diff --git a/src/js/controller/app/mail-list.js b/src/js/controller/app/mail-list.js
index 6ca7cf1..9327aa5 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/app/mail-list.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/app/mail-list.js
@@ -294,6 +294,13 @@ var MailListCtrl = function($scope, $timeout, $location, $filter, $q, status, no
         }).catch(dialog.error);
     }
 
+    $scope.$on('read', function(e, state) {
+        if (!state) {
+            // load bodies after closing read mode
+            $scope.loadVisibleBodies();
+        }
+    });
+
     function currentFolder() {
         return $scope.state.nav && $scope.state.nav.currentFolder;
     }
diff --git a/src/js/controller/app/read.js b/src/js/controller/app/read.js
index f27b3d0..bae4f48 100644
--- a/src/js/controller/app/read.js
+++ b/src/js/controller/app/read.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 // Controller
 //
 
-var ReadCtrl = function($scope, $location, $q, email, invitation, outbox, pgp, keychain, appConfig, download, auth, dialog) {
+var ReadCtrl = function($scope, $location, $q, email, invitation, outbox, pgp, keychain, appConfig, download, auth, dialog, status) {
 
     var str = appConfig.string;
 
@@ -47,6 +47,13 @@ var ReadCtrl = function($scope, $location, $q, email, invitation, outbox, pgp, k
     // scope functions
     //
 
+    /**
+     * Close read mode and return to mail-list
+     */
+    $scope.close = function() {
+        status.setReading(false);
+    };
+
     $scope.getKeyId = function(address) {
         if ($location.search().dev || !address) {
             return;
diff --git a/src/js/directive/mail-list.js b/src/js/directive/mail-list.js
index 27f622b..0ed8679 100644
--- a/src/js/directive/mail-list.js
+++ b/src/js/directive/mail-list.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var ngModule = angular.module('woDirectives');
 
-ngModule.directive('listScroll', function() {
+ngModule.directive('listScroll', function($timeout) {
     return {
         link: function(scope, elm, attrs) {
             var model = attrs.listScroll,
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ ngModule.directive('listScroll', function() {
             /*
              * iterates over the mails in the mail list and loads their bodies if they are visible in the viewport
              */
-            scope.loadVisibleBodies = function() {
+            function loadVisibleBodies() {
                 var listBorder = listEl.getBoundingClientRect(),
                     top = listBorder.top,
                     bottom = listBorder.bottom,
@@ -53,6 +53,13 @@ ngModule.directive('listScroll', function() {
                         break;
                     }
                 }
+            }
+
+            scope.loadVisibleBodies = function() {
+                // wait for next tick so that scope is digested and synced to DOM
+                $timeout(function() {
+                    loadVisibleBodies();
+                });
             };
 
             // load body when scrolling
diff --git a/src/tpl/read.html b/src/tpl/read.html
index 9c26dcb..ca5461e 100644
--- a/src/tpl/read.html
+++ b/src/tpl/read.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
   <div class="read__folder-toolbar">
     <div class="toolbar">
-      <a class="toolbar__label" href="#" wo-touch="$event.preventDefault(); state.read.toggle(false)">
+      <a class="toolbar__label" href="#" wo-touch="$event.preventDefault(); close()">
         <svg><use xlink:href="#icon-back" /><title>Back</title></svg>
         {{state.nav.currentFolder.wellknown ? state.nav.currentFolder.type : state.nav.currentFolder.name}}
       </a>
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 
       {{state.mailList.selected.subject ? state.mailList.selected.subject : 'No subject'}}
     </h2>
-    <h2 class="read__subject-md" wo-touch="state.read.toggle(false)">
+    <h2 class="read__subject-md" wo-touch="close()">
       <svg><use xlink:href="#icon-back" /><title>Back</title></svg>
       {{state.mailList.selected.subject ? state.mailList.selected.subject : 'No subject'}}
     </h2>