diff --git a/templates/zephyr/home.html b/templates/zephyr/home.html
index 0c697bbc0b..d1a61284aa 100644
--- a/templates/zephyr/home.html
+++ b/templates/zephyr/home.html
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
               </td>
               <td class="message_header message_header_stream right_part">
                   <input type="text" class="recipient_box" name="stream" id="stream"
-                         maxlength="30"
+                         maxlength="30" {% if lurk_stream %}readonly{% endif %}
                          value="" placeholder="Stream" autocomplete="off" tabindex="120"/>
                 | <input type="text" class="recipient_box" name="subject" id="subject"
                          maxlength="60"
diff --git a/zephyr/static/js/compose.js b/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
index d65bc96041..10894e3eb5 100644
--- a/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
+++ b/zephyr/static/js/compose.js
@@ -67,8 +67,11 @@ exports.start = function (msg_type, opts) {
 
     compose.clear();
 
+    var default_stream = '';
+    if (msg_type === 'stream' && lurk_stream !== undefined)
+        default_stream = lurk_stream;
     opts = $.extend({ message_type:     msg_type,
-                      stream:           '',
+                      stream:           default_stream,
                       subject:          '',
                       private_message_recipient: ''
                     }, opts);
@@ -204,7 +207,7 @@ exports.set_mode = function (mode) {
         show('private', $("#private_message_recipient"));
         is_composing_message = "private";
     } else {
-        show('stream', $("#stream"));
+        show('stream', $(lurk_stream !== undefined ? "#stream" : "#subject"));
         is_composing_message = "stream";
     }
 };