diff --git a/qml/component/MessageDelegate.qml b/qml/component/MessageDelegate.qml
index 745212d..9eeaaa4 100644
--- a/qml/component/MessageDelegate.qml
+++ b/qml/component/MessageDelegate.qml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ RowLayout {
         id: genericBubble
 
         highlighted: !sentByMe
-        colored: highlighted && eventType === "notice"
+        colored: highlighted && (eventType === "notice" || highlight)
 
         contentItem: ColumnLayout {
             id: messageColumn
diff --git a/qml/form/RoomForm.qml b/qml/form/RoomForm.qml
index 4ec648d..ffce4fa 100644
--- a/qml/form/RoomForm.qml
+++ b/qml/form/RoomForm.qml
@@ -241,6 +241,8 @@ Item {
                     boundsBehavior: Flickable.DragOverBounds
                     maximumFlickVelocity: 2048
 
+                    cacheBuffer: 200
+
                     model: MessageEventModel {
                         id: messageEventModel
                         room: currentRoom
diff --git a/qml/form/RoomListForm.qml b/qml/form/RoomListForm.qml
index 8448898..d1d90ae 100644
--- a/qml/form/RoomListForm.qml
+++ b/qml/form/RoomListForm.qml
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ Item {
                 Rectangle {
                     anchors.fill: parent
 
-                    visible: highlighted
+                    visible: highlightCount > 0 || highlighted
                     color: Material.accent
                     opacity: 0.1
                 }
diff --git a/src/matriqueroom.cpp b/src/matriqueroom.cpp
index faa36c8..d11da12 100644
--- a/src/matriqueroom.cpp
+++ b/src/matriqueroom.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@
 
 MatriqueRoom::MatriqueRoom(Connection* connection, QString roomId,
                            JoinState joinState)
-    : Room(connection, std::move(roomId), joinState) {}
+    : Room(connection, std::move(roomId), joinState) {
+  connect(this, &MatriqueRoom::notificationCountChanged, this,
+          &MatriqueRoom::countChanged);
+  connect(this, &MatriqueRoom::highlightCountChanged, this,
+          &MatriqueRoom::countChanged);
+}
 
 void MatriqueRoom::chooseAndUploadFile() {
   auto localFile = QFileDialog::getOpenFileUrl(Q_NULLPTR, tr("Save File as"));
@@ -87,3 +92,35 @@ QString MatriqueRoom::lastEvent() {
   return user(lastEvent->senderId())->displayname() + ": " +
          lastEvent->contentJson().value("body").toString();
 }
+
+bool MatriqueRoom::isEventHighlighted(const RoomEvent* e) const {
+  return highlights.contains(e);
+}
+
+void MatriqueRoom::checkForHighlights(const QMatrixClient::TimelineItem& ti) {
+  auto localUserId = localUser()->id();
+  if (ti->senderId() == localUserId) return;
+  if (auto* e = ti.viewAs<RoomMessageEvent>()) {
+    const auto& text = e->plainBody();
+    if (text.contains(localUserId) ||
+        text.contains(roomMembername(localUserId)))
+      highlights.insert(e);
+  }
+}
+
+void MatriqueRoom::onAddNewTimelineEvents(timeline_iter_t from) {
+  std::for_each(from, messageEvents().cend(),
+                [this](const TimelineItem& ti) { checkForHighlights(ti); });
+}
+
+void MatriqueRoom::onAddHistoricalTimelineEvents(rev_iter_t from) {
+  std::for_each(from, messageEvents().crend(),
+                [this](const TimelineItem& ti) { checkForHighlights(ti); });
+}
+
+void MatriqueRoom::countChanged() {
+  if (displayed() && !hasUnreadMessages()) {
+    resetNotificationCount();
+    resetHighlightCount();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/matriqueroom.h b/src/matriqueroom.h
index 32f13b0..eb0f1bf 100644
--- a/src/matriqueroom.h
+++ b/src/matriqueroom.h
@@ -30,13 +30,23 @@ class MatriqueRoom : public Room {
   QString getUsersTyping();
 
   QString lastEvent();
+  bool isEventHighlighted(const QMatrixClient::RoomEvent* e) const;
 
  private:
   QString m_cachedInput;
+  QSet<const QMatrixClient::RoomEvent*> highlights;
 
