diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/StorySlateView.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/StorySlateView.kt
index d76721547d..907f09d9a8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/StorySlateView.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/StorySlateView.kt
@@ -6,11 +6,14 @@ import android.os.Parcelable
 import android.util.AttributeSet
 import android.view.View
 import android.widget.FrameLayout
+import android.widget.ImageView
 import android.widget.TextView
 import org.signal.core.util.logging.Log
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.R
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.blurhash.BlurHash
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.dependencies.ApplicationDependencies
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.jobmanager.impl.NetworkConstraint
+import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.mms.GlideApp
 import org.thoughtcrime.securesms.util.visible
 
 /**
@@ -36,7 +39,7 @@ class StorySlateView @JvmOverloads constructor(
     inflate(context, R.layout.stories_slate_view, this)
   }
 
-  private val background: View = findViewById(R.id.background)
+  private val background: ImageView = findViewById(R.id.background)
   private val loadingSpinner: View = findViewById(R.id.loading_spinner)
   private val errorCircle: View = findViewById(R.id.error_circle)
   private val unavailableText: View = findViewById(R.id.unavailable)
@@ -68,6 +71,16 @@ class StorySlateView @JvmOverloads constructor(
     }
   }
 
+  fun setBackground(blur: BlurHash?) {
+    if (blur != null) {
+      GlideApp.with(background)
+        .load(blur)
+        .into(background)
+    } else {
+      GlideApp.with(background).clear(background)
+    }
+  }
+
   private fun moveToProgressState(state: State) {
     this.state = state
     visible = true
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/viewer/page/StoryViewerPageFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/viewer/page/StoryViewerPageFragment.kt
index e7f95bb16d..79b8177a68 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/viewer/page/StoryViewerPageFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/viewer/page/StoryViewerPageFragment.kt
@@ -541,6 +541,8 @@ class StoryViewerPageFragment :
   }
 
   private fun presentSlate(post: StoryPost) {
+    storySlate.setBackground((post.conversationMessage.messageRecord as? MediaMmsMessageRecord)?.slideDeck?.thumbnailSlide?.placeholderBlur)
+
     when (post.content.transferState) {
       AttachmentDatabase.TRANSFER_PROGRESS_DONE -> {
         storySlate.moveToState(StorySlateView.State.HIDDEN, post.id)
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/drawable/ic_arrow_down_24.xml b/app/src/main/res/drawable/ic_arrow_down_24.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c2673233f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/res/drawable/ic_arrow_down_24.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+<vector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+    android:width="24dp"
+    android:height="24dp"
+    android:viewportWidth="24"
+    android:viewportHeight="24">
+  <path
+      android:fillColor="#FF000000"
+      android:pathData="M19.47,11.409l-5.471,5.471l-1.249,1.559l0,-14.439l-1.5,0l0,14.439l-1.249,-1.559l-5.471,-5.471l-1.06,1.061l8.53,8.53l8.53,-8.53l-1.06,-1.061z"/>
+</vector>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/stories_slate_view.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/stories_slate_view.xml
index 436d9a8f7e..de8ff96851 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/stories_slate_view.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/stories_slate_view.xml
@@ -6,35 +6,46 @@
     android:layout_height="match_parent"
     tools:parentTag="android.widget.FrameLayout">
 
-    <View
+    <ImageView
         android:id="@+id/background"
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="match_parent"
         android:background="@color/core_grey_80"
+        android:importantForAccessibility="no"
         android:visibility="gone"
         tools:visibility="visible" />
 
+    <com.google.android.material.imageview.ShapeableImageView
+        android:id="@+id/stories_error_background"
+        android:layout_width="56dp"
+        android:layout_height="56dp"
+        android:layout_gravity="center"
+        app:shapeAppearance="@style/ShapeAppearanceOverlay.Signal.Circle"
+        app:srcCompat="@color/transparent_black_50" />
+
     <com.google.android.material.progressindicator.CircularProgressIndicator
         android:id="@+id/loading_spinner"
-        android:layout_width="64dp"
-        android:layout_height="64dp"
+        android:layout_width="36dp"
+        android:layout_height="36dp"
         android:layout_gravity="center"
         android:indeterminate="true"
         android:visibility="gone"
         app:indicatorColor="@color/core_grey_05"
         app:indicatorInset="0dp"
-        app:indicatorSize="64dp"
+        app:indicatorSize="36dp"
         app:trackColor="@color/transparent"
-        app:trackThickness="3dp"
+        app:trackThickness="2dp"
         tools:visibility="visible" />
 
-    <View
+    <ImageView
         android:id="@+id/error_circle"
-        android:layout_width="64dp"
-        android:layout_height="64dp"
+        android:layout_width="24dp"
+        android:layout_height="24dp"
         android:layout_gravity="center"
-        android:background="@drawable/stories_slate_indicator_ring"
+        android:scaleType="centerInside"
         android:visibility="gone"
+        app:srcCompat="@drawable/ic_arrow_down_24"
+        app:tint="@color/core_white"
         tools:visibility="visible" />
 
     <TextView
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/viewer/StoryViewerViewModelTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/viewer/StoryViewerViewModelTest.kt
index 4f9664490b..2d8c28d0dc 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/viewer/StoryViewerViewModelTest.kt
+++ b/app/src/test/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/stories/viewer/StoryViewerViewModelTest.kt
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class StoryViewerViewModelTest {
     whenever(repository.getStories(any())).doReturn(Single.just(stories))
 
     // WHEN
-    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, repository)
+    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, null, repository)
     testScheduler.triggerActions()
 
     // THEN
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class StoryViewerViewModelTest {
     val stories: List<RecipientId> = (1L..5L).map(RecipientId::from)
     val startStory = RecipientId.from(1L)
     whenever(repository.getStories(any())).doReturn(Single.just(stories))
-    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, repository)
+    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, null, repository)
     testScheduler.triggerActions()
 
     // WHEN
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class StoryViewerViewModelTest {
     val stories: List<RecipientId> = (1L..5L).map(RecipientId::from)
     val startStory = stories.last()
     whenever(repository.getStories(any())).doReturn(Single.just(stories))
-    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, repository)
+    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, null, repository)
     testScheduler.triggerActions()
 
     // WHEN
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ class StoryViewerViewModelTest {
     val stories: List<RecipientId> = (1L..5L).map(RecipientId::from)
     val startStory = stories.last()
     whenever(repository.getStories(any())).doReturn(Single.just(stories))
-    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, repository)
+    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, null, repository)
     testScheduler.triggerActions()
 
     // WHEN
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ class StoryViewerViewModelTest {
     val stories: List<RecipientId> = (1L..5L).map(RecipientId::from)
     val startStory = stories.first()
     whenever(repository.getStories(any())).doReturn(Single.just(stories))
-    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, repository)
+    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, null, repository)
     testScheduler.triggerActions()
 
     // WHEN
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class StoryViewerViewModelTest {
     val stories: List<RecipientId> = (1L..5L).map(RecipientId::from)
     val startStory = stories.first()
     whenever(repository.getStories(any())).doReturn(Single.just(stories))
-    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, repository)
+    val testSubject = StoryViewerViewModel(startStory, false, null, null, null, repository)
     testScheduler.triggerActions()
 
     // WHEN