diff --git a/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewController.m b/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewController.m
index bdbc5e3b8..6c0414ebf 100644
--- a/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewController.m
+++ b/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewController.m
@@ -4461,7 +4461,16 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
         // Snapshot the scroll state by measuring the "distance from top of view to
         // bottom of content"; if the mapping's "window" size grows, it will grow
         // _upward_.
-        CGFloat viewTopToContentBottom = self.safeContentHeight - self.collectionView.contentOffset.y;
+        CGFloat viewTopToContentBottom = 0;
+        OWSAssert([self.collectionView.collectionViewLayout isKindOfClass:[ConversationViewLayout class]]);
+        ConversationViewLayout *conversationViewLayout
+            = (ConversationViewLayout *)self.collectionView.collectionViewLayout;
+        // To avoid laying out the collection view during initial view
+        // presentation, don't trigger layout here (via safeContentHeight)
+        // until layout has been done at least once.
+        if (conversationViewLayout.hasEverHadLayout) {
+            viewTopToContentBottom = self.safeContentHeight - self.collectionView.contentOffset.y;
+        }
 
         NSUInteger oldCellCount = [self.messageMappings numberOfItemsInGroup:self.thread.uniqueId];
 
diff --git a/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewLayout.h b/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewLayout.h
index 538192cf8..822c56ee4 100644
--- a/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewLayout.h
+++ b/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewLayout.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-//  Copyright (c) 2017 Open Whisper Systems. All rights reserved.
+//  Copyright (c) 2018 Open Whisper Systems. All rights reserved.
 //
 
 NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ typedef NS_ENUM(NSInteger, ConversationViewLayoutAlignment) {
 @interface ConversationViewLayout : UICollectionViewLayout
 
 @property (nonatomic, weak) id<ConversationViewLayoutDelegate> delegate;
-
+@property (nonatomic, readonly) BOOL hasLayout;
+@property (nonatomic, readonly) BOOL hasEverHadLayout;
 @property (nonatomic, readonly) int contentWidth;
 
 @end
diff --git a/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewLayout.m b/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewLayout.m
index 22a8eb9db..1835f7e95 100644
--- a/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewLayout.m
+++ b/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewLayout.m
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
 // layout without incurring any of the (great) expense of performing an
 // unnecessary layout pass.
 @property (nonatomic) BOOL hasLayout;
+@property (nonatomic) BOOL hasEverHadLayout;
 
 @property (nonatomic) int contentWidth;
 
@@ -37,6 +38,15 @@ NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
     return self;
 }
 
+- (void)setHasLayout:(BOOL)hasLayout
+{
+    _hasLayout = hasLayout;
+
+    if (hasLayout) {
+        self.hasEverHadLayout = YES;
+    }
+}
+
 - (void)invalidateLayout
 {
     [super invalidateLayout];