diff --git a/src/converse-rosterview.js b/src/converse-rosterview.js
index 240b343c8..1c50550b3 100644
--- a/src/converse-rosterview.js
+++ b/src/converse-rosterview.js
@@ -690,7 +690,7 @@
                 openChat: function (ev) {
                     if (ev && ev.preventDefault) { ev.preventDefault(); }
                     this.model.save({'num_unread': 0});
-                    return _converse.chatboxviews.showChat(this.model.attributes);
+                    return _converse.chatboxviews.showChat(this.model.attributes, true);
                 },
 
                 removeContact: function (ev) {
diff --git a/src/converse-singleton.js b/src/converse-singleton.js
index 3180731da..744c2cafb 100644
--- a/src/converse-singleton.js
+++ b/src/converse-singleton.js
@@ -51,19 +51,14 @@
             },
  
             ChatBoxViews: {
-                showChat: function (attrs) {
+                showChat: function (attrs, force) {
                     /* We only have one chat visible at any one
                      * time. So before opening a chat, we make sure all other
                      * chats are hidden.
                      */
                     var _converse = this.__super__._converse;
-                    var chatbox = this.getChatBox(attrs);
-                    if (_.isUndefined(chatbox)) {
-                        // We don't show new chat boxes, but instead open them
-                        // in the background.
-                        attrs.hidden = true;
-                        chatbox = this.getChatBox(attrs, true);
-                    } else if (!attrs.hidden && _converse.connection.authenticated) {
+                    var chatbox = this.getChatBox(attrs, true);
+                    if ((force || !attrs.hidden) && _converse.connection.authenticated) {
                         _.each(_converse.chatboxviews.xget(chatbox.get('id')),
                             function (view) {
                                 if (view.model.get('id') === 'controlbox') {