diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/fetch_status.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/fetch_status.js
index d8ba08919f..a7a533bac1 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/fetch_status.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/fetch_status.js
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ function has_not_found_newest() {
     assert.equal(fetch_status.has_found_newest(), false);
 }
 
+function can_load_history() {
+    assert.equal(fetch_status.history_limited(), false);
+}
+
+function blocked_history() {
+    assert.equal(fetch_status.history_limited(), true);
+}
+
 run_test('basics', () => {
     reset();
 
@@ -37,16 +45,19 @@ run_test('basics', () => {
 
     blocked_newer();
     blocked_older();
+    can_load_history();
     has_not_found_newest();
 
     fetch_status.finish_initial_narrow({
         found_oldest: true,
         found_newest: true,
+        history_limited: true,
     });
 
     has_found_newest();
     blocked_newer();
     blocked_older();
+    blocked_history();
 
     reset();
 
@@ -54,14 +65,17 @@ run_test('basics', () => {
 
     blocked_newer();
     blocked_older();
+    can_load_history();
 
     fetch_status.finish_initial_narrow({
         found_oldest: false,
         found_newest: false,
+        history_limited: false,
     });
 
     can_load_older();
     can_load_newer();
+    can_load_history();
 
     reset();
 
@@ -71,25 +85,31 @@ run_test('basics', () => {
 
     blocked_older();
     can_load_newer();
+    can_load_history();
 
     fetch_status.finish_older_batch({
         found_oldest: false,
+        history_limited: false,
     });
 
     can_load_older();
     can_load_newer();
+    can_load_history();
 
     fetch_status.start_older_batch();
 
     blocked_older();
     can_load_newer();
+    can_load_history();
 
     fetch_status.finish_older_batch({
         found_oldest: true,
+        history_limited: true,
     });
 
     blocked_older();
     can_load_newer();
+    blocked_history();
 
     reset();
 
diff --git a/static/js/fetch_status.js b/static/js/fetch_status.js
index b15413eecd..79a8fce21a 100644
--- a/static/js/fetch_status.js
+++ b/static/js/fetch_status.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ var FetchStatus = function () {
     var loading_newer = false;
     var found_oldest = false;
     var found_newest = false;
+    var history_limited = false;
 
     self.start_initial_narrow = function () {
         loading_newer = true;
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ var FetchStatus = function () {
         loading_older = false;
         found_oldest = opts.found_oldest;
         found_newest = opts.found_newest;
+        history_limited = opts.history_limited;
     };
 
     self.start_older_batch = function () {
@@ -26,12 +28,17 @@ var FetchStatus = function () {
     self.finish_older_batch = function (opts) {
         loading_older = false;
         found_oldest = opts.found_oldest;
+        history_limited = opts.history_limited;
     };
 
     self.can_load_older_messages = function () {
         return !loading_older && !found_oldest;
     };
 
+    self.history_limited = function () {
+        return history_limited;
+    };
+
     self.start_newer_batch = function () {
         loading_newer = true;
     };
diff --git a/static/js/message_fetch.js b/static/js/message_fetch.js
index 9271f88f08..5b77855e95 100644
--- a/static/js/message_fetch.js
+++ b/static/js/message_fetch.js
@@ -226,10 +226,12 @@ exports.do_backfill = function (opts) {
         cont: function (data) {
             msg_list.fetch_status.finish_older_batch({
                 found_oldest: data.found_oldest,
+                history_limited: data.history_limited,
             });
             if (msg_list === home_msg_list) {
                 message_list.all.fetch_status.finish_older_batch({
                     found_oldest: data.found_oldest,
+                    history_limited: data.history_limited,
                 });
             }
             if (opts.cont) {
@@ -306,9 +308,11 @@ exports.initialize = function () {
             // has an older batch to finish.
             home_msg_list.fetch_status.finish_older_batch({
                 found_oldest: data.found_oldest,
+                history_limited: data.history_limited,
             });
             message_list.all.fetch_status.finish_older_batch({
                 found_oldest: data.found_oldest,
+                history_limited: data.history_limited,
             });
         }