diff --git a/src/applications/conpherence/view/ConpherenceLayoutView.php b/src/applications/conpherence/view/ConpherenceLayoutView.php
index 6b29921bc3..7f682799b8 100644
--- a/src/applications/conpherence/view/ConpherenceLayoutView.php
+++ b/src/applications/conpherence/view/ConpherenceLayoutView.php
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ final class ConpherenceLayoutView extends AphrontView {
                   'a',
                   array(
                     'href' => '/conpherence/new/',
-                    'class' => 'button',
+                    'class' => 'button grey',
                     'sigil' => 'workflow',
                   ),
                   pht('Send a Message'))
diff --git a/webroot/rsrc/css/application/conpherence/message-pane.css b/webroot/rsrc/css/application/conpherence/message-pane.css
index 0fcb81d04a..757d315f7c 100644
--- a/webroot/rsrc/css/application/conpherence/message-pane.css
+++ b/webroot/rsrc/css/application/conpherence/message-pane.css
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@
 
 .loading .messages-loading-mask {
   display: block;
-  z-index: 500;
 }
 
 .conpherence-message-pane .phabricator-form-view {
diff --git a/webroot/rsrc/css/application/conpherence/widget-pane.css b/webroot/rsrc/css/application/conpherence/widget-pane.css
index d7479c76d4..513e2eb85a 100644
--- a/webroot/rsrc/css/application/conpherence/widget-pane.css
+++ b/webroot/rsrc/css/application/conpherence/widget-pane.css
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
 
 .loading .widgets-loading-mask {
   display: block;
-  z-index: 500;
 }
 
 .conpherence-widget-pane .aphront-form-input {
diff --git a/webroot/rsrc/css/core/z-index.css b/webroot/rsrc/css/core/z-index.css
index cb525d95de..685e810f9b 100644
--- a/webroot/rsrc/css/core/z-index.css
+++ b/webroot/rsrc/css/core/z-index.css
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@
   z-index: 4;
 }
 
+.conpherence-layout .conpherence-no-threads {
+  z-index: 4;
+}
+
 .conpherence-menu-pane {
   z-index: 4;
 }
@@ -42,6 +46,11 @@
   z-index: 4;
 }
 
+.loading .messages-loading-mask,
+.loading .widgets-loading-mask {
+  z-index: 5;
+}
+
 .dark-console {
   z-index: 5;
 }