diff --git a/karma/test-controllers.coffee b/karma/test-controllers.coffee
index 350781aa0..a01d11455 100644
--- a/karma/test-controllers.coffee
+++ b/karma/test-controllers.coffee
@@ -335,9 +335,14 @@ describe('controllers:', () ->
     # Tests for MessagesController
     #=======================================================================
     describe('MessagesController', () ->
+      $intervalSpy = null
 
       beforeEach(() ->
-        $controller('MessagesController', {$scope: $scope})
+        inject((_$interval_) ->
+          $intervalSpy = jasmine.createSpy('$interval', _$interval_).and.callThrough()
+        )
+        
+        $controller('MessagesController', {$scope: $scope, $interval: $intervalSpy})
 
         $inboxScope.init('inbox', serverTime)
         $scope.init()
@@ -355,7 +360,7 @@ describe('controllers:', () ->
         expect($scope.inactiveLabels).toEqual([test.tea, test.coffee])
       )
 
-      it('loadOldItems', () ->
+      it('should loadOldItems and auto-refresh on interval', () ->
         fetchOld = spyOnPromise($q, $scope, MessageService, 'fetchOld')
 
         $scope.loadOldItems()
@@ -366,12 +371,19 @@ describe('controllers:', () ->
         }, $scope.startTime, 1)
 
         fetchOld.resolve({results: [test.msg3, test.msg2], hasMore: true})
+        
+        expect($intervalSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith($scope.autoRefresh, 10000)
 
         expect($scope.items).toEqual([test.msg3, test.msg2])
         expect($scope.oldItemsMore).toEqual(true)
         expect($scope.isInfiniteScrollEnabled()).toEqual(true)
       )
 
+      it 'should cancel the intervals on destroy', ->
+        spyOn($intervalSpy, 'cancel') 
+        $scope.$destroy()
+        expect($intervalSpy.cancel).toHaveBeenCalledWith($scope.autoRefresh)
+
       it('getItemFilter', () ->
         filter = $scope.getItemFilter()
         expect(filter({archived: false})).toEqual(true)
diff --git a/static/coffee/controllers.coffee b/static/coffee/controllers.coffee
index f6059c8d0..cab6db19f 100644
--- a/static/coffee/controllers.coffee
+++ b/static/coffee/controllers.coffee
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ controllers.controller('BaseItemsController', ['$scope', 'UtilsService', ($scope
 #============================================================================
 # Incoming messages controller
 #============================================================================
-controllers.controller('MessagesController', ['$scope', '$timeout', '$uibModal', '$controller', 'CaseService', 'MessageService', 'PartnerService', 'UserService', 'UtilsService', ($scope, $timeout, $uibModal, $controller, CaseService, MessageService, PartnerService, UserService, UtilsService) ->
+controllers.controller('MessagesController', ['$scope', '$timeout', '$interval', '$uibModal', '$controller', 'CaseService', 'MessageService', 'PartnerService', 'UserService', 'UtilsService', ($scope, $timeout, $interval, $uibModal, $controller, CaseService, MessageService, PartnerService, UserService, UtilsService) ->
   $controller('BaseItemsController', {$scope: $scope})
 
   $scope.advancedSearch = false
@@ -270,7 +270,18 @@ controllers.controller('MessagesController', ['$scope', '$timeout', '$uibModal',
     )
 
   $scope.fetchOldItems = (search, startTime, page) ->
-    return MessageService.fetchOld(search, startTime, page)
+    $scope.autoRefresh = ->
+      MessageService.fetchOld(search, startTime, page).then((data) ->
+        $scope.items = data.results
+        $scope.oldItemsMore = data.hasMore
+        $scope.oldItemsLoading = false
+      )
+    $scope.autoRefresh()
+    $interval.cancel($scope.autoRefresh)
+    $interval($scope.autoRefresh, 10000)
+    
+  $scope.$on '$destroy', ->
+    $interval.cancel($scope.autoRefresh)
 
   $scope.onExpandMessage = (message) ->
     $scope.expandedMessageId = message.id