diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
index 34425eec9..12ee0c763 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/ConversationFragment.java
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ import androidx.appcompat.content.res.AppCompatResources;
 import androidx.core.view.inputmethod.InputConnectionCompat;
 import androidx.core.view.inputmethod.InputContentInfoCompat;
 import androidx.databinding.DataBindingUtil;
+import androidx.interpolator.view.animation.FastOutSlowInInterpolator;
 import androidx.recyclerview.widget.LinearLayoutManager;
 import androidx.viewpager.widget.PagerAdapter;
 
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ import eu.siacs.conversations.ui.util.SendButtonTool;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.ui.util.ShareUtil;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.ui.util.ViewUtil;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.ui.widget.EditMessage;
+import eu.siacs.conversations.ui.widget.HighlighterView;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.ui.widget.TabLayout;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.utils.AccountUtils;
 import eu.siacs.conversations.utils.Compatibility;
@@ -1581,16 +1583,11 @@ public class ConversationFragment extends XmppFragment
             }
 
             View view = ListViewUtils.getViewByPosition(actualIndex, binding.messagesView);
-            View messageBox = view.findViewById(R.id.message_box);
-            if (messageBox != null) {
-                messageBox.animate()
-                        .scaleX(1.03f)
-                        .scaleY(1.03f)
-                        .setInterpolator(new CycleInterpolator(0.5f))
-                        .setDuration(300L)
-                        .start();
+            HighlighterView highlighter = view.findViewById(R.id.highlighter);
+            if (highlighter != null) {
+               highlighter.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
             }
-        }, 300L);
+        }, 200L);
     }
 
     private void updateSelection(String uuid, Integer offsetFormTop, Runnable selectionUpdatedRunnable, boolean populateFromMam, boolean recursiveFetch) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
index 16ee47b71..e8cf71adf 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/adapter/MessageAdapter.java
@@ -787,6 +787,11 @@ public class MessageAdapter extends ArrayAdapter<Message> {
             }
         }
 
+        View highlighter = view.findViewById(R.id.highlighter);
+        if (highlighter != null) {
+            highlighter.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
+        }
+
         boolean darkBackground = type == RECEIVED && (!isInValidSession || mUseGreenBackground) || activity.isDarkTheme();
 
         if (type == DATE_SEPARATOR) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/widget/HighlighterView.java b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/widget/HighlighterView.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..85ac1a512
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/widget/HighlighterView.java
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+package eu.siacs.conversations.ui.widget;
+
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.os.Handler;
+import android.os.Looper;
+import android.util.AttributeSet;
+import android.view.View;
+
+import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
+import androidx.interpolator.view.animation.FastOutSlowInInterpolator;
+
+public class HighlighterView extends View {
+
+    private Runnable hideHighlight = () -> {
+        if (getVisibility() == View.INVISIBLE) return;
+
+        animate()
+                .alpha(0.0f)
+                .setInterpolator(new FastOutSlowInInterpolator())
+                .setDuration(300L)
+                .withEndAction(() -> setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE))
+                .start();
+    };
+
+    private Handler handler = new Handler(Looper.getMainLooper());
+
+    public HighlighterView(Context context) {
+        super(context);
+    }
+
+    public HighlighterView(Context context, @Nullable AttributeSet attrs) {
+        super(context, attrs);
+    }
+
+    public HighlighterView(Context context, @Nullable AttributeSet attrs, int defStyleAttr) {
+        super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr);
+    }
+
+    public HighlighterView(Context context, @Nullable AttributeSet attrs, int defStyleAttr, int defStyleRes) {
+        super(context, attrs, defStyleAttr, defStyleRes);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void setVisibility(int visibility) {
+        super.setVisibility(visibility);
+
+        if (visibility != View.VISIBLE) {
+            handler.removeCallbacks(hideHighlight);
+            animate().cancel();
+            setAlpha(0);
+        } else {
+            animate()
+                    .alpha(0.5f)
+                    .setInterpolator(new FastOutSlowInInterpolator())
+                    .setDuration(300L)
+                    .start();
+
+            handler.removeCallbacks(hideHighlight);
+            handler.postDelayed(hideHighlight, 2000);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/res/layout/message_received.xml b/src/main/res/layout/message_received.xml
index 67e28f143..7028cf52e 100644
--- a/src/main/res/layout/message_received.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/layout/message_received.xml
@@ -4,11 +4,24 @@
                 android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                 android:orientation="vertical"
+                android:clipToPadding="false"
                 android:paddingBottom="4dp"
                 android:paddingLeft="8dp"
                 android:paddingRight="8dp"
                 android:paddingTop="4dp">
 
+    <eu.siacs.conversations.ui.widget.HighlighterView
+        android:id="@+id/highlighter"
+        android:layout_width="match_parent"
+        android:layout_height="match_parent"
+        android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
+        android:layout_alignBottom="@id/message_box"
+        android:background="?color_message_selection"
+        android:layout_marginLeft="-8dp"
+        android:layout_marginRight="-8dp"
+        android:alpha="0"
+        android:visibility="invisible"/>
+
     <com.makeramen.roundedimageview.RoundedImageView
         android:id="@+id/message_photo"
         android:layout_width="48dp"
diff --git a/src/main/res/layout/message_sent.xml b/src/main/res/layout/message_sent.xml
index c4564a923..1c4ccec0d 100644
--- a/src/main/res/layout/message_sent.xml
+++ b/src/main/res/layout/message_sent.xml
@@ -4,11 +4,24 @@
     android:layout_width="fill_parent"
     android:layout_height="wrap_content"
     android:orientation="vertical"
+    android:clipToPadding="false"
     android:paddingLeft="8dp"
     android:paddingTop="4dp"
     android:paddingRight="8dp"
     android:paddingBottom="4dp">
 
+    <eu.siacs.conversations.ui.widget.HighlighterView
+        android:id="@+id/highlighter"
+        android:layout_width="match_parent"
+        android:layout_height="match_parent"
+        android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
+        android:layout_alignBottom="@id/message_box"
+        android:background="?color_message_selection"
+        android:layout_marginLeft="-8dp"
+        android:layout_marginRight="-8dp"
+        android:alpha="0"
+        android:visibility="invisible"/>
+
     <com.makeramen.roundedimageview.RoundedImageView
         android:id="@+id/message_photo"
         android:layout_width="48dp"
@@ -93,7 +106,6 @@
         </LinearLayout>
     </LinearLayout>
 
-
     <View
         android:id="@+id/clicks_interceptor"
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
@@ -101,4 +113,5 @@
         android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
         android:layout_alignBottom="@id/message_box"
         android:visibility="gone"/>
+
 </RelativeLayout>
\ No newline at end of file