diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-message.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-message.js.es6
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..74c11864e30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-message.js.es6
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import computed from 'ember-addons/ember-computed-decorators';
+
+export default Ember.Component.extend({
+  classNameBindings: [':composer-popup', ':hidden', 'message.extraClass'],
+
+  @computed('message.templateName')
+  defaultLayout(templateName) {
+    return this.container.lookup(`template:${templateName}`)
+  },
+
+  didInsertElement() {
+    this._super();
+    this.$().show();
+  },
+
+  actions: {
+    closeMessage() {
+      this.sendAction('closeMessage', this.get('message'));
+    }
+  }
+});
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-messages.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-messages.js.es6
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8c343940e18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/components/composer-messages.js.es6
@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+export default Ember.Component.extend({
+  classNameBindings: [':composer-popup-container', 'hidden'],
+  checkedMessages: false,
+  messages: null,
+  messagesByTemplate: null,
+  queuedForTyping: null,
+  _lastSimilaritySearch: null,
+  _similarTopicsMessage: null,
+  similarTopics: null,
+
+  hidden: Ember.computed.not('composer.viewOpen'),
+
+  didInsertElement() {
+    this._super();
+    this.reset();
+    this.appEvents.on('composer:typed-reply', this, this._typedReply);
+    this.appEvents.on('composer:opened', this, this._findMessages);
+    this.appEvents.on('composer:find-similar', this, this._findSimilar);
+    this.appEvents.on('composer-messages:close', this, this._closeTop);
+  },
+
+  willDestroyElement() {
+    this.appEvents.off('composer:typed-reply', this, this._typedReply);
+    this.appEvents.off('composer:opened', this, this._findMessages);
+    this.appEvents.off('composer:find-similar', this, this._findSimilar);
+    this.appEvents.off('composer-messages:close', this, this._closeTop);
+  },
+
+  _closeTop() {
+    const messages = this.get('messages');
+    messages.popObject();
+    this.set('messageCount', messages.get('length'));
+  },
+
+  _removeMessage(message) {
+    const messages = this.get('messages');
+    messages.removeObject(message);
+    this.set('messageCount', messages.get('length'));
+  },
+
+  actions: {
+    closeMessage(message) {
+      this._removeMessage(message);
+    },
+
+    hideMessage(message) {
+      this._removeMessage(message);
+      // kind of hacky but the visibility depends on this
+      this.get('messagesByTemplate')[message.get('templateName')] = undefined;
+    },
+
+    popup(message) {
+      const messagesByTemplate = this.get('messagesByTemplate');
+      const templateName = message.get('templateName');
+
+      if (!messagesByTemplate[templateName]) {
+        const messages = this.get('messages');
+        messages.pushObject(message);
+        this.set('messageCount', messages.get('length'));
+        messagesByTemplate[templateName] = message;
+      }
+    }
+  },
+
+  // Resets all active messages.
+  // For example if composing a new post.
+  reset() {
+    if (this.isDestroying || this.isDestroyed) { return; }
+    this.setProperties({
+      messages: [],
+      messagesByTemplate: {},
+      queuedForTyping: [],
+      checkedMessages: false,
+      similarTopics: [],
+    });
+  },
+
+  // Called after the user has typed a reply.
+  // Some messages only get shown after being typed.
+  _typedReply() {
+    if (this.isDestroying || this.isDestroyed) { return; }
+    this.get('queuedForTyping').forEach(msg => this.send("popup", msg));
+  },
+
+  groupsMentioned(groups) {
+    // reset existing messages, this should always win it is critical
+    this.reset();
+    groups.forEach(group => {
+      const msg = I18n.t('composer.group_mentioned', {
+        group: "@" + group.name,
+        count: group.user_count,
+        group_link: Discourse.getURL(`/group/${group.name}/members`)
+      });
+      this.send("popup",
+        Em.Object.create({
+          templateName: 'composer/group-mentioned',
+          body: msg})
+        );
+    });
+  },
+
+  _findSimilar() {
+    const composer = this.get('composer');
+
+    // We don't care about similar topics unless creating a topic
+    if (!composer.get('creatingTopic')) { return; }
+
+    const origBody = composer.get('reply') || '';
+    const title = composer.get('title') || '';
+
+    // Ensure the fields are of the minimum length
+    if (origBody.length < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_body_similar_length) { return; }
+    if (title.length < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_title_similar_length) { return; }
+
+    // TODO pass the 200 in from somewhere
