diff --git a/lib/wallet/wallet.ts b/lib/wallet/wallet.ts
index 45d083570..fbd80a812 100644
--- a/lib/wallet/wallet.ts
+++ b/lib/wallet/wallet.ts
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ export class Wallet {
         merchantName: offer.contract.merchant.name,
         amount: offer.contract.amount,
         contractHash: offer.H_contract,
-        fulfillmentUrl: offer.contract.fulfillment_url
+        fulfillmentUrl: offer.contract.fulfillment_url,
       }
     };
 
@@ -661,6 +661,7 @@ export class Wallet {
           subjectId: `reserve-progress-${reserveRecord.reserve_pub}`,
           timestamp: (new Date).getTime(),
           detail: {
+            exchangeBaseUrl: reserveRecord.exchange_base_url,
             reservePub: reserveRecord.reserve_pub,
             requestedAmount: reserveRecord.requested_amount,
             currentAmount: reserveRecord.current_amount,
@@ -759,6 +760,7 @@ export class Wallet {
       timestamp: now,
       subjectId: `reserve-progress-${reserve.reserve_pub}`,
       detail: {
+        exchangeBaseUrl: reserve.exchange_base_url,
         reservePub: req.reservePub,
         requestedAmount: reserve.requested_amount,
       }
diff --git a/popup/popup.html b/popup/popup.html
index 4c05c6f56..39678c80f 100644
--- a/popup/popup.html
+++ b/popup/popup.html
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
   <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="popup.css">
 
   <script src="../lib/vendor/preact.js"></script>
+  <script src="../lib/vendor/URI.js"></script>
   
   <script src="../lib/vendor/jed.js"></script>
   <script src="../lib/i18n.js"></script>
diff --git a/popup/popup.tsx b/popup/popup.tsx
index fd24f83a4..c4727d598 100644
--- a/popup/popup.tsx
+++ b/popup/popup.tsx
@@ -102,11 +102,13 @@ export function main() {
   let el = (
     <div>
       <WalletNavBar />
+      <div style="margin:1em">
       <Router>
         <WalletBalance route="/balance" default/>
         <WalletHistory route="/history"/>
         <WalletDebug route="/debug"/>
       </Router>
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 
@@ -175,7 +177,7 @@ function ExtensionLink(props: any) {
     e.preventDefault();
   };
   return (
-    <a onClick={onClick}>
+    <a onClick={onClick} href={props.target}>
       {props.children}
     </a>)
 }
@@ -205,13 +207,22 @@ class WalletBalance extends preact.Component<any, any> {
     });
   }
 
+  renderEmpty() : JSX.Element {
+    let helpLink = (
+      <ExtensionLink target="pages/help/empty-wallet.html">
+        help
+      </ExtensionLink>
+    );
+    return <div>You have no balance to show. Need some {helpLink} getting started?</div>;
+  }
+
   render(): JSX.Element {
     let wallet = this.myWallet;
     if (this.gotError) {
       return i18n`Error: could not retrieve balance information.`;
     }
     if (!wallet) {
-      return <div></div>
+      return this.renderEmpty();
     }
     console.log(wallet);
     let listing = Object.keys(wallet).map((key) => {
@@ -220,13 +231,8 @@ class WalletBalance extends preact.Component<any, any> {
     if (listing.length > 0) {
       return <div>{listing}</div>;
     }
-    let helpLink = (
-      <ExtensionLink target="pages/help/empty-wallet.html">
-        help
-      </ExtensionLink>
-    );
 
-    return i18n.parts`You have no balance to show. Need some ${helpLink} getting started?`;
+    return this.renderEmpty();
   }
 }
 
@@ -262,13 +268,17 @@ function formatHistoryItem(historyItem: HistoryRecord) {
             d.requestedAmount)}.`}
         </p>
       );
-    case "confirm-reserve":
+    case "confirm-reserve": {
+      // FIXME: eventually remove compat fix
+      let exchange = d.exchangeBaseUrl ? URI(d.exchangeBaseUrl).host() : "??";
+      let amount = formatAmount(d.requestedAmount);
+      let pub = abbrev(d.reservePub);
       return (
         <p>
-          {i18n.parts`Started to withdraw from reserve (${abbrev(d.reservePub)}) of ${formatAmount(
-            d.requestedAmount)}.`}
+          {i18n.parts`Started to withdraw ${amount} from ${exchange} (${pub}).`}
         </p>
       );
+    }
     case "offer-contract": {
       let link = chrome.extension.getURL("view-contract.html");
       let linkElem = <a href={link}>{abbrev(d.contractHash)}</a>;
@@ -279,11 +289,14 @@ function formatHistoryItem(historyItem: HistoryRecord) {
         </p>
       );
     }
-    case "depleted-reserve":
+    case "depleted-reserve": {
+      let exchange = d.exchangeBaseUrl ? URI(d.exchangeBaseUrl).host() : "??";
+      let amount = formatAmount(d.requestedAmount);
+      let pub = abbrev(d.reservePub);
       return (<p>
-        {i18n.parts`Withdraw from reserve (${abbrev(d.reservePub)}) of ${formatAmount(
-          d.requestedAmount)} completed.`}
+        {i18n.parts`Withdrew ${amount} from ${exchange} (${pub}).`}
       </p>);
+    }
     case "pay": {
       let url = substituteFulfillmentUrl(d.fulfillmentUrl,
                                          {H_contract: d.contractHash});
@@ -291,7 +304,7 @@ function formatHistoryItem(historyItem: HistoryRecord) {
       let fulfillmentLinkElem = <a href={url} onClick={openTab(url)}>view product</a>;
       return (
         <p>
-          {i18n.parts`Confirmed payment of ${formatAmount(d.amount)} to merchant ${merchantElem}.  (${fulfillmentLinkElem})`}
+          {i18n.parts`Paid ${formatAmount(d.amount)} to merchant ${merchantElem}.  (${fulfillmentLinkElem})`}
         </p>);
     }
     default: