diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/_flash_messages.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/_flash_messages.scss
index 577d236aa..0a5827ee9 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/_flash_messages.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/_flash_messages.scss
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
   width : 100%;
 
   text-align : center;
-  font-weight: bold;
   color: #666;
 
   &.expose {
@@ -23,13 +22,17 @@
     @include box-shadow(0, 1px, 4px, rgba(0,0,0,0.8));
 
     display : inline-block;
-    padding: 45px 12px 8px;
+    padding: 10px 12px;
     min-width: 400px;
     max-width: 800px;
 
     color : #fff;
     background-color : rgba(0,0,0,0.8);
     border : 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.7);
+
+    font-weight: bold;
+    font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
+    font-size: 13px;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/new-templates.css.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/new-templates.css.scss
index aa096384b..1768491e1 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/new-templates.css.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/new-templates.css.scss
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 @import 'new_styles/variables';
 
 /* core */
-@import 'new_styles/flash_messages';
+@import 'flash_messages';
 @import 'sprites';
 
 @import 'new_styles/base';
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/new_styles/_animations.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/new_styles/_animations.scss
index 3ccb0219b..3a60309be 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/new_styles/_animations.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/new_styles/_animations.scss
@@ -53,28 +53,28 @@
 	100%   { @include opacity(0); -o-transform : scale(1.3); }
 }
 
-/* flash message animations */
+/* flash message animations - header height is about 40px */
 @-webkit-keyframes expose {
         0%   { top : -100px; }
-        15%  { top : 0; }
-        85%  { top : 0; }
+        15%  { top : 34px; }
+        85%  { top : 34px; }
         100% { top : -100px; }
 }
 @-moz-keyframes expose {
         0%   { top : -100px; }
-        15%  { top : 0; }
-        85%  { top : 0; }
+        15%  { top : 34px; }
+        85%  { top : 34px; }
         100% { top : -100px; }
 }
 @-ms-keyframes expose {
         0%   { top : -100px; }
-        15%  { top : 0; }
-        85%  { top : 0; }
+        15%  { top : 34px; }
+        85%  { top : 34px; }
         100% { top : -100px; }
 }
 @-o-keyframes expose {
         0%   { top : -100px; }
-        15%  { top : 0; }
-        85%  { top : 0; }
+        15%  { top : 34px; }
+        85%  { top : 34px; }
         100% { top : -100px; }
 }