In 908 a caliphal army was sent against Yusuf, but al-Muktafi died and his successor al-Muqtadir made peace with the Sajid.

Al-Muqtadir's vizier Ali ibn al-Furat had been instrumental in the establishment of the peace; from then on Yusuf considered him to be his protector in Baghdad and often named him on his coinage.

He found a willing ally in the prince of Vaspurakan, Gagik Artsruni, who was engaged in a dispute with the Bagratid over the province of Nakhichevan.

The war between the Sajids and the Bagratids continued, during which the country was devastated and the Armenians suffered from religious oppression at the hands of the Muslims.

During the siege of Erenjak, in an effort to convince the defenders to surrender, Yusuf had Smbat tortured and executed before the fortress' walls.

Yusuf initially tried to defeat him as well; Gagik refused to cooperate so he set up the Sparapet Ashot as rival king in Dvin.

He first invaded Kakheti and took hold of the fortresses of Ujarma and Bochorma, but the former was then given back to the Kakhetian ruler Kvirike following his plea for peace.

Unable to seize control of the stronghold of Tmogvi, he captured the fortress of Q'ueli and put its defender Gobron to death.

[2] After the dismissal of the vizier Ibn al-Furat, Yusuf had begun to withhold some of the annual tribute due to the caliph.

Although Ibn al-Furat attempted to convince al-Muqtadir to recognize Yusuf as governor, the caliph refused.

During this time, his faithful ghulam Subuk took control of Azerbaijan and maintained the province while his master was in Baghdad, defeating an Abbasid army sent against him.