diff --git a/css/converse.css b/css/converse.css
index 743134ebf..f1ee52d7f 100644
--- a/css/converse.css
+++ b/css/converse.css
@@ -11963,8 +11963,9 @@ body.converse-fullscreen {
     #conversejs .message.chat-msg .chat-msg__text .emojione {
       margin-bottom: -6px; }
   #conversejs .message.chat-msg .chat-msg__text--larger {
-    font-size: 2em;
-    padding-top: 0.25em; }
+    font-size: 1.6em;
+    padding-top: 0.25em;
+    padding-bottom: 0.25em; }
   #conversejs .message.chat-msg .chat-msg__media {
     margin-top: 0.25rem;
     word-break: break-all; }
diff --git a/dist/converse.js b/dist/converse.js
index daccda218..a98847609 100644
--- a/dist/converse.js
+++ b/dist/converse.js
@@ -92319,7 +92319,7 @@ function convert(unicode) {
 }
 
 _core__WEBPACK_IMPORTED_MODULE_2__["default"].isSingleEmoji = function (str) {
-  if (!str || str.length > 2) {
+  if (!str || str.length > 2 && !str.startsWith(':')) {
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/sass/_messages.scss b/sass/_messages.scss
index 5c15801c8..13bc11f92 100644
--- a/sass/_messages.scss
+++ b/sass/_messages.scss
@@ -178,8 +178,9 @@
             }
 
             .chat-msg__text--larger {
-                font-size: 2em;
+                font-size: 1.6em;
                 padding-top: 0.25em;
+                padding-bottom: 0.25em;
             }
 
             .chat-msg__media {
diff --git a/src/headless/utils/emoji.js b/src/headless/utils/emoji.js
index ab06ea59e..a6e4d27cb 100644
--- a/src/headless/utils/emoji.js
+++ b/src/headless/utils/emoji.js
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ function convert (unicode) {
 }
 
 u.isSingleEmoji = function (str) {
-    if (!str || str.length > 2) {
+    if (!str || (str.length > 2 && !str.startsWith(':'))) {
         return;
     }
     const result = _.flow(u.shortnameToUnicode, twemoji.default.parse)(str)