diff --git a/server/server_firebase.go b/server/server_firebase.go
index 2b01add2..99f1fb28 100644
--- a/server/server_firebase.go
+++ b/server/server_firebase.go
@@ -138,41 +138,7 @@ func toFirebaseMessage(m *message, auther user.Auther) (*messaging.Message, erro
 		}
 		apnsConfig = createAPNSAlertConfig(m, data)
 	case messageEvent:
-		allowForward := true
 		if auther != nil {
-			allowForward = auther.Authorize(nil, m.Topic, user.PermissionRead) == nil
-		}
-		if allowForward {
-			data = map[string]string{
-				"id":           m.ID,
-				"time":         fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Time),
-				"event":        m.Event,
-				"topic":        m.Topic,
-				"priority":     fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Priority),
-				"tags":         strings.Join(m.Tags, ","),
-				"click":        m.Click,
-				"icon":         m.Icon,
-				"title":        m.Title,
-				"message":      m.Message,
-				"content_type": m.ContentType,
-				"encoding":     m.Encoding,
-			}
-			if len(m.Actions) > 0 {
-				actions, err := json.Marshal(m.Actions)
-				if err != nil {
-					return nil, err
-				}
-				data["actions"] = string(actions)
-			}
-			if m.Attachment != nil {
-				data["attachment_name"] = m.Attachment.Name
-				data["attachment_type"] = m.Attachment.Type
-				data["attachment_size"] = fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Attachment.Size)
-				data["attachment_expires"] = fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Attachment.Expires)
-				data["attachment_url"] = m.Attachment.URL
-			}
-			apnsConfig = createAPNSAlertConfig(m, data)
-		} else {
 			// If "anonymous read" for a topic is not allowed, we cannot send the message along
 			// via Firebase. Instead, we send a "poll_request" message, asking the client to poll.
 			//
@@ -180,23 +146,42 @@ func toFirebaseMessage(m *message, auther user.Auther) (*messaging.Message, erro
 			// fields are set, the iOS app fails to decode the message.
 			//
 			// See https://github.com/binwiederhier/ntfy/pull/1345
-			data = map[string]string{
-				"id":           m.ID,
-				"time":         fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Time),
-				"event":        pollRequestEvent,
-				"topic":        m.Topic,
-				"priority":     fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Priority),
-				"tags":         "",
-				"click":        "",
-				"icon":         "",
-				"title":        "",
-				"message":      newMessageBody,
-				"content_type": m.ContentType,
-				"encoding":     m.Encoding,
-				"poll_id":      m.ID,
+			if err := auther.Authorize(nil, m.Topic, user.PermissionRead); err != nil {
+				m = toPollRequest(m)
 			}
-			apnsConfig = createAPNSAlertConfig(m, data)
 		}
+		data = map[string]string{
+			"id":           m.ID,
+			"time":         fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Time),
+			"event":        m.Event,
+			"topic":        m.Topic,
+			"priority":     fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Priority),
+			"tags":         strings.Join(m.Tags, ","),
+			"click":        m.Click,
+			"icon":         m.Icon,
+			"title":        m.Title,
+			"message":      m.Message,
+			"content_type": m.ContentType,
+			"encoding":     m.Encoding,
+		}
+		if len(m.Actions) > 0 {
+			actions, err := json.Marshal(m.Actions)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+			data["actions"] = string(actions)
+		}
+		if m.Attachment != nil {
+			data["attachment_name"] = m.Attachment.Name
+			data["attachment_type"] = m.Attachment.Type
+			data["attachment_size"] = fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Attachment.Size)
+			data["attachment_expires"] = fmt.Sprintf("%d", m.Attachment.Expires)
+			data["attachment_url"] = m.Attachment.URL
+		}
+		if m.PollID != "" {
+			data["poll_id"] = m.PollID
+		}
+		apnsConfig = createAPNSAlertConfig(m, data)
 	}
 	var androidConfig *messaging.AndroidConfig
 	if m.Priority >= 4 {
@@ -290,3 +275,17 @@ func maybeTruncateAPNSBodyMessage(s string) string {
 	}
 	return s
 }
+
+// toPollRequest converts a message to a poll request message.
+//
+// This empties all the fields that are not needed for a poll request and just sets the required fields,
+// most importantly, the PollID.
+func toPollRequest(m *message) *message {
+	pr := newPollRequestMessage(m.Topic, m.ID)
+	pr.ID = m.ID
+	pr.Time = m.Time
+	pr.Priority = m.Priority // Keep priority
+	pr.ContentType = m.ContentType
+	pr.Encoding = m.Encoding
+	return pr
+}
diff --git a/server/server_firebase_test.go b/server/server_firebase_test.go
index 8d88fcf0..2f5b7287 100644
--- a/server/server_firebase_test.go
+++ b/server/server_firebase_test.go
@@ -240,6 +240,8 @@ func TestToFirebaseMessage_Message_Normal_Not_Allowed(t *testing.T) {
 		"content_type": "",
 		"poll_id":      m.ID,
 	}, fbm.Data)
+	require.Equal(t, "", fbm.APNS.Payload.Aps.Alert.Title)
+	require.Equal(t, "New message", fbm.APNS.Payload.Aps.Alert.Body)
 }
 
 func TestToFirebaseMessage_PollRequest(t *testing.T) {