diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
index c5ef05e76e..413886f3e8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
@@ -187,9 +187,11 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends ViewModel {
         .observeOn(Schedulers.io())
         .withLatestFrom(conversationMetadata, (messages, metadata) -> new MessageData(metadata, messages));
 
+    Observable<Recipient> liveRecipient = recipientId.distinctUntilChanged().switchMap(id -> Recipient.live(id).asObservable());
+
     canShowAsBubble = threadId.observeOn(Schedulers.io()).map(conversationRepository::canShowAsBubble);
-    wallpaper       = recipientCache.map(r -> Optional.ofNullable(r.getWallpaper())).distinctUntilChanged();
-    chatColors      = recipientCache.map(Recipient::getChatColors).distinctUntilChanged();
+    wallpaper       = liveRecipient.map(r -> Optional.ofNullable(r.getWallpaper())).distinctUntilChanged();
+    chatColors      = liveRecipient.map(Recipient::getChatColors).distinctUntilChanged();
 
     threadAnimationStateStore.update(threadId, (id, state) -> {
       if (state.getThreadId() == id) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/DatabaseObserver.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/DatabaseObserver.java
index d9786a9329..299e6d483b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/DatabaseObserver.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/database/DatabaseObserver.java
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ public class DatabaseObserver {
   }
 
   public void notifyRecipientChanged(@NonNull RecipientId recipientId) {
-    runPostSuccessfulTransaction(KEY_RECIPIENT + recipientId.serialize(), () -> {
+    SignalDatabase.runPostSuccessfulTransaction(KEY_RECIPIENT + recipientId.serialize(), () -> {
       Recipient.live(recipientId).refresh();
     });
   }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/LiveRecipient.java b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/LiveRecipient.java
index 4003ea455e..db6c6ae2db 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/LiveRecipient.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/recipients/LiveRecipient.java
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.CopyOnWriteArraySet;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
+import io.reactivex.rxjava3.core.Observable;
+
 public final class LiveRecipient {
 
   private static final String TAG = Log.tag(LiveRecipient.class);
@@ -95,6 +97,19 @@ public final class LiveRecipient {
     ThreadUtil.runOnMain(() -> observableLiveData.removeObservers(owner));
   }
 
+  public Observable<Recipient> asObservable() {
+    return Observable.create(emitter -> {
+      Recipient current = recipient.get();
+      if (current != null && current.getId() != RecipientId.UNKNOWN) {
+        emitter.onNext(current);
+      }
+
+      RecipientForeverObserver foreverObserver = emitter::onNext;
+      observeForever(foreverObserver);
+      emitter.setCancellable(() -> removeForeverObserver(foreverObserver));
+    });
+  }
+
   /**
    * Watch the recipient for changes. The callback could be invoked at any time. You MUST call
    * {@link #removeForeverObserver(RecipientForeverObserver)} when finished. You should use