diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/RoomDetailFragment.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/RoomDetailFragment.kt
index 5f96eaf304..8b506e93c4 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/RoomDetailFragment.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/RoomDetailFragment.kt
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ class RoomDetailFragment @Inject constructor(
                 if (checkPermissions(PERMISSIONS_FOR_VOICE_MESSAGE, requireActivity(), permissionVoiceMessageLauncher)) {
                     messageComposerViewModel.handle(MessageComposerAction.StartRecordingVoiceMessage)
                     vibrate(requireContext())
-                    updateRecordingUiState(RecordingUiState.Started)
+                    updateRecordingUiState(RecordingUiState.Started(System.currentTimeMillis()))
                 }
             }
 
@@ -713,7 +713,9 @@ class RoomDetailFragment @Inject constructor(
             }
 
             override fun onVoiceRecordingLocked() {
-                updateRecordingUiState(RecordingUiState.Locked)
+                val startedState = withState(messageComposerViewModel) { it.voiceRecordingUiState as? RecordingUiState.Started }
+                val startTime = startedState?.recordingStartTimestamp ?: System.currentTimeMillis()
+                updateRecordingUiState(RecordingUiState.Locked(startTime))
             }
 
             override fun onVoiceRecordingEnded() {
@@ -1131,11 +1133,15 @@ class RoomDetailFragment @Inject constructor(
         super.onPause()
         notificationDrawerManager.setCurrentRoom(null)
         voiceMessagePlaybackTracker.unTrack(VoiceMessagePlaybackTracker.RECORDING_ID)
-        messageComposerViewModel.handle(MessageComposerAction.SaveDraft(views.composerLayout.text.toString()))
 
-        // We should improve the UX to support going into playback mode when paused and delete the media when the view is destroyed.
-        messageComposerViewModel.handle(MessageComposerAction.EndAllVoiceActions(deleteRecord = false))
-        views.voiceMessageRecorderView.render(RecordingUiState.None)
+        if (withState(messageComposerViewModel) { it.isVoiceRecording } && requireActivity().isChangingConfigurations) {
+            // we're rotating, maintain any active recordings
+        } else {
+            messageComposerViewModel.handle(MessageComposerAction.SaveDraft(views.composerLayout.text.toString()))
+            // We should improve the UX to support going into playback mode when paused and delete the media when the view is destroyed.
+            messageComposerViewModel.handle(MessageComposerAction.EndAllVoiceActions(deleteRecord = false))
+            views.voiceMessageRecorderView.render(RecordingUiState.None)
+        }
     }
 
     private val attachmentFileActivityResultLauncher = registerStartForActivityResult {
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/MessageComposerViewState.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/MessageComposerViewState.kt
index 0df093c661..f9c32d3194 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/MessageComposerViewState.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/MessageComposerViewState.kt
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ data class MessageComposerViewState(
         VoiceMessageRecorderView.RecordingUiState.None,
         VoiceMessageRecorderView.RecordingUiState.Cancelled,
         VoiceMessageRecorderView.RecordingUiState.Playback -> false
-        VoiceMessageRecorderView.RecordingUiState.Locked,
-        VoiceMessageRecorderView.RecordingUiState.Started  -> true
+        is VoiceMessageRecorderView.RecordingUiState.Locked,
+        is VoiceMessageRecorderView.RecordingUiState.Started  -> true
     }
 
     val isVoiceMessageIdle = !isVoiceRecording
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/voice/VoiceMessageRecorderView.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/voice/VoiceMessageRecorderView.kt
index 2923af140d..3b4c8a58c4 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/voice/VoiceMessageRecorderView.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/voice/VoiceMessageRecorderView.kt
@@ -105,32 +105,35 @@ class VoiceMessageRecorderView @JvmOverloads constructor(
 
