diff --git a/electrum/channel_db.py b/electrum/channel_db.py
index 88e4a7d67..49c0934bf 100644
--- a/electrum/channel_db.py
+++ b/electrum/channel_db.py
@@ -569,12 +569,14 @@ class ChannelDB(SqlDB):
                 c.execute("INSERT INTO address (node_id, host, port, timestamp) VALUES (?,?,?,?)", (addr.pubkey, addr.host, addr.port, 0))
 
     @classmethod
-    def verify_channel_update(cls, payload) -> None:
+    def verify_channel_update(cls, payload, *, start_node: bytes = None) -> None:
         short_channel_id = payload['short_channel_id']
         short_channel_id = ShortChannelID(short_channel_id)
         if constants.net.rev_genesis_bytes() != payload['chain_hash']:
             raise InvalidGossipMsg('wrong chain hash')
-        if not verify_sig_for_channel_update(payload, payload['start_node']):
+        start_node = payload.get('start_node', None) or start_node
+        assert start_node is not None
+        if not verify_sig_for_channel_update(payload, start_node):
             raise InvalidGossipMsg(f'failed verifying channel update for {short_channel_id}')
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/electrum/lnchannel.py b/electrum/lnchannel.py
index 0b04d3bd8..1d9504df0 100644
--- a/electrum/lnchannel.py
+++ b/electrum/lnchannel.py
@@ -580,7 +580,14 @@ class Channel(AbstractChannel):
             raise Exception('lnworker not set for channel!')
         return self.lnworker.node_keypair.pubkey
 
-    def set_remote_update(self, raw: bytes) -> None:
+    def set_remote_update(self, payload: dict) -> None:
+        """Save the ChannelUpdate message for the incoming direction of this channel.
+        This message contains info we need to populate private route hints when
+        creating invoices.
+        """
+        from .channel_db import ChannelDB
+        ChannelDB.verify_channel_update(payload, start_node=self.node_id)
+        raw = payload['raw']
         self.storage['remote_update'] = raw.hex()
 
     def get_remote_update(self) -> Optional[bytes]:
diff --git a/electrum/lnpeer.py b/electrum/lnpeer.py
index ab072b812..bd4efa802 100644
--- a/electrum/lnpeer.py
+++ b/electrum/lnpeer.py
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class Peer(Logger):
         self.funding_signed_sent = set()  # for channels in PREOPENING
         self.shutdown_received = {} # chan_id -> asyncio.Future()
         self.announcement_signatures = defaultdict(asyncio.Queue)
-        self.orphan_channel_updates = OrderedDict()
+        self.orphan_channel_updates = OrderedDict()  # type: OrderedDict[ShortChannelID, dict]
         Logger.__init__(self)
         self.taskgroup = SilentTaskGroup()
         # HTLCs offered by REMOTE, that we started removing but are still active:
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ class Peer(Logger):
             return
         for chan in self.channels.values():
             if chan.short_channel_id == payload['short_channel_id']:
-                chan.set_remote_update(payload['raw'])
+                chan.set_remote_update(payload)
                 self.logger.info("saved remote_update")
                 break
         else:
@@ -1149,7 +1149,7 @@ class Peer(Logger):
         # peer may have sent us a channel update for the incoming direction previously
         pending_channel_update = self.orphan_channel_updates.get(chan.short_channel_id)
         if pending_channel_update:
-            chan.set_remote_update(pending_channel_update['raw'])
+            chan.set_remote_update(pending_channel_update)
         self.logger.info(f"CHANNEL OPENING COMPLETED ({chan.get_id_for_log()})")
         forwarding_enabled = self.network.config.get('lightning_forward_payments', False)
         if forwarding_enabled:
diff --git a/electrum/lnworker.py b/electrum/lnworker.py
index a31b5ebbd..8863fd16d 100644
--- a/electrum/lnworker.py
+++ b/electrum/lnworker.py
@@ -1284,10 +1284,11 @@ class LNWallet(LNWorker):
         short_channel_id = ShortChannelID(payload['short_channel_id'])
         if r == UpdateStatus.GOOD:
             self.logger.info(f"applied channel update to {short_channel_id}")
-            # TODO: test this
+            # TODO: add test for this
+            # FIXME: this does not work for our own unannounced channels.
             for chan in self.channels.values():
                 if chan.short_channel_id == short_channel_id:
-                    chan.set_remote_update(payload['raw'])
+                    chan.set_remote_update(payload)
             update = True
         elif r == UpdateStatus.ORPHANED:
             # maybe it is a private channel (and data in invoice was outdated)