diff --git a/res/css/views/rooms/_IRCLayout.scss b/res/css/views/rooms/_IRCLayout.scss
index f2c7fab9f1..9f8d684c96 100644
--- a/res/css/views/rooms/_IRCLayout.scss
+++ b/res/css/views/rooms/_IRCLayout.scss
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ $irc-line-height: $font-18px;
             flex-shrink: 0;
 
             .mx_EventTile_readAvatars {
-                top: 7px;
+                top: 0.2rem; // ($irc-line-height - avatar height) / 2
             }
         }
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ $irc-line-height: $font-18px;
             align-items: center;
 
             // Need to use important to override the js provided height and width values.
-            > .mx_BaseAvatar, .mx_BaseAvatar > * {
+            > .mx_BaseAvatar, > .mx_BaseAvatar > * {
                 height: $font-14px !important;
                 width: $font-14px !important;
                 font-size: $font-10px !important;