diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/PinnedEventsTimelineScreen/View/PinnedEventsTimelineScreen.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/PinnedEventsTimelineScreen/View/PinnedEventsTimelineScreen.swift
index 1baddfff9..095afb438 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/PinnedEventsTimelineScreen/View/PinnedEventsTimelineScreen.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/PinnedEventsTimelineScreen/View/PinnedEventsTimelineScreen.swift
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ struct PinnedEventsTimelineScreen_Previews: PreviewProvider, TestablePreview {
                                                   timelineControllerFactory: TimelineControllerFactoryMock(.init()))
         
         if isSelecting {
+            timelineViewModel.state.messageSelection.isActive = true
             timelineViewModel.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs = Set(eventIDs.prefix(2))
         }
         
diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/RoomScreen.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/RoomScreen.swift
index 731521f4a..8b4d90953 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/RoomScreen.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/RoomScreen/View/RoomScreen.swift
@@ -413,6 +413,7 @@ struct RoomScreen_Previews: PreviewProvider, TestablePreview {
         
         if isSelecting {
             let eventIDs = timelineController.timelineItems.compactMap { ($0 as? EventBasedTimelineItemProtocol)?.id.eventID }
+            timelineViewModel.state.messageSelection.isActive = true
             timelineViewModel.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs = Set(eventIDs.prefix(2))
         }
         
diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineModels.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineModels.swift
index 240bfc7c1..e8d6c2119 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineModels.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineModels.swift
@@ -205,17 +205,15 @@ struct TimelineViewStateBindings {
     var textToBeTranslated: String?
 }
 
-/// The state of the multi-selection of messages, active as soon as an item is selected.
+/// The state of the multi-selection of messages.
 struct TimelineMessageSelectionState: Equatable {
     static let limit = 10
     
     var isEnabled = false
+    /// Stays on when every message is unselected, it only ends when closed or once the messages are forwarded.
+    var isActive = false
     var selectedEventIDs: Set<String> = []
     
-    var isActive: Bool {
-        !selectedEventIDs.isEmpty
-    }
-    
     var count: Int {
         selectedEventIDs.count
     }
@@ -228,6 +226,11 @@ struct TimelineMessageSelectionState: Equatable {
         guard let eventID else { return false }
         return selectedEventIDs.contains(eventID)
     }
+    
+    mutating func end() {
+        isActive = false
+        selectedEventIDs.removeAll()
+    }
 }
 
 struct TimelineItemActionMenuInfo: Equatable, Identifiable {
diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineViewModel.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineViewModel.swift
index 01c61790d..30f837a5c 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineViewModel.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/TimelineViewModel.swift
@@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ extension TimelineViewModel {
             .sink { [weak self] isEnabled in
                 self?.state.messageSelection.isEnabled = isEnabled
                 if !isEnabled {
-                    self?.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs.removeAll()
+                    self?.state.messageSelection.end()
                 }
             }
             .store(in: &cancellables)
@@ -1218,6 +1218,7 @@ extension TimelineViewModel {
             return
         }
         
+        state.messageSelection.isActive = true
         state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs.insert(eventID)
     }
     
@@ -1239,7 +1240,7 @@ extension TimelineViewModel {
         guard state.messageSelection.isActive else { return }
         
         if isSwitchingTimelines {
-            state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs.removeAll()
+            state.messageSelection.end()
             return
         }
         
@@ -1249,7 +1250,7 @@ extension TimelineViewModel {
     
     /// Ends the selection, either from the close button or once the selected messages have been forwarded.
     func clearMessageSelection() {
-        state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs.removeAll()
+        state.messageSelection.end()
     }
     
     /// Forwards the selection in timeline order, which is unrelated to the order the messages were selected in.
diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/View/Style/TimelineItemBubbledStylerView.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/View/Style/TimelineItemBubbledStylerView.swift
index 7b1347c3a..5604c3b44 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/View/Style/TimelineItemBubbledStylerView.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/View/Style/TimelineItemBubbledStylerView.swift
@@ -476,6 +476,7 @@ struct TimelineItemBubbledStylerView_Previews: PreviewProvider, TestablePreview
                                           emojiProvider: EmojiProvider(userSettings: userSettings),
                                           linkMetadataProvider: LinkMetadataProvider(),
                                           timelineControllerFactory: TimelineControllerFactoryMock(.init()))
+        viewModel.state.messageSelection.isActive = true
         viewModel.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs = ["selected"]
         return viewModel
     }()
diff --git a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/View/Supplementary/TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar.swift b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/View/Supplementary/TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar.swift
index c531f2ff8..98bad2b29 100644
--- a/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/View/Supplementary/TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar.swift
+++ b/ElementX/Sources/Screens/Timeline/View/Supplementary/TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar.swift
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ struct TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar: View {
             Label(L10n.actionForwardMessages(context.viewState.messageSelection.count), icon: \.forward)
         }
         .buttonStyle(.compound(.primary))
+        .disabled(context.viewState.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs.isEmpty)
         .padding(16)
         .background(Color.compound.bgCanvasDefault.ignoresSafeArea())
     }
@@ -27,14 +28,23 @@ struct TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar: View {
 // MARK: - Previews
 
