diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Message.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Message.java
index e960d62d3..02fa07818 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Message.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/entities/Message.java
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package eu.siacs.conversations.entities;
 import android.content.ContentValues;
 import android.database.Cursor;
 import android.graphics.Color;
-import android.support.annotation.ColorInt;
 import android.text.SpannableStringBuilder;
 import android.util.Log;
 
@@ -181,35 +180,11 @@ public class Message extends AbstractEntity implements AvatarService.Avatarable
 	}
 
 	public static Message fromCursor(Cursor cursor, Conversation conversation) {
-		Jid jid;
-		try {
-			String value = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(COUNTERPART));
-			if (value != null) {
-				jid = Jid.of(value);
-			} else {
-				jid = null;
-			}
-		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-			jid = null;
-		} catch (IllegalStateException e) {
-			return null; // message too long?
-		}
-		Jid trueCounterpart;
-		try {
-			String value = cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(TRUE_COUNTERPART));
-			if (value != null) {
-				trueCounterpart = Jid.of(value);
-			} else {
-				trueCounterpart = null;
-			}
-		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
-			trueCounterpart = null;
-		}
 		return new Message(conversation,
 				cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(UUID)),
 				cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(CONVERSATION)),
-				jid,
-				trueCounterpart,
+				fromString(cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(COUNTERPART))),
+				fromString(cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(TRUE_COUNTERPART))),
 				cursor.getString(cursor.getColumnIndex(BODY)),
 				cursor.getLong(cursor.getColumnIndex(TIME_SENT)),
 				cursor.getInt(cursor.getColumnIndex(ENCRYPTION)),
@@ -229,6 +204,17 @@ public class Message extends AbstractEntity implements AvatarService.Avatarable
 				cursor.getInt(cursor.getColumnIndex(DELETED)) > 0);
 	}
 
+	private static Jid fromString(String value) {
+		try {
+			if (value != null) {
+				return Jid.of(value);
+			}
+		} catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+			return null;
+		}
+		return null;
+	}
+
 	public static Message createStatusMessage(Conversation conversation, String body) {
 		final Message message = new Message(conversation);
 		message.setType(Message.TYPE_STATUS);
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/persistance/DatabaseBackend.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/persistance/DatabaseBackend.java
index c893d80c9..b9d5d5bbe 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/persistance/DatabaseBackend.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/persistance/DatabaseBackend.java
@@ -28,10 +28,8 @@ import java.security.cert.CertificateException;
 import java.security.cert.CertificateFactory;
 import java.security.cert.X509Certificate;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.HashSet;
-import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
@@ -751,14 +749,15 @@ public class DatabaseBackend extends SQLiteOpenHelper {
                     null, null, Message.TIME_SENT + " DESC",
                     String.valueOf(limit));
         }
-        if (cursor.getCount() > 0) {
-            cursor.moveToLast();
-            do {
-                Message message = Message.fromCursor(cursor, conversation);
+        while (cursor.moveToNext()) {
+            try {
+                final Message message = Message.fromCursor(cursor, conversation);
                 if (message != null) {
-                    list.add(message);
+                    list.add(0, message);
                 }
-            } while (cursor.moveToPrevious());
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                Log.e(Config.LOGTAG,"unable to restore message");
+            }
         }
         cursor.close();
         return list;
@@ -771,40 +770,6 @@ public class DatabaseBackend extends SQLiteOpenHelper {
         return db.rawQuery(SQL, new String[]{FtsUtils.toMatchString(term)});
     }
 
-    public Iterable<Message> getMessagesIterable(final Conversation conversation) {
-        return () -> {
-            class MessageIterator implements Iterator<Message> {
-                private SQLiteDatabase db = getReadableDatabase();
-                private String[] selectionArgs = {conversation.getUuid()};
-                private Cursor cursor = db.query(Message.TABLENAME, null, Message.CONVERSATION
-                        + "=?", selectionArgs, null, null, Message.TIME_SENT
-                        + " ASC", null);
-
-                private MessageIterator() {
-                    cursor.moveToFirst();
-                }
-
-                @Override
-                public boolean hasNext() {
-                    return !cursor.isAfterLast();
-                }
-
-                @Override
-                public Message next() {
-                    Message message = Message.fromCursor(cursor, conversation);
-                    cursor.moveToNext();
-                    return message;
-                }
-
-                @Override
-                public void remove() {
-                    throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
-                }
-            }
-            return new MessageIterator();
-        };
-    }
-
     public List<String> markFileAsDeleted(final File file, final boolean internal) {
         SQLiteDatabase db = this.getReadableDatabase();
         String selection;