diff --git a/lib/shared/chat-message-item-utils.js b/lib/shared/chat-message-item-utils.js
--- a/lib/shared/chat-message-item-utils.js
+++ b/lib/shared/chat-message-item-utils.js
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@
   return longAbsoluteDate(item.messageInfo.time);
 }
 
+function chatMessageItemHasNonViewerMessage(
+  item: BaseChatMessageItem,
+  viewerID: ?string,
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    item.itemType === 'message' && item.messageInfo.creator.id !== viewerID
+  );
+}
+
 type BaseChatMessageItemForEngagementCheck = {
   +threadCreatedFromMessage: ?ThreadInfo,
   +reactions: ReactionInfo,
@@ -61,5 +70,6 @@
 export {
   chatMessageItemKey,
   chatMessageInfoItemTimestamp,
+  chatMessageItemHasNonViewerMessage,
   chatMessageItemHasEngagement,
 };
diff --git a/native/chat/chat-list.react.js b/native/chat/chat-list.react.js
--- a/native/chat/chat-list.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/chat-list.react.js
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@
 } from 'react-native';
 import { FlatList } from 'react-native-gesture-handler';
 
-import { chatMessageItemKey } from 'lib/shared/chat-message-item-utils.js';
+import {
+  chatMessageItemKey,
+  chatMessageItemHasNonViewerMessage,
+} from 'lib/shared/chat-message-item-utils.js';
 import { localIDPrefix } from 'lib/shared/message-utils.js';
 
 import type { ChatNavigationProp } from './chat.react.js';
@@ -144,6 +147,7 @@
     }
 
     const { scrollPos } = this;
+    const { viewerID } = this.props;
 
     let curDataIndex = 0,
       prevDataIndex = 0,
@@ -166,10 +170,7 @@
 
         if (curItemKey.startsWith(localIDPrefix)) {
           newLocalMessage = true;
-        } else if (
-          curItem.itemType === 'message' &&
-          curItem.messageInfo.creator.id !== this.props.viewerID
-        ) {
+        } else if (chatMessageItemHasNonViewerMessage(curItem, viewerID)) {
           newRemoteMessageCount++;
         }
         adjustScrollPos += chatMessageItemHeight(curItem);