diff --git a/js/models/messages.js b/js/models/messages.js
index efa967fb3..cb11c3bdc 100644
--- a/js/models/messages.js
+++ b/js/models/messages.js
@@ -120,6 +120,17 @@
                 id: this.get('conversationId')
             });
         },
+        getExpirationTimerUpdateSource: function() {
+            if (this.isExpirationTimerUpdate()) {
+              var conversationId = this.get('expirationTimerUpdate').source;
+              var c = ConversationController.get(conversationId);
+              if (!c) {
+                  c = ConversationController.create({id: conversationId, type: 'private'});
+                  c.fetch();
+              }
+              return c;
+            }
+        },
         getContact: function() {
             var conversationId = this.get('source');
             if (!this.isIncoming()) {
diff --git a/js/views/message_view.js b/js/views/message_view.js
index 6e2691f78..1e078a655 100644
--- a/js/views/message_view.js
+++ b/js/views/message_view.js
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
             return this.model.id;
         },
         initialize: function() {
-            this.conversation = this.model.getContact();
+            this.conversation = this.model.getExpirationTimerUpdateSource();
             this.listenTo(this.conversation, 'change', this.render);
         },
         render_attributes: function() {