diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomSubList.js b/src/components/structures/RoomSubList.js
index 3d09c05c43..60be1d7b34 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomSubList.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomSubList.js
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ const RoomSubList = createReactClass({
         onHeaderClick: PropTypes.func,
         incomingCall: PropTypes.object,
         isFiltered: PropTypes.bool,
-        headerItems: PropTypes.node, // content shown in the sublist header
         extraTiles: PropTypes.arrayOf(PropTypes.node), // extra elements added beneath tiles
+        forceExpand: PropTypes.bool,
     },
 
     getInitialState: function() {
@@ -299,21 +299,20 @@ const RoomSubList = createReactClass({
     render: function() {
         const len = this.props.list.length + this.props.extraTiles.length;
         const isCollapsed = this.state.hidden && !this.props.forceExpand;
-        if (len) {
-            const subListClasses = classNames({
-                "mx_RoomSubList": true,
-                "mx_RoomSubList_hidden": isCollapsed,
-                "mx_RoomSubList_nonEmpty": len && !isCollapsed,
-            });
 
+        const subListClasses = classNames({
+            "mx_RoomSubList": true,
+            "mx_RoomSubList_hidden": len && isCollapsed,
+            "mx_RoomSubList_nonEmpty": len && !isCollapsed,
+        });
+
+        let content;
+        if (len) {
             if (isCollapsed) {
-                return <div ref="subList" className={subListClasses} role="group" aria-label={this.props.label}>
-                    {this._getHeaderJsx(isCollapsed)}
-                </div>;
+                // no body
             } else if (this._canUseLazyListRendering()) {
-                return <div ref="subList" className={subListClasses} role="group" aria-label={this.props.label}>
-                    {this._getHeaderJsx(isCollapsed)}
-                    <IndicatorScrollbar ref="scroller" className="mx_RoomSubList_scroll" onScroll={ this._onScroll }>
+                content = (
+                    <IndicatorScrollbar ref="scroller" className="mx_RoomSubList_scroll" onScroll={this._onScroll}>
                         <LazyRenderList
                             scrollTop={this.state.scrollTop }
                             height={ this.state.scrollerHeight }
@@ -321,31 +320,35 @@ const RoomSubList = createReactClass({
                             itemHeight={34}
                             items={ this.props.list } />
                     </IndicatorScrollbar>
-                </div>;
+                );
             } else {
                 const roomTiles = this.props.list.map(r => this.makeRoomTile(r));
                 const tiles = roomTiles.concat(this.props.extraTiles);
-                return <div ref="subList" className={subListClasses} role="group" aria-label={this.props.label}>
-                    {this._getHeaderJsx(isCollapsed)}
-                    <IndicatorScrollbar ref="scroller" className="mx_RoomSubList_scroll" onScroll={ this._onScroll }>
+                content = (
+                    <IndicatorScrollbar ref="scroller" className="mx_RoomSubList_scroll" onScroll={this._onScroll}>
                         { tiles }
                     </IndicatorScrollbar>
-                </div>;
+                );
             }
         } else {
-            const Loader = sdk.getComponent("elements.Spinner");
-            let content;
             if (this.props.showSpinner && !isCollapsed) {
+                const Loader = sdk.getComponent("elements.Spinner");
                 content = <Loader />;
             }
-
-            return (
-                <div ref="subList" className="mx_RoomSubList" role="group" aria-label={this.props.label}>
-                    { this._getHeaderJsx(isCollapsed) }
-                    { content }
-                </div>
-            );
         }
+
+        return (
+            <div
+                ref="subList"
+                className={subListClasses}
+                role="group"
+                aria-label={this.props.label}
+                aria-expanded={!isCollapsed}
+            >
+                { this._getHeaderJsx(isCollapsed) }
+                { content }
+            </div>
+        );
     },
 });
 
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
index 6c031563cd..d8092eae22 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
@@ -49,21 +49,6 @@ function labelForTagName(tagName) {
     return tagName;
 }
 
-function phraseForSection(section) {
-    switch (section) {
-        case 'm.favourite':
-            return _t('Drop here to favourite');
-        case 'im.vector.fake.direct':
-            return _t('Drop here to tag direct chat');
-        case 'im.vector.fake.recent':
-            return _t('Drop here to restore');
-        case 'm.lowpriority':
-            return _t('Drop here to demote');
-        default:
-            return _t('Drop here to tag %(section)s', {section: section});
-    }
-}
-
 module.exports = createReactClass({
     displayName: 'RoomList',
 
@@ -203,7 +188,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
         this.resizer.setClassNames({
             handle: "mx_ResizeHandle",
             vertical: "mx_ResizeHandle_vertical",
-            reverse: "mx_ResizeHandle_reverse"
+            reverse: "mx_ResizeHandle_reverse",
         });
         this._layout.update(
             this._layoutSections,
@@ -584,23 +569,6 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
         }
     },
 
-    _getHeaderItems: function(section) {
-        const StartChatButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.StartChatButton');
-        const RoomDirectoryButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.RoomDirectoryButton');
-        const CreateRoomButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.CreateRoomButton');
-        switch (section) {
-            case 'im.vector.fake.direct':
-                return <span className="mx_RoomList_headerButtons">
-                    <StartChatButton size="16" />
-                </span>;
-            case 'im.vector.fake.recent':
-                return <span className="mx_RoomList_headerButtons">
-                    <RoomDirectoryButton size="16" />
-                    <CreateRoomButton size="16" />
-                </span>;
-        }
-    },
-
     _makeGroupInviteTiles(filter) {
         const ret = [];
         const lcFilter = filter && filter.toLowerCase();
@@ -676,7 +644,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
             props = Object.assign({}, defaultProps, props);
             const isLast = i === subListsProps.length - 1;
             const len = props.list.length + (props.extraTiles ? props.extraTiles.length : 0);
-            const {key, label, onHeaderClick, ... otherProps} = props;
+            const {key, label, onHeaderClick, ...otherProps} = props;
             const chosenKey = key || label;
             const onSubListHeaderClick = (collapsed) => {
                 this._handleCollapsedState(chosenKey, collapsed);
@@ -746,16 +714,14 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
                 list: this.state.lists['im.vector.fake.direct'],
                 label: _t('People'),
                 tagName: "im.vector.fake.direct",
-                headerItems: this._getHeaderItems('im.vector.fake.direct'),
                 order: "recent",
                 incomingCall: incomingCallIfTaggedAs('im.vector.fake.direct'),
-                onAddRoom: () => {dis.dispatch({action: 'view_create_chat'})},
+                onAddRoom: () => {dis.dispatch({action: 'view_create_chat'});},
                 addRoomLabel: _t("Start chat"),
             },
             {
                 list: this.state.lists['im.vector.fake.recent'],
                 label: _t('Rooms'),
-                headerItems: this._getHeaderItems('im.vector.fake.recent'),
                 order: "recent",
                 incomingCall: incomingCallIfTaggedAs('im.vector.fake.recent'),
                 onAddRoom: () => {dis.dispatch({action: 'view_create_room'});},