diff --git a/simplex-chat.cabal b/simplex-chat.cabal
index 6801d4bfda..227dded484 100644
--- a/simplex-chat.cabal
+++ b/simplex-chat.cabal
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ library
       Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221011_user_contact_links_group_id
       Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221012_inline_files
       Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221019_unread_chat
+      Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221021_connections_via_group_link
       Simplex.Chat.Mobile
       Simplex.Chat.Options
       Simplex.Chat.ProfileGenerator
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
index 3603793f2a..00d24fde47 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat.hs
@@ -1169,16 +1169,15 @@ processChatCommand = \case
         groupId <- getGroupIdByName db user gName
         groupMemberId <- getGroupMemberIdByName db user groupId groupMemberName
         pure (groupId, groupMemberId)
-
-sendGrpInvitation :: ChatMonad m => User -> Contact -> GroupInfo -> GroupMember -> ConnReqInvitation -> m ()
-sendGrpInvitation user ct@Contact {localDisplayName} GroupInfo {groupId, groupProfile, membership} GroupMember {groupMemberId, memberId, memberRole = memRole} cReq = do
-  let GroupMember {memberRole = userRole, memberId = userMemberId} = membership
-      groupInv = GroupInvitation (MemberIdRole userMemberId userRole) (MemberIdRole memberId memRole) cReq groupProfile
-  (msg, _) <- sendDirectContactMessage ct $ XGrpInv groupInv
-  let content = CISndGroupInvitation (CIGroupInvitation {groupId, groupMemberId, localDisplayName, groupProfile, status = CIGISPending}) memRole
-  ci <- saveSndChatItem user (CDDirectSnd ct) msg content Nothing Nothing
-  toView . CRNewChatItem $ AChatItem SCTDirect SMDSnd (DirectChat ct) ci
-  setActive $ ActiveG localDisplayName
+    sendGrpInvitation :: User -> Contact -> GroupInfo -> GroupMember -> ConnReqInvitation -> m ()
+    sendGrpInvitation user ct@Contact {localDisplayName} GroupInfo {groupId, groupProfile, membership} GroupMember {groupMemberId, memberId, memberRole = memRole} cReq = do
+      let GroupMember {memberRole = userRole, memberId = userMemberId} = membership
+          groupInv = GroupInvitation (MemberIdRole userMemberId userRole) (MemberIdRole memberId memRole) cReq groupProfile
+      (msg, _) <- sendDirectContactMessage ct $ XGrpInv groupInv
+      let content = CISndGroupInvitation (CIGroupInvitation {groupId, groupMemberId, localDisplayName, groupProfile, status = CIGISPending}) memRole
+      ci <- saveSndChatItem user (CDDirectSnd ct) msg content Nothing Nothing
+      toView . CRNewChatItem $ AChatItem SCTDirect SMDSnd (DirectChat ct) ci
+      setActive $ ActiveG localDisplayName
 
 setExpireCIs :: (MonadUnliftIO m, MonadReader ChatController m) => Bool -> m ()
 setExpireCIs b = do
@@ -1726,7 +1725,7 @@ processAgentMessage (Just user@User {userId, profile}) corrId agentConnId agentM
         _ -> pure ()
 
