diff --git a/src/components/views/dialogs/VerificationRequestDialog.js b/src/components/views/dialogs/VerificationRequestDialog.js
index bbf3482a41..88ca0bc337 100644
--- a/src/components/views/dialogs/VerificationRequestDialog.js
+++ b/src/components/views/dialogs/VerificationRequestDialog.js
@@ -30,16 +30,29 @@ export default class VerificationRequestDialog extends React.Component {
     constructor(...args) {
         super(...args);
         this.onFinished = this.onFinished.bind(this);
+        this.state = {};
+        if (this.props.verificationRequest) {
+            this.state.verificationRequest = this.props.verificationRequest;
+        } else if (this.props.verificationRequestPromise) {
+            this.props.verificationRequestPromise.then(r => {
+                this.setState({verificationRequest: r});
+            });
+        }
     }
 
     render() {
         const BaseDialog = sdk.getComponent("views.dialogs.BaseDialog");
         const EncryptionPanel = sdk.getComponent("views.right_panel.EncryptionPanel");
+        const request = this.state.verificationRequest;
+        const otherUserId = request && request.otherUserId;
         const member = this.props.member ||
-            MatrixClientPeg.get().getUser(this.props.verificationRequest.otherUserId);
+            otherUserId && MatrixClientPeg.get().getUser(otherUserId);
+        const title = request && request.isSelfVerification ?
+            _t("Verify this session") : _t("Verification Request");
+
         return <BaseDialog className="mx_InfoDialog" onFinished={this.onFinished}
                 contentId="mx_Dialog_content"
-                title={_t("Verification Request")}
+                title={title}
                 hasCancel={true}
             >
             <EncryptionPanel
diff --git a/src/components/views/right_panel/VerificationPanel.js b/src/components/views/right_panel/VerificationPanel.js
index 579cd2c000..f407d5f792 100644
--- a/src/components/views/right_panel/VerificationPanel.js
+++ b/src/components/views/right_panel/VerificationPanel.js
@@ -155,12 +155,8 @@ export default class VerificationPanel extends React.PureComponent {
         this.state.reciprocateQREvent.cancel();
     };
 
-    get _isSelfVerification() {
-        return this.props.request.otherUserId === MatrixClientPeg.get().getUserId();
-    }
-
     renderQRReciprocatePhase() {
-        const {member} = this.props;
+        const {member, request} = this.props;
         let Button;
         // a bit of a hack, but the FormButton should only be used in the right panel
         // they should probably just be the same component with a css class applied to it?
@@ -169,7 +165,7 @@ export default class VerificationPanel extends React.PureComponent {
         } else {
             Button = sdk.getComponent("elements.FormButton");
         }
-        const description = this._isSelfVerification ?
+        const description = request.isSelfVerification ?
             _t("Almost there! Is your other session showing the same shield?") :
             _t("Almost there! Is %(displayName)s showing the same shield?", {
                 displayName: member.displayName || member.name || member.userId,