diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
index c4c20ee23..a864d5bd7 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/deltachat.h
@@ -2619,7 +2619,7 @@ dc_context_t*    dc_chatlist_get_context     (dc_chatlist_t* chatlist);
 
  * @return a utf8-encoded json string containing all requested info. Must be freed using dc_lot_unref().  NULL is never returned.
  */
-char*            dc_chat_get_info_json(dc_context_t* context, size_t chat_id)
+char*            dc_chat_get_info_json       (dc_context_t* context, size_t chat_id);
 
 /**
  * @class dc_chat_t
diff --git a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
index dbd21e068..d52b91470 100644
--- a/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/deltachat-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -2377,6 +2377,27 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_chat_is_sending_locations(chat: *mut dc_chat_t) -> l
     ffi_chat.chat.is_sending_locations() as libc::c_int
 }
 
+#[no_mangle]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn dc_chat_get_info_json(
+    context: *mut dc_context_t,
+    chat_id: u32,
+) -> *mut libc::c_char {
+    if context.is_null() {
+        eprintln!("ignoring careless call to dc_get_oauth2_url()");
+        return ptr::null_mut(); // NULL explicitly defined as "unknown"
+    }
+    let ffi_context = &*context;
+    ffi_context
+        .with_inner(|ctx| match chat::get_info_json(ctx, chat_id) {
+            Ok(s) => s.strdup(),
+            Err(err) => {
+                error!(ctx, "get_info_json({}) returned: {}", chat_id, err);
+                "".strdup()
+            }
+        })
+        .unwrap_or_else(|_| ptr::null_mut())
+}
+
 // dc_msg_t
 
 /// FFI struct for [dc_msg_t]
diff --git a/python/src/deltachat/chat.py b/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
index 6fe0d9556..4e6000f9b 100644
--- a/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
+++ b/python/src/deltachat/chat.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import mimetypes
 import calendar
+import json
 from datetime import datetime
 import os
 from .cutil import as_dc_charpointer, from_dc_charpointer, iter_array
@@ -242,6 +243,12 @@ class Chat(object):
         """
         return lib.dc_marknoticed_chat(self._dc_context, self.id)
 
+    def get_summary(self):
+        """ return dictionary with summary information. """
+        dc_res = lib.dc_chat_get_info_json(self._dc_context, self.id)
+        s = from_dc_charpointer(dc_res)
+        return json.loads(s)
+
     # ------  group management API ------------------------------
 
     def add_contact(self, contact):
diff --git a/python/tests/test_account.py b/python/tests/test_account.py
index 88cd829cb..29a4b47ad 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_account.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_account.py
@@ -155,6 +155,9 @@ class TestOfflineChat:
         chat.set_name("title2")
         assert chat.get_name() == "title2"
 
+        d = chat.get_summary()
+        assert d["chat_id"] == chat.id
+
     def test_group_chat_creation_with_translation(self, ac1):
         ac1.set_stock_translation(const.DC_STR_NEWGROUPDRAFT, "xyz %1$s")
         ac1._evlogger.consume_events()
diff --git a/src/chat.rs b/src/chat.rs
index cd0a238c0..e694354cd 100644
--- a/src/chat.rs
+++ b/src/chat.rs
@@ -1903,6 +1903,11 @@ pub fn forward_msgs(context: &Context, msg_ids: &[MsgId], chat_id: u32) -> Resul
     Ok(())
 }
 
+pub fn get_info_json(context: &Context, chat_id: u32) -> Result<String, Error> {
+    let s = format!("{{\n {:?}: {:?}\n}}", "chat_id", chat_id);
+    Ok(s)
+}
+
 pub fn get_chat_contact_cnt(context: &Context, chat_id: u32) -> usize {
     context
         .sql