diff --git a/web/src/message_edit.ts b/web/src/message_edit.ts
index 6c3a6423bf..6f561661d4 100644
--- a/web/src/message_edit.ts
+++ b/web/src/message_edit.ts
@@ -899,6 +899,8 @@ export function start_inline_topic_edit($recipient_row: JQuery): void {
     const $form = $(
         render_topic_edit_form({
             max_topic_length: realm.max_topic_length,
+            realm_mandatory_topics: realm.realm_mandatory_topics,
+            empty_string_topic_display_name: util.get_final_topic_display_name(""),
         }),
     );
     message_lists.current.show_edit_topic_on_recipient_row($recipient_row, $form);
@@ -912,10 +914,6 @@ export function start_inline_topic_edit($recipient_row: JQuery): void {
     const topic = message.topic;
     const $inline_topic_edit_input = $form.find<HTMLInputElement>("input.inline_topic_edit");
     $inline_topic_edit_input.val(topic).trigger("select").trigger("focus");
-    if (topic === "") {
-        const topic_display_name = util.get_final_topic_display_name(topic);
-        $inline_topic_edit_input.attr("placeholder", topic_display_name);
-    }
     const stream_name = stream_data.get_stream_name_from_id(message.stream_id);
     composebox_typeahead.initialize_topic_edit_typeahead(
         $inline_topic_edit_input,
diff --git a/web/templates/topic_edit_form.hbs b/web/templates/topic_edit_form.hbs
index 7c864952c2..bd307c6951 100644
--- a/web/templates/topic_edit_form.hbs
+++ b/web/templates/topic_edit_form.hbs
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 {{! Client-side Handlebars template for rendering the topic edit form. }}
 
 <form id="topic_edit_form">
-    <input type="text" value="" class="inline_topic_edit header-v"
-      autocomplete="off" maxlength="{{ max_topic_length }}" />
+    <input type="text" value="" autocomplete="off" maxlength="{{ max_topic_length }}"
+      class="inline_topic_edit header-v {{#unless realm_mandatory_topics}}empty-topic-placeholder-display{{/unless}}"
+      {{#unless realm_mandatory_topics}}placeholder="{{empty_string_topic_display_name}}"{{/unless}} />
     <button type="button" class="topic_edit_save small_square_button animated-purple-button"><i class="fa fa-check" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
     <button type="button" class="topic_edit_cancel small_square_button small_square_x"><i class="fa fa-remove" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
     <div class="alert alert-error edit_error" style="display: none"></div>