diff --git a/deltachat-ios.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/deltachat-ios.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
index fbc4cd102..cf1dc3a0a 100644
--- a/deltachat-ios.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
+++ b/deltachat-ios.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@
 		D84738D22BBC1C2C00ECD52B /* LegacyMenuItem.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D84738D12BBC1C2C00ECD52B /* LegacyMenuItem.swift */; };
 		D84AED242B55E8EB00D753F6 /* ReactionsOverviewViewController.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D84AED232B55E8EB00D753F6 /* ReactionsOverviewViewController.swift */; };
 		D84AED272B566C0700D753F6 /* ReactionsOverviewTableViewCell.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D84AED262B566C0700D753F6 /* ReactionsOverviewTableViewCell.swift */; };
+		D85DF9782C4A96CB00A01408 /* UserDefaults+Extensions.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D85DF9772C4A96CB00A01408 /* UserDefaults+Extensions.swift */; };
 		D8A072A02BED0FD8001A4C7C /* InstantOnboardingView.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D8A0729F2BED0FD8001A4C7C /* InstantOnboardingView.swift */; };
 		D8C19DCE2C1B456700B32F6D /* SendContactViewController.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D8C19DCD2C1B456700B32F6D /* SendContactViewController.swift */; };
 		D8C19DD02C1C9FFE00B32F6D /* ContactCardPreview.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D8C19DCF2C1C95A900B32F6D /* ContactCardPreview.swift */; };
@@ -596,6 +597,7 @@
 		D84738D12BBC1C2C00ECD52B /* LegacyMenuItem.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = LegacyMenuItem.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		D84AED232B55E8EB00D753F6 /* ReactionsOverviewViewController.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = ReactionsOverviewViewController.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		D84AED262B566C0700D753F6 /* ReactionsOverviewTableViewCell.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = ReactionsOverviewTableViewCell.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		D85DF9772C4A96CB00A01408 /* UserDefaults+Extensions.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = "UserDefaults+Extensions.swift"; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		D8A0729F2BED0FD8001A4C7C /* InstantOnboardingView.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = InstantOnboardingView.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		D8C19DCD2C1B456700B32F6D /* SendContactViewController.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = SendContactViewController.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		D8C19DCF2C1C95A900B32F6D /* ContactCardPreview.swift */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.swift; path = ContactCardPreview.swift; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
@@ -692,6 +694,7 @@
 				AE0AA957247834A400D42A7F /* Date+Extension.swift */,
 				AE6EC5232497663200A400E4 /* UIImageView+Extensions.swift */,
 				21D544FF299415B9008B54D5 /* Character+Extentions.swift */,
+				D85DF9772C4A96CB00A01408 /* UserDefaults+Extensions.swift */,
 			);
 			path = Extensions;
 			sourceTree = "<group>";
@@ -1541,6 +1544,7 @@
 				7070FB9B2101ECBB000DC258 /* NewGroupController.swift in Sources */,
 				3080A037277DE30100E74565 /* UITextView+Extensions.swift in Sources */,
 				3080A027277DE12D00E74565 /* InputBarButtonItem.swift in Sources */,
+				D85DF9782C4A96CB00A01408 /* UserDefaults+Extensions.swift in Sources */,
 				D8C19DD02C1C9FFE00B32F6D /* ContactCardPreview.swift in Sources */,
 				30238CFB28A501C300EF14AC /* WebxdcSelector.swift in Sources */,
 				AE57C084255310BB003CFE70 /* ContextMenuController.swift in Sources */,
diff --git a/deltachat-ios/AppDelegate.swift b/deltachat-ios/AppDelegate.swift
index 2a0d24cb6..eca7df947 100644
--- a/deltachat-ios/AppDelegate.swift
+++ b/deltachat-ios/AppDelegate.swift
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate, UNUserNotificationCenterD
         signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN)
 
         logger.info("➡️ didFinishLaunchingWithOptions")
+        UserDefaults.standard.populateDefaultEmojis()
 
         // The NSE ("Notification Service Extension") must not run at the same time as the app.
         // The other way round, the NSE is not started with the app running.
diff --git a/deltachat-ios/Extensions/UserDefaults+Extensions.swift b/deltachat-ios/Extensions/UserDefaults+Extensions.swift
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31470e98e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deltachat-ios/Extensions/UserDefaults+Extensions.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import Foundation
+
+extension UserDefaults {
+    func populateDefaultEmojis() {
+        let keys = DefaultReactions.allCases
+            .map { return "\($0.emoji)-usage-timestamps" }
+
+        for key in keys {
+            if array(forKey: key) == nil {
+                setValue([Date().timeIntervalSince1970], forKey: key)
+            } else if let timestamps = array(forKey: key), timestamps.isEmpty {
+                setValue([Date().timeIntervalSince1970], forKey: key)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}