diff --git a/js/background.js b/js/background.js
index 2e76b29e..c0bd1173 100644
--- a/js/background.js
+++ b/js/background.js
@@ -35,9 +35,6 @@
     // start a background worker for ecc
     textsecure.protocol_wrapper.startWorker();
 
-    // load the initial set of conversations into memory
-    ConversationController.updateInbox();
-
     extension.onLaunched(function() {
         console.log('extension launched');
         storage.onready(function() {
diff --git a/js/conversation_controller.js b/js/conversation_controller.js
index 31988245..71be1ceb 100644
--- a/js/conversation_controller.js
+++ b/js/conversation_controller.js
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
             });
         },
         updateInbox: function() {
-            conversations.fetchActive();
+            return conversations.fetchActive();
         }
     };
 })();
diff --git a/js/index.js b/js/index.js
index 18d7b1ab..95dca20b 100644
--- a/js/index.js
+++ b/js/index.js
@@ -20,21 +20,22 @@
     function render() {
         extension.windows.getBackground(function(bg) {
             extension.windows.getCurrent(function(appWindow) {
-                try {
-                    if (view) { view.remove(); }
-                    var $body = bg.$('body',document).empty();
-                    view = new bg.Whisper.InboxView({appWindow: appWindow});
-                    view.$el.prependTo($body);
-                    window.openConversation = function(conversation) {
-                        if (conversation) {
-                            view.openConversation(null, conversation);
-                        }
-                    };
-                    openConversation(bg.getOpenConversation());
-                } catch (e) {
-                    logError(e);
-                }
-
+                bg.ConversationController.updateInbox().then(function() {
+                    try {
+                        if (view) { view.remove(); }
+                        var $body = bg.$('body',document).empty();
+                        view = new bg.Whisper.InboxView({appWindow: appWindow});
+                        view.$el.prependTo($body);
+                        window.openConversation = function(conversation) {
+                            if (conversation) {
+                                view.openConversation(null, conversation);
+                            }
+                        };
+                        openConversation(bg.getOpenConversation());
+                    } catch (e) {
+                        logError(e);
+                    }
+                });
             });
         });
     }
diff --git a/js/views/inbox_view.js b/js/views/inbox_view.js
index 6fb37932..4883d982 100644
--- a/js/views/inbox_view.js
+++ b/js/views/inbox_view.js
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
             }).render();
 
             this.inboxListView.listenTo(inboxCollection,
-                    'change:active_at',
+                    'add change:active_at',
                     this.inboxListView.onChangeActiveAt);
 
             this.searchView = new Whisper.ConversationSearchView({