diff --git a/src/common/connection_handlers.py b/src/common/connection_handlers.py
index 2a8b3ed31..9707c09b0 100644
--- a/src/common/connection_handlers.py
+++ b/src/common/connection_handlers.py
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ if dbus_support.supported:
 
 from session import ChatControlSession
 
+gajim.default_session_type = ChatControlSession
+
 STATUS_LIST = ['offline', 'connecting', 'online', 'chat', 'away', 'xa', 'dnd',
 	'invisible', 'error']
 # kind of events we can wait for an answer
@@ -1300,8 +1302,9 @@ sent a message to.'''
 		# sessions that we haven't received a thread ID in
 		idless = filter(lambda s: not s.received_thread_id, sessions)
 
-		# filter out everything exceptthe default session type
-		chat_sessions = filter(lambda s: isinstance(s, ChatControlSession), idless)
+		# filter out everything except the default session type
+		p = lambda s: isinstance(s, gajim.default_session_type)
+		chat_sessions = filter(p, idless)
 
 		if chat_sessions:
 			# return the session that we last sent a message in
@@ -1310,10 +1313,25 @@ sent a message to.'''
 		else:
 			return None
 
-	# if deferred is true, the thread ID we're generating is tem
+	def find_controlless_session(self, jid):
+		'''find an active session that doesn't have a control attached'''
+
+		try:
+			sessions = self.sessions[jid].values()
+
+			# filter out everything except the default session type
+			p = lambda s: isinstance(s, gajim.default_session_type)
+			chat_sessions = filter(p, sessions)
+
+			orphaned = filter(lambda s: not s.control, chat_sessions)
+
+			return orphaned[0]
+		except KeyError:
+			return None
+
 	def make_new_session(self, jid, thread_id=None, type='chat', cls=None):
 		if not cls:
-			cls = ChatControlSession
+			cls = gajim.default_session_type
 
 		# determine if this session is a pm session
 		# if not, discard the resource
diff --git a/src/gajim.py b/src/gajim.py
index 7712c434f..86f763bad 100755
--- a/src/gajim.py
+++ b/src/gajim.py
@@ -2898,16 +2898,24 @@ class Interface:
 		if resource:
 			fjid += '/' + resource
 
-		win = self.msg_win_mgr.get_window(fjid, account)
+		ctrl = None
 
-		if win:
-			ctrl = win.get_controls(fjid, account)
+		if session:
+			ctrl = session.control
 		else:
-			ctrl = self.new_chat(contact, account, resource = resource)
 			win = self.msg_win_mgr.get_window(fjid, account)
+
+			if win:
+				ctrl = win.get_controls(fjid, account)[0]
+
+		if not ctrl:
+			ctrl = self.new_chat(contact, account,
+				resource = resource, session = session)
 			# last message is long time ago
 			gajim.last_message_time[account][ctrl.get_full_jid()] = 0
 
+		win = ctrl.parent_win
+
 		win.set_active_tab(ctrl)
 
 		if gajim.connections[account].is_zeroconf and \
diff --git a/src/message_control.py b/src/message_control.py
index c577153ee..b1b3cf86a 100644
--- a/src/message_control.py
+++ b/src/message_control.py
@@ -153,9 +153,14 @@ class MessageControl:
 		# Doesn't return None if error
 		jid = self.contact.jid
 		original_message = message
+		conn = gajim.connections[self.account]
 
 		if not self.session:
-			sess = gajim.connections[self.account].make_new_session(jid)
+			sess = conn.find_controlless_session(jid)
+
+			if not sess:
+				sess = conn.make_new_session(jid)
+
 			self.set_session(sess)
 
 		xep_200 = bool(self.session) and self.session.enable_encryption
@@ -199,9 +204,7 @@ class MessageControl:
 				return
 
 		# Send and update history
-		return gajim.connections[self.account].send_message(jid,
-			message, keyID, type = type, chatstate = chatstate,
-			msg_id = msg_id, composing_xep = composing_xep,
+		return conn.send_message(jid, message, keyID, type = type,
+			chatstate = chatstate, msg_id = msg_id, composing_xep = composing_xep,
 			resource = self.resource, user_nick = user_nick,
-			session = self.session,
-			original_message = original_message)
+			session = self.session, original_message = original_message)