diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomStatusBar.js b/src/components/structures/RoomStatusBar.js
index 75cb06daf6..2e0897e3d0 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomStatusBar.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomStatusBar.js
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
 
         // callback for when the user clicks on the 'scroll to bottom' button
         onScrollToBottomClick: React.PropTypes.func,
+
+        // callback for when we do something that changes the size of the
+        // status bar. This is used to trigger a re-layout in the parent
+        // component.
+        onResize: React.PropTypes.func,
     },
 
     getInitialState: function() {
@@ -63,6 +68,12 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         MatrixClientPeg.get().on("sync", this.onSyncStateChange);
     },
 
+    componentDidUpdate: function(prevProps, prevState) {
+        if(this.props.onResize && this._checkForResize(prevProps, prevState)) {
+            this.props.onResize();
+        }
+    },
+
     componentWillUnmount: function() {
         // we may have entirely lost our client as we're logging out before clicking login on the guest bar...
         if (MatrixClientPeg.get()) {
@@ -79,6 +90,37 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         });
     },
 
+    // determine if we need to call onResize
+    _checkForResize: function(prevProps, prevState) {
+        // figure out the old height and the new height of the status bar. We
+        // don't need the actual height - just whether it is likely to have
+        // changed - so we use '0' to indicate normal size, and other values to
+        // indicate other sizes.
+        var oldSize, newSize;
+
+        if (prevState.syncState === "ERROR") {
+            oldSize = 1;
+        } else if (prevProps.tabCompleteEntries) {
+            oldSize = 0;
+        } else if (prevProps.hasUnsentMessages) {
+            oldSize = 2;
+        } else {
+            oldSize = 0;
+        }
+
+        if (this.state.syncState === "ERROR") {
+            newSize = 1;
+        } else if (this.props.tabCompleteEntries) {
+            newSize = 0;
+        } else if (this.props.hasUnsentMessages) {
+            newSize = 2;
+        } else {
+            newSize = 0;
+        }
+
+        return newSize != oldSize;
+    },
+
     // return suitable content for the image on the left of the status bar.
     //
     // if wantPlaceholder is true, we include a "..." placeholder if
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
index 856ab955a4..61248313db 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomView.js
@@ -1444,9 +1444,10 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
     },
 
     onChildResize: function() {
-        // When the video or the message composer resizes, the scroll panel
-        // also changes size.  Work around GeminiScrollBar fail by telling it
-        // about it. This also ensures that the scroll offset is updated.
+        // When the video, status bar, or the message composer resizes, the
+        // scroll panel also changes size.  Work around GeminiScrollBar fail by
+        // telling it about it. This also ensures that the scroll offset is
+        // updated.
         if (this.refs.messagePanel) {
             this.refs.messagePanel.forceUpdate();
         }
@@ -1577,6 +1578,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 hasActiveCall={inCall}
                 onResendAllClick={this.onResendAllClick}
                 onScrollToBottomClick={this.jumpToLiveTimeline}
+                onResize={this.onChildResize}
                 />
         }