diff --git a/packages/material-ui/src/FormHelperText/FormHelperText.js b/packages/material-ui/src/FormHelperText/FormHelperText.js
index c0da0a8e9c397f..911eb876fd393e 100644
--- a/packages/material-ui/src/FormHelperText/FormHelperText.js
+++ b/packages/material-ui/src/FormHelperText/FormHelperText.js
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@ export const styles = theme => ({
     color: theme.palette.text.secondary,
     ...theme.typography.caption,
     textAlign: 'left',
-    marginTop: 8,
-    lineHeight: '1em',
-    minHeight: '1em',
+    marginTop: 3,
     margin: 0,
     '&$disabled': {
       color: theme.palette.text.disabled,
@@ -32,7 +30,8 @@ export const styles = theme => ({
   },
   /* Styles applied to the root element if `variant="filled"` or `variant="outlined"`. */
   contained: {
-    margin: '8px 14px 0',
+    marginLeft: 14,
+    marginRight: 14,
   },
   /* Pseudo-class applied to the root element if `focused={true}`. */
   focused: {},