diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in_border.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in_border.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4b78873a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in_border.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<shape
+	xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+	android:shape="rectangle">
+	<stroke android:width="1dp" android:color="@color/msg_border"/>
+	<corners
+		android:bottomLeftRadius="@dimen/message_bubble_radius_big"
+		android:bottomRightRadius="@dimen/message_bubble_radius_big"
+		android:topLeftRadius="@dimen/message_bubble_radius_small"
+		android:topRightRadius="@dimen/message_bubble_radius_big"/>
+</shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/layout/list_item_conversation_notice_in.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/layout/list_item_conversation_notice_in.xml
index c504e9704..6f27bd5dc 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/layout/list_item_conversation_notice_in.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/layout/list_item_conversation_notice_in.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@
 	xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
 	android:layout_width="match_parent"
 	android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+	android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/message_bubble_margin"
+	android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_tail"
+	android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_non_tail"
 	android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/message_bubble_margin"
+	android:padding="1px"
+	android:background="@drawable/msg_in_border"
 	android:orientation="vertical">
 
 	<org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.emoji.EmojiTextView
@@ -13,21 +18,14 @@
 		android:layout_width="match_parent"
 		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
 		android:layout_gravity="left|start"
-		android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_tail"
-		android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_non_tail"
 		android:background="@drawable/msg_in_top"
-		android:elevation="@dimen/message_bubble_elevation"
 		tools:text="Short message"/>
 
 	<RelativeLayout
 		android:id="@+id/layout"
 		android:layout_width="match_parent"
 		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-		android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/message_bubble_margin"
-		android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_tail"
-		android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_non_tail"
-		android:background="@drawable/notice_in_bottom"
-		android:elevation="@dimen/message_bubble_elevation">
+		android:background="@drawable/notice_in_bottom">
 
 		<org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.emoji.EmojiTextView
 			android:id="@+id/text"
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/layout/list_item_conversation_request.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/layout/list_item_conversation_request.xml
index 16c1f8649..596884b86 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/layout/list_item_conversation_request.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/layout/list_item_conversation_request.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@
 	xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
 	android:layout_width="match_parent"
 	android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+	android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/message_bubble_margin"
+	android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_tail"
+	android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_non_tail"
 	android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/message_bubble_margin"
+	android:padding="1px"
+	android:background="@drawable/msg_in_border"
 	android:orientation="vertical">
 
 	<org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.emoji.EmojiTextView
@@ -12,10 +17,7 @@
 		style="@style/TextMessage"
 		android:layout_width="match_parent"
 		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-		android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_tail"
-		android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_non_tail"
 		android:background="@drawable/msg_in_top"
-		android:elevation="@dimen/message_bubble_elevation"
 		android:textColor="?android:attr/textColorPrimary"
 		tools:text="Short message"/>
 
@@ -23,11 +25,7 @@
 		android:id="@+id/layout"
 		android:layout_width="match_parent"
 		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-		android:layout_marginBottom="@dimen/message_bubble_margin"
-		android:layout_marginLeft="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_tail"
-		android:layout_marginRight="@dimen/message_bubble_margin_non_tail"
-		android:background="@drawable/notice_in_bottom"
-		android:elevation="@dimen/message_bubble_elevation">
+		android:background="@drawable/notice_in_bottom">
 
 		<org.thoughtcrime.securesms.components.emoji.EmojiTextView
 			android:id="@+id/text"
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/values-night/color.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/values-night/color.xml
index 420a5fdf5..3cdccb263 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/values-night/color.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/values-night/color.xml
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 	<color name="msg_out">@color/briar_blue_elio_light</color>
 	<color name="notice_in">@color/briar_blue_dark</color>
 	<color name="notice_out">@color/briar_blue_elio</color>
+	<color name="msg_border">@color/briar_blue_very_dark</color>
 
 	<color name="window_background">@color/briar_blue_very_dark</color>
 	<color name="card_background">@color/briar_blue_dark</color>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/color.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/color.xml
index 86f734559..08ac36605 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/color.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/color.xml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 	<color name="msg_out">@color/briar_blue_elio_light</color>
 	<color name="notice_in">@color/briar_blue_grey</color>
 	<color name="notice_out">@color/briar_blue_elio</color>
+	<color name="msg_border">@color/briar_blue_dark</color>
 
 	<!-- text colors -->
 	<color name="briar_text_link">@color/briar_blue_light</color>