diff --git a/client/qml/Timeline.qml b/client/qml/Timeline.qml
index bb7dd7c1..09bb07e9 100644
--- a/client/qml/Timeline.qml
+++ b/client/qml/Timeline.qml
@@ -128,15 +128,10 @@ Page {
                 id: topicField
                 visible: roomHeader.showTopic
                 width: parent.width
-                // Allow 6 lines of the topic but not more than 20% of the
-                // timeline vertical space; if there are more than 6 lines
-                // reveal the top of the 7th line as a hint
-                height: Math.min(
-                            topicText.contentHeight,
-                            root.height / 5,
-                            settings.lineSpacing * 6.6)
-                        + topicText.topPadding + topicText.bottomPadding
-                clip: true
+                // Allow 5 full (actually, 6 minus padding) lines of the topic
+                // but not more than 20% of the timeline vertical space
+                height:
+                    Math.min(topicText.implicitHeight, root.height / 5, settings.lineSpacing * 6)
 
                 ScrollBar.horizontal.policy: ScrollBar.AlwaysOff
                 ScrollBar.vertical.policy: ScrollBar.AsNeeded