diff --git a/static/js/ui.js b/static/js/ui.js
index 6f963037ad..fdcc6ed493 100644
--- a/static/js/ui.js
+++ b/static/js/ui.js
@@ -1401,10 +1401,12 @@ function scroll_finish() {
     scroll_timer = setTimeout(scroll_finished, 100);
 }
 
-$(window).scroll($.throttle(50, function (e) {
-    process_visible_unread_messages();
-    scroll_finish();
-}));
+exports.register_scroll_handler = function () {
+    $(window).scroll($.throttle(50, function (e) {
+        process_visible_unread_messages();
+        scroll_finish();
+    }));
+};
 
 var presence_descriptions = {
     active: 'is active',
diff --git a/static/js/zulip.js b/static/js/zulip.js
index ffaf5567d6..75073662fb 100644
--- a/static/js/zulip.js
+++ b/static/js/zulip.js
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ var pointer_update_in_flight = false;
 
 var events_stored_during_tutorial = [];
 
+var waiting_on_browser_scroll = true;
+
 function add_person(person) {
     page_params.people_list.push(person);
     people_dict[person.email] = person;
@@ -1051,6 +1053,13 @@ function process_result(messages, opts) {
 }
 
 function get_old_messages_success(data, opts) {
+    if (waiting_on_browser_scroll) {
+        setTimeout(function () {
+            get_old_messages_success(data, opts);
+        }, 25);
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (opts.msg_list.narrowed && opts.msg_list !== current_msg_list) {
         // We unnarrowed before receiving new messages so
         // don't bother processing the newly arrived messages.
@@ -1315,6 +1324,35 @@ function main() {
     }
 }
 
+function install_main_scroll_handler() {
+    waiting_on_browser_scroll = false;
+    // Unregister this special un-throttled scroll handler.
+    $(window).unbind("scroll");
+    // Register the normal throttled scroll handler.
+    ui.register_scroll_handler();
+}
+
 $(function () {
+    // On a page load or reload, the browser will, at an idle time, scroll to
+    // the top of the page. We can't intercept this browser-induced scroll, so
+    // to make sure it doesn't in interfere with our scrolling to the correct
+    // place in your message feed, we let the browser scroll happen first.
+
+    // After some time, if we haven't seen the browser scroll, give up
+    // and call main.
+    var browser_scroll_timer = setTimeout(function () {
+        install_main_scroll_handler();
+    }, 500);
+
+    (window).scroll(function () {
+        if (viewport.scrollTop() < viewport.height()) {
+            // This is the browser-induced scroll to the top of the
+            // page that we were waiting for. It only happens once,
+            // so stop waiting and call main.
+            install_main_scroll_handler();
+            clearTimeout(browser_scroll_timer);
+        }
+    });
+
     main();
 });