diff --git a/chatterino.pro b/chatterino.pro
index 18d67f250..99a0d7259 100644
--- a/chatterino.pro
+++ b/chatterino.pro
@@ -266,7 +266,8 @@ HEADERS  += \
     src/widgets/streamview.hpp \
     src/util/networkrequest.hpp \
     src/util/networkworker.hpp \
-    src/util/networkrequester.hpp
+    src/util/networkrequester.hpp \
+    src/util/flagsenum.h
 
 RESOURCES += \
     resources/resources.qrc
diff --git a/src/channel.hpp b/src/channel.hpp
index ac06a2a04..9581ba5dc 100644
--- a/src/channel.hpp
+++ b/src/channel.hpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 namespace chatterino {
 namespace messages {
-class Message;
+struct Message;
 }
 
 class Channel : public std::enable_shared_from_this<Channel>
diff --git a/src/logging/loggingchannel.cpp b/src/logging/loggingchannel.cpp
index 95df696c1..249fbd5d5 100644
--- a/src/logging/loggingchannel.cpp
+++ b/src/logging/loggingchannel.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ void Channel::append(std::shared_ptr<messages::Message> message)
     str.append("] ");
     str.append(message->loginName);
     str.append(": ");
-    str.append(message->getSearchText());
+    str.append(message->searchText);
     str.append('\n');
     this->appendLine(str);
 }
diff --git a/src/messages/layouts/messagelayout.cpp b/src/messages/layouts/messagelayout.cpp
index 489dc1724..39bc9c420 100644
--- a/src/messages/layouts/messagelayout.cpp
+++ b/src/messages/layouts/messagelayout.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ MessageLayout::MessageLayout(MessagePtr _message)
     : message(_message)
     , buffer(nullptr)
 {
-    if (_message->hasFlags(Message::Collapsed)) {
+    if (_message->flags & Message::Collapsed) {
         this->addFlags(MessageLayout::Collapsed);
     }
 }
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ void MessageLayout::paint(QPainter &painter, int y, int messageIndex, Selection
     painter.drawPixmap(0, y, this->container.width, this->container.getHeight(), *pixmap);
 
     // draw disabled
-    if (this->message->hasFlags(Message::Disabled)) {
+    if (this->message->flags & Message::Disabled) {
         painter.fillRect(0, y, pixmap->width(), pixmap->height(), themeManager.messages.disabled);
     }
 
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ void MessageLayout::updateBuffer(QPixmap *buffer, int messageIndex, Selection &s
     painter.setRenderHint(QPainter::SmoothPixmapTransform);
 
     // draw background
-    painter.fillRect(buffer->rect(), this->message->hasFlags(Message::Highlighted)
+    painter.fillRect(buffer->rect(), this->message->flags & Message::Highlighted
                                          ? themeManager.messages.backgrounds.highlighted
                                          : themeManager.messages.backgrounds.regular);
 
diff --git a/src/messages/layouts/messagelayout.hpp b/src/messages/layouts/messagelayout.hpp
index 8772e3764..792876513 100644
--- a/src/messages/layouts/messagelayout.hpp
+++ b/src/messages/layouts/messagelayout.hpp
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ namespace chatterino {
 namespace messages {
 namespace layouts {
 
-class MessageLayout;
+struct MessageLayout;
 typedef std::shared_ptr<MessageLayout> MessageLayoutPtr;
 typedef uint8_t MessageLayoutFlagsType;
 
-class MessageLayout : boost::noncopyable
+struct MessageLayout : boost::noncopyable
 {
 public:
     enum Flags : MessageLayoutFlagsType { Collapsed, RequiresBufferUpdate, RequiresLayout };
diff --git a/src/messages/layouts/messagelayoutcontainer.hpp b/src/messages/layouts/messagelayoutcontainer.hpp
index 501ff06fd..d39e53fc1 100644
--- a/src/messages/layouts/messagelayoutcontainer.hpp
+++ b/src/messages/layouts/messagelayoutcontainer.hpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ namespace chatterino {
 namespace messages {
 
 namespace layouts {
-class MessageLayoutElement;
+struct MessageLayoutElement;
 
 struct Margin {
     int top;
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ struct Margin {
     }
 };
 
