diff --git a/modules/tribes/client/api/tribes.api.js b/modules/tribes/client/api/tribes.api.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9040de3c0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/tribes/client/api/tribes.api.js
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import axios from 'axios';
+
+export async function join(tribeId) {
+  const { data } = await axios.post(`/api/users/memberships/${tribeId}`);
+  return data;
+}
+
+export async function leave(tribeId) {
+  const { data } = await axios.delete(`/api/users/memberships/${tribeId}`);
+  return data;
+}
diff --git a/modules/tribes/client/components/JoinButton.component.js b/modules/tribes/client/components/JoinButton.component.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0ed1b375a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/tribes/client/components/JoinButton.component.js
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
+import LeaveTribeModal from './LeaveTribeModal';
+import { OverlayTrigger, Tooltip } from 'react-bootstrap';
+
+import * as api from '../api/tribes.api';
+
+function JoinButtonPresentational({ isMember, isLoading, joinLabel='Join', joinedLabel='Joined', tribe, isLoggedIn, onToggle }) {
+  const { t } = useTranslation('tribes');
+
+  const ariaLabel = (isMember) ? t('Leave Tribe') : t(`${joinLabel} ({{label}})`, { label: tribe.label });
+  const buttonLabel = (isMember) ? t(joinedLabel) : t(joinLabel);
+
+  // a button to be shown when user is signed out
+  if (!isLoggedIn) {
+    return <a
+      href={`/signup?tribe=${tribe.slug}`}
+      type="button"
+      className="btn btn-sm btn-default tribe-join"
+    >
+      <i className="icon-plus" /> {buttonLabel}
+    </a>;
+  }
+
+  // a button for joining and leaving a tribe
+  const leaveTooltip = <Tooltip id={`tribe-${tribe._id}`} placement="bottom">{t('Leave Tribe')}</Tooltip>;
+  const btn = <button
+    type="button"
+    className={`${isMember ? 'btn-active' : ''} btn btn-sm btn-default tribe-join`}
+    onClick={onToggle}
+    disabled={isLoading}
+    aria-label={ariaLabel}
+  >
+    <i className={(isMember) ? 'icon-ok' : 'icon-plus'} /> {buttonLabel}
+  </button>;
+
+  if (isMember) {
+    return <OverlayTrigger placement="bottom" overlay={leaveTooltip}>{btn}</OverlayTrigger>;
+  } else {
+    return btn;
+  }
+}
+
+JoinButtonPresentational.propTypes = {
+  isMember: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
+  isLoading: PropTypes.bool,
+  isLoggedIn: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
+  joinLabel: PropTypes.string,
+  joinedLabel: PropTypes.string,
+  tribe: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
+  onToggle: PropTypes.func,
+};
+
+// @TODO this can (and should) be replaced by other container, when we finish the migration; when we start using redux etc.
+export default function JoinButton({ tribe, user, onUpdated, ...rest }) {
+  // isLeaving controls whether the modal for leaving a tribe is shown
+  const [isLeaving, setIsLeaving] = useState(false);
+
+  const [isUpdating, setIsUpdating] = useState(false);
+
+  const isMemberInitial = user && user.memberIds && user.memberIds.indexOf(tribe._id) > -1;
+  const [isMember, setIsMember] = useState(isMemberInitial);
+
+  /**
+   * Handle joining or leaving of a tribe
+   * - Join: join tribe immediately (api call)
+   * - Leave: show confirmation modal
+   */
+  async function handleToggleMembership() {
+    if (isUpdating) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (isMember) {
+      setIsLeaving(true);
+    } else {
+      // updating starts
+      setIsUpdating(true);
+
+      // join
+      const data = await api.join(tribe._id);
+      // update the membership locally
+      setIsMember(true);
+
+      // updating finished
+      setIsUpdating(false);
+      // tell the ancestor components that the membership was updated
+      onUpdated(data);
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Leave a tribe (api call)
+   */
+  async function handleLeave() {
+    setIsUpdating(true);
+    const data = await api.leave(tribe._id);
+    setIsUpdating(false);
+    setIsLeaving(false);
+    setIsMember(false);
+    // tell the ancestor components that the membership was updated
+    onUpdated(data);
+  }
+
+  function handleCancelLeave() {
+    setIsLeaving(false);
+  }
+
+  return <>
+    <LeaveTribeModal show={isLeaving} tribe={tribe} onConfirm={handleLeave} onCancel={handleCancelLeave}/>
+    <JoinButtonPresentational tribe={tribe} isLoggedIn={!!user} isMember={isMember} isLoading={isUpdating} {...rest} onToggle={handleToggleMembership} />
+  </>;
+}
+
+JoinButton.propTypes = {
+  tribe: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
+  user: PropTypes.object,
+  onUpdated: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+};
diff --git a/modules/tribes/client/components/LeaveTribeModal.js b/modules/tribes/client/components/LeaveTribeModal.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..881858d2f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/tribes/client/components/LeaveTribeModal.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
+import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next';
+import { Modal } from 'react-bootstrap';
+
+export default function LeaveTribeModal({ tribe, show, onConfirm, onCancel }) {
+
+  const { t } = useTranslation('tribes');
+
+  return (
+    <Modal show={show} onHide={onCancel}>
+      <div className="modal-content">
+        <Modal.Header>
+          <Modal.Title>{t('Leave this Tribe?')}</Modal.Title>
+        </Modal.Header>
+
+        <Modal.Body>
+          {t('Do you want to leave "{{label}}"?', { label: tribe.label })}
+        </Modal.Body>
+
+        <Modal.Footer>
+          <button className="btn btn-primary" onClick={onConfirm}>{t('Leave Tribe')}</button>
+          <button className="btn btn-default" onClick={onCancel}>{t('Cancel')}</button>
+        </Modal.Footer>
+      </div>
+    </Modal>
+  );
+}
+
+LeaveTribeModal.propTypes = {
+  show: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
+  onConfirm: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  onCancel: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  tribe: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
+};
diff --git a/modules/tribes/client/controllers/tribes-list.client.controller.js b/modules/tribes/client/controllers/tribes-list.client.controller.js
index e15e6c01e2..e2363cb2fa 100644
--- a/modules/tribes/client/controllers/tribes-list.client.controller.js
+++ b/modules/tribes/client/controllers/tribes-list.client.controller.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ angular
   .controller('TribesListController', TribesListController);
 
