diff --git a/app/views/main/list.html.haml b/app/views/main/list.html.haml
--- a/app/views/main/list.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/main/list.html.haml
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
 - content_for :head do
   = javascript_include_tag :defaults
-  %script{:type => 'text/javascript', :src => '/javascripts/announcement_refresh.js'}
+  = javascript_include_tag 'announcement_refresh.js'
 
 = user_title_bar(@user)
 
-- if @announcements.length!=0
-  .announcementbox
-    %span{:class => 'title'}
-      Announcements
-    #announcementbox-body
-      = render :partial => 'announcement', :collection => @announcements
+.announcementbox{:style => (@announcements.length==0 ? "display:none" : "")}
+  %span{:class => 'title'}
+    Announcements
+  #announcementbox-body
+    = render :partial => 'announcement', :collection => @announcements
 
 - if Configuration.show_submitbox_to?(@user)
   .submitbox
diff --git a/public/javascripts/announcement_refresh.js b/public/javascripts/announcement_refresh.js
--- a/public/javascripts/announcement_refresh.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/announcement_refresh.js
@@ -18,8 +18,13 @@
 	    method: 'get',
 	    parameters: { recent: Announcement.mostRecentId },
 	    onSuccess: function(transport) {
-		var announcementBody = 	$("announcementbox-body");
-		announcementBody.insert({ top: transport.responseText });
+		if(transport.responseText.match(/\S/)!=null) {
+ 		    var announcementBody = $("announcementbox-body");
+		    announcementBody.insert({ top: transport.responseText });
+		    var announcementBoxes = $$(".announcementbox");
+		    if(announcementBoxes.length!=0)
+			announcementBoxes[0].show();
+		}
 	    }
 	});
 	Announcement.registerRefreshEventTimer();
@@ -30,4 +35,4 @@
 	    Announcement.refreshAnnouncement();
 	}, 30000);
     }
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};