diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
index 3d632d9511..f4080c63fb 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/AdapterMessage.java
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
     private boolean week;
     private boolean cards;
     private boolean shadow_unread;
+    private boolean shadow_border;
     private boolean shadow_highlight;
     private boolean threading;
     private boolean threading_unread;
@@ -1825,7 +1826,7 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
         }
 
         private void bindSeen(TupleMessageEx message) {
-            if (cards && shadow_unread) {
+            if (cards && shadow_unread && shadow_border) {
                 boolean shadow = (message.unseen > 0);
                 int color = (shadow
                         ? ColorUtils.setAlphaComponent(shadow_highlight ? colorUnreadHighlight : colorAccent, 127)
@@ -1901,9 +1902,14 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
             boolean split = (viewType != ViewType.THREAD && properties.getValue("split", message.id));
 
             int color = Color.TRANSPARENT;
-            if (cards && shadow_unread && message.unseen > 0)
-                color = ColorUtils.setAlphaComponent(colorCardBackground, 192);
-            else if (split)
+            if (cards && shadow_unread && message.unseen > 0) {
+                if (shadow_border)
+                    color = ColorUtils.setAlphaComponent(colorCardBackground, 192);
+                else {
+                    int fg = (shadow_highlight ? colorUnreadHighlight : colorAccent);
+                    color = ColorUtils.blendARGB(colorCardBackground, fg, 0.125f);
+                }
+            } else if (split)
                 color = ColorUtils.setAlphaComponent(textColorHighlightInverse, 127);
             else if (flags_background && flagged && !expanded)
                 color = ColorUtils.setAlphaComponent(mcolor, 127);
@@ -7325,6 +7331,7 @@ public class AdapterMessage extends RecyclerView.Adapter<AdapterMessage.ViewHold
         this.week = prefs.getBoolean("date_week", false);
         this.cards = prefs.getBoolean("cards", true);
         this.shadow_unread = prefs.getBoolean("shadow_unread", false);
+        this.shadow_border = prefs.getBoolean("shadow_border", true);
         this.shadow_highlight = prefs.getBoolean("shadow_highlight", false);
         this.threading = prefs.getBoolean("threading", true);
         this.threading_unread = threading && prefs.getBoolean("threading_unread", false);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
index b285e34bd2..b6a375f67a 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptions.java
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ public class FragmentOptions extends FragmentBase {
             "check_authentication", "check_tls", "check_reply_domain", "check_mx", "check_blocklist",
             "send_pending",
             "startup",
-            "cards", "beige", "tabular_card_bg", "shadow_unread", "shadow_highlight", "dividers",
+            "cards", "beige", "tabular_card_bg", "shadow_unread", "shadow_border", "shadow_highlight", "dividers",
             "portrait2", "portrait2c", "portrait_min_size", "landscape", "landscape_min_size",
             "column_width",
             "nav_categories", "nav_count", "nav_unseen_drafts", "nav_count_pinned", "navbar_colorize",
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
index 7cd0bef858..3d9b9f996d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/faircode/email/FragmentOptionsDisplay.java
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
     private SwitchCompat swBeige;
     private SwitchCompat swTabularBackground;
     private SwitchCompat swShadow;
+    private SwitchCompat swShadowBorder;
     private SwitchCompat swShadowHighlight;
     private SwitchCompat swTabularDividers;
     private SwitchCompat swPortrait2;
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
     private final static String[] RESET_OPTIONS = new String[]{
             "theme", "startup",
             "date", "date_week", "date_fixed", "date_bold", "group_category",
-            "cards", "beige", "tabular_card_bg", "shadow_unread", "shadow_highlight", "dividers",
+            "cards", "beige", "tabular_card_bg", "shadow_unread", "shadow_border", "shadow_highlight", "dividers",
             "portrait2", "portrait2c", "landscape", "close_pane", "column_width",
             "nav_options", "nav_categories", "nav_count", "nav_unseen_drafts", "nav_count_pinned", "navbar_colorize",
             "threading", "threading_unread", "indentation", "seekbar", "actionbar", "actionbar_swap", "actionbar_color",
@@ -238,6 +239,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
         swBeige = view.findViewById(R.id.swBeige);
         swTabularBackground = view.findViewById(R.id.swTabularCardBackground);
         swShadow = view.findViewById(R.id.swShadow);
+        swShadowBorder = view.findViewById(R.id.swShadowBorder);
         swShadowHighlight = view.findViewById(R.id.swShadowHighlight);
         swTabularDividers = view.findViewById(R.id.swTabularDividers);
         swPortrait2 = view.findViewById(R.id.swPortrait2);
@@ -450,6 +452,7 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
                 swBeige.setEnabled(checked);
                 swTabularBackground.setEnabled(!checked);
                 swShadow.setEnabled(checked);
+                swShadowBorder.setEnabled(swShadow.isEnabled() && checked);
                 swShadowHighlight.setEnabled(swShadow.isEnabled() && checked);
                 swTabularDividers.setEnabled(!checked);
                 swIndentation.setEnabled(checked);
@@ -475,10 +478,18 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
             @Override
             public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
                 prefs.edit().putBoolean("shadow_unread", checked).apply();
+                swShadowBorder.setEnabled(swShadow.isEnabled() && checked);
                 swShadowHighlight.setEnabled(swShadow.isEnabled() && checked);
             }
         });
 
