diff --git a/css/converse.css b/css/converse.css
index 5f59e41a6..1f3304c8e 100644
--- a/css/converse.css
+++ b/css/converse.css
@@ -11905,6 +11905,8 @@ body.converse-fullscreen {
 
 #conversejs .message.chat-msg--action {
   font-style: italic; }
+  #conversejs .message.chat-msg--action .chat-msg__author {
+    padding-right: 0.2em; }
 
 #conversejs .message.chat-msg {
   display: inline-flex;
diff --git a/sass/_messages.scss b/sass/_messages.scss
index 13bc11f92..cce540c65 100644
--- a/sass/_messages.scss
+++ b/sass/_messages.scss
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@
         }
         &.chat-msg--action {
             font-style: italic;
+
+            .chat-msg__author {
+                padding-right: 0.2em;
+            }
         }
 
         &.chat-msg {