diff --git a/src/async-components/views/dialogs/keybackup/NewRecoveryMethodDialog.js b/src/async-components/views/dialogs/keybackup/NewRecoveryMethodDialog.js
index ad29ba64b26..bd191a7c131 100644
--- a/src/async-components/views/dialogs/keybackup/NewRecoveryMethodDialog.js
+++ b/src/async-components/views/dialogs/keybackup/NewRecoveryMethodDialog.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
-Copyright 2018 New Vector Ltd
+Copyright 2018-2019 New Vector Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -24,9 +24,15 @@ import Modal from "../../../../Modal";
 
 export default class NewRecoveryMethodDialog extends React.PureComponent {
     static propTypes = {
+        // As returned by js-sdk getKeyBackupVersion()
+        newVersionInfo: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
         onFinished: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     }
 
+    onOkClick = () => {
+        this.props.onFinished();
+    }
+
     onGoToSettingsClick = () => {
         this.props.onFinished();
         dis.dispatch({ action: 'view_user_settings' });
@@ -41,8 +47,7 @@ export default class NewRecoveryMethodDialog extends React.PureComponent {
         // sending our own new keys to it.
         let backupSigStatus;
         try {
-            const backupInfo = await MatrixClientPeg.get().getKeyBackupVersion();
-            backupSigStatus = await MatrixClientPeg.get().isKeyBackupTrusted(backupInfo);
+            backupSigStatus = await MatrixClientPeg.get().isKeyBackupTrusted(this.props.newVersionInfo);
         } catch (e) {
             console.log("Unable to fetch key backup status", e);
             return;
@@ -76,34 +81,57 @@ export default class NewRecoveryMethodDialog extends React.PureComponent {
             {_t("New Recovery Method")}
         </span>;
 
