diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index 93858c2c3..3e47dd811 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@
 
     storage.fetch();
     storage.onready(function() {
+        ConversationController.load();
+
         window.dispatchEvent(new Event('storage_ready'));
         setUnreadCount(storage.get("unreadCount", 0));
 
@@ -518,7 +520,7 @@
         getAppView: function(destWindow) {
             var self = this;
 
-            return ConversationController.updateInbox().then(function() {
+            return ConversationController.loadPromise().then(function() {
                 try {
                     if (self.inboxView) { self.inboxView.remove(); }
                     self.inboxView = new Whisper.InboxView({
diff --git a/js/conversation_controller.js b/js/conversation_controller.js
index 6ac5abda5..e9591879f 100644
--- a/js/conversation_controller.js
+++ b/js/conversation_controller.js
@@ -83,12 +83,24 @@
 
     window.ConversationController = {
         get: function(id) {
+            if (!this._initialFetchComplete) {
+                throw new Error('ConversationController.get() needs complete initial fetch');
+            }
+
+            return conversations.get(id);
+        },
+        // Needed for some model setup which happens during the initial fetch() call below
+        getUnsafe: function(id) {
             return conversations.get(id);
         },
         createTemporary: function(attributes) {
             return conversations.add(attributes);
         },
         getOrCreate: function(id, type) {
+            if (!this._initialFetchComplete) {
+                throw new Error('ConversationController.get() needs complete initial fetch');
+            }
+
             var conversation = conversations.get(id);
             if (conversation) {
                 return conversation;
@@ -114,17 +126,19 @@
             return conversation;
         },
         getOrCreateAndWait: function(id, type) {
-            var conversation = this.getOrCreate(id, type);
+            return this._initialPromise.then(function() {
+                var conversation = this.getOrCreate(id, type);
 
-            if (conversation) {
-                return conversation.initialPromise.then(function() {
-                    return conversation;
-                });
-            }
+                if (conversation) {
+                    return conversation.initialPromise.then(function() {
+                        return conversation;
+                    });
+                }
 
-            return Promise.reject(
-                new Error('getOrCreateAndWait: did not get conversation')
-            );
+                return Promise.reject(
+                    new Error('getOrCreateAndWait: did not get conversation')
+                );
+            }.bind(this));
         },
         getAllGroupsInvolvingId: function(id) {
             var groups = new Whisper.GroupCollection();
@@ -134,8 +148,30 @@
                 });
             });
         },
-        updateInbox: function() {
-            return conversations.fetch();
+        loadPromise: function() {
+            return this._initialPromise;
+        },
+        load: function() {
+            console.log('ConversationController: starting initial fetch');
+            if (this._initialPromise) {
+                throw new Error('ConversationController.load() has already been called!');
+            }
+
+            this._initialPromise = new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
+                conversations.fetch().then(function() {
+                    console.log('ConversationController: done with initial fetch');
+                    this._initialFetchComplete = true;
+                    resolve();
+                }.bind(this), function(error) {
+                    console.log(
+                        'ConversationController: initial fetch failed',
+                        error && error.stack ? error.stack : error
+                    );
+                    reject(error);
+                });
+            }.bind(this));
+
+            return this._initialPromise;
         }
     };
 })();
diff --git a/js/expiring_messages.js b/js/expiring_messages.js
index 887f4c13c..327658c16 100644
--- a/js/expiring_messages.js
+++ b/js/expiring_messages.js
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@
         var expired = new Whisper.MessageCollection();
         expired.on('add', function(message) {
             console.log('message', message.get('sent_at'), 'expired');
-            message.getConversation().trigger('expired', message);
+            var conversation = message.getConversation();
+            if (conversation) {
+                conversation.trigger('expired', message);
+            }
 
             // We delete after the trigger to allow the conversation time to process
             //   the expiration before the message is removed from the database.
diff --git a/js/models/messages.js b/js/models/messages.js
index e47f7e393..5b75dc1f1 100644
--- a/js/models/messages.js
+++ b/js/models/messages.js
@@ -147,7 +147,10 @@
             return this.imageUrl;
         },
         getConversation: function() {
-            return ConversationController.get(this.get('conversationId'));
+            // This needs to be an unsafe call, because this method is called during
+            //   initial module setup. We may be in the middle of the initial fetch to
+            //   the database.
+            return ConversationController.getUnsafe(this.get('conversationId'));
         },
         getExpirationTimerUpdateSource: function() {
             if (this.isExpirationTimerUpdate()) {
@@ -235,7 +238,7 @@
 
         someRecipientsFailed: function() {
             var c = this.getConversation();
-            if (c.isPrivate()) {
+            if (!c || c.isPrivate()) {
                 return false;
             }
 
diff --git a/test/fixtures_test.js b/test/fixtures_test.js
index 0765b9501..546d05cca 100644
--- a/test/fixtures_test.js
+++ b/test/fixtures_test.js
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ describe("Fixtures", function() {
   });
 
   it('renders', function(done) {
-    ConversationController.updateInbox().then(function() {
+    ConversationController.loadPromise().then(function() {
       var view = new Whisper.InboxView({window: window});
       view.onEmpty();
       view.$el.prependTo($('#render-android'));
diff --git a/test/models/messages_test.js b/test/models/messages_test.js
index b45e037a1..996ef7229 100644
--- a/test/models/messages_test.js
+++ b/test/models/messages_test.js
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@
 (function () {
     'use strict';
 
-    function clear(done) {
-        var messages = new Whisper.MessageCollection();
-        return messages.fetch().then(function() {
-            messages.destroyAll();
-            done();
+    function deleteAllMessages() {
+        return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
+            var messages = new Whisper.MessageCollection();
+            return messages.fetch().then(function() {
+                messages.destroyAll();
+                resolve();
+            }, reject);
         });
     }
 
@@ -21,9 +23,18 @@
     var attachment = { data: 'datasaurus',
                        contentType: 'plain/text' };
 
+    var source = '+14155555555';
+
     describe('MessageCollection', function() {
-        before(clear);
-        after(clear);
+        before(function() {
+            return Promise.all([
+                deleteAllMessages(),
+                ConversationController.load()
+            ]);
+        });
+        after(function() {
+            return deleteAllMessages();
+        });
 
         it('has no image url', function() {
             var messages = new Whisper.MessageCollection();
@@ -49,7 +60,10 @@
 
         it('gets incoming contact', function() {
             var messages = new Whisper.MessageCollection();
-            var message = messages.add({ type: 'incoming' });
+            var message = messages.add({
+                type: 'incoming',
+                source: source
+            });
             message.getContact();
         });