diff --git a/matrix_sdk/src/device.rs b/matrix_sdk/src/device.rs
index 44812ba1..1ffb51c5 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk/src/device.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk/src/device.rs
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ impl Device {
     /// # });
     /// ```
     pub async fn start_verification(&self) -> Result<Sas> {
-        let (sas, request) = self.inner.start_verification();
+        let (sas, request) = self.inner.start_verification().await?;
         let request = ToDeviceRequest {
             event_type: request.event_type,
             txn_id: &request.txn_id,
diff --git a/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/device.rs b/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/device.rs
index f8eb6e49..b6fbcbd9 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/device.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/device.rs
@@ -72,8 +72,10 @@ impl Device {
     /// Start a interactive verification with this `Device`
     ///
     /// Returns a `Sas` object and to-device request that needs to be sent out.
-    pub fn start_verification(&self) -> (Sas, OwnedToDeviceRequest) {
-        self.verification_machine.start_sas(self.inner.clone())
+    pub async fn start_verification(&self) -> StoreResult<(Sas, OwnedToDeviceRequest)> {
+        self.verification_machine
+            .start_sas(self.inner.clone())
+            .await
     }
 
     /// Set the trust state of the device to the given state.
diff --git a/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/machine.rs b/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/machine.rs
index 2543b518..3fb2e912 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/machine.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/machine.rs
@@ -2063,7 +2063,7 @@ pub(crate) mod test {
 
         assert!(!bob_device.is_trusted());
 
-        let (alice_sas, request) = bob_device.start_verification();
+        let (alice_sas, request) = bob_device.start_verification().await.unwrap();
 
         let mut event = request_to_event(alice.user_id(), &request);
         bob.handle_verification_event(&mut event).await;
diff --git a/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/verification/machine.rs b/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/verification/machine.rs
index d6382b7a..d496fcad 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/verification/machine.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/verification/machine.rs
@@ -45,8 +45,19 @@ impl VerificationMachine {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn start_sas(&self, device: ReadOnlyDevice) -> (Sas, OwnedToDeviceRequest) {
-        let (sas, content) = Sas::start(self.account.clone(), device.clone(), self.store.clone());
+    pub async fn start_sas(
+        &self,
+        device: ReadOnlyDevice,
+    ) -> Result<(Sas, OwnedToDeviceRequest), CryptoStoreError> {
+        let identity = self.store.get_user_identity(device.user_id()).await?;
+
+        let (sas, content) = Sas::start(
+            self.account.clone(),
+            device.clone(),
+            self.store.clone(),
+            identity,
+        );
+
         let request = content_to_request(
             device.user_id(),
             device.device_id(),
@@ -56,7 +67,7 @@ impl VerificationMachine {
         self.verifications
             .insert(sas.flow_id().to_owned(), sas.clone());
 
-        (sas, request)
+        Ok((sas, request))
     }
 
     pub fn get_sas(&self, transaction_id: &str) -> Option<Sas> {
@@ -128,7 +139,13 @@ impl VerificationMachine {
                     .get_device(&e.sender, &e.content.from_device)
                     .await?
                 {
-                    match Sas::from_start_event(self.account.clone(), d, self.store.clone(), e) {
+                    match Sas::from_start_event(
+                        self.account.clone(),
+                        d,
+                        self.store.clone(),
+                        e,
+                        None,
+                    ) {
                         Ok(s) => {
                             self.verifications
                                 .insert(e.content.transaction_id.clone(), s);
@@ -231,7 +248,7 @@ mod test {
             .unwrap();
 
         let machine = VerificationMachine::new(alice, Arc::new(Box::new(store)));
-        let (bob_sas, start_content) = Sas::start(bob, alice_device, bob_store);
+        let (bob_sas, start_content) = Sas::start(bob, alice_device, bob_store, None);
         machine
             .receive_event(&mut wrap_any_to_device_content(
                 bob_sas.user_id(),
diff --git a/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/verification/sas/mod.rs b/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/verification/sas/mod.rs
index 6e79a4e5..eebcac46 100644
--- a/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/verification/sas/mod.rs
+++ b/matrix_sdk_crypto/src/verification/sas/mod.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ use matrix_sdk_common::{
     identifiers::{DeviceId, UserId},
 };
 
-use crate::{Account, CryptoStore, CryptoStoreError, ReadOnlyDevice, TrustState};
+use crate::{
+    user_identity::UserIdentities, Account, CryptoStore, CryptoStoreError, ReadOnlyDevice,
+    TrustState,
+};
 
 pub use helpers::content_to_request;
 use sas_state::{
@@ -47,6 +50,7 @@ pub struct Sas {
     store: Arc<Box<dyn CryptoStore>>,
     account: Account,
     other_device: ReadOnlyDevice,
+    other_identity: Option<UserIdentities>,
     flow_id: Arc<String>,
 }
 
@@ -101,6 +105,7 @@ impl Sas {
         account: Account,
         other_device: ReadOnlyDevice,
         store: Arc<Box<dyn CryptoStore>>,
+        other_identity: Option<UserIdentities>,
     ) -> (Sas, StartEventContent) {
         let (inner, content) = InnerSas::start(account.clone(), other_device.clone());
         let flow_id = inner.verification_flow_id();
@@ -111,6 +116,7 @@ impl Sas {
             store,
             other_device,
             flow_id,
+            other_identity,
         };
 
         (sas, content)
@@ -131,6 +137,7 @@ impl Sas {
         other_device: ReadOnlyDevice,
         store: Arc<Box<dyn CryptoStore>>,
         event: &ToDeviceEvent<StartEventContent>,
+        other_identity: Option<UserIdentities>,
     ) -> Result<Sas, AnyToDeviceEventContent> {
         let inner = InnerSas::from_start_event(account.clone(), other_device.clone(), event)?;
         let flow_id = inner.verification_flow_id();
@@ -138,6 +145,7 @@ impl Sas {
             inner: Arc::new(Mutex::new(inner)),
             account,
             other_device,
+            other_identity,
             store,
             flow_id,
         })
@@ -683,10 +691,10 @@ mod test {
             .await
             .unwrap();
 
-        let (alice, content) = Sas::start(alice, bob_device, alice_store);
+        let (alice, content) = Sas::start(alice, bob_device, alice_store, None);
         let event = wrap_to_device_event(alice.user_id(), content);
 
-        let bob = Sas::from_start_event(bob, alice_device, bob_store, &event).unwrap();
+        let bob = Sas::from_start_event(bob, alice_device, bob_store, &event, None).unwrap();
         let mut event = wrap_any_to_device_content(
             bob.user_id(),
             get_content_from_request(&bob.accept().unwrap()),