diff --git a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/chat.tsx b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/chat.tsx
index bf4c2f0e3..56fab6c72 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/chat.tsx
+++ b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/chat.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
-import React, { Component, Fragment } from "react";
+import React, { Component } from "react";
 import moment from "moment";
+import { RouteComponentProps } from "react-router-dom";
 
-import { Link, RouteComponentProps } from "react-router-dom";
-
-import { ChatWindow } from './lib/chat-window';
-import { ChatHeader } from './lib/chat-header';
-import { ChatInput } from "./lib/chat-input";
 import { deSig } from "~/logic/lib/util";
 import { ChatHookUpdate } from "~/types/chat-hook-update";
 import { Inbox, Envelope } from "~/types/chat-update";
@@ -15,8 +11,11 @@ import GlobalApi from "~/logic/api/global";
 import { Association } from "~/types/metadata-update";
 import {Group} from "~/types/group-update";
 import { LocalUpdateRemoteContentPolicy } from "~/types";
-import { S3Upload, SubmitDragger } from '~/views/components/s3-upload';
-import { IUnControlledCodeMirror } from "react-codemirror2";
+import { SubmitDragger } from '~/views/components/s3-upload';
+
+import ChatWindow from './lib/ChatWindow';
+import ChatHeader from './lib/ChatHeader';
+import ChatInput from "./lib/ChatInput";
 
 
 type ChatScreenProps = RouteComponentProps<{
diff --git a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-header.js b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatHeader.js
similarity index 96%
rename from pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-header.js
rename to pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatHeader.js
index ab63978f2..5cc2c0ee0 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-header.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatHeader.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { TabBar } from '~/views/components/chat-link-tabbar';
 import { SidebarSwitcher } from '~/views/components/SidebarSwitch';
 import { deSig } from '~/logic/lib/util';
 
-export const ChatHeader = (props) => {
+const ChatHeader = (props) => {
   const isInPopout = props.popout ? 'popout/' : '';
   const group = Array.from(props.group.members);
   let title = props.station.substr(1);
@@ -59,3 +59,5 @@ export const ChatHeader = (props) => {
     </Fragment>
   );
 };
+
+export default ChatHeader;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-input.tsx b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatInput.tsx
similarity index 98%
rename from pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-input.tsx
rename to pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatInput.tsx
index ba7671463..200e02817 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-input.tsx
+++ b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatInput.tsx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ interface ChatInputState {
 }
 
 
-export class ChatInput extends Component<ChatInputProps, ChatInputState> {
+export default class ChatInput extends Component<ChatInputProps, ChatInputState> {
   public s3Uploader: React.RefObject<S3Upload>;
   private chatEditor: React.RefObject<ChatEditor>;
 
diff --git a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-message.tsx b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatMessage.tsx
similarity index 96%
rename from pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-message.tsx
rename to pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatMessage.tsx
index 16b074383..30ab082f9 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-message.tsx
+++ b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatMessage.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { PureComponent } from "react";
+import React, { Component, PureComponent } from "react";
 import moment from "moment";
 import _ from "lodash";
 
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ import RemoteContent from '~/views/components/RemoteContent';
 export const DATESTAMP_FORMAT = '[~]YYYY.M.D';
 
 export const UnreadMarker = React.forwardRef(({ dayBreak, when, style }, ref) => (
-  <div ref={ref} className="green2 flex items-center f9 absolute w-100" style={style}>
+  <div ref={element => {
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      element.style.opacity = '1';
+    }, 250);
+  }} className="green2 flex items-center f9 absolute w-100" style={{...style, opacity: '0'}}>
     <hr className="dn-s ma0 w2 b--green2 bt-0" />
     <p className="mh4">New messages below</p>
     <hr className="ma0 flex-grow-1 b--green2 bt-0" />
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@ interface ChatMessageProps {
   scrollWindow: HTMLDivElement;
 }
 
-export default class ChatMessage extends PureComponent<ChatMessageProps> {
+export default class ChatMessage extends Component<ChatMessageProps> {
   private divRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement>;
 
   constructor(props) {
diff --git a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-window.tsx b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatWindow.tsx
similarity index 74%
rename from pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-window.tsx
rename to pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatWindow.tsx
index a89c10518..4724a94bf 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/chat-window.tsx
+++ b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/ChatWindow.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { LocalUpdateRemoteContentPolicy } from "~/types";
 
 import VirtualScroller from "~/views/components/VirtualScroller";
 
-import ChatMessage, { MessagePlaceholder } from './chat-message';
+import ChatMessage, { MessagePlaceholder } from './ChatMessage';
 import { UnreadNotice } from "./unread-notice";
 import { ResubscribeElement } from "./resubscribe-element";
 import { BacklogElement } from "./backlog-element";
@@ -48,12 +48,9 @@ interface ChatWindowState {
   fetchPending: boolean;
   idle: boolean;
   initialized: boolean;
-  lastMessageNumber: number;
-  messagesToRender: Map<number, Envelope | IMessage>;
 }
 
