diff --git a/moveit_ros/planning/planning_pipeline/src/planning_pipeline.cpp b/moveit_ros/planning/planning_pipeline/src/planning_pipeline.cpp
index 0558a605ab..07cb9874c1 100644
--- a/moveit_ros/planning/planning_pipeline/src/planning_pipeline.cpp
+++ b/moveit_ros/planning/planning_pipeline/src/planning_pipeline.cpp
@@ -264,6 +264,11 @@ bool planning_pipeline::PlanningPipeline::generatePlan(const planning_scene::Pla
     ROS_DEBUG_STREAM("Motion planner reported a solution path with " << state_count << " states");
     if (check_solution_paths_)
     {
+      visualization_msgs::MarkerArray arr;
+      visualization_msgs::Marker m;
+      m.action = visualization_msgs::Marker::DELETEALL;
+      arr.markers.push_back(m);
+
       std::vector<std::size_t> index;
       if (!planning_scene->isPathValid(*res.trajectory_, req.path_constraints, req.group_name, false, &index))
       {
@@ -301,7 +306,6 @@ bool planning_pipeline::PlanningPipeline::generatePlan(const planning_scene::Pla
                              << private_nh_.resolveName(MOTION_CONTACTS_TOPIC));
 
             // call validity checks in verbose mode for the problematic states
-            visualization_msgs::MarkerArray arr;
             for (std::size_t it : index)
             {
               // check validity with verbose on
@@ -325,8 +329,6 @@ bool planning_pipeline::PlanningPipeline::generatePlan(const planning_scene::Pla
               }
             }
             ROS_ERROR_STREAM("Completed listing of explanations for invalid states.");
-            if (!arr.markers.empty())
-              contacts_publisher_.publish(arr);
           }
         }
         else
@@ -335,6 +337,7 @@ bool planning_pipeline::PlanningPipeline::generatePlan(const planning_scene::Pla
       }
       else
         ROS_DEBUG("Planned path was found to be valid when rechecked");
+      contacts_publisher_.publish(arr);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/motion_planning_display.cpp b/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/motion_planning_display.cpp
index aa343aead9..2ae3f98e16 100644
--- a/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/motion_planning_display.cpp
+++ b/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/motion_planning_display.cpp
@@ -337,28 +337,20 @@ void MotionPlanningDisplay::updateBackgroundJobProgressBar()
 
   if (n == 0)
   {
-    p->setValue(p->maximum());
-    p->update();
     p->hide();
     p->setMaximum(0);
+    p->setValue(0);
   }
   else
   {
-    if (n == 1)
-    {
-      if (p->maximum() == 0)
-        p->setValue(0);
-      else
-        p->setValue(p->maximum() - 1);
-    }
-    else
+    if (p->maximum() < n)  // increase max
     {
-      if (p->maximum() < n)
-        p->setMaximum(n);
-      else
-        p->setValue(p->maximum() - n);
+      p->setMaximum(n);
+      if (n > 1)  // only show bar if there will be a progress to show
+        p->show();
     }
-    p->show();
+    else  // progress
+      p->setValue(p->maximum() - n);
     p->update();
   }
 }
diff --git a/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/motion_planning_frame_joints_widget.cpp b/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/motion_planning_frame_joints_widget.cpp
index 652c2e0e30..0ee9b0127c 100644
--- a/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/motion_planning_frame_joints_widget.cpp
+++ b/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/motion_planning_frame_joints_widget.cpp
@@ -335,6 +335,9 @@ void MotionPlanningFrameJointsWidget::updateNullspaceSliders()
   if (i == 0)
     nullspace_.resize(0, 0);
 
