diff --git a/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewController.m b/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewController.m
index a568443c1..fb8c89142 100644
--- a/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewController.m
+++ b/Signal/src/ViewControllers/ConversationView/ConversationViewController.m
@@ -4847,9 +4847,11 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
         }
     }];
 
-    // Update the "shouldShowDate" property of the view items.
+    // Update the "break" properties (shouldShowDate and unreadIndicator) of the view items.
     BOOL shouldShowDateOnNextViewItem = YES;
     uint64_t previousViewItemTimestamp = 0;
+    OWSUnreadIndicator *_Nullable unreadIndicator = self.dynamicInteractions.unreadIndicator;
+    BOOL hasPlacedUnreadIndicator = NO;
     for (ConversationViewItem *viewItem in viewItems) {
         BOOL canShowDate = NO;
         switch (viewItem.interaction.interactionType) {
@@ -4884,12 +4886,47 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
         viewItem.shouldShowDate = shouldShowDate;
 
         previousViewItemTimestamp = viewItemTimestamp;
+
+        // When a conversation without unread messages receives an incoming message,
+        // we call ensureDynamicInteractions to ensure that the unread indicator (etc.)
+        // state is updated accordingly.  However this is done in a separate transaction.
+        // We don't want to show the incoming message _without_ an unread indicator and
+        // then immediately re-render it _with_ an unread indicator.
+        //
+        // To avoid this, we use a temporary instance of OWSUnreadIndicator whenever
+        // we find an unread message that _should_ have an unread indicator, but no
+        // unread indicator exists yet on dynamicInteractions.
+        BOOL isItemUnread = ([viewItem.interaction conformsToProtocol:@protocol(OWSReadTracking)]
+            && !((id<OWSReadTracking>)viewItem.interaction).wasRead);
+        if (isItemUnread && !unreadIndicator && !hasPlacedUnreadIndicator) {
+
+            unreadIndicator =
+                [[OWSUnreadIndicator alloc] initUnreadIndicatorWithTimestamp:viewItem.interaction.timestamp
+                                                       hasMoreUnseenMessages:NO
+                                        missingUnseenSafetyNumberChangeCount:0
+                                                     unreadIndicatorPosition:0
+                                             firstUnseenInteractionTimestamp:viewItem.interaction.timestamp];
+        }
+
+        // Place the unread indicator onto the first appropriate view item,
+        // if any.
+        if (unreadIndicator && viewItem.interaction.timestampForSorting >= unreadIndicator.timestamp) {
+            viewItem.unreadIndicator = unreadIndicator;
+            unreadIndicator = nil;
+            hasPlacedUnreadIndicator = YES;
+        } else {
+            viewItem.unreadIndicator = nil;
+        }
+    }
+    if (unreadIndicator) {
+        // This isn't necessarily a bug - all of the interactions after the
+        // unread indicator may have disappeared or been deleted.
+        DDLogWarn(@"%@ Couldn't find an interaction to hang the unread indicator on.", self.logTag);
     }
 
     // Update the properties of the view items.
     //
-    // NOTE: This logic uses shouldShowDate which is set in the previous pass.
-    OWSUnreadIndicator *_Nullable unreadIndicator = self.dynamicInteractions.unreadIndicator;
+    // NOTE: This logic uses the break properties which are set in the previous pass.
     for (NSUInteger i = 0; i < viewItems.count; i++) {
         ConversationViewItem *viewItem = viewItems[i];
         ConversationViewItem *_Nullable previousViewItem = (i > 0 ? viewItems[i - 1] : nil);
@@ -4900,15 +4937,6 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
         BOOL isLastInCluster = YES;
         NSAttributedString *_Nullable senderName = nil;
 
-        // Place the unread indicator onto the first appropriate view item,
-        // if any.
-        if (unreadIndicator && viewItem.interaction.timestampForSorting >= unreadIndicator.timestamp) {
-            viewItem.unreadIndicator = unreadIndicator;
-            unreadIndicator = nil;
-        } else {
-            viewItem.unreadIndicator = nil;
-        }
-
         OWSInteractionType interactionType = viewItem.interaction.interactionType;
         NSString *timestampText = [DateUtil formatTimestampShort:viewItem.interaction.timestamp];
 
