diff --git a/plugins/Activity/ActivityPlugin.php b/plugins/Activity/ActivityPlugin.php
index 92972ff173..1a460219dc 100644
--- a/plugins/Activity/ActivityPlugin.php
+++ b/plugins/Activity/ActivityPlugin.php
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class ActivityPlugin extends Plugin
         if (!empty($user)) {
         	$sub = Subscription::pkeyGet(array('subscriber' => $subscriber->id,
                                            	   'subscribed' => $other->id));
-            $rendered = sprintf(_m('<em><a href="%s">%s</a> started following <a href="%s">%s</a></em>.'),
+            $rendered = sprintf(_m('<a href="%s">%s</a> started following <a href="%s">%s</a>.'),
             					$subscriber->profileurl,
             					$subscriber->getBestName(),
                                 $other->profileurl,
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ class ActivityPlugin extends Plugin
         if(!$this->StopFollowUser) return true;
         $user = $subscriber->getUser();
         if (!empty($user)) {
-            $rendered = sprintf(_m('<em><a href="%s">%s</a> stopped following <a href="%s">%s</a></em>.'),
+            $rendered = sprintf(_m('<a href="%s">%s</a> stopped following <a href="%s">%s</a>.'),
             					$subscriber->profileurl,
             					$subscriber->getBestName(),
                                 $other->profileurl,
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class ActivityPlugin extends Plugin
             $fave   = Fave::pkeyGet(array('user_id' => $user->id,
             						  	  'notice_id' => $notice->id));
             
-            $rendered = sprintf(_m('<em><a href="%s">%s</a> liked <a href="%s">%s\'s update</a></em>.'),
+            $rendered = sprintf(_m('<a href="%s">%s</a> liked <a href="%s">%s\'s update</a>.'),
             					$profile->profileurl,
             					$profile->getBestName(),
                                 $notice->bestUrl(),
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ class ActivityPlugin extends Plugin
 
         if (!empty($user)) {
             $author = Profile::staticGet('id', $notice->profile_id);
-            $rendered = sprintf(_m('<em><a href="%s">%s</a> stopped liking <a href="%s">%s\'s update</a></em>.'),
+            $rendered = sprintf(_m('<a href="%s">%s</a> stopped liking <a href="%s">%s\'s update</a>.'),
             					$profile->profileurl,
             					$profile->getBestName(),
                                 $notice->bestUrl(),
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ class ActivityPlugin extends Plugin
             return true;
         }
         
-        $rendered = sprintf(_m('<em><a href="%s">%s</a> joined the group <a href="%s">%s</a></em>.'),
+        $rendered = sprintf(_m('<a href="%s">%s</a> joined the group <a href="%s">%s</a>.'),
             				$profile->profileurl,
             				$profile->getBestName(),
                             $group->homeUrl(),
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ class ActivityPlugin extends Plugin
             return true;
         }
         
-        $rendered = sprintf(_m('<em><a href="%s">%s</a> left the group <a href="%s">%s</a></em>.'),
+        $rendered = sprintf(_m('<a href="%s">%s</a> left the group <a href="%s">%s</a>.'),
             				$profile->profileurl,
             				$profile->getBestName(),
                             $group->homeUrl(),
diff --git a/plugins/Activity/joinlistitem.php b/plugins/Activity/joinlistitem.php
index 1979524001..5764f1d2e6 100644
--- a/plugins/Activity/joinlistitem.php
+++ b/plugins/Activity/joinlistitem.php
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class JoinListItem extends SystemListItem
             $out->elementStart('div', 'join-activity');
         	$profile = $mem->getMember();
         	$group = $mem->getGroup();
-        	$out->raw(sprintf(_m('<em><a href="%s">%s</a> joined the group <a href="%s">%s</a></em>.'),
+        	$out->raw(sprintf(_m('<a href="%s">%s</a> joined the group <a href="%s">%s</a>.'),
             					$profile->profileurl,
             					$profile->getBestName(),
                             	$group->homeUrl(),
diff --git a/plugins/Activity/systemlistitem.php b/plugins/Activity/systemlistitem.php
index d2b99c802e..0b8d2f4c02 100644
--- a/plugins/Activity/systemlistitem.php
+++ b/plugins/Activity/systemlistitem.php
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class SystemListItem extends NoticeListItemAdapter
     function showNotice()
     {
         $out = $this->nli->out;
-        $out->elementStart('div');
+        $out->elementStart('div', 'entry-title');
         $this->showContent();
         $out->elementEnd('div');
     }
diff --git a/theme/base/css/display.css b/theme/base/css/display.css
index 9ad1b4ec15..5b18772db8 100644
--- a/theme/base/css/display.css
+++ b/theme/base/css/display.css
@@ -1514,6 +1514,15 @@ content:'☠';
 font-size:150%;
 }
 
+#content .notice-source-system div.entry-title, .notice-source-system div.entry-content {
+    margin-left: 0;
+} 
+
+#content .notice-source-system div.entry-title {
+    font-style: italic;
+    min-height: 0;
+} 
+
 /* override OStatus plugin style */
 
 #form_ostatus_connect.form_settings.dialogbox, #form_ostatus_sub.dialogbox {