--- a/mobile/android/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_stream_highlights_empty_state.xml
+++ b/mobile/android/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_stream_highlights_empty_state.xml
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <!-- This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
    - License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
    - file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. -->
+
+<!-- The width and height of this view are always overridden in onBindViewHolder because
+     this view is dynamically shown/hidden.
+
+     See StreamRecyclerAdapter.setViewVisible . -->
+
 <TextView
         xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="wrap_content"
         android:layout_margin="@dimen/activity_stream_base_margin"
         android:text="@string/activity_stream_highlights_empty"
         android:textColor="@color/activity_stream_subtitle"
         />

--- a/mobile/android/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_stream_main_highlightstitle.xml
+++ b/mobile/android/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_stream_main_highlightstitle.xml
@@ -1,20 +1,18 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <!-- This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
    - License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
    - file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. -->
 
-<!-- The width and height of this view are always overridden in StreamTitleRow because
-     this view is dynamically shown/hidden in onBindViewHolder.
+<!-- The width and height of this view are always overridden in onBindViewHolder because
+     this view is dynamically shown/hidden.
 
-     NB: This is a hack because the title views for each section are always included
-     in the RecyclerView adapter.
-     A more correct implementation would dynamically add/remove these title views rather than
-     showing and hiding them. -->
+     See StreamRecyclerAdapter.setViewVisible . -->
+
 <LinearLayout
     xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
     android:layout_width="0dp"
     android:layout_height="0dp"
     android:orientation="horizontal">
 
     <TextView
         android:id="@+id/title_highlights"

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/activitystream/homepanel/StreamRecyclerAdapter.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/activitystream/homepanel/StreamRecyclerAdapter.java
@@ -176,32 +176,62 @@ public class StreamRecyclerAdapter exten
         if (type == RowItemType.HIGHLIGHT_ITEM.getViewType()) {
             final Highlight highlight = (Highlight) recyclerViewModel.get(position);
             ((WebpageItemRow) holder).bind(highlight, position, tilesSize);
         } else if (type == RowItemType.TOP_PANEL.getViewType()) {
             ((TopPanelRow) holder).bind(topSitesCursor, tilesSize);
         } else if (type == RowItemType.TOP_STORIES_ITEM.getViewType()) {
             final TopStory story = (TopStory) recyclerViewModel.get(position);
             ((WebpageItemRow) holder).bind(story, position, tilesSize);
-        } else if (type == RowItemType.HIGHLIGHTS_TITLE.getViewType()) {
+        } else if (type == RowItemType.HIGHLIGHTS_TITLE.getViewType()
+                || type == RowItemType.HIGHLIGHTS_EMPTY_STATE.getViewType()) {
             final Context context = holder.itemView.getContext();
             final SharedPreferences sharedPreferences = GeckoSharedPrefs.forProfile(context);
             final boolean bookmarksEnabled = sharedPreferences.getBoolean(ActivityStreamPanel.PREF_BOOKMARKS_ENABLED,
                     context.getResources().getBoolean(R.bool.pref_activitystream_recentbookmarks_enabled_default));
             final boolean visitedEnabled = sharedPreferences.getBoolean(ActivityStreamPanel.PREF_VISITED_ENABLED,
                     context.getResources().getBoolean(R.bool.pref_activitystream_visited_enabled_default));
-            ((StreamTitleRow) holder).setVisible(bookmarksEnabled || visitedEnabled);
+            setViewVisible(bookmarksEnabled || visitedEnabled, holder.itemView);
         } else if (type == RowItemType.TOP_STORIES_TITLE.getViewType()) {
             final Context context = holder.itemView.getContext();
             final boolean pocketEnabled = GeckoSharedPrefs.forProfile(context).getBoolean(ActivityStreamPanel.PREF_POCKET_ENABLED,
                     context.getResources().getBoolean(R.bool.pref_activitystream_pocket_enabled_default));
-            ((StreamTitleRow) holder).setVisible(pocketEnabled);
+            setViewVisible(pocketEnabled, holder.itemView);
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * This sets a child view of the adapter visible or hidden.
+     *
+     * This only applies to children whose height and width are WRAP_CONTENT and MATCH_PARENT
+     * respectively.
+     *
+     * NB: This is a hack for the views that are included in the RecyclerView adapter even if
+     * they shouldn't be shown, such as the section title views or the empty view for highlights.
+     *
+     * A more correct implementation would dynamically add/remove these title views rather than
+     * showing and hiding them.
+     *
+     * @param toShow true if the view is to be shown, false to be hidden
+     * @param view child View whose visibility is to be changed
+     */
+    private static void setViewVisible(boolean toShow, final View view) {
+        view.setVisibility(toShow ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
+        // We also need to set the layout height and width to 0 for the RecyclerView child.
+        final RecyclerView.LayoutParams layoutParams = (RecyclerView.LayoutParams) view.getLayoutParams();
+        if (toShow) {
+            layoutParams.height = RecyclerView.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT;
+            layoutParams.width = RecyclerView.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT;
+        } else {
+            layoutParams.height = 0;
+            layoutParams.width = 0;
+        }
+        view.setLayoutParams(layoutParams);
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void onItemClicked(RecyclerView recyclerView, int position, View v) {
         if (!onItemClickIsValidRowItem(position)) {
             return;
         }
 
         final WebpageRowModel model = (WebpageRowModel) recyclerViewModel.get(position);
 

--- a/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/activitystream/homepanel/stream/StreamTitleRow.java
+++ b/mobile/android/base/java/org/mozilla/gecko/activitystream/homepanel/stream/StreamTitleRow.java
@@ -2,17 +2,16 @@
  * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
  * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 
 package org.mozilla.gecko.activitystream.homepanel.stream;
 
 import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.support.annotation.StringRes;
-import android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
 import android.widget.TextView;
 
 import org.mozilla.gecko.R;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.home.HomePager;
 import org.mozilla.gecko.util.DrawableUtil;
 
@@ -44,24 +43,10 @@ public class StreamTitleRow extends Stre
             public void onClick(View view) {
                 onUrlOpenListener.onUrlOpen(url, EnumSet.of(HomePager.OnUrlOpenListener.Flags.ALLOW_SWITCH_TO_TAB));
             }
         };
 
         titleLink.setOnClickListener(clickListener);
         titleArrow.setOnClickListener(clickListener);
     }
-
-    public void setVisible(boolean toShow) {
-        itemView.setVisibility(toShow ? View.VISIBLE : View.GONE);
-        // We also need to set the layout height and width to 0 for the RecyclerView child.
-        final RecyclerView.LayoutParams layoutParams = (RecyclerView.LayoutParams) itemView.getLayoutParams();
-        if (toShow) {
-            layoutParams.height = RecyclerView.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT;
-            layoutParams.width = RecyclerView.LayoutParams.MATCH_PARENT;
-        } else {
-            layoutParams.height = 0;
-            layoutParams.width = 0;
-        }
-        itemView.setLayoutParams(layoutParams);
-    }
 }