+    const body = origBody.substr(0, 200);
+
+    // Don't search over and over
+    const concat = title + body;
+    if (concat === this._lastSimilaritySearch) { return; }
+    this._lastSimilaritySearch = concat;
+
+    const similarTopics = this.get('similarTopics');
+    const message = this._similarTopicsMessage || composer.store.createRecord('composer-message', {
+      id: 'similar_topics',
+      templateName: 'composer/similar-topics',
+      extraClass: 'similar-topics'
+    });
+
+    this._similarTopicsMessage = message;
+
+    composer.store.find('similar-topic', {title, raw: body}).then(newTopics => {
+      similarTopics.clear();
+      similarTopics.pushObjects(newTopics.get('content'));
+
+      if (similarTopics.get('length') > 0) {
+        message.set('similarTopics', similarTopics);
+        this.send('popup', message);
+      } else if (message) {
+        this.send('hideMessage', message);
+      }
+    });
+  },
+
+  // Figure out if there are any messages that should be displayed above the composer.
+  _findMessages() {
+    if (this.get('checkedMessages')) { return; }
+
+    const composer = this.get('composer');
+    const args = { composerAction: composer.get('action') };
+    const topicId = composer.get('topic.id');
+    const postId = composer.get('post.id');
+
+    if (topicId) { args.topic_id = topicId; }
+    if (postId)  { args.post_id = postId; }
+
+    const queuedForTyping = this.get('queuedForTyping');
+    composer.store.find('composer-message', args).then(messages => {
+      this.set('checkedMessages', true);
+      messages.forEach(msg => msg.wait_for_typing ? queuedForTyping.addObject(msg) : this.send('popup', msg));
+    });
+  }
+});
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/composer-messages.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/composer-messages.js.es6
deleted file mode 100644
index a821c758e8c..00000000000
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/composer-messages.js.es6
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,85 +0,0 @@
-// A controller for displaying messages as the user composes a message.
-export default Ember.ArrayController.extend({
-  needs: ['composer'],
-
-  // Whether we've checked our messages
-  checkedMessages: false,
-
-  _init: function() {
-    this.reset();
-  }.on("init"),
-
-  actions: {
-    closeMessage(message) {
-      this.removeObject(message);
-    },
-
-    hideMessage(message) {
-      this.removeObject(message);
-      // kind of hacky but the visibility depends on this
-      this.get('messagesByTemplate')[message.get('templateName')] = undefined;
-    },
-
-    popup(message) {
-      let messagesByTemplate = this.get('messagesByTemplate');
-      const templateName = message.get('templateName');
-
-      if (!messagesByTemplate[templateName]) {
-        this.pushObject(message);
-        messagesByTemplate[templateName] = message;
-      }
-    }
-  },
-
-  // Resets all active messages.
-  // For example if composing a new post.
-  reset() {
-    this.clear();
-    this.setProperties({
-      messagesByTemplate: {},
-      queuedForTyping: [],
-      checkedMessages: false
-    });
-  },
-
-  // Called after the user has typed a reply.
-  // Some messages only get shown after being typed.
-  typedReply() {
-    this.get('queuedForTyping').forEach(msg => this.send("popup", msg));
-  },
-
-  groupsMentioned(groups) {
-    // reset existing messages, this should always win it is critical
-    this.reset();
-    groups.forEach(group => {
-      const msg = I18n.t('composer.group_mentioned', {
-        group: "@" + group.name,
-        count: group.user_count,
-        group_link: Discourse.getURL(`/group/${group.name}/members`)
-      });
-      this.send("popup",
-        Em.Object.create({
-          templateName: 'composer/group-mentioned',
-          body: msg})
-        );
-    });
-  },
-
-  // Figure out if there are any messages that should be displayed above the composer.
-  queryFor(composer) {
-    if (this.get('checkedMessages')) { return; }
-
-    const args = { composerAction: composer.get('action') };
-    const topicId = composer.get('topic.id');
-    const postId = composer.get('post.id');
-
-    if (topicId) { args.topic_id = topicId; }
-    if (postId)  { args.post_id = postId; }
-
-    const queuedForTyping = this.get('queuedForTyping');
-    this.store.findAll('composer-message', args).then(messages => {
-      this.set('checkedMessages', true);
-      messages.forEach(msg => msg.wait_for_typing ? queuedForTyping.addObject(msg) : this.send('popup', msg));
-    });
-  }
-});
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/composer.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/composer.js.es6
index 6d306e26f21..2cf69458a19 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/composer.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/controllers/composer.js.es6
@@ -42,16 +42,14 @@ function loadDraft(store, opts) {
 }
 
