diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/app/_tags.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/app/_tags.scss
index 9dff68cff..42d839fc3 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/app/_tags.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/app/_tags.scss
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@
     }
   }
 
+  .no-tags-placeholder {
+    padding: 0px 12px;
+    font-size: 12px;
+    opacity: 0.4;
+    margin-top: -5px;
+  }
+
   .tag {
     min-height: 30px;
     padding: 5px 12px;
diff --git a/app/assets/templates/tags.html.haml b/app/assets/templates/tags.html.haml
index 666a65baa..91fa05f60 100644
--- a/app/assets/templates/tags.html.haml
+++ b/app/assets/templates/tags.html.haml
@@ -37,4 +37,7 @@
             %a.item{"ng-click" => "ctrl.saveTag($event, tag)", "ng-if" => "ctrl.editingTag"} Save
             %a.item{"ng-click" => "ctrl.selectedDeleteTag(tag)"} Delete
 
+        .no-tags-placeholder{"ng-show" => "ctrl.tags.length == 0"}
+          No tags. Create one using the add button above.
+
   %panel-resizer{"panel-id" => "'tags-column'", "default-width" => 150, "on-resize-finish" => "ctrl.onPanelResize", "control" => "ctrl.panelController", "hoverable" => "true", "collapsable" => "true"}