-class MessageLayoutContainer
+struct MessageLayoutContainer
 {
 public:
     MessageLayoutContainer();
diff --git a/src/messages/layouts/messagelayoutelement.hpp b/src/messages/layouts/messagelayoutelement.hpp
index 38f8ae3a6..38b981722 100644
--- a/src/messages/layouts/messagelayoutelement.hpp
+++ b/src/messages/layouts/messagelayoutelement.hpp
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ class QPainter;
 
 namespace chatterino {
 namespace messages {
-class MessageElement;
+struct MessageElement;
 class Image;
 
 namespace layouts {
 
-class MessageLayoutElement : boost::noncopyable
+struct MessageLayoutElement : boost::noncopyable
 {
 public:
     MessageLayoutElement(MessageElement &creator, const QSize &size);
diff --git a/src/messages/message.cpp b/src/messages/message.cpp
index 7049a4ce6..2e95b6fad 100644
--- a/src/messages/message.cpp
+++ b/src/messages/message.cpp
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ typedef chatterino::widgets::ScrollbarHighlight SBHighlight;
 
 namespace chatterino {
 namespace messages {
-
-// elements
 void Message::addElement(MessageElement *element)
 {
     this->elements.push_back(std::unique_ptr<MessageElement>(element));
@@ -18,64 +16,9 @@ const std::vector<std::unique_ptr<MessageElement>> &Message::getElements() const
     return this->elements;
 }
 
-// Flags
-Message::MessageFlags Message::getFlags() const
-{
-    return this->flags;
-}
-
-bool Message::hasFlags(MessageFlags _flags) const
-{
-    return this->flags & _flags;
-}
-
-// void Message::setFlags(MessageFlags _flags)
-//{
-//    this->flags = flags;
-//}
-
-void Message::addFlags(MessageFlags _flags)
-{
-    this->flags = (MessageFlags)((MessageFlagsType)this->flags | (MessageFlagsType)_flags);
-}
-
-void Message::removeFlags(MessageFlags _flags)
-{
-    this->flags = (MessageFlags)((MessageFlagsType)this->flags & ~((MessageFlagsType)_flags));
-}
-
-// Parse Time
-const QTime &Message::getParseTime() const
-{
-    return this->parseTime;
-}
-
-// Id
-const QString &Message::getId() const
-{
-    return this->id;
-}
-
-void Message::setId(const QString &_id)
-{
-    this->id = _id;
-}
-
-// Search
-const QString &Message::getSearchText() const
-{
-    return this->searchText;
-}
-
-void Message::setSearchText(const QString &value)
-{
-    this->searchText = value;
-}
-
-// Highlight
 SBHighlight Message::getScrollBarHighlight() const
 {
-    if (this->hasFlags(Message::Highlighted)) {
+    if (this->flags & Message::Highlighted) {
         return SBHighlight(SBHighlight::Highlight);
     }
     return SBHighlight();
@@ -88,8 +31,8 @@ MessagePtr Message::createSystemMessage(const QString &text)
 
     message->addElement(new TimestampElement(QTime::currentTime()));
     message->addElement(new TextElement(text, MessageElement::Text, MessageColor::System));
-    message->addFlags(Message::System);
-    message->setSearchText(text);
+    message->flags &= Message::System;
+    message->searchText = text;
 
     return MessagePtr(message);
 }
@@ -129,7 +72,7 @@ MessagePtr Message::createTimeoutMessage(const QString &username, const QString
     }
 
     MessagePtr message = Message::createSystemMessage(text);
-    message->addFlags(Message::Timeout);
+    message->flags &= Message::Timeout;
     message->timeoutUser = username;
     return message;
 }
diff --git a/src/messages/message.hpp b/src/messages/message.hpp
index 1fa4b3ea0..d33be6634 100644
--- a/src/messages/message.hpp
+++ b/src/messages/message.hpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "messages/messageelement.hpp"
+#include "util/flagsenum.h"
 #include "widgets/helper/scrollbarhighlight.hpp"
 
 #include <cinttypes>
@@ -11,15 +12,8 @@
 
 namespace chatterino {
 namespace messages {
-class Message;
-
-typedef std::shared_ptr<Message> MessagePtr;
-typedef uint16_t MessageFlagsType;
-
-class Message
-{
-public:
-    enum MessageFlags : MessageFlagsType {
+struct Message {
+    enum MessageFlags : uint16_t {
         None = 0,
         System = (1 << 0),
         Timeout = (1 << 1),
@@ -32,60 +26,33 @@ public:
         DisconnectedMessage = (1 << 8),
     };
 
