diff --git a/app/models/job.py b/app/models/job.py
index 855aa1ce8..76ca7d2f1 100644
--- a/app/models/job.py
+++ b/app/models/job.py
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ class Job(JSONModel):
     def scheduled_for(self):
         return self._dict.get('scheduled_for')
 
+    @property
+    def processing_started(self):
+        if not self._dict.get('processing_started'):
+            return None
+        return datetime.strptime(self._dict['processing_started'][:-6], '%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S')
+
     def _aggregate_statistics(self, *statuses):
         return sum(
             outcome['count'] for outcome in self._dict['statistics']
@@ -95,6 +101,17 @@ class Job(JSONModel):
     def finished_processing(self):
         return self.notification_count == self.notifications_sent
 
+    @property
+    def recently_created(self):
+        if not self.processing_started:
+            # Assume that if processing hasn’t started yet then the job
+            # must have been created recently enough to not have any
+            # notifications yet
+            return True
+        return (
+            datetime.utcnow() - self.processing_started
+        ).days < 1
+
     @property
     def template_id(self):
         return self._dict['template']
diff --git a/app/templates/partials/jobs/notifications.html b/app/templates/partials/jobs/notifications.html
index 16b6c449a..41d55c73d 100644
--- a/app/templates/partials/jobs/notifications.html
+++ b/app/templates/partials/jobs/notifications.html
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
         notifications,
         caption=uploaded_file_name,
         caption_visible=False,
-        empty_message='These messages have been deleted because they were sent more than {} days ago'.format(service_data_retention_days) if job.job_status == 'finished' else 'No messages to show yet…',
+        empty_message='No messages to show yet…' if job.recently_created else 'These messages have been deleted because they were sent more than {} days ago'.format(service_data_retention_days),
         field_headings=[
           'Recipient',
           'Status'
diff --git a/tests/__init__.py b/tests/__init__.py
index 4348d7c3a..5555b853e 100644
--- a/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/tests/__init__.py
@@ -361,7 +361,8 @@ def job_json(
     notifications_sent=1,
     notifications_requested=1,
     job_status='finished',
-    scheduled_for=''
+    scheduled_for='',
+    processing_started=None,
 ):
     if job_id is None:
         job_id = str(generate_uuid())
@@ -391,8 +392,11 @@ def job_json(
             created_by['name'],
             created_by['email_address'],
         ),
-        'scheduled_for': scheduled_for
     }
+    if scheduled_for:
+        data.update(scheduled_for=scheduled_for)
+    if processing_started:
+        data.update(processing_started=processing_started)
     return data
 
 
diff --git a/tests/app/main/views/test_jobs.py b/tests/app/main/views/test_jobs.py
index f8723505a..b54e2431f 100644
--- a/tests/app/main/views/test_jobs.py
+++ b/tests/app/main/views/test_jobs.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import json
 import uuid
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 import pytest
 from flask import url_for
@@ -329,28 +330,58 @@ def test_should_show_job_without_notifications(
     assert page.select_one('tbody').text.strip() == 'No messages to show yet…'
 
 
+@freeze_time("2020-01-10 0:0:0")
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('created_at, processing_started, expected_message', (
+    # Recently created, not yet started
+    (datetime(2020, 1, 10, 0, 0, 0), None, (
+        'No messages to show yet…'
+    )),
+    # Just started
+    (datetime(2020, 1, 10, 0, 0, 0), datetime(2020, 1, 10, 0, 0, 1), (
+        'No messages to show yet…'
+    )),
+    # Created a while ago, just started
+    (datetime(2020, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0), datetime(2020, 1, 10, 0, 0, 1), (
+        'No messages to show yet…'
+    )),
+    # Created a while ago, started a couple of days ago
+    (datetime(2020, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0), datetime(2020, 1, 8, 0, 0, 1), (
+        'These messages have been deleted because they were sent more than 7 days ago'
+    )),
+))
 def test_should_show_old_job(
     client_request,
     service_one,
     active_user_with_permissions,
     mock_get_service_template,
-    mock_get_job,
     mocker,
     mock_get_notifications_with_no_notifications,
     mock_get_service_data_retention,
     fake_uuid,
+    created_at,
+    processing_started,
+    expected_message,
 ):
+    mocker.patch('app.job_api_client.get_job', return_value={
+        "data": job_json(
+            SERVICE_ONE_ID,
+            active_user_with_permissions,
+            created_at=created_at.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc).isoformat(),
+            processing_started=(
+                processing_started.replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc).isoformat()
+                if processing_started else None
+            ),
+        ),
+    })
     page = client_request.get(
         'main.view_job',
-        service_id=service_one['id'],
+        service_id=SERVICE_ONE_ID,
         job_id=fake_uuid,
     )
     assert not page.select('.pill a')
     assert not page.select('p.hint')
     assert not page.select('a[download]')
-    assert page.select_one('tbody').text.strip() == (
-        'These messages have been deleted because they were sent more than 7 days ago'
-    )
+    assert page.select_one('tbody').text.strip() == expected_message
 
 
 @freeze_time("2016-01-01 11:09:00.061258")