diff --git a/res/css/structures/_LeftPanel.scss b/res/css/structures/_LeftPanel.scss
index c7dd678c07..f254ca3226 100644
--- a/res/css/structures/_LeftPanel.scss
+++ b/res/css/structures/_LeftPanel.scss
@@ -111,6 +111,29 @@ $roomListCollapsedWidth: 68px;
                 }
             }
 
+            .mx_LeftPanel_dialPadButton {
+                width: 32px;
+                height: 32px;
+                border-radius: 8px;
+                background-color: $roomlist-button-bg-color;
+                position: relative;
+                margin-left: 8px;
+
+                &::before {
+                    content: '';
+                    position: absolute;
+                    top: 8px;
+                    left: 8px;
+                    width: 16px;
+                    height: 16px;
+                    mask-image: url('$(res)/img/element-icons/call/dialpad.svg');
+                    mask-position: center;
+                    mask-size: contain;
+                    mask-repeat: no-repeat;
+                    background: $secondary-fg-color;
+                }
+            }
+
             .mx_LeftPanel_exploreButton {
                 width: 32px;
                 height: 32px;
@@ -185,6 +208,12 @@ $roomListCollapsedWidth: 68px;
                 flex-direction: column;
                 justify-content: center;
 
+                .mx_LeftPanel_dialPadButton {
+                    margin-left: 0;
+                    margin-top: 8px;
+                    background-color: transparent;
+                }
+
                 .mx_LeftPanel_exploreButton {
                     margin-left: 0;
                     margin-top: 8px;
diff --git a/res/img/element-icons/call/dialpad.svg b/res/img/element-icons/call/dialpad.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a97e80aa0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/img/element-icons/call/dialpad.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<svg width="12" height="18" viewBox="0 0 12 18" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
+<path d="M6 14.25C5.175 14.25 4.5 14.925 4.5 15.75C4.5 16.575 5.175 17.25 6 17.25C6.825 17.25 7.5 16.575 7.5 15.75C7.5 14.925 6.825 14.25 6 14.25ZM1.5 0.75C0.675 0.75 0 1.425 0 2.25C0 3.075 0.675 3.75 1.5 3.75C2.325 3.75 3 3.075 3 2.25C3 1.425 2.325 0.75 1.5 0.75ZM1.5 5.25C0.675 5.25 0 5.925 0 6.75C0 7.575 0.675 8.25 1.5 8.25C2.325 8.25 3 7.575 3 6.75C3 5.925 2.325 5.25 1.5 5.25ZM1.5 9.75C0.675 9.75 0 10.425 0 11.25C0 12.075 0.675 12.75 1.5 12.75C2.325 12.75 3 12.075 3 11.25C3 10.425 2.325 9.75 1.5 9.75ZM10.5 3.75C11.325 3.75 12 3.075 12 2.25C12 1.425 11.325 0.75 10.5 0.75C9.675 0.75 9 1.425 9 2.25C9 3.075 9.675 3.75 10.5 3.75ZM6 9.75C5.175 9.75 4.5 10.425 4.5 11.25C4.5 12.075 5.175 12.75 6 12.75C6.825 12.75 7.5 12.075 7.5 11.25C7.5 10.425 6.825 9.75 6 9.75ZM10.5 9.75C9.675 9.75 9 10.425 9 11.25C9 12.075 9.675 12.75 10.5 12.75C11.325 12.75 12 12.075 12 11.25C12 10.425 11.325 9.75 10.5 9.75ZM10.5 5.25C9.675 5.25 9 5.925 9 6.75C9 7.575 9.675 8.25 10.5 8.25C11.325 8.25 12 7.575 12 6.75C12 5.925 11.325 5.25 10.5 5.25ZM6 5.25C5.175 5.25 4.5 5.925 4.5 6.75C4.5 7.575 5.175 8.25 6 8.25C6.825 8.25 7.5 7.575 7.5 6.75C7.5 5.925 6.825 5.25 6 5.25ZM6 0.75C5.175 0.75 4.5 1.425 4.5 2.25C4.5 3.075 5.175 3.75 6 3.75C6.825 3.75 7.5 3.075 7.5 2.25C7.5 1.425 6.825 0.75 6 0.75Z" fill="#737D8C"/>
+</svg>
diff --git a/src/components/structures/LeftPanel.tsx b/src/components/structures/LeftPanel.tsx
index af22db1350..dec4e4c13e 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/LeftPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/LeftPanel.tsx
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import CustomRoomTagPanel from "./CustomRoomTagPanel";
 import dis from "../../dispatcher/dispatcher";
 import { _t } from "../../languageHandler";
 import RoomList from "../views/rooms/RoomList";
+import CallHandler from "../../CallHandler";
 import { HEADER_HEIGHT } from "../views/rooms/RoomSublist";
 import { Action } from "../../dispatcher/actions";
 import UserMenu from "./UserMenu";
@@ -124,6 +125,10 @@ export default class LeftPanel extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
         this.setState({ activeSpace });
     };
 
