diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/zephyr.js b/zephyr/static/js/zephyr.js
index 20398f421e..5c38dfe9fa 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/zephyr.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/zephyr.js
@@ -5,9 +5,18 @@ var people_hash = {};
 
 var selected_message_class = 'selected_message';
 var viewport = $(window);
-var app_needs_reload = false;
 var reloading_app = false;
 
+var selected_message_id = -1;  /* to be filled in on document.ready */
+var selected_message;  // = get_message_row(selected_message_id)
+var received = {
+    first: -1,
+    last:  -1,
+    failures: 0,
+    server_generation: -1, /* to be filled in on document.ready */
+    reload_pending: false
+};
+
 $(function () {
     var i;
     var send_status = $('#send-status');
@@ -21,13 +30,13 @@ $(function () {
             send_status.hide();
             hide_compose();
             buttons.removeAttr('disabled');
-            if (app_needs_reload) {
+            if (received.reload_pending) {
                 reload_app();
                 return;
             }
         },
         error: function (xhr, error_type) {
-            if (error_type !== 'timeout' && app_needs_reload) {
+            if (error_type !== 'timeout' && received.reload_pending) {
                 // The error might be due to the server changing
                 reload_app_preserving_compose(true);
                 return;
@@ -63,15 +72,6 @@ $(function () {
     });
 });
 
-var selected_message_id = -1;  /* to be filled in on document.ready */
-var selected_message;  // = get_message_row(selected_message_id)
-var received = {
-    first: -1,
-    last:  -1,
-    failures: 0,
-    server_generation: -1 /* to be filled in on document.ready */
-};
-
 $(function () { received.server_generation = server_generation; });
 
 // The "message groups", i.e. blocks of messages collapsed by recipient.
@@ -600,11 +600,8 @@ function get_updates() {
             received.failures = 0;
             $('#connection-error').hide();
 
-            if (data.server_generation > server_generation && !app_needs_reload) {
-                // We need to set server_generation here to avoid
-                // pounding the server with get_updates requests.
-                server_generation = data.server_generation;
-                app_needs_reload = true;
+            if (data.server_generation !== received.server_generation) {
+                received.reload_pending = true;
                 reload_app();
             }
 
diff --git a/zephyr/views.py b/zephyr/views.py
index 2dc6ccef52..48a8615941 100644
--- a/zephyr/views.py
+++ b/zephyr/views.py
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ def return_messages_immediately(request, handler, user_profile, **kwargs):
     last = request.POST.get("last")
     failures = request.POST.get("failures")
     client_server_generation = request.POST.get("server_generation")
+    client_reload_pending = request.POST.get("reload_pending")
     if first is None or last is None:
         # When an API user is first querying the server to subscribe,
         # there's no reason to reply immediately.
@@ -271,7 +272,9 @@ def return_messages_immediately(request, handler, user_profile, **kwargs):
         handler.finish(format_updates_response([], where="bottom", **kwargs))
         return True
 
-    if client_server_generation is not None and int(client_server_generation) != SERVER_GENERATION:
+    if (client_server_generation is not None
+        and int(client_server_generation) != SERVER_GENERATION
+        and not client_reload_pending):
         # No messages, but still return immediately to inform the
         # client that they should reload
         handler.finish(format_updates_response([], where="bottom", **kwargs))