+        swShadowBorder.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
+            @Override
+            public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
+                prefs.edit().putBoolean("shadow_border", checked).apply();
+            }
+        });
+
         swShadowHighlight.setOnCheckedChangeListener(new CompoundButton.OnCheckedChangeListener() {
             @Override
             public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton compoundButton, boolean checked) {
@@ -1378,10 +1389,12 @@ public class FragmentOptionsDisplay extends FragmentBase implements SharedPrefer
         swBeige.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("beige", true));
         swTabularBackground.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("tabular_card_bg", false));
         swShadow.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("shadow_unread", false));
+        swShadowBorder.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("shadow_border", true));
         swShadowHighlight.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("shadow_highlight", false));
         swBeige.setEnabled(swCards.isChecked());
         swTabularBackground.setEnabled(!swCards.isChecked());
         swShadow.setEnabled(swCards.isChecked());
+        swShadowBorder.setEnabled(swShadow.isEnabled() && swShadow.isChecked());
         swShadowHighlight.setEnabled(swShadow.isEnabled() && swShadow.isChecked());
         swTabularDividers.setChecked(prefs.getBoolean("dividers", true));
         swTabularDividers.setEnabled(!swCards.isChecked());
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
index 4839c2ede3..e5b0a70a3d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/fragment_options_display.xml
@@ -254,6 +254,19 @@
                     app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swTabularCardBackground"
                     app:switchPadding="12dp" />
 
+                <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
+                    android:id="@+id/swShadowBorder"
+                    android:layout_width="0dp"
+                    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+                    android:layout_marginStart="24dp"
+                    android:layout_marginTop="12dp"
+                    android:checked="true"
+                    android:text="@string/title_advanced_cards_shadow_border"
+                    app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
+                    app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
+                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swShadow"
+                    app:switchPadding="12dp" />
+
                 <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
                     android:id="@+id/swShadowHighlight"
                     android:layout_width="0dp"
@@ -263,7 +276,7 @@
                     android:text="@string/title_advanced_cards_shadow_highlight"
                     app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
                     app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
-                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swShadow"
+                    app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@id/swShadowBorder"
                     app:switchPadding="12dp" />
 
                 <androidx.appcompat.widget.SwitchCompat
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index bf1814d406..b644b693f8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -518,6 +518,7 @@
     <string name="title_advanced_cards_beige">Use beige background when using card style (light themes only)</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_tabular_background">Use card color as background color when using tabular style</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_cards_shadow">Use shadow for unread messages when using card style</string>
+    <string name="title_advanced_cards_shadow_border">Show border</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_cards_shadow_highlight">Use highlight color instead of accent color</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_tabular_dividers">Use divider lines when using tabular style</string>
     <string name="title_advanced_date_header">Group by date</string>