diff --git a/app/soapbox/actions/chats.js b/app/soapbox/actions/chats.js
index d9b97ea50..a3e743c87 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/actions/chats.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/actions/chats.js
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ export function startChat(accountId) {
     dispatch({ type: CHAT_FETCH_REQUEST, accountId });
     return api(getState).post(`/api/v1/pleroma/chats/by-account-id/${accountId}`).then(({ data }) => {
       dispatch({ type: CHAT_FETCH_SUCCESS, chat: data });
-      dispatch(openChat(data.id));
+      return data;
     }).catch(error => {
       dispatch({ type: CHAT_FETCH_FAIL, accountId, error });
     });
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/account_timeline/containers/header_container.js b/app/soapbox/features/account_timeline/containers/header_container.js
index 504675a42..6eebe0772 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/account_timeline/containers/header_container.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/account_timeline/containers/header_container.js
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ import { blockDomain, unblockDomain } from '../../../actions/domain_blocks';
 import { defineMessages, injectIntl, FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
 import { List as ImmutableList } from 'immutable';
 import { getSettings } from 'soapbox/actions/settings';
-import { startChat } from 'soapbox/actions/chats';
+import { startChat, openChat } from 'soapbox/actions/chats';
+import { isMobile } from 'soapbox/is_mobile';
 
 const messages = defineMessages({
   unfollowConfirm: { id: 'confirmations.unfollow.confirm', defaultMessage: 'Unfollow' },
@@ -128,14 +129,21 @@ const mapDispatchToProps = (dispatch, { intl }) => ({
     dispatch(unblockDomain(domain));
   },
 
-  onAddToList(account){
+  onAddToList(account) {
     dispatch(openModal('LIST_ADDER', {
       accountId: account.get('id'),
     }));
   },
 
   onChat(account, router) {
-    dispatch(startChat(account.get('id')));
+    // TODO make this faster
+    dispatch(startChat(account.get('id'))).then(chat => {
+      if (isMobile(window.innerWidth)) {
+        router.push(`/chats/${chat.id}`);
+      } else {
+        dispatch(openChat(chat.id));
+      }
+    }).catch(() => {});
   },
 });
 
diff --git a/app/styles/chats.scss b/app/styles/chats.scss
index 89268dfbe..6b4acab23 100644
--- a/app/styles/chats.scss
+++ b/app/styles/chats.scss
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@
       display: flex;
       flex-direction: column;
       overflow: hidden;
+      flex: 1;
     }
   }
 }