diff --git a/js/models/conversations.js b/js/models/conversations.js
index 093d65b12a..cdfeb85294 100644
--- a/js/models/conversations.js
+++ b/js/models/conversations.js
@@ -57,7 +57,20 @@
         }
 
         if (!attributes.tokens) {
-            this.updateTokens();
+            return this.updateTokens();
+        }
+    },
+
+    validateNumber: function() {
+        try {
+            this.id = libphonenumber.util.verifyNumber(this.id);
+        } catch (ex) {
+            if (ex === "Invalid country calling code") {
+                var regionCode = storage.get('regionCode');
+                this.id = libphonenumber.util.verifyNumber(this.id, regionCode);
+            } else {
+                throw ex;
+            }
         }
     },
 
@@ -70,12 +83,13 @@
 
         if (this.isPrivate()) {
             try {
-                this.id = libphonenumber.util.verifyNumber(this.id);
+                this.validateNumber();
                 var number = libphonenumber.util.splitCountryCode(this.id);
                 var international_number = '' + number.country_code + number.national_number;
                 var national_number = '' + number.national_number;
 
                 this.set({
+                    id: this.id,
                     e164_number: this.id,
                     national_number: national_number,
                     international_number: international_number
diff --git a/js/views/conversation_search_view.js b/js/views/conversation_search_view.js
index 8031733fd1..3db9e80944 100644
--- a/js/views/conversation_search_view.js
+++ b/js/views/conversation_search_view.js
@@ -66,9 +66,17 @@
         },
 
         createConversation: function() {
-            this.$el.trigger('open', this.new_contact_view.model);
-            this.initNewContact();
-            this.resetTypeahead();
+            var conversation = this.new_contact_view.model;
+            var error = conversation.validate(conversation.attributes);
+            if (!error) {
+                ConversationController.findOrCreatePrivateById(
+                    this.new_contact_view.model.id
+                ).then(function(conversation) {
+                    this.$el.trigger('open', conversation);
+                    this.initNewContact();
+                    this.resetTypeahead();
+                }.bind(this));
+            }
         },
 
         open: function(e, conversation) {