diff --git a/app/src/main/java/gr/thmmy/mthmmy/activities/topic/TopicActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/gr/thmmy/mthmmy/activities/topic/TopicActivity.java
index 84f35817..953f7ad8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/gr/thmmy/mthmmy/activities/topic/TopicActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/gr/thmmy/mthmmy/activities/topic/TopicActivity.java
@@ -12,12 +12,17 @@ import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.Handler;
 import android.support.design.widget.FloatingActionButton;
 import android.support.design.widget.Snackbar;
+import android.support.v4.content.ContextCompat;
+import android.support.v4.content.res.ResourcesCompat;
 import android.support.v7.app.AlertDialog;
 import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegate;
 import android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView;
+import android.text.Spannable;
+import android.text.SpannableString;
 import android.text.SpannableStringBuilder;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
 import android.text.method.LinkMovementMethod;
+import android.text.style.ForegroundColorSpan;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.Menu;
 import android.view.MenuItem;
@@ -62,7 +67,7 @@ import static gr.thmmy.mthmmy.services.NotificationService.NEW_POST_TAG;
  */
 @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 public class TopicActivity extends BaseActivity implements TopicAdapter.OnPostFocusChangeListener,
-        EmojiKeyboard.EmojiKeyboardOwner{
+        EmojiKeyboard.EmojiKeyboardOwner {
     //Activity's variables
     /**
      * The key to use when putting topic's url String to {@link TopicActivity}'s Bundle.
@@ -651,7 +656,15 @@ public class TopicActivity extends BaseActivity implements TopicAdapter.OnPostFo
                         // no page has been loaded yet. Give user the ability to refresh
                         recyclerView.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                         TextView errorTextview = findViewById(R.id.error_textview);
-                        errorTextview.setText(getString(R.string.network_error_retry_prompt));
+
+                        Spannable errorText = new SpannableString(getString(R.string.network_error_retry_prompt));
+                        errorText.setSpan(
+                                new ForegroundColorSpan(ResourcesCompat.getColor(getResources(), R.color.accent, null)),
+                                errorText.toString().indexOf("Tap to retry"),
+                                errorText.length(),
+                                Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);
+
+                        errorTextview.setText(errorText);
                         errorTextview.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
                         errorTextview.setOnClickListener(view -> {
                             viewModel.reloadPage();
@@ -671,6 +684,15 @@ public class TopicActivity extends BaseActivity implements TopicAdapter.OnPostFo
                     Timber.w("Requested topic was unauthorized");
                     recyclerView.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                     TextView errorTextview = findViewById(R.id.error_textview);
+
+                    Spannable errorText = new SpannableString(getString(R.string.unauthorized_topic_error));
+                    errorText.setSpan(
+                            //TODO: maybe change the color to a red in order to indicate the error nature of the message
+                            new ForegroundColorSpan(ResourcesCompat.getColor(getResources(), R.color.accent, null)),
+                            0,
+                            errorText.length(),
+                            Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);
+
                     errorTextview.setText(getString(R.string.unauthorized_topic_error));
                     errorTextview.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
                     break;
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_topic.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_topic.xml
index 242fb44e..1ef0d0e7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_topic.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_topic.xml
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@
     android:id="@+id/main_content"
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="match_parent"
-    android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
     android:background="@color/background"
+    android:fitsSystemWindows="true"
     tools:context=".activities.topic.TopicActivity">
 
     <RelativeLayout
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
-        android:layout_height="match_parent" >
+        android:layout_height="match_parent">
 
         <android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout
             android:id="@+id/appbar"
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
                     android:id="@+id/toolbar_title"
                     android:layout_width="match_parent"
                     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+                    android:layout_marginStart="5dp"
                     android:textColor="@color/white" />
             </android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar>
         </android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>
@@ -39,10 +40,11 @@
         <android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
             android:id="@+id/topic_recycler_view"
             android:layout_width="match_parent"
-            android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-            android:layout_gravity="top|start"
-            android:layout_below="@id/appbar"
+            android:layout_height="match_parent"
             android:layout_above="@id/emoji_keyboard"
+            android:layout_below="@id/appbar"
+            android:layout_gravity="top|start"
+            android:background="@color/background"
             android:clipToPadding="false"
             android:paddingBottom="4dp"
             android:paddingTop="4dp"
@@ -55,18 +57,20 @@
             android:layout_width="match_parent"
             android:layout_height="240dp"
             android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
-            android:visibility="gone"/>
-    </RelativeLayout>
+            android:visibility="gone" />
 
-    <TextView
-        android:id="@+id/error_textview"
-        android:layout_width="match_parent"
-        android:layout_height="match_parent"
-        android:gravity="center"
-        android:text="@string/network_error_retry_prompt"
-        android:textColor="@color/white"
-        android:textSize="32sp"
-        android:visibility="gone" />
+        <TextView
+            android:id="@+id/error_textview"
+            android:layout_width="match_parent"
+            android:layout_height="match_parent"
+            android:layout_below="@id/appbar"
+            android:layout_gravity="top|start"
+            android:gravity="center"
+            android:text="@string/network_error_retry_prompt"
+            android:textColor="@color/white"
+            android:textSize="18sp"
+            android:visibility="gone" />
+    </RelativeLayout>
 
     <LinearLayout
         android:id="@+id/bottom_navigation_bar"
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index c6130e59..1e8d9ad4 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
     <string name="subject">Subject&#8230;</string>
     <string name="submit">Submit</string>
     <string name="post_message">Message&#8230;</string>
-    <string name="network_error_retry_prompt">Could not connect to thmmy.gr \n\n Tap to retry</string>
+    <string name="network_error_retry_prompt">Could not connect to thmmy.gr\n\nTap to retry</string>
     <string name="generic_network_error">Network error</string>
     <string name="retry">retry</string>
     <string name="unauthorized_topic_error">This topic is either missing or off limits to you</string>