diff --git a/app/assets/images/elephant-friend.png b/app/assets/images/elephant-friend.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3c5145ba98
Binary files /dev/null and b/app/assets/images/elephant-friend.png differ
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/components/actions/onboarding.jsx b/app/assets/javascripts/components/actions/onboarding.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a161c50efe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/components/actions/onboarding.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { openModal } from './modal';
+import { changeSetting, saveSettings } from './settings';
+
+export function showOnboardingOnce() {
+  return (dispatch, getState) => {
+    const alreadySeen = getState().getIn(['settings', 'onboarded']);
+
+    if (!alreadySeen) {
+      dispatch(openModal('ONBOARDING'));
+      dispatch(changeSetting(['onboarded'], true));
+      dispatch(saveSettings());
+    }
+  };
+};
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/components/containers/mastodon.jsx b/app/assets/javascripts/components/containers/mastodon.jsx
index a771d12696..08576913e3 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/components/containers/mastodon.jsx
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/components/containers/mastodon.jsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   connectTimeline,
   disconnectTimeline
 } from '../actions/timelines';
+import { showOnboardingOnce } from '../actions/onboarding';
 import { updateNotifications, refreshNotifications } from '../actions/notifications';
 import createBrowserHistory from 'history/lib/createBrowserHistory';
 import {
@@ -134,6 +135,8 @@ const Mastodon = React.createClass({
     if (typeof window.Notification !== 'undefined' && Notification.permission === 'default') {
       Notification.requestPermission();
     }
+
+    store.dispatch(showOnboardingOnce());
   },
 
   componentWillUnmount () {
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/components/features/ui/components/modal_root.jsx b/app/assets/javascripts/components/features/ui/components/modal_root.jsx
index a1ed8fd882..ace3e085f5 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/components/features/ui/components/modal_root.jsx
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/components/features/ui/components/modal_root.jsx
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import PureRenderMixin from 'react-addons-pure-render-mixin';
 import MediaModal from './media_modal';
+import OnboardingModal from './onboarding_modal';
 import VideoModal from './video_modal';
 import BoostModal from './boost_modal';
 import { TransitionMotion, spring } from 'react-motion';
 
