diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index 3ecc1c14f..e4537e71a 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -86,13 +86,13 @@ ext {
 
 android {
     namespace 'eu.siacs.conversations'
-    compileSdkVersion 32
+    compileSdkVersion 33
 
     defaultConfig {
         minSdkVersion 21
-        targetSdkVersion 32
-        versionCode 42050
-        versionName "2.12.2"
+        targetSdkVersion 33
+        versionCode 42051
+        versionName "2.12.2-2"
         archivesBaseName += "-$versionName"
         applicationId "org.snikket.android"
         resValue "string", "applicationId", applicationId
@@ -142,10 +142,12 @@ android {
         playstore {
             dimension "distribution"
             versionNameSuffix "+playstore"
+            buildConfigField "boolean", "CONTACTS_INTEGRATION", "false"
         }
         free {
             dimension "distribution"
             versionNameSuffix "+free"
+            buildConfigField "boolean", "CONTACTS_INTEGRATION", "true"
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/conversationsFree/AndroidManifest.xml b/src/conversationsFree/AndroidManifest.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9fd60596b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/conversationsFree/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">
+
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS" />
+
+</manifest>
diff --git a/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index c18addf27..984bdc507 100644
--- a/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_CONNECT" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PROFILE" />
     <uses-permission
         android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE"
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/Config.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/Config.java
index f8ad339fc..4f98732ff 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/Config.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/Config.java
@@ -59,6 +59,10 @@ public static boolean multipleEncryptionChoices() {
 
     public static final long CONTACT_SYNC_RETRY_INTERVAL = 1000L * 60 * 5;
 
+    // 2024-02-14: Contacts integration has been removed from Play Store builds, at least for now,
+    // due to Google aggressively delisting XMPP apps that use it, claiming that the apps are uploading
+    // contact lists to the server (even though they are not).
+    public static final boolean CONTACTS_INTEGRATION = BuildConfig.CONTACTS_INTEGRATION;
 
     public static final boolean QUICKSTART_ENABLED = true;
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/persistance/FileBackend.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/persistance/FileBackend.java
index 8519e5dbd..3c193219e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/persistance/FileBackend.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/persistance/FileBackend.java
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ public static boolean allFilesUnderSize(
                                 "do not consider video file with min width larger than 720 for size check");
                         continue;
                     }
-                } catch (NotAVideoFile notAVideoFile) {
+                } catch (final IOException | NotAVideoFile e) {
                     // ignore and fall through
                 }
             }
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ private static int calcSampleSize(BitmapFactory.Options options, int size) {
         return inSampleSize;
     }
 
-    private static Dimensions getVideoDimensions(Context context, Uri uri) throws NotAVideoFile {
+    private static Dimensions getVideoDimensions(Context context, Uri uri) throws NotAVideoFile, IOException {
         MediaMetadataRetriever mediaMetadataRetriever = new MediaMetadataRetriever();
         try {
             mediaMetadataRetriever.setDataSource(context, uri);
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ private static Dimensions getVideoDimensionsOfFrame(
     }
 
     private static Dimensions getVideoDimensions(MediaMetadataRetriever metadataRetriever)
-            throws NotAVideoFile {
+            throws NotAVideoFile, IOException {
         String hasVideo =
                 metadataRetriever.extractMetadata(MediaMetadataRetriever.METADATA_KEY_HAS_VIDEO);
         if (hasVideo == null) {
@@ -1527,7 +1527,7 @@ public void updateFileParams(final Message message, final String url) {
                         Log.d(Config.LOGTAG, "ambiguous file " + mime + " is audio");
                         body.append("|0|0|").append(getMediaRuntime(file));
                     }
-                } catch (final NotAVideoFile e) {
+                } catch (final IOException | NotAVideoFile e) {
                     Log.d(Config.LOGTAG, "ambiguous file " + mime + " is audio");
                     body.append("|0|0|").append(getMediaRuntime(file));
                 }
@@ -1547,7 +1547,7 @@ public void updateFileParams(final Message message, final String url) {
                                 .append('|')
                                 .append(dimensions.height);
                     }
-                } catch (NotAVideoFile notAVideoFile) {
+                } catch (final IOException | NotAVideoFile notAVideoFile) {
                     Log.d(
                             Config.LOGTAG,
                             "file with mime type " + file.getMimeType() + " was not a video file");
@@ -1592,7 +1592,7 @@ private Dimensions getImageDimensions(File file) {
         return new Dimensions(imageHeight, imageWidth);
     }
 
-    private Dimensions getVideoDimensions(File file) throws NotAVideoFile {
+    private Dimensions getVideoDimensions(final File file) throws NotAVideoFile, IOException {
         MediaMetadataRetriever metadataRetriever = new MediaMetadataRetriever();
         try {
             metadataRetriever.setDataSource(file.getAbsolutePath());
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ContactDetailsActivity.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ContactDetailsActivity.java
index 7c1d08643..3b234c19e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ContactDetailsActivity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ContactDetailsActivity.java
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton buttonView, boolean isChecked) {
     private void checkContactPermissionAndShowAddDialog() {
         if (hasContactsPermission()) {
             showAddToPhoneBookDialog();
-        } else if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {
+        } else if (Config.CONTACTS_INTEGRATION && Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {
             requestPermissions(new String[]{Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS}, REQUEST_SYNC_CONTACTS);
         }
     }