt
index ef2163e6..92a2d9f4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/ContactActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/activities/ContactActivity.kt
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ class ContactActivity : SimpleActivity() {
         contact_source.text = contact!!.source
 
         contact_toggle_favorite.apply {
+            beVisible()
             setImageDrawable(getStarDrawable(contact!!.starred == 1))
             tag = contact!!.starred
             applyColorFilter(config.textColor)
@@ -306,14 +307,9 @@ class ContactActivity : SimpleActivity() {
     private fun setupNewContact() {
         window.setSoftInputMode(WindowManager.LayoutParams.SOFT_INPUT_STATE_VISIBLE)
         supportActionBar?.title = resources.getString(R.string.new_contact)
-        contact = Contact(0, "", "", "", "", ArrayList(), ArrayList(), ArrayList(), "", 0)
+        contact = Contact(0, "", "", "", "", ArrayList(), ArrayList(), ArrayList(), "", 0, 0)
         contact_source.text = config.lastUsedContactSource
         contact_source.setOnClickListener { showAccountSourcePicker() }
-
-        contact_toggle_favorite.apply {
-            tag = 0
-            applyColorFilter(config.textColor)
-        }
     }
 
     private fun showPhotoPlaceholder() {
@@ -678,10 +674,7 @@ class ContactActivity : SimpleActivity() {
 
     private fun isContactStarred() = contact_toggle_favorite.tag == 1
 
-    private fun getStarDrawable(on: Boolean): Drawable {
-        val newDrawable = resources.getDrawable(if (on) R.drawable.ic_star_on else R.drawable.ic_star_off)
-        return newDrawable
-    }
+    private fun getStarDrawable(on: Boolean) = resources.getDrawable(if (on) R.drawable.ic_star_on_big else R.drawable.ic_star_off_big)
 
     private fun trySetPhoto() {
         val items = arrayListOf(
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/adapters/ContactsAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/adapters/ContactsAdapter.kt
index 4c14002f..71b2a2df 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/adapters/ContactsAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/adapters/ContactsAdapter.kt
@@ -137,8 +137,9 @@ class ContactsAdapter(activity: SimpleActivity, var contactItems: MutableList<Co
         }
         contactItems.removeAll(favoritesToRemove)
 
-        val favoriteIDsToRemove = HashSet<String>()
-        favoritesToRemove.mapTo(favoriteIDsToRemove, { it.id.toString() })
+        val favoriteIDsToRemove = ArrayList<String>()
+        favoritesToRemove.mapTo(favoriteIDsToRemove, { it.contactId.toString() })
+        ContactsHelper(activity).removeFavorites(favoriteIDsToRemove)
         if (contactItems.isEmpty()) {
             listener?.refreshFavorites()
             finishActMode()
@@ -152,8 +153,9 @@ class ContactsAdapter(activity: SimpleActivity, var contactItems: MutableList<Co
             return
         }
 
-        val newFavorites = HashSet<String>()
-        selectedPositions.forEach { newFavorites.add(contactItems[it].id.toString()) }
+        val newFavorites = ArrayList<String>()
+        selectedPositions.forEach { newFavorites.add(contactItems[it].contactId.toString()) }
+        ContactsHelper(activity).addFavorites(newFavorites)
         listener?.refreshFavorites()
         finishActMode()
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/adapters/SelectContactsAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/adapters/SelectContactsAdapter.kt
index 4d68bbae..476c5c8b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/adapters/SelectContactsAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/adapters/SelectContactsAdapter.kt
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ class SelectContactsAdapter(val activity: SimpleActivity, val contacts: List<Con
         override fun itemLongClicked(position: Int) {}
     }
 
-    fun getSelectedItemsSet(): HashSet<String> {
-        val selectedItemsSet = HashSet<String>(selectedPositions.size)
-        selectedPositions.forEach { selectedItemsSet.add(contacts[it].id.toString()) }
+    fun getSelectedItemsSet(): HashSet<Contact> {
+        val selectedItemsSet = HashSet<Contact>(selectedPositions.size)
+        selectedPositions.forEach { selectedItemsSet.add(contacts[it]) }
         return selectedItemsSet
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/dialogs/AddFavoritesDialog.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/dialogs/AddFavoritesDialog.kt
index f1bbfa33..884c8be9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/dialogs/AddFavoritesDialog.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/dialogs/AddFavoritesDialog.kt
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.extensions.config
 import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.helpers.ContactsHelper
 import com.simplemobiletools.contacts.models.Contact
 import kotlinx.android.synthetic.main.layout_select_contact.view.*
-import java.util.HashSet
-import kotlin.collections.ArrayList
 
