diff --git a/src/components/structures/GroupView.js b/src/components/structures/GroupView.js
index d69784e0ca..647ffee37a 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/GroupView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/GroupView.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import MatrixClientPeg from '../../MatrixClientPeg';
 import sdk from '../../index';
 import dis from '../../dispatcher';
 import { sanitizedHtmlNode } from '../../HtmlUtils';
-import { _t } from '../../languageHandler';
+import { _t, _td, _tJsx } from '../../languageHandler';
 import AccessibleButton from '../views/elements/AccessibleButton';
 import Modal from '../../Modal';
 import classnames from 'classnames';
@@ -32,6 +32,17 @@ import GroupStore from '../../stores/GroupStore';
 import { showGroupAddRoomDialog } from '../../GroupAddressPicker';
 import GeminiScrollbar from 'react-gemini-scrollbar';
 
+const LONG_DESC_PLACEHOLDER = _td(
+`<h1>HTML for your community's page</h1>
+<p>
+    Use the long description to introduce new members to the community, or distribute
+    some important <a href="foo">links</a>
+</p>
+<p>
+    You can even use 'img' tags
+</p>
+`);
+
 const RoomSummaryType = PropTypes.shape({
     room_id: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
     profile: PropTypes.shape({
@@ -392,6 +403,8 @@ export default React.createClass({
 
     propTypes: {
         groupId: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+        // Whether this is the first time the group admin is viewing the group
+        groupIsNew: PropTypes.bool,
     },
 
     childContextTypes: {
@@ -422,7 +435,7 @@ export default React.createClass({
 
     componentWillMount: function() {
         this._changeAvatarComponent = null;
-        this._initGroupStore(this.props.groupId);
+        this._initGroupStore(this.props.groupId, true);
 
         MatrixClientPeg.get().on("Group.myMembership", this._onGroupMyMembership);
     },
@@ -449,7 +462,7 @@ export default React.createClass({
         this.setState({membershipBusy: false});
     },
 
-    _initGroupStore: function(groupId) {
+    _initGroupStore: function(groupId, firstInit) {
         this._groupStore = GroupStoreCache.getGroupStore(MatrixClientPeg.get(), groupId);
         this._groupStore.registerListener(() => {
             const summary = this._groupStore.getSummary();
@@ -472,6 +485,9 @@ export default React.createClass({
                 ),
                 error: null,
             });
+            if (this.props.groupIsNew && firstInit) {
+                this._onEditClick();
+            }
         });
         this._groupStore.on('error', (err) => {
             this.setState({
@@ -868,6 +884,18 @@ export default React.createClass({
         let description = null;
         if (summary.profile && summary.profile.long_description) {
             description = sanitizedHtmlNode(summary.profile.long_description);
+        } else if (this.state.isUserPrivileged) {
+            description = <div
+                className="mx_GroupView_groupDesc_placeholder"
+                onClick={this._onEditClick}
+            >
+                { _tJsx(
+                    'Your community hasn\'t got a Long Description, a HTML page to show to community members.<br />' +
+                    'Click here to open settings and give it one!',
+                    [/<br \/>/],
+                    [(sub) => <br />])
+                }
+            </div>;
         }
         const groupDescEditingClasses = classnames({
             "mx_GroupView_groupDesc": true,
@@ -879,6 +907,7 @@ export default React.createClass({
                 <h3> { _t("Long Description (HTML)") } </h3>
                 <textarea
                     value={this.state.profileForm.long_description}
+                    placeholder={_t(LONG_DESC_PLACEHOLDER)}
                     onChange={this._onLongDescChange}
                     tabIndex="4"
                     key="editLongDesc"
diff --git a/src/components/structures/LoggedInView.js b/src/components/structures/LoggedInView.js
index 5d1d47c5b2..08120d9508 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/LoggedInView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/LoggedInView.js
@@ -301,6 +301,7 @@ export default React.createClass({
             case PageTypes.GroupView:
                 page_element = <GroupView
                     groupId={this.props.currentGroupId}
+                    isNew={this.props.currentGroupIsNew}
                     collapsedRhs={this.props.collapseRhs}
                 />;
                 if (!this.props.collapseRhs) right_panel = <RightPanel groupId={this.props.currentGroupId} disabled={this.props.rightDisabled} />;
diff --git a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
index e679276a08..e8ca8e82fc 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/MatrixChat.js
@@ -490,7 +490,10 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             case 'view_group':
                 {
                     const groupId = payload.group_id;
-                    this.setState({currentGroupId: groupId});
+                    this.setState({
+                        currentGroupId: groupId,
+                        currentGroupIsNew: payload.group_is_new,
+                    });
                     this._setPage(PageTypes.GroupView);
                     this.notifyNewScreen('group/' + groupId);
                 }
diff --git a/src/components/views/dialogs/CreateGroupDialog.js b/src/components/views/dialogs/CreateGroupDialog.js
index e1dfe388d6..168fe75947 100644
--- a/src/components/views/dialogs/CreateGroupDialog.js
+++ b/src/components/views/dialogs/CreateGroupDialog.js
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ export default React.createClass({
             dis.dispatch({
                 action: 'view_group',
                 group_id: result.group_id,
+                group_is_new: true,
             });
             this.props.onFinished(true);
         }).catch((e) => {
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 0eecc63ed7..4746a11921 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -672,6 +672,7 @@
     "You must <a>register</a> to use this functionality": "You must <a>register</a> to use this functionality",
     "You must join the room to see its files": "You must join the room to see its files",
     "There are no visible files in this room": "There are no visible files in this room",
+    "<h1>HTML for your community's page</h1>\n<p>\n    Use the long description to introduce new members to the community, or distribute\n    some important <a href=\"foo\">links</a>\n</p>\n<p>\n    You can even use 'img' tags\n</p>\n": "<h1>HTML for your community's page</h1>\n<p>\n    Use the long description to introduce new members to the community, or distribute\n    some important <a href=\"foo\">links</a>\n</p>\n<p>\n    You can even use 'img' tags\n</p>\n",
     "Add rooms to the community summary": "Add rooms to the community summary",
     "Which rooms would you like to add to this summary?": "Which rooms would you like to add to this summary?",
     "Add to summary": "Add to summary",
@@ -703,6 +704,7 @@
     "You are a member of this community": "You are a member of this community",
     "Community Member Settings": "Community Member Settings",
     "Publish this community on your profile": "Publish this community on your profile",
+    "Your community hasn't got a Long Description, a HTML page to show to community members.<br />Click here to open settings and give it one!": "Your community hasn't got a Long Description, a HTML page to show to community members.<br />Click here to open settings and give it one!",
     "Long Description (HTML)": "Long Description (HTML)",
     "Description": "Description",
     "Community %(groupId)s not found": "Community %(groupId)s not found",