diff --git a/addons/mail/static/src/xml/mail.xml b/addons/mail/static/src/xml/mail.xml
index b2ad1f1a186..b26ef06f5e4 100644
--- a/addons/mail/static/src/xml/mail.xml
+++ b/addons/mail/static/src/xml/mail.xml
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
             </t>
             <t t-if="!widget.options.view_mailbox">
                 <div class="field_text oe_compact oe_compact_record">
-                    <a class="oe_compose_post" t-if="widget.options.compose_placeholder" t-raw="widget.options.compose_placeholder"/>
+                    <a class="oe_compose_post" t-if="widget.options.compose_placeholder"><t t-raw="widget.options.compose_placeholder"/></a>
                     <a class="oe_compose_post" t-if="!widget.options.compose_placeholder and !widget.options.view_mailbox">Send a message</a>
                     <span class="oe_grey oe_sep_word">or</span>
                     <a class="oe_compose_log">Log a note</a>