diff --git a/ts/models/conversations.ts b/ts/models/conversations.ts
index 88275d7663..a3dbb16a02 100644
--- a/ts/models/conversations.ts
+++ b/ts/models/conversations.ts
@@ -2797,12 +2797,11 @@ export class ConversationModel extends window.Backbone
       return;
     }
 
-    if (this.get('pendingUniversalTimer') || this.get('expireTimer')) {
+    if (await window.Signal.Data.hasUserInitiatedMessages(this.get('id'))) {
       return;
     }
 
-    const activeAt = this.get('active_at');
-    if (activeAt) {
+    if (this.get('pendingUniversalTimer') || this.get('expireTimer')) {
       return;
     }
 
@@ -2824,6 +2823,9 @@ export class ConversationModel extends window.Backbone
     const message = window.MessageController.getById(notificationId);
     if (message) {
       message.cleanup();
+      window.Signal.Data.removeMessage(message.id, {
+        Message: window.Whisper.Message,
+      });
     }
 
     if (this.get('expireTimer')) {
diff --git a/ts/sql/Client.ts b/ts/sql/Client.ts
index efcb5b3187..668376799e 100644
--- a/ts/sql/Client.ts
+++ b/ts/sql/Client.ts
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ const dataInterface: ClientInterface = {
   searchMessagesInConversation,
 
   getMessageCount,
+  hasUserInitiatedMessages,
   saveMessage,
   saveMessages,
   removeMessage,
@@ -976,6 +977,10 @@ async function getMessageCount(conversationId?: string) {
   return channels.getMessageCount(conversationId);
 }
 
+async function hasUserInitiatedMessages(conversationId: string) {
+  return channels.hasUserInitiatedMessages(conversationId);
+}
+
 async function saveMessage(
   data: MessageType,
   { forceSave, Message }: { forceSave?: boolean; Message: typeof MessageModel }
diff --git a/ts/sql/Interface.ts b/ts/sql/Interface.ts
index 1b833d2641..a0e2233a5b 100644
--- a/ts/sql/Interface.ts
+++ b/ts/sql/Interface.ts
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ export type DataInterface = {
   ) => Promise<Array<ConversationType>>;
 
   getMessageCount: (conversationId?: string) => Promise<number>;
+  hasUserInitiatedMessages: (conversationId: string) => Promise<boolean>;
   saveMessages: (
     arrayOfMessages: Array<MessageType>,
     options: { forceSave?: boolean }
diff --git a/ts/sql/Server.ts b/ts/sql/Server.ts
index ce4e782940..44f32c9d2f 100644
--- a/ts/sql/Server.ts
+++ b/ts/sql/Server.ts
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ const dataInterface: ServerInterface = {
   searchMessagesInConversation,
 
   getMessageCount,
+  hasUserInitiatedMessages,
   saveMessage,
   saveMessages,
   removeMessage,
@@ -2925,6 +2926,43 @@ async function getMessageCount(conversationId?: string): Promise<number> {
   return row['count(*)'];
 }
 
+// Called only for private conversations
+async function hasUserInitiatedMessages(
+  conversationId: string
+): Promise<boolean> {
+  const db = getInstance();
+
+  // We apply the limit in the sub-query so that `json_extract` wouldn't run
+  // for additional messages.
+  const row: { count: number } = db
+    .prepare<Query>(
+      `
+      SELECT COUNT(*) as count FROM
+        (
+          SELECT 1 FROM messages
+          WHERE
+            conversationId = $conversationId AND
+            (type IS NULL
+              OR
+              type NOT IN (
+                'profile-change',
+                'verified-change',
+                'message-history-unsynced',
+                'keychange',
+                'group-v1-migration',
+                'universal-timer-notification'
+              )
+            ) AND
+            json_extract(json, '$.expirationTimerUpdate') IS NULL
+          LIMIT 1
+        );
+      `
+    )
+    .get({ conversationId });
+
+  return row.count !== 0;
+}
+
 function saveMessageSync(
   data: MessageType,
   options: { forceSave?: boolean; alreadyInTransaction?: boolean } = {}