diff --git a/data/_ui/interfaces.txt b/data/_ui/interfaces.txt
index 8a46813f8c85..c34fe7f8d35b 100644
--- a/data/_ui/interfaces.txt
+++ b/data/_ui/interfaces.txt
@@ -1293,9 +1293,14 @@ interface "bank"
 
 
 interface "mission" bottom
+	visible if "has description"
 	sprite "ui/mission"
 		align bottom
-	
+	visible if "!has description"
+	sprite "ui/mission empty"
+		align bottom
+
+	visible
 	label "cargo space free:"
 		center -130 -85
 	string "cargo free"
diff --git a/images/ui/mission empty.png b/images/ui/mission empty.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9e96f4fa83a7
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/ui/mission empty.png differ
diff --git a/source/MissionPanel.cpp b/source/MissionPanel.cpp
index 99dac3e81272..c5ddc20deef7 100644
--- a/source/MissionPanel.cpp
+++ b/source/MissionPanel.cpp
@@ -845,6 +845,9 @@ void MissionPanel::DrawMissionInfo()
 	else if(acceptedIt != accepted.end())
 		info.SetCondition("can abort");
 
+	if(availableIt != available.end() || acceptedIt != accepted.end())
+		info.SetCondition("has description");
+
 	info.SetString("cargo free", to_string(player.Cargo().Free()) + " tons");
 	info.SetString("bunks free", to_string(player.Cargo().BunksFree()) + " bunks");