diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/people_tile_medium_with_content.xml b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/people_tile_medium_with_content.xml
index 9314685bc402d..892f64b3123b8 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/people_tile_medium_with_content.xml
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/res/layout/people_tile_medium_with_content.xml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="match_parent">
         <include layout="@layout/people_tile_punctuation_background_medium" />
-        <include layout="@layout/people_tile_punctuation_background_medium" />
+        <include layout="@layout/people_tile_emoji_background_medium" />
         <include layout="@layout/people_status_scrim_layout" />
         <LinearLayout
             android:id="@+id/content"
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/people/PeopleTileViewHelper.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/people/PeopleTileViewHelper.java
index a388853be8a81..90ac7aa0469a3 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/people/PeopleTileViewHelper.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/people/PeopleTileViewHelper.java
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ public class PeopleTileViewHelper {
 
     private static final int MESSAGES_COUNT_OVERFLOW = 6;
 
+    private static final CharSequence EMOJI_CAKE = "\ud83c\udf82";
+
     private static final Pattern DOUBLE_EXCLAMATION_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("[!][!]+");
     private static final Pattern DOUBLE_QUESTION_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("[?][?]+");
     private static final Pattern ANY_DOUBLE_MARK_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("[!?][!?]+");
@@ -665,6 +667,10 @@ public class PeopleTileViewHelper {
         views.setViewVisibility(R.id.predefined_icon, View.VISIBLE);
         views.setTextViewText(R.id.text_content, statusText);
 
+        if (status.getActivity() == ACTIVITY_BIRTHDAY) {
+            setEmojiBackground(views, EMOJI_CAKE);
+        }
+
         Icon statusIcon = status.getIcon();
         if (statusIcon != null) {
             // No text content styled text on medium or large.