diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/topic-timeline.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/topic-timeline.js.es6
index 870353caceb..deb063e3bf8 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/topic-timeline.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/topic-timeline.js.es6
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ createWidget('timeline-scroller', {
     if (date) {
       const format = (date.getFullYear() === new Date().getFullYear()) ?
                      'long_no_year_no_time' :
-                     'long_with_year_no_time';
+                     'timeline_diff_year';
 
       contents.push(h('div.timeline-ago', moment(date).format(I18n.t(`dates.${format}`))));
     }
diff --git a/config/locales/client.en.yml b/config/locales/client.en.yml
index 9e5463fdbb2..d5c19a624e1 100644
--- a/config/locales/client.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/client.en.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ en:
     dates:
       time: "h:mm a"
       timeline_start: "MMMM YYYY"
+      timeline_diff_year: "MMM YYYY"
       long_no_year: "MMM D h:mm a"
       long_no_year_no_time: "MMM D"
       full_no_year_no_time: "MMMM Do"