diff --git a/src/platform/web/ui/css/themes/element/timeline.css b/src/platform/web/ui/css/themes/element/timeline.css
index 39710239..5bfb1b46 100644
--- a/src/platform/web/ui/css/themes/element/timeline.css
+++ b/src/platform/web/ui/css/themes/element/timeline.css
@@ -241,13 +241,16 @@ only loads when the top comes into view*/
 }
 
 .Timeline_messageBody .pill {
-    padding: 0px 5px 0px 5px;
+    padding: 0px 5px;
     border-radius: 15px;
     background-color: #f6f6f6;
     border: 1px solid rgb(206, 206, 206);
     text-decoration: none;
     display: inline-flex;
     align-items: center;
+    line-height: 2rem;
+    vertical-align: top;
+    margin: 1px;
 }
 
 .Timeline_messageBody .pill div.avatar {
diff --git a/src/platform/web/ui/session/room/timeline/TextMessageView.js b/src/platform/web/ui/session/room/timeline/TextMessageView.js
index 95d7db75..272cab69 100644
--- a/src/platform/web/ui/session/room/timeline/TextMessageView.js
+++ b/src/platform/web/ui/session/room/timeline/TextMessageView.js
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ function renderPill(pillPart) {
     const avatar = tag.div({class: classes}, text(pillPart.avatarInitials));
     const children = renderParts(pillPart.children);
     children.unshift(avatar);
-    return tag.a({ class: "pill", href: pillPart.href }, children);
+    return tag.a({class: "pill", href: pillPart.href, rel: "noopener", target: "_blank"}, children);
 }
 
 function renderTable(tablePart) {