diff --git a/static/js/compose_actions.js b/static/js/compose_actions.js
index db11273479..d306aa8560 100644
--- a/static/js/compose_actions.js
+++ b/static/js/compose_actions.js
@@ -299,6 +299,9 @@ export function respond_to_message(opts) {
     if (recent_topics.is_visible()) {
         message = recent_topics.get_focused_row_message();
         if (message === undefined) {
+            // Open empty compose with nothing pre-filled since
+            // user is not focused on any table row.
+            compose_actions.start("stream", {trigger: "recent_topics_nofocus"});
             return;
         }
     } else {
diff --git a/static/js/compose_closed_ui.js b/static/js/compose_closed_ui.js
index 7da415605c..aba78e7e30 100644
--- a/static/js/compose_closed_ui.js
+++ b/static/js/compose_closed_ui.js
@@ -9,14 +9,8 @@ function set_reply_button_label(label) {
     $(".compose_reply_button_label").text(label);
 }
 
-export function hide_reply_button() {
-    $(".reply_button_container").hide();
-    $("#compose_buttons").css("justify-content", "flex-end");
-}
-
-export function show_reply_button() {
-    $(".reply_button_container").show();
-    $("#compose_buttons").css("justify-content", "flex-start");
+export function set_standard_text_for_reply_button() {
+    set_reply_button_label($t({defaultMessage: "Compose message"}));
 }
 
 export function update_reply_recipient_label(message) {
diff --git a/static/js/recent_topics.js b/static/js/recent_topics.js
index f380b546b0..8d7d9f48e4 100644
--- a/static/js/recent_topics.js
+++ b/static/js/recent_topics.js
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ export function set_default_focus() {
     // focused element, we switch focus to search.
     current_focus_elem = $("#recent_topics_search");
     current_focus_elem.trigger("focus");
-    compose_closed_ui.hide_reply_button();
+    compose_closed_ui.set_standard_text_for_reply_button();
 }
 
 function get_min_load_count(already_rendered_count, load_count) {
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ function set_table_focus(row, col) {
         stream: topic_row.find(".recent_topic_stream a").text(),
         topic: topic_row.find(".recent_topic_name a").text(),
     };
-    compose_closed_ui.show_reply_button();
     compose_closed_ui.update_reply_recipient_label(message);
 
     // focused topic can be under table `thead`
@@ -755,7 +754,7 @@ export function change_focused_element($elt, input_key) {
                 // go away from the input box when `revive_current_focus` is called
                 // on rerender when user is typing.
                 current_focus_elem = $("#recent_topics_search");
-                compose_closed_ui.hide_reply_button();
+                compose_closed_ui.set_standard_text_for_reply_button();
                 return true;
             case "escape":
                 if (is_table_focused()) {
@@ -859,7 +858,7 @@ export function change_focused_element($elt, input_key) {
     if (current_focus_elem && input_key !== "escape") {
         current_focus_elem.trigger("focus");
         if (current_focus_elem.hasClass("btn-recent-filters")) {
-            compose_closed_ui.hide_reply_button();
+            compose_closed_ui.set_standard_text_for_reply_button();
         }
         return true;
     }