diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6ba97d43..9958a75c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 - New: Feature to find friends without a phone number
 - New: The verification state is now transferred to the scanned user
 - New: Registration setup to configure the most important configurations
+- Improved: Show ⌛ instead of the flame icon when it is about to expire
 - Improved: FAQ is now in the app rather than opening in the browser
 - Fix: Many smaller issues
 
diff --git a/lib/src/database/daos/groups.dao.dart b/lib/src/database/daos/groups.dao.dart
index 82319226..67812253 100644
--- a/lib/src/database/daos/groups.dao.dart
+++ b/lib/src/database/daos/groups.dao.dart
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ class GroupsDao extends DatabaseAccessor<TwonlyDB> with _$GroupsDaoMixin {
     )..where((t) => t.groupId.equals(groupId))).getSingleOrNull();
   }
 
-  Stream<int> watchFlameCounter(String groupId) {
+  Stream<({int counter, bool isExpiring})> watchFlameCounter(String groupId) {
     return (select(groups)..where(
           (u) =>
               u.groupId.equals(groupId) &
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ class GroupsDao extends DatabaseAccessor<TwonlyDB> with _$GroupsDaoMixin {
               u.lastMessageSend.isNotNull(),
         ))
         .watchSingleOrNull()
-        .asyncMap(getFlameCounterFromGroup);
+        .map(getFlameCounterFromGroup);
   }
 
   Future<List<Group>> getAllDirectChats() {
diff --git a/lib/src/services/flame.service.dart b/lib/src/services/flame.service.dart
index 5c5cf88d..0ea211f4 100644
--- a/lib/src/services/flame.service.dart
+++ b/lib/src/services/flame.service.dart
@@ -32,16 +32,17 @@ Future<void> syncFlameCounters({String? forceForGroup}) async {
       }
     }
 
-    final flameCounter = getFlameCounterFromGroup(group);
+    final flameResult = getFlameCounterFromGroup(group);
 
     // only sync when flame counter is higher three or when they are bestFriends
-    if (flameCounter <= 2 && bestFriend.groupId != group.groupId) continue;
+    if (flameResult.counter <= 2 && bestFriend.groupId != group.groupId)
+      continue;
 
     await sendCipherTextToGroup(
       group.groupId,
       EncryptedContent(
         flameSync: EncryptedContent_FlameSync(
-          flameCounter: Int64(flameCounter),
+          flameCounter: Int64(flameResult.counter),
           lastFlameCounterChange: Int64(
             group.lastFlameCounterChange!.millisecondsSinceEpoch,
           ),
@@ -60,12 +61,13 @@ Future<void> syncFlameCounters({String? forceForGroup}) async {
   }
 }
 
-int getFlameCounterFromGroup(Group? group) {
-  if (group == null) return 0;
+({int counter, bool isExpiring}) getFlameCounterFromGroup(Group? group) {
+  const zero = (counter: 0, isExpiring: false);
+  if (group == null) return zero;
   if (group.lastMessageSend == null ||
       group.lastMessageReceived == null ||
       group.lastFlameCounterChange == null) {
-    return 0;
+    return zero;
   }
   final now = clock.now();
   final startOfToday = DateTime(now.year, now.month, now.day);
@@ -74,9 +76,14 @@ int getFlameCounterFromGroup(Group? group) {
   if (group.lastMessageSend!.isAfter(twoDaysAgo) &&
           group.lastMessageReceived!.isAfter(twoDaysAgo) ||
       group.lastFlameCounterChange!.isAfter(oneDayAgo)) {
-    return group.flameCounter;
+    // Flame is expiring when today no exchange has happened yet:
+    // both lastMessageSend and lastMessageReceived are before startOfToday.
+    final isExpiring =
+        group.lastMessageSend!.isBefore(oneDayAgo) ||
+        group.lastMessageReceived!.isBefore(oneDayAgo);
+    return (counter: group.flameCounter, isExpiring: isExpiring);
   } else {
-    return 0;
+    return zero;
   }
 }
 
@@ -190,9 +197,9 @@ Future<void> incFlameCounter(
 }
 
 bool isItPossibleToRestoreFlames(Group group) {
-  final flameCounter = getFlameCounterFromGroup(group);
+  final flameResult = getFlameCounterFromGroup(group);
   return group.maxFlameCounter > 2 &&
-      flameCounter < group.maxFlameCounter &&
+      flameResult.counter < group.maxFlameCounter &&
       group.maxFlameCounterFrom!.isAfter(
         clock.now().subtract(const Duration(days: 7)),
       );
diff --git a/lib/src/visual/components/flame_counter.comp.dart b/lib/src/visual/components/flame_counter.comp.dart
index 5ba0afc2..7ff8ec35 100644
--- a/lib/src/visual/components/flame_counter.comp.dart
+++ b/lib/src/visual/components/flame_counter.comp.dart
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@ class FlameCounterWidget extends StatefulWidget {
 class _FlameCounterWidgetState extends State<FlameCounterWidget> {
   int flameCounter = 0;
   bool isBestFriend = false;
+  bool isExpiring = false;
 
-  StreamSubscription<int>? flameCounterSub;
+  StreamSubscription<({int counter, bool isExpiring})>? flameCounterSub;
 
