diff --git a/addons/mail/mail_group_view.xml b/addons/mail/mail_group_view.xml
index f83baf10d73..67b2efc84a0 100644
--- a/addons/mail/mail_group_view.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/mail_group_view.xml
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@
                             <label string="This group is visible by non members" colspan="2"/>
                         </group>
                     </group>
-                    <field name="message_ids" colspan="4" widget="ThreadView" nolabel="1"/>
+                    <field name="message_ids" colspan="4" widget="ThreadView" nolabel="1"
+                            options='{"thread_level": 1}'/>
                 </form>
             </field>
         </record>
diff --git a/addons/mail/res_partner_view.xml b/addons/mail/res_partner_view.xml
index ac0612f0bfb..892ee4e2b2f 100644
--- a/addons/mail/res_partner_view.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/res_partner_view.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
                     <attribute name="invisible">False</attribute>
                 </xpath>
                 <xpath expr="/form/notebook" position="after">
-                    <field name="message_ids" colspan="4" widget="ThreadView" nolabel="1"/>
+                    <field name="message_ids" colspan="4" widget="ThreadView" nolabel="1"
+                            options='{"thread_level": 1}'/>
                 </xpath>
             </field>
         </record>
@@ -30,4 +31,4 @@
         </record>
 
    </data>
-</openerp>
\ No newline at end of file
+</openerp>
diff --git a/addons/mail/res_users_view.xml b/addons/mail/res_users_view.xml
index 90da5ef6a04..e489b616cd5 100644
--- a/addons/mail/res_users_view.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/res_users_view.xml
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@
                 </field>
                 <xpath expr="/form/sheet" position="after">
                     <div class="oe_form_sheet_width">
-                        <field name="message_ids" colspan="4" widget="ThreadView" nolabel="1"/>
+                        <field name="message_ids" colspan="4" widget="ThreadView" nolabel="1"
+                                options='{"thread_level": 1}'/>
                     </div>
                 </xpath>
             </data>
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/js/mail.js b/addons/mail/static/src/js/mail.js
index bed8faea5e0..1ec6fe32eb5 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/js/mail.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/js/mail.js
@@ -476,10 +476,12 @@ openerp.mail = function(session) {
         // QWeb template to use when rendering the object
         template: 'RecordThread',
 
-        init: function() {
+       init: function() {
             this._super.apply(this, arguments);
             this.see_subscribers = true;
             this.thread = null;
+            this.params = this.get_definition_options();
+            this.params.thread_level = this.params.thread_level || 0;
             // datasets
             this.ds = new session.web.DataSet(this, this.view.model);
             this.ds_users = new session.web.DataSet(this, 'res.users');
@@ -520,12 +522,8 @@ openerp.mail = function(session) {
             // create and render Thread widget
             this.$element.find('div.oe_mail_recthread_left').empty();
             if (this.thread) this.thread.destroy();
-            // hack: for groups and users
-            if (this.view.model == 'mail.group') thread_level = 1;
-            if (this.view.model == 'res.users') thread_level = 1;
-            else thread_level = 0;
             this.thread = new mail.Thread(this, {'res_model': this.view.model, 'res_id': this.view.datarecord.id, 'uid': this.session.uid,
-                                                    'thread_level': thread_level, 'show_post_comment': true, 'limit': 15});
+                                                    'thread_level': this.params.thread_level, 'show_post_comment': true, 'limit': 15});
             var thread_done = this.thread.appendTo(this.$element.find('div.oe_mail_recthread_left'));
             return fetch_sub_done && thread_done;
         },