diff --git a/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py b/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
index beb041d2e7a..1dff03cc902 100644
--- a/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
+++ b/addons/mail/models/mail_message.py
@@ -177,6 +177,13 @@ class Message(models.Model):
             self = self.sudo()
         return self.write({'needaction_partner_ids': [(3, pid) for pid in partner_ids]})
 
+    @api.model
+    def unstar_all(self):
+        partner_id = self.env.user.partner_id.id
+
+        starred_messages = self.search([('starred_partner_ids', 'in', partner_id)])
+        starred_messages.write({'starred_partner_ids': [(3, partner_id)]})
+
     @api.multi
     def set_message_starred(self, starred):
         """ Set messages as (un)starred. Technically, the notifications related
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/js/chat_manager.js b/addons/mail/static/src/js/chat_manager.js
index 325357a650e..8225459e9b3 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/js/chat_manager.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/js/chat_manager.js
@@ -213,9 +213,6 @@ function make_channel (data, options) {
         channel.name = data.direct_partner[0].name;
         channel.status = data.direct_partner[0].im_status;
     }
-    if ((channel.type === 'public') || (channel.type === 'private')) {
-        channel.name = '#' + channel.name;
-    }
     return channel;
 }
 
@@ -368,6 +365,15 @@ var chat_manager = {
         });
     },
 
+    unstar_all: function () {
+        MessageModel.call('unstar_all', [[]], {}).then(function (ids) {
+            _.each(messages, function (msg) {
+                remove_message_from_channel("channel_starred", msg);
+                chat_manager.bus.trigger('update_message', msg);
+            });
+        });
+    },
+
     get_channels: function () {
         return _.clone(channels);
     },
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/js/client_action.js b/addons/mail/static/src/js/client_action.js
index 251f6e3b772..6c5b4ecba5b 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/js/client_action.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/js/client_action.js
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ var ChatAction = Widget.extend(ControlPanelMixin, {
             self.$('.o_mail_chat_sidebar').slideToggle(200);
         });
         this.$buttons.on('click', '.o_mail_chat_button_mark_read', chat_manager.mark_all_as_read);
+        this.$buttons.on('click', '.o_mail_chat_button_unstar_all', chat_manager.unstar_all);
 
 
         this.thread.on('redirect', this, this.on_redirect);
@@ -319,6 +320,10 @@ var ChatAction = Widget.extend(ControlPanelMixin, {
             .find('.o_mail_chat_button_mark_read')
             .toggle(channel.id === "channel_inbox");
 
+        this.$buttons
+            .find('.o_mail_chat_button_unstar_all')
+            .toggle(channel.id === "channel_starred");
+
         this.update_cp();
 
         this.action.context.active_id = channel.id;
@@ -367,6 +372,7 @@ var ChatAction = Widget.extend(ControlPanelMixin, {
             display_load_more: !chat_manager.all_history_loaded(this.channel, this.domain),
             display_needactions: this.channel.display_needactions,
             channel_id: this.channel.id,
+            squash_close_messages: this.channel.type !== 'static',
         };
     },
 
@@ -374,9 +380,23 @@ var ChatAction = Widget.extend(ControlPanelMixin, {
         var self = this;
         return chat_manager.get_messages({channel_id: this.channel.id, domain: this.domain}).then(function(result) {
             self.thread.render(result, self.get_thread_rendering_options());
+            self.update_button_status(result.length === 0);
         });
     },
 
+    update_button_status: function (disabled) {
+        if (this.channel.id === "channel_inbox") {
+            this.$buttons
+                .find('.o_mail_chat_button_mark_read')
+                .toggleClass('disabled', disabled);
+        }
+        if (this.channel.id === "channel_starred") {
+            this.$buttons
+                .find('.o_mail_chat_button_unstar_all')
+                .toggleClass('disabled', disabled);
+        }
+    },
+
     load_more_messages: function () {
         var self = this;
         var oldest_msg_id = this.$('.o_thread_message').first().data('messageId');
@@ -493,7 +513,9 @@ var ChatAction = Widget.extend(ControlPanelMixin, {
             (current_channel_id === "channel_inbox" && !message.is_needaction)) {
             chat_manager.get_messages({channel_id: this.channel.id, domain: this.domain}).then(function (messages) {
                 var options = self.get_thread_rendering_options();
-                self.thread.remove_message_and_render(message.id, messages, options);
+                self.thread.remove_message_and_render(message.id, messages, options).then(function () {
+                    self.update_button_status(messages.length === 0);
+                });
             });
         } else if (_.contains(message.channel_ids, current_channel_id)) {
             this.fetch_and_render_thread();
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/js/thread.js b/addons/mail/static/src/js/thread.js
index 6667a635d65..60fa5fd63f5 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/js/thread.js
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/js/thread.js
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ var Thread = Widget.extend({
             default_username: _t('Anonymous'),
             display_document_link: true,
             display_avatar: true,
+            squash_close_messages: true,
         });
     },
 
