diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
index f5393938f..47564bc98 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
@@ -3701,6 +3701,9 @@ char*             dc_msg_get_webxdc_blob      (const dc_msg_t* msg, const char*
  *   To get the file, use dc_msg_get_webxdc_blob().
  *   App icons should should be square,
  *   the implementations will add round corners etc. as needed.
+ * - summary: short string describing the state of the app,
+ *   sth. as "2 votes", "Highscore: 123",
+ *   can be changed by the apps and defaults to an empty string.
  *
  * @memberof dc_msg_t
  * @param msg The webxdc instance.
diff --git a/draft/webxdc-dev-reference.md b/draft/webxdc-dev-reference.md
index 926552a8b..45aeb69bd 100644
--- a/draft/webxdc-dev-reference.md
+++ b/draft/webxdc-dev-reference.md
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ To get a shared state, the peers use `sendUpdate()` to send updates to each othe
        eg. "Alice voted" or "Bob scored 123 in MyGame";
        usually only one line of text is shown,
        use this option sparingly to not spam the chat.
+    - `update.summary`: optional, short text, shown beside app icon;
+       it is recommended to use some aggregated value,  eg. "8 votes", "Highscore: 123"
+
 - `descr`: short, human-readable description what this update is about.
   this is shown eg. as a fallback text in an email program.
 
diff --git a/src/param.rs b/src/param.rs
index acbb03a78..9afca38f0 100644
--- a/src/param.rs
+++ b/src/param.rs
@@ -171,6 +171,12 @@ pub enum Param {
 
     /// For Chats: timestamp of protection settings update.
     ProtectionSettingsTimestamp = b'L',
+
+    /// For Webxdc Message Instances: Current summary
+    WebxdcSummary = b'N',
+
+    /// For Webxdc Message Instances: timestamp of summary update.
+    WebxdcSummaryTimestamp = b'Q',
 }
 
 /// An object for handling key=value parameter lists.
diff --git a/src/webxdc.rs b/src/webxdc.rs
index 9cfb43b20..7ea93d604 100644
--- a/src/webxdc.rs
+++ b/src/webxdc.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ struct WebxdcManifest {
 pub struct WebxdcInfo {
     pub name: String,
     pub icon: String,
+    pub summary: String,
 }
 
 /// Status Update ID.
@@ -91,6 +92,9 @@ pub(crate) struct StatusUpdateItem {
 
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     info: Option<String>,
+
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    summary: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl Context {
@@ -138,14 +142,29 @@ impl Context {
                 StatusUpdateItem {
                     payload,
                     info: None,
+                    summary: None,
                 }
             };
 
-        if status_update_item.info.is_some() {
+        if status_update_item.info.is_some() || status_update_item.summary.is_some() {
             let mut instance = Message::load_from_db(self, instance_msg_id).await?;
             if let Some(ref info) = status_update_item.info {
                 chat::add_info_msg(self, instance.chat_id, info.as_str(), timestamp).await?;
             }
+
+            if let Some(ref summary) = status_update_item.summary {
+                if instance
+                    .param
+                    .update_timestamp(Param::WebxdcSummaryTimestamp, timestamp)?
+                {
+                    instance.param.set(Param::WebxdcSummary, summary);
+                    instance.update_param(self).await;
+                    self.emit_event(EventType::MsgsChanged {
+                        chat_id: instance.chat_id,
+                        msg_id: instance.id,
+                    });
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         let rowid = self
@@ -404,6 +423,11 @@ impl Message {
             } else {
                 WEBXDC_DEFAULT_ICON.to_string()
             },
+            summary: self
+                .param
+                .get(Param::WebxdcSummary)
+                .unwrap_or_default()
+                .to_string(),
         })
     }
 }
@@ -1120,6 +1144,72 @@ sth_for_the = "future""#
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    #[async_std::test]
+    async fn test_webxdc_info_summary() -> Result<()> {
+        let alice = TestContext::new_alice().await;
+        let bob = TestContext::new_bob().await;
+
+        // Alice creates an webxdc instance and updates summary
+        let alice_chat = alice.create_chat(&bob).await;
+        let alice_instance = send_webxdc_instance(&alice, alice_chat.id).await?;
+        let sent_instance = &alice.pop_sent_msg().await;
+        let info = alice_instance.get_webxdc_info(&alice).await?;
+        assert_eq!(info.summary, "".to_string());
+
+        alice
+            .send_webxdc_status_update(
+                alice_instance.id,
+                r#"{"summary":"sum: 1", "payload":1}"#,
+                "descr",
+            )
+            .await?;
+        let sent_update1 = &alice.pop_sent_msg().await;
+        let info = Message::load_from_db(&alice, alice_instance.id)
+            .await?
+            .get_webxdc_info(&alice)
+            .await?;
+        assert_eq!(info.summary, "sum: 1".to_string());
+
+        alice
+            .send_webxdc_status_update(
+                alice_instance.id,
+                r#"{"summary":"sum: 2", "payload":2}"#,
+                "descr",
+            )
+            .await?;
+        let sent_update2 = &alice.pop_sent_msg().await;
+        let info = Message::load_from_db(&alice, alice_instance.id)
+            .await?
+            .get_webxdc_info(&alice)
+            .await?;
+        assert_eq!(info.summary, "sum: 2".to_string());
+
+        // Bob receives the updates
+        bob.recv_msg(sent_instance).await;
+        let bob_instance = bob.get_last_msg().await;
+        bob.recv_msg(sent_update1).await;
+        bob.recv_msg(sent_update2).await;
+        let info = Message::load_from_db(&bob, bob_instance.id)
+            .await?
+            .get_webxdc_info(&bob)
+            .await?;
+        assert_eq!(info.summary, "sum: 2".to_string());
+
+        // Alice has a second device and also receives the updates there
+        let alice2 = TestContext::new_alice().await;
+        alice2.recv_msg(sent_instance).await;
+        let alice2_instance = alice2.get_last_msg().await;
+        alice2.recv_msg(sent_update1).await;
+        alice2.recv_msg(sent_update2).await;
+        let info = Message::load_from_db(&alice2, alice2_instance.id)
+            .await?
+            .get_webxdc_info(&alice2)
+            .await?;
+        assert_eq!(info.summary, "sum: 2".to_string());
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     #[async_std::test]
     async fn test_webxdc_info_msg() -> Result<()> {
         let alice = TestContext::new_alice().await;