diff --git a/public/javascripts/app/models/post.js b/public/javascripts/app/models/post.js
index a8ddf1c59..c7ad731c6 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/app/models/post.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/app/models/post.js
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ app.models.Post = Backbone.Model.extend({
 
   setupCollections: function() {
     this.comments = new app.collections.Comments(this.get("comments") || this.get("last_three_comments"), {post : this});
-    this.likes = new app.collections.Likes([], {post : this}); // load in the user like initially
-    this.participations = new app.collections.Participations([], {post : this}); // load in the user like initially
+    this.likes = this.likes || new app.collections.Likes([], {post : this}); // load in the user like initially
+    this.participations = this.participations || new app.collections.Participations([], {post : this}); // load in the user like initially
   },
 
   createdAt : function() {
diff --git a/public/javascripts/app/views/comment_stream_view.js b/public/javascripts/app/views/comment_stream_view.js
index bcadbc317..5a11626f4 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/app/views/comment_stream_view.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/app/views/comment_stream_view.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ app.views.CommentStream = app.views.Base.extend({
   initialize: function(options) {
     this.model.comments.bind('add', this.appendComment, this);
     this.commentTemplate = options.commentTemplate;
+
+    this.model.bind("commentsExpanded", this.render, this)
   },
 
   postRenderTemplate : function() {
@@ -60,9 +62,12 @@ app.views.CommentStream = app.views.Base.extend({
 
     var self = this;
     this.model.comments.fetch({
-      success : function(){
-        self.model.set({all_comments_loaded : true});
-        self.render();
+      success : function(resp){
+        self.model.set({
+          comments : resp.models,
+          all_comments_loaded : true
+        })
+        self.model.trigger("commentsExpanded", self)
       }
     });
   }
diff --git a/public/javascripts/app/views/likes_info_view.js b/public/javascripts/app/views/likes_info_view.js
index 5deac53ee..146f859a2 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/app/views/likes_info_view.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/app/views/likes_info_view.js
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ app.views.LikesInfo = app.views.StreamObject.extend({
 
   tooltipSelector : ".avatar",
 
+  initialize : function() {
+    this.model.bind('expandedLikes', this.render, this)
+  },
+
   presenter : function() {
     return _.extend(this.defaultPresenter(), {
       likes : this.model.likes.models
@@ -21,6 +25,7 @@ app.views.LikesInfo = app.views.StreamObject.extend({
       .done(function(resp){
       // set like attribute and like collection
       self.model.set({likes : self.model.likes.reset(resp)})
+      self.model.trigger("expandedLikes")
     })
   }
 });
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/app/views/comment_stream_view_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/app/views/comment_stream_view_spec.js
index 6467e210f..3bff3494e 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/app/views/comment_stream_view_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/app/views/comment_stream_view_spec.js
@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@ describe("app.views.CommentStream", function(){
     loginAs({})
   })
 
+  describe("binds", function() {
+    it("re-renders on a commentsExpanded trigger", function(){
+      spyOn(this.view, "render")
+      this.view.model.trigger("commentsExpanded")
+      expect(this.view.render).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+  })
+
   describe("postRenderTemplate", function(){
     it("applies infield labels", function(){
       spyOn($.fn, "placeholder")
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/app/views/likes_info_view_spec.js b/spec/javascripts/app/views/likes_info_view_spec.js
index ec6a2e82d..b026da579 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/app/views/likes_info_view_spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/app/views/likes_info_view_spec.js
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ describe("app.views.LikesInfo", function(){
 
       expect($(this.view.el).html().trim()).toBe("");
     })
+
+    it("fires on a model change", function(){
+      spyOn(this.view, "postRenderTemplate")
+      this.view.model.trigger('expandedLikes')
+      expect(this.view.postRenderTemplate).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
   })
 
   describe("showAvatars", function(){