diff --git a/mu4e-column-faces.el b/mu4e-column-faces.el
index db5b1eb..4f065a1 100644
--- a/mu4e-column-faces.el
+++ b/mu4e-column-faces.el
@@ -34,11 +34,6 @@
   :group 'mu4e-column-faces
   :prefix "mu4e-column-faces-")
 
-(defface mu4e-column-faces-thread-subject
-  '((t :inherit font-lock-doc-face))
-  "Face for `:thread-subject' columns."
-  :group 'mu4e-column-faces)
-
 (defface mu4e-column-faces-to-from
   '((t :inherit font-lock-variable-name-face))
   "Face for `:from-or-to', `:to', `:from', `:cc' and `:bcc' columns."
@@ -94,11 +89,6 @@
   "Face for `:size' columns."
   :group 'mu4e-column-faces)
 
-(defface mu4e-column-faces-thread-subject
-  '((t :inherit font-lock-type-face))
-  "Face for `:thread-subject' columns."
-  :group 'mu4e-column-faces)
-
 (defface mu4e-column-faces-user-agent
   '((t :inherit font-lock-doc-face))
   "Face for `:user-agent' columns."
@@ -264,7 +254,7 @@ the message flags in included in `mu4e-column-faces--apply-face'."
                     face))
             (val (if width (mu4e~headers-truncate-field field val width) val)))
        (when face
-         (put-text-property 0 (length val) 'face face val))
+         (add-face-text-property 0 (length val) face t val))
        val))))
 
 (define-inline mu4e-column-faces--determine-face (column msg)
@@ -274,31 +264,24 @@ the message flags in included in `mu4e-column-faces--apply-face'."
     (inline-quote
      (cl-case ,column
        (:subject
-        (let ((flags (mu4e-message-field ,msg :flags)))
+        (let ((flags (mu4e-message-field ,msg :flags))
+              (meta (mu4e-message-field ,msg :meta)))
           (cond
            ((memq 'trashed flags) 'mu4e-trashed-face)
            ((memq 'draft flags)   'mu4e-draft-face)
            ((or (memq 'unread flags) (memq 'new flags))
             'mu4e-unread-face)
            ((memq 'flagged flags) 'mu4e-flagged-face)
+           ((plist-get meta :related) 'mu4e-related-face)
            ((memq 'replied flags) 'mu4e-replied-face)
            ((memq 'passed flags)  'mu4e-forwarded-face)
-           (t                     'mu4e-header-face)) ))
+           (t                     'mu4e-header-face))))
        ((:to :from :cc :bcc :from-or-to)
         'mu4e-column-faces-to-from)
        (:attachments          'mu4e-column-faces-attachments)
        (:message-id           'mu4e-column-faces-message-id)
        (:thread-subject
-        (let ((flags (mu4e-message-field ,msg :flags)))
-          (cond
-           ((memq 'trashed flags) 'mu4e-trashed-face)
-           ((memq 'draft flags)   'mu4e-draft-face)
-           ((or (memq 'unread flags) (memq 'new flags))
-            'mu4e-unread-face)
-           ((memq 'flagged flags) 'mu4e-flagged-face)
-           ((memq 'replied flags) 'mu4e-replied-face)
-           ((memq 'passed flags)  'mu4e-forwarded-face)
-           (t                     'mu4e-header-face)) ))
+        (mu4e-column-faces--determine-face :subject msg))
        (:flags                'mu4e-column-faces-flags)
        (:tags                 'mu4e-column-faces-tags)
        (:size                 'mu4e-column-faces-size)