-export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
-  private unreadReference: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement>;
+export default class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
   private virtualList: VirtualScroller | null;
   
   INITIALIZATION_MAX_TIME = 1500;
@@ -64,9 +61,7 @@ export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
     this.state = {
       fetchPending: false,
       idle: true,
-      initialized: false,
-      lastMessageNumber: 0,
-      messagesToRender: new Map(),
+      initialized: false
     };
     
     this.dismissUnread = this.dismissUnread.bind(this);
@@ -75,17 +70,15 @@ export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
     this.handleWindowBlur = this.handleWindowBlur.bind(this);
     this.handleWindowFocus = this.handleWindowFocus.bind(this);
     this.stayLockedIfActive = this.stayLockedIfActive.bind(this);
-    this.assembleMessages = this.assembleMessages.bind(this);
+    this.firstUnread = this.firstUnread.bind(this);
     
     this.virtualList = null;
-    this.unreadReference = React.createRef();
   }
 
   componentDidMount() {
     window.addEventListener('blur', this.handleWindowBlur);
     window.addEventListener('focus', this.handleWindowFocus);
     this.initialFetch();
-    this.assembleMessages();
     setTimeout(() => {
       this.setState({ initialized: true });
     }, this.INITIALIZATION_MAX_TIME);
@@ -105,14 +98,11 @@ export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
   }
 
   initialIndex() {
-    const { unreadCount } = this.props;
-    const { lastMessageNumber } = this.state;
-    return Math.min(Math.max(lastMessageNumber - 1 < INITIAL_LOAD
+    const { mailboxSize, unreadCount } = this.props;
+    return Math.min(Math.max(mailboxSize - 1 < INITIAL_LOAD
       ? 0
-      : unreadCount // otherwise if there are unread messages
-        ? lastMessageNumber - unreadCount // put the one right before at the top
-        : lastMessageNumber,
-    0), lastMessageNumber);
+      : this.firstUnread(),
+    0), mailboxSize);
   }
 
   initialFetch() {
@@ -153,13 +143,11 @@ export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
     if ((mailboxSize !== prevProps.mailboxSize) || (envelopes.length !== prevProps.envelopes.length)) {
       this.virtualList?.calculateVisibleItems();
       this.stayLockedIfActive();
-      this.assembleMessages();
     }
 
     if (stationPendingMessages.length !== prevProps.stationPendingMessages.length) {
       this.virtualList?.calculateVisibleItems();
       this.virtualList?.scrollToData(mailboxSize);
-      this.assembleMessages();
     }
 
     if (!this.state.fetchPending && prevState.fetchPending) {
@@ -167,31 +155,6 @@ export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
     }
   }
 
-  assembleMessages() {
-    const { envelopes, stationPendingMessages } = this.props;
-    const messages: Map<number, Envelope | IMessage> = new Map();
-    let lastMessageNumber = 0;
-
-    [...envelopes]
-      .sort((a, b) => a.when - b.when)
-      .forEach((message) => {
-        messages.set(message.number, message);
-        if (message.number > lastMessageNumber) {
-          lastMessageNumber = message.number;
-        }
-      });
-
-    if (lastMessageNumber !== this.state.lastMessageNumber) {
-      this.setState({ lastMessageNumber });
-    }
-    
-    stationPendingMessages.sort((a, b) => a.when - b.when).forEach((message, index) => {
-      messages.set(lastMessageNumber + index + 1, message);
-    });
-
-    this.setState({ messagesToRender: messages });
-  }
-
   stayLockedIfActive() {
     if (this.virtualList && !this.state.idle) {
       this.virtualList.resetScroll();
@@ -231,9 +194,15 @@ export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
         this.setState({ fetchPending: false });
       });
   }
+
+  firstUnread() {
+    const { mailboxSize, unreadCount } = this.props;
+    return mailboxSize - unreadCount + 1;
+  }
   
   render() {
     const {
+      envelopes,
       stationPendingMessages,
       unreadCount,
       unreadMsg,
@@ -250,8 +219,26 @@ export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
       hideNicknames,
       remoteContentPolicy,
     } = this.props;
+
+    const messages = new Map();
+    let lastMessage = 0;
     
-    const messages = this.state.messagesToRender;
+    [...envelopes]
+      .sort((a, b) => a.when - b.when)
+      .forEach(message => {
+        messages.set(message.number, message);
+        lastMessage = message.number;
+      });
+
+    stationPendingMessages
+      .sort((a, b) => a.when - b.when)
+      .forEach((message, index) => {
+        index = index + 1; // To 1-index it
+        messages.set(envelopes.length + index, message);
+        lastMessage = envelopes.length + index;
+      });
+
+    const messageProps = { association, group, contacts, hideAvatars, hideNicknames, remoteContentPolicy };
     
