diff --git a/lib/models/message.dart b/lib/models/message.dart
index 866306b0..4c6956d3 100644
--- a/lib/models/message.dart
+++ b/lib/models/message.dart
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const GroupConversationHandleLength = 32;
 abstract class Message {
   MessageMetadata getMetadata();
 
-  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context);
+  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context, Key key);
 
   Widget getPreviewWidget(BuildContext context);
 }
diff --git a/lib/models/messages/filemessage.dart b/lib/models/messages/filemessage.dart
index e4d0bc7b..c68b24e5 100644
--- a/lib/models/messages/filemessage.dart
+++ b/lib/models/messages/filemessage.dart
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class FileMessage extends Message {
   FileMessage(this.metadata, this.content);
 
   @override
-  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context) {
+  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context, Key key) {
     return ChangeNotifierProvider.value(
         value: this.metadata,
         builder: (bcontext, child) {
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class FileMessage extends Message {
             return MessageRow(MalformedBubble());
           }
 
-          return MessageRow(FileBubble(nameSuggestion, rootHash, nonce, fileSize, isAuto: metadata.isAuto));
+          return MessageRow(FileBubble(nameSuggestion, rootHash, nonce, fileSize, isAuto: metadata.isAuto), key: key);
         });
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/models/messages/invitemessage.dart b/lib/models/messages/invitemessage.dart
index f1d1d18b..50a28806 100644
--- a/lib/models/messages/invitemessage.dart
+++ b/lib/models/messages/invitemessage.dart
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class InviteMessage extends Message {
   InviteMessage(this.overlay, this.metadata, this.content);
 
   @override
-  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context) {
+  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context, Key key) {
     return ChangeNotifierProvider.value(
         value: this.metadata,
         builder: (bcontext, child) {
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class InviteMessage extends Message {
               return MessageRow(MalformedBubble());
             }
           }
-          return MessageRow(InvitationBubble(overlay, inviteTarget, inviteNick, invite));
+          return MessageRow(InvitationBubble(overlay, inviteTarget, inviteNick, invite), key: key);
         });
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/models/messages/malformedmessage.dart b/lib/models/messages/malformedmessage.dart
index dc943fe1..0ebf2281 100644
--- a/lib/models/messages/malformedmessage.dart
+++ b/lib/models/messages/malformedmessage.dart
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ class MalformedMessage extends Message {
   MalformedMessage(this.metadata);
 
   @override
-  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context) {
+  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context, Key key) {
     return ChangeNotifierProvider.value(
         value: this.metadata,
         builder: (context, child) {
-          return MessageRow(MalformedBubble());
+          return MessageRow(MalformedBubble(), key: key);
         });
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/models/messages/quotedmessage.dart b/lib/models/messages/quotedmessage.dart
index 774c0c41..c43ac12c 100644
--- a/lib/models/messages/quotedmessage.dart
+++ b/lib/models/messages/quotedmessage.dart
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ class QuotedMessage extends Message {
   }
 
   @override
-  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context) {
+  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context, Key key) {
     try {
       dynamic message = jsonDecode(this.content);
 
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class QuotedMessage extends Message {
       return ChangeNotifierProvider.value(
           value: this.metadata,
           builder: (bcontext, child) {
-            return MessageRow(QuotedMessageBubble(message["body"], messageHandler(bcontext, metadata.profileOnion, metadata.conversationIdentifier, ByContentHash(message["quotedHash"]))));
+            return MessageRow(QuotedMessageBubble(message["body"], messageHandler(bcontext, metadata.profileOnion, metadata.conversationIdentifier, ByContentHash(message["quotedHash"]))), key: key);
           });
     } catch (e) {
       return MalformedBubble();
diff --git a/lib/models/messages/textmessage.dart b/lib/models/messages/textmessage.dart
index 00cd14f7..44f99510 100644
--- a/lib/models/messages/textmessage.dart
+++ b/lib/models/messages/textmessage.dart
@@ -29,12 +29,13 @@ class TextMessage extends Message {
   }
 
   @override
-  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context) {
+  Widget getWidget(BuildContext context, Key key) {
     return ChangeNotifierProvider.value(
         value: this.metadata,
         builder: (bcontext, child) {
           return MessageRow(
             MessageBubble(this.content),
+            key: key,
           );
         });
   }
diff --git a/lib/widgets/messagelist.dart b/lib/widgets/messagelist.dart
index e6f642b2..ec644504 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/messagelist.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/messagelist.dart
@@ -87,7 +87,11 @@ class _MessageListState extends State<MessageList> {
                                   builder: (context, snapshot) {
                                     if (snapshot.hasData) {
                                       var message = snapshot.data as Message;
-                                      return message.getWidget(context);
+                                      // here we create an index key for the contact and assign it to the row. Indexes are unique so we can
+                                      // reliably use this without running into duplicate keys...it isn't ideal as it means keys need to be re-built
+                                      // when new messages are added...however it is better than the alternative of not having widget keys at all.
+                                      var key = Provider.of<ContactInfoState>(outerContext, listen: false).getMessageKey(contactHandle, messageIndex);
+                                      return message.getWidget(context, key);
                                     } else {
                                       return MessageLoadingBubble();
                                     }