diff --git a/CHANGELOG.txt b/CHANGELOG.txt
index ed7dc68e88..2eb2088ce3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.txt
+++ b/CHANGELOG.txt
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ Changelog
  * Fix: Removing rich text links / documents now also works when the text selection is backwards (Thibaud Colas)
  * Fix: Prevent the rich text editor from crashing when copy-paste filtering removes all of its content (Thibaud Colas)
  * Fix: Page chooser now respects custom `get_admin_display_title` methods on parent page and breadcrumb (Haydn Greatnews)
+ * Fix: Added consistent whitespace around sortable table headings (Matt Westcott)
 
 
 2.4 (19.12.2018)
diff --git a/docs/releases/2.5.rst b/docs/releases/2.5.rst
index cb20a5f6b1..9e1f270f00 100644
--- a/docs/releases/2.5.rst
+++ b/docs/releases/2.5.rst
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ Bug fixes
  * Removing rich text links / documents now also works when the text selection is backwards (Thibaud Colas)
  * Prevent the rich text editor from crashing when copy-paste filtering removes all of its content (Thibaud Colas)
  * Page chooser now respects custom ``get_admin_display_title`` methods on parent page and breadcrumb (Haydn Greatnews)
+ * Added consistent whitespace around sortable table headings (Matt Westcott)
 
 
 Upgrade considerations
diff --git a/wagtail/admin/templates/wagtailadmin/pages/revisions/list.html b/wagtail/admin/templates/wagtailadmin/pages/revisions/list.html
index 06e32e78fd..d22554b8fb 100644
--- a/wagtail/admin/templates/wagtailadmin/pages/revisions/list.html
+++ b/wagtail/admin/templates/wagtailadmin/pages/revisions/list.html
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@
 
     <thead>
         <tr>
-            <th><a href="{% url 'wagtailadmin_pages:revisions_index' page.id %}?ordering={% if ordering == "created_at" %}-{% endif %}created_at" class="icon icon-arrow-{% if ordering == "created_at" %}up-after{% elif ordering == "-created_at" %}down-after{% else %}down-after{% endif %} {% if ordering == "created_at" or ordering == "-created_at" %}teal{% endif %}">{% trans 'Revision date' %}</a></th>
+            <th>
+                <a href="{% url 'wagtailadmin_pages:revisions_index' page.id %}?ordering={% if ordering == "created_at" %}-{% endif %}created_at" class="icon icon-arrow-{% if ordering == "created_at" %}up-after{% elif ordering == "-created_at" %}down-after{% else %}down-after{% endif %} {% if ordering == "created_at" or ordering == "-created_at" %}teal{% endif %}">
+                    {% trans 'Revision date' %}
+                </a>
+            </th>
         </tr>
     </thead>
     <tbody>
diff --git a/wagtail/admin/templatetags/wagtailadmin_tags.py b/wagtail/admin/templatetags/wagtailadmin_tags.py
index 9d060c426e..b04204eff6 100644
--- a/wagtail/admin/templatetags/wagtailadmin_tags.py
+++ b/wagtail/admin/templatetags/wagtailadmin_tags.py
@@ -331,7 +331,8 @@ def table_header_label(context, label=None, sortable=True, ordering=None, sort_c
         classname = "icon icon-arrow-down-after"
 
     return format_html(
-        '<a href="{url}" class="{classname}">{label}</a>',
+        # need whitespace around label for correct positioning of arrow icon
+        '<a href="{url}" class="{classname}"> {label} </a>',
         url=url, classname=classname, label=label
     )
 
diff --git a/wagtail/sites/templates/wagtailsites/index.html b/wagtail/sites/templates/wagtailsites/index.html
index 916757f660..7ba1ca4168 100644
--- a/wagtail/sites/templates/wagtailsites/index.html
+++ b/wagtail/sites/templates/wagtailsites/index.html
@@ -8,11 +8,14 @@
                 <thead>
                     <tr>
                         <th class="hostname">
-                            {% trans "Site" %}
-                            {% if ordering == "site" %}
-                                <a href="{% url 'wagtailsites:index' %}" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after teal"></a>
+                            {% if ordering == "name" %}
+                                <a href="{% url 'wagtailsites:index' %}" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after teal">
+                                    {% trans "Site" %}
+                                </a>
                             {% else %}
-                                <a href="{% url 'wagtailsites:index' %}?ordering=name" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after"></a>
+                                <a href="{% url 'wagtailsites:index' %}?ordering=name" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after">
+                                    {% trans "Site" %}
+                                </a>
                             {% endif %}
                         </th>
                         <th class="port">{% trans "Port" %}</th>
diff --git a/wagtail/users/templates/wagtailusers/users/list.html b/wagtail/users/templates/wagtailusers/users/list.html
index a2b037ecf7..8123ade120 100644
--- a/wagtail/users/templates/wagtailusers/users/list.html
+++ b/wagtail/users/templates/wagtailusers/users/list.html
@@ -3,19 +3,25 @@
     <thead>
         <tr>
             <th class="name">
-                {% trans "Name" %}
                 {% if ordering == "name" %}
-                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailusers_users:index' %}" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after teal"></a>
+                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailusers_users:index' %}" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after teal">
+                        {% trans "Name" %}
+                    </a>
                 {% else %}
-                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailusers_users:index' %}?ordering=name" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after"></a>
+                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailusers_users:index' %}?ordering=name" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after">
+                        {% trans "Name" %}
+                    </a>
                 {% endif %}
             </th>
             <th class="username">
-                {% trans "Username" %}
                 {% if ordering == "username" %}
-                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailusers_users:index' %}" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after teal"></a>
+                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailusers_users:index' %}" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after teal">
+                        {% trans "Username" %}
+                    </a>
                 {% else %}
-                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailusers_users:index' %}?ordering=username" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after"></a>
+                    <a href="{% url 'wagtailusers_users:index' %}?ordering=username" class="icon icon-arrow-down-after">
+                        {% trans "Username" %}
+                    </a>
                 {% endif %}
             </th>
             <th class="level">{% trans "Level" %}</th>