diff --git a/mail/inc/class.mail_hooks.inc.php b/mail/inc/class.mail_hooks.inc.php
index dc7b1662f9..718863fe2f 100644
--- a/mail/inc/class.mail_hooks.inc.php
+++ b/mail/inc/class.mail_hooks.inc.php
@@ -361,10 +361,11 @@ class mail_hooks
 				'help' => 'Show/Hide preview pane in mail list view',
 				'name' => 'previewPane',
 				'values' => array(
-					'0' => lang('show'),
-					'1' => lang('hide')
+					'expand' => lang('show & expand'),
+					'fixed' => lang('show fixed'),
+					'hide' => lang('hide')
 				),
-				'default' => '0'
+				'default' => 'expand'
 			),
 		);
 		if (!$GLOBALS['egw_info']['apps']['stylite']) unset($settingsArray['attachVCardAtCompose']);
diff --git a/mail/inc/class.mail_ui.inc.php b/mail/inc/class.mail_ui.inc.php
index 993d23f30f..f34f758f78 100644
--- a/mail/inc/class.mail_ui.inc.php
+++ b/mail/inc/class.mail_ui.inc.php
@@ -589,8 +589,11 @@ class mail_ui
 			self::callWizard($e->getMessage().($e->details?', '.$e->details:''),(isset($this->mail_bo)?false:true), 'error',false);
 			//return false;
 		}
-		// Check preview pane is enabled, then show splitter
-		if ($this->mail_bo->mailPreferences['previewPane']) $etpl->setElementAttribute('splitter', 'template', 'mail.index.nosplitter');
+		// Check preview pane is enabled, then show splitter - preference used to be '1', now 'hide'
+		if ($this->mail_bo->mailPreferences['previewPane'] == '1' || $this->mail_bo->mailPreferences['previewPane'] == 'hide')
+		{
+			$etpl->setElementAttribute('splitter', 'template', 'mail.index.nosplitter');
+		}
 
 		return $etpl->exec('mail.mail_ui.index',$content,$sel_options,$readonlys,$preserv);
 	}
diff --git a/mail/js/app.js b/mail/js/app.js
index 77345819dc..1a7e3b2c32 100644
--- a/mail/js/app.js
+++ b/mail/js/app.js
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ app.classes.mail = AppJS.extend(
 				});
 				var nm = this.et2.getWidgetById(this.nm_index);
 				this.mail_isMainWindow = true;
-				this.mail_disablePreviewArea(true);
+				this.mail_disablePreviewArea(this.egw.preference('previewPane', 'mail') !== 'fixed');
 				//Get initial folder status
 				this.mail_refreshFolderStatus(undefined,undefined,false);
 
@@ -918,11 +918,26 @@ app.classes.mail = AppJS.extend(
 			}, 50);
 		};
 