     processGroupMessage :: ACommand 'Agent -> Connection -> GroupInfo -> GroupMember -> m ()
-    processGroupMessage agentMsg conn@Connection {connId} gInfo@GroupInfo {groupId, localDisplayName = gName, membership, chatSettings} m = case agentMsg of
+    processGroupMessage agentMsg conn@Connection {connId} gInfo@GroupInfo {groupId, localDisplayName = gName, groupProfile, membership, chatSettings} m = case agentMsg of
       INV (ACR _ cReq) ->
         withCompletedCommand conn agentMsg $ \CommandData {cmdFunction} ->
           case cReq of
@@ -1745,8 +1744,21 @@ processAgentMessage (Just user@User {userId, profile}) corrId agentConnId agentM
                   Nothing -> messageError "implementation error: invitee does not have contact"
                   Just ct -> do
                     withStore' $ \db -> setNewContactMemberConnRequest db user m cReq
-                    sendGrpInvitation user ct gInfo m cReq
-                    toView $ CRSentGroupInvitation gInfo ct m
+                    sendGrpInvitation ct m
+                    toView $ CRSentGroupInvitationViaLink gInfo ct m
+                where
+                  sendGrpInvitation :: Contact -> GroupMember -> m ()
+                  sendGrpInvitation ct GroupMember {memberId, memberRole = memRole} = do
+                    let GroupMember {memberRole = userRole, memberId = userMemberId} = membership
+                        groupInv = GroupInvitation (MemberIdRole userMemberId userRole) (MemberIdRole memberId memRole) cReq groupProfile
+                    (_msg, _) <- sendDirectContactMessage ct $ XGrpInv groupInv
+                    createdAt <- liftIO getCurrentTime
+                    let content = CIRcvGroupEvent RGEInvitedViaGroupLink
+                        cd = CDGroupRcv gInfo m
+                    -- we could link chat item with sent group invitation message (_msg)
+                    ciId <- withStore' $ \db -> createNewChatItemNoMsg db user cd content createdAt createdAt
+                    ci <- liftIO $ mkChatItem cd ciId content Nothing Nothing Nothing createdAt createdAt
+                    toView $ CRNewChatItem $ AChatItem SCTGroup SMDRcv (GroupChat gInfo) ci
               _ -> throwChatError $ CECommandError "unexpected cmdFunction"
             CRContactUri _ -> throwChatError $ CECommandError "unexpected ConnectionRequestUri type"
       CONF confId _ connInfo -> do
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
index ba18ef938b..1920f18dc6 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ data ChatResponse
   | CRUserDeletedMember {groupInfo :: GroupInfo, member :: GroupMember}
   | CRGroupsList {groups :: [GroupInfo]}
   | CRSentGroupInvitation {groupInfo :: GroupInfo, contact :: Contact, member :: GroupMember}
+  | CRSentGroupInvitationViaLink {groupInfo :: GroupInfo, contact :: Contact, member :: GroupMember}
   | CRFileTransferStatus (FileTransfer, [Integer]) -- TODO refactor this type to FileTransferStatus
   | CRUserProfile {profile :: Profile}
   | CRUserProfileNoChange
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Messages.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Messages.hs
index 159ce4c01c..a313456b36 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Messages.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Messages.hs
@@ -514,6 +514,7 @@ rcvGroupEventToText = \case
   RGEUserDeleted -> "removed you"
   RGEGroupDeleted -> "deleted group"
   RGEGroupUpdated _ -> "group profile updated"
+  RGEInvitedViaGroupLink -> "invited via your group link"
 
 sndGroupEventToText :: SndGroupEvent -> Text
 sndGroupEventToText = \case
@@ -557,6 +558,10 @@ data RcvGroupEvent
   | RGEUserDeleted -- CRDeletedMemberUser
   | RGEGroupDeleted -- CRGroupDeleted
   | RGEGroupUpdated {groupProfile :: GroupProfile} -- CRGroupUpdated
+  -- RGEInvitedViaGroupLink chat items are not received - they're created when sending group invitations,
+  -- but being RcvGroupEvent allows them to be assigned to the respective member (and so enable "send direct message")
+  -- and be created as unread without adding / working around new status for sent items
+  | RGEInvitedViaGroupLink -- CRSentGroupInvitationViaLink
   deriving (Show, Generic)
 
