diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index c0bd1173..08beed05 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -123,22 +123,26 @@
             name: contactDetails.name,
             id: contactDetails.number,
             avatar: contactDetails.avatar,
-            type: 'private'
+            type: 'private',
+            active_at: Date.now()
         }).save();
     }
 
     function onGroupReceived(ev) {
         var groupDetails = ev.groupDetails;
-        var conversation = ConversationController.create({
+        var attributes = {
             id: groupDetails.id,
             name: groupDetails.name,
             members: groupDetails.members,
             avatar: groupDetails.avatar,
             type: 'group',
-        });
-        if (!groupDetails.active) {
-            conversation.set({left: true});
+        };
+        if (groupDetails.active) {
+            attributes.active_at = Date.now();
+        } else {
+            attributes.left = true;
         }
+        var conversation = ConversationController.create(attributes);
         conversation.save();
     }
 
diff --git a/js/conversation_controller.js b/js/conversation_controller.js
index 71be1ceb..510d9e5c 100644
--- a/js/conversation_controller.js
+++ b/js/conversation_controller.js
@@ -17,8 +17,29 @@
 
             this.listenTo(conversations, 'add change:active_at', this.addActive);
         },
-        comparator: function(model) {
-            return -model.get('timestamp');
+        comparator: function(m1, m2) {
+            var timestamp1 = m1.get('timestamp');
+            var timestamp2 = m2.get('timestamp');
+            if (timestamp1 && timestamp2) {
+                return timestamp2 - timestamp1;
+            }
+            if (timestamp1) {
+                return -1;
+            }
+            if (timestamp2) {
+                return 1;
+            }
+            var title1 = m1.getTitle().toLowerCase();
+            var title2 = m2.getTitle().toLowerCase();
+            if (title1 ===  title2) {
+                return 0;
+            }
+            if (title1 < title2) {
+                return -1;
+            }
+            if (title1 > title2) {
+                return 1;
+            }
         },
         addActive: function(model) {
             if (model.get('active_at')) {
diff --git a/js/database.js b/js/database.js
index 5833b608..29e8a053 100644
--- a/js/database.js
+++ b/js/database.js
@@ -144,6 +144,41 @@
                 conversations.createIndex('unread', ['conversationId', 'unread'], { unique: false });
                 next();
             }
+        },
+        {
+            version: "9.0",
+            migrate: function(transaction, next) {
+                console.log('migration 9.0');
+                window.addEventListener('storage_ready', function() {
+                    console.log('marking contacts and groups active');
+                    var all = new Whisper.ConversationCollection();
+                    var myNumber = textsecure.storage.user.getNumber();
+                    all.fetch().then(function() {
+                        var inactive = all.filter(function(model) {
+                            return !model.get('active_at') && model.id !== myNumber;
+                        });
+                        inactive.sort(function(m1, m2) {
+                            var title1 = m1.getTitle().toLowerCase();
+                            var title2 = m2.getTitle().toLowerCase();
+                            if (title1 ===  title2) {
+                                return 0;
+                            }
+                            if (title1 < title2) {
+                                return -1;
+                            }
+                            if (title1 > title2) {
+                                return 1;
+                            }
+                        });
+                        inactive.forEach(function(model) {
+                            if (model.isPrivate() || !model.get('left')) {
+                                model.save({ active_at: 1 });
+                            }
+                        });
+                    });
+                });
+                next();
+            }
         }
     ];
 }());
diff --git a/js/views/conversation_list_view.js b/js/views/conversation_list_view.js
index 1692cf0c..e594f152 100644
--- a/js/views/conversation_list_view.js
+++ b/js/views/conversation_list_view.js
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
                 if (conversation.get('active_at')) {
                     $el.prependTo(this.el);
                 } else {
-                    $el.remove();
+                    var index = getInboxCollection().indexOf(conversation);
+                    $el.insertBefore(this.$('.conversation-list-item')[index+1]);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/js/views/inbox_view.js b/js/views/inbox_view.js
index 4883d982..b4e81b10 100644
--- a/js/views/inbox_view.js
+++ b/js/views/inbox_view.js
@@ -95,16 +95,6 @@
             this.listenTo(this.searchView, 'open',
                 this.openConversation.bind(this, null));
 
-            if (inboxCollection.length === 0) {
-                this.searchView.showAllContacts = true;
-                this.searchView.reset();
-                this.listenToOnce(inboxCollection, 'add', function(model) {
-                    this.searchView.showAllContacts = false;
-                    this.searchView.reset();
-                    model.trigger('opened');
-                }.bind(this));
-            }
-
             new SocketView().render().$el.appendTo(this.$('.socket-status'));
 
             extension.windows.onClosed(function() {