     fun render(recordingState: RecordingUiState) {
         if (lastKnownState == recordingState) return
-        lastKnownState = recordingState
         when (recordingState) {
-            RecordingUiState.None      -> {
+            RecordingUiState.None       -> {
                 reset()
             }
-            RecordingUiState.Started   -> {
-                startRecordingTicker()
+            is RecordingUiState.Started -> {
+                startRecordingTicker(startFromLocked = false, startAt = recordingState.recordingStartTimestamp)
                 voiceMessageViews.renderToast(context.getString(R.string.voice_message_release_to_send_toast))
                 voiceMessageViews.showRecordingViews()
                 dragState = DraggingState.Ready
             }
-            RecordingUiState.Cancelled -> {
+            RecordingUiState.Cancelled  -> {
                 reset()
                 vibrate(context)
             }
-            RecordingUiState.Locked    -> {
+            is RecordingUiState.Locked  -> {
+                if (lastKnownState == null) {
+                    startRecordingTicker(startFromLocked = true, startAt = recordingState.recordingStartTimestamp)
+                }
                 voiceMessageViews.renderLocked()
                 postDelayed({
                     voiceMessageViews.showRecordingLockedViews(recordingState)
                 }, 500)
             }
-            RecordingUiState.Playback  -> {
+            RecordingUiState.Playback   -> {
                 stopRecordingTicker()
                 voiceMessageViews.showPlaybackViews()
             }
         }
+        lastKnownState = recordingState
     }
 
     private fun reset() {
@@ -159,22 +162,23 @@ class VoiceMessageRecorderView @JvmOverloads constructor(
         dragState = newDragState
     }
 
-    private fun startRecordingTicker() {
+    private fun startRecordingTicker(startFromLocked: Boolean, startAt: Long) {
+        val startMs = ((System.currentTimeMillis() - startAt)).coerceAtLeast(0)
         recordingTicker?.stop()
         recordingTicker = CountUpTimer().apply {
             tickListener = object : CountUpTimer.TickListener {
                 override fun onTick(milliseconds: Long) {
-                    onRecordingTick(milliseconds)
+                    val isLocked = startFromLocked || lastKnownState is RecordingUiState.Locked
+                    onRecordingTick(isLocked, milliseconds + startMs)
                 }
             }
             resume()
         }
-        onRecordingTick(0L)
+        onRecordingTick(startFromLocked, milliseconds = startMs)
     }
 
-    private fun onRecordingTick(milliseconds: Long) {
-        val currentState = lastKnownState ?: return
-        voiceMessageViews.renderRecordingTimer(currentState, milliseconds / 1_000)
+    private fun onRecordingTick(isLocked: Boolean, milliseconds: Long) {
+        voiceMessageViews.renderRecordingTimer(isLocked, milliseconds / 1_000)
         val timeDiffToRecordingLimit = BuildConfig.VOICE_MESSAGE_DURATION_LIMIT_MS - milliseconds
         if (timeDiffToRecordingLimit <= 0) {
             post {
@@ -211,9 +215,9 @@ class VoiceMessageRecorderView @JvmOverloads constructor(
 
     sealed interface RecordingUiState {
         object None : RecordingUiState
-        object Started : RecordingUiState
+        data class Started(val recordingStartTimestamp: Long) : RecordingUiState
         object Cancelled : RecordingUiState
-        object Locked : RecordingUiState
+        data class Locked(val recordingStartTimestamp: Long) : RecordingUiState
         object Playback : RecordingUiState
     }
 
diff --git a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/voice/VoiceMessageViews.kt b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/voice/VoiceMessageViews.kt
index 32f21a3177..e138e14261 100644
--- a/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/voice/VoiceMessageViews.kt
+++ b/vector/src/main/java/im/vector/app/features/home/room/detail/composer/voice/VoiceMessageViews.kt
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ class VoiceMessageViews(
 
     fun hideRecordingViews(recordingState: RecordingUiState) {
         // We need to animate the lock image first
-        if (recordingState != RecordingUiState.Locked) {
+        if (recordingState !is RecordingUiState.Locked) {
             views.voiceMessageLockImage.isVisible = false
             views.voiceMessageLockImage.animate().translationY(0f).start()
             views.voiceMessageLockBackground.isVisible = false
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ class VoiceMessageViews(
         views.voiceMessageTimerIndicator.isVisible = false
         views.voiceMessageTimer.isVisible = false
 
-        if (recordingState != RecordingUiState.Locked) {
+        if (recordingState !is RecordingUiState.Locked) {
             views.voiceMessageMicButton
                     .animate()
                     .scaleX(1f)
@@ -304,9 +304,9 @@ class VoiceMessageViews(
         views.voiceMessageToast.isVisible = false
     }
 
-    fun renderRecordingTimer(recordingState: RecordingUiState, recordingTimeMillis: Long) {
+    fun renderRecordingTimer(isLocked: Boolean, recordingTimeMillis: Long) {
         val formattedTimerText = DateUtils.formatElapsedTime(recordingTimeMillis)
-        if (recordingState == RecordingUiState.Locked) {
+        if (isLocked) {
             views.voicePlaybackTime.apply {
                 post {
                     text = formattedTimerText