diff --git a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
index bee5abf61c..0dbaeb2a42 100644
--- a/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
+++ b/frontend_tests/node_tests/compose.js
@@ -1558,7 +1558,10 @@ test_ui("on_events", (override) => {
 
         function test_post_error(error_callback) {
             error_callback();
-            assert.equal($("#preview_content").html(), "translated: Failed to generate preview");
+            assert.equal(
+                $("#preview_content").html(),
+                "translated HTML: Failed to generate preview",
+            );
         }
 
         function mock_channel_post(msg) {
@@ -1598,7 +1601,7 @@ test_ui("on_events", (override) => {
 
         handler(event);
 
-        assert.equal($("#preview_content").html(), "translated: Nothing to preview");
+        assert.equal($("#preview_content").html(), "translated HTML: Nothing to preview");
         assert_visibilities();
 
         let make_indicator_called = false;
diff --git a/static/js/compose.js b/static/js/compose.js
index 1ff5c9015d..18fd222003 100644
--- a/static/js/compose.js
+++ b/static/js/compose.js
@@ -955,7 +955,7 @@ export function render_and_show_preview(preview_spinner, preview_content_box, co
     }
 
     if (content.length === 0) {
-        show_preview(i18n.t("Nothing to preview"));
+        show_preview($t_html({defaultMessage: "Nothing to preview"}));
     } else {
         if (markdown.contains_backend_only_syntax(content)) {
             const spinner = preview_spinner.expectOne();
@@ -988,7 +988,7 @@ export function render_and_show_preview(preview_spinner, preview_content_box, co
                 if (markdown.contains_backend_only_syntax(content)) {
                     loading.destroy_indicator(preview_spinner);
                 }
-                show_preview(i18n.t("Failed to generate preview"));
+                show_preview($t_html({defaultMessage: "Failed to generate preview"}));
             },
         });
     }