diff --git a/web/chat/chat-message-list.react.js b/web/chat/chat-message-list.react.js
--- a/web/chat/chat-message-list.react.js
+++ b/web/chat/chat-message-list.react.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
   fetchMessagesBeforeCursorActionTypes,
   fetchMessagesBeforeCursor,
   fetchMostRecentMessagesActionTypes,
+  fetchMostRecentMessages,
 } from 'lib/actions/message-actions';
 import { registerFetchKey } from 'lib/reducers/loading-reducer';
 import {
@@ -66,6 +67,9 @@
     threadID: string,
     beforeMessageID: string,
   ) => Promise<FetchMessageInfosPayload>,
+  +fetchMostRecentMessages: (
+    threadID: string,
+  ) => Promise<FetchMessageInfosPayload>,
   // withInputState
   +inputState: ?InputState,
 };
@@ -346,6 +350,7 @@
     if (!this.messageContainer) {
       return;
     }
+
     const { scrollTop, scrollHeight, clientHeight } = this.messageContainer;
     if (
       this.props.startReached ||
@@ -353,19 +358,23 @@
     ) {
       return;
     }
-    const oldestMessageServerID = this.oldestMessageServerID();
-    if (!oldestMessageServerID) {
-      return;
-    }
+
     if (this.loadingFromScroll) {
       return;
     }
     this.loadingFromScroll = true;
+
     const threadID = this.props.activeChatThreadID;
     invariant(threadID, 'should be set');
+
+    const oldestMessageServerID = this.oldestMessageServerID();
+    const promise = oldestMessageServerID
+      ? this.props.fetchMessagesBeforeCursor(threadID, oldestMessageServerID)
+      : this.props.fetchMostRecentMessages(threadID);
+
     this.props.dispatchActionPromise(
       fetchMessagesBeforeCursorActionTypes,
-      this.props.fetchMessagesBeforeCursor(threadID, oldestMessageServerID),
+      promise,
     );
   }
 
@@ -447,6 +456,7 @@
     const callFetchMessagesBeforeCursor = useServerCall(
       fetchMessagesBeforeCursor,
     );
+    const callFetchMostRecentMessages = useServerCall(fetchMostRecentMessages);
 
     const inputState = React.useContext(InputStateContext);
     const [dndProps, connectDropTarget] = useDrop({
@@ -485,6 +495,7 @@
           inputState={inputState}
           dispatchActionPromise={dispatchActionPromise}
           fetchMessagesBeforeCursor={callFetchMessagesBeforeCursor}
+          fetchMostRecentMessages={callFetchMostRecentMessages}
           {...dndProps}
           connectDropTarget={connectDropTarget}
         />