diff --git a/src/plugins/muc-views/chatarea.js b/src/plugins/muc-views/chatarea.js
index e9f151118..e1bc80c2d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/muc-views/chatarea.js
+++ b/src/plugins/muc-views/chatarea.js
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ export default class MUCChatArea extends CustomElement {
 
     connectedCallback () {
         super.connectedCallback();
-        this.model = _converse.chatboxes.get(this.jid);
+        this.initialize();
+    }
+
+    async initialize () {
+        this.model = await api.rooms.get(this.jid);
         this.listenTo(this.model, 'change:show_help_messages', () => this.requestUpdate());
         this.listenTo(this.model, 'change:hidden_occupants', () => this.requestUpdate());
         this.listenTo(this.model.session, 'change:connection_status', () => this.requestUpdate());
@@ -27,19 +31,18 @@ export default class MUCChatArea extends CustomElement {
         // Bind so that we can pass it to addEventListener and removeEventListener
         this.onMouseMove = this._onMouseMove.bind(this);
         this.onMouseUp = this._onMouseUp.bind(this);
+
+        this.requestUpdate(); // Make sure we render again after the model has been attached
     }
 
     render () {
         return tpl_muc_chatarea({
-            'help_messages': this.getHelpMessages(),
+            'getHelpMessages': () => this.getHelpMessages(),
             'jid': this.jid,
             'model': this.model,
-            'occupants': this.model.occupants,
-            'occupants_width': this.model.get('occupants_width'),
             'onMousedown': ev => this.onMousedown(ev),
-            'show_help_messages': this.model.get('show_help_messages'),
             'show_send_button': _converse.show_send_button,
-            'show_sidebar': this.shouldShowSidebar(),
+            'shouldShowSidebar': () => this.shouldShowSidebar(),
             'type': this.type,
         });
     }
diff --git a/src/plugins/muc-views/templates/muc-chatarea.js b/src/plugins/muc-views/templates/muc-chatarea.js
index 46edaeb6d..3ef241bcf 100644
--- a/src/plugins/muc-views/templates/muc-chatarea.js
+++ b/src/plugins/muc-views/templates/muc-chatarea.js
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ export default (o) => html`
                 class="chat-content__messages"
                 jid="${o.jid}"></converse-chat-content>
 
-            ${o.show_help_messages ? html`<div class="chat-content__help">
+            ${(o.model?.get('show_help_messages')) ?
+                html`<div class="chat-content__help">
                     <converse-chat-help
                         .model=${o.model}
-                        .messages=${o.help_messages}
-                        ?hidden=${!o.show_help_messages}
+                        .messages=${o.getHelpMessages()}
                         type="info"
                         chat_type="${_converse.CHATROOMS_TYPE}"
                     ></converse-chat-help></div>` : '' }
@@ -24,9 +24,10 @@ export default (o) => html`
         <converse-muc-bottom-panel jid="${o.jid}" class="bottom-panel"></converse-muc-bottom-panel>
     </div>
     <div class="disconnect-container hidden"></div>
-    <converse-muc-sidebar
-        class="occupants col-md-3 col-4 ${o.show_sidebar ? '' : 'hidden' }"
-        style="flex: 0 0 ${o.occupants_width}px"
-        jid=${o.jid}
-        @mousedown=${o.onMousedown}></converse-muc-sidebar>
+    ${o.model ? html`
+        <converse-muc-sidebar
+            class="occupants col-md-3 col-4 ${o.shouldShowSidebar() ? '' : 'hidden' }"
+            style="flex: 0 0 ${o.model.get('occupants_width')}px"
+            jid=${o.jid}
+            @mousedown=${o.onMousedown}></converse-muc-sidebar>` : '' }
 `;