diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/MessagesState.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/MessagesState.kt
index cdb4c353b..a69541dd2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/MessagesState.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/model/MessagesState.kt
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class MessagesState(private val ui: UIViewModel) : Logging {
     // If the following (unused otherwise) line is commented out, the IDE preview window works.
     // if left in the preview always renders as empty.
     val messages =
-        object : MutableLiveData<List<DataPacket>>(if (isEmulator) testTexts else listOf()) {
+        object : MutableLiveData<List<DataPacket>>(if (isEmulator) testTexts else emptyList()) {
 
         }
 
@@ -31,7 +31,14 @@ class MessagesState(private val ui: UIViewModel) : Logging {
     fun addMessage(m: DataPacket) {
         debug("Adding message to view id=${m.id}")
         // FIXME - don't just slam in a new list each time, it probably causes extra drawing.
-        messages.value = messages.value!! + m
+
+        // FIXME - possible kotlin bug in 1.3.72 - it seems that if we start with the (globally shared) emptyList,
+        // then adding items are affecting that shared list rather than a copy.   This was causing aliasing of
+        // recentDataPackets with messages.value in the GUI.  So if the current list is empty we are careful to make a new list
+        messages.value = if (messages.value.isNullOrEmpty())
+            listOf(m)
+        else
+            messages.value!! + m
     }
 
     fun updateStatus(id: Int, status: MessageStatus) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
index 6ee667a09..32cb2638c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshService.kt
@@ -691,7 +691,10 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
         }.build()
     }.build()
 
-    private val recentDataPackets = mutableListOf<DataPacket>()
+    // FIXME - possible kotlin bug in 1.3.72 - it seems that if we start with the (globally shared) emptyList,
+    // then adding items are affecting that shared list rather than a copy.   This was causing aliasing of
+    // recentDataPackets with messages.value in the GUI.  So if the current list is empty we are careful to make a new list
+    private var recentDataPackets = mutableListOf<DataPacket>()
 
     /// Generate a DataPacket from a MeshPacket, or null if we didn't have enough data to do so
     private fun toDataPacket(packet: MeshPacket): DataPacket? {
@@ -741,9 +744,16 @@ class MeshService : Service(), Logging {
 
     private fun rememberDataPacket(dataPacket: DataPacket) {
         // discard old messages if needed then add the new one
-        while (recentDataPackets.size > 20) // FIXME, we should instead serialize this list to flash on shutdown
+        while (recentDataPackets.size > 50)
             recentDataPackets.removeAt(0)
-        recentDataPackets.add(dataPacket)
+
+        // FIXME - possible kotlin bug in 1.3.72 - it seems that if we start with the (globally shared) emptyList,
+        // then adding items are affecting that shared list rather than a copy.   This was causing aliasing of
+        // recentDataPackets with messages.value in the GUI.  So if the current list is empty we are careful to make a new list
+        if (recentDataPackets.isEmpty())
+            recentDataPackets = mutableListOf(dataPacket)
+        else
+            recentDataPackets.add(dataPacket)
     }
 
     /// Update our model and resend as needed for a MeshPacket we just received from the radio