diff --git a/js/models/conversations.js b/js/models/conversations.js
index 7a32e78352..59e0aa60c8 100644
--- a/js/models/conversations.js
+++ b/js/models/conversations.js
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@
 
     fetchMessages: function() {
         if (!this.id) { return false; }
-        return this.messageCollection.fetchConversation(this.id);
+        return this.messageCollection.fetchConversation(this.id, null, this.get('unreadCount'));
     },
 
     fetchContacts: function(options) {
diff --git a/js/models/messages.js b/js/models/messages.js
index 7952df6b11..46e9b1cb6d 100644
--- a/js/models/messages.js
+++ b/js/models/messages.js
@@ -524,10 +524,23 @@
             }.bind(this));
         },
 
-        fetchConversation: function(conversationId, limit) {
+        getLoadedUnreadCount: function() {
+            return this.models.reduce(function(total, model) {
+                var count = model.get('unread');
+                if (count === undefined) {
+                    count = 0;
+                }
+                return total + count;
+            }, 0);
+        },
+
+        fetchConversation: function(conversationId, limit, unreadCount) {
             if (typeof limit !== 'number') {
                 limit = 100;
             }
+            if (typeof unreadCount !== 'number') {
+                unreadCount = 0;
+            }
             return new Promise(function(resolve) {
                 var upper;
                 if (this.length === 0) {
@@ -548,6 +561,11 @@
                     // received_at DESC
                 };
                 this.fetch(options).then(resolve);
+            }.bind(this)).then(function() {
+                var loadedUnread = this.getLoadedUnreadCount();
+                if (loadedUnread < unreadCount) {
+                    return this.fetchConversation(conversationId, limit, unreadCount);
+                }
             }.bind(this));
         },