diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/v2/messages/VisibleMessageView.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/v2/messages/VisibleMessageView.kt
index 00c5c08a4d..90cb58cdc9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/v2/messages/VisibleMessageView.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/conversation/v2/messages/VisibleMessageView.kt
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ import android.graphics.drawable.ColorDrawable
 import android.os.Handler
 import android.os.Looper
 import android.util.AttributeSet
+import android.view.Gravity
 import android.view.HapticFeedbackConstants
 import android.view.MotionEvent
 import android.view.View
+import android.widget.FrameLayout
 import android.widget.LinearLayout
 import androidx.annotation.ColorInt
 import androidx.annotation.DrawableRes
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ class VisibleMessageView : LinearLayout {
         binding.root.disableClipping()
         binding.mainContainer.disableClipping()
         binding.messageInnerContainer.disableClipping()
+        binding.messageInnerLayout.disableClipping()
         binding.messageContentView.root.disableClipping()
     }
     // endregion
@@ -342,11 +345,14 @@ class VisibleMessageView : LinearLayout {
 
     private fun updateExpirationTimer(message: MessageRecord) {
         val container = binding.messageInnerContainer
-        val content = binding.messageContentView.root
-        val expiration = binding.expirationTimerView
-        container.removeAllViewsInLayout()
-        container.addView(if (message.isOutgoing) expiration else content)
-        container.addView(if (message.isOutgoing) content else expiration)
+        val layout = binding.messageInnerLayout
+
+        if (message.isOutgoing) binding.messageContentView.root.bringToFront()
+        else binding.expirationTimerView.bringToFront()
+
+        layout.layoutParams = layout.layoutParams.let { it as FrameLayout.LayoutParams }
+            .apply { gravity = if (message.isOutgoing) Gravity.END else Gravity.START }
+
         val containerParams = container.layoutParams as ConstraintLayout.LayoutParams
         containerParams.horizontalBias = if (message.isOutgoing) 1f else 0f
         container.layoutParams = containerParams
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/view_visible_message.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/view_visible_message.xml
index 11155ccc20..37b65c8fcb 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/view_visible_message.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/view_visible_message.xml
@@ -107,35 +107,40 @@
             app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
             tools:text="@tools:sample/full_names" />
 
-        <LinearLayout
+        <FrameLayout
             android:id="@+id/messageInnerContainer"
             android:layout_width="0dp"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-            android:orientation="horizontal"
             app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="@+id/profilePictureView"
             app:layout_constraintStart_toEndOf="@+id/profilePictureView"
             app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
             app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/senderNameTextView">
 
-            <include layout="@layout/view_visible_message_content"
-                android:id="@+id/messageContentView"
-                android:layout_width="0dp"
+            <LinearLayout
+                android:id="@+id/messageInnerLayout"
+                android:layout_width="wrap_content"
                 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
-                android:layout_weight="1"/>
+                android:orientation="horizontal">
 
-            <org.thoughtcrime.securesms.conversation.v2.components.ExpirationTimerView
-                android:id="@+id/expirationTimerView"
-                android:layout_width="12dp"
-                android:layout_height="12dp"
-                android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
-                android:layout_marginHorizontal="@dimen/small_spacing"
-                android:contentDescription="@string/AccessibilityId_timer_icon"
-                android:visibility="invisible"
-                tools:visibility="visible"
-                tools:src="@drawable/timer60"
-                tools:tint="@color/black"/>
+                <include layout="@layout/view_visible_message_content"
+                    android:id="@+id/messageContentView"
+                    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+                    android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
 
-        </LinearLayout>
+                <org.thoughtcrime.securesms.conversation.v2.components.ExpirationTimerView
+                    android:id="@+id/expirationTimerView"
+                    android:layout_width="12dp"
+                    android:layout_height="12dp"
+                    android:layout_gravity="center_vertical"
+                    android:layout_marginHorizontal="@dimen/small_spacing"
+                    android:contentDescription="@string/AccessibilityId_timer_icon"
+                    android:visibility="invisible"
+                    tools:visibility="visible"
+                    tools:src="@drawable/timer60"
+                    tools:tint="@color/black"/>
+
+            </LinearLayout>
+        </FrameLayout>
 
         <include layout="@layout/view_emoji_reactions"
             android:id="@+id/emojiReactionsView"