@@ -4930,14 +4958,14 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
                 // ...and always show the "disappearing messages" animation.
                 shouldHideFooter
                     = ([timestampText isEqualToString:nextTimestampText] && receiptStatus == nextReceiptStatus
-                        && outgoingMessage.messageState != TSOutgoingMessageStateFailed && !nextViewItem.shouldShowDate
+                        && outgoingMessage.messageState != TSOutgoingMessageStateFailed && !nextViewItem.hasCellHeader
                         && !isDisappearingMessage);
             }
 
             // clustering
             if (previousViewItem == nil) {
                 isFirstInCluster = YES;
-            } else if (viewItem.shouldShowDate) {
+            } else if (viewItem.hasCellHeader) {
                 isFirstInCluster = YES;
             } else {
                 isFirstInCluster = previousViewItem.interaction.interactionType != OWSInteractionType_OutgoingMessage;
@@ -4945,7 +4973,7 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
 
             if (nextViewItem == nil) {
                 isLastInCluster = YES;
-            } else if (nextViewItem.shouldShowDate) {
+            } else if (nextViewItem.hasCellHeader) {
                 isLastInCluster = YES;
             } else {
                 isLastInCluster = nextViewItem.interaction.interactionType != OWSInteractionType_OutgoingMessage;
@@ -4969,7 +4997,7 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
                 // We can skip the "incoming message status" footer in a cluster if the next message
                 // has the same footer and no "date break" separates us.
                 // ...but always show the "disappearing messages" animation.
-                shouldHideFooter = ([timestampText isEqualToString:nextTimestampText] && !nextViewItem.shouldShowDate &&
+                shouldHideFooter = ([timestampText isEqualToString:nextTimestampText] && !nextViewItem.hasCellHeader &&
                     [NSObject isNullableObject:nextIncomingSenderId equalTo:incomingSenderId]
                     && !isDisappearingMessage);
             }
@@ -4977,7 +5005,7 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
             // clustering
             if (previousViewItem == nil) {
                 isFirstInCluster = YES;
-            } else if (viewItem.shouldShowDate) {
+            } else if (viewItem.hasCellHeader) {
                 isFirstInCluster = YES;
             } else if (previousViewItem.interaction.interactionType != OWSInteractionType_IncomingMessage) {
                 isFirstInCluster = YES;
@@ -4990,7 +5018,7 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
                 isLastInCluster = YES;
             } else if (nextViewItem.interaction.interactionType != OWSInteractionType_IncomingMessage) {
                 isLastInCluster = YES;
-            } else if (nextViewItem.shouldShowDate) {
+            } else if (nextViewItem.hasCellHeader) {
                 isLastInCluster = YES;
             } else {
                 TSIncomingMessage *nextIncomingMessage = (TSIncomingMessage *)nextViewItem.interaction;
@@ -5010,7 +5038,7 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
 
                     shouldShowSenderName
                         = (![NSObject isNullableObject:previousIncomingSenderId equalTo:incomingSenderId]
-                            || viewItem.shouldShowDate);
+                            || viewItem.hasCellHeader);
                 }
                 if (shouldShowSenderName) {
                     senderName = [self.contactsManager
@@ -5027,7 +5055,7 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
                 shouldShowSenderAvatar = YES;
                 if (nextViewItem && nextViewItem.interaction.interactionType == interactionType) {
                     shouldShowSenderAvatar = (![NSObject isNullableObject:nextIncomingSenderId equalTo:incomingSenderId]
-                        || nextViewItem.shouldShowDate);
+                        || nextViewItem.hasCellHeader);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -5038,11 +5066,6 @@ typedef enum : NSUInteger {
         viewItem.shouldHideFooter = shouldHideFooter;
         viewItem.senderName = senderName;
     }
-    if (unreadIndicator) {
-        // This isn't necessarily a bug - all of the interactions after the
-        // unread indicator may have disappeared or been deleted.
-        DDLogWarn(@"%@ Couldn't find an interaction to hang the unread indicator on.", self.logTag);
-    }
 
     self.viewItems = viewItems;
     self.viewItemCache = viewItemCache;