diff --git a/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/babble-menu.hbs b/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/babble-menu.hbs
index 7d39e2a..a88c0f3 100644
--- a/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/babble-menu.hbs
+++ b/assets/javascripts/discourse/templates/components/babble-menu.hbs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 {{#menu-panel visible=visible}}
   <section class="babble-chat">
     <ul class="babble-posts">
+      {{#unless topic.postStream.posts}}
+        <li class="babble-empty-topic-message">{{i18n 'babble.empty_topic_message'}}</li>
+      {{/unless}}
       {{#each post in topic.postStream.posts}}
         {{babble-post post=post topic=topic}}
       {{/each}}
diff --git a/assets/stylesheets/babble.scss b/assets/stylesheets/babble.scss
index 5056c80..1be63bb 100644
--- a/assets/stylesheets/babble.scss
+++ b/assets/stylesheets/babble.scss
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@
   overflow: auto;
 }
 
+.babble-empty-topic-message {
+  color: #ccc;
+  text-align: center;
+  padding-top: 25%;
+}
+
 .babble-post .babble-post-avatar a,
 .babble-post .post-date {
   background-color: transparent !important; /* sorry mom. */
@@ -107,6 +113,7 @@ li.babble-post .babble-post-content a.mention {
   .slide-in { // styles for slide-in menu
     box-sizing: border-box;
     padding-bottom: 100px;
+    min-height: 100vh;
 
     .panel-body {
       position: relative;
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index 5d90b49..072d8e6 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ en:
       send: "Send"
       title: "Shoutbox!"
       error_message: "Please enter a message!"
+      empty_topic_message: "No messages yet! Enter one below to get started."