diff --git a/app/views/aspects/index.html.haml b/app/views/aspects/index.html.haml
index 25ba89081..23b1763e9 100644
--- a/app/views/aspects/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/aspects/index.html.haml
@@ -12,10 +12,9 @@
   - for post in @posts
     = render type_partial(post), :post => post unless post.class == Album
 
-- if @posts.size == 0
-  #empty_message
-    .null_arrow ⇧
-    %h3 Nobody has said anything yet.  Get the conversation started!
+#empty_message{:style => ("display:none" unless @posts.count == 0)}
+  .null_arrow ⇧
+  %h3 Nobody has said anything yet.  Get the conversation started!
 
 #pagination
   = will_paginate @posts
diff --git a/app/views/aspects/show.html.haml b/app/views/aspects/show.html.haml
index 441508e8f..4e112155c 100644
--- a/app/views/aspects/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/aspects/show.html.haml
@@ -12,10 +12,9 @@
   - for post in @posts
     = render type_partial(post), :post => post unless post.class == Album
 
-- if @posts.size == 0
-  #empty_message
-    .null_arrow ⇧
-    %h3 Nobody has said anything yet.  Get the conversation started!
+#empty_message{:style => ("display:none" unless @posts.count == 0)}
+  .null_arrow ⇧
+  %h3 Nobody has said anything yet.  Get the conversation started!
 
 #pagination
   = will_paginate @posts
diff --git a/app/views/js/_websocket_js.haml b/app/views/js/_websocket_js.haml
index 27f7942e0..addd0b053 100644
--- a/app/views/js/_websocket_js.haml
+++ b/app/views/js/_websocket_js.haml
@@ -37,9 +37,10 @@
 
   });
   function processRetraction(post_id){
-    $('#' + post_id ).fadeOut(500, function(){
-      $(this).remove;
-    });
+    $('#' + post_id ).fadeOut(500).remove();
+    if($("#stream")[0].childElementCount == 0){
+      $("#empty_message").fadeIn(200);
+    }
   }
 
   function processComment(post_id, html){
@@ -67,8 +68,8 @@
         )
       };
 
-      if( $("#empty_message").length > 0 ){
-        $("#empty_message").fadeOut(400, addPostToStream(html)).remove();
+      if( $("#empty_message").is(":visible") ){
+        $("#empty_message").fadeOut(400, addPostToStream(html)).hide();
       } else {
         addPostToStream(html);
       }