diff --git a/js/components/contactList/contactList_controller.js b/js/components/contactList/contactList_controller.js
index d3358372c..8441a74b7 100644
--- a/js/components/contactList/contactList_controller.js
+++ b/js/components/contactList/contactList_controller.js
@@ -66,16 +66,32 @@ angular.module('contactsApp')
 		});
 	});
 
+	// Get contacts
 	ContactService.getAll().then(function(contacts) {
 		$scope.$apply(function() {
 			ctrl.contacts = contacts;
-			if (!_.isEmpty(ctrl.contacts)) {
-				ctrl.setSelectedId(_.sortBy(contacts, function(contact) {
-					return contact.fullName();
-				})[0].uid());
+		});
+	});
+
+	// Wait for ctrl.contactList to be updated, load the first contact and kill the watch
+	var unbindListWatch = $scope.$watch('ctrl.contactList', function() {
+		if(ctrl.contactList && ctrl.contactList.length > 0) {
+			// Check if a specific uid is requested
+			if($routeParams.uid) {
+				ctrl.contactList.forEach(function(contact) {
+					if(contact.uid() === $routeParams.uid) {
+						ctrl.setSelectedId($routeParams.uid);
+						ctrl.loading = false;
+					}
+				});
+			}
+			// No contact previously loaded, let's load the first of the list
+			if(ctrl.loading) {
+				ctrl.setSelectedId(ctrl.contactList[0].uid());
 			}
 			ctrl.loading = false;
-		});
+			unbindListWatch();
+		}
 	});
 
 	$scope.$watch('ctrl.routeParams.uid', function(newValue) {
@@ -111,11 +127,6 @@ angular.module('contactsApp')
 					gid: $routeParams.gid,
 					uid: ctrl.contactList[0].uid()
 				});
-			} else {
-				$route.updateParams({
-					gid: $routeParams.gid,
-					uid: undefined
-				});
 			}
 			unbindWatch(); // unbind as we only want one update
 		});