diff --git a/static/js/hashchange.js b/static/js/hashchange.js
index ec0d421f7e..41956e19ad 100644
--- a/static/js/hashchange.js
+++ b/static/js/hashchange.js
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ function activate_home_tab() {
 }
 
 // Returns true if this function performed a narrow
-function do_hashchange() {
+function do_hashchange(from_reload) {
     // If window.location.hash changed because our app explicitly
     // changed it, then we don't need to do anything.
     // (This function only neds to jump into action if it changed
@@ -119,12 +119,16 @@ function do_hashchange() {
             activate_home_tab();
             return false;
         }
-        narrow.activate(operators, {
+        var narrow_opts = {
             first_unread_from_server: true,
             select_first_unread: true,
             change_hash:    false,  // already set
             trigger: 'hash change'
-        });
+        };
+        if (from_reload !== undefined && page_params.initial_narrow_pointer !== undefined) {
+            narrow_opts.from_reload = true;
+        }
+        narrow.activate(operators, narrow_opts);
         ui.update_floating_recipient_bar();
         return true;
     case "":
@@ -144,9 +148,9 @@ function do_hashchange() {
     return false;
 }
 
-function hashchanged() {
+function hashchanged(from_reload) {
     changing_hash = true;
-    var ret = do_hashchange();
+    var ret = do_hashchange(from_reload);
     changing_hash = false;
     return ret;
 }
@@ -155,7 +159,7 @@ exports.initialize = function () {
     // jQuery doesn't have a hashchange event, so we manually wrap
     // our event handler
     window.onhashchange = blueslip.wrap_function(hashchanged);
-    hashchanged();
+    hashchanged(true);
 };
 
 return exports;
diff --git a/static/js/narrow.js b/static/js/narrow.js
index bdc553bd2f..340d4127c3 100644
--- a/static/js/narrow.js
+++ b/static/js/narrow.js
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ function maybe_report_narrow_time(msg_list) {
 
 exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
     var start_time = new Date();
+    var was_narrowed_already = exports.active();
     // most users aren't going to send a bunch of a out-of-narrow messages
     // and expect to visit a list of narrows, so let's get these out of the way.
     notifications.clear_compose_notifications();
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
         then_select_id: home_msg_list.selected_id(),
         select_first_unread: false,
         first_unread_from_server: false,
+        from_reload: false,
         change_hash: true,
         trigger: 'unknown'
     });
@@ -167,7 +169,6 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
         opts.select_first_unread = false;
     }
 
-    var was_narrowed_already = exports.active();
     var then_select_id = opts.then_select_id;
     var then_select_offset;
 
@@ -198,6 +199,14 @@ exports.activate = function (raw_operators, opts) {
         current_msg_list.pre_narrow_offset = current_msg_list.selected_row().offset().top;
     }
 
+    if (opts.first_unread_from_server && opts.from_reload) {
+        then_select_id = page_params.initial_narrow_pointer;
+        then_select_offset = page_params.initial_narrow_offset;
+        opts.first_unread_from_server = false;
+        opts.select_first_unread = false;
+        home_msg_list.pre_narrow_offset = page_params.initial_offset;
+    }
+
     var msg_list = new MessageList('zfilt', current_filter, {
         collapse_messages: ! current_filter.is_search(),
         muting_enabled: muting_enabled,
diff --git a/static/js/reload.js b/static/js/reload.js
index 8b0357f1ca..03a157dc59 100644
--- a/static/js/reload.js
+++ b/static/js/reload.js
@@ -33,13 +33,26 @@ function preserve_state(send_after_reload) {
         url += "+msg=" + encodeURIComponent(compose.message_content());
     }
 
-    var pointer = current_msg_list.selected_id();
+    var pointer = home_msg_list.selected_id();
     if (pointer !== -1) {
         url += "+pointer=" + pointer;
     }
-    var row = current_msg_list.selected_row();
-    if (row.length > 0) {
-        url += "+offset=" + row.offset().top;
+    var row = home_msg_list.selected_row();
+    if (!narrow.active()) {
+        if (row.length > 0) {
+            url += "+offset=" + row.offset().top;
+        }
+    } else {
+        url += "+offset=" + home_msg_list.pre_narrow_offset;
+
+        var narrow_pointer = narrowed_msg_list.selected_id();
+        if (narrow_pointer !== -1) {
+            url += "+narrow_pointer=" + narrow_pointer;
+        }
+        var narrow_row = narrowed_msg_list.selected_row();
+        if (narrow_row.length > 0) {
+            url += "+narrow_offset=" + narrow_row.offset().top;
+        }
     }
 
     var oldhash = window.location.hash;
@@ -97,6 +110,15 @@ $(function () {
         page_params.initial_offset = offset;
     }
 
+    var narrow_pointer = parseInt(vars.narrow_pointer, 10);
+    if (narrow_pointer) {
+        page_params.initial_narrow_pointer = narrow_pointer;
+    }
+    var narrow_offset = parseInt(vars.narrow_offset, 10);
+    if (narrow_offset) {
+        page_params.initial_narrow_offset = narrow_offset;
+    }
+
     activity.new_user_input = false;
     hashchange.changehash(vars.oldhash);
 });