+  // show/hide dummy slider
+  ui_->dummy_ns_slider_->setVisible(i == 0);
+
   // hide remaining sliders
   for (; i < ns_sliders_.size(); ++i)
     ns_sliders_[i]->hide();
diff --git a/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/ui/motion_planning_rviz_plugin_frame.ui b/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/ui/motion_planning_rviz_plugin_frame.ui
index 221318fd01..346228701e 100644
--- a/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/ui/motion_planning_rviz_plugin_frame.ui
+++ b/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/ui/motion_planning_rviz_plugin_frame.ui
@@ -2042,82 +2042,12 @@ This is usually achieved by random seeding, which can flip the robot configurati
        <verstretch>0</verstretch>
       </sizepolicy>
      </property>
-     <property name="minimumSize">
-      <size>
-       <width>0</width>
-       <height>5</height>
-      </size>
-     </property>
      <property name="maximumSize">
       <size>
        <width>16777215</width>
        <height>5</height>
       </size>
      </property>
-     <property name="palette">
-      <palette>
-       <active>
-        <colorrole role="Highlight">
-         <brush brushstyle="SolidPattern">
-          <color alpha="255">
-           <red>255</red>
-           <green>255</green>
-           <blue>255</blue>
-          </color>
-         </brush>
-        </colorrole>
-        <colorrole role="HighlightedText">
-         <brush brushstyle="SolidPattern">
-          <color alpha="255">
-           <red>255</red>
-           <green>0</green>
-           <blue>0</blue>
-          </color>
-         </brush>
-        </colorrole>
-       </active>
-       <inactive>
-        <colorrole role="Highlight">
-         <brush brushstyle="SolidPattern">
-          <color alpha="255">
-           <red>255</red>
-           <green>255</green>
-           <blue>255</blue>
-          </color>
-         </brush>
-        </colorrole>
-        <colorrole role="HighlightedText">
-         <brush brushstyle="SolidPattern">
-          <color alpha="255">
-           <red>255</red>
-           <green>0</green>
-           <blue>0</blue>
-          </color>
-         </brush>
-        </colorrole>
-       </inactive>
-       <disabled>
-        <colorrole role="Highlight">
-         <brush brushstyle="SolidPattern">
-          <color alpha="255">
-           <red>240</red>
-           <green>240</green>
-           <blue>240</blue>
-          </color>
-         </brush>
-        </colorrole>
-        <colorrole role="HighlightedText">
-         <brush brushstyle="SolidPattern">
-          <color alpha="255">
-           <red>255</red>
-           <green>0</green>
-           <blue>0</blue>
-          </color>
-         </brush>
-        </colorrole>
-       </disabled>
-      </palette>
-     </property>
      <property name="whatsThis">
       <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;head/&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;p&gt;Progress of background jobs&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
      </property>
diff --git a/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/ui/motion_planning_rviz_plugin_frame_joints.ui b/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/ui/motion_planning_rviz_plugin_frame_joints.ui
index 389365e9bd..ecde6d0514 100644
--- a/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/ui/motion_planning_rviz_plugin_frame_joints.ui
+++ b/moveit_ros/visualization/motion_planning_rviz_plugin/src/ui/motion_planning_rviz_plugin_frame_joints.ui
@@ -43,14 +43,44 @@
       </widget>
      </item>
      <item>
-      <widget class="QLabel" name="label">
+      <widget class="QLabel" name="nullspace_label">
+       <property name="toolTip">
+        <string>The sliders below allow for jogging the nullspace of the current configuration,
+i.e. trigger joint motions that don't affect the end-effector pose.
+
+Typically, redundant arms (with 7+ joints) offer such a nullspace.
+However, also singular configurations provide a nullspace.
+
+Each basis vector of the (linear) nullspace is represented by a separate slider.</string>
+       </property>
        <property name="text">
         <string>Nullspace exploration:</string>
        </property>
       </widget>
      </item>
      <item>
-      <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="nullspace_layout_"/>
+      <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="nullspace_layout_">
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QSlider" name="dummy_ns_slider_">
+         <property name="enabled">
+          <bool>false</bool>
+         </property>
+         <property name="toolTip">
+          <string>The slider will become active if the current robot configuration has a nullspace.
+That's typically the case for redundant robots, i.e. 7+ joints, or singular configurations.</string>
+         </property>
+         <property name="minimum">
+          <number>-1</number>
+         </property>
+         <property name="maximum">
+          <number>1</number>
+         </property>
+         <property name="orientation">
+          <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
+      </layout>
      </item>
     </layout>
    </item>