diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
index f81eabdee..969e31700 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
@@ -861,6 +861,7 @@ void            dc_maybe_network             (dc_context_t* context);
 #define         DC_GCL_ARCHIVED_ONLY         0x01
 #define         DC_GCL_NO_SPECIALS           0x02
 #define         DC_GCL_ADD_ALLDONE_HINT      0x04
+#define         DC_GCL_ADD_DRAFTS            0x08
 
 
 /**
@@ -904,6 +905,12 @@ void            dc_maybe_network             (dc_context_t* context);
  *       not needed when DC_GCL_ARCHIVED_ONLY is already set)
  *     - if the flag DC_GCL_ADD_ALLDONE_HINT is set, DC_CHAT_ID_ALLDONE_HINT
  *       is added as needed.
+ *     - if the flag DC_GCL_ADD_DRAFTS is set
+ *       and a chat has a recent draft,
+ *       the draft is returned by dc_chatlist_get_msg_id().
+ *       if the chatlist is shown permanently eg. on desktop,
+ *       you may not want to add this flags
+ *       as the resorting on dc_set_draft() is easily confusing.
  * @param query_str An optional query for filtering the list.  Only chats matching this query
  *     are returned.  Give NULL for no filtering.
  * @param query_id An optional contact ID for filtering the list.  Only chats including this contact ID
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/const.py b/python/src/deltachat/const.py
index f7d9d0b69..d06a0a283 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/const.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/const.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from os.path import join as joinpath
 DC_GCL_ARCHIVED_ONLY = 0x01
 DC_GCL_NO_SPECIALS = 0x02
 DC_GCL_ADD_ALLDONE_HINT = 0x04
+DC_GCL_ADD_DRAFTS = 0x08
 DC_GCL_VERIFIED_ONLY = 0x01
 DC_GCL_ADD_SELF = 0x02
 DC_QR_ASK_VERIFYCONTACT = 200
diff --git a/src/chatlist.rs b/src/chatlist.rs
index 6af38353c..fc8e208b1 100644
--- a/src/chatlist.rs
+++ b/src/chatlist.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,16 @@ impl Chatlist {
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         let mut add_archived_link_item = false;
 
+        // drafts are hidden in the database.
+        // if add_drafts is set, this will be expanded to `hidden=1 AND state=DC_STATE_OUT_DRAFT`.
+        // otherwise, this results in `hidden=0 AND state=DC_STATE_OUT_DRAFT` in the sql statement
+        // and no additional messages will be regarded
+        let add_drafts = if 0 != listflags & DC_GCL_ADD_DRAFTS {
+            1
+        } else {
+            0
+        };
+
         // select with left join and minimum:
         // - the inner select must use `hidden` and _not_ `m.hidden`
         //   which would refer the outer select and take a lot of time
@@ -125,10 +135,10 @@ impl Chatlist {
              ON c.id=m.chat_id        \
              AND m.timestamp=( SELECT MAX(timestamp)   \
              FROM msgs  WHERE chat_id=c.id    \
-             AND (hidden=0 OR (hidden=1 AND state=19))) WHERE c.id>9   \
+             AND (hidden=0 OR (hidden=? AND state=19))) WHERE c.id>9   \
              AND c.blocked=0 AND c.id IN(SELECT chat_id FROM chats_contacts WHERE contact_id=?)  \
              GROUP BY c.id  ORDER BY IFNULL(m.timestamp,0) DESC, m.id DESC;",
-            params![query_contact_id as i32],
+            params![add_drafts, query_contact_id as i32],
             process_row,
             process_rows,
         )?
@@ -139,10 +149,10 @@ impl Chatlist {
                  ON c.id=m.chat_id        \
                  AND m.timestamp=( SELECT MAX(timestamp)   \
                  FROM msgs  WHERE chat_id=c.id    \
-                 AND (hidden=0 OR (hidden=1 AND state=19))) WHERE c.id>9   \
+                 AND (hidden=0 OR (hidden=? AND state=19))) WHERE c.id>9   \
                  AND c.blocked=0 AND c.archived=1  GROUP BY c.id  \
                  ORDER BY IFNULL(m.timestamp,0) DESC, m.id DESC;",
-                params![],
+                params![add_drafts],
                 process_row,
                 process_rows,
             )?
@@ -156,10 +166,10 @@ impl Chatlist {
                  ON c.id=m.chat_id        \
                  AND m.timestamp=( SELECT MAX(timestamp)   \
                  FROM msgs  WHERE chat_id=c.id    \
-                 AND (hidden=0 OR (hidden=1 AND state=19))) WHERE c.id>9   \
+                 AND (hidden=0 OR (hidden=? AND state=19))) WHERE c.id>9   \
                  AND c.blocked=0 AND c.name LIKE ?  \
                  GROUP BY c.id  ORDER BY IFNULL(m.timestamp,0) DESC, m.id DESC;",
-                params![str_like_cmd],
+                params![add_drafts, str_like_cmd],
                 process_row,
                 process_rows,
             )?
@@ -171,11 +181,11 @@ impl Chatlist {
                  ON c.id=m.chat_id        \
                  AND m.timestamp=( SELECT MAX(timestamp)   \
                  FROM msgs  WHERE chat_id=c.id    \
-                 AND (hidden=0 OR (hidden=1 AND state=19))) WHERE c.id>9   \
+                 AND (hidden=0 OR (hidden=? AND state=19))) WHERE c.id>9   \
                  AND c.blocked=0 AND c.archived=0  \
                  GROUP BY c.id  \
                  ORDER BY IFNULL(m.timestamp,0) DESC, m.id DESC;",
-                params![],
+                params![add_drafts],
                 process_row,
                 process_rows,
             )?;
diff --git a/src/constants.rs b/src/constants.rs
index fb1c486d7..79a546280 100644
--- a/src/constants.rs
+++ b/src/constants.rs
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ pub const DC_HANDSHAKE_ADD_DELETE_JOB: i32 = 0x04;
 pub const DC_GCL_ARCHIVED_ONLY: usize = 0x01;
 pub const DC_GCL_NO_SPECIALS: usize = 0x02;
 pub const DC_GCL_ADD_ALLDONE_HINT: usize = 0x04;
+pub const DC_GCL_ADD_DRAFTS: usize = 0x08;
 
 const DC_GCM_ADDDAYMARKER: usize = 0x01;
 
diff --git a/src/dc_tools.rs b/src/dc_tools.rs
index 6cf4c11de..2d072d31b 100644
--- a/src/dc_tools.rs
+++ b/src/dc_tools.rs
@@ -1378,5 +1378,9 @@ mod tests {
         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);
+
+        let listflags: u32 = DC_GCL_ADD_DRAFTS.try_into().unwrap();
+        assert!(listflags_has(listflags, DC_GCL_ADD_ALLDONE_HINT) == false);
+        assert!(listflags_has(listflags, 0x8) == true);
     }
 }