-    // Elements
+    util::FlagsEnum<MessageFlags> flags;
+    QTime parseTime;
+    QString id;
+    QString searchText;
+    QString loginName;
+    QString displayName;
+    QString localizedName;
+    QString timeoutUser;
+
     // Messages should not be added after the message is done initializing.
     void addElement(MessageElement *element);
     const std::vector<std::unique_ptr<MessageElement>> &getElements() const;
 
-    // Message flags
-    MessageFlags getFlags() const;
-    bool hasFlags(MessageFlags flags) const;
-    //    void setFlags(MessageFlags flags);
-    void addFlags(MessageFlags flags);
-    void removeFlags(MessageFlags flags);
-
-    // Parse Time
-    const QTime &getParseTime() const;
-
-    // Id
-    const QString &getId() const;
-    void setId(const QString &id);
-
-    // Searching
-    const QString &getSearchText() const;
-    void setSearchText(const QString &value);
-
     // Scrollbar
     widgets::ScrollbarHighlight getScrollBarHighlight() const;
 
-    // Usernames
-    QString loginName;
-    QString displayName;
-    QString localizedName;
-
-    // Timeouts
-    const QString &getTimeoutUser(const QString &value) const;
-    void setTimeoutUser();
-
-    // Static
-    static MessagePtr createSystemMessage(const QString &text);
-
-    static MessagePtr createTimeoutMessage(const QString &username,
-                                           const QString &durationInSeconds, const QString &reason,
-                                           bool multipleTimes);
-
 private:
-    static QRegularExpression *cheerRegex;
-
-    MessageFlags flags = MessageFlags::None;
-    QString timeoutUser;
-    bool collapsedDefault = false;
-    QTime parseTime;
-    mutable QString searchText;
-    QString id = "";
-
     std::vector<std::unique_ptr<MessageElement>> elements;
+
+public:
+    static std::shared_ptr<Message> createSystemMessage(const QString &text);
+
+    static std::shared_ptr<Message> createTimeoutMessage(const QString &username,
+                                                         const QString &durationInSeconds,
+                                                         const QString &reason, bool multipleTimes);
 };
 
+typedef std::shared_ptr<Message> MessagePtr;
 }  // namespace messages
 }  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/messages/messagebuilder.cpp b/src/messages/messagebuilder.cpp
index 4c34300c6..2116ac76e 100644
--- a/src/messages/messagebuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/messages/messagebuilder.cpp
@@ -31,9 +31,9 @@ void MessageBuilder::appendTimestamp()
 void MessageBuilder::setHighlight(bool value)
 {
     if (value) {
-        this->message->addFlags(Message::Highlighted);
+        this->message->flags |= Message::Highlighted;
     } else {
-        this->message->removeFlags(Message::Highlighted);
+        this->message->flags &= ~Message::Highlighted;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/messages/messagebuilder.hpp b/src/messages/messagebuilder.hpp
index 43bc9f87b..2965cc0c3 100644
--- a/src/messages/messagebuilder.hpp
+++ b/src/messages/messagebuilder.hpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 namespace chatterino {
 namespace messages {
 
-class MessageBuilder
+struct MessageBuilder
 {
 public:
     MessageBuilder();
diff --git a/src/messages/messagecolor.hpp b/src/messages/messagecolor.hpp
index ba07f2f9b..0e7b54af3 100644
--- a/src/messages/messagecolor.hpp
+++ b/src/messages/messagecolor.hpp
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 namespace chatterino {
 namespace messages {
 
-class MessageColor
+struct MessageColor
 {
 public:
     enum Type { Custom, Text, Link, System };
diff --git a/src/messages/messageelement.hpp b/src/messages/messageelement.hpp
index dd3e7c482..ab8e36d82 100644
--- a/src/messages/messageelement.hpp
+++ b/src/messages/messageelement.hpp
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ struct EmoteData;
 }
 namespace messages {
 namespace layouts {
-class MessageLayoutContainer;
+struct MessageLayoutContainer;
 }
 
 using namespace chatterino::messages::layouts;
 
