diff --git a/web/styles/compose.css b/web/styles/compose.css
index 5e122731f9..0742973754 100644
--- a/web/styles/compose.css
+++ b/web/styles/compose.css
@@ -506,9 +506,9 @@
     grid-area: message-formatting-controls-container;
     border-radius: 0 0 3px 3px;
     background-color: var(--color-message-formatting-controls-container);
-    border: 1px solid var(--color-message-content-container-border);
-    border-top: none;
-    border-bottom: none;
+    /* margin on either side to let the border of
+       .message-content-container show through. */
+    margin: 0 1px;
 }
 
 .compose-scrolling-buttons-container {