+        const newMethodDetected = <p>{_t(
+            "A new recovery passphrase and key for Secure " +
+            "Messages have been detected.",
+        )}</p>;
+
+        const hackWarning = <p className="warning">{_t(
+            "If you didn't set the new recovery method, an " +
+            "attacker may be trying to access your account. " +
+            "Change your account password and set a new recovery " +
+            "method immediately in Settings.",
+        )}</p>;
+
+        let content;
+        if (MatrixClientPeg.get().getKeyBackupEnabled()) {
+            content = <div>
+                {newMethodDetected}
+                <p>{_t(
+                    "This device is encrypting history using the new recovery method."
+                )}</p>
+                {hackWarning}
+                <DialogButtons
+                    primaryButton={_t("OK")}
+                    onPrimaryButtonClick={this.onOkClick}
+                    cancelButton={_t("Go to Settings")}
+                    onCancel={this.onGoToSettingsClick}
+                />
+            </div>;
+        } else {
+            content = <div>
+                {newMethodDetected}
+                <p>{_t(
+                    "Setting up Secure Messages on this device " +
+                    "will re-encrypt this device's message history with " +
+                    "the new recovery method.",
+                )}</p>
+                {hackWarning}
+                <DialogButtons
+                    primaryButton={_t("Set up Secure Messages")}
+                    onPrimaryButtonClick={this.onSetupClick}
+                    cancelButton={_t("Go to Settings")}
+                    onCancel={this.onGoToSettingsClick}
+                />
+            </div>;
+        }
+
         return (
             <BaseDialog className="mx_KeyBackupFailedDialog"
                 onFinished={this.props.onFinished}
                 title={title}
             >
-                <div>
-                    <p>{_t(
-                        "A new recovery passphrase and key for Secure " +
-                        "Messages have been detected.",
-                    )}</p>
-                    <p>{_t(
-                        "Setting up Secure Messages on this device " +
-                        "will re-encrypt this device's message history with " +
-                        "the new recovery method.",
-                    )}</p>
-                    <p className="warning">{_t(
-                        "If you didn't set the new recovery method, an " +
-                        "attacker may be trying to access your account. " +
-                        "Change your account password and set a new recovery " +
-                        "method immediately in Settings.",
-                    )}</p>
-                    <DialogButtons
-                        primaryButton={_t("Set up Secure Messages")}
-                        onPrimaryButtonClick={this.onSetupClick}
-                        cancelButton={_t("Go to Settings")}
-                        onCancel={this.onGoToSettingsClick}
-                    />
-                </div>
+                {content}
             </BaseDialog>
         );
     }
diff --git a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
index 84805258866..a1913f13bef 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
 Copyright 2017 Vector Creations Ltd
-Copyright 2017, 2018 New Vector Ltd
+Copyright 2017-2019 New Vector Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -1447,20 +1447,32 @@ export default React.createClass({
                     break;
             }
         });
-        cli.on("crypto.keyBackupFailed", (errcode) => {
-            switch (errcode) {
-                case 'M_NOT_FOUND':
-                    Modal.createTrackedDialogAsync('Recovery Method Removed', 'Recovery Method Removed',
-                        import('../../async-components/views/dialogs/keybackup/RecoveryMethodRemovedDialog'),
-                    );
-                    return;
-                case 'M_WRONG_ROOM_KEYS_VERSION':
-                    Modal.createTrackedDialogAsync('New Recovery Method', 'New Recovery Method',
-                        import('../../async-components/views/dialogs/keybackup/NewRecoveryMethodDialog'),
-                    );
+        cli.on("crypto.keyBackupFailed", async (errcode) => {
+            let haveNewVersion;
+            let newVersionInfo;
+            // if key backup is still enabled, there must be a new backup in place
+            if (MatrixClientPeg.get().getKeyBackupEnabled()) {
+                haveNewVersion = true;
+            } else {
+                // otherwise check the server to see if there's a new one
+                try {
+                    newVersionInfo = await MatrixClientPeg.get().getKeyBackupVersion();
+                    if (newVersionInfo !== null) haveNewVersion = true;
+                } catch (e) {
+                    console.error("Saw key backup error but failed to check backup version!", e);
                     return;
-                default:
-                    console.error(`Invalid key backup failure code: ${errcode}`);
+                }
+            }
+
+            if (haveNewVersion) {
+                Modal.createTrackedDialogAsync('New Recovery Method', 'New Recovery Method',
+                    import('../../async-components/views/dialogs/keybackup/NewRecoveryMethodDialog'),
+                    { newVersionInfo }
+                );
+            } else {
+                Modal.createTrackedDialogAsync('Recovery Method Removed', 'Recovery Method Removed',
+                    import('../../async-components/views/dialogs/keybackup/RecoveryMethodRemovedDialog'),
+                );
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 9e5b98afdda..0fbed11e20c 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -1410,10 +1410,11 @@
     "If you don't want to set this up now, you can later in Settings.": "If you don't want to set this up now, you can later in Settings.",
     "New Recovery Method": "New Recovery Method",
     "A new recovery passphrase and key for Secure Messages have been detected.": "A new recovery passphrase and key for Secure Messages have been detected.",
-    "Setting up Secure Messages on this device will re-encrypt this device's message history with the new recovery method.": "Setting up Secure Messages on this device will re-encrypt this device's message history with the new recovery method.",
     "If you didn't set the new recovery method, an attacker may be trying to access your account. Change your account password and set a new recovery method immediately in Settings.": "If you didn't set the new recovery method, an attacker may be trying to access your account. Change your account password and set a new recovery method immediately in Settings.",
-    "Set up Secure Messages": "Set up Secure Messages",
+    "This device is encrypting history using the new recovery method.": "This device is encrypting history using the new recovery method.",
     "Go to Settings": "Go to Settings",
+    "Setting up Secure Messages on this device will re-encrypt this device's message history with the new recovery method.": "Setting up Secure Messages on this device will re-encrypt this device's message history with the new recovery method.",
+    "Set up Secure Messages": "Set up Secure Messages",
     "Recovery Method Removed": "Recovery Method Removed",
     "This device has detected that your recovery passphrase and key for Secure Messages have been removed.": "This device has detected that your recovery passphrase and key for Secure Messages have been removed.",
     "If you did this accidentally, you can setup Secure Messages on this device which will re-encrypt this device's message history with a new recovery method.": "If you did this accidentally, you can setup Secure Messages on this device which will re-encrypt this device's message history with a new recovery method.",