diff --git a/default.theme b/default.theme
index 4c22644c..a135cf3d 100644
--- a/default.theme
+++ b/default.theme
@@ -268,6 +268,9 @@ abstracts = {
   # used for anything.
   sbend = " ";
 
+  topicsbstart = "{sbstart $*}";
+  topicsbend = "{sbend $*}";
+
   prompt = "[$*] ";
 
   sb = " %c[%n$*%c]%n";