diff --git a/app/inbound_sms/rest.py b/app/inbound_sms/rest.py
index 8ebcff298..d4072dea3 100644
--- a/app/inbound_sms/rest.py
+++ b/app/inbound_sms/rest.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def get_inbound_sms_for_service(service_id):
 
     if user_number:
         # we use this to normalise to an international phone number
-        user_number = validate_and_format_phone_number(user_number)
+        user_number = validate_and_format_phone_number(user_number, international=True)
 
     results = dao_get_inbound_sms_for_service(service_id, limit, user_number)
 
diff --git a/app/notifications/receive_notifications.py b/app/notifications/receive_notifications.py
index d053a4198..0ed644904 100644
--- a/app/notifications/receive_notifications.py
+++ b/app/notifications/receive_notifications.py
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ def format_mmg_datetime(date):
 
 
 def create_inbound_mmg_sms_object(service, json):
-    message = format_message(json['Message'])
-    user_number = validate_and_format_phone_number(json['MSISDN'])
+    message = format_mmg_message(json['Message'])
+    user_number = validate_and_format_phone_number(json['MSISDN'], international=True)
 
     provider_date = json.get('DateRecieved')
     if provider_date:
diff --git a/tests/app/inbound_sms/test_rest.py b/tests/app/inbound_sms/test_rest.py
index 25f5d7cff..da10ecb6b 100644
--- a/tests/app/inbound_sms/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/app/inbound_sms/test_rest.py
@@ -67,6 +67,21 @@ def test_get_inbound_sms_filters_user_number(admin_request, sample_service, user
     assert sms['data'][0]['user_number'] == str(one.user_number)
 
 
+def test_get_inbound_sms_filters_international_user_number(admin_request, sample_service):
+    # user_number in the db is international and normalised
+    one = create_inbound_sms(sample_service, user_number='12025550104')
+    two = create_inbound_sms(sample_service)
+
+    sms = admin_request.get(
+        'inbound_sms.get_inbound_sms_for_service',
+        endpoint_kwargs={'service_id': sample_service.id, 'user_number': '+1 (202) 555-0104'}
+    )
+
+    assert len(sms['data']) == 1
+    assert sms['data'][0]['id'] == str(one.id)
+    assert sms['data'][0]['user_number'] == str(one.user_number)
+
+
 def test_get_inbound_sms_summary(admin_request, sample_service):
     other_service = create_service(service_name='other_service')
     with freeze_time('2017-01-01'):