diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-headers.el b/mu4e/mu4e-headers.el
index f6ca97b9..81158705 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-headers.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-headers.el
@@ -233,38 +233,29 @@ one of: `:date', `:subject', `:size', `:prio', `:from', `:to.',
 
 ;; thread prefix marks
 (defvar mu4e-headers-thread-child-prefix '("├>" . "┣▶ ")
-  "Prefix for messages in sub threads that do have a following sibling.
-
-This variable is only used when mu4e-headers-new-thread-style is non-nil.")
+  "Prefix for messages in sub threads that do have a following sibling.")
 
 (defvar mu4e-headers-thread-last-child-prefix '("└>" . "┗▶ ")
-  "Prefix for messages in sub threads that do not have a following sibling.
-
-This variable is only used when mu4e-headers-new-thread-style is non-nil.")
+  "Prefix for messages in sub threads that do not have a following sibling.")
 
 (defvar mu4e-headers-thread-connection-prefix '("│" . "┃ ")
   "Prefix to connect sibling messages that do not follow each other.
 
-This prefix should have the same length as `mu4e-headers-thread-blank-prefix'.
-
-This variable is only used when mu4e-headers-new-thread-style is non-nil.")
+This prefix should have the same length as `mu4e-headers-thread-blank-prefix'.")
 
 (defvar mu4e-headers-thread-blank-prefix '(" " . "  ")
   "Prefix to separate non connected messages.
 
-This prefix should have the same length as `mu4e-headers-thread-connection-prefix'.
+This prefix should have the same length as `mu4e-headers-thread-connection-prefix'.")
 
-This variable is only used when mu4e-headers-new-thread-style is non-nil.")
+(defvar mu4e-headers-thread-orphan-prefix '("┬>" . "┳▶ ")
+  "Prefix for orphan messages with siblings.")
 
-(defvar mu4e-headers-thread-orphan-prefix '("" . "")
-  "Prefix for orphan messages.
-
-This variable is only used when mu4e-headers-new-thread-style is non-nil.")
+(defvar mu4e-headers-thread-single-orphan-prefix '("─>" . "━▶ ")
+  "Prefix for orphan messages with no siblings.")
 
 (defvar mu4e-headers-thread-duplicate-prefix '("=" . "≡ ")
-  "Prefix for duplicate messages.
-
-This variable is only used when mu4e-headers-new-thread-style is non-nil.")
+  "Prefix for duplicate messages.")
 
 (defvar mu4e-headers-actions
   '( ("capture message"  . mu4e-action-capture-message)
@@ -445,13 +436,14 @@ into a string."
 	 (lambda (cell)
 	   (if mu4e-use-fancy-chars (cdr cell) (car cell)))))
     (case type
-      ('child      (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-child-prefix))
-      ('last-child (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-last-child-prefix))
-      ('connection (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-connection-prefix))
-      ('blank      (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-blank-prefix))
-      ('orphan     (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-orphan-prefix))
-      ('duplicate  (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-duplicate-prefix))
-      (t           "?"))))
+      ('child         (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-child-prefix))
+      ('last-child    (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-last-child-prefix))
+      ('connection    (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-connection-prefix))
+      ('blank         (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-blank-prefix))
+      ('orphan        (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-orphan-prefix))
+      ('single-orphan (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-single-orphan-prefix))
+      ('duplicate     (funcall get-prefix mu4e-headers-thread-duplicate-prefix))
+      (t              "?"))))
 
 ;; In order to print a thread tree with all the message connections,
 ;; it's necessary to keep track of all sub levels that still have
@@ -470,7 +462,7 @@ into a string."
 	  (last-child   (plist-get thread :last-child))
 	  (duplicate    (plist-get thread :duplicate)))
       ;; Do not prefix root messages.
-      (if (or (= level 0) empty-parent)
+      (if (= level 0)
 	  (setq mu4e~headers-thread-state '()))
       (if (> level 0)
 	  (let* ((length (length mu4e~headers-thread-state))
@@ -490,12 +482,14 @@ into a string."
 		   ;; connections or blanks.
 		   (mapconcat
 		    (lambda (s)
-		      (if s (mu4e~headers-thread-prefix-map 'connection)
-			(mu4e~headers-thread-prefix-map 'blank)))
+		      (mu4e~headers-thread-prefix-map
+		       (if s 'connection 'blank)))
 		    mu4e~headers-thread-state "")
 		   ;; Current entry.
-		   (if last-child (mu4e~headers-thread-prefix-map 'last-child)
-		     (mu4e~headers-thread-prefix-map 'child))))))
+		   (mu4e~headers-thread-prefix-map
+		    (if (and empty-parent first-child)
+			(if last-child 'single-orphan 'orphan)
+		      (if last-child 'last-child 'child)))))))
       ;; If a new sub-thread will follow (has-child) and the current
       ;; one is still not done (not last-child), then a new
       ;; connection needs to be added to the tree-state.  It's not
@@ -505,10 +499,8 @@ into a string."
 	  (setq mu4e~headers-thread-state
 		(append mu4e~headers-thread-state '(t))))
       ;; Return the thread prefix.
-      (format "%s%s%s"
+      (format "%s%s"
 	      prefix
-	      (if empty-parent
-		  (mu4e~headers-thread-prefix-map 'orphan) "")
 	      (if duplicate
 		  (mu4e~headers-thread-prefix-map 'duplicate) "")))))