diff --git a/src/usecases/timeline.js b/src/usecases/timeline.js
index 32c468048c..466d7fb222 100644
--- a/src/usecases/timeline.js
+++ b/src/usecases/timeline.js
@@ -47,20 +47,23 @@ module.exports.receiveMessage = async function(session, expectedMessage) {
     // wait for a response to come in that contains the message
     // crude, but effective
 
-    async function assertLastMessage() {
+    async function getLastMessage() {
         const lastTile = await getLastEventTile(session);
-        const lastMessage = await getMessageFromEventTile(lastTile);
-        await assertMessage(lastMessage, expectedMessage);
+        return getMessageFromEventTile(lastTile);
     }
 
-    // first try to see if the message is already the last message in the timeline
+    let lastMessage = null;
     let isExpectedMessage = false;
     try {
-        assertLastMessage();
-        isExpectedMessage = true;
+        lastMessage = await getLastMessage();
+        isExpectedMessage = lastMessage &&
+            lastMessage.body === expectedMessage.body &&
+            lastMessage.sender === expectedMessage.sender;
     } catch(ex) {}
-
-    if (!isExpectedMessage) {
+    // first try to see if the message is already the last message in the timeline
+    if (isExpectedMessage) {
+        assertMessage(lastMessage, expectedMessage);
+    } else {
         await session.page.waitForResponse(async (response) => {
             if (response.request().url().indexOf("/sync") === -1) {
                 return false;
@@ -75,7 +78,8 @@ module.exports.receiveMessage = async function(session, expectedMessage) {
         });
         // wait a bit for the incoming event to be rendered
         await session.delay(1000);
-        await assertLastMessage();
+        lastMessage = await getLastMessage();
+        assertMessage(lastMessage, expectedMessage);
     }
 
     session.log.done();