diff --git a/src/chat_gui/contact_list.cpp b/src/chat_gui/contact_list.cpp
index 82ce5435..a9c6434f 100644
--- a/src/chat_gui/contact_list.cpp
+++ b/src/chat_gui/contact_list.cpp
@@ -89,6 +89,52 @@ static void drawIconCloud(
 	ImGui::GetWindowDrawList()->AddPolyline(points.data(), points.size(), col_main, ImDrawFlags_None, 1.5f);
 }
 
+static void drawIconMailLines(
+	const ImVec2 p0,
+	const ImVec2 p1_o,
+	const ImU32 col,
+	const float thickness
+) {
+#define PLINE(x0, y0, x1, y1) \
+		ImGui::GetWindowDrawList()->AddLine( \
+			{p0.x + p1_o.x*(x0), p0.y + p1_o.y*(y0)}, \
+			{p0.x + p1_o.x*(x1), p0.y + p1_o.y*(y1)}, \
+			col, \
+			thickness \
+		);
+
+		// quad
+		// (1,2) -> (1,8)
+		PLINE(0.1f, 0.2f, 0.1f, 0.8f)
+		// (1,8) -> (9,8)
+		PLINE(0.1f, 0.8f, 0.9f, 0.8f)
+		// (9,8) -> (9,2)
+		PLINE(0.9f, 0.8f, 0.9f, 0.2f)
+		// (9,2) -> (1,2)
+		PLINE(0.9f, 0.2f, 0.1f, 0.2f)
+
+		// lip
+		// (1,2) -> (5,5)
+		PLINE(0.1f, 0.2f, 0.5f, 0.5f)
+		// (5,5) -> (9,2)
+		PLINE(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.9f, 0.2f)
+
+#undef PLINE
+}
+
+static void drawIconMail(
+	const ImVec2 p0,
+	const ImVec2 p1_o,
+	const ImU32 col_main,
+	const ImU32 col_back
+) {
+	// dark background
+	// the circle looks bad in light mode
+	//ImGui::GetWindowDrawList()->AddCircleFilled({p0.x + p1_o.x*0.5f, p0.y + p1_o.y*0.5f}, p1_o.x*0.5f, col_back);
+	drawIconMailLines(p0, p1_o, col_back, 4.0f);
+	drawIconMailLines(p0, p1_o, col_main, 1.5f);
+}
+
 void renderAvatar(
 	const Theme& th,
 	ContactTextureCache& contact_tc,
@@ -245,7 +291,26 @@ bool renderContactBig(
 				ImGui::SameLine(0.f, same_line_spacing);
 			}
 
-			ImGui::Text("%s%s", unread?"* ":"", (c.all_of<Contact::Components::Name>() ? c.get<Contact::Components::Name>().name.c_str() : "<unk>"));
+			//ImGui::Text("%s%s", unread?"* ":"", (c.all_of<Contact::Components::Name>() ? c.get<Contact::Components::Name>().name.c_str() : "<unk>"));
+			ImGui::TextUnformatted(c.all_of<Contact::Components::Name>() ? c.get<Contact::Components::Name>().name.c_str() : "<unk>");
+			if (unread) {
+				ImGui::SameLine();
+				const float icon_size { TEXT_BASE_HEIGHT - ImGui::GetStyle().FramePadding.y*2 };
+				ImGui::SetCursorPosX(ImGui::GetCursorPosX() + ImGui::GetContentRegionAvail().x - icon_size);
+
+				// icon pos
+				auto p0 = ImGui::GetCursorScreenPos();
+				//p0.y += ImGui::GetStyle().FramePadding.y;
+				ImVec2 p1_o = {icon_size, icon_size};
+
+				drawIconMail(
+					p0,
+					p1_o,
+					ImGui::GetColorU32(th.getColor<ThemeCol_Contact::unread>()),
+					ImGui::GetColorU32(th.getColor<ThemeCol_Contact::icon_backdrop>())
+				);
+				ImGui::Dummy(p1_o);
+			}
 		}
 
 		// line 2
diff --git a/src/chat_gui/contact_list.hpp b/src/chat_gui/contact_list.hpp
index 0b2bfc84..c2840541 100644
--- a/src/chat_gui/contact_list.hpp
+++ b/src/chat_gui/contact_list.hpp
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ enum class ThemeCol_Contact {
 	avatar_online_cloud,
 	avatar_offline,
 
+	unread,
+	unread_muted,
+
 	icon_backdrop,
 };
 
@@ -27,7 +30,7 @@ void renderAvatar(
 // returns true if clicked, if selectable, will highlight on hover and respect selected
 // TODO: refine
 // +------+
-// |	  | *Name (Alias?)
+// |	  | *Name (Alias?)            [v]
 // |Avatar| Satus Message <-- richpresence interface?
 // |	  | user status (online/away/busy)-direct/relayed / offline <-- last text?
 // +------+
diff --git a/src/chat_gui/theme.cpp b/src/chat_gui/theme.cpp
index 27112938..2476435d 100644
--- a/src/chat_gui/theme.cpp
+++ b/src/chat_gui/theme.cpp
@@ -41,14 +41,17 @@ bool Theme::store(void) {
 Theme getDefaultThemeDark(void) {
 	Theme t;
 
-	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::request_incoming			>({0.98f, 0.41f, 0.26f, 0.52f});
-	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::request_outgoing			>({0.98f, 0.26f, 0.41f, 0.52f});
+	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::request_incoming		>({0.98f, 0.41f, 0.26f, 0.52f});
+	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::request_outgoing		>({0.98f, 0.26f, 0.41f, 0.52f});
 
 	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::avatar_online_direct	>({0.3f, 1.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f});
 	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::avatar_online_cloud	>({0.0f, 1.0f, 0.8f, 1.0f});
-	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::avatar_offline		>({0.4f, 0.4f, 0.4f, 1.0f});
+	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::avatar_offline			>({0.4f, 0.4f, 0.4f, 1.0f});
 
-	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::icon_backdrop				>({0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.4f});
+	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::unread					>(ImGui::GetStyleColorVec4(ImGuiCol_PlotHistogramHovered));
+	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::unread_muted			>({0.6f, 0.6f, 0.6f, 0.9f});
+
+	t.setColor<ThemeCol_Contact::icon_backdrop			>({0.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 0.4f});
 
 	return t;
 }