diff --git a/lib/components/list_items/public_room_list_item.dart b/lib/components/list_items/public_room_list_item.dart
index 224c0da..eff6dd3 100644
--- a/lib/components/list_items/public_room_list_item.dart
+++ b/lib/components/list_items/public_room_list_item.dart
@@ -15,18 +15,33 @@ class PublicRoomListItem extends StatelessWidget {
   const PublicRoomListItem(this.publicRoomEntry, {Key key}) : super(key: key);
 
   void joinAction(BuildContext context) async {
-    final success = await SimpleDialogs(context).tryRequestWithLoadingDialog(
-        Matrix.of(context).client.api.joinRoom(publicRoomEntry.roomId));
+    final success = await SimpleDialogs(context)
+        .tryRequestWithLoadingDialog(_joinRoomAndWait(context));
     if (success != false) {
       await Navigator.of(context).push(
         AppRoute.defaultRoute(
           context,
-          ChatView(publicRoomEntry.roomId),
+          ChatView(success),
         ),
       );
     }
   }
 
+  Future<String> _joinRoomAndWait(BuildContext context) async {
+    final roomId = await Matrix.of(context)
+        .client
+        .api
+        .joinRoomOrAlias(publicRoomEntry.roomId);
+    if (Matrix.of(context).client.getRoomById(roomId) == null) {
+      await Matrix.of(context)
+          .client
+          .onRoomUpdate
+          .stream
+          .firstWhere((r) => r.id == roomId);
+    }
+    return roomId;
+  }
+
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
     final hasTopic =
@@ -43,8 +58,10 @@ class PublicRoomListItem extends StatelessWidget {
       subtitle: Text(
         hasTopic
             ? publicRoomEntry.topic
-            : L10n.of(context).countParticipants(
-                publicRoomEntry.numJoinedMembers?.toString() ?? '0'),
+            : publicRoomEntry.numJoinedMembers == null
+                ? L10n.of(context).joinRoom
+                : L10n.of(context).countParticipants(
+                    publicRoomEntry.numJoinedMembers.toString()),
         maxLines: 1,
       ),
       onTap: () => joinAction(context),
diff --git a/lib/l10n/l10n.dart b/lib/l10n/l10n.dart
index ac26f04..8a3d9ca 100644
--- a/lib/l10n/l10n.dart
+++ b/lib/l10n/l10n.dart
@@ -463,6 +463,8 @@ class L10n extends MatrixLocalizations {
         args: [username],
       );
 
+  String get joinRoom => Intl.message('Join room');
+
   String get keysCached => Intl.message("Keys are cached", name: "keysCached");
 
   String get keysMissing =>
diff --git a/lib/views/chat_list.dart b/lib/views/chat_list.dart
index 2b3d106..2bd7dda 100644
--- a/lib/views/chat_list.dart
+++ b/lib/views/chat_list.dart
@@ -390,17 +390,21 @@ class _ChatListState extends State<ChatList> {
                                           a.lastEvent.originServerTs));
                               return ListView.separated(
                                   controller: _scrollController,
-                                  separatorBuilder:
-                                      (BuildContext context, int i) =>
-                                          i == totalCount - publicRoomsCount
-                                              ? Material(
-                                                  elevation: 2,
-                                                  child: ListTile(
-                                                    title: Text(L10n.of(context)
-                                                        .publicRooms),
-                                                  ),
-                                                )
-                                              : Container(),
+                                  separatorBuilder: (BuildContext context,
+                                          int i) =>
+                                      i == totalCount - publicRoomsCount
+                                          ? ListTile(
+                                              title: Text(
+                                                L10n.of(context).publicRooms +
+                                                    ':',
+                                                style: TextStyle(
+                                                  fontWeight: FontWeight.bold,
+                                                  color: Theme.of(context)
+                                                      .primaryColor,
+                                                ),
+                                              ),
+                                            )
+                                          : Container(),
                                   itemCount: totalCount + 1,
                                   itemBuilder: (BuildContext context, int i) {
                                     if (i == 0) {