diff --git a/static/js/hotkey.js b/static/js/hotkey.js
index 440169bd0b..79bc766aa5 100644
--- a/static/js/hotkey.js
+++ b/static/js/hotkey.js
@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ exports.process_hotkey = function (e, hotkey) {
     // Shortcuts that operate on a message
     switch (event_name) {
         case 'message_actions':
-            return popovers.open_message_menu();
+            return popovers.open_message_menu(msg);
         case 'star_message':
             return message_flags.toggle_starred(msg);
         case 'narrow_by_recipient':
diff --git a/static/js/popovers.js b/static/js/popovers.js
index 935262fabb..8360d6dac7 100644
--- a/static/js/popovers.js
+++ b/static/js/popovers.js
@@ -232,8 +232,15 @@ function focus_first_action_popover_item() {
     items.eq(0).expectOne().focus();
 }
 
-exports.open_message_menu = function () {
-    var id = current_msg_list.selected_id();
+exports.open_message_menu = function (message) {
+    if (message.locally_echoed) {
+        // Don't open the popup for locally echoed messages for now.
+        // It creates bugs with things like keyboard handlers when
+        // we get the server response.
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    var id = message.id;
     popovers.toggle_actions_popover($(".selected_message .actions_hover")[0], id);
     if (current_actions_popover_elem) {
         focus_first_action_popover_item();
diff --git a/static/templates/single_message.handlebars b/static/templates/single_message.handlebars
index 75504dd882..dd0648d2d8 100644
--- a/static/templates/single_message.handlebars
+++ b/static/templates/single_message.handlebars
@@ -48,9 +48,13 @@
                             <i class="icon-vector-smile" title="{{#tr this}}Add emoji reaction{{/tr}} (:)"></i>
                         </div>
                         {{/if}}
+
+                        {{#unless msg/locally_echoed}}
                         <div class="info actions_hover">
                             <i class="icon-vector-chevron-down" title="{{#tr this}}Message actions{{/tr}} (i)"></i>
                         </div>
+                        {{/unless}}
+
                         <div class="message_failed {{#unless msg.failed_request}}notvisible{{/unless}}">
                             <i class="icon-vector-refresh refresh-failed-message" data-toggle="tooltip" title="{{t 'Retry' }}"></i>
                             <i class="icon-vector-remove-sign remove-failed-message" data-toggle="tooltip" title="{{t 'Cancel' }}"></i>