diff --git a/src/components/structures/RoomDirectory.js b/src/components/structures/RoomDirectory.js
index d0c0c32eaad..a7211f6f462 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RoomDirectory.js
+++ b/src/components/structures/RoomDirectory.js
@@ -26,14 +26,17 @@ const dis = require('../../dispatcher');
 
 import { linkifyAndSanitizeHtml } from '../../HtmlUtils';
 import Promise from 'bluebird';
-
 import { _t } from '../../languageHandler';
-
-import {instanceForInstanceId, protocolNameForInstanceId} from '../../utils/DirectoryUtils';
+import { instanceForInstanceId, protocolNameForInstanceId } from '../../utils/DirectoryUtils';
+import Analytics from '../../Analytics';
 
 const MAX_NAME_LENGTH = 80;
 const MAX_TOPIC_LENGTH = 160;
 
+function track(action) {
+    Analytics.trackEvent('RoomDirectory', action);
+}
+
 module.exports = React.createClass({
     displayName: 'RoomDirectory',
 
@@ -53,6 +56,7 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
             publicRooms: [],
             loading: true,
             protocolsLoading: true,
+            error: null,
             instanceId: null,
             includeAll: false,
             roomServer: null,
@@ -95,10 +99,12 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 // thing you see when loading the client!
                 return;
             }
-            const ErrorDialog = sdk.getComponent("dialogs.ErrorDialog");
-            Modal.createTrackedDialog('Failed to get protocol list from homeserver', '', ErrorDialog, {
-                title: _t('Failed to get protocol list from homeserver'),
-                description: _t('The homeserver may be too old to support third party networks'),
+            track('Failed to get protocol list from homeserver');
+            this.setState({
+                error: _t(
+                    'Riot failed to get the protocol list from the homeserver. ' +
+                    'The homeserver may be too old to support third party networks.',
+                ),
             });
         });
 
@@ -187,12 +193,14 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
                 return;
             }
 
-            this.setState({ loading: false });
             console.error("Failed to get publicRooms: %s", JSON.stringify(err));
-            const ErrorDialog = sdk.getComponent("dialogs.ErrorDialog");
-            Modal.createTrackedDialog('Failed to get public room list', '', ErrorDialog, {
-                title: _t('Failed to get public room list'),
-                description: ((err && err.message) ? err.message : _t('The server may be unavailable or overloaded')),
+            track('Failed to get public room list');
+            this.setState({
+                loading: false,
+                error:
+                    `${_t('Riot failed to get the public room list.')} ` +
+                    `${(err && err.message) ? err.message : _t('The homeserver may be unavailable or overloaded.')}`
+                ,
             });
         });
     },
@@ -516,7 +524,9 @@ module.exports = React.createClass({
         const AccessibleButton = sdk.getComponent('elements.AccessibleButton');
 
         let content;
-        if (this.state.protocolsLoading || this.state.loading) {
+        if (this.state.error) {
+            content = this.state.error;
+        } else if (this.state.protocolsLoading || this.state.loading) {
             content = <Loader />;
         } else {
             const rows = this.getRows();
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index e85537ba038..94d524d767c 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -1379,15 +1379,15 @@
     "Create a new community": "Create a new community",
     "Create a community to group together users and rooms! Build a custom homepage to mark out your space in the Matrix universe.": "Create a community to group together users and rooms! Build a custom homepage to mark out your space in the Matrix universe.",
     "You have no visible notifications": "You have no visible notifications",
-    "Failed to get protocol list from homeserver": "Failed to get protocol list from homeserver",
-    "The homeserver may be too old to support third party networks": "The homeserver may be too old to support third party networks",
-    "Failed to get public room list": "Failed to get public room list",
-    "The server may be unavailable or overloaded": "The server may be unavailable or overloaded",
+    "Riot failed to get the protocol list from the homeserver. The homeserver may be too old to support third party networks.": "Riot failed to get the protocol list from the homeserver. The homeserver may be too old to support third party networks.",
+    "Riot failed to get the public room list.": "Riot failed to get the public room list.",
+    "The homeserver may be unavailable or overloaded.": "The homeserver may be unavailable or overloaded.",
     "Delete the room alias %(alias)s and remove %(name)s from the directory?": "Delete the room alias %(alias)s and remove %(name)s from the directory?",
     "Remove %(name)s from the directory?": "Remove %(name)s from the directory?",
     "Remove from Directory": "Remove from Directory",
     "remove %(name)s from the directory.": "remove %(name)s from the directory.",
     "delete the alias.": "delete the alias.",
+    "The server may be unavailable or overloaded": "The server may be unavailable or overloaded",
     "Unable to join network": "Unable to join network",
     "Riot does not know how to join a room on this network": "Riot does not know how to join a room on this network",
     "Room not found": "Room not found",