diff --git a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/widgets/_message-list.scss b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/widgets/_message-list.scss
index 10fa88258..30fe4ad00 100644
--- a/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/widgets/_message-list.scss
+++ b/data/theme/gnome-shell-sass/widgets/_message-list.scss
@@ -137,6 +137,14 @@
       > StIcon {
         icon-size: $base_icon_size * 3; // 48px
         -st-icon-style: symbolic;
+
+        .message-themed-icon {
+          border-radius: $forced_circular_radius; // is circular
+          background-color: transparentize($fg_color, 0.8);
+          icon-size: $base_icon_size;
+          min-width: $base_icon_size * 3;
+          min-height: $base_icon_size * 3;
+        }
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/js/ui/calendar.js b/js/ui/calendar.js
index 455cfa184..c43290ac7 100644
--- a/js/ui/calendar.js
+++ b/js/ui/calendar.js
@@ -790,10 +790,11 @@ class NotificationMessage extends MessageList.Message {
     }
 
     _getIcon() {
-        if (this.notification.gicon) {
-            return new St.Icon({
-                gicon: this.notification.gicon,
-            });
+        const {gicon} = this.notification;
+        if (gicon) {
+            const styleClass =
+                gicon instanceof Gio.ThemedIcon ? 'message-themed-icon' : '';
+            return new St.Icon({gicon, styleClass});
         } else {
             return null;
         }