diff --git a/message/classes/output/messagearea/contact.php b/message/classes/output/messagearea/contact.php
index 8b2cefb59f7..bba8f359526 100644
--- a/message/classes/output/messagearea/contact.php
+++ b/message/classes/output/messagearea/contact.php
@@ -55,6 +55,13 @@ class contact implements templatable, renderable {
         $this->contact = $contact;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get the user id for this contact.
+     */
+    public function get_contact() {
+        return $this->contact;
+    }
+
     public function export_for_template(\renderer_base $output) {
         $contact = new \stdClass();
         $contact->userid = $this->contact->userid;
diff --git a/message/classes/output/messagearea/contacts.php b/message/classes/output/messagearea/contacts.php
index f01df4ae0e7..f02de024fbd 100644
--- a/message/classes/output/messagearea/contacts.php
+++ b/message/classes/output/messagearea/contacts.php
@@ -64,6 +64,22 @@ class contacts implements templatable, renderable {
         $this->contacts = $contacts;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Get the list of contacts.
+     */
+    public function get_contacts() {
+        return $this->contacts;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set the other user id.
+     *
+     * @param {int} $otheruserid The id of the other user
+     */
+    public function set_otheruserid($otheruserid) {
+        $this->otheruserid = $otheruserid;
+    }
+
     public function export_for_template(\renderer_base $output) {
         $data = new \stdClass();
         $data->userid = $this->userid;
diff --git a/message/index.php b/message/index.php
index 01387dce431..57e853a4c87 100644
--- a/message/index.php
+++ b/message/index.php
@@ -245,7 +245,17 @@ $settings->make_active();
 $renderer = $PAGE->get_renderer('core_message');
 if (!$user2realuser) {
     $conversations = \core_message\api::get_conversations($user1->id, 0, 0, 20);
-    $messages = null;
+    $contacts = $conversations->get_contacts();
+
+    if (!empty($contacts)) {
+        // If there are conversations then render the most recent one by default.
+        $contact = reset($contacts);
+        $otheruserid = $contact->get_contact()->userid;
+        $conversations->set_otheruserid($otheruserid);
+        $messages = \core_message\api::get_messages($user1->id, $otheruserid);
+    } else {
+        $messages = null;
+    }
 } else {
     $conversations = \core_message\api::get_conversations($user1->id, $user2->id, 0, 20);
     $messages = \core_message\api::get_messages($user1->id, $user2->id);