diff --git a/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/websocket/WebSocketConnection.java b/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/websocket/WebSocketConnection.java
index d78fdcdba..a715def60 100644
--- a/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/websocket/WebSocketConnection.java
+++ b/service/src/main/java/org/whispersystems/textsecuregcm/websocket/WebSocketConnection.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.Semaphore;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
 import static com.codahale.metrics.MetricRegistry.name;
 import static org.whispersystems.textsecuregcm.entities.MessageProtos.Envelope;
@@ -66,10 +67,15 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements DispatchChannel, MessageAvailability
   private final WebSocketClient  client;
   private final String           connectionId;
 
-  private final Semaphore     processStoredMessagesSemaphore = new Semaphore(1);
-  private final AtomicBoolean newMessagesAvailable           = new AtomicBoolean(true);
-  private final AtomicBoolean persistedMessagesAvailable     = new AtomicBoolean(true);
-  private final AtomicBoolean sentInitialQueueEmptyMessage   = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+  private final Semaphore                           processStoredMessagesSemaphore = new Semaphore(1);
+  private final AtomicReference<StoredMessageState> storedMessageState             = new AtomicReference<>(StoredMessageState.PERSISTED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE);
+  private final AtomicBoolean                       sentInitialQueueEmptyMessage   = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+
+  private enum StoredMessageState {
+    EMPTY,
+    CACHED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE,
+    PERSISTED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE
+  }
 
   public WebSocketConnection(PushSender pushSender,
                              ReceiptSender receiptSender,
@@ -96,7 +102,7 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements DispatchChannel, MessageAvailability
       switch (pubSubMessage.getType().getNumber()) {
         case PubSubMessage.Type.QUERY_DB_VALUE:
           pubSubPersistedMeter.mark();
-          newMessagesAvailable.set(true);
+          storedMessageState.set(StoredMessageState.PERSISTED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE);
           processStoredMessages();
           break;
         case PubSubMessage.Type.DELIVER_VALUE:
@@ -189,8 +195,10 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements DispatchChannel, MessageAvailability
   @VisibleForTesting
   void processStoredMessages() {
     if (processStoredMessagesSemaphore.tryAcquire()) {
-      if (newMessagesAvailable.getAndSet(false)) {
-        sendNextMessagePage(!persistedMessagesAvailable.getAndSet(false));
+      final StoredMessageState state = storedMessageState.getAndSet(StoredMessageState.EMPTY);
+
+      if (state == StoredMessageState.CACHED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE || state == StoredMessageState.PERSISTED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE) {
+        sendNextMessagePage(state == StoredMessageState.CACHED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE);
       } else {
         processStoredMessagesSemaphore.release();
       }
@@ -246,7 +254,7 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements DispatchChannel, MessageAvailability
   public void handleNewMessagesAvailable() {
     messageAvailableMeter.mark();
 
-    newMessagesAvailable.set(true);
+    storedMessageState.compareAndSet(StoredMessageState.EMPTY, StoredMessageState.CACHED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE);
     processStoredMessages();
   }
 
@@ -262,8 +270,7 @@ public class WebSocketConnection implements DispatchChannel, MessageAvailability
   public void handleMessagesPersisted() {
     messagesPersistedMeter.mark();
 
-    persistedMessagesAvailable.set(true);
-    newMessagesAvailable.set(true);
+    storedMessageState.set(StoredMessageState.PERSISTED_NEW_MESSAGES_AVAILABLE);
     processStoredMessages();
   }