diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/AbsMessageItem.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/AbsMessageItem.kt
index 265da0aacd..ff474227bc 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/AbsMessageItem.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/AbsMessageItem.kt
@@ -25,11 +25,9 @@ import android.view.View
 import android.view.ViewGroup
 import android.widget.FrameLayout
 import android.widget.ImageView
-import android.widget.LinearLayout
 import android.widget.RelativeLayout
 import android.widget.TextView
 import androidx.annotation.IdRes
-import androidx.core.view.children
 import com.airbnb.epoxy.EpoxyAttribute
 import kotlin.math.max
 import kotlin.math.round
@@ -84,7 +82,17 @@ abstract class AbsMessageItem<H : AbsMessageItem.Holder> : AbsBaseMessageItem<H>
             holder.avatarImageView.setOnLongClickListener(attributes.itemLongClickListener)
             holder.memberNameView.setOnLongClickListener(attributes.itemLongClickListener)
             holder.bubbleMemberNameView.setOnLongClickListener(attributes.itemLongClickListener)
-            if (contentInBubble) {
+            if (hideSenderInformation()) {
+                holder.memberNameView.visibility = View.GONE
+                holder.timeView.visibility = View.GONE
+                holder.bubbleMemberNameView.visibility = View.GONE
+                holder.bubbleTimeView.visibility = View.GONE
+                if (attributes.informationData.isDirect) {
+                    holder.avatarImageView.visibility = View.GONE
+                } else {
+                    holder.avatarImageView.visibility = View.VISIBLE
+                }
+            } else if (contentInBubble) {
                 holder.memberNameView.visibility = View.GONE
                 holder.timeView.visibility = View.GONE
                 holder.bubbleMemberNameView.visibility = View.VISIBLE
@@ -109,7 +117,7 @@ abstract class AbsMessageItem<H : AbsMessageItem.Holder> : AbsBaseMessageItem<H>
             holder.timeView.visibility = View.GONE
             holder.avatarImageView.setOnLongClickListener(null)
             holder.memberNameView.setOnLongClickListener(null)
-            if (attributes.informationData.showInformation /* && contentInBubble && attributes.informationData.sentByMe */) {
+            if (attributes.informationData.showInformation && !hideSenderInformation()/* && contentInBubble && attributes.informationData.sentByMe */) {
                 holder.bubbleTimeView.visibility = View.VISIBLE
                 holder.bubbleTimeView.text = attributes.informationData.time
                 holder.bubbleMemberNameView.visibility = View.VISIBLE
@@ -203,13 +211,18 @@ abstract class AbsMessageItem<H : AbsMessageItem.Holder> : AbsBaseMessageItem<H>
     }
 
     private fun infoInBubbles(context: Context): Boolean {
-        return messageBubbleAllowed(context) && BubbleThemeUtils.getBubbleStyle(context) == BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH
+        return BubbleThemeUtils.getBubbleStyle(context) == BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH &&
+                (messageBubbleAllowed(context) || pseudoBubbleAllowed())
     }
 
     override fun shouldReverseBubble(): Boolean {
         return attributes.informationData.sentByMe
     }
 
+    private fun hideSenderInformation(): Boolean {
+        return pseudoBubbleAllowed() && false
+    }
+
     open fun getBubbleMargin(density: Float, reverseBubble: Boolean): Int {
         return round(96*density).toInt()
     }
@@ -231,19 +244,31 @@ abstract class AbsMessageItem<H : AbsMessageItem.Holder> : AbsBaseMessageItem<H>
                  */
                 bubbleView.setPadding(0, 0, 0, 0)
             }
-            BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_START, BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH -> {
-                if (attributes.informationData.showInformation) {
-                    bubbleView.setBackgroundResource(if (reverseBubble) R.drawable.msg_bubble_outgoing else R.drawable.msg_bubble_incoming)
+            BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_START,
+            BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH,
+            BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH_HIDDEN,
+            BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_START_HIDDEN -> {
+                val longPadding: Int
+                val shortPadding: Int
+                if (BubbleThemeUtils.drawsActualBubbles(bubbleStyle)) {
+                    if (attributes.informationData.showInformation) {
+                        bubbleView.setBackgroundResource(if (reverseBubble) R.drawable.msg_bubble_outgoing else R.drawable.msg_bubble_incoming)
+                    } else {
+                        bubbleView.setBackgroundResource(if (reverseBubble) R.drawable.msg_bubble2_outgoing else R.drawable.msg_bubble2_incoming)
+                    }
+                    var tintColor = ColorStateList(
+                            arrayOf(intArrayOf(0)),
+                            intArrayOf(ThemeUtils.getColor(bubbleView.context,
+                                    if (attributes.informationData.sentByMe) R.attr.sc_message_bg_outgoing else R.attr.sc_message_bg_incoming)
+                            )
+                    )
+                    bubbleView.backgroundTintList = tintColor
+                    longPadding = 20
+                    shortPadding = 8
                 } else {
-                    bubbleView.setBackgroundResource(if (reverseBubble) R.drawable.msg_bubble2_outgoing else R.drawable.msg_bubble2_incoming)
+                    longPadding = 10
+                    shortPadding = 0//if (attributes.informationData.showInformation && !hideSenderInformation()) { 8 } else { 0 }
                 }
-                var tintColor = ColorStateList(
-                        arrayOf(intArrayOf(0)),
-                        intArrayOf(ThemeUtils.getColor(bubbleView.context,
-                                if (attributes.informationData.sentByMe) R.attr.sc_message_bg_outgoing else R.attr.sc_message_bg_incoming)
-                        )
-                )
-                bubbleView.backgroundTintList = tintColor
                 val density = bubbleView.resources.displayMetrics.density
                 // TODO 96 = 2 * avatar size?
                 if (reverseBubble) {
@@ -261,17 +286,17 @@ abstract class AbsMessageItem<H : AbsMessageItem.Holder> : AbsBaseMessageItem<H>
                 // TODO padding?
                 if (reverseBubble) {
                     bubbleView.setPaddingRelative(
-                            round(8 * density).toInt(),
-                            round(8 * density).toInt(),
-                            round(20 * density).toInt(),
-                            round(8 * density).toInt()
+                            round(shortPadding * density).toInt(),
+                            round(shortPadding * density).toInt(),
+                            round(longPadding * density).toInt(),
+                            round(shortPadding * density).toInt()
                     )
                 } else {
                     bubbleView.setPaddingRelative(
-                            round(20 * density).toInt(),
-                            round(8 * density).toInt(),
-                            round(8 * density).toInt(),
-                            round(8 * density).toInt()
+                            round(longPadding * density).toInt(),
+                            round(shortPadding * density).toInt(),
+                            round(shortPadding * density).toInt(),
+                            round(shortPadding * density).toInt()
                     )
                 }
             }
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/BaseEventItem.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/BaseEventItem.kt
index 0a3cd0176f..3f921fdd15 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/BaseEventItem.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/BaseEventItem.kt
@@ -102,8 +102,21 @@ abstract class BaseEventItem<H : BaseEventItem.BaseHolder> : VectorEpoxyModel<H>
 
