diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/activities/ThreadActivity.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/activities/ThreadActivity.kt
index 05d90eb8..1fd37ae1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/activities/ThreadActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/simplemobiletools/smsmessenger/activities/ThreadActivity.kt
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ class ThreadActivity : SimpleActivity() {
         bus!!.register(this)
         handlePermission(PERMISSION_READ_PHONE_STATE) {
             if (it) {
-                setupThread()
+                setupButtons()
+                setupCachedMessages {
+                    setupThread()
+                }
             } else {
                 finish()
             }
@@ -102,11 +105,7 @@ class ThreadActivity : SimpleActivity() {
         val privateCursor = getMyContactsCursor()?.loadInBackground()
         ensureBackgroundThread {
             messages = getMessages(threadId)
-            participants = if (messages.isEmpty()) {
-                getThreadParticipants(threadId, null)
-            } else {
-                messages.first().participants
-            }
+            setupParticipants()
 
             // check if no participant came from a privately stored contact in Simple Contacts
             privateContacts = MyContactsContentProvider.getSimpleContacts(this, privateCursor)
@@ -143,20 +142,9 @@ class ThreadActivity : SimpleActivity() {
             setupAttachmentSizes()
             setupAdapter()
             runOnUiThread {
-                val threadTitle = participants.getThreadTitle()
-                if (threadTitle.isNotEmpty()) {
-                    supportActionBar?.title = participants.getThreadTitle()
-                }
-
-                if (messages.isEmpty()) {
-                    window.setSoftInputMode(WindowManager.LayoutParams.SOFT_INPUT_STATE_ALWAYS_VISIBLE)
-                    thread_type_message.requestFocus()
-                }
-
-                setupSIMSelector()
+                setupThreadTitle()
             }
         }
-        setupButtons()
     }
 
     override fun onDestroy() {
@@ -197,6 +185,25 @@ class ThreadActivity : SimpleActivity() {
         }
     }
 
+    private fun setupCachedMessages(callback: () -> Unit) {
+        ensureBackgroundThread {
+            messages = messagesDB.getThreadMessages(threadId).toMutableList() as ArrayList<Message>
+            setupParticipants()
+            setupAdapter()
+
+            runOnUiThread {
+                if (messages.isEmpty()) {
+                    window.setSoftInputMode(WindowManager.LayoutParams.SOFT_INPUT_STATE_ALWAYS_VISIBLE)
+                    thread_type_message.requestFocus()
+                }
+
+                setupThreadTitle()
+                setupSIMSelector()
+                callback()
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     private fun setupAdapter() {
         threadItems = getThreadItems()
         invalidateOptionsMenu()
@@ -318,6 +325,23 @@ class ThreadActivity : SimpleActivity() {
         }
     }
 
+    private fun setupParticipants() {
+        if (participants.isEmpty()) {
+            participants = if (messages.isEmpty()) {
+                getThreadParticipants(threadId, null)
+            } else {
+                messages.first().participants
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun setupThreadTitle() {
+        val threadTitle = participants.getThreadTitle()
+        if (threadTitle.isNotEmpty()) {
+            supportActionBar?.title = participants.getThreadTitle()
+        }
+    }
+
     @SuppressLint("MissingPermission")
     private fun setupSIMSelector() {
         val availableSIMs = SubscriptionManager.from(this).activeSubscriptionInfoList ?: return