diff --git a/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
index 03a985ce..7bbcfe75 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/SessionViewModel.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export default class SessionViewModel extends EventEmitter {
         if (this._currentRoomViewModel) {
             this._currentRoomViewModel.disable();
         }
-        this._currentRoomViewModel = new RoomViewModel(room);
+        this._currentRoomViewModel = new RoomViewModel(room, this._session.userId);
         this._currentRoomViewModel.enable();
         this.emit("change", "currentRoom");
     }
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/RoomViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/room/RoomViewModel.js
index 0e5f9b1c..899f13af 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/RoomViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/RoomViewModel.js
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@ import EventEmitter from "../../../EventEmitter.js";
 import TimelineViewModel from "./timeline/TimelineViewModel.js";
 
 export default class RoomViewModel extends EventEmitter {
-    constructor(room) {
+    constructor(room, ownUserId) {
         super();
         this._room = room;
+        this._ownUserId = ownUserId;
         this._timeline = null;
         this._timelineVM = null;
         this._onRoomChange = this._onRoomChange.bind(this);
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ export default class RoomViewModel extends EventEmitter {
         this._room.on("change", this._onRoomChange);
         try {
             this._timeline = await this._room.openTimeline();
-            this._timelineVM = new TimelineViewModel(this._timeline);
+            this._timelineVM = new TimelineViewModel(this._timeline, this._ownUserId);
             this.emit("change", "timelineViewModel");
         } catch (err) {
             console.error(`room.openTimeline(): ${err.message}:\n${err.stack}`);
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/TimelineViewModel.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/TimelineViewModel.js
index 5c179673..0025c563 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/TimelineViewModel.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/TimelineViewModel.js
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ import TilesCollection from "./TilesCollection.js";
 import tilesCreator from "./tilesCreator.js";
 
 export default class TimelineViewModel {
-    constructor(timeline) {
+    constructor(timeline, ownUserId) {
         this._timeline = timeline;
         // once we support sending messages we could do
         // timeline.entries.concat(timeline.pendingEvents)
         // for an ObservableList that also contains local echos
-        this._tiles = new TilesCollection(timeline.entries, tilesCreator({timeline}));
+        this._tiles = new TilesCollection(timeline.entries, tilesCreator({timeline, ownUserId}));
     }
 
     // doesn't fill gaps, only loads stored entries/tiles
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/MessageTile.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/MessageTile.js
index 8ada2310..937074fc 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/MessageTile.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tiles/MessageTile.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ export default class MessageTile extends SimpleTile {
 
     constructor(options) {
         super(options);
+        this._isOwn = this._entry.event.sender === options.ownUserId;
         this._date = new Date(this._entry.event.origin_server_ts);
     }
 
@@ -23,6 +24,10 @@ export default class MessageTile extends SimpleTile {
         return this._date.toLocaleTimeString();
     }
 
+    get isOwn() {
+        return this._isOwn;
+    }
+
     _getContent() {
         const event = this._entry.event;
         return event && event.content;
diff --git a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tilesCreator.js b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tilesCreator.js
index 71009576..8af1f18f 100644
--- a/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tilesCreator.js
+++ b/src/domain/session/room/timeline/tilesCreator.js
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ import LocationTile from "./tiles/LocationTile.js";
 import RoomNameTile from "./tiles/RoomNameTile.js";
 import RoomMemberTile from "./tiles/RoomMemberTile.js";
 
-export default function ({timeline}) {
+export default function ({timeline, ownUserId}) {
     return function tilesCreator(entry, emitUpdate) {
-        const options = {entry, emitUpdate};
+        const options = {entry, emitUpdate, ownUserId};
         if (entry.isGap) {
             return new GapTile(options, timeline);
         } else if (entry.event) {
diff --git a/src/matrix/session.js b/src/matrix/session.js
index 763d0265..a6b7b354 100644
--- a/src/matrix/session.js
+++ b/src/matrix/session.js
@@ -59,4 +59,8 @@ export default class Session {
     get syncToken() {
         return this._session.syncToken;
     }
+
+    get userId() {
+        return this._sessionInfo.userId;
+    }
 }