diff --git a/clients/network_client.py b/clients/network_client.py
index 5ce7975..8278ae4 100644
--- a/clients/network_client.py
+++ b/clients/network_client.py
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ class BBJ(object):
         return response["data"]
 
 
-    def thread_index(self):
+    def thread_index(self, include_op=False):
         """
         Returns a tuple where [0] is a list of all threads ordered by
         most recently interacted, and [1] is a usermap object.
@@ -435,11 +435,11 @@ class BBJ(object):
               author_id = thread["author"]
               print(usermap[author_id]["user_name"])
         """
-        response = self("thread_index")
+        response = self("thread_index", include_op=include_op)
         return response["data"], response["usermap"]
 
 
-    def thread_load(self, thread_id, format=None):
+    def thread_load(self, thread_id, format=None, op_only=False):
         """
         Returns a tuple where [0] is a thread object and [1] is a usermap object.
 
@@ -450,7 +450,8 @@ class BBJ(object):
               print(usermap[author_id]["user_name"])
               print(message["body"])
         """
-        response = self("thread_load", format=format, thread_id=thread_id)
+        response = self("thread_load",
+            format=format, thread_id=thread_id, op_only=op_only)
         return response["data"], response["usermap"]
 
 
diff --git a/server.py b/server.py
index bd72615..3f65364 100644
--- a/server.py
+++ b/server.py
@@ -241,8 +241,13 @@ class API(object):
         """
         Return an array with all the threads, ordered by most recent activity.
         Requires no arguments.
+
+        Optionally, you may supply the argument `include_op`, which, when non-nil,
+        will include a "messages" key with the object, whose sole content is the
+        original message (post_id 0).
         """
-        threads = db.thread_index(database)
+        op = isinstance(args, dict) and args.get("include_op")
+        threads = db.thread_index(database, include_op=op)
         cherrypy.thread_data.usermap = create_usermap(database, threads, True)
         return threads
 
@@ -328,9 +333,13 @@ class API(object):
         Requires the argument `thread_id`. `format` may also be
         specified as a formatter to run the messages through.
         Currently only "sequential" is supported.
+
+        You may also supply the parameter `op_only`. When it's value
+        is non-nil, the messages array will only include post_id 0 (the first)
         """
         validate(args, ["thread_id"])
-        thread = db.thread_get(database, args["thread_id"])
+        thread = db.thread_get(
+            database, args["thread_id"], op_only=args.get("op_only"))
         cherrypy.thread_data.usermap = \
             create_usermap(database, thread["messages"])
         do_formatting(args.get("format"), thread["messages"])
diff --git a/src/db.py b/src/db.py
index 1c1aab2..ff4fc3e 100644
--- a/src/db.py
+++ b/src/db.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def message_feed(connection, time):
 
 ### THREADS ###
 
-def thread_get(connection, thread_id, messages=True):
+def thread_get(connection, thread_id, messages=True, op_only=False):
     """
     Fetch the thread_id from the database. Formatting is be handled
     elsewhere.
@@ -96,17 +96,18 @@ def thread_get(connection, thread_id, messages=True):
         raise BBJParameterError("Thread does not exist.")
     thread = schema.thread(*thread)
 
-    if messages:
-        c.execute("""
-        SELECT * FROM messages WHERE thread_id = ?
-          ORDER BY post_id""", (thread_id,))
+    if messages or op_only:
+        query = "SELECT * FROM messages WHERE thread_id = ? %s"
+        c.execute(query % (
+            "AND post_id = 0" if op_only else "ORDER BY post_id"
+        ), (thread_id,))
         # create a list where each post_id matches its list[index]
         thread["messages"] = [schema.message(*values) for values in c.fetchall()]
 
     return thread
 
 
-def thread_index(connection):
+def thread_index(connection, include_op=False):
     """
     Return a list with each thread, ordered by the date they
     were last modifed (which could be when it was submitted
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ def thread_index(connection):
           ORDER BY last_mod DESC""")
 
     threads = [
-        thread_get(connection, obj[0], messages=False)
+        thread_get(connection, obj[0], False, include_op)
             for obj in c.fetchall()
     ]
     return threads