diff --git a/www/common/metadata-manager.js b/www/common/metadata-manager.js
index 43367edc7..10dd120c0 100644
--- a/www/common/metadata-manager.js
+++ b/www/common/metadata-manager.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ define(['json.sortify'], function (Sortify) {
         var priv = {};
         var dirty = true;
         var history = false;
-        var degraded = true;
+        var degraded = 1; // truthy value but not true: we don't know yet if we're degraded
         var changeHandlers = [];
         var lazyChangeHandlers = [];
         var titleChangeHandlers = [];
diff --git a/www/common/toolbar.js b/www/common/toolbar.js
index dd79f24a9..c42aa36cb 100644
--- a/www/common/toolbar.js
+++ b/www/common/toolbar.js
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ MessengerUI, Messages) {
             $('<em>').text(Messages.userlist_offline).appendTo($editUsersList);
             numberOfEditUsers = '?';
             numberOfViewUsers = '?';
-        } else if (metadataMgr.isDegraded()) {
+        } else if (metadataMgr.isDegraded() === true) {
             numberOfEditUsers = Math.max(metadataMgr.getChannelMembers().length - 1, 0);
             numberOfViewUsers = '';
             Messages.toolbar_degraded = "Too many editors are present in the pad. The userlist has been disabled to improve performances"; // XXX
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ MessengerUI, Messages) {
 
         if (!online) { return; }
 
-        if (metadataMgr.isDegraded()) { return; }
+        if (metadataMgr.isDegraded() === true) { return; }
 
         // Display the userlist