diff --git a/src/molecules/MessageComposer.js b/src/molecules/MessageComposer.js
index 6194625258..56fcdb18f8 100644
--- a/src/molecules/MessageComposer.js
+++ b/src/molecules/MessageComposer.js
@@ -2,7 +2,25 @@ var React = require('react');
 
 var MatrixClientPeg = require("../MatrixClientPeg");
 
+var dis = require("../dispatcher");
+
 module.exports = React.createClass({
+    componentDidMount: function() {
+        this.dispatcherRef = dis.register(this.onAction);
+    },
+
+    componentWillUnmount: function() {
+        dis.unregister(this.dispatcherRef);
+    },
+
+    onAction: function(payload) {
+        switch (payload.action) {
+            case 'focus_composer':
+                this.refs.textarea.getDOMNode().focus();
+                break;
+        }
+    },
+
     onKeyDown: function (ev) {
         if (ev.keyCode == 13) {
             var contentText = this.refs.textarea.getDOMNode().value;
diff --git a/src/pages/MatrixChat.js b/src/pages/MatrixChat.js
index 3990ec0be3..4c5988b488 100644
--- a/src/pages/MatrixChat.js
+++ b/src/pages/MatrixChat.js
@@ -27,12 +27,20 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         if (this.state.logged_in) {
             this.startMatrixClient();
         }
+        this.focusComposer = false;
     },
 
     componentWillUnmount: function() {
         dis.unregister(this.dispatcherRef);
     },
 
+    componentDidUpdate: function() {
+        if (this.focusComposer) {
+            dis.dispatch({action: 'focus_composer'});
+            this.focusComposer = false;
+        }
+    },
+
     onAction: function(payload) {
         switch (payload.action) {
             case 'logout':
@@ -47,6 +55,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 this.setState({
                     currentRoom: payload.room_id
                 });
+                this.focusComposer = true;
                 break;
         }
     },
@@ -65,6 +74,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 firstRoom = cli.getRooms()[0].roomId;
             }
             that.setState({ready: true, currentRoom: firstRoom});
+            dis.dispatch({action: 'focus_composer'});
         });
         cli.startClient();
     },