diff --git a/web/src/message_view_header.js b/web/src/message_view_header.js
index 3be55694bd..5d99e19c9d 100644
--- a/web/src/message_view_header.js
+++ b/web/src/message_view_header.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import render_message_view_header from "../templates/message_view_header.hbs";
 import {$t} from "./i18n";
 import * as inbox_util from "./inbox_util";
 import * as narrow_state from "./narrow_state";
+import {page_params} from "./page_params";
 import * as peer_data from "./peer_data";
 import * as recent_view_util from "./recent_view_util";
 import * as rendered_markdown from "./rendered_markdown";
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ function make_message_view_header(filter) {
         };
     }
     message_view_header.title = filter.get_title();
+    message_view_header.is_spectator = page_params.is_spectator;
     filter.add_icon_data(message_view_header);
     if (filter.has_operator("stream") && !filter._sub) {
         message_view_header.sub_count = "0";
diff --git a/web/templates/message_view_header.hbs b/web/templates/message_view_header.hbs
index 7d92bf3d46..641ad6f1a9 100644
--- a/web/templates/message_view_header.hbs
+++ b/web/templates/message_view_header.hbs
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@
 <template id="stream-details-tooltip-template">
     <div>
         <div>{{t "Go to stream settings" }}</div>
+        {{#unless is_spectator}}
         <div class="tooltip-inner-content italic">
             {{t "This stream has {sub_count, plural, =0 {no subscribers} one {# subscriber} other {# subscribers}}." }}
         </div>
+        {{/unless}}
     </div>
 </template>
 <span class="narrow_description rendered_markdown">