diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 4522b268592..5d83a4b9520 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ v 8.12.0 (unreleased)
   - Change merge_error column from string to text type
   - Add `web_url` field to issue, merge request, and snippet API objects (Ben Boeckel)
   - Set path for all JavaScript cookies to honor GitLab's subdirectory setting !5627 (Mike Greiling)
+  - Add hover color to emoji icon (ClemMakesApps)
   - Optimistic locking for Issues and Merge Requests (title and description overriding prevention)
   - Add `wiki_page_events` to project hook APIs (Ben Boeckel)
   - Add Sentry logging to API calls
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/pages/notes.scss b/app/assets/stylesheets/pages/notes.scss
index 08d1692c888..54124a3d658 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/pages/notes.scss
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/pages/notes.scss
@@ -281,19 +281,13 @@ ul.notes {
     font-size: 17px;
   }
 
-  &.js-note-delete {
-    i {
-      &:hover {
-        color: $gl-text-red;
-      }
+  &:hover {
+    .danger-highlight {
+      color: $gl-text-red;
     }
-  }
 
-  &.js-note-edit {
-    i {
-      &:hover {
-        color: $gl-link-color;
-      }
+    .link-highlight {
+      color: $gl-link-color;
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/app/views/projects/notes/_note.html.haml b/app/views/projects/notes/_note.html.haml
index d2ac1ce2b9a..7c82177f9ea 100644
--- a/app/views/projects/notes/_note.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/projects/notes/_note.html.haml
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@
               - if note.emoji_awardable?
                 = link_to '#', title: 'Award Emoji', class: 'note-action-button note-emoji-button js-add-award js-note-emoji', data: { position: 'right' } do
                   = icon('spinner spin')
-                  = icon('smile-o')
+                  = icon('smile-o', class: 'link-highlight')
 
               - if note_editable
                 = link_to '#', title: 'Edit comment', class: 'note-action-button js-note-edit' do
-                  = icon('pencil')
+                  = icon('pencil', class: 'link-highlight')
                 = link_to namespace_project_note_path(note.project.namespace, note.project, note), title: 'Remove comment', method: :delete, data: { confirm: 'Are you sure you want to remove this comment?' }, remote: true, class: 'note-action-button hidden-xs js-note-delete danger' do
                   = icon('trash-o')
       .note-body{class: note_editable ? 'js-task-list-container' : ''}
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/fixtures/awards_handler.html.haml b/spec/javascripts/fixtures/awards_handler.html.haml
index d55936ee4f9..1ef2e8f8624 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/fixtures/awards_handler.html.haml
+++ b/spec/javascripts/fixtures/awards_handler.html.haml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
                     %span.note-role Reporter
                     %a.note-action-button.note-emoji-button.js-add-award.js-note-emoji{"data-position" => "right", :href => "#", :title => "Award Emoji"}
                       %i.fa.fa-spinner.fa-spin
-                      %i.fa.fa-smile-o
+                      %i.fa.fa-smile-o.link-highlight
                 .js-task-list-container.note-body.is-task-list-enabled
                   .note-text
                     %p Suscipit sunt quia quisquam sed eveniet ipsam.