diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index efae449abe..78cba0c41a 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
         '!js/logging.js',
         '!js/backup.js',
         '!js/modules/**/*.js',
+        '!js/views/conversation_search_view.js',
         '!js/views/debug_log_view.js',
         '!js/signal_protocol_store.js',
         '!js/database.js',
diff --git a/js/conversation_controller.js b/js/conversation_controller.js
index 54719049b3..05c6dc6584 100644
--- a/js/conversation_controller.js
+++ b/js/conversation_controller.js
@@ -95,10 +95,18 @@
         getUnsafe: function(id) {
             return conversations.get(id);
         },
-        createTemporary: function(attributes) {
+        dangerouslyCreateAndAdd: function(attributes) {
             return conversations.add(attributes);
         },
         getOrCreate: function(id, type) {
+            if (typeof id !== 'string') {
+                throw new TypeError('"id" must be a string');
+            }
+
+            if (type !== 'private' && type !== 'group') {
+                throw new TypeError('"type" must be "private" or "group"; got: ' + type);
+            }
+
             if (!this._initialFetchComplete) {
                 throw new Error('ConversationController.get() needs complete initial fetch');
             }
diff --git a/js/views/conversation_search_view.js b/js/views/conversation_search_view.js
index cb34e94a68..7a0cbb1143 100644
--- a/js/views/conversation_search_view.js
+++ b/js/views/conversation_search_view.js
@@ -89,32 +89,27 @@
         this.new_contact_view.undelegateEvents();
         this.new_contact_view.$el.hide();
       }
-      // Creates a view to display a new contact
+      const model = new Whisper.Conversation({ type: 'private' });
       this.new_contact_view = new Whisper.NewContactView({
         el: this.$new_contact,
-        model: ConversationController.createTemporary({
-          type: 'private',
-        }),
+        model,
       }).render();
     },
 
-    createConversation() {
-      if (this.new_contact_view.model.isValid()) {
-        // NOTE: Temporarily allow `then` until we convert the entire file
-        // to `async` / `await`:
-        // eslint-disable-next-line more/no-then
-        ConversationController.getOrCreateAndWait(
-          this.new_contact_view.model.id,
-          'private'
-        ).then((conversation) => {
-          this.trigger('open', conversation);
-          this.initNewContact();
-          this.resetTypeahead();
-        });
-      } else {
+    async createConversation() {
+      const isValidNumber = this.new_contact_view.model.isValid();
+      if (!isValidNumber) {
         this.new_contact_view.$('.number').text(i18n('invalidNumberError'));
         this.$input.focus();
+        return;
       }
+
+      const newConversationId = this.new_contact_view.model.id;
+      const conversation =
+        await ConversationController.getOrCreateAndWait(newConversationId, 'private');
+      this.trigger('open', conversation);
+      this.initNewContact();
+      this.resetTypeahead();
     },
 
     reset() {
diff --git a/test/keychange_listener_test.js b/test/keychange_listener_test.js
index 3e8182fd04..055a8bb7fa 100644
--- a/test/keychange_listener_test.js
+++ b/test/keychange_listener_test.js
@@ -16,9 +16,12 @@ describe('KeyChangeListener', function() {
   });
 
   describe('When we have a conversation with this contact', function() {
-    var convo = new Whisper.Conversation({ id: phoneNumberWithKeyChange, type: 'private'});
+    let convo;
     before(function() {
-      ConversationController.createTemporary(convo);
+      convo = ConversationController.dangerouslyCreateAndAdd({
+        id: phoneNumberWithKeyChange,
+        type: 'private',
+      });
       return convo.save();
     });
 
@@ -41,9 +44,13 @@ describe('KeyChangeListener', function() {
 
 
   describe('When we have a group with this contact', function() {
-    var convo = new Whisper.Conversation({ id: 'groupId', type: 'group', members: [phoneNumberWithKeyChange] });
+    let convo;
     before(function() {
-      ConversationController.createTemporary(convo);
+      convo = ConversationController.dangerouslyCreateAndAdd({
+        id: 'groupId',
+        type: 'group',
+        members: [phoneNumberWithKeyChange],
+      });
       return convo.save();
     });
     after(function() {
diff --git a/test/views/message_view_test.js b/test/views/message_view_test.js
index 8c40ba33fa..25e74e18ee 100644
--- a/test/views/message_view_test.js
+++ b/test/views/message_view_test.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ describe('MessageView', function() {
   var convo, message;
 
   before(function() {
-    convo = ConversationController.createTemporary({id: 'foo'});
+    convo = new Whisper.Conversation({id: 'foo'});
     message = convo.messageCollection.add({
       conversationId: convo.id,
       body: 'hello world',