diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
index 69f426055f..2a4c419314 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/django_comment_client/forum/views.py
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ import dateutil
 THREADS_PER_PAGE = 5
 PAGES_NEARBY_DELTA = 2
 
+def _should_perform_search(request):
+    return bool(request.GET.get('text', False) or \
+            request.GET.get('tags', False))
+        
+
 def render_accordion(request, course, discussion_id):
 
     discussion_info = utils.get_categorized_discussion_info(request, course)
@@ -56,6 +61,7 @@ def render_discussion(request, course_id, threads, discussion_id=None, \
         'user_info': comment_client.get_user_info(request.user.id, raw=True),
         'course_id': course_id,
         'request': request,
+        'performed_search': _should_perform_search(request),
         'pages_nearby_delta': PAGES_NEARBY_DELTA,
         'discussion_type': discussion_type,
         'base_url': base_url,
@@ -81,7 +87,7 @@ def get_threads(request, course_id, discussion_id):
         'tags': request.GET.get('tags', ''),
     }
 
-    if query_params['text'] or query_params['tags']: #TODO do tags search without sunspot
+    if _should_perform_search(request):
         query_params['commentable_id'] = discussion_id
         threads, page, num_pages = comment_client.search_threads(course_id, recursive=False, query_params=utils.strip_none(query_params))
     else:
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_blank_slate.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_blank_slate.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e08a45cc70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_blank_slate.html
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<div class="blank-state">
+  % if performed_search:
+    There is no result matching your search parameters.
+  % else:
+    There is no post here yet. Be the first one to post!
+  % endif
+</div>
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_forum.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_forum.html
index 62ae3adb67..b7d72b631c 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_forum.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_forum.html
@@ -15,11 +15,16 @@
     <div class="discussion-new-post control-button" href="javascript:void(0)">New Post</div>
   </div>
   <%include file="_sort.html" />
-  <div class="threads">
-    % for thread in threads:
-      ${renderer.render_thread(course_id, thread, show_comments=False)}
-    % endfor
-  </div>
+  % if len(threads) == 0:
+    <%include file="_blank_slate.html" />
+    <div class="threads"></div>
+  % else:
+    <div class="threads">
+      % for thread in threads:
+        ${renderer.render_thread(course_id, thread, show_comments=False)}
+      % endfor
+    </div>
+  % endif
   <%include file="_paginator.html" />
 </section>
 
diff --git a/lms/templates/discussion/_inline.html b/lms/templates/discussion/_inline.html
index 97573a91c1..362523f7fc 100644
--- a/lms/templates/discussion/_inline.html
+++ b/lms/templates/discussion/_inline.html
@@ -8,11 +8,16 @@
     <div class="discussion-new-post control-button" href="javascript:void(0)">New Post</div>
     <%include file="_sort.html" />
   </div>
-  <div class="threads">
-    % for thread in threads:
-      ${renderer.render_thread(course_id, thread, show_comments=False)}
-    % endfor
-  </div>
+  % if len(threads) == 0:
+    <%include file="_blank_slate.html" />
+    <div class="threads"></div>
+  % else:
+    <div class="threads">
+      % for thread in threads:
+        ${renderer.render_thread(course_id, thread, show_comments=False)}
+      % endfor
+    </div>
+  % endif
   <%include file="_paginator.html" />
 </section>