diff --git a/message/amd/src/message_popover_controller.js b/message/amd/src/message_popover_controller.js
index 032ffbbea09..e804addea35 100644
--- a/message/amd/src/message_popover_controller.js
+++ b/message/amd/src/message_popover_controller.js
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@
  */
 define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates', 'core/str',
             'core/notification', 'core/custom_interaction_events', 'core/mdl_popover_controller',
-            'core_message/message_repository'],
+            'core_message/message_repository', 'core/url'],
         function($, bootstrap, ajax, templates, str, debugNotification, customEvents,
-            PopoverController, messageRepo) {
+            PopoverController, messageRepo, URL) {
 
     var SELECTORS = {
         MARK_ALL_READ_BUTTON: '.mark-all-read-button',
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
         CONTENT: '.messages',
         CONTENT_ITEM_CONTAINER: '.content-item-container',
         EMPTY_MESSAGE: '.empty-message',
+        LINK_URL: '[data-link-url]',
     };
 
     /**
@@ -112,6 +113,26 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
         }
     };
 
+    /**
+     * Navigate the browser to the link URL for the item, if it has one.
+     *
+     * @method navigateToLinkURL
+     * @param {jQuery} item The link element
+     * @param {bool} item Should the URL be opened in a new tab or not.
+     */
+    MessagePopoverController.prototype.navigateToLinkURL = function(item, newTab) {
+        var url = item.attr('data-link-url');
+        newTab = newTab || false;
+
+        if (url) {
+            if (newTab) {
+                window.open(url, '_blank');
+            } else {
+                window.location.assign(url);
+            }
+        }
+    };
+
     /**
      * Show the unread notification count badge on the menu toggle if there
      * are unread notifications, otherwise hide it.
@@ -167,6 +188,15 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
 
         if (messages.length) {
             $.each(messages, function(index, message) {
+                message.contexturl = URL.relativeUrl('/message/index.php', {
+                    user: this.userId,
+                    id: message.userid,
+                }, true);
+
+                message.profileurl = URL.relativeUrl('/user/profile.php', {
+                    id: message.userid,
+                });
+
                 var promise = templates.render('message/message_content_item', message);
                 promise.then(function(html, js) {
                     container.append(html);
@@ -240,6 +270,10 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
      * @method registerEventListeners
      */
     MessagePopoverController.prototype.registerEventListeners = function() {
+        customEvents.define(this.root, [
+            customEvents.events.keyboardActivate,
+        ]);
+
         // Update the notification information when the menu is opened.
         this.root.on(this.events().menuOpened, function() {
             this.hideUnreadCount();
@@ -255,6 +289,31 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
             this.renderUnreadCount();
             this.updateButtonAriaLabel();
         }.bind(this));
+
+        // Load more messages when we scroll to the bottom of the open menu.
+        this.root.on(customEvents.events.scrollBottom, function() {
+            this.loadMoreMessages();
+        }.bind(this));
+
+        // Follow the link URL if the user activates it.
+        this.root.on('click', SELECTORS.LINK_URL, function(e) {
+            var linkItem = $(e.target).closest(SELECTORS.LINK_URL);
+            // Open link in a new tab if the user ctrl + click or command + click.
+            if (e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey) {
+                this.navigateToLinkURL(linkItem, true);
+            } else {
+                this.navigateToLinkURL(linkItem, false);
+            }
+            e.stopPropagation();
+            e.preventDefault();
+        }.bind(this));
+
+        // Follow the link URL if the user activates it.
+        this.root.on(customEvents.events.keyboardActivate, SELECTORS.LINK_URL, function(e) {
+            var linkItem = $(e.target).closest(SELECTORS.LINK_URL);
+            this.navigateToLinkURL(linkItem, false);
+            e.stopPropagation();
+        }.bind(this));
     };
 
