diff --git a/src/components/structures/ContextMenu.js b/src/components/structures/ContextMenu.js
index bda19432a8..e861e3d45f 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/ContextMenu.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/ContextMenu.js
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ export const toRightOf = (elementRect, chevronOffset=12) => {
     const left = elementRect.right + window.pageXOffset + 3;
     let top = elementRect.top + (elementRect.height / 2) + window.pageYOffset;
     top -= chevronOffset + 8; // where 8 is half the height of the chevron
-    return {left, top};
+    return {left, top, chevronOffset};
 };
 
 // Placement method for <ContextMenu /> to position context menu right-aligned and flowing to the left of elementRect
diff --git a/src/components/views/dialogs/ShareDialog.js b/src/components/views/dialogs/ShareDialog.js
index a730e3859d..f9e77101fc 100644
--- a/src/components/views/dialogs/ShareDialog.js
+++ b/src/components/views/dialogs/ShareDialog.js
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ export default class ShareDialog extends React.Component {
         const buttonRect = e.target.getBoundingClientRect();
         const GenericTextContextMenu = sdk.getComponent('context_menus.GenericTextContextMenu');
         const {close} = ContextMenu.createMenu(GenericTextContextMenu, {
-            ...toRightOf(buttonRect, 11),
+            ...toRightOf(buttonRect, 2),
             message: successful ? _t('Copied!') : _t('Failed to copy'),
         });
         // Drop a reference to this close handler for componentWillUnmount
diff --git a/src/components/views/groups/GroupInviteTile.js b/src/components/views/groups/GroupInviteTile.js
index bc861eb156..a21b091145 100644
--- a/src/components/views/groups/GroupInviteTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/groups/GroupInviteTile.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-import React, {createRef} from 'react';
+import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import createReactClass from 'create-react-class';
 import { MatrixClient } from 'matrix-js-sdk';
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import classNames from 'classnames';
 import MatrixClientPeg from "../../../MatrixClientPeg";
 import {ContextMenu, ContextMenuButton, toRightOf} from "../../structures/ContextMenu";
 
+// XXX this class copies a lot from RoomTile.js
 export default createReactClass({
     displayName: 'GroupInviteTile',
 
@@ -47,10 +48,6 @@ export default createReactClass({
         });
     },
 
-    componentDidMount: function() {
-        this._contextMenuButton = createRef();
-    },
-
     onClick: function(e) {
         dis.dispatch({
             action: 'view_group',
@@ -74,16 +71,12 @@ export default createReactClass({
         });
     },
 
-    openMenu: function(e) {
+    _showContextMenu: function(boundingClientRect) {
         // Only allow non-guests to access the context menu
         if (MatrixClientPeg.get().isGuest()) return;
 
-        // Prevent the GroupInviteTile onClick event firing as well
-        e.stopPropagation();
-        e.preventDefault();
-
         const state = {
-            menuDisplayed: true,
+            contextMenuPosition: boundingClientRect,
         };
 
         // If the badge is clicked, then no longer show tooltip
@@ -94,9 +87,28 @@ export default createReactClass({
         this.setState(state);
     },
 
+    onContextMenuButtonClick: function(e) {
+        // Prevent the RoomTile onClick event firing as well
+        e.stopPropagation();
+        e.preventDefault();
+
+        this._showContextMenu(e.target.getBoundingClientRect());
+    },
+
+    onContextMenu: function(e) {
+        // Prevent the native context menu
+        e.preventDefault();
+
+        this._showContextMenu({
+            right: e.clientX,
+            top: e.clientY,
+            height: 0,
+        });
+    },
+
     closeMenu: function() {
         this.setState({
-            menuDisplayed: false,
+            contextMenuPosition: null,
         });
     },
 
@@ -110,15 +122,16 @@ export default createReactClass({
 
         const av = <BaseAvatar name={groupName} width={24} height={24} url={httpAvatarUrl} />;
 