-class MessageElement : boost::noncopyable
+struct MessageElement : boost::noncopyable
 {
 public:
     enum Flags : uint32_t {
diff --git a/src/singletons/helper/ircmessagehandler.cpp b/src/singletons/helper/ircmessagehandler.cpp
index 9d169a92b..a74e9fda3 100644
--- a/src/singletons/helper/ircmessagehandler.cpp
+++ b/src/singletons/helper/ircmessagehandler.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ void IrcMessageHandler::handleClearChatMessage(Communi::IrcMessage *message)
     int snapshotLength = snapshot.getLength();
 
     for (int i = std::max(0, snapshotLength - 20); i < snapshotLength; i++) {
-        if (snapshot[i]->hasFlags(Message::Timeout) && snapshot[i]->loginName == username) {
+        if (snapshot[i]->flags & Message::Timeout && snapshot[i]->loginName == username) {
             MessagePtr replacement(
                 Message::createTimeoutMessage(username, durationInSeconds, reason, true));
             c->replaceMessage(snapshot[i], replacement);
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ void IrcMessageHandler::handleClearChatMessage(Communi::IrcMessage *message)
 
     // disable the messages from the user
     for (int i = 0; i < snapshotLength; i++) {
-        if (!snapshot[i]->hasFlags(Message::Timeout) && snapshot[i]->loginName == username) {
-            snapshot[i]->addFlags(Message::Disabled);
+        if (!(snapshot[i]->flags & Message::Timeout) && snapshot[i]->loginName == username) {
+            snapshot[i]->flags &= Message::Disabled;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/singletons/ircmanager.cpp b/src/singletons/ircmanager.cpp
index d14530765..4f5573be8 100644
--- a/src/singletons/ircmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/singletons/ircmanager.cpp
@@ -381,29 +381,31 @@ void IrcManager::removeIgnoredUser(QString const &username)
 
 void IrcManager::onConnected()
 {
-    MessagePtr msg = Message::createSystemMessage("connected to chat");
-    MessagePtr remsg = Message::createSystemMessage("reconnected to chat");
+    MessagePtr connMsg = Message::createSystemMessage("connected to chat");
+    MessagePtr reconnMsg = Message::createSystemMessage("reconnected to chat");
 
-    this->channelManager.doOnAll([msg, remsg](SharedChannel channel) {
+    this->channelManager.doOnAll([connMsg, reconnMsg](SharedChannel channel) {
         assert(channel);
 
         LimitedQueueSnapshot<MessagePtr> snapshot = channel->getMessageSnapshot();
 
-        if (snapshot.getLength() > 0 &&
-            snapshot[snapshot.getLength() - 1]->hasFlags(Message::DisconnectedMessage))  //
-        {
-            channel->replaceMessage(snapshot[snapshot.getLength() - 1], remsg);
+        bool replaceMessage =
+            snapshot.getLength() > 0 &&
+            snapshot[snapshot.getLength() - 1]->flags & Message::DisconnectedMessage;
+
+        if (replaceMessage) {
+            channel->replaceMessage(snapshot[snapshot.getLength() - 1], reconnMsg);
             return;
         }
 
-        channel->addMessage(msg);
+        channel->addMessage(connMsg);
     });
 }
 
 void IrcManager::onDisconnected()
 {
     MessagePtr msg = Message::createSystemMessage("disconnected from chat");
-    msg->addFlags(Message::DisconnectedMessage);
+    msg->flags &= Message::DisconnectedMessage;
 
     this->channelManager.doOnAll([msg](SharedChannel channel) {
         assert(channel);
diff --git a/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.cpp b/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.cpp
index e99a0db33..36cffbb8c 100644
--- a/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.cpp
+++ b/src/twitch/twitchmessagebuilder.cpp
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ MessagePtr TwitchMessageBuilder::parse()
         i++;
     }
 
-    this->message->setSearchText(this->userName + ": " + this->originalMessage);
+    this->message->searchText = this->userName + ": " + this->originalMessage;
 
     return this->getMessage();
 }
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ void TwitchMessageBuilder::parseHighlights()
         }
 
