diff --git a/libempathy/empathy-tp-contact-list.c b/libempathy/empathy-tp-contact-list.c
index b273ad2..9288baa 100644
--- a/libempathy/empathy-tp-contact-list.c
+++ b/libempathy/empathy-tp-contact-list.c
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ typedef struct {
 	GHashTable     *add_to_group; /* group name -> GArray of handles */
 
 	EmpathyContactListFlags flags;
+
+	TpProxySignalConnection *new_channels_sig;
 } EmpathyTpContactListPriv;
 
 typedef enum {
@@ -697,45 +699,113 @@ tp_contact_list_finalize (GObject *object)
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS (empathy_tp_contact_list_parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+received_all_list_channels (EmpathyTpContactList *self)
+{
+	EmpathyTpContactListPriv *priv = GET_PRIV (self);
+
+	return (priv->stored != NULL && priv->publish != NULL &&
+		priv->subscribe != NULL);
+}
+
 static void
-list_ensure_channel_cb (TpConnection *conn,
-			gboolean yours,
-			const gchar *path,
-			GHashTable *properties,
-			const GError *error,
-			gpointer user_data,
-			GObject *weak_object)
+got_list_channel (EmpathyTpContactList *list,
+		  TpChannel *channel)
 {
-	EmpathyTpContactList *list = user_data;
 	EmpathyTpContactListPriv *priv = GET_PRIV (list);
 	const gchar *id;
-	TpChannel *channel;
-
-	if (error != NULL) {
-		DEBUG ("failed: %s\n", error->message);
-		return;
-	}
 
 	/* We requested that channel by providing TargetID property, so it's
 	 * guaranteed that tp_channel_get_identifier will return it. */
-	channel = tp_channel_new_from_properties (conn, path, properties, NULL);
 	id = tp_channel_get_identifier (channel);
 
 	/* TpChannel emits initial set of members just before being ready */
 	if (!tp_strdiff (id, "stored")) {
-		priv->stored = channel;
+		if (priv->stored != NULL)
+			return;
+		priv->stored = g_object_ref (channel);
 	} else if (!tp_strdiff (id, "publish")) {
-		priv->publish = channel;
+		if (priv->publish != NULL)
+			return;
+		priv->publish = g_object_ref (channel);
 		g_signal_connect (priv->publish, "group-members-changed",
 				  G_CALLBACK (tp_contact_list_publish_group_members_changed_cb),
 				  list);
 	} else if (!tp_strdiff (id, "subscribe")) {
-		priv->subscribe = channel;
+		if (priv->subscribe != NULL)
+			return;
+		priv->subscribe = g_object_ref (channel);
 		g_signal_connect (priv->subscribe, "group-members-changed",
 				  G_CALLBACK (tp_contact_list_subscribe_group_members_changed_cb),
 				  list);
-	} else {
-		g_warn_if_reached ();
+	}
+
+	if (received_all_list_channels (list) && priv->new_channels_sig != NULL) {
+		/* We don't need to watch NewChannels anymore */
+		tp_proxy_signal_connection_disconnect (priv->new_channels_sig);
+		priv->new_channels_sig = NULL;
+	}
+}
+
+static void
+list_ensure_channel_cb (TpConnection *conn,
+			gboolean yours,
+			const gchar *path,
+			GHashTable *properties,
+			const GError *error,
+			gpointer user_data,
+			GObject *weak_object)
+{
+	EmpathyTpContactList *list = user_data;
+	TpChannel *channel;
+
+	if (error != NULL) {
+		DEBUG ("failed: %s\n", error->message);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	channel = tp_channel_new_from_properties (conn, path, properties, NULL);
+	got_list_channel (list, channel);
+	g_object_unref (channel);
+}
+
+static void
+new_channels_cb (TpConnection *conn,
+		 const GPtrArray *channels,
+		 gpointer user_data,
+		 GObject *weak_object)
+{
+	EmpathyTpContactList *list = EMPATHY_TP_CONTACT_LIST (weak_object);
+	guint i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < channels->len ; i++) {
+		GValueArray *arr = g_ptr_array_index (channels, i);
+		const gchar *path;
+		GHashTable *properties;
+		const gchar *id;
+		TpChannel *channel;
+
+		path = g_value_get_boxed (g_value_array_get_nth (arr, 0));
+		properties = g_value_get_boxed (g_value_array_get_nth (arr, 1));
+
+		if (tp_strdiff (tp_asv_get_string (properties,
+				TP_IFACE_CHANNEL ".ChannelType"),
+		    TP_IFACE_CHANNEL_TYPE_CONTACT_LIST))
+			return;
+
+		if (tp_asv_get_uint32 (properties,
+				       TP_IFACE_CHANNEL ".TargetHandleType", NULL)
+		    != TP_HANDLE_TYPE_LIST)
+			return;
+
+		id = tp_asv_get_string (properties,
+					TP_IFACE_CHANNEL ".TargetID");
+		if (id == NULL)
+			return;
+
+		channel = tp_channel_new_from_properties (conn, path,
+							  properties, NULL);
+		got_list_channel (list, channel);
 		g_object_unref (channel);
 	}
 }
@@ -759,6 +829,13 @@ conn_ready_cb (TpConnection *connection,
 		TP_IFACE_CHANNEL ".TargetHandleType", G_TYPE_UINT, TP_HANDLE_TYPE_LIST,
 		NULL);
 
+	/* Watch the NewChannels signal so if ensuring list channels fails (for
+	 * example because the server is slow and the D-Bus call timeouts before CM
+	 * fetches the roster), we have a chance to get them later. */
+	priv->new_channels_sig =
+	  tp_cli_connection_interface_requests_connect_to_new_channels (
+		priv->connection, new_channels_cb, NULL, NULL, G_OBJECT (list), NULL);
+
 	/* Request the 'stored' list. */
 	tp_asv_set_static_string (request, TP_IFACE_CHANNEL ".TargetID", "stored");
 	tp_cli_connection_interface_requests_call_ensure_channel (priv->connection,
