diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c41a78f7a6..0633e8d73f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@
     "nodebb-plugin-spam-be-gone": "0.4.2",
     "nodebb-rewards-essentials": "0.0.5",
     "nodebb-theme-lavender": "2.0.1",
-    "nodebb-theme-persona": "3.0.13",
-    "nodebb-theme-vanilla": "4.0.8",
+    "nodebb-theme-persona": "3.0.14",
+    "nodebb-theme-vanilla": "4.0.9",
     "nodebb-widget-essentials": "2.0.1",
     "npm": "^2.1.4",
     "passport": "^0.3.0",
diff --git a/public/src/client/chats.js b/public/src/client/chats.js
index 201636787b..eee0139f55 100644
--- a/public/src/client/chats.js
+++ b/public/src/client/chats.js
@@ -155,7 +155,33 @@ define('forum/chats', ['components', 'string', 'sounds', 'forum/infinitescroll',
 				data.message.newSet = lastSpeaker !== data.message.fromuid;
 				Chats.parseMessage(data.message, onMessagesParsed);
 			} else {
-				$('.chats-list li[data-uid="' + data.withUid + '"]').addClass('unread');
+				var contactEl = $('.chats-list li[data-uid="' + data.withUid + '"]'),
+					userKey = data.withUid === data.message.fromuid ? 'fromUser' : 'toUser';
+
+				// Spawn a new contact if required
+				if (!contactEl.length) {
+					templates.parse('partials/chat_contact', {
+						uid: data.withUid,
+						username: data.message[userKey].username,
+						status: data.message[userKey].status,
+						picture: data.message[userKey].picture,
+						teaser: {
+							content: data.message.cleanedContent,
+							timestampISO: new Date(Date.now()).toISOString()
+						}
+					}, function(html) {
+						translator.translate(html, function(translatedHTML) {
+							$('.chats-list').prepend(translatedHTML);
+
+							// Mark that contact list entry unread
+							$('.chats-list li[data-uid="' + data.withUid + '"]').addClass('unread').find('.timeago').timeago();
+						});
+					});
+				} else {
+					// Mark that contact list entry unread
+					$('.chats-list li[data-uid="' + data.withUid + '"]').addClass('unread');
+				}
+
 				app.alternatingTitle('[[modules:chat.user_has_messaged_you, ' + data.message.fromUser.username + ']]');
 			}
 		});
diff --git a/src/messaging.js b/src/messaging.js
index 710288afec..81f8b3b818 100644
--- a/src/messaging.js
+++ b/src/messaging.js
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ var db = require('./database'),
 	};
 
 	function getMessages(mids, fromuid, touid, isNew, callback) {
-		user.getMultipleUserFields([fromuid, touid], ['uid', 'username', 'userslug', 'picture'], function(err, userData) {
+		user.getMultipleUserFields([fromuid, touid], ['uid', 'username', 'userslug', 'picture', 'status'], function(err, userData) {
 			if(err) {
 				return callback(err);
 			}
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ var db = require('./database'),
 
 						Messaging.parse(message.content, message.fromuid, fromuid, userData[1], userData[0], isNew, function(result) {
 							message.content = result;
+							message.cleanedContent = S(result).stripTags().decodeHTMLEntities().s;
 							next(null, message);
 						});
 					}, next);