diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/privategroup/conversation/GroupActivity.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/privategroup/conversation/GroupActivity.java
index da9ceed369df8058a59b0a1c0fdd424d7719e000..5cd52de8d34ec7b07a1fc83696a22e482947a69c 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/privategroup/conversation/GroupActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/privategroup/conversation/GroupActivity.java
@@ -55,17 +55,29 @@ public class GroupActivity extends
 		if (groupName != null) setTitle(groupName);
 		loadNamedGroup();
 
-		list.setEmptyText(R.string.groups_no_messages);
+		setGroupEnabled(false);
 	}
 
 	@Override
-	public void onStart() {
-		super.onStart();
+	@LayoutRes
+	protected int getLayout() {
+		return R.layout.activity_forum;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected GroupMessageAdapter createAdapter(
+			LinearLayoutManager layoutManager) {
+		return new GroupMessageAdapter(this, layoutManager);
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	protected void loadItems() {
 		controller.isDissolved(
 				new UiResultExceptionHandler<Boolean, DbException>(this) {
 					@Override
 					public void onResultUi(Boolean isDissolved) {
-						if (isDissolved) disableGroup();
+						setGroupEnabled(!isDissolved);
+						GroupActivity.super.loadItems();
 					}
 
 					@Override
@@ -101,18 +113,6 @@ public class GroupActivity extends
 				});
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	@LayoutRes
-	protected int getLayout() {
-		return R.layout.activity_forum;
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	protected GroupMessageAdapter createAdapter(
-			LinearLayoutManager layoutManager) {
-		return new GroupMessageAdapter(this, layoutManager);
-	}
-
 	@Override
 	public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
 		// Inflate the menu items for use in the action bar
@@ -166,11 +166,11 @@ public class GroupActivity extends
 		if (!isDissolved) super.onReplyClick(item);
 	}
 
-	private void disableGroup() {
-		isDissolved = true;
-		if (writeMenuItem != null) writeMenuItem.setVisible(false);
-		textInput.setSendButtonEnabled(false);
-		list.setAlpha(0.5f);
+	private void setGroupEnabled(boolean enabled) {
+		isDissolved = !enabled;
+		if (writeMenuItem != null) writeMenuItem.setVisible(enabled);
+		textInput.setSendButtonEnabled(enabled);
+		list.getRecyclerView().setAlpha(enabled ? 1f : 0.5f);
 	}
 
 	private void showMenuItems() {
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ public class GroupActivity extends
 			leaveMenuItem.setVisible(true);
 			dissolveMenuItem.setVisible(false);
 		}
-		if (isDissolved) writeMenuItem.setVisible(false);
+		writeMenuItem.setVisible(!isDissolved);
 	}
 
 	private void showLeaveGroupDialog() {
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/threaded/ThreadListActivity.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/threaded/ThreadListActivity.java
index eff17e175e13264ea28ab2381ae422d87e2e0aef..babc166a589d642e58b81e6e08c40b46e7850c51 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/threaded/ThreadListActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/threaded/ThreadListActivity.java
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ public abstract class ThreadListActivity<G extends NamedGroup, I extends ThreadI
 	@UiThread
 	protected abstract void onNamedGroupLoaded(G groupItem);
 
-	private void loadItems() {
+	protected void loadItems() {
 		final int revision = adapter.getRevision();
 		getController().loadItems(
 				new UiResultExceptionHandler<Collection<I>, DbException>(this) {