diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationDataSource.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationDataSource.java
index 6d8faef479..40cc00f763 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationDataSource.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationDataSource.java
@@ -65,10 +65,6 @@ class ConversationDataSource extends PositionalDataSource<MessageRecord> {
     int                 totalCount     = db.getConversationCount(threadId);
     int                 effectiveCount = params.requestedStartPosition;
 
-    if  (totalCount == 0 || params.requestedStartPosition > totalCount) {
-
-    }
-
     try (MmsSmsDatabase.Reader reader = db.readerFor(db.getConversation(threadId, params.requestedStartPosition, params.requestedLoadSize))) {
       MessageRecord record;
       while ((record = reader.getNext()) != null && effectiveCount < totalCount && !isInvalid()) {
@@ -83,7 +79,7 @@ class ConversationDataSource extends PositionalDataSource<MessageRecord> {
       callback.onResult(result.getItems(), params.requestedStartPosition, result.getTotal());
     }
 
-    Log.d(TAG, "[Initial Load] " + (System.currentTimeMillis() - start) + " ms" + (isInvalid() ? " -- invalidated" : ""));
+    Log.d(TAG, "[Initial Load] " + (System.currentTimeMillis() - start) + " ms | thread: " + threadId + ", start: " + params.requestedStartPosition + ", size: " + params.requestedLoadSize + (isInvalid() ? " -- invalidated" : ""));
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -102,7 +98,7 @@ class ConversationDataSource extends PositionalDataSource<MessageRecord> {
 
     callback.onResult(records);
 
-    Log.d(TAG, "[Update] " + (System.currentTimeMillis() - start) + " ms" + (isInvalid() ? " -- invalidated" : ""));
+    Log.d(TAG, "[Update] " + (System.currentTimeMillis() - start) + " ms | thread: " + threadId + ", start: " + params.startPosition + ", size: " + params.loadSize + (isInvalid() ? " -- invalidated" : ""));
   }
 
   static class Factory extends DataSource.Factory<Integer, MessageRecord> {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationPagedListAdapter.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListAdapter.java
similarity index 74%
rename from app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationPagedListAdapter.java
rename to app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListAdapter.java
index 2ae421bd5f..ce0f5c6a17 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationPagedListAdapter.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListAdapter.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package org.thoughtcrime.securesms.conversationlist;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
+import android.widget.FrameLayout;
 
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
 import androidx.paging.PagedListAdapter;
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.database.model.ThreadRecord;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.mms.GlideRequests;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.recipients.Recipient;
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.CachedInflater;
-import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.Stopwatch;
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.ViewUtil;
 
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
@@ -28,7 +29,11 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, ConversationPagedListAdapter.ConversationViewHolder> {
+class ConversationListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, RecyclerView.ViewHolder> {
+
+  private static final int TYPE_THREAD      = 1;
+  private static final int TYPE_ACTION      = 2;
+  private static final int TYPE_PLACEHOLDER = 3;
 
   private enum Payload {
     TYPING_INDICATOR,
@@ -42,7 +47,7 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
   private final Set<Long>                   typingSet = new HashSet<>();
   private       int                         archived;
 
-  protected ConversationPagedListAdapter(@NonNull GlideRequests glideRequests, @NonNull OnConversationClickListener onConversationClickListener) {
+  protected ConversationListAdapter(@NonNull GlideRequests glideRequests, @NonNull OnConversationClickListener onConversationClickListener) {
     super(new ConversationDiffCallback());
 
     this.glideRequests               = glideRequests;
@@ -50,10 +55,10 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
   }
 
   @Override
-  public @NonNull ConversationViewHolder onCreateViewHolder(@NonNull ViewGroup parent, int viewType) {
-    if (viewType == R.layout.conversation_list_item_action) {
+  public @NonNull RecyclerView.ViewHolder onCreateViewHolder(@NonNull ViewGroup parent, int viewType) {
+    if (viewType == TYPE_ACTION) {
       ConversationViewHolder holder =  new ConversationViewHolder(LayoutInflater.from(parent.getContext())
-                                                                                .inflate(viewType, parent, false));
+                                                                                .inflate(R.layout.conversation_list_item_action, parent, false));
 
       holder.itemView.setOnClickListener(v -> {
         int position = holder.getAdapterPosition();
@@ -64,9 +69,9 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
       });
 
       return holder;
-    } else {
+    } else if (viewType == TYPE_THREAD) {
       ConversationViewHolder holder =  new ConversationViewHolder(CachedInflater.from(parent.getContext())
-                                                                                .inflate(viewType, parent, false));
+                                                                                .inflate(R.layout.conversation_list_item_view, parent, false));
 
       holder.itemView.setOnClickListener(v -> {
         int position = holder.getAdapterPosition();
@@ -86,11 +91,17 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
         return false;
       });
       return holder;
+    } else if (viewType == TYPE_PLACEHOLDER) {
+      View v = new FrameLayout(parent.getContext());
+      v.setLayoutParams(new FrameLayout.LayoutParams(1, ViewUtil.dpToPx(100)));
+      return new PlaceholderViewHolder(v);
+    } else {
+      throw new IllegalStateException("Unknown type! " + viewType);
     }
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void onBindViewHolder(@NonNull ConversationViewHolder holder, int position, @NonNull List<Object> payloads) {
+  public void onBindViewHolder(@NonNull RecyclerView.ViewHolder holder, int position, @NonNull List<Object> payloads) {
     if (payloads.isEmpty()) {
       onBindViewHolder(holder, position);
     } else {
@@ -99,9 +110,9 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
           Payload payload = (Payload) payloadObject;
 