 const MODAL_COMPONENTS = {
   'MEDIA': MediaModal,
+  'ONBOARDING': OnboardingModal,
   'VIDEO': VideoModal,
   'BOOST': BoostModal
 };
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/components/features/ui/components/onboarding_modal.jsx b/app/assets/javascripts/components/features/ui/components/onboarding_modal.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8d5132ea25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/components/features/ui/components/onboarding_modal.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,251 @@
+import { connect } from 'react-redux';
+import PureRenderMixin from 'react-addons-pure-render-mixin';
+import ImmutablePropTypes from 'react-immutable-proptypes';
+import { defineMessages, injectIntl, FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
+import Permalink from '../../../components/permalink';
+import { TransitionMotion, spring } from 'react-motion';
+import ComposeForm from '../../compose/components/compose_form';
+import Search from '../../compose/components/search';
+import NavigationBar from '../../compose/components/navigation_bar';
+import ColumnHeader from './column_header';
+import Immutable from 'immutable';
+
+const messages = defineMessages({
+  home_title: { id: 'column.home', defaultMessage: 'Home' },
+  notifications_title: { id: 'column.notifications', defaultMessage: 'Notifications' },
+  local_title: { id: 'column.community', defaultMessage: 'Local timeline' },
+  federated_title: { id: 'column.public', defaultMessage: 'Federated timeline' }
+});
+
+const PageOne = ({ acct, domain }) => (
+  <div className='onboarding-modal__page onboarding-modal__page-one'>
+    <div style={{ flex: '0 0 auto' }}>
+      <div className='onboarding-modal__page-one__elephant-friend' />
+    </div>
+
+    <div>
+      <h1><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_one.welcome' defaultMessage='Welcome to Mastodon!' /></h1>
+      <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_one.federation' defaultMessage='Mastodon is a social network that belongs to everyone.' /></p>
+      <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_one.handle' defaultMessage='You are on {domain}, one of many independent Mastodon instances. Your full handle is {handle}' values={{ domain, handle: <strong>{acct}@{domain}</strong> }}/></p>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+);
+
+PageOne.propTypes = {
+  acct: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+  domain: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired
+};
+
+const PageTwo = () => (
+  <div className='onboarding-modal__page onboarding-modal__page-two'>
+    <div className='figure non-interactive'>
+      <ComposeForm
+        text='Awoo! #introductions'
+        suggestions={Immutable.List()}
+        mentionedDomains={[]}
+        onChange={() => {}}
+        onSubmit={() => {}}
+        onPaste={() => {}}
+        onPickEmoji={() => {}}
+        onChangeSpoilerText={() => {}}
+        onClearSuggestions={() => {}}
+        onFetchSuggestions={() => {}}
+        onSuggestionSelected={() => {}}
+      />
+    </div>
+
+    <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_two.compose' defaultMessage='Write posts from the compose column. You can upload images, change privacy settings, and add content warnings with the icons below.' /></p>
+  </div>
+);
+
+const PageThree = ({ me, domain }) => (
+  <div className='onboarding-modal__page onboarding-modal__page-three'>
+    <div className='figure non-interactive'>
+      <Search
+        value=''
+        onChange={() => {}}
+        onSubmit={() => {}}
+        onClear={() => {}}
+        onShow={() => {}}
+      />
+
+      <div className='pseudo-drawer'>
+        <NavigationBar account={me} />
+      </div>
+    </div>
+
