diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/layout/game_list.xml b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/layout/game_list.xml
index c5419c322..06170e9f0 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/layout/game_list.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/layout/game_list.xml
@@ -7,27 +7,20 @@
               android:paddingLeft="8dp"
               android:paddingRight="8dp">
  
-  <!-- FrameLayout required since Activity will pick between the two
-  view using the latter only if the list is empty. -->
-  <FrameLayout android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
-               android:layout_height="0dip"
-               android:layout_weight="1" >
+  <TextView android:id="@+id/empty_games_list"
+            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+            android:text="@string/empty_games_list"
+            android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
+            />
 
-    <ListView android:id="@id/android:list"
-              android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
-              android:layout_height="fill_parent"
-              android:layout_weight="1"
-              android:drawSelectorOnTop="false"
-              />
-
-    <TextView android:id="@+id/empty_games_list"
-              android:layout_height="fill_parent"
-              android:layout_width="fill_parent"
-              android:text="@string/empty_games_list"
-              android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
-              />
-
-  </FrameLayout>
+  <ListView android:id="@id/android:list"
+            android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
+            android:layout_height="fill_parent"
+            android:layout_weight="1"
+            android:drawSelectorOnTop="false"
+            >
+  </ListView>
 
   <Button android:id="@+id/new_game"
           android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
index 980ef4b93..10ae64751 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
@@ -161,7 +161,6 @@ public class GamesList extends XWListActivity
 
         setContentView(R.layout.game_list);
         ListView listView = getListView();
-        listView.setEmptyView( findViewById( R.id.empty_games_list ) );
         registerForContextMenu( listView );
 
         boolean isUpgrade = FirstRunDialog.show( this, false );
@@ -244,6 +243,17 @@ public class GamesList extends XWListActivity
         super.onDestroy();
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void onContentChanged()
+    {
+        int count = DBUtils.gamesList( this ).length;
+        int hereOrGone = count > 3 ? View.GONE : View.VISIBLE;
+        View hint = findViewById( R.id.empty_games_list );
+        hint.setVisibility( hereOrGone );
+
+        super.onContentChanged();
+    }
+
     // DispatchNotify.HandleRelaysIface interface
     public void HandleRelaysIDs( final String[] relayIDs )
     {