     return MessagePopoverController;
diff --git a/message/amd/src/message_repository.js b/message/amd/src/message_repository.js
index 9a593e74322..7a50691a46b 100644
--- a/message/amd/src/message_repository.js
+++ b/message/amd/src/message_repository.js
@@ -19,21 +19,23 @@
  * @module     core_message/message_repository
  * @class      message_repository
  * @package    message
- * @copyright  2015 Ryan Wyllie <ryan@moodle.com>
+ * @copyright  2016 Ryan Wyllie <ryan@moodle.com>
  * @license    http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
  * @since      3.2
  */
 define(['jquery', 'core/ajax', 'core/notification'], function($, ajax, notification) {
     var query = function(args) {
-        /*
+        // Normalise the arguments to use limit/offset rather than limitnum/limitfrom.
         if (typeof args.limit === 'undefined') {
-            args.limit = 20;
+            args.limit = 0;
         }
 
         if (typeof args.offset === 'undefined') {
             args.offset = 0;
         }
-        */
+
+        args.limitfrom = args.offset;
+        args.limitnum = args.limit;
 
         delete args.limit;
         delete args.offset;
diff --git a/message/amd/src/notification_popover_controller.js b/message/amd/src/notification_popover_controller.js
index 575a4a76f4e..4ade9f15cb1 100644
--- a/message/amd/src/notification_popover_controller.js
+++ b/message/amd/src/notification_popover_controller.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
         EMPTY_MESSAGE: '.empty-message',
         CONTENT_BODY_SHORT: '.content-body-short',
         CONTENT_BODY_FULL: '.content-body-full',
+        LINK_URL: '[data-link-url]',
     };
 
     var PROCESSOR_NAME = 'popup';
@@ -501,16 +502,22 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
     };
 
     /**
-     * Navigate the browser to the content URL for the content item, if it has one.
+     * Navigate the browser to the link URL for the item, if it has one.
      *
-     * @method navigateToContextURL
-     * @param item jQuery object representing the content item
+     * @method navigateToLinkURL
+     * @param {jQuery} item The link element
+     * @param {bool} item Should the URL be opened in a new tab or not.
      */
-    NotificationPopoverController.prototype.navigateToContextURL = function(item) {
-        var url = item.attr('data-context-url');
+    NotificationPopoverController.prototype.navigateToLinkURL = function(item, newTab) {
+        var url = item.attr('data-link-url');
+        newTab = newTab || false;
 
         if (url) {
-            window.location.assign(url);
+            if (newTab) {
+                window.open(url, '_blank');
+            } else {
+                window.location.assign(url);
+            }
         }
     };
 
@@ -602,6 +609,7 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
     NotificationPopoverController.prototype.registerEventListeners = function() {
         customEvents.define(this.root, [
             customEvents.events.activate,
+            customEvents.events.keyboardActivate,
             customEvents.events.next,
             customEvents.events.previous,
             customEvents.events.asterix,
@@ -674,10 +682,23 @@ define(['jquery', 'theme_bootstrapbase/bootstrap', 'core/ajax', 'core/templates'
             e.stopPropagation();
         }.bind(this));
 
-        // Follow the context URL if the user activates the content item.
-        this.root.on(customEvents.events.activate, SELECTORS.CONTENT_ITEM_CONTAINER, function(e) {
-            var contentItem = $(e.target).closest(SELECTORS.CONTENT_ITEM_CONTAINER);
-            this.navigateToContextURL(contentItem);
+        // Follow the link URL if the user activates it.
+        this.root.on('click', SELECTORS.LINK_URL, function(e) {
+            var linkItem = $(e.target).closest(SELECTORS.LINK_URL);
+            // Open link in a new tab if the user ctrl + click or command + click.
+            if (e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey) {
+                this.navigateToLinkURL(linkItem, true);
+            } else {
+                this.navigateToLinkURL(linkItem, false);
+            }
+            e.stopPropagation();
+            e.preventDefault();
+        }.bind(this));
+
+        // Follow the link URL if the user activates it.
+        this.root.on(customEvents.events.keyboardActivate, SELECTORS.LINK_URL, function(e) {
+            var linkItem = $(e.target).closest(SELECTORS.LINK_URL);
+            this.navigateToLinkURL(linkItem, false);
             e.stopPropagation();
         }.bind(this));
 
diff --git a/message/templates/message_content_item.mustache b/message/templates/message_content_item.mustache
index bffb42237ee..c5d1e0e1277 100644
--- a/message/templates/message_content_item.mustache
+++ b/message/templates/message_content_item.mustache
@@ -34,18 +34,25 @@
     }
 
