diff --git a/src/component-index.js b/src/component-index.js
index d6873c6dfd..68a734cbf6 100644
--- a/src/component-index.js
+++ b/src/component-index.js
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ import views$elements$PowerSelector from './components/views/elements/PowerSelec
 views$elements$PowerSelector && (module.exports.components['views.elements.PowerSelector'] = views$elements$PowerSelector);
 import views$elements$ProgressBar from './components/views/elements/ProgressBar';
 views$elements$ProgressBar && (module.exports.components['views.elements.ProgressBar'] = views$elements$ProgressBar);
+import views$elements$RoleButton from './components/views/elements/RoleButton';
+views$elements$RoleButton && (module.exports.components['views.elements.RoleButton'] = views$elements$RoleButton);
 import views$elements$TintableSvg from './components/views/elements/TintableSvg';
 views$elements$TintableSvg && (module.exports.components['views.elements.TintableSvg'] = views$elements$TintableSvg);
 import views$elements$TruncatedList from './components/views/elements/TruncatedList';
diff --git a/src/components/views/elements/RoleButton.js b/src/components/views/elements/RoleButton.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..06006a5779
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/views/elements/RoleButton.js
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/*
+Copyright Vector Creations Ltd
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+import React from 'react';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+import AccessibleButton from './AccessibleButton';
+import dis from '../../../dispatcher';
+import sdk from '../../../index';
+
+export default React.createClass({
+    displayName: 'RoleButton',
+
+    propTypes: {
+        role: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+        size: PropTypes.string,
+    },
+
+    getDefaultProps: function() {
+        return {
+            size: 25,
+        };
+    },
+
+    _onClick: function(ev) {
+        ev.stopPropagation();
+
+        let action;
+        switch(this.props.role) {
+            case 'start_chat':
+                action = 'view_create_chat';
+                break;
+            case 'room_directory':
+                action = 'view_room_directory';
+                break;
+            case 'create_room':
+                action = 'view_create_room';
+                break;
+        }
+        if (action) dis.dispatch({action: action});
+    },
+
+    _getIconPath() {
+        switch(this.props.role) {
+            case 'start_chat':
+                return 'img/icons-people.svg';
+            case 'room_directory':
+                return 'img/icons-directory.svg';
+            case 'create_room':
+                return 'img/icons-create-room.svg';
+        }
+    },
+
+    render: function() {
+        const TintableSvg = sdk.getComponent("elements.TintableSvg");
+
+        return (
+            <AccessibleButton className="mx_RoleButton" onClick={ this._onClick }>
+                <TintableSvg src={this._getIconPath()} width={this.props.size} height={this.props.size} />
+            </AccessibleButton>
+        );
+    }
+});
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
index 963f5ad425..fe75271a25 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomList.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 /*
 Copyright 2015, 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+Copyright Vector Creations Ltd
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ var Rooms = require('../../../Rooms');
 import DMRoomMap from '../../../utils/DMRoomMap';
 var Receipt = require('../../../utils/Receipt');
 var constantTimeDispatcher = require('../../../ConstantTimeDispatcher');
+import AccessibleButton from '../elements/AccessibleButton';
 
 const HIDE_CONFERENCE_CHANS = true;
 
@@ -617,27 +619,23 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
     },
 
     _getEmptyContent: function(section) {
+        const RoleButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.RoleButton');
         if (this.state.totalRoomCount === 0) {
             const TintableSvg = sdk.getComponent('elements.TintableSvg');
             switch (section) {
                 case 'im.vector.fake.direct':
                     return <div className="mx_RoomList_emptySubListTip">
-                        <div className="mx_RoomList_butonPreview">
-                            <TintableSvg src="img/icons-people.svg" width="25" height="25" />
-                        </div>
-                        Use the button below to chat with someone!
+                        Press
+                        <RoleButton role='start_chat' size="16" />
+                        to start a chat with someone
                     </div>;
                 case 'im.vector.fake.recent':
                     return <div className="mx_RoomList_emptySubListTip">
-                        <div className="mx_RoomList_butonPreview">
-                            <TintableSvg src="img/icons-directory.svg" width="25" height="25" />
-                        </div>
-                        Use the button below to browse the room directory
-                        <br /><br />
-                        <div className="mx_RoomList_butonPreview">
-                            <TintableSvg src="img/icons-create-room.svg" width="25" height="25" />
-                        </div>
-                        or this button to start a new one!
+                        You're not in any rooms yet! Press
+                        <RoleButton role='create_room' size="16" />
+                        to make a room or
+                        <RoleButton role='room_directory' size="16" />
+                        to browse the directory
                     </div>;
             }
         }
@@ -648,6 +646,21 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         return <RoomDropTarget label={labelText} />;
     },
 
+    _getHeaderItems: function(section) {
+        const RoleButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.RoleButton');
+        switch (section) {
+            case 'im.vector.fake.direct':
+                return <span className="mx_RoomList_headerButtons">
+                    <RoleButton role='start_chat' size="16" />
+                </span>;
+            case 'im.vector.fake.recent':
+                return <span className="mx_RoomList_headerButtons">
+                    <RoleButton role='room_directory' size="16" />
+                    <RoleButton role='create_room' size="16" />
+                </span>;
+        }
+    },
+
     render: function() {
         var RoomSubList = sdk.getComponent('structures.RoomSubList');
         var self = this;
@@ -685,6 +698,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                              label="People"
                              tagName="im.vector.fake.direct"
                              emptyContent={this._getEmptyContent('im.vector.fake.direct')}
+                             headerItems={this._getHeaderItems('im.vector.fake.direct')}
                              editable={ true }
                              order="recent"
                              incomingCall={ self.state.incomingCall }
@@ -700,6 +714,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                              tagName="im.vector.fake.recent"
                              editable={ true }
                              emptyContent={this._getEmptyContent('im.vector.fake.recent')}
+                             headerItems={this._getHeaderItems('im.vector.fake.recent')}
                              order="recent"
                              incomingCall={ self.state.incomingCall }
                              collapsed={ self.props.collapsed }