diff --git a/mail/base/content/SearchDialog.js b/mail/base/content/SearchDialog.js
index 658d417791..aa57dc384b 100644
--- a/mail/base/content/SearchDialog.js
+++ b/mail/base/content/SearchDialog.js
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ nsMsgSearchCommandUpdater.prototype =
     SetNextMessageAfterDelete();
   },
 
-  summarizeSelection : function() {},
+  summarizeSelection : function() {return false},
 
   QueryInterface : function(iid)
   {
diff --git a/mail/base/content/messageWindow.js b/mail/base/content/messageWindow.js
index e99ed44c61..c6a06b8267 100644
--- a/mail/base/content/messageWindow.js
+++ b/mail/base/content/messageWindow.js
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ nsMsgDBViewCommandUpdater.prototype =
     SetNextMessageAfterDelete();
   },
 
-  summarizeSelection : function() {},
+  summarizeSelection : function() {return false},
 
   QueryInterface : function(iid)
   {
diff --git a/mail/base/content/threadPane.js b/mail/base/content/threadPane.js
index 1ded387fbf..0dd5e11d4f 100644
--- a/mail/base/content/threadPane.js
+++ b/mail/base/content/threadPane.js
@@ -121,12 +121,12 @@ nsMsgDBViewCommandUpdater.prototype =
     let selectedMsgUris = GetSelectedMessages();
     if (!selectedMsgUris || (selectedMsgUris.length == 1)) {
       pickMessagePane("singlemessage");
-      return;
+      return false;
     }
 
     if (! gPrefBranch.getBoolPref("mail.operate_on_msgs_in_collapsed_threads")) {
       ClearMessagePane();
-      return;
+      return false;
     }
 
     let firstThreadId = messenger.msgHdrFromURI(selectedMsgUris[0]).threadId;
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ nsMsgDBViewCommandUpdater.prototype =
     }
     // must be just one thread.
     summarizeThread(selectedMsgUris);
+    return true;
   },
 
   QueryInterface : function(iid)
diff --git a/mailnews/base/public/nsIMsgDBView.idl b/mailnews/base/public/nsIMsgDBView.idl
index a002b9eaa1..ff00ffb4d0 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/public/nsIMsgDBView.idl
+++ b/mailnews/base/public/nsIMsgDBView.idl
@@ -442,7 +442,9 @@ interface nsIMsgDBViewCommandUpdater : nsISupports
   
   /**
   * tell the front end that the selection has changed, and may need to be
-  * resummarized
+  * resummarized.
+  * 
+  * @return   true if we did summarize, false otherwise.
   */
-  void summarizeSelection();
+  boolean summarizeSelection();
 };
diff --git a/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.cpp b/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.cpp
index bd55c6b66e..09ba998d0b 100644
--- a/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.cpp
+++ b/mailnews/base/src/nsMsgDBView.cpp
@@ -1045,8 +1045,14 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsMsgDBView::SelectionChanged()
     if (!NonDummyMsgSelected(indices, numSelected))
       commandsNeedDisablingBecauseOfSelection = PR_TRUE;
   }
+  PRBool selectionSummarized = PR_FALSE;
+  // let the front-end adjust the message pane appropriately with either
+  // the message body, or a summary of the selection
+  if (mCommandUpdater)
+    mCommandUpdater->SummarizeSelection(&selectionSummarized);
+
   // if only one item is selected then we want to display a message
-  if (numSelected == 1)
+  if (numSelected == 1 && !selectionSummarized)
   {
     PRInt32 startRange;
     PRInt32 endRange;
@@ -1073,11 +1079,6 @@ NS_IMETHODIMP nsMsgDBView::SelectionChanged()
     m_currentlyDisplayedViewIndex = nsMsgViewIndex_None;
   }
 
-  // let the front-end adjust the message pane appropriately with either
-  // the message body, or a summary of the selection
-  if (mCommandUpdater)
-    mCommandUpdater->SummarizeSelection();
-
   // determine if we need to push command update notifications out to the UI or not.
 
   // we need to push a command update notification iff, one of the following conditions are met
diff --git a/suite/mailnews/messageWindow.js b/suite/mailnews/messageWindow.js
index 1afa40f68b..fde972c918 100644
--- a/suite/mailnews/messageWindow.js
+++ b/suite/mailnews/messageWindow.js
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ nsMsgDBViewCommandUpdater.prototype =
     SetNextMessageAfterDelete();
   },
 
-  summarizeSelection: function() {},
+  summarizeSelection: function() {return false},
 
   QueryInterface : function(iid)
   {
diff --git a/suite/mailnews/search/SearchDialog.js b/suite/mailnews/search/SearchDialog.js
index 8aa5558813..9d812e4d8a 100644
--- a/suite/mailnews/search/SearchDialog.js
+++ b/suite/mailnews/search/SearchDialog.js
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ nsMsgSearchCommandUpdater.prototype =
     SetNextMessageAfterDelete();
   },
 
-  summarizeSelection: function() {},
+  summarizeSelection: function() {return false},
 
   QueryInterface : function(iid)
   {
diff --git a/suite/mailnews/threadPane.js b/suite/mailnews/threadPane.js
index b6d6df0024..b436baed02 100644
--- a/suite/mailnews/threadPane.js
+++ b/suite/mailnews/threadPane.js
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ nsMsgDBViewCommandUpdater.prototype =
     SetNextMessageAfterDelete();
   },
 
-  summarizeSelection: function() {},
+  summarizeSelection: function() {return false},
 
   QueryInterface : function(iid)
    {