diff --git a/client/css/style.css b/client/css/style.css
index d74baf61..23e2e5a5 100644
--- a/client/css/style.css
+++ b/client/css/style.css
@@ -841,7 +841,6 @@ kbd {
 #chat .unread-marker {
 	position: relative;
 	text-align: center;
-	opacity: .5;
 	margin: 0 10px;
 	z-index: 0;
 	font-weight: bold;
@@ -855,13 +854,13 @@ kbd {
 	left: 0;
 	right: 0;
 	top: 50%;
-	border-top: 1px solid #e74c3c;
+	border-top: 1px solid rgba(231, 76, 60, .5);
 }
 
 #chat .unread-marker-text:before {
 	content: "New messages";
 	background-color: white;
-	color: #e74c3c;
+	color: rgba(231, 76, 60, .5);
 	padding: 0 10px;
 }
 
@@ -872,7 +871,6 @@ kbd {
 #chat .date-marker {
 	position: relative;
 	text-align: center;
-	opacity: .5;
 	margin: 0 10px;
 	z-index: 0;
 	font-weight: bold;
@@ -886,13 +884,13 @@ kbd {
 	left: 0;
 	right: 0;
 	top: 50%;
-	border-top: 1px solid #006b3b;
+	border-top: 1px solid rgba(0, 107, 59, .5);
 }
 
 #chat .date-marker-text:before {
-	content: attr(data-date);
+	content: attr(data-label);
 	background-color: white;
-	color: #006b3b;
+	color: rgba(0, 107, 59, .5);
 	padding: 0 10px;
 }
 
diff --git a/client/js/libs/handlebars/friendlydate.js b/client/js/libs/handlebars/friendlydate.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..92e81080
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/js/libs/handlebars/friendlydate.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const moment = require("moment");
+
+module.exports = function(time) {
+	// See http://momentjs.com/docs/#/displaying/calendar-time/
+	return moment(new Date(time)).calendar(null, {
+		sameDay: "[Today]",
+		lastDay: "[Yesterday]",
+		lastWeek: "L", // Locale
+		sameElse: "L"
+	});
+};
diff --git a/client/themes/morning.css b/client/themes/morning.css
index 9698330c..d5ca62e9 100644
--- a/client/themes/morning.css
+++ b/client/themes/morning.css
@@ -155,11 +155,6 @@ body {
 	border-color: #333c4a;
 }
 
-#chat .unread-marker,
-#chat .date-marker {
-	opacity: 1;
-}
-
 #chat .unread-marker-text:before {
 	background-color: #333c4a;
 }
diff --git a/client/themes/zenburn.css b/client/themes/zenburn.css
index 2c075412..b4abd4ed 100644
--- a/client/themes/zenburn.css
+++ b/client/themes/zenburn.css
@@ -181,11 +181,6 @@ body {
 	border-color: #3f3f3f;
 }
 
-#chat .unread-marker,
-.date-marker {
-	opacity: 1;
-}
-
 #chat .unread-marker-text:before {
 	background-color: #3f3f3f;
 }
diff --git a/client/views/date-marker.tpl b/client/views/date-marker.tpl
index bf9d89c7..3e5ec60d 100644
--- a/client/views/date-marker.tpl
+++ b/client/views/date-marker.tpl
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
-<div class="date-marker">
-	<span class="date-marker-text" data-date="{{localedate msgDate}}"></span>
+<div class="tooltipped tooltipped-s" aria-label="{{localedate msgDate}}">
+	<div class="date-marker">
+		<span class="date-marker-text" data-label="{{friendlydate msgDate}}"></span>
+	</div>
 </div>
diff --git a/test/client/js/libs/handlebars/friendlydateTest.js b/test/client/js/libs/handlebars/friendlydateTest.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..16f335c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/client/js/libs/handlebars/friendlydateTest.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"use strict";
+
+const expect = require("chai").expect;
+const moment = require("moment");
+const friendlydate = require("../../../../../client/js/libs/handlebars/friendlydate");
+
+describe("friendlydate Handlebars helper", () => {
+	it("should render 'Today' as a human-friendly date", () => {
+		const time = new Date().getTime();
+		expect(friendlydate(time)).to.equal("Today");
+	});
+
+	it("should render 'Yesterday' as a human-friendly date", () => {
+		const time = new Date().getTime() - 24 * 3600 * 1000;
+		expect(friendlydate(time)).to.equal("Yesterday");
+	});
+
+	it("should not render any friendly dates prior to the day before", () => {
+		[2, 7, 30, 365, 1000].forEach(day => {
+			const time = new Date().getTime() - 24 * 3600 * 1000 * day;
+			expect(friendlydate(time)).to.equal(moment(time).format("L"));
+		});
+	});
+});
diff --git a/webpack.config.js b/webpack.config.js
index c71979f4..93514dca 100644
--- a/webpack.config.js
+++ b/webpack.config.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ let config = {
 			"handlebars/runtime",
 			"jquery",
 			"jquery-ui/ui/widgets/sortable",
+			"moment",
 			"mousetrap",
 			"socket.io-client",
 			"urijs",