diff --git a/converse.js b/converse.js
index 91a36cdb7..45a1faca7 100644
--- a/converse.js
+++ b/converse.js
@@ -1251,6 +1251,11 @@
             this.$el.find('.chatroom-form').on('submit', $.proxy(this.submitPassword, this));
         },
 
+        renderErrorMessage: function (msg) {
+            this.$el.find('img.centered.spinner').remove();
+            this.$el.find('.chat-body').append($('<p>'+msg+'</p>'));
+        },
+
         submitPassword: function (ev) {
             ev.preventDefault();
             var password = this.$el.find('.chatroom-form').find('input[type=password]').val();
@@ -1300,25 +1305,25 @@
                     if ($error.find('not-authorized').length) {
                         this.renderPasswordForm();
                     } else if ($error.find('registration-required').length) {
-                        $chat_content.append('You are not on the member list of this room');
+                        this.renderErrorMessage('You are not on the member list of this room');
                     } else if ($error.find('forbidden').length) {
-                        $chat_content.append('You have been banned from this room');
+                        this.renderErrorMessage('You have been banned from this room');
                     }
                 } else if ($error.attr('type') == 'modify') {
                     if ($error.find('jid-malformed').length) {
-                        $chat_content.append('No nickname was specified');
+                        this.renderErrorMessage('No nickname was specified');
                     }
                 } else if ($error.attr('type') == 'cancel') {
                     if ($error.find('not-allowed').length) {
-                        $chat_content.append('You are not allowed to create new rooms');
+                        this.renderErrorMessage('You are not allowed to create new rooms');
                     } else if ($error.find('not-acceptable').length) {
-                        $chat_content.append("Your nickname doesn't conform to the room's policies");
+                        this.renderErrorMessage("Your nickname doesn't conform to the room's policies");
                     } else if ($error.find('conflict').length) {
-                        $chat_content.append("Your nickname is already taken");
+                        this.renderErrorMessage("Your nickname is already taken");
                     } else if ($error.find('item-not-found').length) {
-                        $chat_content.append("This room does not (yet) exist");
+                        this.renderErrorMessage("This room does not (yet) exist");
                     } else if ($error.find('service-unavailable').length) {
-                        $chat_content.append("This room has reached it's maximum number of occupants");
+                        this.renderErrorMessage("This room has reached it's maximum number of occupants");
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/mock.js b/mock.js
index 38cd8fcf0..a97b6bd82 100644
--- a/mock.js
+++ b/mock.js
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
         'muc': {
             'listRooms': function () {},
             'join': function () {},
-            'leave': function () {}
+            'leave': function () {},
+            'removeRoom': function () {}
         },
         'jid': 'dummy@localhost',
         'addHandler': function (handler, ns, name, type, id, from, options) { 
diff --git a/spec/ChatRoomSpec.js b/spec/ChatRoomSpec.js
index 6fa1f252b..779abe055 100644
--- a/spec/ChatRoomSpec.js
+++ b/spec/ChatRoomSpec.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 
             it("shows users currently present in the room", $.proxy(function () {
                 var chatroomview = this.chatboxesview.views['lounge@muc.localhost'];
+                chatroomview.renderChatArea();
                 var $participant_list = chatroomview.$el.find('.participant-list');
                 var roster = {}, room = {}, i;
 
@@ -109,10 +110,21 @@
                 .c('x').attrs({xmlns:'http://jabber.org/protocol/muc'}).up()
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'auth'})
                     .c('not-authorized').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
+
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
-                view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe('This chatroom requires a password');
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderPasswordForm').andCallThrough();
+                runs(function () {
+                    view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
+                });
+                waits(250);
+                runs(function () {
+                    var $chat_body = view.$el.find('.chat-body');
+                    expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                    expect(view.renderPasswordForm).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                    expect($chat_body.find('form.chatroom-form').length).toBe(1);
+                    expect($chat_body.find('legend').text()).toBe('This chat room requires a password');
+                });
             }, converse));
 
             it("will show an error message if the room is members-only and the user not included", $.proxy(function () {
@@ -125,9 +137,11 @@
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'auth'})
                     .c('registration-required').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderErrorMessage').andCallThrough();
                 view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe('You are not on the member list of this room');
+                expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                expect(view.$el.find('.chat-body p').text()).toBe('You are not on the member list of this room');
             }, converse));
 
             it("will show an error message if the user has been banned", $.proxy(function () {
@@ -140,9 +154,11 @@
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'auth'})
                     .c('forbidden').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderErrorMessage').andCallThrough();
                 view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe('You have been banned from this room');
+                expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                expect(view.$el.find('.chat-body p').text()).toBe('You have been banned from this room');
             }, converse));
 
             it("will show an error message if no nickname was specified for the user", $.proxy(function () {
@@ -155,9 +171,11 @@
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'modify'})
                     .c('jid-malformed').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderErrorMessage').andCallThrough();
                 view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe('No nickname was specified');
+                expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                expect(view.$el.find('.chat-body p').text()).toBe('No nickname was specified');
             }, converse));
 
             it("will show an error message if the user is not allowed to have created the room", $.proxy(function () {
@@ -170,9 +188,11 @@
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'cancel'})
                     .c('not-allowed').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderErrorMessage').andCallThrough();
                 view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe('You are not allowed to create new rooms');
+                expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                expect(view.$el.find('.chat-body p').text()).toBe('You are not allowed to create new rooms');
             }, converse));
 
             it("will show an error message if the user's nickname doesn't conform to room policy", $.proxy(function () {
@@ -185,9 +205,11 @@
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'cancel'})
                     .c('not-acceptable').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderErrorMessage').andCallThrough();
                 view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe("Your nickname doesn't conform to the room's policies");
+                expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                expect(view.$el.find('.chat-body p').text()).toBe("Your nickname doesn't conform to the room's policies");
             }, converse));
 
             it("will show an error message if the user's nickname is already taken", $.proxy(function () {
@@ -200,9 +222,11 @@
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'cancel'})
                     .c('conflict').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderErrorMessage').andCallThrough();
                 view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe("Your nickname is already taken");
+                expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                expect(view.$el.find('.chat-body p').text()).toBe("Your nickname is already taken");
             }, converse));
 
             it("will show an error message if the room doesn't yet exist", $.proxy(function () {
@@ -215,9 +239,11 @@
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'cancel'})
                     .c('item-not-found').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderErrorMessage').andCallThrough();
                 view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe("This room does not (yet) exist");
+                expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                expect(view.$el.find('.chat-body p').text()).toBe("This room does not (yet) exist");
             }, converse));
 
             it("will show an error message if the room has reached it's maximum number of occupants", $.proxy(function () {
@@ -230,9 +256,11 @@
                 .c('error').attrs({by:'coven@chat.shakespeare.lit', type:'cancel'})
                     .c('service-unavailable').attrs({xmlns:'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas'}).nodeTree;
                 var view = this.chatboxesview.views['problematic@muc.localhost'];
+                spyOn(converse.connection.muc, 'removeRoom');
+                spyOn(view, 'renderErrorMessage').andCallThrough();
                 view.onChatRoomPresence(presence, {'nick': 'dummy'});
-                var $chat_content = view.$el.find('.chat-content');
-                expect($chat_content.text()).toBe("This room has reached it's maximum number of occupants");
+                expect(converse.connection.muc.removeRoom).toHaveBeenCalled();
+                expect(view.$el.find('.chat-body p').text()).toBe("This room has reached it's maximum number of occupants");
             }, converse));
         }, converse));
     }, converse));