 /* @ngInject */
-function TribesListController(tribes, $state, Authentication, TribeService, $scope) {
+function TribesListController(tribes, $state, Authentication, TribeService, $rootScope, $scope) {
 
   // ViewModel
   const vm = this;
@@ -12,6 +12,16 @@ function TribesListController(tribes, $state, Authentication, TribeService, $sco
   vm.tribes = tribes;
   vm.user = Authentication.user;
   vm.openTribe = openTribe;
+  vm.broadcastChange = function (data) {
+    if (data.tribe) {
+      $rootScope.$broadcast('tribeUpdated', data.tribe);
+    }
+
+    if (data.user) {
+      Authentication.user = data.user;
+      $rootScope.$broadcast('userUpdated');
+    }
+  };
 
   /**
    * Open tribe
diff --git a/modules/tribes/client/views/tribes-list.client.view.html b/modules/tribes/client/views/tribes-list.client.view.html
index 6c9cfc7934..6c262cd7de 100644
--- a/modules/tribes/client/views/tribes-list.client.view.html
+++ b/modules/tribes/client/views/tribes-list.client.view.html
@@ -38,11 +38,13 @@ <h3 class="font-brand-light tribe-label" ng-bind="::tribe.label"></h3>
             </div>
           </a>
           <div class="tribe-actions">
-            <tr-tribe-join-button
-              class="btn btn-sm btn-default tribe-join"
+            <join-button
+              ng-if="tribe"
               tribe="tribe"
-              icon="true">
-            </tr-tribe-join-button>
+              user="app.user"
+              icon="true"
+              onUpdated="tribesList.broadcastChange"
+            ></join-button>
           </div>
         </li>
         <li>