diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py b/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
index 4f1b760b6..85d150992 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/reddit_base.py
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ from r2.models import (
 NEVER = datetime(2037, 12, 31, 23, 59, 59)
 DELETE = datetime(1970, 01, 01, 0, 0, 1)
 
-cache_affecting_cookies = ('reddit_first', 'over18', '_options')
+cache_affecting_cookies = ('over18', '_options')
 
 class Cookies(dict):
     def add(self, name, value, *k, **kw):
@@ -287,45 +287,6 @@ def read_mod_cookie():
     if cook:
         set_user_cookie('mod', '')
 
-def firsttime():
-    if (request.user_agent and
-        ('iphone' in request.user_agent.lower() or
-         'android' in request.user_agent.lower()) and
-        not get_redditfirst('mobile_suggest')):
-        set_redditfirst('mobile_suggest', 'first')
-        return 'mobile_suggest'
-    elif get_redditfirst('firsttime'):
-        return False
-    else:
-        set_redditfirst('firsttime', 'first')
-        return True
-
-def get_redditfirst(key, default=None):
-    try:
-        val = c.cookies['reddit_first'].value
-        # on cookie presence, return as much
-        if default is None:
-            default = True
-        cookie = simplejson.loads(val)
-        return cookie[key]
-    except (ValueError, TypeError, KeyError), e:
-        # it's not a proper json dict, or the cookie isn't present, or
-        # the key isn't part of the cookie; we don't really want a
-        # broken cookie to propogate an exception up
-        return default
-
-def set_redditfirst(key, val):
-    try:
-        cookie = simplejson.loads(c.cookies['reddit_first'].value)
-        cookie[key] = val
-    except (ValueError, TypeError, KeyError), e:
-        # invalid JSON data; we'll just construct a new cookie
-        cookie = {key: val}
-
-    c.cookies['reddit_first'] = Cookie(simplejson.dumps(cookie),
-                                       expires=NEVER)
-
-
 def over18():
     if c.user.pref_over_18 or c.user_is_admin:
         return True
@@ -693,7 +654,6 @@ class MinimalController(BaseController):
                         c.cname,
                         request.fullpath,
                         c.over18,
-                        c.firsttime,
                         c.extension,
                         c.render_style,
                         cookies_key)
@@ -940,8 +900,6 @@ class RedditController(MinimalController):
             for cookietype, count in cookie_counts.iteritems():
                 g.stats.simple_event("cookie.%s" % cookietype, count)
 
-        c.firsttime = firsttime()
-
         # the user could have been logged in via one of the feeds 
         maybe_admin = False
         is_otpcookie_valid = False
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
index e79da22f1..fd26d2f22 100755
--- a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
@@ -170,9 +170,6 @@ class Reddit(Templated):
                 infotext = strings.heavy_load_msg
             elif g.read_only_mode:
                 infotext = strings.read_only_msg
-            elif (c.firsttime == 'mobile_suggest' and
-                  c.render_style != 'compact'):
-                infotext = strings.iphone_first
             elif g.live_config.get("announcement_message"):
                 infotext = g.live_config["announcement_message"]
 
@@ -189,7 +186,7 @@ class Reddit(Templated):
             if not self.infobar:
                 self.infobar = InfoBar(message=strings.all_minus_gold_only, extra_class="gold")
 
-        if c.firsttime:
+        if not c.user_is_loggedin:
             self.welcomebar = WelcomeBar()
 
         self.srtopbar = None
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/strings.py b/r2/r2/lib/strings.py
index 71c3ecafc..2ef983c7d 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/strings.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/strings.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ string_dict = dict(
 
