diff --git a/lib/pages/chat/chat_event_list.dart b/lib/pages/chat/chat_event_list.dart
index c526616390..7682b26924 100644
--- a/lib/pages/chat/chat_event_list.dart
+++ b/lib/pages/chat/chat_event_list.dart
@@ -103,11 +103,15 @@ class ChatEventList extends StatelessWidget {
           }
 
           // The message at this index:
-          final event = controller.timeline!.events[i - 1];
-
+          final currentEventIndex = i - 1;
+          final event = controller.timeline!.events[currentEventIndex];
+          final previousEvent = currentEventIndex > 0 ? controller.timeline!.events[currentEventIndex - 1] : null;
+          final nextEvent = i < controller.timeline!.events.length
+              ? controller.timeline!.events[currentEventIndex + 1]
+              : null;
           return AutoScrollTag(
             key: ValueKey(event.eventId),
-            index: i - 1,
+            index: currentEventIndex,
             controller: controller.scrollController,
             child: event.isVisibleInGui
                 ? Message(
@@ -131,9 +135,8 @@ class ChatEventList extends StatelessWidget {
                     selected: controller.selectedEvents
                         .any((e) => e.eventId == event.eventId),
                     timeline: controller.timeline!,
-                    nextEvent: i < controller.timeline!.events.length
-                        ? controller.timeline!.events[i]
-                        : null,
+                    previousEvent: previousEvent,
+                    nextEvent: nextEvent,
                     controller: controller,
                   )
                 : Container(),
diff --git a/lib/pages/chat/events/message.dart b/lib/pages/chat/events/message.dart
index bf7da1d091..c63fe6e7f5 100644
--- a/lib/pages/chat/events/message.dart
+++ b/lib/pages/chat/events/message.dart
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import 'verification_request_content.dart';
 
 class Message extends StatelessWidget {
   final Event event;
+  final Event? previousEvent;
   final Event? nextEvent;
   final void Function(Event)? onSelect;
   final void Function(Event)? onAvatarTab;
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ class Message extends StatelessWidget {
 
   const Message(
     this.event, {
+    this.previousEvent,
     this.nextEvent,
     this.longPressSelect = false,
     this.onSelect,
@@ -78,14 +80,6 @@ class Message extends StatelessWidget {
         final displayTime = event.type == EventTypes.RoomCreate ||
             nextEvent == null ||
             !event.originServerTs.sameEnvironment(nextEvent!.originServerTs);
-        final sameSender = nextEvent != null &&
-                [
-                  EventTypes.Message,
-                  EventTypes.Sticker,
-                  EventTypes.Encrypted,
-                ].contains(nextEvent!.type)
-            ? nextEvent!.senderId == event.senderId && !displayTime
-            : false;
         final textColor = Theme.of(context).colorScheme.onBackground;
         final rowMainAxisAlignment =
             ownMessage ? MainAxisAlignment.end : MainAxisAlignment.start;
@@ -107,7 +101,7 @@ class Message extends StatelessWidget {
         }.contains(event.messageType);
 
         final rowChildren = <Widget>[
-          _placeHolderWidget(sameSender, ownMessage, event),
+          _placeHolderWidget(isSameSender(previousEvent, event), ownMessage, event),
           Expanded(
             child: Row(
               mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
@@ -448,25 +442,11 @@ class Message extends StatelessWidget {
   }
 
   Widget _placeHolderWidget(bool sameSender, bool ownMessage, Event event) {
-    if (controller.selectMode) {
+    if (controller.selectMode || event.room.isDirectChat) {
       return const SizedBox();
-    } else if (sameSender || ownMessage) {
-      return SizedBox(
-        width: MessageStyle.avatarSize,
-        child: Padding(
-          padding: const EdgeInsets.only(top: 4.0),
-          child: Center(
-            child: SizedBox(
-              width: MessageStyle.errorStatusPlaceHolderWidth,
-              height: MessageStyle.errorStatusPlaceHolderHeight,
-              child: event.status == EventStatus.error
-                  ? const Icon(Icons.error, color: Colors.red)
-                  : null,
-            ),
-          ),
-        ),
-      );
-    } else {
+    }
+
+    if (sameSender && !ownMessage) {
       return FutureBuilder<User?>(
         future: event.fetchSenderUser(),
         builder: (context, snapshot) {
@@ -481,6 +461,22 @@ class Message extends StatelessWidget {
         },
       );
     }
+
+    return SizedBox(
+      width: MessageStyle.avatarSize,
+      child: Padding(
+        padding: const EdgeInsets.only(top: 4.0),
+        child: Center(
+          child: SizedBox(
+            width: MessageStyle.errorStatusPlaceHolderWidth,
+            height: MessageStyle.errorStatusPlaceHolderHeight,
+            child: event.status == EventStatus.error
+                ? const Icon(Icons.error, color: Colors.red)
+                : null,
+          ),
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
   }
 
   Widget _messageSelectedWidget(BuildContext context, Widget child) {
@@ -516,6 +512,28 @@ class Message extends StatelessWidget {
       ),
     );
   }
+
+  // Check if the sender of the current event is the same as the previous event.
+  bool isSameSender(Event? previousEvent, Event currentEvent) {
+    // If the previous event is null, it is assumed that the message is the newest.
+    if (previousEvent == null) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    final isPreviousEventMessage = {
+      EventTypes.Message,
+      EventTypes.Sticker,
+      EventTypes.Encrypted,
+      EventTypes.Redaction,
+    }.contains(previousEvent.type);
+
+    // Ignoring events that are not messages, stickers, encrypted or redaction.
+    if (!isPreviousEventMessage) {
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    return previousEvent.senderId != currentEvent.senderId;
+  }
 }
 
 class ReplyIconWidget extends StatelessWidget {
diff --git a/lib/pages/chat/events/message/message_style.dart b/lib/pages/chat/events/message/message_style.dart
index 43e73244c3..fcd418f3bb 100644
--- a/lib/pages/chat/events/message/message_style.dart
+++ b/lib/pages/chat/events/message/message_style.dart
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class MessageStyle {
   static final bubbleBorderRadius = BorderRadius.circular(20);
   static final errorStatusPlaceHolderWidth = 16 * AppConfig.bubbleSizeFactor;
   static final errorStatusPlaceHolderHeight = 16 * AppConfig.bubbleSizeFactor;
-  static const double avatarSize = 36;
+  static const double avatarSize = 40;
   static const double fontSize = 15;
   static const notSameSenderPadding = EdgeInsets.only(left: 8.0, bottom: 4);