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ var Thread = Widget.extend({
         if (this.options.display_order === ORDER.DESC) {
             msgs.reverse();
         }
+        options = _.extend({}, this.options, options);
 
         // Hide avatar and info of a message if that message and the previous
         // one are both comments wrote by the same author at the same minute
@@ -63,6 +65,8 @@ var Thread = Widget.extend({
                 prev_msg.message_type !== 'comment' || msg.message_type !== 'comment' ||
                 (prev_msg.author_id[0] !== msg.author_id[0])) {
                 msg.display_author = true;
+            } else {
+                msg.display_author = !options.squash_close_messages;
             }
             prev_msg = msg;
         });
@@ -131,10 +135,12 @@ var Thread = Widget.extend({
      */
     remove_message_and_render: function (message_id, messages, options) {
         var self = this;
+        var done = $.Deferred();
         this.$('.o_thread_message[data-message-id=' + message_id + ']').fadeOut({
-            done: function () { self.render(messages, options); },
+            done: function () { self.render(messages, options); done.resolve();},
             duration: 200,
         });
+        return done;
     },
 
     /**
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/less/client_action.less b/addons/mail/static/src/less/client_action.less
index dbb6b89c1d5..9f8d501c3a2 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/less/client_action.less
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/less/client_action.less
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@
 
         .o_mail_sidebar_title {
             .o-flex-display();
-            padding: 5px 8px 5px @odoo-horizontal-padding;
+            padding: 12px 8px 5px @odoo-horizontal-padding;
             align-items: center;
             justify-content: space-between;
             h4 {
                 text-transform: uppercase;
+                margin-bottom: 5px;
             }
             .o_add {
                 padding: 6px;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@
         }
         .o_mail_chat_channel_item {
             width: 100%;
-            padding: 5px 8px 5px 1.5*@odoo-horizontal-padding; // larger padding-left than titles
+            padding: 2px 8px 2px 1.5*@odoo-horizontal-padding; // larger padding-left than titles
             > .badge {
                 margin: 0;
             }
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@
     .o_mail_chat_sidebar {
         background-color: darken(@gray, 8%);
         color: lighten(@gray, 50%);
+        opacity: 0.9;
 
         .o_mail_chat_channel_item {
             overflow: hidden;
@@ -125,6 +127,11 @@
             &.o_active {
                 background-color: darken(@gray, 15%);
             }
+
+            .o_mail_hash {
+                opacity: 0.6
+            }
+
             .o_mail_partner_unpin {
                 opacity: 0;
                 &:hover {
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/less/thread.less b/addons/mail/static/src/less/thread.less
index 7f27ab228cc..bcb73d4dd7c 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/less/thread.less
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/less/thread.less
@@ -29,19 +29,50 @@
         .o_thread_message_sidebar {
             .o-flex(0, 0, @mail-thread-avatar-size);
             margin-right: 10px;
+            margin-top: 2px;
             text-align: center;
+            font-size: smaller;
+
+            @media (max-width: @screen-xs-max) {
+                margin-top: 4px;
+                font-size: x-small;
+            }
 
             .o_thread_message_avatar {
                 max-width: @mail-thread-avatar-size;
             }
+            .o_thread_message_side_date {
+                margin-left: -5px;
+            }
+            .o_thread_message_star {
+                margin-right: -5px;
+            }
 
             .o_thread_message_side_date {
-                font-size: smaller;
                 opacity: 0;
             }
         }
-        &:hover .o_thread_message_side_date {
-            opacity: @mail-thread-side-date-opacity;
+
+        i.o_thread_message_star, i.o_thread_message_needaction  {
+            cursor: pointer;
+            opacity: 0;
+            &.fa-star {
+                opacity: @mail-thread-icon-opacity;
+                color: gold;
+            }
+        }
+
+        &:hover, &.o_thread_selected_message {
+            .o_thread_message_side_date {
+                opacity: @mail-thread-side-date-opacity;
+            }
+
+            i.o_thread_message_star, i.o_thread_message_needaction {
+                opacity: @mail-thread-icon-opacity;
+                &:hover {
+                    opacity: 1;
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         .o_mail_redirect {
@@ -76,32 +107,7 @@
             }
 
