diff --git a/core/res/res/layout/recent_apps_dialog.xml b/core/res/res/layout/recent_apps_dialog.xml
index 03340cdfaf346..e3492f6ca23a0 100644
--- a/core/res/res/layout/recent_apps_dialog.xml
+++ b/core/res/res/layout/recent_apps_dialog.xml
@@ -22,28 +22,28 @@
     android:background="@drawable/recent_dialog_background"
     android:layout_width="match_parent"
     android:layout_height="match_parent"
-    android:paddingTop="3dip"
-    android:paddingBottom="3dip"
+    android:gravity="center"
+    android:padding="4dip"
     android:orientation="vertical">
 
     <!-- Title -->
     <TextView
         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
-        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-        style="?android:attr/windowTitleStyle"
-        android:layout_marginTop="5dip"
-        android:layout_marginBottom="15dip"
+        android:layout_height="40dip"
+        android:gravity="center"
+        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
+        android:textColor="#80FFFFFF"
+        android:textStyle="bold"
+        android:singleLine="true"
         android:text="@android:string/recent_tasks_title" />
 
     <!-- This is only intended to be visible when all buttons (below) are invisible -->
     <TextView
         android:id="@+id/no_applications_message"
         android:layout_width="320dip"
-        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-        android:layout_marginTop="15dip"
-        android:layout_marginBottom="15dip"
+        android:layout_height="80dip"
         android:gravity="center"
-        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
+        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
         android:text="@android:string/no_recent_tasks" />
 
     <!-- The first row has a fixed-width because the UI spec requires the box
@@ -96,4 +96,10 @@
             android:id="@+id/button7" />
 
     </LinearLayout>
+
+    <!-- spacer to balance out the title above -->
+    <FrameLayout
+        android:layout_height="40dip"
+        android:layout_width="match_parent"
+        />
 </com.android.internal.policy.impl.RecentApplicationsBackground>