+		// Show / hide 'Select something' in preview
+		var blank = this.et2.getWidgetById('blank');
+		if(blank)
+		{
+			blank.set_disabled(true);
+		}
 		if (attachmentArea && typeof _id != 'undefined' && _id !='' && typeof dataElem !== 'undefined')
 		{
 			// If there is content to show recalculate the size
 			set_prev_iframe_top();
 		}
+		else if (this.egw.preference('previewPane', 'mail') == 'fixed')
+		{
+			if(blank)
+			{
+				blank.set_disabled(false);
+			}
+			this.mail_disablePreviewArea(false);
+			if (!egwIsMobile())return;
+		}
 		else
 		{
 			// Leave if we're here and there is nothing selected, too many, or no data
diff --git a/mail/lang/egw_de.lang b/mail/lang/egw_de.lang
index fc9c9062a3..b3977d124b 100644
--- a/mail/lang/egw_de.lang
+++ b/mail/lang/egw_de.lang
@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ saving of message %1 succeeded. check folder %2.	mail	de	Speichern der Nachricht
 saving the rule failed:	mail	de	Speichern der Regel ist fehlgeschlagen:
 see attachments for content of the orignial mail	mail	de	Die Original Nachricht wurde als Anhang an diese e-Mail angehängt
 select all	mail	de	Alle Auswählen
+select an item to read	mail	de	Wählen Sie ein zu lesendes Element aus
 select an existing entry in order to append mail content to it	mail	de	Bestehendes Ticket auswählen, zu dem die Mail als Kommentar hinzugefügt werden soll.
 select file to attach to message	mail	de	Wählen Sie die Dateien aus, die Sie an diese Nachricht anhängen möchten.
 select file to import into folder	mail	de	Wählen Sie ein E-Mail als Datei aus, damit Sie in ein Ordner importiert werden kann.
@@ -445,6 +446,8 @@ set it as default:	mail	de	als Vorgabe speichern
 should new messages show up on the home page	mail	de	Wie sollen Nachrichten auf der Startseite angezeigt werden?
 should signature be inserted after (standard) or before a reply or inline forward, and should signature be visible and changeable during compose.	mail	de	Soll die Signatur nach (Standard) oder vor dem zitierten Text eingefügt werden und diese bearbeitbar sein?
 show	mail	de	anzeigen
+show & expand	mail	de	Anzeigen & erweitern
+show fixed	mail	de	Feste anzeigen
 show all addresses	mail	de	alle Adressaten anzeigen
 show all attachments	mail	de	alle Anhänge anzeigen
 show all folders	mail	de	Anzeige aller Ordner
diff --git a/mail/lang/egw_en.lang b/mail/lang/egw_en.lang
index 4e0b26133b..2ec37a9939 100644
--- a/mail/lang/egw_en.lang
+++ b/mail/lang/egw_en.lang
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ saving of message %1 succeeded. check folder %2.	mail	en	Saving of message %1 su
 saving the rule failed:	mail	en	Saving the rule failed:
 see attachments for content of the orignial mail	mail	en	See Attachments for Content of the Orignial Mail
 select all	mail	en	Select all
+select an item to read	mail	en	Select an item to read
 select an existing entry in order to append mail content to it	mail	en	Select an existing entry in order to append mail content to it
 select file to attach to message	mail	en	Select file to attach to message
 select file to import into folder	mail	en	Select file to import into Folder
@@ -444,6 +445,8 @@ set it as default:	mail	en	set it as default:
 should new messages show up on the home page	mail	en	Should new messages show up on the Home page
 should signature be inserted after (standard) or before a reply or inline forward, and should signature be visible and changeable during compose.	mail	en	Should signature be inserted after (standard) or before a reply or inline forward, and should signature be visible and changeable during compose.
 show	mail	en	show
+show & expand	mail	en	Show & expand
+show fixed	mail	en	Show fixed
 show all addresses	mail	en	Show all Addresses
 show all attachments	mail	en	Show all attachments
 show all folders	mail	en	show all Folders
diff --git a/mail/templates/default/app.css b/mail/templates/default/app.css
index 24ceff56ff..eaf9a775bb 100644
--- a/mail/templates/default/app.css
+++ b/mail/templates/default/app.css
@@ -295,6 +295,18 @@ pre {
 .mail-index_vacation > div > span {
 	color: red;
 }
+#mail-index_blank {
+	width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    position: absolute;
+    background-color: white;
+    z-index: 10;
+    display: flex;
+	flex-direction: column;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+    font-size: 200%;
+}
 .mail_DisplayNone {
 	display: none !important;
 }
diff --git a/mail/templates/default/index.xet b/mail/templates/default/index.xet
index c7a9e69109..8406218a0e 100644
--- a/mail/templates/default/index.xet
+++ b/mail/templates/default/index.xet
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 		<split dock_side="bottomDock" id="mailSplitter" orientation="h">
 			<nextmatch id="nm" onselect="app.mail.mail_preview" template="mail.index.rows" header_left="mail.index.add" header_right="mail.index.header_right"/>
 			<vbox id="mailPreview" width="100%">
+				<box id="blank" disabled="false">
+					<image src="mail"/>
+					<description value="Select an item to read"/>
+				</box>
 				<hbox width="100%" id="mailPreviewHeadersFrom" class="mailPreviewHeaders">
 					<description value="From"/>
 					<url-email id="previewFromAddress" contact_plus = "true" readonly="true"/>
diff --git a/mail/templates/pixelegg/app.css b/mail/templates/pixelegg/app.css
index 875c23d4aa..1f89a259fe 100755
--- a/mail/templates/pixelegg/app.css
+++ b/mail/templates/pixelegg/app.css
@@ -291,6 +291,18 @@ pre {
 .mail-index_vacation > div > span {
   color: red;
 }
+#mail-index_blank {
+  width: 100%;
+  height: 100%;
+  position: absolute;
+  background-color: white;
+  z-index: 10;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: center;
+  font-size: 200%;
+}
 .mail_DisplayNone {
   display: none !important;
 }
@@ -802,7 +814,7 @@ blockquote blockquote blockquote blockquote blockquote blockquote {
     display: inline-block;
   }
   div.mail_extraEmails + img.et2_button.et2_button_icon.ui-button.et2_clickable {
-    display: none;
+    display: none !important;
   }
   .et2_email:after {
     content: " | ";