 export default Ember.Controller.extend({
-  needs: ['modal', 'topic', 'composer-messages', 'application'],
+  needs: ['modal', 'topic', 'application'],
   replyAsNewTopicDraft: Em.computed.equal('model.draftKey', Composer.REPLY_AS_NEW_TOPIC_KEY),
   checkedMessages: false,
+  messageCount: null,
 
   showEditReason: false,
   editReason: null,
   scopedCategoryId: null,
-  similarTopics: null,
-  similarTopicsMessage: null,
-  lastSimilaritySearch: null,
   optionsVisible: false,
   lastValidatedAt: null,
   isUploading: false,
@@ -78,10 +76,6 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend({
 
   topicModel: Ember.computed.alias('controllers.topic.model'),
 
-  _initializeSimilar: function() {
-    this.set('similarTopics', []);
-  }.on('init'),
-
   @computed('model.canEditTitle', 'model.creatingPrivateMessage')
   canEditTags(canEditTitle, creatingPrivateMessage) {
     return !this.site.mobileView &&
@@ -183,9 +177,8 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend({
     },
 
     hitEsc() {
-      const messages = this.get('controllers.composer-messages.model');
-      if (messages.length) {
-        messages.popObject();
+      if ((this.get('messageCount') || 0) > 0) {
+        this.appEvents.trigger('composer-messages:close');
         return;
       }
 
@@ -359,62 +352,14 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend({
     return promise;
   },
 
-  // Checks to see if a reply has been typed.
-  // This is signaled by a keyUp event in a view.
+  // Notify the composer messages controller that a reply has been typed. Some
+  // messages only appear after typing.
   checkReplyLength() {
     if (!Ember.isEmpty('model.reply')) {
-      // Notify the composer messages controller that a reply has been typed. Some
-      // messages only appear after typing.
-      this.get('controllers.composer-messages').typedReply();
+      this.appEvents.trigger('composer:typed-reply');
     }
   },
 
-  // Fired after a user stops typing.
-  // Considers whether to check for similar topics based on the current composer state.
-  findSimilarTopics() {
-    // We don't care about similar topics unless creating a topic
-    if (!this.get('model.creatingTopic')) { return; }
-
-    let body = this.get('model.reply') || '';
-    const title = this.get('model.title') || '';
-
-    // Ensure the fields are of the minimum length
-    if (body.length < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_body_similar_length) { return; }
-    if (title.length < Discourse.SiteSettings.min_title_similar_length) { return; }
-
-    // TODO pass the 200 in from somewhere
-    body = body.substr(0, 200);
-
-    // Done search over and over
-    if ((title + body) === this.get('lastSimilaritySearch')) { return; }
-    this.set('lastSimilaritySearch', title + body);
-
-    const messageController = this.get('controllers.composer-messages'),
-          similarTopics = this.get('similarTopics');
-
-    let message = this.get('similarTopicsMessage');
-    if (!message) {
-      message = this.store.createRecord('composer-message', {
-        id: 'similar_topics',
-        templateName: 'composer/similar-topics',
-        extraClass: 'similar-topics'
-      });
-      this.set('similarTopicsMessage', message);
-    }
-
-    this.store.find('similar-topic', {title, raw: body}).then(function(newTopics) {
-      similarTopics.clear();
-      similarTopics.pushObjects(newTopics.get('content'));
-
-      if (similarTopics.get('length') > 0) {
-        message.set('similarTopics', similarTopics);
-        messageController.send("popup", message);
-      } else if (message) {
-        messageController.send("hideMessage", message);
-      }
-    });
-  },
-
   /**
     Open the composer view
 
@@ -439,13 +384,10 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend({
       this.set('scopedCategoryId', opts.categoryId);
     }
 
-    const composerMessages = this.get('controllers.composer-messages'),
-          self = this;
-
+    const self = this;
     let composerModel = this.get('model');
 
     this.setProperties({ showEditReason: false, editReason: null });
-    composerMessages.reset();
 
