diff --git a/lib/widgets/compose_box.dart b/lib/widgets/compose_box.dart
index 1294fc787f..1c62bc237b 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/compose_box.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/compose_box.dart
@@ -844,6 +844,28 @@ class _SendButtonState extends State<_SendButton> {
   }
 }
 
+class _ComposeBoxContainer extends StatelessWidget {
+  const _ComposeBoxContainer({required this.child});
+
+  final Widget child;
+
+  @override
+  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    ColorScheme colorScheme = Theme.of(context).colorScheme;
+
+    // TODO(design): Maybe put a max width on the compose box, like we do on
+    //   the message list itself
+    return SizedBox(width: double.infinity,
+      child: Material(
+        color: colorScheme.surfaceContainerHighest,
+        child: SafeArea(
+          minimum: const EdgeInsets.fromLTRB(8, 0, 8, 8),
+          child: Padding(
+            padding: const EdgeInsets.only(top: 8.0),
+            child: child))));
+  }
+}
+
 class _ComposeBoxLayout extends StatelessWidget {
   const _ComposeBoxLayout({
     required this.topicInput,
@@ -851,13 +873,11 @@ class _ComposeBoxLayout extends StatelessWidget {
     required this.sendButton,
     required this.contentController,
     required this.contentFocusNode,
-    this.blockingErrorBanner,
   });
 
   final Widget? topicInput;
   final Widget contentInput;
   final Widget sendButton;
-  final Widget? blockingErrorBanner;
   final ComposeContentController contentController;
   final FocusNode contentFocusNode;
 
@@ -880,36 +900,30 @@ class _ComposeBoxLayout extends StatelessWidget {
       ),
     );
 
-    return Material(
-      color: colorScheme.surfaceContainerHighest,
-      child: SafeArea(
-        minimum: const EdgeInsets.fromLTRB(8, 0, 8, 8),
-        child: Padding(
-          padding: const EdgeInsets.only(top: 8.0),
-          child: blockingErrorBanner != null
-            ? SizedBox(width: double.infinity, child: blockingErrorBanner)
-            : Column(children: [
-                Row(crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.end, children: [
-                  Expanded(
-                    child: Theme(
-                      data: inputThemeData,
-                      child: Column(children: [
-                        if (topicInput != null) topicInput!,
-                        if (topicInput != null) const SizedBox(height: 8),
-                        contentInput,
-                      ]))),
-                  const SizedBox(width: 8),
-                  sendButton,
-                ]),
-                Theme(
-                  data: themeData.copyWith(
-                    iconTheme: themeData.iconTheme.copyWith(color: colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant)),
-                  child: Row(children: [
-                    _AttachFileButton(contentController: contentController, contentFocusNode: contentFocusNode),
-                    _AttachMediaButton(contentController: contentController, contentFocusNode: contentFocusNode),
-                    _AttachFromCameraButton(contentController: contentController, contentFocusNode: contentFocusNode),
-                  ])),
-            ]))));  }
+    return _ComposeBoxContainer(
+      child: Column(children: [
+        Row(crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.end, children: [
+          Expanded(
+            child: Theme(
+              data: inputThemeData,
+              child: Column(children: [
+                if (topicInput != null) topicInput!,
+                if (topicInput != null) const SizedBox(height: 8),
+                contentInput,
+              ]))),
+          const SizedBox(width: 8),
+          sendButton,
+        ]),
+        Theme(
+          data: themeData.copyWith(
+            iconTheme: themeData.iconTheme.copyWith(color: colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant)),
+          child: Row(children: [
+            _AttachFileButton(contentController: contentController, contentFocusNode: contentFocusNode),
+            _AttachMediaButton(contentController: contentController, contentFocusNode: contentFocusNode),
+            _AttachFromCameraButton(contentController: contentController, contentFocusNode: contentFocusNode),
+          ])),
+      ]));
+  }
 }
 
 abstract class ComposeBoxController<T extends StatefulWidget> extends State<T> {
@@ -1039,6 +1053,11 @@ class _FixedDestinationComposeBoxState extends State<_FixedDestinationComposeBox
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
+    final errorBanner = _errorBanner(context);
+    if (errorBanner != null) {
+      return _ComposeBoxContainer(child: errorBanner);
+    }
+
     return _ComposeBoxLayout(
       contentController: _contentController,
       contentFocusNode: _contentFocusNode,
@@ -1052,8 +1071,7 @@ class _FixedDestinationComposeBoxState extends State<_FixedDestinationComposeBox
         topicController: null,
         contentController: _contentController,
         getDestination: () => widget.narrow.destination,
-      ),
-      blockingErrorBanner: _errorBanner(context));
+      ));
   }
 }