diff --git a/static/js/tutorial.js b/static/js/tutorial.js
index 87b0006419..5f6d915b95 100644
--- a/static/js/tutorial.js
+++ b/static/js/tutorial.js
@@ -127,6 +127,15 @@ var fake_messages = [
     }
 ];
 
+function hide_desktop_app_alert() {
+    $('#alert-bar-container').slideUp(100);
+}
+
+function show_desktop_app_alert() {
+    $('#alert-bar-container').show();
+    $('#alert-bar-container .close-alert-icon').expectOne().click(hide_desktop_app_alert);
+}
+
 function disable_event_handlers() {
     $('body').css({'overflow':'hidden'}); // prevents scrolling the feed
     _.each(["keydown", "keyup", "keypress", "scroll"], function (event_name) {
@@ -256,6 +265,7 @@ function finale() {
         callback();
     });
     deferred_work = [];
+    show_desktop_app_alert();
 }
 
 function reply() {
diff --git a/static/styles/zulip.css b/static/styles/zulip.css
index eea94da026..e2a1777cb1 100644
--- a/static/styles/zulip.css
+++ b/static/styles/zulip.css
@@ -2770,6 +2770,10 @@ div.edit_bot {
     right: 0px;
 }
 
+#home .alert-bar .close-alert-icon:hover{
+    opacity: 0.7;
+}
+
 #settings-change-box .gravatar-profile {
     width: 60px;
     height: 60px;
diff --git a/templates/zerver/home.html b/templates/zerver/home.html
index 1c486aa07e..a5cfae1345 100644
--- a/templates/zerver/home.html
+++ b/templates/zerver/home.html
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {# Home tab of the app, containing messages. #}
-  <div id="alert-bar-container" class="alert-bar-container">
+  <div id="alert-bar-container" class="alert-bar-container" style='display: none;'>
     <div id="alert-bar" class="alert-bar">
       <div id="alert-bar-contents" class="alert-bar-contents">
-        <i class="icon-vector-desktop alert-icon"></i> Have you heard: the <a href="#">Zulip desktop app</a> is awesome and you should get it!
+        <i class="icon-vector-desktop alert-icon"></i> Have you heard: the <a href="/apps" target="_blank">Zulip desktop app</a> is awesome and you should get it!
         <i class="icon-vector-remove close-alert-icon"></i>
       </div>
     </div>