diff --git a/peerconnection/samples/client/linux/main_wnd.cc b/peerconnection/samples/client/linux/main_wnd.cc
index 1187ed2219..c736c16363 100644
--- a/peerconnection/samples/client/linux/main_wnd.cc
+++ b/peerconnection/samples/client/linux/main_wnd.cc
@@ -141,14 +141,12 @@ MainWindow::UI GtkMainWnd::current_ui() {
 }
 
 cricket::VideoRenderer* GtkMainWnd::local_renderer() {
-  if (!local_renderer_.get())
-    local_renderer_.reset(new VideoRenderer(this));
+  ASSERT(local_renderer_.get() != NULL);
   return local_renderer_.get();
 }
 
 cricket::VideoRenderer* GtkMainWnd::remote_renderer() {
-  if (!remote_renderer_.get())
-    remote_renderer_.reset(new VideoRenderer(this));
+  ASSERT(remote_renderer_.get() != NULL);
   return remote_renderer_.get();
 }
 
@@ -234,6 +232,10 @@ void GtkMainWnd::SwitchToConnectUI() {
 void GtkMainWnd::SwitchToPeerList(const Peers& peers) {
   LOG(INFO) << __FUNCTION__;
 
+  // Clean up buffers from a potential previous session.
+  local_renderer_.reset();
+  remote_renderer_.reset();
+
   if (!peer_list_) {
     gtk_container_set_border_width(GTK_CONTAINER(window_), 0);
     if (vbox_) {
@@ -270,6 +272,12 @@ void GtkMainWnd::SwitchToStreamingUI() {
 
   ASSERT(draw_area_ == NULL);
 
+  // Prepare new buffers for the new conversation.  We don't
+  // reuse buffers across sessions to avoid possibly rendering
+  // a frame from the previous conversation.
+  remote_renderer_.reset(new VideoRenderer(this));
+  local_renderer_.reset(new VideoRenderer(this));
+
   gtk_container_set_border_width(GTK_CONTAINER(window_), 0);
   if (peer_list_) {
     gtk_widget_destroy(peer_list_);
diff --git a/peerconnection/samples/client/main_wnd.cc b/peerconnection/samples/client/main_wnd.cc
index 900548a97c..e04b89fa1f 100644
--- a/peerconnection/samples/client/main_wnd.cc
+++ b/peerconnection/samples/client/main_wnd.cc
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ const wchar_t MainWnd::kClassName[] = L"WebRTC_MainWnd";
 std::string GetDefaultServerName();
 
 namespace {
+
+const char kConnecting[] = "Connecting... ";
+const char kNoVideoStreams[] = "(no video streams either way)";
+const char kNoIncomingStream[] = "(no incoming video)";
+
 void CalculateWindowSizeForText(HWND wnd, const wchar_t* text,
                                 size_t* width, size_t* height) {
   HDC dc = ::GetDC(wnd);
@@ -192,8 +197,10 @@ void MainWnd::OnPaint() {
     long height = abs(bmi.bmiHeader.biHeight);
     long width = bmi.bmiHeader.biWidth;
 
-    if (remote_video_.get()->image() != NULL) {
+    const uint8* image = remote_video_->image();
+    if (image != NULL) {
       HDC dc_mem = ::CreateCompatibleDC(ps.hdc);
+      ::SetStretchBltMode(dc_mem, HALFTONE);
 
       // Set the map mode so that the ratio will be maintained for us.
       HDC all_dc[] = { ps.hdc, dc_mem };
@@ -214,7 +221,6 @@ void MainWnd::OnPaint() {
       ::FillRect(dc_mem, &logical_rect, brush);
       ::DeleteObject(brush);
 
-      const uint8* image = remote_video_->image();
       int max_unit = std::max(width, height);
       int x = (logical_area.x / 2) - (width / 2);
       int y = (logical_area.y / 2) - (height / 2);
@@ -247,10 +253,18 @@ void MainWnd::OnPaint() {
       HBRUSH brush = ::CreateSolidBrush(RGB(0, 0, 0));
       ::FillRect(ps.hdc, &rc, brush);
       ::DeleteObject(brush);
+
       HGDIOBJ old_font = ::SelectObject(ps.hdc, GetDefaultFont());
       ::SetTextColor(ps.hdc, RGB(0xff, 0xff, 0xff));
       ::SetBkMode(ps.hdc, TRANSPARENT);
-      ::DrawTextA(ps.hdc, "Connecting...", -1, &rc,
+
+      std::string text(kConnecting);
+      if (!local_video_->image()) {
+        text += kNoVideoStreams;
+      } else {
+        text += kNoIncomingStream;
+      }
+      ::DrawTextA(ps.hdc, text.c_str(), -1, &rc,
           DT_SINGLELINE | DT_CENTER | DT_VCENTER);
       ::SelectObject(ps.hdc, old_font);
     }