+    <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_three.search' defaultMessage='Use the search bar to find people and look at hashtags, such as {illustration} and {introductions}. To look for a person who is not on this instance, use their full handle.' values={{ illustration: <Permalink to='/timelines/tag/illustration' href='/tags/illustration'>#illustration</Permalink>, introductions: <Permalink to='/timelines/tag/introductions' href='/tags/introductions'>#introductions</Permalink> }}/></p>
+    <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_three.profile' defaultMessage='Edit your profile to change your avatar, bio, and display name. There, you will also find other preferences.' /></p>
+  </div>
+);
+
+PageThree.propTypes = {
+  me: ImmutablePropTypes.map.isRequired,
+  domain: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired
+};
+
+const PageFour = ({ domain, intl }) => (
+  <div className='onboarding-modal__page onboarding-modal__page-four'>
+    <div className='onboarding-modal__page-four__columns'>
+      <div className='row'>
+        <div>
+          <div className='figure non-interactive'><ColumnHeader icon='home' type={intl.formatMessage(messages.home_title)} /></div>
+          <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_four.home' defaultMessage='Home timeline shows posts from people you follow'/></p>
+        </div>
+
+        <div>
+          <div className='figure non-interactive'><ColumnHeader icon='bell' type={intl.formatMessage(messages.notifications_title)} /></div>
+          <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_four.notifications' defaultMessage='Notifications show when someone interacts with you' /></p>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <div className='row'>
+        <div>
+          <div className='figure non-interactive' style={{ marginBottom: 0 }}><ColumnHeader icon='globe' type={intl.formatMessage(messages.federated_title)} /></div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div>
+          <div className='figure non-interactive' style={{ marginBottom: 0 }}><ColumnHeader icon='users' type={intl.formatMessage(messages.local_title)} /></div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_five.public_timelines' defaultMessage='Federated timeline lists public posts from everyone who people on {domain} follow. Local timeline is the same, but limited to people on {domain}.' values={{ domain }} /></p>
+    </div>
+  </div>
+);
+
+PageFour.propTypes = {
+  domain: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+  intl: React.PropTypes.object.isRequired
+};
+
+const PageSix = ({ admin }) => {
+  let adminSection = '';
+
+  if (admin) {
+    adminSection = (
+      <p>
+        <FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_six.admin' defaultMessage="Your instance's admin is {admin}." values={{ admin: <Permalink href={admin.get('url')} to={`/accounts/${admin.get('id')}`}>@{admin.get('acct')}</Permalink> }} />
+        <br />
+        <FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_six.read_guidelines' defaultMessage='Please, do not forget to read the {guidelines}!' values={{ guidelines: <a href='/about/more' target='_blank'><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_six.guidelines' defaultMessage='community guidelines' /></a> }}/>
+      </p>
+    );
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <div className='onboarding-modal__page onboarding-modal__page-six'>
+      <h1><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_six.almost_done' defaultMessage='Almost done...' /></h1>
+      {adminSection}
+      <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_six.github' defaultMessage='Mastodon is free open-source software. You can report bugs, request features, or contribute to the code on {github}.' values={{ github: <a href='https://github.com/tootsuite/mastodon' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>GitHub</a> }} /></p>
+      <p><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_six.apps_available' defaultMessage='There are {apps} available for iOS, Android and other platforms. And now... Bon Appetoot!' values={{ apps: <a href='https://github.com/tootsuite/documentation/blob/master/Using-Mastodon/Apps.md' target='_blank' rel='noopener'><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.page_six.various_app' defaultMessage='various mobile apps' /></a> }} /></p>
