diff --git a/web/src/click_handlers.ts b/web/src/click_handlers.ts
index d4d667cff7..a11e335efa 100644
--- a/web/src/click_handlers.ts
+++ b/web/src/click_handlers.ts
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ export function initialize(): void {
         );
         e.stopPropagation();
     });
-    $("body").on("click", ".always_visible_topic_edit,.on_hover_topic_edit", function (e) {
+    $("body").on("click", ".on_hover_topic_edit", function (e) {
         const $recipient_row = $(this).closest(".recipient_row");
         message_edit.start_inline_topic_edit($recipient_row);
         e.stopPropagation();
diff --git a/web/src/message_list.ts b/web/src/message_list.ts
index 64d2a9ad87..1583b63b7c 100644
--- a/web/src/message_list.ts
+++ b/web/src/message_list.ts
@@ -542,7 +542,6 @@ export class MessageList {
         $recipient_row.find(".on_hover_topic_edit").hide();
         $recipient_row.find(".stream_topic").hide();
         $recipient_row.find(".topic_edit").show();
-        $recipient_row.find(".always_visible_topic_edit").hide();
         $recipient_row.find(".on_hover_topic_resolve").hide();
         $recipient_row.find(".on_hover_topic_unresolve").hide();
     }
@@ -552,7 +551,6 @@ export class MessageList {
         $recipient_row.find(".on_hover_topic_edit").show();
         $recipient_row.find(".topic_edit_form").empty();
         $recipient_row.find(".topic_edit").hide();
-        $recipient_row.find(".always_visible_topic_edit").show();
         $recipient_row.find(".on_hover_topic_resolve").show();
         $recipient_row.find(".on_hover_topic_unresolve").show();
     }
diff --git a/web/src/message_list_view.ts b/web/src/message_list_view.ts
index e04225eae3..0a402085f8 100644
--- a/web/src/message_list_view.ts
+++ b/web/src/message_list_view.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import render_single_message from "../templates/single_message.hbs";
 import * as activity from "./activity.ts";
 import * as blueslip from "./blueslip.ts";
 import * as compose_fade from "./compose_fade.ts";
-import * as compose_state from "./compose_state.ts";
 import * as condense from "./condense.ts";
 import * as hash_util from "./hash_util.ts";
 import {$t} from "./i18n.ts";
@@ -88,7 +87,6 @@ export type MessageGroup = {
     | {
           is_stream: true;
           all_visibility_policies: AllVisibilityPolicies;
-          always_visible_topic_edit: boolean;
           display_recipient: string;
           invite_only: boolean;
           is_subscribed: boolean;
@@ -96,7 +94,6 @@ export type MessageGroup = {
           is_web_public: boolean;
           just_unsubscribed?: boolean;
           match_topic: string | undefined;
-          on_hover_topic_edit: boolean;
           recipient_bar_color: string;
           stream_id: number;
           stream_name?: string;
@@ -300,35 +297,14 @@ function get_timestr(message: Message): string {
 }
 
 function get_topic_edit_properties(message: Message): {
-    always_visible_topic_edit: boolean;
-    on_hover_topic_edit: boolean;
     is_topic_editable: boolean;
     user_can_resolve_topic: boolean;
 } {
-    let always_visible_topic_edit = false;
-    let on_hover_topic_edit = false;
-
     const is_topic_editable = message_edit.is_topic_editable(message);
-
     // if a user who can edit a topic, can resolve it as well
     const user_can_resolve_topic = is_topic_editable;
 
-    if (is_topic_editable) {
-        // Messages with no topics should always have an edit icon visible
-        // to encourage updating them. Admins can also edit any topic.
-        if (
-            message.type === "stream" &&
-            message.topic === compose_state.empty_topic_placeholder()
-        ) {
-            always_visible_topic_edit = true;
-        } else {
-            on_hover_topic_edit = true;
-        }
-    }
-
     return {
-        always_visible_topic_edit,
-        on_hover_topic_edit,
         is_topic_editable,
         user_can_resolve_topic,
     };
diff --git a/web/styles/message_header.css b/web/styles/message_header.css
index 32dca6801f..100e810008 100644
--- a/web/styles/message_header.css
+++ b/web/styles/message_header.css
@@ -267,7 +267,6 @@
     }
 }
 
-.always_visible_topic_edit,
 .on_hover_topic_read {
     opacity: 0.7;
 
diff --git a/web/templates/recipient_row.hbs b/web/templates/recipient_row.hbs
index 64047cfbc1..53fa6330ac 100644
--- a/web/templates/recipient_row.hbs
+++ b/web/templates/recipient_row.hbs
@@ -48,9 +48,7 @@
             {{/each}}
 
             {{! edit topic pencil icon }}
-            {{#if always_visible_topic_edit}}
-                <i class="fa fa-pencil always_visible_topic_edit recipient_bar_icon hidden-for-spectators" data-tippy-content="{{t 'Edit topic'}}" role="button" tabindex="0" aria-label="{{t 'Edit topic' }}"></i>
-            {{else if on_hover_topic_edit}}
+            {{#if is_topic_editable}}
                 <i class="fa fa-pencil on_hover_topic_edit recipient_bar_icon hidden-for-spectators" data-tippy-content="{{t 'Edit topic'}}" role="button" tabindex="0" aria-label="{{t 'Edit topic' }}"></i>
             {{/if}}