diff --git a/pkg/connector/capabilities.go b/pkg/connector/capabilities.go
index c5d958bd..df0b01be 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/capabilities.go
+++ b/pkg/connector/capabilities.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func (tg *TelegramConnector) GetCapabilities() *bridgev2.NetworkGeneralCapabilit
 }
 
 func (tg *TelegramConnector) GetBridgeInfoVersion() (info, capabilities int) {
-	return 1, 3
+	return 1, 4
 }
 
 // TODO get these from getConfig instead of hardcoding?
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ func makeTimerList() []jsontime.Milliseconds {
 var telegramTimers = makeTimerList()
 
 func (t *TelegramClient) GetCapabilities(ctx context.Context, portal *bridgev2.Portal) *event.RoomFeatures {
-	baseID := "fi.mau.telegram.capabilities.2025_08_26"
+	baseID := "fi.mau.telegram.capabilities.2025_09_11"
 	feat := &event.RoomFeatures{
 		Formatting:          formattingCaps,
 		File:                fileCaps,
diff --git a/pkg/connector/metadata.go b/pkg/connector/metadata.go
index f2b36211..55246d71 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/metadata.go
+++ b/pkg/connector/metadata.go
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ type GhostMetadata struct {
 type PortalMetadata struct {
 	IsSuperGroup     bool     `json:"is_supergroup,omitempty"`
 	ReadUpTo         int      `json:"read_up_to,omitempty"`
-	MessagesTTL      int      `json:"messages_ttl,omitempty"`
 	AllowedReactions []string `json:"allowed_reactions"`
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/connector/store/upgrades/00-latest.sql b/pkg/connector/store/upgrades/00-latest.sql
index ad1baea2..0b064fa9 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/store/upgrades/00-latest.sql
+++ b/pkg/connector/store/upgrades/00-latest.sql
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
--- v0 -> v2: Latest revision
+-- v0 -> v3 (compatible with v2+): Latest revision
 
 CREATE TABLE telegram_user_state (
     user_id BIGINT NOT NULL PRIMARY KEY,
diff --git a/pkg/connector/store/upgrades/03-disappearing-timer-migrate.sql b/pkg/connector/store/upgrades/03-disappearing-timer-migrate.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b1b1d78f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/connector/store/upgrades/03-disappearing-timer-migrate.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+-- v3 (compatible with v2+): Migrate disappearing timer to standard column
+
+-- only: postgres
+UPDATE portal SET disappear_type='after_send', disappear_timer=(metadata->>'messages_ttl')::BIGINT * 1_000_000_000;
+-- only: sqlite
+UPDATE portal SET disappear_type='after_send', disappear_timer=CAST(metadata->>'$.messages_ttl' AS INTEGER) * 1_000_000_000;
+
+-- The above migration sets disappear type/timer for all portals, so clear out the ones that don't have a TTL
+UPDATE portal SET disappear_type=NULL, disappear_timer=NULL WHERE disappear_timer=0;
+
+-- Finally, reset the timer set ca
+-- only: postgres
+UPDATE portal SET cap_state=jsonb_delete(cap_state, 'flags') WHERE disappear_timer IS NOT NULL;
+-- only: sqlite
+UPDATE portal SET cap_state=json_remove(cap_state, '$.flags') WHERE disappear_timer IS NOT NULL;
diff --git a/pkg/connector/telegram.go b/pkg/connector/telegram.go
index 6273dcfe..26fa8d56 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/telegram.go
+++ b/pkg/connector/telegram.go
@@ -356,31 +356,16 @@ func (t *TelegramClient) onUpdateNewMessage(ctx context.Context, entities tg.Ent
 				return err
 			}
 		case *tg.MessageActionSetMessagesTTL:
-			res := t.main.Bridge.QueueRemoteEvent(t.userLogin, &simplevent.ChatResync{
-				EventMeta: eventMeta.WithType(bridgev2.RemoteEventChatResync),
-				ChatInfo: &bridgev2.ChatInfo{
-					ExtraUpdates: func(ctx context.Context, p *bridgev2.Portal) bool {
-						updated := p.Portal.Metadata.(*PortalMetadata).MessagesTTL != action.Period
-						p.Portal.Metadata.(*PortalMetadata).MessagesTTL = action.Period
-						return updated
-					},
-				},
-			})
-			if err := resultToError(res); err != nil {
-				return err
+			setting := database.DisappearingSetting{
+				Type:  event.DisappearingTypeAfterSend,
+				Timer: time.Duration(action.Period) * time.Second,
 			}
-
-			// Send a notice about the TTL change
-			content := bridgev2.DisappearingMessageNotice(time.Duration(action.Period)*time.Second, false)
-			res = t.main.Bridge.QueueRemoteEvent(t.userLogin, &simplevent.Message[any]{
-				EventMeta: eventMeta.WithType(bridgev2.RemoteEventMessage),
-				ID:        ids.GetMessageIDFromMessage(msg),
-				ConvertMessageFunc: func(ctx context.Context, portal *bridgev2.Portal, intent bridgev2.MatrixAPI, data any) (*bridgev2.ConvertedMessage, error) {
-					return &bridgev2.ConvertedMessage{
-						Parts: []*bridgev2.ConvertedMessagePart{
-							{Type: event.EventMessage, Content: content},
-						},
-					}, nil
+			res := t.main.Bridge.QueueRemoteEvent(t.userLogin, &simplevent.ChatInfoChange{
+				EventMeta: eventMeta.WithType(bridgev2.RemoteEventChatInfoChange),
+				ChatInfoChange: &bridgev2.ChatInfoChange{
+					ChatInfo: &bridgev2.ChatInfo{
+						Disappear: &setting,
+					},
 				},
 			})
 			if err := resultToError(res); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/connector/tomatrix.go b/pkg/connector/tomatrix.go
index 28411c95..7ea4a3ac 100644
--- a/pkg/connector/tomatrix.go
+++ b/pkg/connector/tomatrix.go
@@ -278,11 +278,8 @@ func (c *TelegramClient) convertToMatrix(ctx context.Context, portal *bridgev2.P
 				Type:  event.DisappearingTypeAfterSend,
 				Timer: time.Duration(ttl) * time.Second,
 			}
-		} else if portal.Metadata.(*PortalMetadata).MessagesTTL > 0 {
-			cm.Disappear = database.DisappearingSetting{
-				Type:  event.DisappearingTypeAfterSend,
-				Timer: time.Duration(ttl) * time.Second,
-			}
+		} else {
+			cm.Disappear = portal.Disappear
 		}
 	}