 }}
-<div class="content-item-container"
+<div class="content-item-container {{^isread}}unread{{/isread}}"
     role="listitem"
     aria-expanded="false"
     aria-label=""
-    tabindex="0"
-    {{#contexturl}}data-context-url="{{{.}}}"{{/contexturl}}>
+    tabindex="0">
 
+    {{#contexturl}}
+    <a class="content-item-link" href="{{{.}}}">
+    {{/contexturl}}
     <div class="content-item">
-        {{{picture}}}
+        <div class="profile-image-container">
+            <img src="{{{profileimageurl}}}" />
+        </div>
         <div class="content-item-body">
-            <h3>{{name}}</h3>
+            <h3 data-link-url="{{{profileurl}}}" role="link">{{fullname}}</h3>
             <p>{{lastmessage}}</p>
         </div>
     </div>
+    {{#contexturl}}
+    </a>
+    {{/contexturl}}
 </div>
diff --git a/message/templates/notification_content_item.mustache b/message/templates/notification_content_item.mustache
index 2634601b866..6a160e6cfe2 100644
--- a/message/templates/notification_content_item.mustache
+++ b/message/templates/notification_content_item.mustache
@@ -38,16 +38,14 @@
     role="listitem"
     aria-expanded="false"
     aria-label="{{subject}}"
-    tabindex="0"
-    {{#contexturl}}data-context-url="{{{.}}}"{{/contexturl}}>
+    tabindex="0">
 
+    {{#contexturl}}
+    <a class="content-item-link" href="{{{.}}}">
+    {{/contexturl}}
     <div class="content-item">
         <div class="content-item-header">
-            <h3>
-                {{#userfromprofileurl}}<a href="{{{.}}}">{{/userfromprofileurl}}
-                    {{userfromfullname}}
-                {{#userfromprofileurl}}</a>{{/userfromprofileurl}}
-            </h3>
+            <h3 {{#userfromprofileurl}}data-link-url="{{{.}}}" role="link"{{/userfromprofileurl}}>{{userfromfullname}}</h3>
         </div>
         <div class="content-item-body">
             <div class="content-body-short">
@@ -92,4 +90,7 @@
             </span>
         </div>
     </div>
+    {{#contexturl}}
+    </a>
+    {{/contexturl}}
 </div>
diff --git a/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/popover.less b/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/popover.less
index dcd1bbc27af..3862d55eee2 100644
--- a/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/popover.less
+++ b/theme/bootstrapbase/less/moodle/popover.less
@@ -83,6 +83,21 @@
         }
     }
 
+    [data-link-url] {
+        cursor: pointer;
+        color: @linkColor;
+
+        &:hover,
+        &:active {
+            outline: 0;
+        }
+        &:hover,
+        &:focus {
+            color: @linkColorHover;
+            text-decoration: underline;
+        }
+    }
+
     &.collapsed {
         .mdl-popover-container {
             height: 0;
@@ -307,8 +322,14 @@
                             opacity: 0.8;
                         }
 
-                        &[data-context-url] {
-                            cursor: pointer;
+                        .content-item-link {
+                            color: inherit;
+                            text-decoration: none;
+
+                            &:hover {
+                                color: inherit;
+                                text-decoration: none;
+                            }
                         }
 
                         .content-item {
@@ -568,29 +589,44 @@
                         box-sizing: border-box;
                         padding: 5px;
                         height: 85px;
+                        cursor: pointer;
 
