diff --git a/src/chat.rs b/src/chat.rs
index 86fe49123..3d7dc3f22 100644
--- a/src/chat.rs
+++ b/src/chat.rs
@@ -883,8 +883,12 @@ impl Chat {
             }
 
             // get autodelete timer
-            let autodelete_timer = Some(get_autodelete_timer(context, self.id)).filter(|&x| x != 0);
-            let autodelete_timestamp = autodelete_timer.map(|x| timestamp + i64::from(x));
+            let autodelete_timer = get_autodelete_timer(context, self.id);
+            let autodelete_timestamp = if autodelete_timer == 0 {
+                0
+            } else {
+                timestamp + i64::from(autodelete_timer)
+            };
 
             // add message to the database
 
diff --git a/src/message.rs b/src/message.rs
index 07cb85833..2b2e44bb9 100644
--- a/src/message.rs
+++ b/src/message.rs
@@ -247,8 +247,8 @@ pub struct Message {
     pub(crate) timestamp_sort: i64,
     pub(crate) timestamp_sent: i64,
     pub(crate) timestamp_rcvd: i64,
-    pub(crate) autodelete_timer: Option<i64>,
-    pub(crate) autodelete_timestamp: Option<i64>,
+    pub(crate) autodelete_timer: i64,
+    pub(crate) autodelete_timestamp: i64,
     pub(crate) text: Option<String>,
     pub(crate) rfc724_mid: String,
     pub(crate) in_reply_to: Option<String>,
@@ -871,16 +871,14 @@ pub fn get_msg_info(context: &Context, msg_id: MsgId) -> String {
         ret += "\n";
     }
 
-    if let Some(autodelete_timer) = msg.autodelete_timer {
-        if autodelete_timer != 0 {
-            ret += &format!("Autodelete timer: {}\n", autodelete_timer);
-        }
+    if msg.autodelete_timer != 0 {
+        ret += &format!("Autodelete timer: {}\n", msg.autodelete_timer);
     }
 
-    if let Some(autodelete_timestamp) = msg.autodelete_timestamp {
+    if msg.autodelete_timestamp != 0 {
         ret += &format!(
             "Expires: {}\n",
-            dc_timestamp_to_str(autodelete_timestamp)
+            dc_timestamp_to_str(msg.autodelete_timestamp)
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/src/sql.rs b/src/sql.rs
index 86d94e062..9d4e2ade9 100644
--- a/src/sql.rs
+++ b/src/sql.rs
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ fn open(
             // timer starts when message is read, so we want to have
             // the value stored here until the timer starts.
             sql.execute(
-                "ALTER TABLE msgs ADD COLUMN autodelete_timer INTEGER;",
+                "ALTER TABLE msgs ADD COLUMN autodelete_timer INTEGER DEFAULT 0;",
                 NO_PARAMS,
             )?;
             // Timestamp indicating when the message should be
@@ -924,7 +924,7 @@ fn open(
             // needs this value to display how much time is left until
             // the message is deleted.
             sql.execute(
-                "ALTER TABLE msgs ADD COLUMN autodelete_timestamp INTEGER;",
+                "ALTER TABLE msgs ADD COLUMN autodelete_timestamp INTEGER DEFAULT 0;",
                 NO_PARAMS,
             )?;
             sql.set_raw_config_int(context, "dbversion", 65)?;