diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
index 005905e74..f1332246f 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
@@ -5121,6 +5121,23 @@ int64_t         dc_contact_get_last_seen     (const dc_contact_t* contact);
 int             dc_contact_was_seen_recently (const dc_contact_t* contact);
 
 
+/**
+ * Check if the contact was not seen a long time ago.
+ *
+ * The UI shall highlight these contacts,
+ * draw a orange green dot on the avatars of the user,
+ * and show a hint in the contact's profile.
+ *
+ * DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF and other special contact IDs are defined as never been stale (they should not get a dot).
+ * To get the time a contact was seen, use dc_contact_get_last_seen().
+ *
+ * @memberof dc_contact_t
+ * @param contact The contact object.
+ * @return 1=contact seen recently, 0=contact not seen recently.
+ */
+int             dc_contact_is_stale (const dc_contact_t* contact)
+
+
 /**
  * Check if a contact is blocked.
  *
diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index d13335977..adc5d81dd 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -4055,6 +4055,16 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_contact_was_seen_recently(contact: *mut dc_contact_t
     ffi_contact.contact.was_seen_recently() as libc::c_int
 }
 
+#[unsafe(no_mangle)]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_contact_is_stale(contact: *mut dc_contact_t) -> libc::c_int {
+    if contact.is_null() {
+        eprintln!("ignoring careless call to dc_contact_is_stale()");
+        return 0;
+    }
+    let ffi_contact = unsafe { &*contact };
+    ffi_contact.contact.is_stale() as libc::c_int
+}
+
 #[unsafe(no_mangle)]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_contact_is_blocked(contact: *mut dc_contact_t) -> libc::c_int {
     if contact.is_null() {
diff --git a/src/contact.rs b/src/contact.rs
index 9acd67be5..3e0b0a95a 100644
--- a/src/contact.rs
+++ b/src/contact.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ use crate::{chat, chatlist_events, ensure_and_debug_assert, stock_str};
 /// Time during which a contact is considered as seen recently.
 const SEEN_RECENTLY_SECONDS: i64 = 600;
 
+/// If "seen recently" is older, the contact is marked as potentially stale.
+const CONTACT_STALE_SECONDS: i64 = 90 * 24 * 60 * 60;
+
 /// Contact ID, including reserved IDs.
 ///
 /// Some contact IDs are reserved to identify special contacts.  This
@@ -731,6 +734,12 @@ impl Contact {
         time() - self.last_seen <= SEEN_RECENTLY_SECONDS
     }
 
+    /// Returns `true` if this contact was not seen for a long time.
+    #[expect(clippy::arithmetic_side_effects)]
+    pub fn is_stale(&self) -> bool {
+        time() - self.last_seen > CONTACT_STALE_SECONDS
+    }
+
     /// Check if a contact is blocked.
     pub async fn is_blocked_load(context: &Context, id: ContactId) -> Result<bool> {
         let blocked = context