                         &:hover {
                             opacity: 0.8;
                         }
 
-                        &[data-context-url] {
-                            cursor: pointer;
+                        .content-item-link {
+                            color: inherit;
+                            text-decoration: none;
+
+                            &:hover {
+                                color: inherit;
+                                text-decoration: none;
+                            }
                         }
 
                         .content-item {
                             height: 100%;
                             width: 100%;
 
-                            img {
+                            .profile-image-container {
+                                height: 100%;
+                                width: 20%;
                                 display: inline-block;
-                                vertical-align: middle;
+
+                                img {
+                                    height: 100%;
+                                    display: inline-block;
+                                    vertical-align: middle;
+                                    border-radius: 50%;
+                                }
                             }
 
                             .content-item-body {
                                 display: inline-block;
                                 box-sizing: border-box;
                                 vertical-align: middle;
-                                width: ~"calc(100% - 68px)";
+                                width: 75%;
                                 height: 100%;
 
                                 h3 {
@@ -608,6 +644,9 @@
                         &:last-child {
                             border-bottom: none;
                         }
+                        &.unread {
+                            background-color: #effaff;
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 &.loading {
diff --git a/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css b/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
index 58d2d16240a..6704ace6c82 100644
--- a/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
+++ b/theme/bootstrapbase/style/moodle.css
@@ -7107,6 +7107,19 @@ body.path-question-type .mform fieldset.hidden {
 .mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container.loading .empty-message {
   display: none;
 }
+.mdl-popover [data-link-url] {
+  cursor: pointer;
+  color: #0070a8;
+}
+.mdl-popover [data-link-url]:hover,
+.mdl-popover [data-link-url]:active {
+  outline: 0;
+}
+.mdl-popover [data-link-url]:hover,
+.mdl-popover [data-link-url]:focus {
+  color: #003d5c;
+  text-decoration: underline;
+}
 .mdl-popover.collapsed .mdl-popover-container {
   height: 0;
   overflow: hidden;
@@ -7286,8 +7299,13 @@ body.path-question-type .mform fieldset.hidden {
 .mdl-popover-notifications.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container:hover {
   opacity: 0.8;
 }
-.mdl-popover-notifications.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container[data-context-url] {
-  cursor: pointer;
+.mdl-popover-notifications.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item-link {
+  color: inherit;
+  text-decoration: none;
+}
+.mdl-popover-notifications.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item-link:hover {
+  color: inherit;
+  text-decoration: none;
 }
 .mdl-popover-notifications.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item {
   width: calc(100% - 45px);
@@ -7474,26 +7492,39 @@ body.path-question-type .mform fieldset.hidden {
   box-sizing: border-box;
   padding: 5px;
   height: 85px;
+  cursor: pointer;
 }
 .mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container:hover {
   opacity: 0.8;
 }
-.mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container[data-context-url] {
-  cursor: pointer;
+.mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item-link {
+  color: inherit;
+  text-decoration: none;
+}
+.mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item-link:hover {
+  color: inherit;
+  text-decoration: none;
 }
 .mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item {
   height: 100%;
   width: 100%;
 }
-.mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item img {
+.mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item .profile-image-container {
+  height: 100%;
+  width: 20%;
+  display: inline-block;
+}
+.mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item .profile-image-container img {
+  height: 100%;
   display: inline-block;
   vertical-align: middle;
+  border-radius: 50%;
 }
 .mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item .content-item-body {
   display: inline-block;
   box-sizing: border-box;
   vertical-align: middle;
-  width: calc(100% - 68px);
+  width: 75%;
   height: 100%;
 }
 .mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container .content-item .content-item-body h3 {
@@ -7508,6 +7539,9 @@ body.path-question-type .mform fieldset.hidden {
 .mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container:last-child {
   border-bottom: none;
 }
+.mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container .mdl-popover-content .content-item-container.unread {
+  background-color: #effaff;
+}
 .mdl-popover-messages.mdl-popover .mdl-popover-container .mdl-popover-content-container.loading .mdl-popover-content .messages:empty + .empty-message {
   display: none;
 }