diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/LastSeenIndicator.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/LastSeenIndicator.tsx
index d6932dddb..a6b576319 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/LastSeenIndicator.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/LastSeenIndicator.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-// Copyright 2019-2020 Signal Messenger, LLC
+// Copyright 2019-2022 Signal Messenger, LLC
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
 
-import React from 'react';
+import React, { forwardRef } from 'react';
 
 import type { LocalizerType } from '../../types/Util';
 
@@ -10,16 +10,18 @@ export type Props = {
   i18n: LocalizerType;
 };
 
-export const LastSeenIndicator = ({ count, i18n }: Props): JSX.Element => {
-  const message =
-    count === 1
-      ? i18n('unreadMessage')
-      : i18n('unreadMessages', [String(count)]);
+export const LastSeenIndicator = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, Props>(
+  ({ count, i18n }, ref) => {
+    const message =
+      count === 1
+        ? i18n('unreadMessage')
+        : i18n('unreadMessages', [String(count)]);
 
-  return (
-    <div className="module-last-seen-indicator">
-      <div className="module-last-seen-indicator__bar" />
-      <div className="module-last-seen-indicator__text">{message}</div>
-    </div>
-  );
-};
+    return (
+      <div className="module-last-seen-indicator" ref={ref}>
+        <div className="module-last-seen-indicator__bar" />
+        <div className="module-last-seen-indicator__text">{message}</div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+);
diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/Timeline.stories.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/Timeline.stories.tsx
index 6de37f212..0f87c542e 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/Timeline.stories.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/Timeline.stories.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import { StorybookThemeContext } from '../../../.storybook/StorybookThemeContext
 import { ConversationHero } from './ConversationHero';
 import { getDefaultConversation } from '../../test-both/helpers/getDefaultConversation';
 import { getRandomColor } from '../../test-both/helpers/getRandomColor';
-import { LastSeenIndicator } from './LastSeenIndicator';
 import { TypingBubble } from './TypingBubble';
 import { ContactSpoofingType } from '../../util/contactSpoofing';
 import { ReadStatus } from '../../messages/MessageReadStatus';
@@ -445,10 +444,6 @@ const renderItem = ({
   />
 );
 
-const renderLastSeenIndicator = () => (
-  <LastSeenIndicator count={2} i18n={i18n} />
-);
-
 const getAbout = () => text('about', '👍 Free to chat');
 const getTitle = () => text('name', 'Cayce Bollard');
 const getName = () => text('name', 'Cayce Bollard');
@@ -528,7 +523,6 @@ const useProps = (overrideProps: Partial<PropsType> = {}): PropsType => ({
 
   id: uuid(),
   renderItem,
-  renderLastSeenIndicator,
   renderHeroRow,
   renderTypingBubble,
   typingContactId: overrideProps.typingContactId,
diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/Timeline.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/Timeline.tsx
index ef8a9067e..51a6a93cc 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/Timeline.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/Timeline.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 import { first, get, isNumber, last, pick, throttle } from 'lodash';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
 import type { ReactChild, ReactNode, RefObject } from 'react';
-import React, { Fragment } from 'react';
+import React from 'react';
 import { createSelector } from 'reselect';
 import Measure from 'react-measure';
 
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import {
   scrollToBottom,
   setScrollBottom,
 } from '../../util/scrollUtil';
+import { LastSeenIndicator } from './LastSeenIndicator';
 
 const AT_BOTTOM_THRESHOLD = 15;
 const MIN_ROW_HEIGHT = 18;
@@ -120,7 +121,6 @@ type PropsHousekeepingType = {
     previousMessageId: undefined | string;
     unreadIndicatorPlacement: undefined | UnreadIndicatorPlacement;
   }) => JSX.Element;
-  renderLastSeenIndicator: (id: string) => JSX.Element;
   renderHeroRow: (
     id: string,
     unblurAvatar: () => void,
@@ -177,8 +177,11 @@ type StateType = {
   widthBreakpoint: WidthBreakpoint;
 };
 
+const scrollToUnreadIndicator = Symbol('scrollToUnreadIndicator');
+
 type SnapshotType =
   | null
+  | typeof scrollToUnreadIndicator
   | { scrollToIndex: number }
   | { scrollTop: number }
   | { scrollBottom: number };
@@ -258,6 +261,7 @@ export class Timeline extends React.Component<
 > {
   private readonly containerRef = React.createRef<HTMLDivElement>();
   private readonly messagesRef = React.createRef<HTMLDivElement>();
+  private readonly lastSeenIndicatorRef = React.createRef<HTMLDivElement>();
   private intersectionObserver?: IntersectionObserver;
   private messagesResizeObserver?: ResizeObserver;
 