             .o_thread_message_star, .o_thread_message_needaction {
-                cursor: pointer;
-                opacity: 0;
                 padding: 4px;
-                &.fa-star {
-                    opacity: @mail-thread-icon-opacity;
-                    color: gold;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        &:hover .o_thread_message_core {
-            .o_thread_message_star, .o_thread_message_needaction {
-                opacity: @mail-thread-icon-opacity;
-                &:hover {
-                    opacity: 1;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        &.o_thread_selected_message {
-            .o_thread_message_side_date {
-                opacity: @mail-thread-side-date-opacity;
-            }
-
-            .o_thread_message_star, .o_thread_message_needaction {
-                opacity: @mail-thread-icon-opacity;
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/xml/client_action.xml b/addons/mail/static/src/xml/client_action.xml
index a4b5b8bca41..aa6a9bad802 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/xml/client_action.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/xml/client_action.xml
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
         <t t-foreach="channels" t-as="channel">
             <div t-if="channel.type === channel_type" class="o_mail_chat_channel_item" t-att-data-channel-id="channel.id">
                 <span><i t-if="display_status" t-att-class="'o_user_status fa ' + (channel.status == 'online' ? 'fa-circle' : 'fa-circle-o')"/></span>
-                <t t-esc="channel.name"/>
+                <span t-if="display_hash" class="o_mail_hash">#</span> <t t-esc="channel.name"/>
                 <span class="fa fa-times pull-right o_mail_partner_unpin" t-att-title="_t('Close')" t-att-data-channel-id="channel.id"/>
             </div>
         </t>
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm o_mail_chat_button_invite" t-att-title='_t("Invite people")'>Invite</button>
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm o_mail_chat_button_detach hidden-xs" t-att-title='_t("Detach the conversation")'>Detach</button>
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm o_mail_chat_button_mark_read" t-att-title='_t("Mark all as read")'>Mark all read</button>
+            <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary btn-sm o_mail_chat_button_unstar_all" t-att-title='_t("Unstar all messages")'>Unstar all</button>
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-sm o_mail_chat_button_unsubscribe" t-att-title='_t("Unsubscribe from channel")'>Unsubscribe</button>
             <button type="button" class="btn btn-default btn-sm o_mail_chat_button_settings" t-att-title='_t("Open channel settings")'>Settings</button>
         </div>
diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/xml/thread.xml b/addons/mail/static/src/xml/thread.xml
index d10318c5a17..94719437441 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/xml/thread.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/xml/thread.xml
@@ -48,16 +48,11 @@
                 <span t-if="!message.display_author" t-att-title="moment(message.date, 'YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss').format('LLL')" class="o_thread_message_side_date">
                     <t t-esc="moment(message.date, 'YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss').format('hh:mm')"/>
                 </span>
+                <i t-if="!message.display_author &amp;&amp; options.display_stars &amp;&amp; message.message_type != 'notification'"
+                    t-att-class="'fa o_thread_message_star ' + (message.is_starred ? 'fa-star' : 'fa-star-o')"
+                    t-att-data-message-id="message.id" t-att-title="_t('Mark as Todo')"/>
             </div>
             <div class="o_thread_message_core">
-                <span class="pull-right">
-                    <i t-if="message.is_needaction &amp;&amp; options.display_needactions"
-                       class="fa fa-check o_thread_message_needaction"
-                       t-att-data-message-id="message.id" t-att-title="_t('Mark as Done')"/>
-                    <i t-if="options.display_stars &amp;&amp; message.message_type != 'notification'"
-                        t-att-class="'fa fa-lg o_thread_message_star ' + (message.is_starred ? 'fa-star' : 'fa-star-o')"
-                        t-att-data-message-id="message.id" t-att-title="_t('Mark as Todo')"/>
-                </span>
                 <p t-if="message.display_author" class="o_mail_info">
                     <t t-if="message.is_note">
                         Note by
@@ -86,6 +81,14 @@
                     <t t-if="message.origin_id &amp;&amp; (message.origin_id !== options.channel_id)">
                         (from <a class="o_channel_redirect" t-att-data-oe-id="message.origin_id" href="#"><t t-esc="message.origin_name"/>)</a>
                     </t>
+                    <span>
+                        <i t-if="options.display_stars &amp;&amp; message.message_type != 'notification'"
+                            t-att-class="'fa fa-lg o_thread_message_star ' + (message.is_starred ? 'fa-star' : 'fa-star-o')"
+                            t-att-data-message-id="message.id" t-att-title="_t('Mark as Todo')"/>
+                        <i t-if="message.is_needaction &amp;&amp; options.display_needactions"
+                           class="fa fa-check o_thread_message_needaction"
+                           t-att-data-message-id="message.id" t-att-title="_t('Mark as Done')"/>
+                    </span>
                 </p>
                 <t t-if="message.tracking_value_ids &amp;&amp; message.tracking_value_ids.length &gt; 0">
                     <t t-call="mail.ChatThread.MessageTracking"/>