+        const isMenuDisplayed = Boolean(this.state.contextMenuPosition);
         const nameClasses = classNames('mx_RoomTile_name mx_RoomTile_invite mx_RoomTile_badgeShown', {
-            'mx_RoomTile_badgeShown': this.state.badgeHover || this.state.menuDisplayed,
+            'mx_RoomTile_badgeShown': this.state.badgeHover || isMenuDisplayed,
         });
 
         const label = <div title={this.props.group.groupId} className={nameClasses} dir="auto">
             { groupName }
         </div>;
 
-        const badgeEllipsis = this.state.badgeHover || this.state.menuDisplayed;
+        const badgeEllipsis = this.state.badgeHover || isMenuDisplayed;
         const badgeClasses = classNames('mx_RoomTile_badge mx_RoomTile_highlight', {
             'mx_RoomTile_badgeButton': badgeEllipsis,
         });
@@ -127,10 +140,9 @@ export default createReactClass({
         const badge = (
             <ContextMenuButton
                 className={badgeClasses}
-                inputRef={this._contextMenuButton}
-                onClick={this.openMenu}
+                onClick={this.onContextMenuButtonClick}
                 label={_t("Options")}
-                isExpanded={this.state.menuDisplayed}
+                isExpanded={isMenuDisplayed}
             >
                 { badgeContent }
             </ContextMenuButton>
@@ -143,17 +155,16 @@ export default createReactClass({
         }
 
         const classes = classNames('mx_RoomTile mx_RoomTile_highlight', {
-            'mx_RoomTile_menuDisplayed': this.state.menuDisplayed,
+            'mx_RoomTile_menuDisplayed': isMenuDisplayed,
             'mx_RoomTile_selected': this.state.selected,
             'mx_GroupInviteTile': true,
         });
 
         let contextMenu;
-        if (this.state.menuDisplayed) {
-            const elementRect = this._contextMenuButton.current.getBoundingClientRect();
+        if (isMenuDisplayed) {
             const GroupInviteTileContextMenu = sdk.getComponent('context_menus.GroupInviteTileContextMenu');
             contextMenu = (
-                <ContextMenu {...toRightOf(elementRect)} onFinished={this.closeMenu}>
+                <ContextMenu {...toRightOf(this.state.contextMenuPosition)} onFinished={this.closeMenu}>
                     <GroupInviteTileContextMenu group={this.props.group} onFinished={this.closeMenu} />
                 </ContextMenu>
             );
diff --git a/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js b/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
index 774c4a3e8f..6bf45d9193 100644
--- a/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
+++ b/src/components/views/messages/TextualBody.js
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
                 const buttonRect = e.target.getBoundingClientRect();
                 const GenericTextContextMenu = sdk.getComponent('context_menus.GenericTextContextMenu');
                 const {close} = ContextMenu.createMenu(GenericTextContextMenu, {
-                    ...toRightOf(buttonRect, 11),
+                    ...toRightOf(buttonRect, 2),
                     message: successful ? _t('Copied!') : _t('Failed to copy'),
                 });
                 e.target.onmouseleave = close;
diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile.js b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile.js
index 313f013de4..817ada9706 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/RoomTile.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-import React, {createRef} from 'react';
+import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import createReactClass from 'create-react-class';
 import classNames from 'classnames';
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
         return ({
             hover: false,
             badgeHover: false,
-            menuDisplayed: false,
+            contextMenuPosition: null, // DOM bounding box, null if non-shown
             roomName: this.props.room.name,
             notifState: RoomNotifs.getRoomNotifsState(this.props.room.roomId),
             notificationCount: this.props.room.getUnreadNotificationCount(),
@@ -145,8 +145,6 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
     },
 
     componentDidMount: function() {
-        this._contextMenuButton = createRef();
-
         const cli = MatrixClientPeg.get();
         cli.on("accountData", this.onAccountData);
         cli.on("Room.name", this.onRoomName);
@@ -241,16 +239,12 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
         this.setState( { badgeHover: false } );
     },
 
-    openMenu: function(e) {
+    _showContextMenu: function(boundingClientRect) {
         // Only allow non-guests to access the context menu
         if (MatrixClientPeg.get().isGuest()) return;
 
-        // Prevent the RoomTile onClick event firing as well
-        e.stopPropagation();
-        e.preventDefault();
-
         const state = {
-            menuDisplayed: true,
+            contextMenuPosition: boundingClientRect,
         };
 
