diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-message-list-intro.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-message-list-intro.tsx
index dc6ddfd47..19efe998c 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-message-list-intro.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-message-list-intro.tsx
@@ -97,9 +97,11 @@ const ChatMessageListIntro = () => {
       ) : (
         <HStack justifyContent='center' alignItems='center' space={1} className='flex-shrink-0'>
           <Icon src={require('@tabler/icons/clock.svg')} className='text-gray-600 w-4 h-4' />
-          <Text size='sm' theme='muted'>
-            {intl.formatMessage(messages.messageLifespan, { day: secondsToDays(chat.message_expiration) })}
-          </Text>
+          {chat.message_expiration && (
+            <Text size='sm' theme='muted'>
+              {intl.formatMessage(messages.messageLifespan, { day: secondsToDays(chat.message_expiration) })}
+            </Text>
+          )}
         </HStack>
       )}
     </Stack>
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-page/components/chat-page-main.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-page/components/chat-page-main.tsx
index cd0c2dc2e..90f7e6be9 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-page/components/chat-page-main.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-page/components/chat-page-main.tsx
@@ -105,16 +105,18 @@ const ChatPageMain = () => {
               {chat.account?.verified && <VerificationBadge />}
             </div>
 
-            <Text
-              align='left'
-              size='sm'
-              weight='medium'
-              theme='primary'
-              truncate
-              className='w-full'
-            >
-              {intl.formatMessage(messages.autoDeleteMessage, { day: secondsToDays(chat.message_expiration) })}
-            </Text>
+            {chat.message_expiration && (
+              <Text
+                align='left'
+                size='sm'
+                weight='medium'
+                theme='primary'
+                truncate
+                className='w-full'
+              >
+                {intl.formatMessage(messages.autoDeleteMessage, { day: secondsToDays(chat.message_expiration) })}
+              </Text>
+            )}
           </Stack>
         </HStack>
 
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-widget/chat-window.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-widget/chat-window.tsx
index 0dea7aac7..18ed38860 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-widget/chat-window.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-widget/chat-window.tsx
@@ -87,9 +87,11 @@ const ChatWindow = () => {
                     <Text size='sm' weight='bold' truncate>{chat.account.display_name}</Text>
                     {chat.account.verified && <VerificationBadge />}
                   </div>
-                  <Text size='sm' weight='medium' theme='primary' truncate>
-                    {intl.formatMessage(messages.autoDeleteMessage, { day: secondsToDays(chat.message_expiration) })}
-                  </Text>
+                  {chat.message_expiration && (
+                    <Text size='sm' weight='medium' theme='primary' truncate>
+                      {intl.formatMessage(messages.autoDeleteMessage, { day: secondsToDays(chat.message_expiration) })}
+                    </Text>
+                  )}
                 </Stack>
               </LinkWrapper>
             </HStack>
diff --git a/app/soapbox/queries/chats.ts b/app/soapbox/queries/chats.ts
index 182304c85..b9e6a36e3 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/queries/chats.ts
+++ b/app/soapbox/queries/chats.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export interface IChat {
     [id: number]: string
   }[]
   latest_read_message_created_at: null | string
-  message_expiration: MessageExpirationValues
+  message_expiration?: MessageExpirationValues
   unread: number
 }