diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/UpdateGroupMembersDialog.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/UpdateGroupMembersDialog.tsx
index 99b88d48b..a152518cf 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/UpdateGroupMembersDialog.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/UpdateGroupMembersDialog.tsx
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export class UpdateGroupMembersDialog extends React.Component<Props, State> {
           return null;
         }
         const lokiProfile = convo.getLokiProfile();
-        const name = lokiProfile ? `${lokiProfile.displayName} (Zombie)` : window.i18n('anonymous');
+        const name = lokiProfile ? lokiProfile.displayName : window.i18n('anonymous');
 
         const existingZombie = this.props.existingZombies.includes(convo.id);
         return {
diff --git a/ts/receiver/closedGroups.ts b/ts/receiver/closedGroups.ts
index 5aae9ac61..312462def 100644
--- a/ts/receiver/closedGroups.ts
+++ b/ts/receiver/closedGroups.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ export async function handleClosedGroupControlMessage(
   const { type } = groupUpdate;
   const { Type } = SignalService.DataMessage.ClosedGroupControlMessage;
   window.log.info(
-    ` handle closed group update from ${envelope.senderIdentity} about group ${envelope.source}`
+    ` handle closed group update from ${envelope.senderIdentity || envelope.source} about group ${
+      envelope.source
+    }`
   );
 
   if (BlockedNumberController.isGroupBlocked(PubKey.cast(envelope.source))) {
@@ -210,12 +212,12 @@ export async function handleNewClosedGroup(
   );
 
   // We only set group admins on group creation
-  const groupDetails = {
+  const groupDetails: ClosedGroup.GroupInfo = {
     id: groupId,
     name: name,
     members: members,
     admins,
-    active: true,
+    activeAt: Date.now(),
     weWereJustAdded: true,
   };
 
@@ -228,12 +230,13 @@ export async function handleNewClosedGroup(
   // Having that timestamp set will allow us to pickup incoming group update which were sent between
   // envelope.timestamp and Date.now(). And we need to listen to those (some might even remove us)
   convo.set('lastJoinedTimestamp', _.toNumber(envelope.timestamp));
+  convo.updateLastMessage();
 
   await convo.commit();
   // sanity checks validate this
   // tslint:disable: no-non-null-assertion
   const ecKeyPair = new ECKeyPair(encryptionKeyPair!.publicKey, encryptionKeyPair!.privateKey);
-  window.log.info(`Received a the encryptionKeyPair for new group ${groupId}`);
+  window.log.info(`Received the encryptionKeyPair for new group ${groupId}`);
 
   await addClosedGroupEncryptionKeyPair(groupId, ecKeyPair.toHexKeyPair());
 
@@ -894,12 +897,12 @@ export async function createClosedGroup(groupName: string, members: Array<string
 
   const admins = [ourNumber.key];
 
-  const groupDetails = {
+  const groupDetails: ClosedGroup.GroupInfo = {
     id: groupPublicKey,
     name: groupName,
     members: listOfMembers,
     admins,
-    active: true,
+    activeAt: Date.now(),
     expireTimer: 0,
   };
 
@@ -931,11 +934,12 @@ export async function createClosedGroup(groupName: string, members: Array<string
       expireTimer: 0,
     };
     const message = new ClosedGroupNewMessage(messageParams);
-    window.log.info(`Creating a new group and an encryptionKeyPair for group ${groupPublicKey}`);
-    // tslint:disable-next-line: no-non-null-assertion
-    await addClosedGroupEncryptionKeyPair(groupPublicKey, encryptionKeyPair.toHexKeyPair());
+
     return getMessageQueue().sendToPubKey(PubKey.cast(m), message);
   });
+  window.log.info(`Creating a new group and an encryptionKeyPair for group ${groupPublicKey}`);
+  // tslint:disable-next-line: no-non-null-assertion
+  await addClosedGroupEncryptionKeyPair(groupPublicKey, encryptionKeyPair.toHexKeyPair());
 
   // Subscribe to this group id
   SwarmPolling.getInstance().addGroupId(new PubKey(groupPublicKey));
diff --git a/ts/session/group/index.ts b/ts/session/group/index.ts
index 44dcb7ed9..5bd38c326 100644
--- a/ts/session/group/index.ts
+++ b/ts/session/group/index.ts
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ import { ClosedGroupRemovedMembersMessage } from '../messages/outgoing/controlMe
 import { updateOpenGroupV1 } from '../../opengroup/opengroupV1/OpenGroup';
 import { updateOpenGroupV2 } from '../../opengroup/opengroupV2/OpenGroupUpdate';
 
-export interface GroupInfo {
+export type GroupInfo = {
   id: string;
   name: string;
   members: Array<string>;
   zombies?: Array<string>;
-  active?: boolean;
+  activeAt?: number;
   expireTimer?: number | null;
   avatar?: any;
   color?: any; // what is this???
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export interface GroupInfo {
   admins?: Array<string>;
   secretKey?: Uint8Array;
   weWereJustAdded?: boolean;
-}
+};
 
 interface UpdatableGroupState {
   name: string;
@@ -113,13 +113,13 @@ export async function initiateGroupUpdate(
 
   // do not give an admins field here. We don't want to be able to update admins and
   // updateOrCreateClosedGroup() will update them if given the choice.
-  const groupDetails = {
+  const groupDetails: GroupInfo = {
     id: groupId,
     name: groupName,
     members,
     // remove from the zombies list the zombies not which are not in the group anymore
     zombies: convo.get('zombies').filter(z => members.includes(z)),
-    active: true,
+    activeAt: Date.now(),
     expireTimer: convo.get('expireTimer'),
     avatar,
   };
@@ -245,15 +245,10 @@ export async function updateOrCreateClosedGroup(details: GroupInfo) {
     is_medium_group: true,
   };
 
-  if (details.active) {
-    const activeAt = conversation.get('active_at');
+  if (details.activeAt) {
+    updates.active_at = details.activeAt;
+    updates.timestamp = updates.active_at;
 
-    // The idea is to make any new group show up in the left pane. If
-    //   activeAt is null, then this group has been purposefully hidden.
-    if (activeAt !== null) {
-      updates.active_at = activeAt || Date.now();
-      updates.timestamp = updates.active_at;
-    }
     updates.left = false;
     updates.lastJoinedTimestamp = weWereJustAdded ? Date.now() : updates.active_at;
   } else {