diff --git a/briar-gtk/briar_gtk/widgets/private_message.py b/briar-gtk/briar_gtk/widgets/private_message.py
index c434c95723345b7f2ccf2a0cec3a3d8e50f4433a..fff242b599e42fe3e44acf4c63a2b57ec80773cb 100644
--- a/briar-gtk/briar_gtk/widgets/private_message.py
+++ b/briar-gtk/briar_gtk/widgets/private_message.py
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ class PrivateMessageWidget(Gtk.ListBoxRow):
         body_content = Gtk.Label.new(text)
         body_content.set_line_wrap(True)
         body_content.set_halign(Gtk.Align.START)
+        body_content.set_selectable(True)
         body_content.set_xalign(0)
         return body_content