   @override
   void initState() {
@@ -52,10 +53,11 @@ class _FlameCounterWidgetState extends State<FlameCounterWidget> {
           userService.currentUser.myBestFriendGroupId == groupId &&
           group.alsoBestFriend;
       final stream = twonlyDB.groupsDao.watchFlameCounter(groupId);
-      flameCounterSub = stream.listen((counter) {
+      flameCounterSub = stream.listen((result) {
         if (mounted) {
           setState(() {
-            flameCounter = counter;
+            flameCounter = result.counter;
+            isExpiring = result.isExpiring;
           });
         }
       });
@@ -75,6 +77,9 @@ class _FlameCounterWidgetState extends State<FlameCounterWidget> {
       flameEmoji = '🎂';
     }
 
+    // Override with hourglass when the flame is about to expire
+    if (isExpiring) flameEmoji = '⌛';
+
     return Row(
       children: [
         if (widget.prefix) const SizedBox(width: 5),
diff --git a/lib/src/visual/views/camera/share_image_contact_selection.view.dart b/lib/src/visual/views/camera/share_image_contact_selection.view.dart
index a0d3e9cc..74433e08 100644
--- a/lib/src/visual/views/camera/share_image_contact_selection.view.dart
+++ b/lib/src/visual/views/camera/share_image_contact_selection.view.dart
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ class _ShareImageView extends State<ShareImageView> {
 
       final flameComparison = getFlameCounterFromGroup(
         b,
-      ).compareTo(getFlameCounterFromGroup(a));
+      ).counter.compareTo(getFlameCounterFromGroup(a).counter);
       if (flameComparison != 0) {
         return flameComparison; // Sort by flameCounter in descending order
       }
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class _ShareImageView extends State<ShareImageView> {
     for (final group in groups) {
       if (group.pinned) continue;
       if (!group.archived &&
-          (getFlameCounterFromGroup(group)) > 0 &&
+          getFlameCounterFromGroup(group).counter > 0 &&
           bestFriends.length < 6) {
         bestFriends.add(group);
       } else {
diff --git a/test/features/flame_counter_test.dart b/test/features/flame_counter_test.dart
index 25554e73..4f597547 100644
--- a/test/features/flame_counter_test.dart
+++ b/test/features/flame_counter_test.dart
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Future<void> expectFlame(DateTime time, String groupId, int counter) async {
     () async {
       final group = (await twonlyDB.groupsDao.getGroup(groupId))!;
       expect(
-        getFlameCounterFromGroup(group),
+        getFlameCounterFromGroup(group).counter,
         counter,
         reason: StackTrace.current.toString(),
       );
@@ -24,6 +24,31 @@ Future<void> expectFlame(DateTime time, String groupId, int counter) async {
   );
 }
 
+Future<void> expectFlameExpiring(
+  DateTime time,
+  String groupId, {
+  required int counter,
+  required bool isExpiring,
+}) async {
+  await withClock(
+    Clock.fixed(time),
+    () async {
+      final group = (await twonlyDB.groupsDao.getGroup(groupId))!;
+      final result = getFlameCounterFromGroup(group);
+      expect(
+        result.counter,
+        counter,
+        reason: 'counter mismatch — ${StackTrace.current}',
+      );
+      expect(
+        result.isExpiring,
+        isExpiring,
+        reason: 'isExpiring mismatch — ${StackTrace.current}',
+      );
+    },
+  );
+}
+
 void main() {
   final mutex = Mutex();
   var usedUserIds = 0;
@@ -111,6 +136,52 @@ void main() {
     await expectFlame(DateTime(2026, 2, 6, 19), group.groupId, 2);
     await expectFlame(DateTime(2026, 3, 1, 19), group.groupId, 0);
 
+    // ── isExpiring tests ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    // After the Feb-5/Feb-6 exchanges the flame is 2.
+    // On Feb-7 no exchange has happened yet → isExpiring should be true.
+    await expectFlameExpiring(
+      DateTime(2026, 2, 7, 10),
+      group.groupId,
+      counter: 2,
+      isExpiring: false,
+    );
+    // Once both sides exchange on Feb-7, isExpiring becomes false.
+    await withClock(
+      Clock.fixed(DateTime(2026, 2, 7, 12)),
+      () async {
+        await incFlameCounter(group.groupId, true, DateTime(2026, 2, 7, 10));
+        await incFlameCounter(group.groupId, false, DateTime(2026, 2, 7, 11));
+      },
+    );
+    await expectFlameExpiring(
+      DateTime(2026, 2, 7, 13),
+      group.groupId,
+      counter: 3,
+      isExpiring: false,
+    );
+    // On Feb-8, before any exchange, isExpiring is true again.
+    await expectFlameExpiring(
+      DateTime(2026, 2, 8, 9),
+      group.groupId,
+      counter: 3,
+      isExpiring: false,
+    );
+    // On Feb-9, last exchange was Feb-7 — still within the two-day window,
+    // so the flame is still alive but expiring.
+    await expectFlameExpiring(
+      DateTime(2026, 2, 9, 9),
+      group.groupId,
+      counter: 3,
+      isExpiring: true,
+    );
+    // On Feb-10, last exchange (Feb-7) is now before twoDaysAgo → flame is gone.
+    await expectFlameExpiring(
+      DateTime(2026, 2, 10, 9),
+      group.groupId,
+      counter: 0,
+      isExpiring: false,
+    );
+
     for (var i = 1; i <= 20; i++) {
       await withClock(
         Clock.fixed(DateTime(2026, 3, i, 1)),