         // If the badge is clicked, then no longer show tooltip
@@ -261,9 +255,28 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
         this.setState(state);
     },
 
+    onContextMenuButtonClick: function(e) {
+        // Prevent the RoomTile onClick event firing as well
+        e.stopPropagation();
+        e.preventDefault();
+
+        this._showContextMenu(e.target.getBoundingClientRect());
+    },
+
+    onContextMenu: function(e) {
+        // Prevent the native context menu
+        e.preventDefault();
+
+        this._showContextMenu({
+            right: e.clientX,
+            top: e.clientY,
+            height: 0,
+        });
+    },
+
     closeMenu: function() {
         this.setState({
-            menuDisplayed: false,
+            contextMenuPosition: null,
         });
         this.props.refreshSubList();
     },
@@ -282,6 +295,8 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
             subtext = this.state.statusMessage;
         }
 
+        const isMenuDisplayed = Boolean(this.state.contextMenuPosition);
+
         const classes = classNames({
             'mx_RoomTile': true,
             'mx_RoomTile_selected': this.state.selected,
@@ -289,7 +304,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
             'mx_RoomTile_unreadNotify': notifBadges,
             'mx_RoomTile_highlight': mentionBadges,
             'mx_RoomTile_invited': isInvite,
-            'mx_RoomTile_menuDisplayed': this.state.menuDisplayed,
+            'mx_RoomTile_menuDisplayed': isMenuDisplayed,
             'mx_RoomTile_noBadges': !badges,
             'mx_RoomTile_transparent': this.props.transparent,
             'mx_RoomTile_hasSubtext': subtext && !this.props.collapsed,
@@ -301,7 +316,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
 
         const badgeClasses = classNames({
             'mx_RoomTile_badge': true,
-            'mx_RoomTile_badgeButton': this.state.badgeHover || this.state.menuDisplayed,
+            'mx_RoomTile_badgeButton': this.state.badgeHover || isMenuDisplayed,
         });
 
         let name = this.state.roomName;
@@ -323,7 +338,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
             const nameClasses = classNames({
                 'mx_RoomTile_name': true,
                 'mx_RoomTile_invite': this.props.isInvite,
-                'mx_RoomTile_badgeShown': badges || this.state.badgeHover || this.state.menuDisplayed,
+                'mx_RoomTile_badgeShown': badges || this.state.badgeHover || isMenuDisplayed,
             });
 
             subtextLabel = subtext ? <span className="mx_RoomTile_subtext">{ subtext }</span> : null;
@@ -346,10 +361,9 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
             contextMenuButton = (
                 <ContextMenuButton
                     className="mx_RoomTile_menuButton"
-                    inputRef={this._contextMenuButton}
                     label={_t("Options")}
-                    isExpanded={this.state.menuDisplayed}
-                    onClick={this.openMenu} />
+                    isExpanded={isMenuDisplayed}
+                    onClick={this.onContextMenuButtonClick} />
             );
         }
 
@@ -382,11 +396,10 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
         }
 
         let contextMenu;
-        if (this.state.menuDisplayed && this._contextMenuButton.current) {
-            const elementRect = this._contextMenuButton.current.getBoundingClientRect();
+        if (isMenuDisplayed) {
             const RoomTileContextMenu = sdk.getComponent('context_menus.RoomTileContextMenu');
             contextMenu = (
-                <ContextMenu {...toRightOf(elementRect)} onFinished={this.closeMenu}>
+                <ContextMenu {...toRightOf(this.state.contextMenuPosition)} onFinished={this.closeMenu}>
                     <RoomTileContextMenu room={this.props.room} onFinished={this.closeMenu} />
                 </ContextMenu>
             );
@@ -399,7 +412,7 @@ module.exports = createReactClass({
                 onClick={this.onClick}
                 onMouseEnter={this.onMouseEnter}
                 onMouseLeave={this.onMouseLeave}
-                onContextMenu={this.openMenu}
+                onContextMenu={this.onContextMenu}
                 aria-label={ariaLabel}
                 aria-selected={this.state.selected}
                 role="treeitem"