     fun updateMessageBubble(holder: H) {
         val bubbleStyleSetting = BubbleThemeUtils.getBubbleStyle(holder.checkableBackground.context)
-        val bubbleStyle = if (messageBubbleAllowed(holder.checkableBackground.context)) bubbleStyleSetting else BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_NONE
-        val reverseBubble = shouldReverseBubble() && bubbleStyle == BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH
+        val bubbleStyle = when {
+            messageBubbleAllowed(holder.checkableBackground.context)                           -> {
+                bubbleStyleSetting
+            }
+            bubbleStyleSetting == BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH && pseudoBubbleAllowed()  -> {
+                BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH_HIDDEN
+            }
+            bubbleStyleSetting == BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_START && pseudoBubbleAllowed() -> {
+                BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_START_HIDDEN
+            }
+            else                                                                               -> {
+                BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_NONE
+            }
+        }
+        val reverseBubble = shouldReverseBubble() && BubbleThemeUtils.drawsDualSide(bubbleStyle)
 
         setBubbleLayout(holder, bubbleStyle, bubbleStyleSetting, reverseBubble)
     }
@@ -116,6 +129,10 @@ abstract class BaseEventItem<H : BaseEventItem.BaseHolder> : VectorEpoxyModel<H>
         return false
     }
 
+    open fun pseudoBubbleAllowed(): Boolean {
+        return false
+    }
+
     @CallSuper
     open fun setBubbleLayout(holder: H, bubbleStyle: String, bubbleStyleSetting: String, reverseBubble: Boolean) {
         val defaultDirection = holder.readReceiptsView.resources.configuration.layoutDirection;
@@ -123,7 +140,7 @@ abstract class BaseEventItem<H : BaseEventItem.BaseHolder> : VectorEpoxyModel<H>
         val reverseDirection = if (defaultRtl) View.LAYOUT_DIRECTION_LTR else View.LAYOUT_DIRECTION_RTL
 
         // Always keep read receipts of others on other side for dual side bubbles
-        val dualBubbles = bubbleStyleSetting == BubbleThemeUtils.BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH
+        val dualBubbles = BubbleThemeUtils.drawsDualSide(bubbleStyleSetting)
 
         val receiptParent = holder.readReceiptsView.parent
         if (receiptParent is LinearLayout) {
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/MessageImageVideoItem.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/MessageImageVideoItem.kt
index caca7a93ac..1fb5726ccc 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/MessageImageVideoItem.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/MessageImageVideoItem.kt
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ abstract class MessageImageVideoItem : AbsMessageItem<MessageImageVideoItem.Hold
     override fun getViewType() = STUB_ID
 
     override fun messageBubbleAllowed(context: Context): Boolean {
+        return false
+    }
+
+    override fun pseudoBubbleAllowed(): Boolean {
         return true
     }
 
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/themes/BubbleThemeUtils.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/themes/BubbleThemeUtils.kt
index 84192606fc..3f8d2af5f8 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/themes/BubbleThemeUtils.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/themes/BubbleThemeUtils.kt
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@ object BubbleThemeUtils {
     const val BUBBLE_STYLE_NONE = "none"
     const val BUBBLE_STYLE_START = "start"
     const val BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH = "both"
+
+    // Special case of BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH, to allow non-bubble items align to the sender either way
+    // (not meant for user setting, but internal use)
+    const val BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH_HIDDEN = "both_hidden"
+    // As above, so for single bubbles side
+    const val BUBBLE_STYLE_START_HIDDEN = "start_hidden"
+
     private var mBubbleStyle: String = ""
 
     fun getBubbleStyle(context: Context): String {
@@ -21,6 +28,14 @@ object BubbleThemeUtils {
         return mBubbleStyle
     }
 
+    fun drawsActualBubbles(bubbleStyle: String): Boolean {
+        return bubbleStyle == BUBBLE_STYLE_START || bubbleStyle == BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH
+    }
+
+    fun drawsDualSide(bubbleStyle: String): Boolean {
+        return bubbleStyle == BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH || bubbleStyle == BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH_HIDDEN
+    }
+
     fun invalidateBubbleStyle() {
         mBubbleStyle = ""
     }