diff --git a/briar-android/build.gradle b/briar-android/build.gradle
index 152fe1708..564c6e6c4 100644
--- a/briar-android/build.gradle
+++ b/briar-android/build.gradle
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ task verifyTranslations {
 
 		def folders = ["default", "en-US"]
 		project.file("src/main/res").eachDir { dir ->
-			if (dir.name.startsWith("values-") && !dir.name.endsWith("night")) {
+			if (dir.name.startsWith("values-") && !dir.name.endsWith("night") && !dir.name.endsWith("v21")) {
 				folders.add(dir.name.substring(7).replace("-r", "-"))
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in.xml
index be0e510dc..14b8d7d83 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in.xml
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@
 		android:top="@dimen/message_bubble_padding_top"/>
 	<solid
 		android:color="@color/msg_in"/>
+	<stroke
+		android:width="@dimen/message_bubble_stroke"
+		android:color="@color/msg_stroke"/>
 </shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in_top.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in_top.xml
index 3f8c52e40..236c82b75 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in_top.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_in_top.xml
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@
 		android:top="@dimen/message_bubble_padding_top"/>
 	<solid
 		android:color="@color/msg_in"/>
+	<stroke
+		android:width="@dimen/message_bubble_stroke"
+		android:color="@color/msg_stroke"/>
 </shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_out.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_out.xml
index 92db23ba4..35fa220ad 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_out.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_out.xml
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@
 		android:top="@dimen/message_bubble_padding_top"/>
 	<solid
 		android:color="@color/msg_out"/>
+	<stroke
+		android:width="@dimen/message_bubble_stroke"
+		android:color="@color/msg_stroke_dark"/>
 </shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_out_top.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_out_top.xml
index c56165226..fe6299634 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_out_top.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/msg_out_top.xml
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@
 		android:top="@dimen/message_bubble_padding_top"/>
 	<solid
 		android:color="@color/msg_out"/>
+	<stroke
+		android:width="@dimen/message_bubble_stroke"
+		android:color="@color/msg_stroke_dark"/>
 </shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_in.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_in.xml
index 4d031a626..fbfaa069b 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_in.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_in.xml
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@
 		android:top="@dimen/message_bubble_padding_top"/>
 	<solid
 		android:color="@color/notice_in"/>
+	<stroke
+		android:width="@dimen/message_bubble_stroke"
+		android:color="@color/msg_stroke"/>
 </shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_in_bottom.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_in_bottom.xml
index f4053190e..5f6b29663 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_in_bottom.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_in_bottom.xml
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@
 		android:top="@dimen/message_bubble_padding_bottom"/>
 	<solid
 		android:color="@color/notice_in"/>
+	<stroke
+		android:width="@dimen/message_bubble_stroke"
+		android:color="@color/msg_stroke"/>
 </shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_out.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_out.xml
index 1c9084ba4..8734935cf 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_out.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_out.xml
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@
 		android:top="@dimen/message_bubble_padding_top"/>
 	<solid
 		android:color="@color/notice_out"/>
+	<stroke
+		android:width="@dimen/message_bubble_stroke"
+		android:color="@color/msg_stroke_dark"/>
 </shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_out_bottom.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_out_bottom.xml
index b42740df4..6479a753e 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_out_bottom.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/drawable/notice_out_bottom.xml
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@
 		android:top="@dimen/message_bubble_padding_bottom"/>
 	<solid
 		android:color="@color/notice_out"/>
+	<stroke
+		android:width="@dimen/message_bubble_stroke"
+		android:color="@color/msg_stroke_dark"/>
 </shape>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/values-night/color.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/values-night/color.xml
index 420a5fdf5..130accabe 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_stroke">@color/msg_stroke_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-v21/dimens.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/values-v21/dimens.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a9b85afbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/values-v21/dimens.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<resources>
+
+	<dimen name="message_bubble_stroke">0px</dimen>
+
+</resources>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/color.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/color.xml
index 86f734559..3d57fec4d 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/color.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/color.xml
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@
 	<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_stroke_light">#cbcbcb</color>
+	<color name="msg_stroke_dark">#333333</color>
+	<color name="msg_stroke">@color/msg_stroke_light</color>
 
 	<!-- text colors -->
 	<color name="briar_text_link">@color/briar_blue_light</color>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml
index 4d925f9e6..cf0d23ccd 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/values/dimens.xml
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 	<dimen name="message_bubble_elevation">2dp</dimen>
 	<dimen name="message_bubble_margin_tail">8dp</dimen>
 	<dimen name="message_bubble_margin_non_tail">30dp</dimen>
+	<dimen name="message_bubble_stroke">1px</dimen>
 
 	<dimen name="forum_nested_line_width">2dp</dimen>
 	<dimen name="forum_nested_indicator">24dp</dimen>