diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index 78faacb8d..142492d3d 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -211,7 +211,8 @@
                         active_at: Date.now(),
                         unreadCount: conversation.get('unreadCount') + 1
                     });
-                    notifyConversation(message);
+                    conversation.trigger('newmessage', message);
+                    conversation.notify(message);
                 });
             });
             return;
@@ -223,13 +224,6 @@
     // lazy hack
     window.receipts = new Backbone.Collection();
 
-    function updateConversation(conversationId) {
-        var conversation = ConversationController.get(conversationId);
-        if (conversation) {
-            conversation.trigger('newmessages');
-        }
-    }
-
     function onDeliveryReceipt(ev) {
         var pushMessage = ev.proto;
         var timestamp = pushMessage.timestamp.toNumber();
@@ -238,20 +232,24 @@
         console.log('delivery receipt', pushMessage.source, timestamp);
         messages.fetchSentAt(timestamp).then(function() {
             groups.fetchGroups(pushMessage.source).then(function() {
-                for (var i in messages.where({type: 'outgoing'})) {
-                    var message = messages.at(i);
+                var found = false;
+                messages.where({type: 'outgoing'}).forEach(function(message) {
                     var deliveries     = message.get('delivered') || 0;
                     var conversationId = message.get('conversationId');
                     if (conversationId === pushMessage.source || groups.get(conversationId)) {
-                        message.save({delivered: deliveries + 1, sent: true}).then(
+                        message.save({delivered: deliveries + 1}).then(function() {
                             // notify frontend listeners
-                            updateConversation.bind(null, conversationId)
-                        );
-                        return;
+                            var conversation = ConversationController.get(conversationId);
+                            if (conversation) {
+                                conversation.trigger('newmessage', message);
+                            }
+                        });
+                        found = true;
                         // TODO: consider keeping a list of numbers we've
                         // successfully delivered to?
                     }
-                }
+                });
+                if (found) { return; }
                 // if we get here, we didn't find a matching message.
                 // keep the receipt in memory in case it shows up later
                 // as a sync message.
diff --git a/js/models/conversations.js b/js/models/conversations.js
index 2a9efb136..ad5f233d2 100644
--- a/js/models/conversations.js
+++ b/js/models/conversations.js
@@ -314,6 +314,31 @@
             }.bind(this));
         }.bind(this));
     },
+    notify: function(message) {
+        if (!message.isIncoming()) {
+            this.markRead();
+            return;
+        }
+        if (window.isOpen() && window.isFocused()) {
+            return;
+        }
+        window.drawAttention();
+        var sender = ConversationController.create({
+            id: message.get('source'), type: 'private'
+        });
+        var conversationId = this.id;
+        sender.fetch().then(function() {
+            sender.getNotificationIcon().then(function(iconUrl) {
+                Whisper.Notifications.add({
+                    title          : sender.getTitle(),
+                    message        : message.getNotificationText(),
+                    iconUrl        : iconUrl,
+                    imageUrl       : message.getImageUrl(),
+                    conversationId : conversationId
+                });
+            });
+        });
+    },
     hashCode: function() {
         if (this.hash === undefined) {
             var string = this.getTitle() || '';
diff --git a/js/models/messages.js b/js/models/messages.js
index d88635e77..871e0088b 100644
--- a/js/models/messages.js
+++ b/js/models/messages.js
@@ -319,11 +319,8 @@
 
                 conversation.save().then(function() {
                     message.save().then(function() {
-                        if (message.isIncoming()) {
-                            notifyConversation(message);
-                        } else {
-                            conversation.trigger('newmessages');
-                        }
+                        conversation.trigger('newmessage', message);
+                        conversation.notify(message);
                     });
                 });
             });
diff --git a/js/panel_controller.js b/js/panel_controller.js
index 4c6a15951..6c4e925a6 100644
--- a/js/panel_controller.js
+++ b/js/panel_controller.js
@@ -17,41 +17,16 @@
         }
     };
 
-    window.notifyConversation = function(message) {
-        var conversationId = message.get('conversationId');
-        var conversation = ConversationController.get(conversationId);
-        if (!conversation) {
-            conversation = ConversationController.create({id: conversationId});
-            conversation.fetch();
-        }
-
-        if (inboxOpened) {
-            conversation.trigger('newmessages');
-            if (inboxFocused) {
-                return;
-            }
-            if (inboxOpened) {
-                extension.windows.drawAttention(inboxWindowId);
-            }
-        }
+    window.isFocused = function() {
+        return inboxFocused;
+    };
+    window.isOpen = function() {
+        return inboxOpened;
+    };
 
-        if (Whisper.Notifications.isEnabled()) {
-            var sender = ConversationController.create({id: message.get('source')});
-            conversation.fetch().then(function() {
-                sender.fetch().then(function() {
-                    sender.getNotificationIcon().then(function(iconUrl) {
-                        Whisper.Notifications.add({
-                            title    : sender.getTitle(),
-                            message  : message.getNotificationText(),
-                            iconUrl  : iconUrl,
-                            imageUrl : message.getImageUrl(),
-                            conversationId: conversation.id
-                        });
-                    });
-                });
-            });
-        } else {
-            openConversation(conversation);
+    window.drawAttention = function() {
+        if (inboxOpened && !inboxFocused) {
+            extension.windows.drawAttention(inboxWindowId);
         }
     };
 
diff --git a/js/views/conversation_view.js b/js/views/conversation_view.js
index 7c6b59db3..b1eb29a50 100644
--- a/js/views/conversation_view.js
+++ b/js/views/conversation_view.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
         initialize: function(options) {
             this.listenTo(this.model, 'destroy', this.stopListening);
             this.listenTo(this.model, 'change:name', this.updateTitle);
-            this.listenTo(this.model, 'newmessages', this.fetchMessages);
+            this.listenTo(this.model, 'newmessage', this.addMessage);
             this.listenTo(this.model, 'change:unreadCount', this.onUnread);
             this.listenTo(this.model, 'opened', this.focusMessageField);
 
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@
         focusMessageField: function() {
             this.$messageField.focus();
         },
-        fetchMessages: function() {
-            this.model.fetchMessages();
+
+        addMessage: function(message) {
+            this.model.messageCollection.add(message, {merge: true});
         },
 
         viewMembers: function() {