diff --git a/osu.Game/Online/Chat/Drawables/DrawableChannel.cs b/osu.Game/Online/Chat/Drawables/DrawableChannel.cs
index 8697d2749e..ef1e7ca5df 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Online/Chat/Drawables/DrawableChannel.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Online/Chat/Drawables/DrawableChannel.cs
@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Linq;
-using osu.Framework.Allocation;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
-using osu.Framework.Graphics.Sprites;
+using osu.Framework.Graphics.Primitives;
+using osu.Framework.MathUtils;
+using osu.Framework.Threading;
 using osu.Game.Graphics.Sprites;
 using OpenTK;
 
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Online.Chat.Drawables
                             Direction = FlowDirections.Vertical,
                             RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.X,
                             AutoSizeAxes = Axes.Y,
-                            Spacing = new Vector2(1, 1)
+                            Padding = new MarginPadding { Left = 20, Right = 20 }
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
index b93acc46cb..6bfd9730f0 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/ChatOverlay.cs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2007-2017 ppy Pty Ltd <contact@ppy.sh>.
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
+using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Diagnostics;
 using System.Linq;
@@ -20,10 +21,12 @@ using osu.Game.Online.Chat.Drawables;
 using osu.Game.Graphics.UserInterface;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Primitives;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.UserInterface;
+using OpenTK.Graphics;
+using osu.Framework.Input;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Overlays
 {
-    public class ChatOverlay : OverlayContainer, IOnlineComponent
+    public class ChatOverlay : FocusedOverlayContainer, IOnlineComponent
     {
         private DrawableChannel channelDisplay;
 
@@ -50,7 +53,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
                 {
                     Depth = float.MaxValue,
                     RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
-                    Colour = OsuColour.Gray(0.1f).Opacity(0.4f),
+                    Colour = Color4.Black,
+                    Alpha = 0.9f,
                 },
                 content = new Container
                 {
@@ -62,13 +66,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
                     Anchor = Anchor.BottomLeft,
                     Origin = Anchor.BottomLeft,
                     RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.X,
-                    Height = 50,
+                    Height = 40,
                     Padding = new MarginPadding(5),
                     Children = new Drawable[]
                     {
                         inputTextBox = new FocusedTextBox
                         {
-                            RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.X,
+                            RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+                            Height = 1,
                             PlaceholderText = "type your message",
                             Exit = () => State = Visibility.Hidden,
                             OnCommit = postMessage,
@@ -79,6 +84,13 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays
             });
         }
 
+        protected override bool OnFocus(InputState state)
+        {
+            //this is necessary as inputTextBox is masked away and therefore can't get focus :(
+            inputTextBox.TriggerFocus();
+            return false;
+        }
+
         private void postMessage(TextBox sender, bool newText)
         {
             var postText = sender.Text;