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+
+PageSix.propTypes = {
+  admin: ImmutablePropTypes.map
+};
+
+const mapStateToProps = state => ({
+  me: state.getIn(['accounts', state.getIn(['meta', 'me'])]),
+  admin: state.getIn(['accounts', state.getIn(['meta', 'admin'])]),
+  domain: state.getIn(['meta', 'domain'])
+});
+
+const OnboardingModal = React.createClass({
+
+  propTypes: {
+    onClose: React.PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+    intl: React.PropTypes.object.isRequired,
+    me: ImmutablePropTypes.map.isRequired,
+    domain: React.PropTypes.string.isRequired,
+    admin: ImmutablePropTypes.map
+  },
+
+  getInitialState () {
+    return {
+      currentIndex: 0
+    };
+  },
+
+  mixins: [PureRenderMixin],
+
+  handleSkip (e) {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    this.props.onClose();
+  },
+
+  handleDot (i, e) {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    this.setState({ currentIndex: i });
+  },
+
+  handleNext (maxNum, e) {
+    e.preventDefault();
+
+    if (this.state.currentIndex < maxNum - 1) {
+      this.setState({ currentIndex: this.state.currentIndex + 1 });
+    } else {
+      this.props.onClose();
+    }
+  },
+
+  render () {
+    const { me, admin, domain, intl } = this.props;
+
+    const pages = [
+      <PageOne acct={me.get('acct')} domain={domain} />,
+      <PageTwo />,
+      <PageThree me={me} domain={domain} />,
+      <PageFour domain={domain} intl={intl} />,
+      <PageSix admin={admin} />
+    ];
+
+    const { currentIndex } = this.state;
+    const hasMore = currentIndex < pages.length - 1;
+
+    let nextOrDoneBtn;
+
+    if(hasMore) {
+      nextOrDoneBtn = <a href='#' onClick={this.handleNext.bind(null, pages.length)} className='onboarding-modal__nav onboarding-modal__next'><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.next' defaultMessage='Next' /></a>;
+    } else {
+      nextOrDoneBtn = <a href='#' onClick={this.handleNext.bind(null, pages.length)} className='onboarding-modal__nav onboarding-modal__done'><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.next' defaultMessage='Done' /></a>;
+    }
+
+    const styles = pages.map((page, i) => ({
+      key: i,
+      style: { opacity: spring(i === currentIndex ? 1 : 0) }
+    }));
+
+    return (
+      <div className='modal-root__modal onboarding-modal'>
+        <TransitionMotion styles={styles}>
+          {interpolatedStyles =>
+            <div className='onboarding-modal__pager'>
+              {pages.map((page, i) =>
+                <div key={i} style={{ opacity: interpolatedStyles[i].style.opacity, pointerEvents: i === currentIndex ? 'auto' : 'none' }}>{page}</div>
+              )}
+            </div>
+          }
+        </TransitionMotion>
+
+        <div className='onboarding-modal__paginator'>
+          <div>
+            <a href='#' className='onboarding-modal__skip' onClick={this.handleSkip}><FormattedMessage id='onboarding.skip' defaultMessage='Skip' /></a>
+          </div>
+
+          <div className='onboarding-modal__dots'>
+            {pages.map((_, i) => <div key={i} onClick={this.handleDot.bind(null, i)} className={`onboarding-modal__dot ${i === currentIndex ? 'active' : ''}`} />)}
+          </div>
+
+          <div>
+            {nextOrDoneBtn}
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+});
+
+export default connect(mapStateToProps)(injectIntl(OnboardingModal));
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/components/reducers/settings.jsx b/app/assets/javascripts/components/reducers/settings.jsx
index 8acc3facaf..820af99edb 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/components/reducers/settings.jsx
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/components/reducers/settings.jsx
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { STORE_HYDRATE } from '../actions/store';
 import Immutable from 'immutable';
 
