diff --git a/matrix-sdk-android-rx/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/rx/LiveDataObservable.kt b/matrix-sdk-android-rx/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/rx/LiveDataObservable.kt
index d4c9a79f..570140d5 100644
--- a/matrix-sdk-android-rx/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/rx/LiveDataObservable.kt
+++ b/matrix-sdk-android-rx/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/rx/LiveDataObservable.kt
@@ -56,6 +56,6 @@ private class LiveDataObservable<T>(
     }
 }
 
-fun <T> LiveData<T>.asObservable(): Observable<T> {
-    return LiveDataObservable(this)
+fun <T> LiveData<T>.asObservable(defaultValue: T? = null): Observable<T> {
+    return LiveDataObservable(this, defaultValue)
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/matrix-sdk-android-rx/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/rx/RxSession.kt b/matrix-sdk-android-rx/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/rx/RxSession.kt
index af149116..c362b5ef 100644
--- a/matrix-sdk-android-rx/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/rx/RxSession.kt
+++ b/matrix-sdk-android-rx/src/main/java/im/vector/matrix/rx/RxSession.kt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.group.model.GroupSummary
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.pushers.Pusher
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.room.model.RoomSummary
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.sync.SyncState
+import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.user.model.User
 import io.reactivex.Observable
 
 class RxSession(private val session: Session) {
@@ -41,6 +42,10 @@ class RxSession(private val session: Session) {
         return session.livePushers().asObservable()
     }
 
+    fun liveUser(userId: String): Observable<User?> {
+        return session.observeUser(userId).asObservable(User(userId))
+    }
+
 }
 
 fun Session.rx(): RxSession {
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/group/GroupListFragment.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/group/GroupListFragment.kt
index 61e68dfb..44d0208e 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/group/GroupListFragment.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/group/GroupListFragment.kt
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class GroupListFragment : VectorBaseFragment(), GroupSummaryController.Callback
         super.onActivityCreated(savedInstanceState)
         groupController.callback = this
         stateView.contentView = groupListEpoxyRecyclerView
+        groupListEpoxyRecyclerView.setHasFixedSize(true)
         groupListEpoxyRecyclerView.setController(groupController)
         viewModel.subscribe { renderState(it) }
         viewModel.openGroupLiveData.observeEvent(this) {
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/group/GroupListViewModel.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/group/GroupListViewModel.kt
index 229652b0..47d3a3cc 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/group/GroupListViewModel.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/group/GroupListViewModel.kt
@@ -26,11 +26,16 @@ import com.squareup.inject.assisted.Assisted
 import com.squareup.inject.assisted.AssistedInject
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.Session
 import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.group.model.GroupSummary
+import im.vector.matrix.android.api.session.user.model.User
 import im.vector.matrix.rx.rx
 import im.vector.riotx.R
 import im.vector.riotx.core.platform.VectorViewModel
 import im.vector.riotx.core.resources.StringProvider
 import im.vector.riotx.core.utils.LiveEvent
+import io.reactivex.Observable
+import io.reactivex.functions.BiFunction
+import timber.log.Timber
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit
 
 const val ALL_COMMUNITIES_GROUP_ID = "ALL_COMMUNITIES_GROUP_ID"
 
@@ -89,22 +94,21 @@ class GroupListViewModel @AssistedInject constructor(@Assisted initialState: Gro
     }
 
     private fun observeGroupSummaries() {
-        session
-                .rx()
-                .liveGroupSummaries()
-                .map {
-                    val myUser = session.getUser(session.sessionParams.credentials.userId)
+        Observable.combineLatest<User?, List<GroupSummary>, List<GroupSummary>>(
+                session.rx().liveUser(session.myUserId),
+                session.rx().liveGroupSummaries(),
+                BiFunction { user, groupSummary ->
                     val allCommunityGroup = GroupSummary(
                             groupId = ALL_COMMUNITIES_GROUP_ID,
                             displayName = stringProvider.getString(R.string.group_all_communities),
-                            avatarUrl = myUser?.avatarUrl ?: "")
-                    listOf(allCommunityGroup) + it
-                }
-                .execute { async ->
-                    // TODO Phase2 Handle the case where the selected group is deleted on another client
-                    val newSelectedGroup = selectedGroup ?: async()?.firstOrNull()
-                    copy(asyncGroups = async, selectedGroup = newSelectedGroup)
+                            avatarUrl = user.avatarUrl ?: "")
+                    listOf(allCommunityGroup) + groupSummary
                 }
+        ).execute { async ->
+            // TODO Phase2 Handle the case where the selected group is deleted on another client
+            val newSelectedGroup = selectedGroup ?: async()?.firstOrNull()
+            copy(asyncGroups = async, selectedGroup = newSelectedGroup)
+        }
     }