diff --git a/src/constants.rs b/src/constants.rs
index a4015d562..5fa18ab9b 100644
--- a/src/constants.rs
+++ b/src/constants.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ pub const DC_GCL_ADD_ALLDONE_HINT: usize = 0x04;
 
 const DC_GCM_ADDDAYMARKER: usize = 0x01;
 
-const DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY: usize = 0x01;
+pub const DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY: usize = 0x01;
 pub const DC_GCL_ADD_SELF: usize = 0x02;
 
 /// param1 is a directory where the keys are written to
diff --git a/src/contact.rs b/src/contact.rs
index 8a4819004..a29af19d1 100644
--- a/src/contact.rs
+++ b/src/contact.rs
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@ use crate::sql;
 use crate::stock::StockMessage;
 use crate::types::*;
 
-const DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY: u32 = 0x01;
-
 /// Contacts with at least this origin value are shown in the contact list.
 const DC_ORIGIN_MIN_CONTACT_LIST: i32 = 0x100;
 
@@ -479,8 +477,10 @@ impl<'a> Contact<'a> {
 
         let mut add_self = false;
         let mut ret = Vec::new();
+        let flag_verified_only = listflags_has(listflags, DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY);
+        let flag_add_self = listflags_has(listflags, DC_GCL_ADD_SELF);
 
-        if (listflags & DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY) > 0 || query.is_some() {
+        if flag_verified_only || query.is_some() {
             let s3str_like_cmd = format!(
                 "%{}%",
                 query
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ impl<'a> Contact<'a> {
                     0x100,
                     &s3str_like_cmd,
                     &s3str_like_cmd,
-                    if 0 != listflags & 0x1 { 0 } else { 1 },
+                    if flag_verified_only { 0 } else { 1 },
                 ],
                 |row| row.get::<_, i32>(0),
                 |ids| {
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ impl<'a> Contact<'a> {
             )?;
         }
 
-        if 0 != listflags & DC_GCL_ADD_SELF as u32 && add_self {
+        if flag_add_self && add_self {
             ret.push(DC_CONTACT_ID_SELF);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/dc_tools.rs b/src/dc_tools.rs
index bb8db8eb4..8ad88a787 100644
--- a/src/dc_tools.rs
+++ b/src/dc_tools.rs
@@ -1383,6 +1383,32 @@ impl FromStr for EmailAddress {
     }
 }
 
+/// Utility to check if a in the binary represantion of listflags
+/// the bit at position bitindex is 1.
+///
+///
+/// # Example
+///
+/// ```
+/// use std::convert::TryInto;
+/// use deltachat::dc_tools::listflags_has;
+/// use deltachat::constants::{DC_GCL_ADD_SELF, DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY};
+/// let listflags: u32 = 0x1101;
+/// assert!(listflags_has(listflags, 0x1) == true);
+/// assert!(listflags_has(listflags, 0x10) == false);
+/// assert!(listflags_has(listflags, 0x100) == true);
+/// assert!(listflags_has(listflags, 0x1000) == true);
+/// let listflags: u32 = (DC_GCL_ADD_SELF | DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY).try_into().unwrap();
+/// assert!(listflags_has(listflags, DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY) == true);
+/// assert!(listflags_has(listflags, DC_GCL_ADD_SELF) == true);
+/// let listflags: u32 = DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY.try_into().unwrap();
+/// assert!(listflags_has(listflags, DC_GCL_ADD_SELF) == false);
+/// ```
+pub fn listflags_has(listflags: u32, bitindex: usize) -> bool {
+    let listflags = listflags as usize;
+    (listflags & bitindex) == bitindex
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;