diff --git a/webclient/home/home-controller.js b/webclient/home/home-controller.js
index e35219beb..a535d439d 100644
--- a/webclient/home/home-controller.js
+++ b/webclient/home/home-controller.js
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ angular.module('HomeController', ['matrixService', 'eventHandlerService', 'Recen
         displayName: "",
         avatarUrl: ""
     };
+    
+    $scope.newChat = {
+        user: ""
+    };
 
     var refresh = function() {
         
@@ -112,6 +116,32 @@ angular.module('HomeController', ['matrixService', 'eventHandlerService', 'Recen
             }
         );
     };
+    
+    // FIXME: factor this out between user-controller and home-controller etc.
+    $scope.messageUser = function() {    
+        
+        // FIXME: create a new room every time, for now
+        
+        matrixService.create(null, 'private').then(
+            function(response) { 
+                // This room has been created. Refresh the rooms list
+                var room_id = response.data.room_id;
+                console.log("Created room with id: "+ room_id);
+                
+                matrixService.invite(room_id, $scope.newChat.user).then(
+                    function() {
+                        $scope.feedback = "Invite sent successfully";
+                        $scope.$parent.goToPage("/room/" + room_id);
+                    },
+                    function(reason) {
+                        $scope.feedback = "Failure: " + JSON.stringify(reason);
+                    });
+            },
+            function(error) {
+                $scope.feedback = "Failure: " + JSON.stringify(error.data);
+            });                
+    };
+    
  
     $scope.onInit = function() {
         // Load profile data
diff --git a/webclient/home/home.html b/webclient/home/home.html
index 5a1e18e1d..0af382916 100644
--- a/webclient/home/home.html
+++ b/webclient/home/home.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
             <div>{{ config.user_id }}</div>
         </div>
     </div>
-    
+        
     <h3>Recent conversations</h3>
         <div ng-include="'recents/recents.html'"></div>
     <br/>
@@ -52,17 +52,24 @@
     
     <div>
         <form>
-            <input size="40" ng-model="newRoom.room_alias" ng-enter="createNewRoom(newRoom.room_alias, newRoom.private)" placeholder="(e.g. foo_channel)"/>
+            <input size="40" ng-model="newRoom.room_alias" ng-enter="createNewRoom(newRoom.room_alias, newRoom.private)" placeholder="(e.g. foo)"/>
             <input type="checkbox" ng-model="newRoom.private">private
             <button ng-disabled="!newRoom.room_alias" ng-click="createNewRoom(newRoom.room_alias, newRoom.private)">Create room</button>    
         </form>
     </div>
     <div>
         <form>
-            <input size="40" ng-model="joinAlias.room_alias" ng-enter="joinAlias(joinAlias.room_alias)" placeholder="(e.g. #foo_channel:example.org)"/>
+            <input size="40" ng-model="joinAlias.room_alias" ng-enter="joinAlias(joinAlias.room_alias)" placeholder="(e.g. #foo:example.org)"/>
             <button ng-disabled="!joinAlias.room_alias" ng-click="joinAlias(joinAlias.room_alias)">Join room</button>    
         </form>
     </div>
+    <div>
+        <form>
+            <input size="40" ng-model="newChat.user" ng-enter="messageUser()" placeholder="e.g. @user:domain.com"/>
+            <button ng-disabled="!newChat.user" ng-click="messageUser()">Message user</button>
+        </form>
+    </div>
+    
     <br/>
     
     {{ feedback }}
diff --git a/webclient/user/user-controller.js b/webclient/user/user-controller.js
index 3940db668..0dbfa325d 100644
--- a/webclient/user/user-controller.js
+++ b/webclient/user/user-controller.js
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ angular.module('UserController', ['matrixService'])
             $scope.user.avatar_url = response.data.avatar_url;
         }
     );
-    
+
+    // FIXME: factor this out between user-controller and home-controller etc.
     $scope.messageUser = function() {    
         
         // FIXME: create a new room every time, for now