diff --git a/install/data/defaults.json b/install/data/defaults.json
index 00138af35c..24918285d0 100644
--- a/install/data/defaults.json
+++ b/install/data/defaults.json
@@ -75,10 +75,6 @@
         "field": "profileImageDimension",
         "value": 128
     },
-    {
-        "field": "chatMessagesToDisplay",
-        "value": 50
-    },
     {
         "field": "requireEmailConfirmation",
         "value": 0
diff --git a/public/language/en_GB/modules.json b/public/language/en_GB/modules.json
index 9bf107bec6..12e6d7457f 100644
--- a/public/language/en_GB/modules.json
+++ b/public/language/en_GB/modules.json
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 	"chat.message-history": "Message History",
 	"chat.pop-out": "Pop out chat",
 	"chat.maximize": "Maximize",
+	"chat.yesterday": "Yesterday",
+	"chat.seven_days": "7 Days",
+	"chat.thirty_days": "30 Days",
+	"chat.three_months": "3 Months",
 
 	"composer.user_said_in": "%1 said in %2:",
 	"composer.user_said": "%1 said:",
diff --git a/public/src/forum/chats.js b/public/src/forum/chats.js
index 110afa4473..84bf4fd4cc 100644
--- a/public/src/forum/chats.js
+++ b/public/src/forum/chats.js
@@ -78,8 +78,28 @@ define('forum/chats', ['string', 'sounds', 'forum/infinitescroll'], function(S,
 				loadMoreRecentChats();
 			}
 		});
+
+		$('.expanded-chat [data-since]').on('click', function() {
+			var since = $(this).attr('data-since');
+			$('.expanded-chat [data-since]').removeClass('selected');
+			$(this).addClass('selected');
+			loadChatSince(since);
+			return false;
+		});
 	};
 
+	function loadChatSince(since) {
+		var uid = Chats.getRecipientUid();
+		if (!uid) {
+			return;
+		}
+		socket.emit('modules.chats.get', {touid: uid, since: since}, function(err, messages) {
+			var chatContent = $('.expanded-chat .chat-content');
+			chatContent.find('.chat-message').remove();
+			Chats.parseMessage(messages, onMessagesParsed);
+		});
+	}
+
 	Chats.addGlobalEventListeners = function() {
 		$(window).on('resize', Chats.resizeMainWindow);
 		$(window).on('mousemove keypress click', function() {
@@ -93,6 +113,14 @@ define('forum/chats', ['string', 'sounds', 'forum/infinitescroll'], function(S,
 		});
 	};
 
+	function onMessagesParsed(html) {
+		var newMessage = $(html);
+		newMessage.insertBefore($('.user-typing'));
+		newMessage.find('span.timeago').timeago();
+		newMessage.find('img:not(".chat-user-image")').addClass('img-responsive');
+		Chats.scrollToBottom($('.expanded-chat .chat-content'));
+	}
+
 	Chats.addSocketListeners = function() {
 		socket.on('event:chats.receive', function(data) {
 			var typingNotifEl = $('.user-typing'),
@@ -101,13 +129,7 @@ define('forum/chats', ['string', 'sounds', 'forum/infinitescroll'], function(S,
 			if (Chats.isCurrentChat(data.withUid)) {
 				newMessage = data.self === 0;
 				data.message.self = data.self;
-				Chats.parseMessage(data.message, function(html) {
-					var newMessage = $(html);
-					newMessage.insertBefore(typingNotifEl);
-					newMessage.find('span.timeago').timeago();
-					newMessage.find('img:not(".chat-user-image")').addClass('img-responsive');
-					Chats.scrollToBottom(containerEl);
-				});
+				Chats.parseMessage(data.message, onMessagesParsed);
 			} else {
 				$('.chats-list li[data-uid="' + data.withUid + '"]').addClass('unread');
 				app.alternatingTitle('[[modules:chat.user_has_messaged_you, ' + data.message.fromUser.username + ']]');
diff --git a/public/src/modules/chat.js b/public/src/modules/chat.js
index 24bc182716..f40dda09a2 100644
--- a/public/src/modules/chat.js
+++ b/public/src/modules/chat.js
@@ -193,9 +193,10 @@ define('chat', ['taskbar', 'string', 'sounds', 'forum/chats'], function(taskbar,
 					var totalHeight = chatModal.find('.modal-content').outerHeight() - chatModal.find('.modal-header').outerHeight();
 					var padding = parseInt(chatModal.find('.modal-body').css('padding-top'), 10) + parseInt(chatModal.find('.modal-body').css('padding-bottom'), 10);
 					var contentMargin = parseInt(chatModal.find('#chat-content').css('margin-top'), 10) + parseInt(chatModal.find('#chat-content').css('margin-bottom'), 10);
+					var sinceHeight = chatModal.find('.since-bar').outerHeight(true);
 					var inputGroupHeight = chatModal.find('.input-group').outerHeight();
 
