src/components/about/about.js

@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ const About = {
       return this.$store.state.instance.showInstanceSpecificPanel &&
         !this.$store.getters.mergedConfig.hideISP &&
         this.$store.state.instance.instanceSpecificPanelContent
+    },
+    showLocalBubblePanel () {
+      return this.$store.state.instance.localBubbleInstances.length > 0
     }
   }
 }

src/components/about/about.vue

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     <instance-specific-panel v-if="showInstanceSpecificPanel" />
     <staff-panel />
     <terms-of-service-panel />
-    <LocalBubblePanel />
+    <LocalBubblePanel v-if="showLocalBubblePanel" />
     <MRFTransparencyPanel />
     <features-panel v-if="showFeaturesPanel" />
   </div>

src/components/timeline_menu/timeline_menu.vue

@@ -135,7 +135,6 @@
   a {
     display: block;
     padding: 0.6em 0.65em;
-    padding-bottom: 0;
 
     &:hover {
       background-color: $fallback--lightBg;

src/components/timeline_menu/timeline_menu_content.js

@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ const TimelineMenuContent = {
     ...mapState({
       currentUser: state => state.users.currentUser,
       privateMode: state => state.instance.private,
-      federating: state => state.instance.federating
+      federating: state => state.instance.federating,
+      showBubbleTimeline: state => (state.instance.localBubbleInstances.length > 0)
     })
   }
 }

src/components/timeline_menu/timeline_menu_content.vue

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
         >{{ $t("nav.home_timeline") }}</span>
       </router-link>
     </li>
-    <li v-if="currentUser">
+    <li v-if="currentUser && showBubbleTimeline">
       <router-link
         class="menu-item"
         :to="{ name: 'bubble-timeline' }"