+    private onDialPad = () => {
+        dis.fire(Action.OpenDialPad);
+    }
+
     private onExplore = () => {
         dis.fire(Action.ViewRoomDirectory);
     };
@@ -397,7 +402,20 @@ export default class LeftPanel extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
         }
     }
 
-    private renderSearchExplore(): React.ReactNode {
+    private renderSearchDialExplore(): React.ReactNode {
+        let dialPadButton = null;
+
+        // If we have dialer support, show a button to bring up the dial pad
+        // to start a new call
+        if (CallHandler.sharedInstance().getSupportsPstnProtocol()) {
+            dialPadButton =
+                <AccessibleTooltipButton
+                    className={classNames("mx_LeftPanel_dialPadButton", {})}
+                    onClick={this.onDialPad}
+                    title={_t("Open dial pad")}
+                />;
+        }
+
         return (
             <div
                 className="mx_LeftPanel_filterContainer"
@@ -410,6 +428,9 @@ export default class LeftPanel extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                     onKeyDown={this.onKeyDown}
                     onSelectRoom={this.selectRoom}
                 />
+
+                {dialPadButton}
+
                 <AccessibleTooltipButton
                     className={classNames("mx_LeftPanel_exploreButton", {
                         mx_LeftPanel_exploreButton_space: !!this.state.activeSpace,
@@ -458,7 +479,7 @@ export default class LeftPanel extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
                 {leftLeftPanel}
                 <aside className="mx_LeftPanel_roomListContainer">
                     {this.renderHeader()}
-                    {this.renderSearchExplore()}
+                    {this.renderSearchDialExplore()}
                     {this.renderBreadcrumbs()}
                     <RoomListNumResults onVisibilityChange={this.refreshStickyHeaders} />
                     <div className="mx_LeftPanel_roomListWrapper">
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.tsx b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.tsx
index 0b79f7b52e..eb50224a60 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.tsx
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ import { objectShallowClone, objectWithOnly } from "../../../utils/objects";
 import { IconizedContextMenuOption, IconizedContextMenuOptionList } from "../context_menus/IconizedContextMenu";
 import AccessibleButton from "../elements/AccessibleButton";
 import { CommunityPrototypeStore } from "../../../stores/CommunityPrototypeStore";
-import CallHandler from "../../../CallHandler";
 import SpaceStore, {ISuggestedRoom, SUGGESTED_ROOMS} from "../../../stores/SpaceStore";
 import {showAddExistingRooms, showCreateNewRoom, showSpaceInvite} from "../../../utils/space";
 import {replaceableComponent} from "../../../utils/replaceableComponent";
@@ -103,38 +102,6 @@ interface ITagAestheticsMap {
     [tagId: TagID]: ITagAesthetics;
 }
 
