diff --git a/lib/shared/farcaster/farcaster-hooks.js b/lib/shared/farcaster/farcaster-hooks.js
--- a/lib/shared/farcaster/farcaster-hooks.js
+++ b/lib/shared/farcaster/farcaster-hooks.js
@@ -35,6 +35,53 @@
   return results;
 }
 
+function useFetchConversation(): (
+  conversationID: string,
+) => Promise<?FarcasterConversation> {
+  const fetchFarcasterConversation = useFetchFarcasterConversation();
+  const dispatch = useDispatch();
+
+  return React.useCallback(
+    async (conversationID: string): Promise<?FarcasterConversation> => {
+      try {
+        const conversationResult = await fetchFarcasterConversation({
+          conversationId: conversationID,
+        });
+
+        if (!conversationResult) {
+          return null;
+        }
+
+        const farcasterConversation = conversationResult.result.conversation;
+        const thread = createFarcasterRawThreadInfo(farcasterConversation);
+        const update = {
+          type: updateTypes.JOIN_THREAD,
+          id: uuid.v4(),
+          time: thread.creationTime,
+          threadInfo: thread,
+          rawMessageInfos: [],
+          truncationStatus: messageTruncationStatus.UNCHANGED,
+          rawEntryInfos: [],
+        };
+
+        dispatch({
+          type: processFarcasterOpsActionType,
+          payload: {
+            rawMessageInfos: [],
+            updateInfos: [update],
+          },
+        });
+
+        return farcasterConversation;
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error(`Failed fetching conversation ${conversationID}:`, e);
+        return null;
+      }
+    },
+    [fetchFarcasterConversation, dispatch],
+  );
+}
+
 function useFarcasterConversationsSync(): (limit: number) => Promise<void> {
   const [fullInbox, setFullInbox] = React.useState(false);
   const [conversations, setConversations] = React.useState<
@@ -43,11 +90,11 @@
   const [messagesNumberLimit, setMessagesNumberLimit] = React.useState(20);
 
   const fetchFarcasterInbox = useFetchFarcasterInbox();
-  const fetchFarcasterConversation = useFetchFarcasterConversation();
   const fetchFarcasterMessages = useFetchFarcasterMessages();
   const sendFarcasterTextMessage = useSendFarcasterTextMessage();
   const dispatch = useDispatch();
   const utils = useSendDMOperationUtils();
+  const fetchConversationCallback = useFetchConversation();
 
   const fetchInboxes: (cursor: ?string) => Promise<void> = React.useCallback(
     async (cursor: ?string) => {
@@ -90,49 +137,10 @@
     void (async () => {
       const farcasterConversations: Array<FarcasterConversation> = [];
 
-      const fetchConversation = async (
-        conversationId: string,
-      ): Promise<?FarcasterConversation> => {
-        try {
-          const conversationResult = await fetchFarcasterConversation({
-            conversationId,
-          });
-
-          if (!conversationResult) {
-            return null;
-          }
-
-          const farcasterConversation = conversationResult.result.conversation;
-          const thread = createFarcasterRawThreadInfo(farcasterConversation);
-          const update = {
-            type: updateTypes.JOIN_THREAD,
-            id: uuid.v4(),
-            time: thread.creationTime,
-            threadInfo: thread,
-            rawMessageInfos: [],
-            truncationStatus: messageTruncationStatus.UNCHANGED,
-            rawEntryInfos: [],
-          };
-
-          dispatch({
-            type: processFarcasterOpsActionType,
-            payload: {
-              rawMessageInfos: [],
-              updateInfos: [update],
-            },
-          });
-
-          return farcasterConversation;
-        } catch (e) {
-          console.error(`Failed fetching conversation ${conversationId}:`, e);
-          return null;
-        }
-      };
-
       const conversationResults = await processInBatches(
         conversations,
         20,
-        fetchConversation,
+        fetchConversationCallback,
       );
 
       farcasterConversations.push(...conversationResults.filter(Boolean));
@@ -210,7 +218,7 @@
   }, [
     conversations,
     dispatch,
-    fetchFarcasterConversation,
+    fetchConversationCallback,
     fetchFarcasterMessages,
     fullInbox,
     inProgress,
@@ -230,4 +238,4 @@
   );
 }
 