 instance FromJSON RcvGroupEvent where
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Migrations/M20221021_connections_via_group_link.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Migrations/M20221021_connections_via_group_link.hs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b313a2553
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Migrations/M20221021_connections_via_group_link.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE QuasiQuotes #-}
+
+module Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221021_connections_via_group_link where
+
+import Database.SQLite.Simple (Query)
+import Database.SQLite.Simple.QQ (sql)
+
+m20221021_connections_via_group_link :: Query
+m20221021_connections_via_group_link =
+  [sql|
+PRAGMA ignore_check_constraints=ON;
+
+ALTER TABLE connections ADD COLUMN via_group_link INTEGER DEFAULT 0 CHECK (via_group_link NOT NULL); -- flag, 1 for connections via group link
+UPDATE connections SET via_group_link = 0;
+
+PRAGMA ignore_check_constraints=OFF;
+|]
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Migrations/chat_schema.sql b/src/Simplex/Chat/Migrations/chat_schema.sql
index de9e08c625..ef350a0feb 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Migrations/chat_schema.sql
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Migrations/chat_schema.sql
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ CREATE TABLE connections(
   custom_user_profile_id INTEGER REFERENCES contact_profiles ON DELETE SET NULL,
   conn_req_inv BLOB,
   local_alias DEFAULT '' CHECK(local_alias NOT NULL),
+  via_group_link INTEGER DEFAULT 0 CHECK(via_group_link NOT NULL),
   FOREIGN KEY(snd_file_id, connection_id)
   REFERENCES snd_files(file_id, connection_id)
   ON DELETE CASCADE
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
index 90b8a5c904..8dbc3c67c8 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Store.hs
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ import Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221004_idx_msg_deliveries_message_id
 import Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221011_user_contact_links_group_id
 import Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221012_inline_files
 import Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221019_unread_chat
+import Simplex.Chat.Migrations.M20221021_connections_via_group_link
 import Simplex.Chat.Protocol
 import Simplex.Chat.Types
 import Simplex.Messaging.Agent.Protocol (ACorrId, AgentMsgId, ConnId, InvitationId, MsgMeta (..))
@@ -325,7 +326,8 @@ schemaMigrations =
     ("20221004_idx_msg_deliveries_message_id", m20221004_idx_msg_deliveries_message_id),
     ("20221011_user_contact_links_group_id", m20221011_user_contact_links_group_id),
     ("20221012_inline_files", m20221012_inline_files),
-    ("20221019_unread_chat", m20221019_unread_chat)
+    ("20221019_unread_chat", m20221019_unread_chat),
+    ("20221021_connections_via_group_link", m20221021_connections_via_group_link)
   ]
 
 -- | The list of migrations in ascending order by date
@@ -495,15 +497,17 @@ getProfileById db userId profileId =
 
 createConnection_ :: DB.Connection -> UserId -> ConnType -> Maybe Int64 -> ConnId -> Maybe ContactId -> Maybe Int64 -> Maybe ProfileId -> Int -> UTCTime -> IO Connection
 createConnection_ db userId connType entityId acId viaContact viaUserContactLink customUserProfileId connLevel currentTs = do
+  viaLinkGroupId :: Maybe Int64 <- fmap join . forM viaUserContactLink $ \ucLinkId ->
+    maybeFirstRow fromOnly $ DB.query db "SELECT group_id FROM user_contact_links WHERE user_id = ? AND user_contact_link_id = ? AND group_id IS NOT NULL" (userId, ucLinkId)
   DB.execute
     db
     [sql|
       INSERT INTO connections (
-        user_id, agent_conn_id, conn_level, via_contact, via_user_contact_link, custom_user_profile_id, conn_status, conn_type,
+        user_id, agent_conn_id, conn_level, via_contact, via_user_contact_link, via_group_link, custom_user_profile_id, conn_status, conn_type,
         contact_id, group_member_id, snd_file_id, rcv_file_id, user_contact_link_id, created_at, updated_at
-      ) VALUES (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)
+      ) VALUES (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)
     |]
-    ( (userId, acId, connLevel, viaContact, viaUserContactLink, customUserProfileId, ConnNew, connType)
+    ( (userId, acId, connLevel, viaContact, viaUserContactLink, isJust viaLinkGroupId, customUserProfileId, ConnNew, connType)
         :. (ent ConnContact, ent ConnMember, ent ConnSndFile, ent ConnRcvFile, ent ConnUserContact, currentTs, currentTs)
     )
   connId <- insertedRowId db
@@ -3082,7 +3086,7 @@ getDirectChatPreviews_ db User {userId} = do
         ) ChatStats ON ChatStats.contact_id = ct.contact_id
         LEFT JOIN chat_items ri ON i.quoted_shared_msg_id = ri.shared_msg_id
         WHERE ct.user_id = ?
-          AND (c.conn_level = 0 OR i.chat_item_id IS NOT NULL)
+          AND ((c.conn_level = 0 AND c.via_group_link = 0) OR i.chat_item_id IS NOT NULL)
           AND c.connection_id = (
             SELECT cc_connection_id FROM (
               SELECT
@@ -3204,7 +3208,7 @@ getContactConnectionChatPreviews_ db User {userId} _ =
       [sql|
         SELECT connection_id, agent_conn_id, conn_status, via_contact_uri_hash, via_user_contact_link, custom_user_profile_id, conn_req_inv, local_alias, created_at, updated_at
         FROM connections
-        WHERE user_id = ? AND conn_type = ? AND contact_id IS NULL AND conn_level = 0 AND via_contact IS NULL
+        WHERE user_id = ? AND conn_type = ? AND contact_id IS NULL AND conn_level = 0 AND via_group_link = 0 AND via_contact IS NULL
       |]
       (userId, ConnContact)
   where
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
index 96e7b8c615..6b5e416507 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/View.hs
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@ responseToView testView = \case
   CRGroupCreated g -> viewGroupCreated g
   CRGroupMembers g -> viewGroupMembers g
   CRGroupsList gs -> viewGroupsList gs
-  CRSentGroupInvitation g c _ -> viewSentGroupInvitation g c
+  CRSentGroupInvitation g c _ -> ["invitation to join the group " <> ttyGroup' g <> " sent to " <> ttyContact' c]
+  CRSentGroupInvitationViaLink g c _ -> [ttyContact' c <> " invited to group " <> ttyGroup' g <> " via your group link"]
   CRFileTransferStatus ftStatus -> viewFileTransferStatus ftStatus
   CRUserProfile p -> viewUserProfile p
   CRUserProfileNoChange -> ["user profile did not change"]
@@ -391,10 +392,6 @@ viewConnReqInvitation cReq =
     "and ask them to connect: " <> highlight' "/c <invitation_link_above>"
   ]
 
