diff --git a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
index 147f3c0af8..899b3360d8 100644
--- a/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
+++ b/src/components/views/rooms/BasicMessageComposer.js
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ export default class BasicMessageEditor extends React.Component {
         if (this.props.placeholder) {
             const {isEmpty} = this.props.model;
             if (isEmpty) {
+                this._formatBarRef.hide();
                 this._showPlaceholder();
             } else {
                 this._hidePlaceholder();