diff --git a/background.html b/background.html
index a65bbc589..47c2897bd 100644
--- a/background.html
+++ b/background.html
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
     <script type="text/javascript" src="js/libtextsecure.js"></script>
 
     <script type="text/javascript" src="js/notifications.js"></script>
-    <script type="text/javascript" src="js/read_receipts.js"></script>
     <script type="text/javascript" src="js/read_syncs.js"></script>
 
     <script type="text/javascript" src="js/registration.js"></script>
diff --git a/js/read_receipts.js b/js/read_receipts.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 43e9cb371..000000000
--- a/js/read_receipts.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,108 +0,0 @@
-/* global
-  Whisper,
-  Backbone,
-  _,
-    window
-*/
-
-/* eslint-disable more/no-then */
-
-// eslint-disable-next-line func-names
-(function() {
-  'use strict';
-
-  window.Whisper = window.Whisper || {};
-  Whisper.ReadReceipts = new (Backbone.Collection.extend({
-    forMessage(conversation, message) {
-      if (!message.isOutgoing()) {
-        return [];
-      }
-      let ids = [];
-      if (conversation.isPrivate()) {
-        ids = [conversation.id];
-      } else {
-        ids = conversation.get('members');
-      }
-      const receipts = this.filter(
-        receipt =>
-          receipt.get('timestamp') === message.get('sent_at') &&
-          _.contains(ids, receipt.get('reader'))
-      );
-      if (receipts.length) {
-        window.log.info('Found early read receipts for message');
-        this.remove(receipts);
-      }
-      return receipts;
-    },
-    async getTargetMessage(reader, messages) {
-      if (messages.length === 0) {
-        return null;
-      }
-      const message = messages.find(
-        item => item.isOutgoing() && reader === item.get('conversationId')
-      );
-      if (message) {
-        return message;
-      }
-
-      const groups = await window.Signal.Data.getAllGroupsInvolvingId(reader);
-      const ids = groups.pluck('id');
-      ids.push(reader);
-
-      const target = messages.find(
-        item => item.isOutgoing() && _.contains(ids, item.get('conversationId'))
-      );
-      if (!target) {
-        return null;
-      }
-
-      return target;
-    },
-    async onReceipt(receipt) {
-      try {
-        const messages = await window.Signal.Data.getMessagesBySentAt(receipt.get('timestamp'));
-
-        const message = await this.getTargetMessage(receipt.get('reader'), messages);
-
-        if (!message) {
-          window.log.info(
-            'No message for read receipt',
-            receipt.get('reader'),
-            receipt.get('timestamp')
-          );
-          return;
-        }
-
-        const readBy = message.get('read_by') || [];
-        const expirationStartTimestamp = message.get('expirationStartTimestamp');
-
-        readBy.push(receipt.get('reader'));
-        message.set({
-          read_by: readBy,
-          expirationStartTimestamp: expirationStartTimestamp || Date.now(),
-          sent: true,
-        });
-
-        if (message.isExpiring() && !expirationStartTimestamp) {
-          // This will save the message for us while starting the timer
-          await message.setToExpire();
-        } else {
-          await message.commit();
-        }
-
-        // notify frontend listeners
-        const conversation = window.getConversationController().get(message.get('conversationId'));
-        if (conversation) {
-          conversation.updateLastMessage();
-        }
-
-        this.remove(receipt);
-      } catch (error) {
-        window.log.error(
-          'ReadReceipts.onReceipt error:',
-          error && error.stack ? error.stack : error
-        );
-      }
-    },
-  }))();
-})();
diff --git a/ts/receiver/contentMessage.ts b/ts/receiver/contentMessage.ts
index d23fc9fb1..90a8adb71 100644
--- a/ts/receiver/contentMessage.ts
+++ b/ts/receiver/contentMessage.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import { getAllCachedECKeyPair } from './closedGroups';
 import { handleCallMessage } from './callMessage';
 import { SettingsKey } from '../data/settings-key';
 import { ConversationTypeEnum } from '../models/conversation';
+import { ReadReceipts } from '../util/readReceipts';
 
 export async function handleSwarmContentMessage(envelope: EnvelopePlus, messageHash: string) {
   try {
@@ -439,23 +440,21 @@ export async function innerHandleSwarmContentMessage(
   }
 }
 
-function onReadReceipt(readAt: any, timestamp: any, reader: any) {
-  const { storage, Whisper } = window;
+function onReadReceipt(readAt: number, timestamp: number, source: string) {
+  const { storage } = window;
 
-  window?.log?.info('read receipt', reader, timestamp);
+  window?.log?.info('read receipt', source, timestamp);
 
   if (!storage.get(SettingsKey.settingsReadReceipt)) {
     return;
   }
 
-  const receipt = Whisper.ReadReceipts.add({
-    reader,
+  // Calling this directly so we can wait for completion
+  return ReadReceipts.onReadReceipt({
+    source,
     timestamp,
-    read_at: readAt,
+    readAt,
   });
-
-  // Calling this directly so we can wait for completion
-  return Whisper.ReadReceipts.onReceipt(receipt);
 }
 
 async function handleReceiptMessage(
diff --git a/ts/util/readReceipts.ts b/ts/util/readReceipts.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c0510cb17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ts/util/readReceipts.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import _ from 'lodash';
+import { MessageCollection } from '../models/message';
+
+import * as Data from '../data/data';
+import { getConversationController } from '../session/conversations';
+
+async function getTargetMessage(reader: string, messages: MessageCollection) {
+  if (messages.length === 0) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  const message = messages.find(msg => msg.isOutgoing() && reader === msg.get('conversationId'));
+  if (message) {
+    return message;
+  }
+
+  // we do not support read messages for groups
+  return null;
+}
+
+async function onReadReceipt(receipt: { source: string; timestamp: number; readAt: number }) {
+  try {
+    const messages = await Data.getMessagesBySentAt(receipt.timestamp);
+
+    const message = await getTargetMessage(receipt.source, messages);
+
+    if (!message) {
+      window.log.info('No message for read receipt', receipt.source, receipt.timestamp);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const readBy = message.get('read_by') || [];
+    const expirationStartTimestamp = message.get('expirationStartTimestamp');
+
+    if (!readBy.includes(receipt.source)) {
+      readBy.push(receipt.source);
+    }
+    message.set({
+      read_by: readBy,
+      expirationStartTimestamp: expirationStartTimestamp || Date.now(),
+      sent: true,
+    });
+
+    if (message.isExpiring() && !expirationStartTimestamp) {
+      // This will save the message for us while starting the timer
+      await message.setToExpire();
+    } else {
+      await message.commit();
+    }
+
+    // notify frontend listeners
+    const conversation = getConversationController().get(message.get('conversationId'));
+    if (conversation) {
+      conversation.updateLastMessage();
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    window.log.error('ReadReceipts.onReceipt error:', error && error.stack ? error.stack : error);
+  }
+}
+
+export const ReadReceipts = { onReadReceipt };