     // If we want a different draft than the current composer, close it and clear our model.
     if (composerModel &&
@@ -539,8 +481,6 @@ export default Ember.Controller.extend({
     if (opts.topicBody) {
       this.set('model.reply', opts.topicBody);
     }
-
-    this.get('controllers.composer-messages').queryFor(composerModel);
   },
 
   // View a new reply we've made
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/composer-messages.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/composer-messages.hbs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0048c0c4c9c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/composer-messages.hbs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{{#each messages as |message|}}
+  {{composer-message message=message closeMessage="closeMessage"}}
+{{/each}}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer.hbs
index eb72ca673b3..b5422104c39 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer.hbs
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
     {{/popup-menu}}
   {{/if}}
 
-  {{render "composer-messages"}}
-  <div class='control'>
+  {{composer-messages composer=model messageCount=messageCount}}
 
+  <div class='control'>
     {{#if site.mobileView}}
     <a href class='toggle-toolbar' {{action "toggleToolbar" bubbles=false}}></a>
     {{/if}}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/education.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/education.hbs
index 36bfdda8045..a461a9b5127 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/education.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/education.hbs
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-<a href {{action "closeMessage" this}} class='close'><i class='fa fa-times'></i></a>
-{{{body}}}
+<a href {{action "closeMessage"}} class='close'>{{fa-icon "times"}}</a>
+{{{message.body}}}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/group-mentioned.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/group-mentioned.hbs
index f20da405110..8497ac5dbdc 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/group-mentioned.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/group-mentioned.hbs
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-<a href {{action "closeMessage" this}} class='close'><i class='fa fa-close'></i></a>
-{{{body}}}
+<a href {{action "closeMessage"}} class='close'>{{fa-icon "close"}}</a>
+{{{message.body}}}
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/similar-topics.hbs b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/similar-topics.hbs
index b10a489c639..0f9d3797e77 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/similar-topics.hbs
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/composer/similar-topics.hbs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-<a href {{action "closeMessage" this}} class='close'>{{fa-icon "close"}}</a>
+<a href {{action "closeMessage"}} class='close'>{{fa-icon "close"}}</a>
 <h3>{{i18n 'composer.similar_topics'}}</h3>
 
 <ul class='topics'>
-  {{mount-widget widget="search-result-topic" args=(as-hash results=similarTopics)}}
+  {{mount-widget widget="search-result-topic" args=(as-hash results=message.similarTopics)}}
 </ul>
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/composer-messages.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/composer-messages.js.es6
deleted file mode 100644
index f853653f761..00000000000
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/composer-messages.js.es6
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-export default Ember.CollectionView.extend({
-  classNameBindings: [':composer-popup-container', 'hidden'],
-  content: Em.computed.alias('controller.content'),
-
-  hidden: Em.computed.not('controller.controllers.composer.model.viewOpen'),
-
-  itemViewClass: Ember.View.extend({
-    classNames: ['composer-popup', 'hidden'],
-    templateName: Em.computed.alias('content.templateName'),
-
-    _setup: function() {
-      this._super();
-      this.set('context', this.get('content'));
-
-      if (this.get('content.extraClass')) {
-        this.get('classNames').pushObject(this.get('content.extraClass'));
-      }
-    }.on('init'),
-
-    _initCss: function() {
-      this.$().show();
-    }.on('didInsertElement')
-  })
-});
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/composer.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/composer.js.es6
index 5d2a803fc50..2f816491fae 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/composer.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/views/composer.js.es6
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ const ComposerView = Ember.View.extend({
     Ember.run.cancel(this._lastKeyTimeout);
     this._lastKeyTimeout = Ember.run.later(() => {
       if (lastKeyUp !== this._lastKeyUp) { return; }
-
-      // Search for similar topics if the user pauses typing
-      controller.findSimilarTopics();
+      this.appEvents.trigger('composer:find-similar');
     }, 1000);
   },
 
diff --git a/test/javascripts/helpers/create-pretender.js.es6 b/test/javascripts/helpers/create-pretender.js.es6
index cedc0978b92..288a4303d75 100644
--- a/test/javascripts/helpers/create-pretender.js.es6
+++ b/test/javascripts/helpers/create-pretender.js.es6
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export default function() {
 
     this.get('/admin/plugins', () => response({ plugins: [] }));
 
-    this.get('/composer-messages', () => response([]));
+    this.get('/composer_messages', () => response({ composer_messages: [] }));
 
     this.get("/latest.json", () => {
       const json = fixturesByUrl['/latest.json'];