   QString getMIME(const QUrl& fileUrl) const;
   void postFile(const QUrl& localFile, const QUrl& mxcUrl);
 
+  void checkForHighlights(const QMatrixClient::TimelineItem& ti);
+
+  void onAddNewTimelineEvents(timeline_iter_t from) override;
+  void onAddHistoricalTimelineEvents(rev_iter_t from) override;
+
+ private slots:
+  void countChanged();
+
  signals:
   void cachedInputChanged();
 
diff --git a/src/messageeventmodel.cpp b/src/messageeventmodel.cpp
index 7512840..da3f919 100644
--- a/src/messageeventmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/messageeventmodel.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ MessageEventModel::MessageEventModel(QObject* parent)
 
 MessageEventModel::~MessageEventModel() {}
 
-void MessageEventModel::setRoom(QMatrixClient::Room* room) {
+void MessageEventModel::setRoom(MatriqueRoom* room) {
   if (room == m_currentRoom) return;
 
   beginResetModel();
@@ -567,6 +567,8 @@ QVariant MessageEventModel::data(const QModelIndex& idx, int role) const {
     };
   }
 
+  if (role == HighlightRole) return m_currentRoom->isEventHighlighted(&evt);
+
   if (role == ReadMarkerRole) return evt.id() == lastReadEventId;
 
   if (role == SpecialMarksRole) {
diff --git a/src/messageeventmodel.h b/src/messageeventmodel.h
index 1d31f33..8161e3e 100644
--- a/src/messageeventmodel.h
+++ b/src/messageeventmodel.h
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@
 #define MESSAGEEVENTMODEL_H
 
 #include "room.h"
+#include "matriqueroom.h"
 
 #include <QtCore/QAbstractListModel>
 
 class MessageEventModel : public QAbstractListModel {
   Q_OBJECT
   Q_PROPERTY(
-      QMatrixClient::Room* room READ getRoom WRITE setRoom NOTIFY roomChanged)
+      MatriqueRoom* room READ getRoom WRITE setRoom NOTIFY roomChanged)
 
  public:
   enum EventRoles {
@@ -35,8 +36,8 @@ class MessageEventModel : public QAbstractListModel {
   explicit MessageEventModel(QObject* parent = nullptr);
   ~MessageEventModel();
 
-  QMatrixClient::Room* getRoom() { return m_currentRoom; }
-  void setRoom(QMatrixClient::Room* room);
+  MatriqueRoom* getRoom() { return m_currentRoom; }
+  void setRoom(MatriqueRoom* room);
 
   int rowCount(const QModelIndex& parent = QModelIndex()) const override;
   QVariant data(const QModelIndex& index,
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ class MessageEventModel : public QAbstractListModel {
   void refreshRow(int row);
 
  private:
-  QMatrixClient::Room* m_currentRoom = nullptr;
+  MatriqueRoom* m_currentRoom = nullptr;
   QString lastReadEventId;
   int rowBelowInserted = -1;
   bool movingEvent = 0;
diff --git a/src/roomlistmodel.cpp b/src/roomlistmodel.cpp
index 91d1aae..1a460ec 100644
--- a/src/roomlistmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/roomlistmodel.cpp
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ QVariant RoomListModel::data(const QModelIndex& index, int role) const {
     return RoomType::Normal;
   }
   if (role == UnreadCountRole) return room->unreadCount();
+  if (role == HighlightCountRole) return room->highlightCount();
   if (role == LastEventRole) return room->lastEvent();
   if (role == CurrentRoomRole) return QVariant::fromValue(room);
   return QVariant();
@@ -185,6 +186,7 @@ QHash<int, QByteArray> RoomListModel::roleNames() const {
   roles[TopicRole] = "topic";
   roles[CategoryRole] = "category";
   roles[UnreadCountRole] = "unreadCount";
+  roles[HighlightCountRole] = "highlightCount";
   roles[LastEventRole] = "lastEvent";
   roles[CurrentRoomRole] = "currentRoom";
   return roles;
diff --git a/src/roomlistmodel.h b/src/roomlistmodel.h
index 6fa57e9..1091245 100644
--- a/src/roomlistmodel.h
+++ b/src/roomlistmodel.h
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ class RoomListModel : public QAbstractListModel {
     TopicRole,
     CategoryRole,
     UnreadCountRole,
+    HighlightCountRole,
     LastEventRole,
     CurrentRoomRole,
   };