diff --git a/onionshare_gui/downloads.py b/onionshare_gui/downloads.py
index 7729f8c7..1c54ab50 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/downloads.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/downloads.py
@@ -77,33 +77,27 @@ class Download(object):
                                                 self.started)
 
 
-class Downloads(QtWidgets.QVBoxLayout):
+class Downloads(QtWidgets.QWidget):
     """
     The downloads chunk of the GUI. This lists all of the active download
     progress bars.
     """
     def __init__(self):
         super(Downloads, self).__init__()
-
         self.downloads = {}
-
-        # downloads label
-        self.downloads_label = QtWidgets.QLabel(strings._('gui_downloads', True))
-        self.downloads_label.hide()
-
-        # add the widgets
-        self.addWidget(self.downloads_label)
+        self.layout = QtWidgets.QVBoxLayout()
+        self.setLayout(self.layout)
 
     def add_download(self, download_id, total_bytes):
         """
         Add a new download progress bar.
         """
-        self.downloads_label.show()
+        self.parent().show()
 
         # add it to the list
         download = Download(download_id, total_bytes)
         self.downloads[download_id] = download
-        self.insertWidget(-1, download.progress_bar)
+        self.layout.insertWidget(-1, download.progress_bar)
 
     def update_download(self, download_id, downloaded_bytes):
         """
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py b/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
index 2f86632d..8a738d26 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/onionshare_gui.py
@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ class OnionShareGui(QtWidgets.QMainWindow):
 
         # downloads
         self.downloads = Downloads()
-        self.downloads_layout = QtWidgets.QGroupBox()
-        self.downloads_layout.setLayout(self.downloads)
-        self.downloads_layout_container = QtWidgets.QScrollArea()
-        self.downloads_layout_container.setWidget(self.downloads_layout)
-        self.downloads_layout_container.setWidgetResizable(True)
-        self.downloads_layout_container.setFixedHeight(80)
-        self.vbar = self.downloads_layout_container.verticalScrollBar()
+        self.downloads_container = QtWidgets.QScrollArea()
+        self.downloads_container.setWidget(self.downloads)
+        self.downloads_container.setWidgetResizable(True)
+        self.downloads_container.setMaximumHeight(200)
+        self.vbar = self.downloads_container.verticalScrollBar()
+        self.downloads_container.hide() # downloads start out hidden
         self.new_download = False
 
         # options
@@ -120,14 +119,14 @@ class OnionShareGui(QtWidgets.QMainWindow):
         version_label = QtWidgets.QLabel('v{0:s}'.format(helpers.get_version()))
         version_label.setStyleSheet('color: #666666; padding: 0 10px;')
         self.status_bar.addPermanentWidget(version_label)
-        self.setStatusBar(self.status_bar) 
+        self.setStatusBar(self.status_bar)
 
         # main layout
         self.layout = QtWidgets.QVBoxLayout()
         self.layout.addLayout(self.file_selection)
         self.layout.addLayout(self.server_status)
         self.layout.addWidget(self.filesize_warning)
-        self.layout.addWidget(self.downloads_layout_container)
+        self.layout.addWidget(self.downloads_container)
         self.layout.addLayout(self.options)
         central_widget = QtWidgets.QWidget()
         central_widget.setLayout(self.layout)
@@ -229,7 +228,7 @@ class OnionShareGui(QtWidgets.QMainWindow):
     def check_for_requests(self):
         """
         Check for messages communicated from the web app, and update the GUI accordingly.
-        """ 
+        """
         self.update()
         # scroll to the bottom of the dl progress bar log pane
         # if a new download has been added
@@ -255,6 +254,7 @@ class OnionShareGui(QtWidgets.QMainWindow):
                 self.status_bar.showMessage(strings._('download_page_loaded', True))
 
             elif event["type"] == web.REQUEST_DOWNLOAD:
+                self.downloads_container.show() # show the downloads layout
                 self.downloads.add_download(event["data"]["id"], web.zip_filesize)
                 self.new_download = True
 
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ class OnionShareGui(QtWidgets.QMainWindow):
 
             elif event["type"] == web.REQUEST_PROGRESS:
                 self.downloads.update_download(event["data"]["id"], event["data"]["bytes"])
-               
+
                 # is the download complete?
                 if event["data"]["bytes"] == web.zip_filesize:
                     # close on finish?