 class AddFavoritesDialog(val activity: SimpleActivity, val callback: () -> Unit) {
     private var dialog: AlertDialog? = null
@@ -45,22 +43,31 @@ class AddFavoritesDialog(val activity: SimpleActivity, val callback: () -> Unit)
         }
 
         dialog = AlertDialog.Builder(activity)
-                .setPositiveButton(R.string.ok, { dialog, which -> dialogConfirmed() })
+                .setPositiveButton(R.string.ok, null)
                 .setNegativeButton(R.string.cancel, null)
                 .create().apply {
             activity.setupDialogStuff(view, this)
+            getButton(AlertDialog.BUTTON_POSITIVE).setOnClickListener {
+                dialogConfirmed()
+            }
         }
     }
 
     private fun dialogConfirmed() {
-        val allDisplayedIDs = ArrayList<String>()
-        allContacts.mapTo(allDisplayedIDs, { it.id.toString() })
-        val selectedItems = (view.select_contact_list.adapter as SelectContactsAdapter).getSelectedItemsSet()
-        allDisplayedIDs.removeAll(selectedItems)
+        Thread {
+            val contactsHelper = ContactsHelper(activity)
+            val allDisplayedContacts = ArrayList<Contact>()
+            allContacts.mapTo(allDisplayedContacts, { it })
+            val selectedContacts = (view.select_contact_list.adapter as SelectContactsAdapter).getSelectedItemsSet()
+            val contactIDsToAdd = selectedContacts.map { it.contactId.toString() } as ArrayList<String>
+            contactsHelper.addFavorites(contactIDsToAdd)
 
-        val favoriteIDsToRemove = HashSet<String>()
-        allDisplayedIDs.mapTo(favoriteIDsToRemove, { it })
-        callback()
-        dialog?.dismiss()
+            allDisplayedContacts.removeAll(selectedContacts)
+            val contactIDsToRemove = allDisplayedContacts.map { it.contactId.toString() } as ArrayList<String>
+            contactsHelper.removeFavorites(contactIDsToRemove)
+
+            callback()
+            dialog?.dismiss()
+        }.start()
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/helpers/ContactsHelper.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/helpers/ContactsHelper.kt
index 6cd84f0f..3d6dd75e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/helpers/ContactsHelper.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/helpers/ContactsHelper.kt
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package com.simplemobiletools.contacts.helpers
 import android.content.ContentProviderOperation
 import android.content.ContentProviderResult
 import android.content.ContentUris
+import android.content.ContentValues
 import android.database.Cursor
 import android.graphics.Bitmap
 import android.net.Uri
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@ class ContactsHelper(val activity: BaseSimpleActivity) {
                         val events = ArrayList<Event>()
                         val accountName = cursor.getStringValue(ContactsContract.RawContacts.ACCOUNT_NAME)
                         val starred = cursor.getIntValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.StructuredName.STARRED)
-                        val contact = Contact(id, firstName, middleName, surname, photoUri, number, emails, events, accountName, starred)
+                        val contactId = cursor.getIntValue(ContactsContract.Data.CONTACT_ID)
+                        val contact = Contact(id, firstName, middleName, surname, photoUri, number, emails, events, accountName, starred, contactId)
                         contacts.put(id, contact)
                     } while (cursor.moveToNext())
                 }
@@ -77,8 +79,9 @@ class ContactsHelper(val activity: BaseSimpleActivity) {
             }
 
             val contactsSize = contacts.size()
-            val resultContacts = ArrayList<Contact>(contactsSize)
+            var resultContacts = ArrayList<Contact>(contactsSize)
             (0 until contactsSize).mapTo(resultContacts) { contacts.valueAt(it) }
+            resultContacts = resultContacts.distinctBy { it.contactId } as ArrayList<Contact>
             callback(resultContacts)
         }.start()
     }
@@ -207,7 +210,8 @@ class ContactsHelper(val activity: BaseSimpleActivity) {
                 val events = getEvents(id)[id] ?: ArrayList()
                 val accountName = cursor.getStringValue(ContactsContract.RawContacts.ACCOUNT_NAME)
                 val starred = cursor.getIntValue(ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.StructuredName.STARRED)
-                return Contact(id, firstName, middleName, surname, photoUri, number, emails, events, accountName, starred)
+                val contactId = cursor.getIntValue(ContactsContract.Data.CONTACT_ID)
+                return Contact(id, firstName, middleName, surname, photoUri, number, emails, events, accountName, starred, contactId)
             }
         } finally {
             cursor?.close()
@@ -239,7 +243,7 @@ class ContactsHelper(val activity: BaseSimpleActivity) {
         }.start()
     }
 
