diff --git a/templates/zephyr/compose.html b/templates/zephyr/compose.html
index c788655ed4..f159447070 100644
--- a/templates/zephyr/compose.html
+++ b/templates/zephyr/compose.html
@@ -1,5 +1,24 @@
 <div class="row-fluid">
   <div class="span12" id="compose">
+    <div id="compose_controls">
+        <p>
+          <b>Click on any message to reply to a conversation</b>.  Or start a new one:
+        </p>
+          <div id="compose_buttons">
+            <span class="new_message_button">
+              <button type="button" class="btn btn-large compose_stream_button"
+                      id="left_bar_compose_stream_button_big" title="hotkey = 'c'">
+                <i class="icon-vector-bullhorn"></i>&nbsp;&nbsp;New stream message
+              </button>
+            </span>
+            <span class="new_message_button">
+              <button type="button" class="btn btn-large compose_private_button"
+                      id="left_bar_compose_private_button_big" title="hotkey='C'">
+                <i class="icon-vector-user"></i>&nbsp;&nbsp;New private message
+              </button>
+            </span>
+          </div>
+    </div>
     <div class="message_comp">
       <button type="button" class="close" id='compose_close'>×</button>
       <div class="alert" id="send-status">
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/compose.js b/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
index 24ccd18684..d1b81cfae5 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
@@ -166,6 +166,8 @@ exports.start = function (msg_type, opts) {
     }
 
     $("#compose_close").show();
+    $("#compose_controls").hide();
+    $('.message_comp').show();
 
     var default_opts = {
         message_type:     msg_type,
@@ -418,6 +420,8 @@ exports.hide = function () {
     $(".new_message_textarea").css("min-height", "");
     notifications_bar.enable();
     exports.unfade_messages(true);
+    $('.message_comp').hide();
+    $("#compose_controls").show();
 };
 
 exports.clear = function () {
diff --git a/zephyr/static/styles/zephyr.css b/zephyr/static/styles/zephyr.css
index 3cb38dcd41..f3efc6236b 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/styles/zephyr.css
+++ b/zephyr/static/styles/zephyr.css
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ a:hover code {
 }
 
 .new_message_button {
-    padding-top: 1em;
+    padding: 20px;
 }
 
 .compose_private_button, .compose_stream_button {
@@ -371,6 +371,11 @@ ul.filters li.out_of_home_view {
 }
 
 .message_comp {
+    display: none;
+}
+
+.message_comp,
+#compose_controls {
     border: 1px solid #EEE;
     background-color: white;
     padding: 8px 20px 8px 10px;
@@ -379,6 +384,10 @@ ul.filters li.out_of_home_view {
     border-top-right-radius: 6px;
 }
 
+#compose_buttons {
+    text-align: center;
+}
+
 td.pointer {
     vertical-align: top;
     padding-top: 10px;