diff --git a/lib/shared/messages/text-message-spec.js b/lib/shared/messages/text-message-spec.js
--- a/lib/shared/messages/text-message-spec.js
+++ b/lib/shared/messages/text-message-spec.js
@@ -24,11 +24,9 @@
   stripSpoilersFromMarkdownAST,
 } from '../markdown';
 import { threadIsGroupChat } from '../thread-utils';
-import { stringForUser } from '../user-utils';
 import {
   pushTypes,
   type MessageSpec,
-  type NotificationTextsParams,
   type RawMessageInfoFromServerDBRowParams,
 } from './message-spec';
 import { assertSingleMessageInfo } from './utils';
@@ -169,7 +167,6 @@
   async notificationTexts(
     messageInfos: $ReadOnlyArray<MessageInfo>,
     threadInfo: ThreadInfo,
-    params: NotificationTextsParams,
   ): Promise<NotifTexts> {
     const messageInfo = assertSingleMessageInfo(messageInfos);
     invariant(
@@ -180,19 +177,20 @@
       messageInfo.text,
     );
     if (!threadInfo.name && !threadIsGroupChat(threadInfo)) {
+      const thread = ET.thread({ display: 'uiName', threadInfo });
       return {
-        merged: `${threadInfo.uiName}: ${notificationTextWithoutSpoilers}`,
+        merged: ET`${thread}: ${notificationTextWithoutSpoilers}`,
         body: notificationTextWithoutSpoilers,
         title: threadInfo.uiName,
       };
     } else {
-      const userString = stringForUser(messageInfo.creator);
-      const threadName = params.notifThreadName(threadInfo);
+      const creator = ET.user({ userInfo: messageInfo.creator });
+      const thread = ET.thread({ display: 'shortName', threadInfo });
       return {
-        merged: `${userString} to ${threadName}: ${notificationTextWithoutSpoilers}`,
+        merged: ET`${creator} to ${thread}: ${notificationTextWithoutSpoilers}`,
         body: notificationTextWithoutSpoilers,
         title: threadInfo.uiName,
-        prefix: `${userString}:`,
+        prefix: ET`${creator}:`,
       };
     }
   },