diff --git a/my/config.py b/my/config.py
index 52af04d..7bfae09 100644
--- a/my/config.py
+++ b/my/config.py
@@ -159,3 +159,10 @@ class browser:
         export_path: Paths = ''
     class active_browser:
         export_path: Paths = ''
+
+
+class telegram:
+    class telegram_backup:
+        export_path: PathIsh = ''
+
+
diff --git a/my/core/sqlite.py b/my/core/sqlite.py
index 3c1902d..7c02940 100644
--- a/my/core/sqlite.py
+++ b/my/core/sqlite.py
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ def sqlite_connection(db: PathIsh, *, immutable: bool=False, row_factory: Option
     dbp = f'file:{db}'
     # https://www.sqlite.org/draft/uri.html#uriimmutable
     if immutable:
+        # assert results in nicer error than sqlite3.OperationalError
+        assert Path(db).exists(), db
         dbp = f'{dbp}?immutable=1'
     row_factory_: Any = None
     if row_factory is not None:
diff --git a/my/telegram/telegram_backup.py b/my/telegram/telegram_backup.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c33e39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/my/telegram/telegram_backup.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+"""
+Telegram data via [fabianonline/telegram_backup](https://github.com/fabianonline/telegram_backup) tool
+"""
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+import sqlite3
+from typing import Dict, Iterator
+
+from my.core import datetime_aware, PathIsh
+from my.core.sqlite import sqlite_connection
+
+from my.config import telegram as user_config
+
+
+@dataclass
+class config(user_config.telegram_backup):
+    # path to the export database.sqlite
+    export_path: PathIsh
+    
+
+@dataclass
+class Chat:
+    id: str
+    name: str
+    # not sure if need type?
+
+
+@dataclass
+class User:
+    id: str
+    name: str
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Message:
+    id: int
+    time: datetime_aware
+    chat: Chat
+    sender: User
+    text: str
+
+
+Chats = Dict[str, Chat]
+def _message_from_row(r: sqlite3.Row, *, chats: Chats) -> Message:
+    ts = r['time']
+    time = datetime.fromtimestamp(ts, tz=timezone.utc)
+    chat = chats[r['source_id']]
+    sender = chats[r['sender_id']]
+    return Message(
+        id=r['message_id'],
+        time=time,
+        chat=chat,
+        sender=sender,
+        text=r['text'],
+    )
+
+
+def messages() -> Iterator[Message]:
+    with sqlite_connection(config.export_path, immutable=True, row_factory='row') as db:
+
+        chats: Chats = {}
+        for r in db.execute('SELECT * FROM chats'):
+            chat = Chat(id=r['id'], name=r['name'])
+            assert chat.id not in chats
+            chats[chat.id] = chat
+
+        for r in db.execute('SELECT * FROM users'):
+            chat = Chat(id=r['id'], name=f'{r["first_name"]} {r["last_name"]}')
+            assert chat.id not in chats
+            chats[chat.id] = chat
+
+        # TODO order by? not sure
+        for r in db.execute('SELECT * FROM messages WHERE message_type NOT IN ("service_message", "empty_message")'):
+            # seems like the only remaining have message_type = 'message'
+            yield _message_from_row(r, chats=chats)
+