 struct TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar_Previews: PreviewProvider, TestablePreview {
-    static let viewModel: TimelineViewModel = {
-        let viewModel = TimelineViewModel.mock() // A fresh instance so the shared mock isn't left selecting.
-        viewModel.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs = ["$1", "$2", "$3"]
-        return viewModel
-    }()
+    static let viewModel = makeViewModel(selectedEventIDs: ["$1", "$2", "$3"])
+    static let emptyViewModel = makeViewModel(selectedEventIDs: [])
     
     static var previews: some View {
         TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar(context: viewModel.context)
             .previewLayout(.sizeThatFits)
+            .previewDisplayName("Selected")
+        
+        TimelineMessageSelectionActionBar(context: emptyViewModel.context)
+            .previewLayout(.sizeThatFits)
+            .previewDisplayName("Nothing selected")
+    }
+    
+    static func makeViewModel(selectedEventIDs: Set<String>) -> TimelineViewModel {
+        let viewModel = TimelineViewModel.mock() // A fresh instance so the shared mock isn't left selecting.
+        viewModel.state.messageSelection.isActive = true
+        viewModel.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs = selectedEventIDs
+        return viewModel
     }
 }
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPad-en-GB.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPad-en-GB.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d6ea898fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPad-en-GB.png
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1
+oid sha256:240161bc2235106fd4e74d0c25b3d82fa5bf2380425441a2db101693429afbfe
+size 16087
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPad-pseudo.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPad-pseudo.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..097e6ffc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPad-pseudo.png
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1
+oid sha256:22abae64ed63c2ac1f7d317524a75fe9114f62b299bbf6f17973e6a593c881b5
+size 16241
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPhone-en-GB.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPhone-en-GB.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f81524c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPhone-en-GB.png
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1
+oid sha256:338fbbe237edd16a6720c7f66544fc79db607e114909a491d2935cc397eac40c
+size 10566
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPhone-pseudo.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPhone-pseudo.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ccd6635b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Nothing-selected-iPhone-pseudo.png
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1
+oid sha256:6d2e8a5312d7b2ecce636347b369d9802d93242583f745887f70baefe6a5e5e1
+size 10642
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.iPad-en-GB-0.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Selected-iPad-en-GB.png
similarity index 100%
rename from PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.iPad-en-GB-0.png
rename to PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Selected-iPad-en-GB.png
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.iPad-pseudo-0.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Selected-iPad-pseudo.png
similarity index 100%
rename from PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.iPad-pseudo-0.png
rename to PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Selected-iPad-pseudo.png
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.iPhone-en-GB-0.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Selected-iPhone-en-GB.png
similarity index 100%
rename from PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.iPhone-en-GB-0.png
rename to PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Selected-iPhone-en-GB.png
diff --git a/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.iPhone-pseudo-0.png b/PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Selected-iPhone-pseudo.png
similarity index 100%
rename from PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.iPhone-pseudo-0.png
rename to PreviewTests/Sources/__Snapshots__/PreviewTests/timelineMessageSelectionActionBar.Selected-iPhone-pseudo.png
diff --git a/UnitTests/Sources/TimelineViewModelTests.swift b/UnitTests/Sources/TimelineViewModelTests.swift
index d5977b8f2..b8a0bd84b 100644
--- a/UnitTests/Sources/TimelineViewModelTests.swift
+++ b/UnitTests/Sources/TimelineViewModelTests.swift
@@ -781,9 +781,14 @@ final class TimelineViewModelTests {
         viewModel.process(viewAction: .toggleMessageSelection(itemID: items[0].id))
         #expect(viewModel.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs == ["$2"])
         
-        // Deselecting the last item ends the selection.
+        // Deselecting the last item keeps the selection going, with nothing selected.
         viewModel.process(viewAction: .toggleMessageSelection(itemID: items[1].id))
-        #expect(!viewModel.state.messageSelection.isActive)
+        #expect(viewModel.state.messageSelection.isActive)
+        #expect(viewModel.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs.isEmpty)
+        
+        // Selecting again still works.
+        viewModel.process(viewAction: .toggleMessageSelection(itemID: items[0].id))
+        #expect(viewModel.state.messageSelection.selectedEventIDs == ["$1"])
     }
     
     @Test