           if (payload == Payload.SELECTION) {
-            holder.getConversationListItem().setBatchMode(batchMode);
+            ((ConversationViewHolder) holder).getConversationListItem().setBatchMode(batchMode);
           } else {
-            holder.getConversationListItem().updateTypingIndicator(typingSet);
+            ((ConversationViewHolder) holder).getConversationListItem().updateTypingIndicator(typingSet);
           }
         }
       }
@@ -109,9 +120,11 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void onBindViewHolder(@NonNull ConversationViewHolder holder, int position) {
-    if (holder.getItemViewType() == R.layout.conversation_list_item_action) {
-      holder.getConversationListItem().bind(new ThreadRecord.Builder(100)
+  public void onBindViewHolder(@NonNull RecyclerView.ViewHolder holder, int position) {
+    if (holder.getItemViewType() == TYPE_ACTION) {
+      ConversationViewHolder casted = (ConversationViewHolder) holder;
+
+      casted.getConversationListItem().bind(new ThreadRecord.Builder(100)
                                                             .setBody("")
                                                             .setDate(100)
                                                             .setRecipient(Recipient.UNKNOWN)
@@ -122,10 +135,11 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
                                             typingSet,
                                             getBatchSelectionIds(),
                                             batchMode);
-    } else {
-      Conversation conversation = Objects.requireNonNull(getItem(position));
+    } else if (holder.getItemViewType() == TYPE_THREAD) {
+      ConversationViewHolder casted       = (ConversationViewHolder) holder;
+      Conversation           conversation = Objects.requireNonNull(getItem(position));
 
-      holder.getConversationListItem().bind(conversation.getThreadRecord(),
+      casted.getConversationListItem().bind(conversation.getThreadRecord(),
                                             glideRequests,
                                             conversation.getLocale(),
                                             typingSet,
@@ -135,8 +149,10 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void onViewRecycled(@NonNull ConversationViewHolder holder) {
-    holder.getConversationListItem().unbind();
+  public void onViewRecycled(@NonNull RecyclerView.ViewHolder holder) {
+    if (holder instanceof ConversationViewHolder) {
+      ((ConversationViewHolder) holder).getConversationListItem().unbind();
+    }
   }
 
   void setTypingThreads(@NonNull Set<Long> typingThreadSet) {
@@ -184,9 +200,11 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
   @Override
   public int getItemViewType(int position) {
     if (archived > 0 && position == getItemCount() - 1) {
-      return R.layout.conversation_list_item_action;
+      return TYPE_ACTION;
+    } else if (getItem(position) == null) {
+      return TYPE_PLACEHOLDER;
     } else {
-      return R.layout.conversation_list_item_view;
+      return TYPE_THREAD;
     }
   }
 
@@ -244,6 +262,12 @@ class ConversationPagedListAdapter extends PagedListAdapter<Conversation, Conver
     }
   }
 
+  private static class PlaceholderViewHolder extends RecyclerView.ViewHolder {
+    PlaceholderViewHolder(@NonNull View itemView) {
+      super(itemView);
+    }
+  }
+
   interface OnConversationClickListener {
     void onConversationClick(Conversation conversation);
     boolean onConversationLongClick(Conversation conversation);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListFragment.java
index 0392e693d3..90e23f0761 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListFragment.java
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ import static android.app.Activity.RESULT_OK;
 
 
 public class ConversationListFragment extends MainFragment implements ActionMode.Callback,
-                                                                      ConversationPagedListAdapter.OnConversationClickListener,
+                                                                      ConversationListAdapter.OnConversationClickListener,
                                                                       ConversationListSearchAdapter.EventListener,
                                                                       MainNavigator.BackHandler,
                                                                       MegaphoneActionController
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ public class ConversationListFragment extends MainFragment implements ActionMode
   private View                              toolbarShadow;
   private ConversationListViewModel         viewModel;
   private RecyclerView.Adapter              activeAdapter;
-  private ConversationPagedListAdapter      defaultAdapter;
+  private ConversationListAdapter           defaultAdapter;
   private ConversationListSearchAdapter     searchAdapter;
   private StickyHeaderDecoration            searchAdapterDecoration;
   private ViewGroup                         megaphoneContainer;
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ public class ConversationListFragment extends MainFragment implements ActionMode
   }
 
   private void initializeListAdapters() {
-    defaultAdapter          = new ConversationPagedListAdapter(GlideApp.with(this), this);
+    defaultAdapter          = new ConversationListAdapter(GlideApp.with(this), this);
     searchAdapter           = new ConversationListSearchAdapter(GlideApp.with(this), this, Locale.getDefault());
     searchAdapterDecoration = new StickyHeaderDecoration(searchAdapter, false, false);
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListViewModel.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListViewModel.java
index 6d758ced74..b4666e23e9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListViewModel.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversationlist/ConversationListViewModel.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class ConversationListViewModel extends ViewModel {
     PagedList.Config                          config  = new PagedList.Config.Builder()
                                                                             .setPageSize(15)
                                                                             .setInitialLoadSizeHint(30)
-                                                                            .setEnablePlaceholders(false)
+                                                                            .setEnablePlaceholders(true)
                                                                             .build();
 
     this.conversationList = new LivePagedListBuilder<>(factory, config).setFetchExecutor(ConversationListDataSource.EXECUTOR)