diff --git a/.eslintignore b/.eslintignore
index 75b4314a20..165384b7ef 100644
--- a/.eslintignore
+++ b/.eslintignore
@@ -796,6 +796,7 @@ packages/lib/commands/index.js
 packages/lib/commands/openMasterPasswordDialog.js
 packages/lib/commands/synchronize.js
 packages/lib/components/EncryptionConfigScreen/utils.js
+packages/lib/components/shared/NoteList/getEmptyFolderMessage.js
 packages/lib/components/shared/config/config-shared.js
 packages/lib/components/shared/config/plugins/types.js
 packages/lib/components/shared/config/plugins/useOnDeleteHandler.js
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index dbc43d626b..01090396fc 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -776,6 +776,7 @@ packages/lib/commands/index.js
 packages/lib/commands/openMasterPasswordDialog.js
 packages/lib/commands/synchronize.js
 packages/lib/components/EncryptionConfigScreen/utils.js
+packages/lib/components/shared/NoteList/getEmptyFolderMessage.js
 packages/lib/components/shared/config/config-shared.js
 packages/lib/components/shared/config/plugins/types.js
 packages/lib/components/shared/config/plugins/useOnDeleteHandler.js
diff --git a/packages/app-desktop/gui/NoteList/NoteList2.tsx b/packages/app-desktop/gui/NoteList/NoteList2.tsx
index c3ad5ca062..997a7351b6 100644
--- a/packages/app-desktop/gui/NoteList/NoteList2.tsx
+++ b/packages/app-desktop/gui/NoteList/NoteList2.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { _ } from '@joplin/lib/locale';
 import { useMemo, useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { AppState } from '../../app.reducer';
 import BaseModel, { ModelType } from '@joplin/lib/BaseModel';
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ import * as focusElementNoteList from './commands/focusElementNoteList';
 import CommandService from '@joplin/lib/services/CommandService';
 import useDragAndDrop from './utils/useDragAndDrop';
 import { itemIsInTrash } from '@joplin/lib/services/trash';
+import getEmptyFolderMessage from '@joplin/lib/components/shared/NoteList/getEmptyFolderMessage';
 import Folder from '@joplin/lib/models/Folder';
 const { connect } = require('react-redux');
 
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ const NoteList = (props: Props) => {
 
 	const renderEmptyList = () => {
 		if (props.notes.length) return null;
-		return <div className="emptylist">{props.folders.length ? _('No notes in here. Create one by clicking on "New note".') : _('There is currently no notebook. Create one by clicking on "New notebook".')}</div>;
+		return <div className="emptylist">{getEmptyFolderMessage(props.folders, props.selectedFolderId)}</div>;
 	};
 
 	const renderFiller = (key: string, style: React.CSSProperties) => {
diff --git a/packages/app-mobile/components/NoteList.tsx b/packages/app-mobile/components/NoteList.tsx
index 8376675f7d..e5a6b9dd80 100644
--- a/packages/app-mobile/components/NoteList.tsx
+++ b/packages/app-mobile/components/NoteList.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { connect } from 'react-redux';
 import { FlatList, Text, StyleSheet, Button, View } from 'react-native';
 import { FolderEntity, NoteEntity } from '@joplin/lib/services/database/types';
 import { AppState } from '../utils/types';
+import getEmptyFolderMessage from '@joplin/lib/components/shared/NoteList/getEmptyFolderMessage';
 import Folder from '@joplin/lib/models/Folder';
 
 const { _ } = require('@joplin/lib/locale');
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ interface NoteListProps {
 	items: NoteEntity[];
 	folders: FolderEntity[];
 	noteSelectionEnabled?: boolean;
-	selectedFolderId?: string;
+	selectedFolderId: string|null;
 }
 
 class NoteListComponent extends Component<NoteListProps> {
@@ -102,8 +103,9 @@ class NoteListComponent extends Component<NoteListProps> {
 					</View>
 				);
 			} else {
-				const noItemMessage = _('There are currently no notes. Create one by clicking on the (+) button.');
-				return <Text style={this.styles().noItemMessage}>{noItemMessage}</Text>;
+				return <Text style={this.styles().noItemMessage}>
+					{getEmptyFolderMessage(this.props.folders, this.props.selectedFolderId)}
+				</Text>;
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -117,6 +119,7 @@ const NoteList = connect((state: AppState) => {
 		notesSource: state.notesSource,
 		themeId: state.settings.theme,
 		noteSelectionEnabled: state.noteSelectionEnabled,
+		selectedFolderId: state.selectedFolderId,
 	};
 })(NoteListComponent);
 
diff --git a/packages/lib/components/shared/NoteList/getEmptyFolderMessage.ts b/packages/lib/components/shared/NoteList/getEmptyFolderMessage.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b4e14c14eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/lib/components/shared/NoteList/getEmptyFolderMessage.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import { _ } from '../../../locale';
+import Folder from '../../../models/Folder';
+import Setting from '../../../models/Setting';
+import { FolderEntity } from '../../../services/database/types';
+import { getTrashFolderId, itemIsInTrash } from '../../../services/trash';
+
+const getEmptyFolderMessage = (folders: FolderEntity[], selectedFolderId: string|null) => {
+	if (selectedFolderId === getTrashFolderId()) {
+		return _('There are no notes in the trash folder.');
+	} else if (selectedFolderId && itemIsInTrash(Folder.byId(folders, selectedFolderId))) {
+		return _('This subfolder of the trash has no notes.');
+	}
+
+	if (Setting.value('appType') === 'desktop') {
+		return _('No notes in here. Create one by clicking on "New note".');
+	} else {
+		return _('There are currently no notes. Create one by clicking on the (+) button.');
+	}
+};
+
+export default getEmptyFolderMessage;