 const initialState = Immutable.Map({
+  onboarded: false,
+
   home: Immutable.Map({
     shows: Immutable.Map({
       reblog: true,
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/components.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/components.scss
index 8bd35819a9..84344e94d4 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/components.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/components.scss
@@ -932,6 +932,12 @@ a.status__content__spoiler-link {
   }
 }
 
+.pseudo-drawer {
+  background: lighten($color1, 13%);
+  font-size: 13px;
+  text-align: left;
+}
+
 .drawer__header {
   flex: 0 0 auto;
   font-size: 16px;
@@ -2018,6 +2024,7 @@ button.icon-button.active i.fa-retweet {
 .modal-root__modal {
   pointer-events: auto;
   display: flex;
+  z-index: 9999;
 }
 
 .media-modal {
@@ -2031,6 +2038,237 @@ button.icon-button.active i.fa-retweet {
   }
 }
 
+.onboarding-modal {
+  background: $color2;
+  color: $color1;
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__pager {
+  height: 80vh;
+  width: 80vw;
+  max-width: 500px;
+  max-height: 350px;
+  position: relative;
+
+  & > div {
+    position: absolute;
+    top: 0;
+    left: 0;
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    box-sizing: border-box;
+    padding: 25px;
+    display: none;
+    flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    display: flex;
+    opacity: 0;
+    user-select: text;
+  }
+}
+
+@media screen and (max-width: 550px) {
+  .onboarding-modal {
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    border-radius: 0;
+  }
+
+  .onboarding-modal__pager {
+    width: 100%;
+    height: auto;
+    max-width: none;
+    max-height: none;
+    flex: 1 1 auto;
+  }
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__paginator {
+  flex: 0 0 auto;
+  background: darken($color2, 8%);
+  display: flex;
+  padding: 25px;
+
+  & > div {
+    min-width: 33px;
+  }
+
+  a {
+    color: darken($color2, 34%);
+    text-decoration: none;
+    font-size: 14px;
+    font-weight: 500;
+
+    &:hover, &:focus, &:active {
+      color: darken($color2, 38%);
+    }
+
+    &.onboarding-modal__done, &.onboarding-modal__next {
+      color: $color4;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__dots {
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__dot {
+  width: 14px;
+  height: 14px;
+  border-radius: 14px;
+  background: darken($color2, 16%);
+  margin: 0 3px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+
+  &:hover {
+    background: darken($color2, 18%);
+  }
+
+  &.active {
+    cursor: default;
+    background: darken($color2, 24%);
+  }
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__page {
+  cursor: default;
+  line-height: 21px;
+
+  h1 {
+    font-size: 18px;
+    font-weight: 500;
+    color: $color1;
+    margin-bottom: 20px;
+  }
+
+  a {
+    color: $color4;
+
+    &:hover, &:focus, &:active {
+      color: lighten($color4, 4%);
+    }
+  }
+
+  p {
+    font-size: 16px;
+    color: lighten($color1, 8%);
+    margin-top: 10px;
+    margin-bottom: 10px;
+
+    &:last-child {
+      margin-bottom: 0;
+    }
+
+    strong {
+      font-weight: 500;
+      background: $color1;
+      color: $color2;
+      border-radius: 4px;
+      font-size: 14px;
+      padding: 3px 6px;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__page-one {
+  display: flex;
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__page-one__elephant-friend {
+  background: image-url('elephant-friend.png') no-repeat 0 0;
+  width: 147px;
+  height: 160px;
+  margin-right: 10px;
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__page-two,
+.onboarding-modal__page-three,
+.onboarding-modal__page-four,
+.onboarding-modal__page-five {
+  p {
+    text-align: left;
+  }
+
+  .figure {
+    background: darken($color1, 8%);
+    color: $color2;
+    margin-bottom: 20px;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    padding: 10px;
+    text-align: center;
+    font-size: 14px;
+    box-shadow: 1px 2px 6px rgba($color8, 0.3);
+
+    .onboarding-modal__image {
+      border-radius: 4px;
+      margin-bottom: 10px;
+    }
+
+    &.non-interactive {
+      pointer-events: none;
+      text-align: left;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__page-four__columns {
+  .row {
+    display: flex;
+    margin-bottom: 20px;
+
+    & > div {
+      flex: 1 1 0;
+      margin: 0 10px;
+
+      &:first-child {
+        margin-left: 0;
+      }
+
+      &:last-child {
+        margin-right: 0;
+      }
+
+      p {
+        text-align: center;
+      }
+    }
+
+    &:last-child {
+      margin-bottom: 0;
+    }
+  }
+
+  .column-header {
+    color: $color5;
+  }
+}
+
+.onboarding-modal__image {
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  width: 70vw;
+  max-width: 450px;
+  max-height: auto;
+  display: block;
+  margin: auto;
+  margin-bottom: 20px;
+}
+
+.onboard-sliders {
+  display: inline-block;
+  max-width: 30px;
+  max-height: auto;
+  margin-left: 10px;
+}
+
 .boost-modal {
   background: lighten($color2, 8%);
   color: $color1;
diff --git a/app/controllers/home_controller.rb b/app/controllers/home_controller.rb
index 2d1cf74f03..0a25b52aa3 100644
--- a/app/controllers/home_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/home_controller.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class HomeController < ApplicationController
     @body_classes           = 'app-body'
     @token                  = find_or_create_access_token.token
     @web_settings           = Web::Setting.find_by(user: current_user)&.data || {}
+    @admin                  = Account.find_local(Setting.site_contact_username)
     @streaming_api_base_url = Rails.configuration.x.streaming_api_base_url
   end
 
diff --git a/app/views/home/initial_state.json.rabl b/app/views/home/initial_state.json.rabl
index 9f94e6141d..ce7bfbd44c 100644
--- a/app/views/home/initial_state.json.rabl
+++ b/app/views/home/initial_state.json.rabl
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ node(:meta) do
     streaming_api_base_url: @streaming_api_base_url,
     access_token: @token,
     locale: I18n.locale,
+    domain: Rails.configuration.x.local_domain,
     me: current_account.id,
+    admin: @admin.try(:id),
     boost_modal: current_account.user.setting_boost_modal,
   }
 end
@@ -18,9 +20,10 @@ node(:compose) do
 end
 
 node(:accounts) do
-  {
-    current_account.id => partial('api/v1/accounts/show', object: current_account),
-  }
+  store = {}
+  store[current_account.id] = partial('api/v1/accounts/show', object: current_account)
+  store[@admin.id] = partial('api/v1/accounts/show', object: @admin) unless @admin.nil?
+  store
 end
 
 node(:settings) { @web_settings }