diff --git a/hledger-web/src/Foundation.hs b/hledger-web/src/Foundation.hs
index 6b82e4381..3df02edc7 100644
--- a/hledger-web/src/Foundation.hs
+++ b/hledger-web/src/Foundation.hs
@@ -100,12 +100,13 @@ instance Yesod App where
     VD {j, m, opts, q, qopts} <- getViewData
     msg <- getMessage
     showSidebar <- shouldShowSidebar
+    hideEmptyAccts <- (== Just "1") . lookup "hideemptyaccts" . reqCookies <$> getRequest
 
     let ropts = reportopts_ (cliopts_ opts)
         -- flip the default for items with zero amounts, show them by default
         ropts' = ropts { empty_ = not (empty_ ropts) }
         accounts =
-          balanceReportAsHtml (JournalR, RegisterR) here j qopts $
+          balanceReportAsHtml (JournalR, RegisterR) here hideEmptyAccts j qopts $
           balanceReport ropts' m j
 
         topShowmd = if showSidebar then "col-md-4" else "col-any-0" :: Text
@@ -216,13 +217,12 @@ getCurrentJournal jref opts d = do
   j <- liftIO (readIORef jref)
   (ej, changed) <- liftIO $ journalReloadIfChanged opts d j
   -- re-apply any initial filter specified at startup
-  let initq = queryFromOpts d $ reportopts_ opts
-  if not changed
-    then return (j,Nothing)
-    else case filterJournalTransactions initq <$> ej of
-           Right j' -> do
-             liftIO $ writeIORef jref j'
-             return (j',Nothing)
-           Left e -> do
-             setMessage "error while reading journal"
-             return (j, Just e)
+  let initq = queryFromOpts d (reportopts_ opts)
+  case (changed, filterJournalTransactions initq <$> ej) of
+    (False, _) -> return (j, Nothing)
+    (True, Right j') -> do
+      liftIO $ writeIORef jref j'
+      return (j',Nothing)
+    (True, Left e) -> do
+      setMessage "error while reading journal"
+      return (j, Just e)
diff --git a/hledger-web/src/Widget/Common.hs b/hledger-web/src/Widget/Common.hs
index 88e998891..8be72ae63 100644
--- a/hledger-web/src/Widget/Common.hs
+++ b/hledger-web/src/Widget/Common.hs
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ helplink topic label _ = H.a ! A.href u ! A.target "hledgerhelp" $ toHtml label
   where u = textValue $ manualurl <> if T.null topic then "" else T.cons '#' topic
 
 -- | Render a "BalanceReport" as html.
-balanceReportAsHtml :: Eq r => (r, r) -> r -> Journal -> [QueryOpt] -> BalanceReport -> HtmlUrl r
-balanceReportAsHtml (journalR, registerR) here j qopts (items, total) = [hamlet|
+balanceReportAsHtml :: Eq r => (r, r) -> r -> Bool -> Journal -> [QueryOpt] -> BalanceReport -> HtmlUrl r
+balanceReportAsHtml (journalR, registerR) here hideEmpty j qopts (items, total) = [hamlet|
 <tr :here == journalR:.inacct>
   <td .top .acct>
     <a href=@{journalR} :here == journalR:.inacct
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ balanceReportAsHtml (journalR, registerR) here j qopts (items, total) = [hamlet|
       Journal
   <td .top>
 $forall (acct, adisplay, aindent, abal) <- items
-  <tr .#{inacctClass acct}>
-    <td .acct>
+  <tr .#{inacctClass acct} :isZeroMixedAmount abal && hideEmpty:.hide>
+    <td .acct :isZeroMixedAmount abal:.empty>
       <div .ff-wrapper>
         \#{indent aindent}
         <a href="@?{acctLink acct}" .#{inacctClass acct}
diff --git a/hledger-web/static/hledger.js b/hledger-web/static/hledger.js
index 1e4214b1c..212ff263f 100644
--- a/hledger-web/static/hledger.js
+++ b/hledger-web/static/hledger.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
   $('body').bind('keydown', 'shift+/', function(){ $('#helpmodal').modal('toggle'); return false; });
   $('body').bind('keydown', 'j',       function(){ location.href = document.hledgerWebBaseurl+'/journal'; return false; });
   $('body').bind('keydown', 's',       function(){ sidebarToggle(); return false; });
+  $('body').bind('keydown', 'e',       function(){ emptyAccountsToggle(); return false; });
   $('body').bind('keydown', 'a',       function(){ addformShow(); return false; });
   $('body').bind('keydown', 'n',       function(){ addformShow(); return false; });
   $('body').bind('keydown', 'f',       function(){ $('#searchform input').focus(); return false; });
@@ -216,3 +217,8 @@ function sidebarToggle() {
   $('#spacer').toggleClass('col-md-4 col-sm-4 col-any-0');
   $.cookie('showsidebar', $('#sidebar-menu').hasClass('col-any-0') ? '0' : '1');
 }
+
+function emptyAccountsToggle() {
+  $('.acct.empty').parent().toggleClass('hide');
+  $.cookie('hideemptyaccts', $.cookie('hideemptyaccts') === '1' ? '0' : '1')
+}
diff --git a/hledger-web/templates/default-layout.hamlet b/hledger-web/templates/default-layout.hamlet
index 75dc248b9..1667d0973 100644
--- a/hledger-web/templates/default-layout.hamlet
+++ b/hledger-web/templates/default-layout.hamlet
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
                 <li> <code>a</code> - add a transaction (escape to cancel)
                 <li> <code>s</code> - toggle sidebar
                 <li> <code>f</code> - focus search form ("find")
+                <li> <code>e</code> - hide empty accounts in sidebar
             <p>
               <b>General
               <ul>