diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a869e7f..ceb1dba 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ type SocketConfig = {
 	fetchAgent?: Agent
     /** should the QR be printed in the terminal */
     printQRInTerminal: boolean
+    /** fires a conversationTimestamp & read count update on CIPHERTEXT messages */
+    treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal: boolean
     /** 
      * fetch a message from your store 
      * implement this so that messages failed to send (solves the "this message can take a while" issue) can be retried
diff --git a/src/Defaults/index.ts b/src/Defaults/index.ts
index 1c55f67..49cf1ae 100644
--- a/src/Defaults/index.ts
+++ b/src/Defaults/index.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const BASE_CONNECTION_CONFIG: CommonSocketConfig<any> = {
 	emitOwnEvents: true,
 	defaultQueryTimeoutMs: 60_000,
 	customUploadHosts: [],
+	treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal: true
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_CONNECTION_CONFIG: SocketConfig = {
diff --git a/src/LegacySocket/messages.ts b/src/LegacySocket/messages.ts
index a35acc1..0d4fa08 100644
--- a/src/LegacySocket/messages.ts
+++ b/src/LegacySocket/messages.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const STATUS_MAP = {
 } as { [_: string]: WAMessageStatus }
 
 const makeMessagesSocket = (config: LegacySocketConfig) => {
-	const { logger } = config
+	const { logger, treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal } = config
 	const sock = makeChatsSocket(config)
 	const {
 		ev,
@@ -120,7 +120,13 @@ const makeMessagesSocket = (config: LegacySocketConfig) => {
 			ev.emit('groups.update', [ { id: jid, ...update } ])
 		}
 
-		if(message.message) {
+		if(
+			(
+				!!message.message ||
+				(message.messageStubType === WAMessageStubType.CIPHERTEXT && treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal)
+			)
+			&& !message.message!.protocolMessage
+		) {
 			chatUpdate.conversationTimestamp = +toNumber(message.messageTimestamp)
 			// add to count if the message isn't from me & there exists a message
 			if(!message.key.fromMe) {
diff --git a/src/Socket/messages-recv.ts b/src/Socket/messages-recv.ts
index 5a7155b..58090fd 100644
--- a/src/Socket/messages-recv.ts
+++ b/src/Socket/messages-recv.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { makeChatsSocket } from './chats'
 import { extractGroupMetadata } from './groups'
 
 export const makeMessagesRecvSocket = (config: SocketConfig) => {
-	const { logger } = config
+	const { logger, treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal } = config
 	const sock = makeChatsSocket(config)
 	const {
 		ev,
@@ -548,7 +548,13 @@ export const makeMessagesRecvSocket = (config: SocketConfig) => {
 					() => processMessage(msg, chat)
 				)
 
-				if(!!msg.message && !msg.message!.protocolMessage) {
+				if(
+					(
+						!!msg.message ||
+						(msg.messageStubType === WAMessageStubType.CIPHERTEXT && treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal)
+					)
+					&& !msg.message!.protocolMessage
+				) {
 					chat.conversationTimestamp = toNumber(msg.messageTimestamp)
 					if(!msg.key.fromMe) {
 						chat.unreadCount = (chat.unreadCount || 0) + 1
diff --git a/src/Types/Socket.ts b/src/Types/Socket.ts
index 66468d2..32f697a 100644
--- a/src/Types/Socket.ts
+++ b/src/Types/Socket.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ export type CommonSocketConfig<T> = {
     emitOwnEvents: boolean
     /** provide a cache to store media, so does not have to be re-uploaded */
     mediaCache?: NodeCache
-
+    /** custom upload hosts to upload media to */
     customUploadHosts: MediaConnInfo['hosts']
+    /** fires a conversationTimestamp & read count update on CIPHERTEXT messages */
+    treatCiphertextMessagesAsReal: boolean
 }