diff --git a/res/css/structures/_FilePanel.scss b/res/css/structures/_FilePanel.scss
index 21b30d804a..2aa068b674 100644
--- a/res/css/structures/_FilePanel.scss
+++ b/res/css/structures/_FilePanel.scss
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 .mx_FilePanel .mx_RoomView_messageListWrapper {
     margin-right: 20px;
+    flex-direction: row;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+}
+
+.mx_FilePanel .mx_RoomView_MessageList {
+    width: 100%;
 }
 
 .mx_FilePanel .mx_RoomView_MessageList h2 {
diff --git a/res/css/structures/_NotificationPanel.scss b/res/css/structures/_NotificationPanel.scss
index 715a94fe2c..1258ace069 100644
--- a/res/css/structures/_NotificationPanel.scss
+++ b/res/css/structures/_NotificationPanel.scss
@@ -22,7 +22,13 @@ limitations under the License.
 }
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_RoomView_messageListWrapper {
-    margin-right: 20px;
+    flex-direction: row;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+}
+
+.mx_NotificationPanel .mx_RoomView_MessageList {
+    width: 100%;
 }
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_RoomView_MessageList h2 {
@@ -35,11 +41,32 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_EventTile {
     word-break: break-word;
+    position: relative;
+    padding-bottom: 18px;
+
+    &:not(.mx_EventTile_last):not(.mx_EventTile_lastInSection)::after {
+        position: absolute;
+        bottom: 0;
+        left: 0;
+        right: 0;
+        background-color: $tertiary-fg-color;
+        height: 1px;
+        opacity: 0.4;
+        content: '';
+    }
 }
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_EventTile_roomName {
     font-weight: bold;
     font-size: $font-14px;
+
+    > * {
+        vertical-align: middle;
+    }
+
+    > .mx_BaseAvatar {
+        margin-right: 8px;
+    }
 }
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_EventTile_roomName a {
@@ -47,8 +74,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 }
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_EventTile_avatar {
-    top: 8px;
-    left: 0px;
+    display: none; // we don't need this in this view
 }
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_EventTile .mx_SenderProfile,
@@ -60,8 +86,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 }
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_EventTile_senderDetails {
-    padding-left: 32px;
-    padding-top: 8px;
+    padding-left: 36px; // align with the room name
     position: relative;
 
     a {
@@ -82,7 +107,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 .mx_NotificationPanel .mx_EventTile_line {
     margin-right: 0px;
-    padding-left: 32px;
+    padding-left: 36px; // align with the room name
     padding-top: 0px;
     padding-bottom: 0px;
     padding-right: 0px;
diff --git a/res/css/structures/_RoomView.scss b/res/css/structures/_RoomView.scss
index 3b60c4e62b..572c7166d2 100644
--- a/res/css/structures/_RoomView.scss
+++ b/res/css/structures/_RoomView.scss
@@ -185,13 +185,11 @@ limitations under the License.
 }
 
 .mx_RoomView_empty {
-    flex: 1 1 auto;
     font-size: $font-13px;
-    padding-left: 3em;
-    padding-right: 3em;
-    margin-right: 20px;
-    margin-top: 33%;
+    padding: 0 24px;
+    margin-right: 30px;
     text-align: center;
+    margin-bottom: 80px; // visually center the content (intentional offset)
 }
 
 .mx_RoomView_MessageList {
diff --git a/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js b/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
index fe7b20a2d9..e2e3592536 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/MessagePanel.js
@@ -518,10 +518,13 @@ export default class MessagePanel extends React.Component {
             if (!grouper) {
                 const wantTile = this._shouldShowEvent(mxEv);
                 if (wantTile) {
+                    const nextEvent = i < this.props.events.length - 1
+                        ? this.props.events[i + 1]
+                        : null;
                     // make sure we unpack the array returned by _getTilesForEvent,
                     // otherwise react will auto-generate keys and we will end up
                     // replacing all of the DOM elements every time we paginate.
-                    ret.push(...this._getTilesForEvent(prevEvent, mxEv, last));
+                    ret.push(...this._getTilesForEvent(prevEvent, mxEv, last, nextEvent));
                     prevEvent = mxEv;
                 }
 
@@ -537,7 +540,7 @@ export default class MessagePanel extends React.Component {
         return ret;
     }
 
-    _getTilesForEvent(prevEvent, mxEv, last) {
+    _getTilesForEvent(prevEvent, mxEv, last, nextEvent) {
         const TileErrorBoundary = sdk.getComponent('messages.TileErrorBoundary');
         const EventTile = sdk.getComponent('rooms.EventTile');
         const DateSeparator = sdk.getComponent('messages.DateSeparator');
@@ -562,6 +565,11 @@ export default class MessagePanel extends React.Component {
             ret.push(dateSeparator);
         }
 
+        let willWantDateSeparator = false;
+        if (nextEvent) {
+            willWantDateSeparator = this._wantsDateSeparator(mxEv, nextEvent.getDate() || new Date());
+        }
+
         // is this a continuation of the previous message?
         const continuation = !wantsDateSeparator && shouldFormContinuation(prevEvent, mxEv);
 
@@ -598,6 +606,7 @@ export default class MessagePanel extends React.Component {
                         isTwelveHour={this.props.isTwelveHour}
                         permalinkCreator={this.props.permalinkCreator}
                         last={last}
+                        lastInSection={willWantDateSeparator}
                         isSelectedEvent={highlight}
                         getRelationsForEvent={this.props.getRelationsForEvent}
                         showReactions={this.props.showReactions}
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
index f444fb1f1a..a1cc681a4c 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/EventTile.js
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import * as ObjectUtils from "../../../ObjectUtils";
 import MatrixClientContext from "../../../contexts/MatrixClientContext";
 import {E2E_STATE} from "./E2EIcon";
 import {toRem} from "../../../utils/units";
+import RoomAvatar from "../avatars/RoomAvatar";
 
 const eventTileTypes = {
     'm.room.message': 'messages.MessageEvent',
@@ -147,6 +148,10 @@ export default class EventTile extends React.Component {
          */
         last: PropTypes.bool,
 
+        // true if the event is the last event in a section (adds a css class for
+        // targeting)
+        lastInSection: PropTypes.bool,
+
         /* true if this is search context (which has the effect of greying out
          * the text
          */
@@ -673,6 +678,7 @@ export default class EventTile extends React.Component {
             mx_EventTile_selected: this.props.isSelectedEvent,
             mx_EventTile_continuation: this.props.tileShape ? '' : this.props.continuation,
             mx_EventTile_last: this.props.last,
+            mx_EventTile_lastInSection: this.props.lastInSection,
             mx_EventTile_contextual: this.props.contextual,
             mx_EventTile_actionBarFocused: this.state.actionBarFocused,
             mx_EventTile_verified: !isBubbleMessage && this.state.verified === E2E_STATE.VERIFIED,
@@ -821,6 +827,7 @@ export default class EventTile extends React.Component {
                 return (
                     <div className={classes} aria-live={ariaLive} aria-atomic="true">
                         <div className="mx_EventTile_roomName">
+                            <RoomAvatar room={room} width={28} height={28} />
                             <a href={permalink} onClick={this.onPermalinkClicked}>
                                 { room ? room.name : '' }
                             </a>