diff --git a/static/styles/night_mode.css b/static/styles/night_mode.css
index 67ab07afb6..23a9adde69 100644
--- a/static/styles/night_mode.css
+++ b/static/styles/night_mode.css
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@ on a dark background, and don't change the dark labels dark either. */
         color: hsl(236, 33%, 90%);
     }
 
+    .recent_topics_container .unread_count,
     .topic-list-item .unread_count,
     .expanded_private_message .unread_count {
         background-color: hsla(105, 2%, 50%, 0.5);
@@ -414,11 +415,6 @@ on a dark background, and don't change the dark labels dark either. */
         background-color: hsla(0, 0%, 0%, 0.2);
     }
 
-    .recent_topic_unread_count {
-        background-color: hsl(0, 0%, 15%) !important;
-        color: hsl(0, 0%, 100%);
-    }
-
     .recent_avatars_others {
         color: hsl(0, 0%, 100%) !important;
         background-color: hsl(211, 18%, 25%) !important;
diff --git a/static/styles/recent_topics.css b/static/styles/recent_topics.css
index f478a13159..c044d643ea 100644
--- a/static/styles/recent_topics.css
+++ b/static/styles/recent_topics.css
@@ -116,16 +116,7 @@
             background-color: hsl(0, 11%, 93%);
         }
 
-        .recent_topic_unread_count {
-            background-color: hsl(105, 2%, 50%) !important;
-            color: hsl(0, 0%, 100%);
-            height: 16px;
-            line-height: 16px;
-            font-size: 12px;
-            font-weight: 400;
-            letter-spacing: 0.6px;
-            border-radius: 4px;
-            padding: 0 4px;
+        .unread_count {
             margin-right: 10px;
             align-self: center;
         }
diff --git a/static/templates/recent_topic_row.hbs b/static/templates/recent_topic_row.hbs
index d0de32b78d..26788c03fc 100644
--- a/static/templates/recent_topic_row.hbs
+++ b/static/templates/recent_topic_row.hbs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
                 <a href="{{topic_url}}">{{topic}}</a>
             </div>
             <div class="right_part">
-                {{#if unread_count}}<span class="recent_topic_unread_count">{{unread_count}}</span>{{/if}}
+                {{#if unread_count}}<span class="unread_count">{{unread_count}}</span>{{/if}}
                 <div class="recent_topic_actions">
                     <div class="recent_topics_focusable">
                         {{#if topic_muted}}