diff --git a/app/classes/messages.php b/app/classes/messages.php
index 5f1c44e..99da945 100644
--- a/app/classes/messages.php
+++ b/app/classes/messages.php
@@ -124,19 +124,21 @@ class Messages {
     /**
      * Render message HTML
      */
-    public static function render($category, $key, $customMessage = null, $dismissible = null) {
+    public static function render($category, $key, $customMessage = null, $dismissible = false, $small = false) {
         $config = self::get($category, $key);
         if (!$config) return '';
 
         $message = $customMessage ?? $config['message'];
         $isDismissible = $dismissible ?? $config['dismissible'];
         $dismissClass = $isDismissible ? ' alert-dismissible fade show' : '';
-        $dismissButton = $isDismissible ? '<button type="button" class="btn-close" data-bs-dismiss="alert" aria-label="Close"></button>' : '';
+        $dismissButton = $isDismissible ? '<button type="button" class="btn-close' . ($small ? ' btn-close-sm' : '') . '" data-bs-dismiss="alert" aria-label="Close"></button>' : '';
+        $smallClass = $small ? ' alert-sm' : '';
 
         return sprintf(
-            '<div class="alert alert-%s%s" role="alert">%s%s</div>',
+            '<div class="alert alert-%s%s%s" role="alert">%s%s</div>',
             $config['type'],
             $dismissClass,
+            $smallClass,
             htmlspecialchars($message),
             $dismissButton
         );
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ class Messages {
     /**
      * Store message in session for display after redirect
      */
-    public static function flash($category, $key, $customMessage = null, $dismissible = null) {
+    public static function flash($category, $key, $customMessage = null, $dismissible = false, $small = false) {
         if (!isset($_SESSION['flash_messages'])) {
             $_SESSION['flash_messages'] = [];
         }
@@ -153,7 +155,8 @@ class Messages {
             'category' => $category,
             'key' => $key,
             'custom_message' => $customMessage,
-            'dismissible' => $dismissible
+            'dismissible' => $dismissible,
+            'small' => $small
         ];
     }
 
diff --git a/public_html/index.php b/public_html/index.php
index f55e000..3d702dd 100644
--- a/public_html/index.php
+++ b/public_html/index.php
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ if ($page == 'logout') {
         $server_endpoint = '/health';
         $server_status = $serverObject->getServerStatus($server_host, $server_port, $server_endpoint);
         if (!$server_status) {
-            echo Messages::render('ERROR', 'DEFAULT', 'The Jilo Server is not running. Some data may be old and incorrect.', false);
+            echo Messages::render('ERROR', 'DEFAULT', 'The Jilo Server is not running. Some data may be old and incorrect.', false, true);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/public_html/static/css/main.css b/public_html/static/css/main.css
index 859f366..5505e0a 100644
--- a/public_html/static/css/main.css
+++ b/public_html/static/css/main.css
@@ -201,3 +201,17 @@ html, body {
     border: 1px solid gray;
     border-radius: 4px;
 }
+
+/* messages system */
+.alert-sm {
+    padding: 0.25rem 0.5rem;
+    font-size: 0.875rem;
+    line-height: 1.2;
+    margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
+}
+
+.alert-sm .btn-close-sm {
+    padding: 0.25rem 0.25rem;
+    margin: -0.125rem -0.125rem -0.125rem auto;
+    font-size: 0.75rem;
+}