diff --git a/models/database.py b/models/database.py
index ffbedcde901c82131e52ff2edd356df805d07076..5ecf46346e3ba2347f520e6c8e422241bc874669 100644
--- a/models/database.py
+++ b/models/database.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from io import StringIO, BytesIO
 from enum import Enum
 from uuid import uuid4
 
-from shared import db, date_filter, date_filter_short, escape_tex, DATE_KEY, START_TIME_KEY, END_TIME_KEY
+from shared import db, date_filter, date_filter_short, escape_tex, DATE_KEY, START_TIME_KEY, END_TIME_KEY, current_user
 from utils import random_string, url_manager, get_etherpad_url, split_terms, check_ip_in_networks
 from models.errors import DateNotMatchingException
 
@@ -372,6 +372,18 @@ class LocalTOP(DatabaseModel):
     def get_parent(self):
         return self.protocol
 
+    def is_expandable(self):
+        user = current_user()
+        return (self.has_private_view_right(user)
+            and self.description is not None
+            and len(self.description) > 0)
+
+    def get_css_classes(self):
+        classes = ["defaulttop"]
+        if self.is_expandable():
+            classes.append("expansion-button")
+        return classes
+
 class Document(DatabaseModel):
     __tablename__ = "documents"
     __model_name__ = "document"
diff --git a/static/css/style.css b/static/css/style.css
index 606b8745f4b5414e3d5d9897def8460a2984ae29..447329713fd5fe17f619d8116ce2e7d871dd7a89 100644
--- a/static/css/style.css
+++ b/static/css/style.css
@@ -73,3 +73,7 @@ textarea {
 .like-sign {
     font-size: 16px;
 }
+
+li.defaulttop {
+    font-style: italic;
+}
diff --git a/templates/protocol-tops-include.html b/templates/protocol-tops-include.html
index 7e9c43c4cba3fc657e96a731bd41342d8ee924ad..6be2c79f2fd726683af93a9e5132e2828f921ec4 100644
--- a/templates/protocol-tops-include.html
+++ b/templates/protocol-tops-include.html
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
         {% for default_top in protocol.protocoltype.default_tops %}
             {% if not default_top.is_at_end() %}
                 {% set localtop = default_top.get_localtop(protocol) %}
-                <li{% if has_private_view_right and localtop.description is not none and localtop.description|length > 0 %} class="expansion-button" id="localtop-{{localtop.id}}" title="{{localtop.description}}"{% endif %}>
+                <li class="{{localtop.get_css_classes()|join(" ")}}" {% if localtop.is_expandable() %} id="localtop-{{localtop.id}}" title="{{localtop.description}}"{% endif %}>
                     {{default_top.name}}
                     {% if not protocol.is_done() and has_modify_right %}
                         <a href="{{url_for('edit_localtop', localtop_id=localtop.id)}}">Ändern</a>
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
         {% for default_top in protocol.protocoltype.default_tops %}
             {% if default_top.is_at_end() %}
                 {% set localtop = default_top.get_localtop(protocol) %}
-                <li{% if has_private_view_right and localtop.description is not none and localtop.description|length > 0 %} class="expansion-button" id="localtop-{{localtop.id}}" title="{{localtop.description}}"{% endif %}>
+                <li class="{{localtop.get_css_classes()|join(" ")}}" {% if localtop.is_expandable() %} id="localtop-{{localtop.id}}" title="{{localtop.description}}"{% endif %}>
                     {{default_top.name}}
                     {% if not protocol.is_done() and has_modify_right %}
                         <a href="{{url_for('edit_localtop', localtop_id=localtop.id)}}">Ändern</a>