-viewSentGroupInvitation :: GroupInfo -> Contact -> [StyledString]
-viewSentGroupInvitation g c =
-  ["invitation to join the group " <> ttyGroup' g <> " sent to " <> ttyContact' c]
-
 viewChatCleared :: AChatInfo -> [StyledString]
 viewChatCleared (AChatInfo _ chatInfo) = case chatInfo of
   DirectChat ct -> [ttyContact' ct <> ": all messages are removed locally ONLY"]
diff --git a/tests/ChatTests.hs b/tests/ChatTests.hs
index 59c1b72232..3b5991b457 100644
--- a/tests/ChatTests.hs
+++ b/tests/ChatTests.hs
@@ -3287,13 +3287,16 @@ testGroupLink =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ do
             alice <## "bob (Bob): contact is connected"
-            alice <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to bob",
+            alice <## "bob invited to group #team via your group link",
           do
             bob <## "alice (Alice): contact is connected"
             bob <## "#team: alice invites you to join the group as member"
             bob <## "use /j team to accept"
         ]
+      alice #$> ("/_get chat #1 count=100", chat, [(0, "invited via your group link")])
+      alice @@@ [("#team", "invited via your group link")] -- contacts connected via group link are not in chat previews
       alice <##> bob
+      alice @@@ [("@bob", "hey"), ("#team", "invited via your group link")]
       bob ##> "/j team"
       concurrently_
         (alice <## "#team: bob joined the group")
@@ -3318,7 +3321,7 @@ testGroupLink =
       concurrentlyN_
         [ do
             alice <## "cath_1 (Catherine): contact is connected"
-            alice <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to cath_1",
+            alice <## "cath_1 invited to group #team via your group link",
           do
             cath <## "alice_1 (Alice): contact is connected"
             cath <## "#team: alice_1 invites you to join the group as member"
@@ -3404,7 +3407,7 @@ testGroupLinkIncognitoMembership =
         [ do
             bob <## ("cath (Catherine): contact is connected, your incognito profile for this contact is " <> bobIncognito)
             bob <## "use /info cath to print out this incognito profile again"
-            bob <## "invitation to join the group #team sent to cath",
+            bob <## "cath invited to group #team via your group link",
           do
             cath <## (bobIncognito <> ": contact is connected")
             cath <## ("#team: " <> bobIncognito <> " invites you to join the group as member")
@@ -3436,7 +3439,7 @@ testGroupLinkIncognitoMembership =
         [ do
             bob <## (danIncognito <> ": contact is connected, your incognito profile for this contact is " <> bobIncognito)
             bob <## ("use /info " <> danIncognito <> " to print out this incognito profile again")
-            bob <## ("invitation to join the group #team sent to " <> danIncognito),
+            bob <## (danIncognito <> " invited to group #team via your group link"),
           do
             dan <## (bobIncognito <> ": contact is connected, your incognito profile for this contact is " <> danIncognito)
             dan <## ("use /info " <> bobIncognito <> " to print out this incognito profile again")