-export { useFarcasterConversationsSync };
+export { useFarcasterConversationsSync, useFetchConversation };
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/protocols/farcaster-thread-protocol.js
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
   ProtocolSendTextMessageInput,
   SendTextMessageUtils,
   ThreadProtocol,
+  OnOpenThreadUtils,
+  ProtocolOnOpenThreadInput,
 } from '../thread-spec.js';
 
 const farcasterThreadProtocol: ThreadProtocol<MemberInfoSansPermissions> = {
@@ -238,6 +240,14 @@
     throw new Error('joinThread method is not yet implemented');
   },
 
+  onOpenThread: (
+    input: ProtocolOnOpenThreadInput,
+    utils: OnOpenThreadUtils,
+  ) => {
+    const conversationID = conversationIDFromFarcasterThreadID(input.threadID);
+    void utils.farcasterFetchConversation(conversationID);
+  },
+
   threadIDMatchesProtocol: (threadID: string): boolean => {
     return farcasterThreadIDRegExp.test(threadID);
   },
diff --git a/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js b/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/threads/thread-spec.js
@@ -291,6 +291,13 @@
   +calendarQuery: () => CalendarQuery,
 };
 
+export type ProtocolOnOpenThreadInput = {
+  +threadID: string,
+};
+export type OnOpenThreadUtils = {
+  +farcasterFetchConversation: (conversationID: string) => Promise<mixed>,
+};
+
 export type ThreadProtocol<
   RawThreadMemberType:
     | MemberInfoSansPermissions
@@ -382,6 +389,10 @@
     input: ProtocolJoinThreadInput,
     utils: JoinThreadUtils,
   ) => Promise<ThreadJoinPayload>,
+  +onOpenThread?: (
+    input: ProtocolOnOpenThreadInput,
+    utils: OnOpenThreadUtils,
+  ) => mixed,
   +threadIDMatchesProtocol: string => boolean,
   +allowsDeletingSidebarSource: boolean,
   +presentationDetails: {
diff --git a/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js b/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
--- a/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import { useUsersSupportThickThreads } from 'lib/hooks/user-identities-hooks.js';
 import { threadInfoSelector } from 'lib/selectors/thread-selectors.js';
 import { userInfoSelectorForPotentialMembers } from 'lib/selectors/user-selectors.js';
+import { useFetchConversation } from 'lib/shared/farcaster/farcaster-hooks.js';
 import {
   usePotentialMemberItems,
   useSearchUsers,
@@ -456,6 +457,20 @@
       colors.panelBackgroundLabel,
     ]);
 
+    const prevActiveThreadID = React.useRef(threadInfo.id);
+    const farcasterFetchConversation = useFetchConversation();
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+      if (prevActiveThreadID !== threadInfo.id) {
+        threadSpecs[threadInfo.type]
+          .protocol()
+          .onOpenThread?.(
+            { threadID: threadInfo.id },
+            { farcasterFetchConversation },
+          );
+        prevActiveThreadID.current = threadInfo.id;
+      }
+    }, [farcasterFetchConversation, threadInfo.id, threadInfo.type]);
+
     return (
       <MessageListContextProvider threadInfo={threadInfo}>
         {pinnedCountBanner}
diff --git a/web/chat/chat-message-list-container.react.js b/web/chat/chat-message-list-container.react.js
--- a/web/chat/chat-message-list-container.react.js
+++ b/web/chat/chat-message-list-container.react.js
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@
 import { useDrop } from 'react-dnd';
 import { NativeTypes } from 'react-dnd-html5-backend';
 
+import { useFetchConversation } from 'lib/shared/farcaster/farcaster-hooks.js';
 import { threadIsPending } from 'lib/shared/thread-utils.js';
+import { threadSpecs } from 'lib/shared/threads/thread-specs.js';
 import { useWatchThread } from 'lib/shared/watch-thread-utils.js';
 import { useDispatch } from 'lib/utils/redux-utils.js';
 
@@ -143,6 +145,20 @@
     );
   }, [inputState, isChatCreation, selectedUserInfos, threadInfo]);
 
+  const prevActiveThreadID = React.useRef(activeChatThreadID);
+  const farcasterFetchConversation = useFetchConversation();
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (prevActiveThreadID !== activeChatThreadID && activeChatThreadID) {
+      threadSpecs[threadInfo.type]
+        .protocol()
+        .onOpenThread?.(
+          { threadID: activeChatThreadID },
+          { farcasterFetchConversation },
+        );
+      prevActiveThreadID.current = activeChatThreadID;
+    }
+  }, [farcasterFetchConversation, activeChatThreadID, threadInfo.type]);
+
   return connectDropTarget(
     <div className={containerStyle} ref={containerRef}>
       {content}