diff --git a/_locales/en/messages.json b/_locales/en/messages.json
index c9b9e7c2a..10e36976d 100644
--- a/_locales/en/messages.json
+++ b/_locales/en/messages.json
@@ -816,6 +816,14 @@
     "message": "Send a message",
     "description": "Placeholder text in the message entry field"
   },
+  "sendMessageDisabled": {
+    "message": "Waiting for friend request approval",
+    "description": "Placeholder text in the message entry field when it is disabled while we are waiting for a friend request approval"
+  },
+  "sendMessageFriendRequest": {
+    "message": "Hi there! This is <insert name here> !",
+    "description": "Placeholder text in the message entry field when it is the first message sent to that contact"
+  },
   "groupMembers": {
     "message": "Group members"
   },
diff --git a/js/models/conversations.js b/js/models/conversations.js
index 9f2ee7562..33aadb89d 100644
--- a/js/models/conversations.js
+++ b/js/models/conversations.js
@@ -428,12 +428,12 @@
     getFriendRequestStatus() {
       return this.get('friendRequestStatus');
     },
-    shouldDisableInputs() {
-      const status = this.getFriendRequestStatus();
-      if (!status) {
+    waitingForFriendRequestApproval() {
+      const friendRequestStatus = this.getFriendRequestStatus();
+      if (!friendRequestStatus) {
         return false;
       }
-      return !status.allowSending;
+      return !friendRequestStatus.allowSending;
     },
     setFriendRequestTimer() {
       const friendRequestStatus = this.getFriendRequestStatus();
@@ -441,18 +441,24 @@
         if (!friendRequestStatus.allowSending) {
           const delay = Math.max(friendRequestStatus.unlockTimestamp - Date.now(), 0);
           setTimeout(() => {
-            this.friendRequestTimedOut();
+            this.onFriendRequestTimedOut();
           }, delay);
         }
       }
     },
-    friendRequestTimedOut() {
+    onFriendRequestAccepted() {
+      this.save({ friendRequestStatus: null })
+      this.trigger('disable:input', false);
+      this.trigger('change:placeholder', 'chat');
+    },
+    onFriendRequestTimedOut() {
       let friendRequestStatus = this.getFriendRequestStatus();
       friendRequestStatus.allowSending = true;
       this.save({ friendRequestStatus })
       this.trigger('disable:input', false);
+      this.trigger('change:placeholder', 'friend-request');
     },
-    friendRequestSent() {
+    onFriendRequestSent() {
       const friendRequestLockDuration = 72; // hours
 
       let friendRequestStatus = this.getFriendRequestStatus();
@@ -464,8 +470,9 @@
       const delayMs = 100 * 1000 ;//(60 * 60 * 1000 * friendRequestLockDuration);
       friendRequestStatus.unlockTimestamp = Date.now() + delayMs;
       this.trigger('disable:input', true);
+      this.trigger('change:placeholder', 'disabled');
 
-      setTimeout(() => { this.friendRequestTimedOut() }, delayMs);
+      setTimeout(() => { this.onFriendRequestTimedOut() }, delayMs);
 
       this.save({ friendRequestStatus })
     },
diff --git a/js/views/conversation_view.js b/js/views/conversation_view.js
index b7fcc3d14..05d609e78 100644
--- a/js/views/conversation_view.js
+++ b/js/views/conversation_view.js
@@ -69,9 +69,16 @@
     },
     template: $('#conversation').html(),
     render_attributes() {
+      let sendMessagePlaceholder = 'sendMessageFriendRequest';
+      const sendDisabled = this.model.waitingForFriendRequestApproval();
+      if (sendDisabled) {
+        sendMessagePlaceholder = 'sendMessageDisabled';
+      } else if (this.model.getFriendRequestStatus() === null) {
+        sendMessagePlaceholder = 'sendMessage';
+      }
       return {
-        'disable-inputs': this.model.shouldDisableInputs(),
-        'send-message': i18n('sendMessage'),
+        'disable-inputs': sendDisabled,
+        'send-message': i18n(sendMessagePlaceholder),
         'android-length-warning': i18n('androidMessageLengthWarning'),
       };
     },
@@ -82,6 +89,7 @@
       this.listenTo(this.model, 'opened', this.onOpened);
       this.listenTo(this.model, 'prune', this.onPrune);
       this.listenTo(this.model, 'disable:input', this.onDisableInput);
+      this.listenTo(this.model, 'change:placeholder', this.onChangePlaceholder);
       this.listenTo(
         this.model.messageCollection,
         'show-identity',
@@ -283,6 +291,22 @@
       this.$('button.emoji, button.microphone, button.paperclip, .send-message').attr('disabled', disable);
     },
 
+    onChangePlaceholder(type) {
+      let placeholder;
+      switch (type) {
+        case 'friend-request':
+          placeholder = i18n('sendMessageFriendRequest');
+          break;
+        case 'disabled':
+          placeholder = i18n('sendMessageDisabled');
+          break;
+        default:
+          placeholder = i18n('sendMessage');
+          break;
+      }
+      this.$messageField.attr('placeholder', placeholder);
+    },
+
     unload(reason) {
       window.log.info(
         'unloading conversation',
diff --git a/libtextsecure/outgoing_message.js b/libtextsecure/outgoing_message.js
index 0be0a2a77..3303d7be2 100644
--- a/libtextsecure/outgoing_message.js
+++ b/libtextsecure/outgoing_message.js
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ OutgoingMessage.prototype = {
           if (!keysFound)
           {
             log.info("Fallback encryption enabled");
-            conversation.friendRequestSent();
+            conversation.onFriendRequestSent();
             this.fallBackEncryption = true;
             attachPrekeys = true;
           } else {