diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/MessageActionBar.js b/src/components/views/messages/MessageActionBar.js
index fa020612c4..24a746befd 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/MessageActionBar.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/MessageActionBar.js
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ export default class MessageActionBar extends React.PureComponent {
     static propTypes = {
         mxEvent: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
         permalinkCreator: PropTypes.object,
-        tile: PropTypes.element,
-        replyThread: PropTypes.element,
+        getTile: PropTypes.func,
+        getReplyThread: PropTypes.func,
         onFocusChange: PropTypes.func,
     };
 
@@ -63,7 +63,9 @@ export default class MessageActionBar extends React.PureComponent {
         const x = buttonRect.right + window.pageXOffset;
         const y = (buttonRect.top + (buttonRect.height / 2) + window.pageYOffset) - 19;
 
-        const {tile, replyThread} = this.props;
+        const { getTile, getReplyThread } = this.props;
+        const tile = getTile && getTile();
+        const replyThread = getReplyThread && getReplyThread();
 
         let e2eInfoCallback = null;
         if (this.props.mxEvent.isEncrypted()) {
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
index dd0a7aa47b..b1e929dc16 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
@@ -464,6 +464,14 @@ module.exports = withMatrixClient(React.createClass({
         });
     },
 
+    getTile() {
+        return this.refs.tile;
+    },
+
+    getReplyThread() {
+        return this.refs.replyThread;
+    },
+
     render: function() {
         const MessageTimestamp = sdk.getComponent('messages.MessageTimestamp');
         const SenderProfile = sdk.getComponent('messages.SenderProfile');
@@ -580,8 +588,8 @@ module.exports = withMatrixClient(React.createClass({
         const actionBar = <MessageActionBar
             mxEvent={this.props.mxEvent}
             permalinkCreator={this.props.permalinkCreator}
-            tile={this.refs.tile}
-            replyThread={this.refs.replyThread}
+            getTile={this.getTile}
+            getReplyThread={this.getReplyThread}
             onFocusChange={this.onActionBarFocusChange}
         />;