diff --git a/include/timeline/TimelineItem.h b/include/timeline/TimelineItem.h
index 525cd6e1..c499957b 100644
--- a/include/timeline/TimelineItem.h
+++ b/include/timeline/TimelineItem.h
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ private:
         QFont font_;
 
         QLabel *timestamp_;
+        QLabel *checkmark_;
         QLabel *userName_;
         QLabel *body_;
 };
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@ TimelineItem::setupLocalWidgetLayout(Widget *widget,
                 messageLayout_->addLayout(widgetLayout, 1);
         }
 
+        messageLayout_->addWidget(checkmark_);
         messageLayout_->addWidget(timestamp_);
         mainLayout_->addLayout(messageLayout_);
 }
@@ -231,6 +233,7 @@ TimelineItem::setupWidgetLayout(Widget *widget,
                 messageLayout_->addLayout(widgetLayout, 1);
         }
 
+        messageLayout_->addWidget(checkmark_);
         messageLayout_->addWidget(timestamp_);
         mainLayout_->addLayout(messageLayout_);
 }
diff --git a/src/timeline/TimelineItem.cc b/src/timeline/TimelineItem.cc
index 93987d52..62e195a4 100644
--- a/src/timeline/TimelineItem.cc
+++ b/src/timeline/TimelineItem.cc
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 #include "timeline/widgets/ImageItem.h"
 #include "timeline/widgets/VideoItem.h"
 
+constexpr const static char *CHECKMARK = "✓";
+
 void
 TimelineItem::init()
 {
@@ -61,6 +63,15 @@ TimelineItem::init()
 
         mainLayout_->setContentsMargins(conf::timeline::headerLeftMargin, 0, 0, 0);
         mainLayout_->setSpacing(0);
+
+        QFont checkmarkFont;
+        checkmarkFont.setPixelSize(conf::timeline::fonts::timestamp);
+
+        // Setting fixed width for checkmark because systems may have a differing width for a
+        // space and the Unicode checkmark.
+        checkmark_ = new QLabel(" ", this);
+        checkmark_->setFont(checkmarkFont);
+        checkmark_->setFixedWidth(QFontMetrics{checkmarkFont}.width(CHECKMARK));
 }
 
 /*
@@ -108,6 +119,7 @@ TimelineItem::TimelineItem(mtx::events::MessageType ty,
                 messageLayout_->addWidget(body_, 1);
         }
 
+        messageLayout_->addWidget(checkmark_);
         messageLayout_->addWidget(timestamp_);
         mainLayout_->addLayout(messageLayout_);
 }
@@ -239,6 +251,7 @@ TimelineItem::TimelineItem(const mtx::events::RoomEvent<mtx::events::msg::Notice
                 messageLayout_->addWidget(body_, 1);
         }
 
+        messageLayout_->addWidget(checkmark_);
         messageLayout_->addWidget(timestamp_);
         mainLayout_->addLayout(messageLayout_);
 }
@@ -285,6 +298,7 @@ TimelineItem::TimelineItem(const mtx::events::RoomEvent<mtx::events::msg::Emote>
                 messageLayout_->addWidget(body_, 1);
         }
 
+        messageLayout_->addWidget(checkmark_);
         messageLayout_->addWidget(timestamp_);
         mainLayout_->addLayout(messageLayout_);
 }
@@ -336,6 +350,7 @@ TimelineItem::TimelineItem(const mtx::events::RoomEvent<mtx::events::msg::Text>
                 messageLayout_->addWidget(body_, 1);
         }
 
+        messageLayout_->addWidget(checkmark_);
         messageLayout_->addWidget(timestamp_);
         mainLayout_->addLayout(messageLayout_);
 }
@@ -343,11 +358,8 @@ TimelineItem::TimelineItem(const mtx::events::RoomEvent<mtx::events::msg::Text>
 void
 TimelineItem::markReceived()
 {
-        auto checkmark = new QLabel("✓", this);
-        checkmark->setStyleSheet(QString("font-size: %1px;").arg(conf::timeline::fonts::timestamp));
-        checkmark->setAlignment(Qt::AlignTop);
-
-        messageLayout_->insertWidget(1, checkmark);
+        checkmark_->setText(CHECKMARK);
+        checkmark_->setAlignment(Qt::AlignTop);
 }
 
 // Only the body is displayed.