diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/topic-timeline.js.es6 b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/topic-timeline.js.es6
index 756d0b073..06ab9b343 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/topic-timeline.js.es6
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/discourse/widgets/topic-timeline.js.es6
@@ -209,14 +209,16 @@ export default createWidget('topic-timeline', {
     const stream = attrs.topic.get('postStream.stream');
     const { currentUser } = this;
 
-    if (stream.length < 3) { return; }
-
 
     let result = [];
     if (currentUser && currentUser.get('canManageTopic')) {
       result.push(h('div.timeline-controls', this.attach('topic-admin-menu-button', { topic })));
     }
 
+    if (stream.length < 3) {
+      return result;
+    }
+
     const bottomAge = relativeAge(new Date(topic.last_posted_at), { addAgo: true, defaultFormat: timelineDate });
     result = result.concat([this.attach('link', {
                               className: 'start-date',