diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/js/systray.js b/addons/mail/static/src/js/systray.js
index 3929947acbb..d81aadcf8eb 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/js/systray.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/js/systray.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ var InboxItem = Widget.extend({
     start: function () {
         this.$needaction_counter = this.$('.o_notification_counter');
         chat_manager.bus.on("update_needaction", this, this.update_counter);
-        this.update_counter();
+        chat_manager.is_ready.then(this.update_counter.bind(this));
         return this._super();
     },
     update_counter: function () {
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ var InboxItem = Widget.extend({
     },
     on_click: function (event) {
         event.preventDefault();
-        this.discuss_redirect();
+        chat_manager.is_ready.then(this.discuss_redirect.bind(this));
     },
     discuss_redirect: _.debounce(function () {
         var self = this;
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ var MessagingMenu = Widget.extend({
             this.$channels_preview = this.$('.o_mail_navbar_dropdown_channels');
             this.filter = false;
             chat_manager.bus.on("update_channel_unread_counter", this, this.update_counter);
-            this.update_counter();
+            chat_manager.is_ready.then(this.update_counter.bind(this));
             return this._super();
         },
         is_open: function () {
@@ -78,52 +78,56 @@ var MessagingMenu = Widget.extend({
             this.$el.toggleClass('o_no_notification', !counter);
             this.$el.toggleClass('o_unread_chat', !!chat_manager.get_chat_unread_counter());
             if (this.is_open()) {
-                this.render_channels_preview();
+                this.update_channels_preview();
             }
         },
-        render_channels_preview: function () {
+        update_channels_preview: function () {
             var self = this;
-            var channels = _.filter(chat_manager.get_channels(), function (channel) {
-                if (self.filter === 'chat') {
-                    return channel.is_chat;
-                } else if (self.filter === 'channels') {
-                    return !channel.is_chat && channel.type !== 'static';
-                } else {
-                    return channel.type !== 'static';
-                }
-            });
 
             // Display spinner while waiting for channels preview
             this.$channels_preview.html(QWeb.render('mail.chat.Spinner'));
 
-            chat_manager.get_channels_preview(channels).then(function (channels_preview) {
-                // Sort channels: 1. channels with unread messages, 2. chat, 3. by date of last msg
-                channels_preview.sort(function (c1, c2) {
-                    return Math.min(1, c2.unread_counter) - Math.min(1, c1.unread_counter) ||
-                           c2.is_chat - c1.is_chat ||
-                           c2.last_message.date.diff(c1.last_message.date);
-                });
-
-                // Generate last message preview (inline message body and compute date to display)
-                _.each(channels_preview, function (channel) {
-                    channel.last_message_preview =
-                        channel.last_message.displayed_author + ': ' +
-                        chat_manager.get_message_body_preview(channel.last_message.body);
-                    if (channel.last_message.date.isSame(new Date(), 'd')) {  // today
-                        channel.last_message_date = channel.last_message.date.format('LT');
+            chat_manager.is_ready.then(function () {
+                var channels = _.filter(chat_manager.get_channels(), function (channel) {
+                    if (self.filter === 'chat') {
+                        return channel.is_chat;
+                    } else if (self.filter === 'channels') {
+                        return !channel.is_chat && channel.type !== 'static';
                     } else {
-                        channel.last_message_date = channel.last_message.date.format('lll');
+                        return channel.type !== 'static';
                     }
                 });
 
-                self.$channels_preview.html(QWeb.render('mail.chat.ChannelsPreview', {
-                    channels: channels_preview,
-                }));
+                chat_manager.get_channels_preview(channels).then(self._render_channels_preview.bind(self));
             });
         },
+        _render_channels_preview: function (channels_preview) {
+            // Sort channels: 1. channels with unread messages, 2. chat, 3. by date of last msg
+            channels_preview.sort(function (c1, c2) {
+                return Math.min(1, c2.unread_counter) - Math.min(1, c1.unread_counter) ||
+                       c2.is_chat - c1.is_chat ||
+                       c2.last_message.date.diff(c1.last_message.date);
+            });
+
+            // Generate last message preview (inline message body and compute date to display)
+            _.each(channels_preview, function (channel) {
+                channel.last_message_preview =
+                    channel.last_message.displayed_author + ': ' +
+                    chat_manager.get_message_body_preview(channel.last_message.body);
+                if (channel.last_message.date.isSame(new Date(), 'd')) {  // today
+                    channel.last_message_date = channel.last_message.date.format('LT');
+                } else {
+                    channel.last_message_date = channel.last_message.date.format('lll');
+                }
+            });
+
+            this.$channels_preview.html(QWeb.render('mail.chat.ChannelsPreview', {
+                channels: channels_preview,
+            }));
+        },
         on_click: function () {
             if (!this.is_open()) {
-                this.render_channels_preview();  // we are opening the dropdown so render its content
+                this.update_channels_preview();  // we are opening the dropdown so update its content
             }
         },
         on_click_filter_button: function (event) {
@@ -132,7 +136,7 @@ var MessagingMenu = Widget.extend({
             var $target = $(event.currentTarget);
             $target.addClass('o_selected');
             this.filter = $target.data('filter');
-            this.render_channels_preview();
+            this.update_channels_preview();
         },
         on_click_new_message: function () {
             chat_manager.bus.trigger('open_chat');