-// If we have no dialer support, we just show the create chat dialog
-const dmOnAddRoom = (dispatcher?: Dispatcher<ActionPayload>) => {
-    (dispatcher || defaultDispatcher).dispatch({action: 'view_create_chat'});
-};
-
-// If we have dialer support, show a context menu so the user can pick between
-// the dialer and the create chat dialog
-const dmAddRoomContextMenu = (onFinished: () => void) => {
-    return <IconizedContextMenuOptionList first>
-        <IconizedContextMenuOption
-            label={_t("Start a Conversation")}
-            iconClassName="mx_RoomList_iconPlus"
-            onClick={(e) => {
-                e.preventDefault();
-                e.stopPropagation();
-                onFinished();
-                defaultDispatcher.dispatch({action: "view_create_chat"});
-            }}
-        />
-        <IconizedContextMenuOption
-            label={_t("Open dial pad")}
-            iconClassName="mx_RoomList_iconDialpad"
-            onClick={(e) => {
-                e.preventDefault();
-                e.stopPropagation();
-                onFinished();
-                defaultDispatcher.fire(Action.OpenDialPad);
-            }}
-        />
-    </IconizedContextMenuOptionList>;
-};
-
 const TAG_AESTHETICS: ITagAestheticsMap = {
     [DefaultTagID.Invite]: {
         sectionLabel: _td("Invites"),
@@ -151,8 +118,9 @@ const TAG_AESTHETICS: ITagAestheticsMap = {
         isInvite: false,
         defaultHidden: false,
         addRoomLabel: _td("Start chat"),
-        // Either onAddRoom or addRoomContextMenu are set depending on whether we
-        // have dialer support.
+        onAddRoom: (dispatcher?: Dispatcher<ActionPayload>) => {
+            (dispatcher || defaultDispatcher).dispatch({action: 'view_create_chat'});
+        },
     },
     [DefaultTagID.Untagged]: {
         sectionLabel: _td("Rooms"),
@@ -271,7 +239,6 @@ function customTagAesthetics(tagId: TagID): ITagAesthetics {
 export default class RoomList extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
     private dispatcherRef;
     private customTagStoreRef;
-    private tagAesthetics: ITagAestheticsMap;
     private roomStoreToken: fbEmitter.EventSubscription;
 
     constructor(props: IProps) {
@@ -282,10 +249,6 @@ export default class RoomList extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
             isNameFiltering: !!RoomListStore.instance.getFirstNameFilterCondition(),
             suggestedRooms: SpaceStore.instance.suggestedRooms,
         };
-
-        // shallow-copy from the template as we need to make modifications to it
-        this.tagAesthetics = objectShallowClone(TAG_AESTHETICS);
-        this.updateDmAddRoomAction();
     }
 
     public componentDidMount(): void {
@@ -311,17 +274,6 @@ export default class RoomList extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
         });
     };
 
-    private updateDmAddRoomAction() {
-        const dmTagAesthetics = objectShallowClone(TAG_AESTHETICS[DefaultTagID.DM]);
-        if (CallHandler.sharedInstance().getSupportsPstnProtocol()) {
-            dmTagAesthetics.addRoomContextMenu = dmAddRoomContextMenu;
-        } else {
-            dmTagAesthetics.onAddRoom = dmOnAddRoom;
-        }
-
-        this.tagAesthetics[DefaultTagID.DM] = dmTagAesthetics;
-    }
-
     private onAction = (payload: ActionPayload) => {
         if (payload.action === Action.ViewRoomDelta) {
             const viewRoomDeltaPayload = payload as ViewRoomDeltaPayload;
@@ -335,7 +287,6 @@ export default class RoomList extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
                 });
             }
         } else if (payload.action === Action.PstnSupportUpdated) {
-            this.updateDmAddRoomAction();
             this.updateLists();
         }
     };
@@ -524,7 +475,7 @@ export default class RoomList extends React.PureComponent<IProps, IState> {
 
                 const aesthetics: ITagAesthetics = isCustomTag(orderedTagId)
                     ? customTagAesthetics(orderedTagId)
-                    : this.tagAesthetics[orderedTagId];
+                    : TAG_AESTHETICS[orderedTagId];
                 if (!aesthetics) throw new Error(`Tag ${orderedTagId} does not have aesthetics`);
 
                 // The cost of mounting/unmounting this component offsets the cost
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index bc62868a0f..35f4500bb7 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -1581,8 +1581,6 @@
     "Search": "Search",
     "Voice call": "Voice call",
     "Video call": "Video call",
-    "Start a Conversation": "Start a Conversation",
-    "Open dial pad": "Open dial pad",
     "Invites": "Invites",
     "Favourites": "Favourites",
     "People": "People",
@@ -2661,6 +2659,7 @@
     "Explore Public Rooms": "Explore Public Rooms",
     "Create a Group Chat": "Create a Group Chat",
     "Upgrade to %(hostSignupBrand)s": "Upgrade to %(hostSignupBrand)s",
+    "Open dial pad": "Open dial pad",
     "Failed to reject invitation": "Failed to reject invitation",
     "Cannot create rooms in this community": "Cannot create rooms in this community",
     "You do not have permission to create rooms in this community.": "You do not have permission to create rooms in this community.",