diff --git a/libretroshare/src/retroshare/rsmsgs.h b/libretroshare/src/retroshare/rsmsgs.h
index d71544d15..2a8aadbfb 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/retroshare/rsmsgs.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/retroshare/rsmsgs.h
@@ -269,6 +269,16 @@ public:
 #define RS_DISTANT_CHAT_FLAG_SIGNED               0x0001 
 #define RS_DISTANT_CHAT_FLAG_SIGNATURE_OK         0x0002 
 
+// flags to define who we accept to talk to
+
+#define RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_NONE           0x0000 
+#define RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_ANONYMOUS      0x0001 
+#define RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_CONTACT_LIST   0x0002 
+
+#define RS_DISTANT_CHAT_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_NONE           0x0000 
+#define RS_DISTANT_CHAT_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_ANONYMOUS      0x0001 
+#define RS_DISTANT_CHAT_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_CONTACT_LIST   0x0002 
+
 // Identifier for an chat endpoint like
 // neighbour peer, distant peer, chatlobby, broadcast
 class ChatId
@@ -430,9 +440,9 @@ virtual bool resetMessageStandardTagTypes(Rs::Msgs::MsgTagType& tags) = 0;
 /*        Private distant messages      */
 /****************************************/
 
-virtual void enableDistantMessaging(bool b) = 0;
-virtual bool distantMessagingEnabled() = 0;
-
+    virtual uint32_t getDistantMessagingPermissionFlags()=0 ;
+    virtual void setDistantMessagingPermissionFlags(uint32_t flags)=0 ;
+    
 /****************************************/
 /*                 Chat                 */
 /****************************************/
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/rsserver/p3msgs.cc b/libretroshare/src/rsserver/p3msgs.cc
index 6ce2d4830..8791b275a 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/rsserver/p3msgs.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/rsserver/p3msgs.cc
@@ -278,6 +278,16 @@ bool p3Msgs::getMessageSummaries(std::list<MsgInfoSummary> &msgList)
 }
 
 
+uint32_t p3Msgs::getDistantMessagingPermissionFlags()
+{
+	return mMsgSrv->getDistantMessagingPermissionFlags();
+}
+
+void p3Msgs::setDistantMessagingPermissionFlags(uint32_t flags)
+{
+	return mMsgSrv->setDistantMessagingPermissionFlags(flags);
+}
+
 
 bool p3Msgs::getMessage(const std::string &mid, MessageInfo &msg)
 {
@@ -297,15 +307,6 @@ bool p3Msgs::MessageSend(MessageInfo &info)
 	return mMsgSrv->MessageSend(info);
 }
 
-void p3Msgs::enableDistantMessaging(bool b)
-{
-	mMsgSrv->enableDistantMessaging(b);
-}
-bool p3Msgs::distantMessagingEnabled()
-{
-	return mMsgSrv->distantMessagingEnabled();
-}
-
 bool p3Msgs::SystemMessage(const std::string &title, const std::string &message, uint32_t systemFlag)
 {
 	return mMsgSrv->SystemMessage(title, message, systemFlag);
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/rsserver/p3msgs.h b/libretroshare/src/rsserver/p3msgs.h
index 5599a8ee1..a83b4ae94 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/rsserver/p3msgs.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/rsserver/p3msgs.h
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ class p3Msgs: public RsMsgs
 
 	  virtual bool resetMessageStandardTagTypes(Rs::Msgs::MsgTagType& tags);
 
-	  virtual void enableDistantMessaging(bool b) ;
-	  virtual bool distantMessagingEnabled() ;
+	  virtual uint32_t getDistantMessagingPermissionFlags() ;
+	  virtual void setDistantMessagingPermissionFlags(uint32_t flags) ;
 
 	  /*!
 	   * gets avatar from peer, image data in jpeg format
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/services/p3msgservice.h b/libretroshare/src/services/p3msgservice.h
index 78c738318..66c14e209 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/services/p3msgservice.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/services/p3msgservice.h
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ class p3MsgService: public p3Service, public p3Config, public pqiServiceMonitor,
 
 		void    loadWelcomeMsg(); /* startup message */
 
+            
 		//std::list<RsMsgItem *> &getMsgList();
 		//std::list<RsMsgItem *> &getMsgOutList();
 
@@ -125,6 +126,8 @@ class p3MsgService: public p3Service, public p3Config, public pqiServiceMonitor,
 		};
 		void enableDistantMessaging(bool b) ;
 		bool distantMessagingEnabled() ;
+        	void setDistantMessagingPermissionFlags(uint32_t flags) {}
+        	uint32_t getDistantMessagingPermissionFlags() { return 0 ;}
 
 	private:
         void sendDistantMsgItem(RsMsgItem *msgitem) ;
diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/MessagePage.cpp b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/MessagePage.cpp
index 4c13a6999..2dfe0a310 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/MessagePage.cpp
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/MessagePage.cpp
@@ -60,22 +60,17 @@ MessagePage::~MessagePage()
     delete(m_pTags);
 }
 
-void MessagePage::toggleEnableEncryptedDistantMsgs(bool b)
-{
-	rsMail->enableDistantMessaging(b) ;
-}
-
 void MessagePage::distantMsgsComboBoxChanged(int i)
 {
 	switch(i)
 	{
-		case 0:  rsMail->enableDistantMessaging(true) ;
+		case 0:  rsMail->setDistantMessagingPermissionFlags(RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_ANONYMOUS |RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_CONTACT_LIST) ; 
 				  break ;
 				  
-		case 1:  ;
+		case 1:  rsMail->setDistantMessagingPermissionFlags(RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_CONTACT_LIST) ; 
 				  break ;
 
-		case 2: rsMail->enableDistantMessaging(false) ;
+		case 2: rsMail->setDistantMessagingPermissionFlags(RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_NONE) ;
 				  break ;
 				    
 				  
@@ -124,11 +119,16 @@ MessagePage::load()
     ui.loadEmbeddedImages->setChecked(Settings->getMsgLoadEmbeddedImages());
     ui.openComboBox->setCurrentIndex(ui.openComboBox->findData(Settings->getMsgOpen()));
 
-	  //ui.encryptedMsgs_CB->setChecked(rsMail->distantMessagingEnabled()) ;
-	  
 	  // state of filter combobox
-    int index = Settings->value("DistantMessages", 0).toInt();
-    ui.comboBox->setCurrentIndex(index);
+    
+    uint32_t flags = rsMail->getDistantMessagingPermissionFlags() ;
+    
+    if(flags == (RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_CONTACT_LIST | RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_ANONYMOUS))
+	    ui.comboBox->setCurrentIndex(2);
+    else if(flags == RS_DISTANT_MESSAGING_CONTACT_PERMISSION_FLAG_CONTACT_LIST)
+	    ui.comboBox->setCurrentIndex(1);
+    else
+	    ui.comboBox->setCurrentIndex(0);
 	  
     // fill items
     rsMail->getMessageTagTypes(*m_pTags);
diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/MessagePage.h b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/MessagePage.h
index 8ee3bf128..e79405ae8 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/MessagePage.h
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/settings/MessagePage.h
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ private slots:
     void defaultTag();
 
     void currentRowChangedTag(int row);
-    void toggleEnableEncryptedDistantMsgs(bool) ;
     void distantMsgsComboBoxChanged(int);