diff --git a/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js b/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js
index 90a4cc6..c99d6de 100644
--- a/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js
+++ b/assets/javascripts/discourse-assign/initializers/extend-for-assigns.js
@@ -489,6 +489,12 @@ function initialize(api) {
     }
   }
 
+  api.addPostSmallActionClassesCallback((post) => {
+    if (post.actionCode.includes("assigned") && !siteSettings.assigns_public) {
+      return ["private-assign"];
+    }
+  });
+
   api.addAdvancedSearchOptions(
     api.getCurrentUser() && api.getCurrentUser().can_assign
       ? {
diff --git a/assets/stylesheets/assigns.scss b/assets/stylesheets/assigns.scss
index f4339c9..2ad414f 100644
--- a/assets/stylesheets/assigns.scss
+++ b/assets/stylesheets/assigns.scss
@@ -258,3 +258,11 @@
     }
   }
 }
+
+.private-assign {
+  // when assigns are not public, make the description look like a whisper
+  .small-action-custom-message {
+    font-style: italic;
+    color: var(--primary-medium);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/spec/system/assign_topic_spec.rb b/spec/system/assign_topic_spec.rb
index 455af25..4ece85c 100644
--- a/spec/system/assign_topic_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/system/assign_topic_spec.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,24 @@ describe "Assign | Assigning topics", type: :system, js: true do
       expect(page).to have_no_css("#topic .assigned-to")
     end
 
+    context "when assigns are not public" do
+      before { SiteSetting.assigns_public = false }
+
+      it "assigned small action post has 'private-assign' in class attribute" do
+        visit "/t/#{topic.id}"
+
+        topic_page.click_assign_topic
+        assign_modal.assignee = staff_user
+        assign_modal.confirm
+
+        expect(topic_page).to have_assigned(
+          user: staff_user,
+          at_post: 2,
+          class_attribute: ".private-assign",
+        )
+      end
+    end
+
     context "when unassign_on_close is set to true" do
       before { SiteSetting.unassign_on_close = true }
 
diff --git a/spec/system/page_objects/pages/topic.rb b/spec/system/page_objects/pages/topic.rb
index ab85b61..fe70463 100644
--- a/spec/system/page_objects/pages/topic.rb
+++ b/spec/system/page_objects/pages/topic.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,10 @@ module PageObjects
 
       def has_assignment_action?(args)
         assignee = args[:group]&.name || args[:user]&.username
-        container = args[:at_post] ? find("#post_#{args[:at_post]}") : page
+
+        container =
+          args[:at_post] ? find("#post_#{args[:at_post]}#{args[:class_attribute] || ""}") : page
+
         container.has_content?(
           I18n.t("js.action_codes.#{args[:action]}", who: "@#{assignee}", when: "just now"),
         )