@@ -538,6 +542,7 @@ export class Timeline extends React.Component<
       isIncomingMessageRequest,
       isLoadingMessages,
       items: newItems,
+      oldestUnreadIndex,
       scrollToIndex,
       scrollToIndexCounter: newScrollToIndexCounter,
       typingContactId,
@@ -560,7 +565,13 @@ export class Timeline extends React.Component<
     }
 
     if (justFinishedInitialLoad) {
-      return isIncomingMessageRequest ? { scrollTop: 0 } : { scrollBottom: 0 };
+      if (isIncomingMessageRequest) {
+        return { scrollTop: 0 };
+      }
+      if (isNumber(oldestUnreadIndex)) {
+        return scrollToUnreadIndicator;
+      }
+      return { scrollBottom: 0 };
     }
 
     if (
@@ -599,7 +610,18 @@ export class Timeline extends React.Component<
 
     const containerEl = this.containerRef.current;
     if (containerEl && snapshot) {
-      if ('scrollToIndex' in snapshot) {
+      if (snapshot === scrollToUnreadIndicator) {
+        const lastSeenIndicatorEl = this.lastSeenIndicatorRef.current;
+        if (lastSeenIndicatorEl) {
+          lastSeenIndicatorEl.scrollIntoView();
+        } else {
+          scrollToBottom(containerEl);
+          assert(
+            false,
+            '<Timeline> expected a last seen indicator but it was not found'
+          );
+        }
+      } else if ('scrollToIndex' in snapshot) {
         this.scrollToItemIndex(snapshot.scrollToIndex);
       } else if ('scrollTop' in snapshot) {
         containerEl.scrollTop = snapshot.scrollTop;
@@ -746,12 +768,12 @@ export class Timeline extends React.Component<
       removeMember,
       renderHeroRow,
       renderItem,
-      renderLastSeenIndicator,
       renderTypingBubble,
       reviewGroupMemberNameCollision,
       reviewMessageRequestNameCollision,
       showContactModal,
       theme,
+      totalUnread,
       typingContactId,
       unblurAvatar,
       unreadCount,
@@ -848,7 +870,12 @@ export class Timeline extends React.Component<
       if (oldestUnreadIndex === itemIndex) {
         unreadIndicatorPlacement = UnreadIndicatorPlacement.JustAbove;
         messageNodes.push(
-          <Fragment key="unread">{renderLastSeenIndicator(id)}</Fragment>
+          <LastSeenIndicator
+            key="last seen indicator"
+            count={totalUnread}
+            i18n={i18n}
+            ref={this.lastSeenIndicatorRef}
+          />
         );
       } else if (oldestUnreadIndex === nextItemIndex) {
         unreadIndicatorPlacement = UnreadIndicatorPlacement.JustBelow;
diff --git a/ts/state/smart/LastSeenIndicator.tsx b/ts/state/smart/LastSeenIndicator.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 6066196a8..000000000
--- a/ts/state/smart/LastSeenIndicator.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2019-2020 Signal Messenger, LLC
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
-
-import { connect } from 'react-redux';
-import { mapDispatchToProps } from '../actions';
-
-import { LastSeenIndicator } from '../../components/conversation/LastSeenIndicator';
-
-import type { StateType } from '../reducer';
-import { getIntl } from '../selectors/user';
-import { getConversationMessagesSelector } from '../selectors/conversations';
-
-type ExternalProps = {
-  id: string;
-};
-
-const mapStateToProps = (state: StateType, props: ExternalProps) => {
-  const { id } = props;
-
-  const conversation = getConversationMessagesSelector(state)(id);
-  if (!conversation) {
-    throw new Error(`Did not find conversation ${id} in state!`);
-  }
-
-  const { totalUnread } = conversation;
-
-  return {
-    count: totalUnread,
-    i18n: getIntl(state),
-  };
-};
-
-const smart = connect(mapStateToProps, mapDispatchToProps);
-
-export const SmartLastSeenIndicator = smart(LastSeenIndicator);
diff --git a/ts/state/smart/Timeline.tsx b/ts/state/smart/Timeline.tsx
index 54458e327..b8b6bf400 100644
--- a/ts/state/smart/Timeline.tsx
+++ b/ts/state/smart/Timeline.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ import {
 
 import { SmartTimelineItem } from './TimelineItem';
 import { SmartTypingBubble } from './TypingBubble';
-import { SmartLastSeenIndicator } from './LastSeenIndicator';
 import { SmartHeroRow } from './HeroRow';
 import { renderAudioAttachment } from './renderAudioAttachment';
 import { renderEmojiPicker } from './renderEmojiPicker';
@@ -139,10 +138,6 @@ function renderItem({
   );
 }
 
-function renderLastSeenIndicator(id: string): JSX.Element {
-  return <SmartLastSeenIndicator id={id} />;
-}
-
 function renderHeroRow(
   id: string,
   unblurAvatar: () => void,
@@ -313,7 +308,6 @@ const mapStateToProps = (state: StateType, props: ExternalProps) => {
     i18n: getIntl(state),
     theme: getTheme(state),
     renderItem,
-    renderLastSeenIndicator,
     renderHeroRow,
     renderTypingBubble,
     ...actions,