diff --git a/js/glowingbear.js b/js/glowingbear.js
index 0305ee0..1414105 100644
--- a/js/glowingbear.js
+++ b/js/glowingbear.js
@@ -275,13 +275,6 @@ function($rootScope,
                 );
             };
 
-            var _requestNicklist = function() {
-                return ngWebsockets.send(
-                    weeChat.Protocol.formatNicklist({
-                    })
-                );
-            };
-
             var _requestBufferInfos = function() {
                 return ngWebsockets.send(
                     weeChat.Protocol.formatHdata({
@@ -322,10 +315,6 @@ function($rootScope,
                         handlers.handleHotlistInfo(hotlist);
                     });
 
-                    _requestNicklist().then(function(nicklist) {
-                        handlers.handleNicklist(nicklist);
-                    });
-
                     _requestSync();
                     $log.info("Connected to relay");
                     $rootScope.connected = true;
@@ -412,6 +401,22 @@ function($rootScope,
         }));
     };
 
+
+    var requestNicklist = function(bufferId, callback) {
+        bufferId = bufferId || null;
+        ngWebsockets.send(
+            weeChat.Protocol.formatNicklist({
+                buffer: bufferId
+            })
+        ).then(function(nicklist) {
+            handlers.handleNicklist(nicklist);
+            if (callback !== undefined) {
+                callback();
+            }
+        });
+    };
+
+
     var fetchMoreLines = function(numLines) {
         var buffer = models.getActiveBuffer();
         // Calculate number of lines to fetch, at least as many as the parameter
@@ -468,7 +473,8 @@ function($rootScope,
         disconnect: disconnect,
         sendMessage: sendMessage,
         sendCoreCommand: sendCoreCommand,
-        fetchMoreLines: fetchMoreLines
+        fetchMoreLines: fetchMoreLines,
+        requestNicklist: requestNicklist
     };
 }]);
 
@@ -640,15 +646,28 @@ weechat.controller('WeechatCtrl', ['$rootScope', '$scope', '$store', '$timeout',
     };
 
     $rootScope.$on('activeBufferChanged', function() {
-        $rootScope.scrollWithBuffer(true);
-
         var ab = models.getActiveBuffer();
+
         if (ab.requestedLines < $scope.lines) {
             // buffer has not been loaded, but some lines may already be present if they arrived after we connected
             $scope.fetchMoreLines($scope.lines);
         }
         $rootScope.updateTitle(ab);
 
+        // Send a request for the nicklist if it hasn't been loaded yet
+        if (!ab.nicklistRequested()) {
+            connection.requestNicklist(ab.fullName, function() {
+                $scope.showNicklist = $scope.updateShowNicklist();
+                // Scroll after nicklist has been loaded, as it may break long lines
+                $rootScope.scrollWithBuffer(true);
+            });
+        } else {
+            // Check if we should show nicklist or not
+            $scope.showNicklist = $scope.updateShowNicklist();
+        }
+
+        $rootScope.scrollWithBuffer(true);
+
         // If user wants to sync hotlist with weechat
         // we will send a /buffer bufferName command every time
         // the user switches a buffer. This will ensure that notifications
@@ -660,9 +679,6 @@ weechat.controller('WeechatCtrl', ['$rootScope', '$scope', '$store', '$timeout',
         // Clear search term on buffer change
         $scope.search = '';
 
-        // Check if we should show nicklist or not
-        $scope.showNicklist = $scope.updateShowNicklist();
-
         if (!$rootScope.isMobileDevice()) {
             $('#sendMessage').focus();
         }
@@ -974,8 +990,8 @@ weechat.controller('WeechatCtrl', ['$rootScope', '$scope', '$store', '$timeout',
         if ($scope.nonicklist) {
             return false;
         }
-        // Use flat nicklist to check if empty
-        if (ab.flatNicklist().length === 0) {
+        // Check if nicklist is empty
+        if (ab.isNicklistEmpty()) {
             return false;
         }
         return true;
diff --git a/js/models.js b/js/models.js
index 427aa79..67e8345 100644
--- a/js/models.js
+++ b/js/models.js
@@ -147,6 +147,25 @@ models.service('models', ['$rootScope', '$filter', function($rootScope, $filter)
             }
         };
 
+
+        // Check if the nicklist is empty, i.e., no nicks present
+        // This checks for the presence of people, not whether a
+        // request for the nicklist has been made
+        var isNicklistEmpty = function() {
+            for (var obj in nicklist) {
+                if (obj !== 'root') {
+                    return false;
+                }
+            }
+            return true;
+        };
+
+        var nicklistRequested = function() {
+            // If the nicklist has been requested but is empty, it
+            // still has a 'root' property. Check for its existence.
+            return nicklist.hasOwnProperty('root');
+        };
+
         return {
             id: pointer,
             fullName: fullName,
@@ -171,7 +190,9 @@ models.service('models', ['$rootScope', '$filter', function($rootScope, $filter)
             history: history,
             addToHistory: addToHistory,
             getHistoryUp: getHistoryUp,
-            getHistoryDown: getHistoryDown
+            getHistoryDown: getHistoryDown,
+            isNicklistEmpty: isNicklistEmpty,
+            nicklistRequested: nicklistRequested
         };
 
     };