     return (
       <>
@@ -279,33 +266,22 @@ export class ChatWindow extends Component<ChatWindowProps, ChatWindowState> {
           data={messages}
           size={mailboxSize + stationPendingMessages.length}
           renderer={({ index, measure, scrollWindow }) => {
-            const msg = messages.get(index);
+            const msg: Envelope | IMessage = messages.get(index);
             if (!msg) return null;
             if (!this.state.initialized) {
               return <MessagePlaceholder key={index} height="64px" index={index} />;
             }
+            const isPending: boolean = 'pending' in msg && Boolean(msg.pending);
+            const isFirstUnread: boolean = Boolean(unreadCount && index === this.firstUnread());
+            const isLastMessage: boolean = Boolean(index === lastMessage)
+            const props = { measure, scrollWindow, isPending, isFirstUnread, msg, ...messageProps };
             return (
               <ChatMessage
-                measure={measure}
-                scrollWindow={scrollWindow}
                 key={index}
-                unreadRef={this.unreadReference}
-                isPending={msg && 'pending' in msg && Boolean(msg.pending)}
-                isFirstUnread={
-                  Boolean(unreadCount
-                  && this.state.lastMessageNumber - unreadCount === index
-                  && !(unreadCount === 1 && msg.author === window.ship))
-                }
-                msg={msg}
                 previousMsg={messages.get(index + 1)}
                 nextMsg={messages.get(index - 1)}
-                association={association}
-                group={group}
-                contacts={contacts}
-                hideAvatars={hideAvatars}
-                hideNicknames={hideNicknames}
-                remoteContentPolicy={remoteContentPolicy}
-                className={index === this.state.lastMessageNumber + stationPendingMessages.length ? 'pb3' : ''}
+                className={isLastMessage ? 'pb3' : ''}
+                {...props}
               />
             );
           }}
diff --git a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/group-item.js b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/group-item.js
index fdc405c4a..79d8a8cb4 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/group-item.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/lib/group-item.js
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ export class GroupItem extends Component {
 
     if (props.index === 'dm') {
       dmLink = <Link
+                key="link"
                 className="absolute right-0 f9 top-0 mr4 green2 bg-gray5 bg-gray1-d b--transparent br1"
                 to="/~chat/new/dm"
                 style={{ padding: '0rem 0.2rem' }}
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ export class GroupItem extends Component {
     }
     return (
       <div className={first + 'relative'}>
-      <p className="f9 ph4 gray3">{title}</p>
+        <p className="f9 ph4 gray3" key="p">{title}</p>
         {dmLink}
         {channelItems}
       </div>
diff --git a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/settings.js b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/settings.js
index a79011ded..4e219350d 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/settings.js
+++ b/pkg/interface/src/views/apps/chat/components/settings.js
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import React, { Component, Fragment } from 'react';
-import { deSig } from '~/logic/lib/util';
 
-import { ChatHeader } from './lib/chat-header';
+import { deSig } from '~/logic/lib/util';
 import { MetadataSettings } from '~/views/components/metadata/settings';
+import { Spinner } from '~/views/components/Spinner';
+
+import ChatHeader from './lib/ChatHeader';
 import { DeleteButton } from './lib/delete-button';
 import { GroupifyButton } from './lib/groupify-button';
-import { Spinner } from '~/views/components/Spinner';
 
 export class SettingsScreen extends Component {
   constructor(props) {
diff --git a/pkg/interface/src/views/components/VirtualScroller.tsx b/pkg/interface/src/views/components/VirtualScroller.tsx
index ca8903e5f..c5b98816c 100644
--- a/pkg/interface/src/views/components/VirtualScroller.tsx
+++ b/pkg/interface/src/views/components/VirtualScroller.tsx
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export default class VirtualScroller extends PureComponent<VirtualScrollerProps,
     this.recalculateTotalHeight = this.recalculateTotalHeight.bind(this);
     this.calculateVisibleItems = this.calculateVisibleItems.bind(this);
     this.estimateIndexFromScrollTop = this.estimateIndexFromScrollTop.bind(this);
+    this.invertedKeyHandler = this.invertedKeyHandler.bind(this);
     this.heightOf = this.heightOf.bind(this);
     this.setScrollTop = this.setScrollTop.bind(this);
     this.scrollToData = this.scrollToData.bind(this);
@@ -195,6 +196,23 @@ export default class VirtualScroller extends PureComponent<VirtualScrollerProps,
       start, end
     };
   }
+
+  invertedKeyHandler(event): void | false {
+    if (event.code === 'ArrowUp' || event.code === 'ArrowDown') {
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopImmediatePropagation();
+      if (event.code === 'ArrowUp') {
+        this.window.scrollBy(0, 30);
+      } else if (event.code === 'ArrowDown') {
+        this.window.scrollBy(0, -30);
+      }
+      return false;
+    }
+  }
+
+  componentWillUnmount() {
+    window.removeEventListener('keydown', this.invertedKeyHandler, true);
+  }
   
   setWindow(element) {
     if (this.window) return;
@@ -205,6 +223,7 @@ export default class VirtualScroller extends PureComponent<VirtualScrollerProps,
         element.scrollBy(0, event.deltaY * -1);
         return false;
       }, { passive: false });
+      window.addEventListener('keydown', this.invertedKeyHandler, { passive: false });
     }
     this.resetScroll();
   }