     submit_link = _("""You are submitting a link. The key to a successful submission is interesting content and a descriptive title."""),
     submit_text = _("""You are submitting a text-based post. Speak your mind. A title is required, but expanding further in the text field is not. Beginning your title with "vote up if" is violation of intergalactic law."""),
-    iphone_first = _("You should consider using [reddit's mobile interface](http://i.reddit.com/)."),
+    compact_suggest = _("Looks like you're browsing on a small screen. Would you like to try [reddit's mobile interface](%(url)s)?"),
     verify_email = _("we're going to need to verify your email address for you to proceed."),
     verify_email_submit = _("you'll be able to submit more frequently once you verify your email address"),
     email_verified =  _("your email address has been verfied"),
diff --git a/r2/r2/public/static/css/reddit.less b/r2/r2/public/static/css/reddit.less
index b1bf976a4..7620a4fe8 100755
--- a/r2/r2/public/static/css/reddit.less
+++ b/r2/r2/public/static/css/reddit.less
@@ -1170,6 +1170,7 @@ a.author { margin-right: 0.5em; }
 }
 
 .infobar.welcome {
+    display: none;
     background: url(../welcome-lines.png) top center;
     border: 1px solid #ff8b60;
     padding: 0;
diff --git a/r2/r2/public/static/js/ui.js b/r2/r2/public/static/js/ui.js
index 754686f91..945fd834e 100644
--- a/r2/r2/public/static/js/ui.js
+++ b/r2/r2/public/static/js/ui.js
@@ -1,3 +1,33 @@
+r.ui.init = function() {
+    // welcome bar
+    if ($.cookie('reddit_first')) {
+        // save welcome seen state and delete obsolete cookie
+        $.cookie('reddit_first', null, {domain: r.config.cur_domain})
+        store.set('ui.shown.welcome', true)
+    } else if (store.get('ui.shown.welcome') != true) {
+        $('.infobar.welcome').show()
+        store.set('ui.shown.welcome', true)
+    }
+
+    // mobile suggest infobar
+    var smallScreen = window.matchMedia
+                      ? matchMedia('(max-device-width: 700px)').matches
+                      : $(window).width() < 700,
+        onFrontPage = $.url().attr('path') == '/'
+    if (smallScreen && onFrontPage && r.config.renderstyle != 'compact') {
+        var infobar = $('<div class="infobar mellow">')
+            .html(r.utils.formatMarkdownLinks(
+                r.strings('compact_suggest', {
+                    url: location + '.compact'
+                })
+            ))
+        $('body > .content > :not(.infobar):first').before(infobar)
+    }
+
+    r.ui.HelpBubble.init()
+    r.ui.PermissionEditor.init()
+}
+
 r.ui.Form = function(el) {
     r.ui.Base.call(this, el)
     this.$el.submit($.proxy(function(e) {
@@ -369,8 +399,3 @@ r.ui.PermissionEditor.prototype = $.extend(new r.ui.Base(), {
         this.hide()
     }
 })
-
-r.ui.init = function() {
-    r.ui.HelpBubble.init()
-    r.ui.PermissionEditor.init()
-}
diff --git a/r2/r2/public/static/js/utils.js b/r2/r2/public/static/js/utils.js
index 1268b0196..4d290243d 100644
--- a/r2/r2/public/static/js/utils.js
+++ b/r2/r2/public/static/js/utils.js
@@ -46,5 +46,12 @@ r.utils = {
             }
             return params[fieldName]
         })
+    },
+
+    _mdLinkRe: /\[(.*?)\]\((.*?)\)/g,
+    formatMarkdownLinks: function(str) {
+        return _.escape(str).replace(this._mdLinkRe, function(match, text, url) {
+            return '<a href="' + url + '">' + text + '</a>'
+        })
     }
 }
diff --git a/r2/r2/templates/framebuster.html b/r2/r2/templates/framebuster.html
index 8d0f03987..7deeb39ed 100644
--- a/r2/r2/templates/framebuster.html
+++ b/r2/r2/templates/framebuster.html
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@
   </head>
   <body>
     <script type="text/javascript">
-      $.cookie_write({name: "reddit_first", data: {firsttime: true},
-                      domain: "${c.site.domain}" });
       %if thing.login:
         $.cookie_write({name: "redditSession", data: "cname",
                         domain: "${c.site.domain}" });