-    fun getContactSourceType(accountName: String): String {
+    private fun getContactSourceType(accountName: String): String {
         val uri = ContactsContract.RawContacts.CONTENT_URI
         val projection = arrayOf(ContactsContract.RawContacts.ACCOUNT_TYPE)
         val selection = "${ContactsContract.RawContacts.ACCOUNT_NAME} = ?"
@@ -258,6 +262,7 @@ class ContactsHelper(val activity: BaseSimpleActivity) {
     }
 
     private fun getContactProjection() = arrayOf(
+            ContactsContract.Data.CONTACT_ID,
             ContactsContract.Data.RAW_CONTACT_ID,
             ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.StructuredName.GIVEN_NAME,
             ContactsContract.CommonDataKinds.StructuredName.MIDDLE_NAME,
@@ -354,6 +359,16 @@ class ContactsHelper(val activity: BaseSimpleActivity) {
                 }
             }
 
+            // favorite
+            try {
+                val uri = Uri.withAppendedPath(ContactsContract.Contacts.CONTENT_URI, contact.contactId.toString())
+                val contentValues = ContentValues(1)
+                contentValues.put(ContactsContract.Contacts.STARRED, contact.starred)
+                activity.contentResolver.update(uri, contentValues, null, null)
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                activity.showErrorToast(e)
+            }
+
             // photo
             when (photoUpdateStatus) {
                 PHOTO_ADDED, PHOTO_CHANGED -> addPhoto(contact, operations)
@@ -540,6 +555,30 @@ class ContactsHelper(val activity: BaseSimpleActivity) {
         return ""
     }
 
+    fun addFavorites(ids: ArrayList<String>) {
+        toggleFavorites(ids, true)
+    }
+
+    fun removeFavorites(ids: ArrayList<String>) {
+        toggleFavorites(ids, false)
+    }
+
+    private fun toggleFavorites(ids: ArrayList<String>, areFavorites: Boolean) {
+        try {
+            val operations = ArrayList<ContentProviderOperation>()
+            ids.forEach {
+                val uri = Uri.withAppendedPath(ContactsContract.Contacts.CONTENT_URI, it)
+                ContentProviderOperation.newUpdate(uri).apply {
+                    withValue(ContactsContract.Contacts.STARRED, if (areFavorites) 1 else 0)
+                    operations.add(build())
+                }
+            }
+            activity.contentResolver.applyBatch(ContactsContract.AUTHORITY, operations)
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            activity.showErrorToast(e)
+        }
+    }
+
     fun deleteContact(contact: Contact) = deleteContacts(arrayListOf(contact))
 
     fun deleteContacts(contacts: ArrayList<Contact>) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/models/Contact.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/models/Contact.kt
index fab1fec3..44e3ab64 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/models/Contact.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/contacts/models/Contact.kt
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import com.simplemobiletools.commons.helpers.SORT_DESCENDING
 
 data class Contact(val id: Int, var firstName: String, var middleName: String, var surname: String, var photoUri: String,
                    var phoneNumbers: ArrayList<PhoneNumber>, var emails: ArrayList<Email>, var events: ArrayList<Event>, var source: String,
-                   var starred: Int) : Comparable<Contact> {
+                   var starred: Int, val contactId: Int) : Comparable<Contact> {
     companion object {
         var sorting: Int = 0
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_contact.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_contact.xml
index 00b4d0c4..9d1477b4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_contact.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_contact.xml
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@
             android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/contact_photo"
             android:adjustViewBounds="true"
             android:padding="@dimen/tiny_margin"
-            android:src="@drawable/ic_star_off"/>
+            android:src="@drawable/ic_star_off_big"
+            android:visibility="gone"/>
 
         <LinearLayout
             android:id="@+id/contact_actions_holder"