-					chatModal.find('#chat-content').css('height', totalHeight - padding - contentMargin - inputGroupHeight);
+					chatModal.find('#chat-content').css('height', totalHeight - padding - contentMargin - sinceHeight -	inputGroupHeight);
 				});
 
 				chatModal.find('#chat-with-name').html(username);
@@ -220,6 +221,14 @@ define('chat', ['taskbar', 'string', 'sounds', 'forum/chats'], function(taskbar,
 					}
 				});
 
+				chatModal.find('[data-since]').on('click', function() {
+					var since = $(this).attr('data-since');
+					chatModal.find('[data-since]').removeClass('selected');
+					$(this).addClass('selected');
+					loadChatSince(chatModal, since);
+					return false;
+				});
+
 				addSendHandler(chatModal);
 
 				getChatMessages(chatModal, function() {
@@ -279,7 +288,15 @@ define('chat', ['taskbar', 'string', 'sounds', 'forum/chats'], function(taskbar,
 	};
 
 	function getChatMessages(chatModal, callback) {
-		socket.emit('modules.chats.get', {touid: chatModal.attr('touid')}, function(err, messages) {
+		socket.emit('modules.chats.get', {touid: chatModal.attr('touid'), since: 'day'}, function(err, messages) {
+			module.appendChatMessage(chatModal, messages, callback);
+		});
+	}
+
+	function loadChatSince(chatModal, since, callback) {
+		socket.emit('modules.chats.get', {touid: chatModal.attr('touid'), since: since}, function(err, messages) {
+			var chatContent = chatModal.find('#chat-content');
+			chatContent.find('.chat-message').remove();
 			module.appendChatMessage(chatModal, messages, callback);
 		});
 	}
diff --git a/src/controllers/accounts.js b/src/controllers/accounts.js
index 6ce15eb073..a81f7fcd07 100644
--- a/src/controllers/accounts.js
+++ b/src/controllers/accounts.js
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ accountsController.getChats = function(req, res, next) {
 			function(toUid, next) {
 				async.parallel({
 					toUser: async.apply(user.getUserFields, toUid, ['uid', 'username']),
-					messages: async.apply(messaging.getMessages, req.user.uid, toUid, false)
+					messages: async.apply(messaging.getMessages, req.user.uid, toUid, 'day', false)
 				}, next);
 			}
 		], function(err, data) {
diff --git a/src/messaging.js b/src/messaging.js
index 0d9d9ca3fb..e47270d5da 100644
--- a/src/messaging.js
+++ b/src/messaging.js
@@ -88,10 +88,18 @@ var db = require('./database'),
 		});
 	}
 
-	Messaging.getMessages = function(fromuid, touid, isNew, callback) {
+	Messaging.getMessages = function(fromuid, touid, since, isNew, callback) {
 		var uids = sortUids(fromuid, touid);
 
-		db.getSortedSetRevRange('messages:uid:' + uids[0] + ':to:' + uids[1], 0, (meta.config.chatMessagesToDisplay || 50) - 1, function(err, mids) {
+		var terms = {
+			day: 86400000,
+			week: 604800000,
+			month: 2592000000,
+			threemonths: 7776000000
+		};
+		since = terms[since] || terms['day'];
+		var count = parseInt(meta.config.chatMessageInboxSize, 10) || 250;
+		db.getSortedSetRevRangeByScore('messages:uid:' + uids[0] + ':to:' + uids[1], 0, count, Infinity, Date.now() - since, function(err, mids) {
 			if (err) {
 				return callback(err);
 			}
diff --git a/src/socket.io/modules.js b/src/socket.io/modules.js
index 399adae0b9..a96c3ffd4b 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/modules.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/modules.js
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ SocketModules.chats.get = function(socket, data, callback) {
 		return callback(new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]'));
 	}
 
-	Messaging.getMessages(socket.uid, data.touid, false, callback);
+	Messaging.getMessages(socket.uid, data.touid, data.since, false, callback);
 };
 
 SocketModules.chats.send = function(socket, data, callback) {