diff --git a/libdino/src/service/message_storage.vala b/libdino/src/service/message_storage.vala
index f4691971..27d9504d 100644
--- a/libdino/src/service/message_storage.vala
+++ b/libdino/src/service/message_storage.vala
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ public class MessageStorage : StreamInteractionModule, Object {
         Gee.List<Message> ret = new ArrayList<Message>(Message.equals_func);
         BidirIterator<Message> iter = messages[conversation].bidir_iterator();
         iter.last();
-        while (iter.valid && ret.size < count) {
-            iter.previous();
-            ret.insert(0, iter.get());
+        if (messages[conversation].size > 0) {
+            do {
+                ret.insert(0, iter.get());
+                iter.previous();
+            } while (iter.has_previous() && ret.size < count);
         }
         return ret;
     }
@@ -49,9 +51,23 @@ public class MessageStorage : StreamInteractionModule, Object {
         return null;
     }
 
-    public Gee.List<Message>? get_messages_before(Conversation? conversation, DateTime before, int count = 20) {
-        Gee.List<Message> db_messages = db.get_messages(conversation.counterpart, conversation.account, Util.get_message_type_for_conversation(conversation), count, before);
-        return db_messages;
+    public Gee.List<Message>? get_messages_before_message(Conversation? conversation, Message message, int count = 20) {
+        SortedSet<Message>? before = messages[conversation].head_set(message);
+        if (before != null && before.size >= count) {
+            Gee.List<Message> ret = new ArrayList<Message>(Message.equals_func);
+            Iterator<Message> iter = before.iterator();
+            iter.next();
+            for (int from_index = before.size - count; iter.has_next() && from_index > 0; from_index--) iter.next();
+            while(iter.has_next()) {
+                Message m = iter.get();
+                ret.add(m);
+                iter.next();
+            }
+            return ret;
+        } else {
+            Gee.List<Message> db_messages = db.get_messages(conversation.counterpart, conversation.account, Util.get_message_type_for_conversation(conversation), count, message.local_time);
+            return db_messages;
+        }
     }
 
     public Message? get_message_by_id(string stanza_id, Conversation conversation) {
diff --git a/main/src/ui/conversation_summary/conversation_view.vala b/main/src/ui/conversation_summary/conversation_view.vala
index 37412335..7924da57 100644
--- a/main/src/ui/conversation_summary/conversation_view.vala
+++ b/main/src/ui/conversation_summary/conversation_view.vala
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ public class ConversationView : Box, Plugins.ConversationItemCollection {
             populator.init(conversation, this, Plugins.WidgetType.GTK);
         }
         message_item_populator.init(conversation, this);
-        message_item_populator.populate_number(conversation, new DateTime.now_utc(), 50);
+        message_item_populator.populate_latest(conversation, 40);
+        Idle.add(() => { on_value_notify(); return false; });
 
         stack.set_visible_child_name("main");
     }
@@ -217,7 +218,7 @@ public class ConversationView : Box, Plugins.ConversationItemCollection {
     private void load_earlier_messages() {
         was_value = scrolled.vadjustment.value;
         if (!reloading_mutex.trylock()) return;
-        if (meta_items.size > 0) message_item_populator.populate_number(conversation, meta_items.first().sort_time, 20);
+        if (meta_items.size > 0) message_item_populator.populate_before(conversation, meta_items.first(), 20);
     }
 
     private static int sort_meta_items(Plugins.MetaConversationItem a, Plugins.MetaConversationItem b) {
diff --git a/main/src/ui/conversation_summary/message_populator.vala b/main/src/ui/conversation_summary/message_populator.vala
index df44a14b..b342306b 100644
--- a/main/src/ui/conversation_summary/message_populator.vala
+++ b/main/src/ui/conversation_summary/message_populator.vala
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ public class MessagePopulator : Object {
     private StreamInteractor? stream_interactor;
     private Conversation? current_conversation;
     private Plugins.ConversationItemCollection? item_collection;
+    private HashMap<Plugins.MetaConversationItem, Message> meta_message = new HashMap<Plugins.MetaConversationItem, Message>();
 
     public MessagePopulator(StreamInteractor stream_interactor) {
         this.stream_interactor = stream_interactor;
@@ -30,8 +31,17 @@ public class MessagePopulator : Object {
 
     public void close(Conversation conversation) { }
 
-    public void populate_number(Conversation conversation, DateTime from, int n) {
-        Gee.List<Entities.Message>? messages = stream_interactor.get_module(MessageStorage.IDENTITY).get_messages_before(conversation, from, n);
+    public void populate_latest(Conversation conversation, int n) {
+        Gee.List<Entities.Message>? messages = stream_interactor.get_module(MessageStorage.IDENTITY).get_messages(conversation, n);
+        if (messages != null) {
+            foreach (Entities.Message message in messages) {
+                handle_message(message, conversation);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void populate_before(Conversation conversation, Plugins.MetaConversationItem item, int n) {
+        Gee.List<Entities.Message>? messages = stream_interactor.get_module(MessageStorage.IDENTITY).get_messages_before_message(conversation, meta_message[item], n);
         if (messages != null) {
             foreach (Entities.Message message in messages) {
                 handle_message(message, conversation);
@@ -53,6 +63,7 @@ public class MessagePopulator : Object {
         }
         Plugins.MetaConversationItem? meta_item = best_provider.get_item(message, conversation);
         if (meta_item == null) return;
+        meta_message[meta_item] = message;
 
         meta_item.mark = message.marked;
         WeakRef weak_meta_item = WeakRef(meta_item);