diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/dependencies/SignalCommunicationModule.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/dependencies/SignalCommunicationModule.java
index a4faa115e97..37c5b1a7bdb 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/dependencies/SignalCommunicationModule.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/dependencies/SignalCommunicationModule.java
@@ -115,10 +115,8 @@ synchronized SignalServiceMessageSender provideSignalMessageSender() {
                                                           new DynamicCredentialsProvider(context),
                                                           new SignalProtocolStoreImpl(context),
                                                           BuildConfig.USER_AGENT,
-                                                          Optional.fromNullable(MessageRetrievalService.getPipe()),
+                                                          MessageRetrievalService.getPipeReference(),
                                                           Optional.of(new SecurityEventListener(context)));
-    } else {
-      this.messageSender.setMessagePipe(MessageRetrievalService.getPipe());
     }
 
     return this.messageSender;
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/service/MessageRetrievalService.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/service/MessageRetrievalService.java
index 27429e10a81..242328e38c2 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/service/MessageRetrievalService.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/service/MessageRetrievalService.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ public class MessageRetrievalService extends Service implements InjectableType,
   private MessageRetrievalThread retrievalThread  = null;
 
   public static SignalServiceMessagePipe pipe = null;
+  public static AtomicReference<SignalServiceMessagePipe> pipeReference = new AtomicReference<>();
 
   @Override
   public void onCreate() {
@@ -283,6 +285,10 @@ public static void registerActivityStopped(Context activity) {
     return pipe;
   }
 
+  public static AtomicReference<SignalServiceMessagePipe> getPipeReference() {
+    return pipeReference;
+  }
+
   private class MessageRetrievalThread extends Thread implements Thread.UncaughtExceptionHandler {
 
     private AtomicBoolean stopThread = new AtomicBoolean(false);
@@ -299,9 +305,10 @@ public void run() {
         waitForConnectionNecessary();
 
         Log.i(TAG, "Making websocket connection....");
-        pipe = receiver.createMessagePipe();
+        final SignalServiceMessagePipe localPipe = receiver.createMessagePipe();
 
-        SignalServiceMessagePipe localPipe = pipe;
+        pipe = localPipe;
+        pipeReference.set(localPipe);
 
         try {
           while (isConnectionNecessary() && !stopThread.get() && !interrupted()) {