diff --git a/web/src/compose_validate.js b/web/src/compose_validate.js
index 6a107228e061be..b8a8806c722180 100644
--- a/web/src/compose_validate.js
+++ b/web/src/compose_validate.js
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ function update_send_button_status() {
 
 export function get_disabled_send_tooltip() {
     if (message_too_long) {
-        return $t({defaultMessage: "Message length shouldn't be greater than 10000 characters."});
+        return $t({defaultMessage: "Maximum message length: 10000 characters"});
     } else if (upload_in_progress) {
         return $t({defaultMessage: "Cannot send message while files are being uploaded."});
     }
@@ -752,44 +752,33 @@ export function check_overflow_text() {
     // expensive.
     const text = compose_state.message_content();
     const max_length = page_params.max_message_length;
+    const remainingCharacters = max_length - text.length;
     const $indicator = $("#compose-limit-indicator");
 
-    if (text.length > max_length) {
+    if (remainingCharacters < 0) {
         $indicator.addClass("over_limit");
         $("textarea#compose-textarea").addClass("over_limit");
         $indicator.html(
             render_compose_limit_indicator({
-                text_length: text.length,
+                remaining_length: remainingCharacters, 
                 max_length,
             }),
         );
         compose_banner.show_error_message(
-            $t(
-                {
-                    defaultMessage:
-                        "Message length shouldn't be greater than {max_length} characters.",
-                },
-                {max_length},
-            ),
+            $t({ defaultMessage: "Message length exceeded by {exceeded_chars} characters." }, { exceeded_chars: Math.abs(remainingCharacters) }),
             compose_banner.CLASSNAMES.message_too_long,
             $("#compose_banners"),
         );
         set_message_too_long(true);
-    } else if (text.length > 0.9 * max_length) {
+    } else {
         $indicator.removeClass("over_limit");
         $("textarea#compose-textarea").removeClass("over_limit");
         $indicator.html(
             render_compose_limit_indicator({
-                text_length: text.length,
+                remaining_length: remainingCharacters,
                 max_length,
             }),
         );
-        set_message_too_long(false);
-        $(`#compose_banners .${CSS.escape(compose_banner.CLASSNAMES.message_too_long)}`).remove();
-    } else {
-        $indicator.text("");
-        $("textarea#compose-textarea").removeClass("over_limit");
-
         set_message_too_long(false);
         $(`#compose_banners .${CSS.escape(compose_banner.CLASSNAMES.message_too_long)}`).remove();
     }
diff --git a/web/templates/compose_limit_indicator.hbs b/web/templates/compose_limit_indicator.hbs
index 6fe0baf92bcd3f..39ff8589504b28 100644
--- a/web/templates/compose_limit_indicator.hbs
+++ b/web/templates/compose_limit_indicator.hbs
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-{{! Include a zero-width-space to allow breaks in narrow compose boxes. }}
-{{text_length}}&ZeroWidthSpace;/{{max_length}}
+{{remaining_length}}
+
diff --git a/web/tests/compose_validate.test.js b/web/tests/compose_validate.test.js
index 45188bb5811ae7..69250d3d8bc913 100644
--- a/web/tests/compose_validate.test.js
+++ b/web/tests/compose_validate.test.js
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ test_ui("test_check_overflow_text", ({mock_template}) => {
         assert.equal(
             data.banner_text,
             $t({
-                defaultMessage: "Message length shouldn't be greater than 10000 characters.",
+                defaultMessage: "Message length exceeded by 100 characters.",
             }),
         );
         banner_rendered = true;
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ test_ui("test_check_overflow_text", ({mock_template}) => {
     $textarea.val("a".repeat(10000 + 1));
     compose_validate.check_overflow_text();
     assert.ok($indicator.hasClass("over_limit"));
-    assert.equal(limit_indicator_html, "10001&ZeroWidthSpace;/10000\n");
+    assert.equal(limit_indicator_html, "10001\n");
     assert.ok($textarea.hasClass("over_limit"));
     assert.ok(banner_rendered);
     assert.ok($(".message-send-controls").hasClass("disabled-message-send-controls"));
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ test_ui("test_check_overflow_text", ({mock_template}) => {
     $textarea.val("a".repeat(9000 + 1));
     compose_validate.check_overflow_text();
     assert.ok(!$indicator.hasClass("over_limit"));
-    assert.equal(limit_indicator_html, "9001&ZeroWidthSpace;/10000\n");
+    assert.equal(limit_indicator_html, "9001\n");
     assert.ok(!$textarea.hasClass("over_limit"));
     assert.ok(!$(".message-send-controls").hasClass("disabled-message-send-controls"));
     assert.ok(!banner_rendered);