diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/SMSConversationDiscoveryService.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/SMSConversationDiscoveryService.java
index 6b8b9db33e038..c08f2ee3ed040 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/SMSConversationDiscoveryService.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/SMSConversationDiscoveryService.java
@@ -56,8 +56,10 @@ protected void startScan() {
 
     public void buildDiscovery(String sender) {
         String senderSanitized = sender.replaceAll("[^a-zA-Z0-9+]", "_");
-        ThingUID thingUID = SMSModemHandlerFactory
-                .getSMSConversationUID(SMSModemBindingConstants.SMSCONVERSATION_THING_TYPE, senderSanitized, bridgeUid);
+
+        ThingUID thingUID = new ThingUID(SMSModemBindingConstants.SMSCONVERSATION_THING_TYPE, senderSanitized,
+                bridgeUid.getId());
+
         DiscoveryResult result = DiscoveryResultBuilder.create(thingUID)
                 .withProperty(SMSModemBindingConstants.SMSCONVERSATION_PARAMETER_RECIPIENT, senderSanitized)
                 .withLabel("Conversation with " + sender).withBridge(bridgeUid)
diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/SMSModemHandlerFactory.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/SMSModemHandlerFactory.java
index 30bda0b6fb73d..66d6bd83997f1 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/SMSModemHandlerFactory.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/SMSModemHandlerFactory.java
@@ -19,12 +19,10 @@
 import org.eclipse.jdt.annotation.Nullable;
 import org.openhab.binding.smsmodem.internal.handler.SMSConversationHandler;
 import org.openhab.binding.smsmodem.internal.handler.SMSModemBridgeHandler;
-import org.openhab.core.config.core.Configuration;
 import org.openhab.core.io.transport.serial.SerialPortManager;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.Bridge;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.Thing;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.ThingTypeUID;
-import org.openhab.core.thing.ThingUID;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.binding.BaseThingHandlerFactory;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.binding.ThingHandler;
 import org.openhab.core.thing.binding.ThingHandlerFactory;
@@ -75,31 +73,4 @@ public boolean supportsThingType(ThingTypeUID thingTypeUID) {
 
         return null;
     }
-
-    @Override
-    public @Nullable Thing createThing(ThingTypeUID thingTypeUID, Configuration configuration,
-            @Nullable ThingUID thingUID, @Nullable ThingUID bridgeUID) {
-        if (SMSModemBridgeHandler.SUPPORTED_THING_TYPES_UIDS.contains(thingTypeUID)) {
-            return super.createThing(thingTypeUID, configuration, thingUID, null);
-        }
-        if (SMSConversationHandler.SUPPORTED_THING_TYPES_UIDS.equals(thingTypeUID)) {
-            if (bridgeUID != null) {
-                ThingUID safethingUID = thingUID == null
-                        ? getSMSConversationUID(thingTypeUID,
-                                (String) configuration
-                                        .get(SMSModemBindingConstants.SMSCONVERSATION_PARAMETER_RECIPIENT),
-                                bridgeUID)
-                        : thingUID;
-                return super.createThing(thingTypeUID, configuration, safethingUID, bridgeUID);
-            } else {
-                throw new IllegalArgumentException("Cannot create a SMSConversation without a SMSModem bridge");
-            }
-
-        }
-        throw new IllegalArgumentException("The thing type " + thingTypeUID + " is not supported by the binding.");
-    }
-
-    public static ThingUID getSMSConversationUID(ThingTypeUID thingTypeUID, String recipient, ThingUID bridgeUID) {
-        return new ThingUID(thingTypeUID, recipient, bridgeUID.getId());
-    }
 }
diff --git a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/handler/SMSModemBridgeHandler.java b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/handler/SMSModemBridgeHandler.java
index 54c29f4c9d503..f10eee8118e48 100644
--- a/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/handler/SMSModemBridgeHandler.java
+++ b/bundles/org.openhab.binding.smsmodem/src/main/java/org/openhab/binding/smsmodem/internal/handler/SMSModemBridgeHandler.java
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ protected void updateConfiguration(Configuration configuration) {
 
     @Override
     public void initialize() {
+        updateStatus(ThingStatus.UNKNOWN);
         shouldRun = true;
         ScheduledFuture<?> checkScheduledFinal = checkScheduled;
         if (checkScheduledFinal == null || (checkScheduledFinal.isDone()) && this.shouldRun) {