diff --git a/js/panel_controller.js b/js/panel_controller.js
index f5b708d6b92..3dce63cd3da 100644
--- a/js/panel_controller.js
+++ b/js/panel_controller.js
@@ -10,22 +10,34 @@
     window.Whisper = window.Whisper || {};
 
     var conversations = new Whisper.ConversationCollection();
+    var inboxCollection = new (Backbone.Collection.extend({
+        initialize: function() {
+            this.on('change:active_at', this.sort);
+            this.on('change:unreadCount', this.updateUnreadCount);
 
-    window.inbox = new Backbone.Collection([], {
+            this.listenTo(conversations, 'add change:active_at', this.addActive);
+        },
         comparator: function(model) {
             return -model.get('active_at');
+        },
+        addActive: function(model) {
+            if (model.get('active_at')) {
+                this.add(model);
+            }
+        },
+        updateUnreadCount: function(model, count) {
+            var prev = model.previous('unreadCount') || 0;
+            if (count < prev) { // decreased
+                var newUnreadCount = storage.get("unreadCount", 0) - (prev - count);
+                setUnreadCount(newUnreadCount);
+                storage.put("unreadCount", newUnreadCount);
+            }
         }
-    });
+    }))();
 
-    inbox.on('change:active_at', inbox.sort);
-    inbox.on('change:unreadCount', function(model, count) {
-        var prev = model.previous('unreadCount') || 0;
-        if (count < prev) { // decreased
-            var newUnreadCount = storage.get("unreadCount", 0) - (prev - count);
-            setUnreadCount(newUnreadCount);
-            storage.put("unreadCount", newUnreadCount);
-        }
-    });
+    window.getInboxCollection = function() {
+        return inboxCollection;
+    };
 
     window.ConversationController = {
         get: function(id) {
@@ -33,9 +45,6 @@
         },
         create: function(attrs) {
             var conversation = conversations.add(attrs);
-            if (conversation.get('active_at')) {
-                inbox.add(conversation);
-            }
             return conversation;
         },
         findOrCreatePrivateById: function(id) {
@@ -55,11 +64,7 @@
             });
         },
         updateInbox: function() {
-            conversations.fetchActive().then(function() {
-                inbox.reset(conversations.filter(function(model) {
-                    return model.get('active_at');
-                }));
-            });
+            conversations.fetchActive();
         }
     };
 
@@ -76,12 +81,16 @@
 
     window.notifyConversation = function(message) {
         var conversationId = message.get('conversationId');
-        var conversation = ConversationController.create({id: conversationId});
+        var conversation = ConversationController.get(conversationId);
+        if (!conversation) {
+            conversation = conversations.create({id: conversationId});
+            conversation.fetch();
+        }
         if (inboxOpened) {
-            conversation.reload();
+            conversation.fetchMessages();
             extension.windows.drawAttention(inboxWindowId);
         } else if (Whisper.Notifications.isEnabled()) {
-            var sender = conversations.add({id: message.get('source')});
+            var sender = ConversationController.create({id: message.get('source')});
             conversation.fetch().then(function() {
                 sender.fetch().then(function() {
                     var notification = new Notification(sender.getTitle(), {
@@ -94,9 +103,7 @@
                     };
                 });
             });
-            conversation.fetchMessages();
         } else {
-            conversation.reload();
             openConversation(conversation);
             ConversationController.updateInbox();
         }
diff --git a/js/views/inbox_view.js b/js/views/inbox_view.js
index e4e56613664..9f648d5d61d 100644
--- a/js/views/inbox_view.js
+++ b/js/views/inbox_view.js
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
                         appWindow: this.model.appWindow
                     });
                     $el = view.$el;
+                    conversation.fetchContacts();
                     if (conversation.messageCollection.length === 0) {
                         $el.find('.message-list').addClass('loading');
                     }
@@ -61,6 +62,9 @@
                 $el.prependTo(this.el);
                 $el.find('.message-list').trigger('reset-scroll');
                 $el.trigger('force-resize');
+                conversation.fetchMessages().then(function() {
+                    $el.find('.message-list').removeClass('loading');
+                });
                 conversation.markRead();
             }
         });
@@ -81,17 +85,18 @@
                 this.listenTo(this.newConversationView, 'open',
                     this.openConversation.bind(this, null));
 
-                this.inbox = new Whisper.ConversationListView({
+                var inboxCollection = bg.getInboxCollection();
+                this.inboxView = new Whisper.ConversationListView({
                     el         : this.$('.conversations'),
-                    collection : bg.inbox
+                    collection : inboxCollection
                 }).render();
 
-                this.inbox.listenTo(bg.inbox, 'sort', this.inbox.render);
+                this.inboxView.listenTo(inboxCollection, 'sort', this.inboxView.render);
 
                 new SocketView().render().$el.appendTo(this.$('.socket-status'));
 
                 extension.windows.beforeUnload(function() {
-                    this.inbox.stopListening();
+                    this.inboxView.stopListening();
                 }.bind(this));
 
                 new Whisper.WindowControlsView({
@@ -104,7 +109,6 @@
             },
             openConversation: function(e, data) {
                 var conversation = data.conversation;
-                conversation.reload();
                 this.conversation_stack.open(conversation);
                 this.hideCompose();
             },