         if (doHighlight) {
-            this->message->addFlags(Message::Highlighted);
+            this->message->flags &= Message::Highlighted;
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/util/flagsenum.h b/src/util/flagsenum.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d8e4c2988
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/flagsenum.h
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <type_traits>
+
+namespace chatterino {
+namespace util {
+
+template <typename T, typename _ = std::enable_if<std::is_enum<T>::value>::type,
+          typename Q = std::underlying_type<T>::type>
+class FlagsEnum
+{
+public:
+    FlagsEnum()
+        : value((T)0)
+    {
+    }
+
+    FlagsEnum(T _value)
+        : value(_value)
+    {
+    }
+
+    inline T operator~() const
+    {
+        return (T) ~(Q)this->value;
+    }
+    inline T operator|(Q a) const
+    {
+        return (T)((Q)a | (Q)this->value);
+    }
+    inline T operator&(Q a) const
+    {
+        return (T)((Q)a & (Q)this->value);
+    }
+    inline T operator^(Q a) const
+    {
+        return (T)((Q)a ^ (Q)this->value);
+    }
+    inline T &operator|=(const Q &a)
+    {
+        return (T &)((Q &)a |= (Q)this->value);
+    }
+    inline T &operator&=(const Q &a)
+    {
+        return (T &)((Q &)a &= (Q)this->value);
+    }
+    inline T &operator^=(const Q &a)
+    {
+        return (T &)((Q &)a ^= (Q)this->value);
+    }
+
+    T value;
+};
+}  // namespace util
+}  // namespace chatterino
diff --git a/src/widgets/emotepopup.cpp b/src/widgets/emotepopup.cpp
index 8e8ee1118..0998120ea 100644
--- a/src/widgets/emotepopup.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/emotepopup.cpp
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ void EmotePopup::loadChannel(SharedChannel _channel)
 
         builder1.appendElement(new TextElement(title, MessageElement::Text));
 
-        builder1.getMessage()->addFlags(Message::Centered);
+        builder1.getMessage()->flags &= Message::Centered;
         emoteChannel->addMessage(builder1.getMessage());
 
         // EMOTES
         messages::MessageBuilder builder2;
-        builder2.getMessage()->addFlags(Message::Centered);
-        builder2.getMessage()->addFlags(Message::DisableCompactEmotes);
+        builder2.getMessage()->flags &= Message::Centered;
+        builder2.getMessage()->flags &= Message::DisableCompactEmotes;
 
         map.each([&](const QString &key, const util::EmoteData &value) {
             builder2.appendElement((new EmoteElement(value, MessageElement::Flags::AlwaysShow))  //
@@ -87,13 +87,13 @@ void EmotePopup::loadEmojis()
     messages::MessageBuilder builder1;
 
     builder1.appendElement(new TextElement("emojis", MessageElement::Text));
-    builder1.getMessage()->addFlags(Message::Centered);
+    builder1.getMessage()->flags &= Message::Centered;
     emojiChannel->addMessage(builder1.getMessage());
 
     // emojis
     messages::MessageBuilder builder;
-    builder.getMessage()->addFlags(Message::Centered);
-    builder.getMessage()->addFlags(Message::DisableCompactEmotes);
+    builder.getMessage()->flags &= Message::Centered;
+    builder.getMessage()->flags &= Message::DisableCompactEmotes;
 
     emojis.each([this, &builder](const QString &key, const util::EmoteData &value) {
         builder.appendElement((new EmoteElement(value, MessageElement::Flags::AlwaysShow))  //
diff --git a/src/widgets/helper/channelview.cpp b/src/widgets/helper/channelview.cpp
index 586415d86..c34bf4955 100644
--- a/src/widgets/helper/channelview.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/helper/channelview.cpp
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ void ChannelView::setChannel(SharedChannel newChannel)
                 }
             }
 
-            if (!message->hasFlags(Message::DoNotTriggerNotification)) {
+            if (message->flags & ~Message::DoNotTriggerNotification) {
                 this->highlightedMessageReceived.invoke();
             }
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/helper/searchpopup.cpp b/src/widgets/helper/searchpopup.cpp
index 048f00a5a..f5ae9b5e4 100644
--- a/src/widgets/helper/searchpopup.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/helper/searchpopup.cpp
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ void SearchPopup::performSearch()
     for (size_t i = 0; i < this->snapshot.getLength(); i++) {
         messages::MessagePtr message = this->snapshot[i];
 
-        if (text.isEmpty() || message->getSearchText().indexOf(this->searchInput->text(), 0,
-                                                               Qt::CaseInsensitive) != -1) {
+        if (text.isEmpty() ||
+            message->searchText.indexOf(this->searchInput->text(), 0, Qt::CaseInsensitive) != -1) {
             channel->addMessage(message);
         }
     }