diff --git a/static/templates/message_controls.hbs b/static/templates/message_controls.hbs
index 210da12b02..c3b169d1ed 100644
--- a/static/templates/message_controls.hbs
+++ b/static/templates/message_controls.hbs
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 <div class="message_controls{{#status_message}} sender-status-controls{{/status_message}} no-select">
     {{#if msg/sent_by_me}}
-    <div class="edit_content message_control_button"></div>
+    <div class="edit_content message_control_button hidden-for-spectators"></div>
     {{/if}}
 
     {{#unless msg/sent_by_me}}
-    <div class="reaction_button message_control_button" data-tippy-content="{{t 'Add emoji reaction' }} (:)">
+    <div class="reaction_button message_control_button hidden-for-spectators" data-tippy-content="{{t 'Add emoji reaction' }} (:)">
         <i class="fa fa-smile-o" aria-label="{{#tr}}Add emoji reaction{{/tr}} (:)" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" tabindex="0"></i>
     </div>
     {{/unless}}
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     </div>
 
     {{#unless msg/locally_echoed}}
-    <div class="star_container message_control_button {{#if msg/starred}}{{else}}empty-star{{/if}}" data-tippy-content="{{#with msg}}{{#tr}}{starred_status} this message{{/tr}}{{/with}} (Ctrl + s)">
+    <div class="star_container message_control_button {{#if msg/starred}}{{else}}empty-star{{/if}} hidden-for-spectators" data-tippy-content="{{#with msg}}{{#tr}}{starred_status} this message{{/tr}}{{/with}} (Ctrl + s)">
         <i role="button" tabindex="0" class="star fa {{#if msg/starred}}fa-star{{else}}fa-star-o{{/if}}"></i>
     </div>
     {{/unless}}
diff --git a/static/templates/message_reactions.hbs b/static/templates/message_reactions.hbs
index 5a7f2edbaf..48b1ee31be 100644
--- a/static/templates/message_reactions.hbs
+++ b/static/templates/message_reactions.hbs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {{#each this/msg/message_reactions}}
 {{> message_reaction}}
 {{/each}}
-<div class="reaction_button" data-tippy-content="{{t 'Add emoji reaction' }}" aria-label="{{t 'Add emoji reaction' }} (:)">
+<div class="reaction_button hidden-for-spectators" data-tippy-content="{{t 'Add emoji reaction' }}" aria-label="{{t 'Add emoji reaction' }} (:)">
     <i class="fa fa-smile-o" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" tabindex="0" aria-label="{{t 'Add emoji reaction' }} (:)"></i>
     <div class="message_reaction_count">+</div>
 </div>