diff --git a/static/styles/recent_topics.css b/static/styles/recent_topics.css
index 7159bdeefd..862c2d77e5 100644
--- a/static/styles/recent_topics.css
+++ b/static/styles/recent_topics.css
@@ -268,6 +268,16 @@
             width: 15%;
         }
 
+        thead .last_msg_time_header {
+            /* The responsive table of bootstrap
+               somehow ignores the width of ::after
+               element. This ensures it is always visible.
+               20px = space occupied by ::after (icon) +
+               some extra padding.
+            */
+            padding-right: 20px;
+        }
+
         @media (width < $md_min) {
             /* Hide participants and last message time
                on smaller screens. This ensures user always
diff --git a/static/templates/recent_topics_table.hbs b/static/templates/recent_topics_table.hbs
index 03382c62c6..7dc4c8852e 100644
--- a/static/templates/recent_topics_table.hbs
+++ b/static/templates/recent_topics_table.hbs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
                 <th data-sort="stream_sort">{{t 'Stream' }}</th>
                 <th data-sort="topic_sort">{{t 'Topic' }}</th>
                 <th class='participants_header'>{{t 'Participants' }}</th>
-                <th data-sort="numeric" data-sort-prop="last_msg_id" class="last_msg_time_header active descend">{{t 'Last message' }}</th>
+                <th data-sort="numeric" data-sort-prop="last_msg_id" class="last_msg_time_header active descend">{{t 'Time' }}</th>
             </tr>
         </thead>
         <tbody class="required-text" data-empty="{{t 'No topics match your current filter.' }}"></tbody>