diff --git a/src/message.ts b/src/message.ts
index 17b951e..821940b 100644
--- a/src/message.ts
+++ b/src/message.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ export function toRLNSignal(contentTopic: string, msg: IMessage): Uint8Array {
 
 export class RlnMessage<T extends IDecodedMessage> implements IDecodedMessage {
   public pubSubTopic = "";
-  public ephemeral = false;
 
   constructor(
     public rlnInstance: RLNInstance,
@@ -53,6 +52,10 @@ export class RlnMessage<T extends IDecodedMessage> implements IDecodedMessage {
     return this.msg.timestamp;
   }
 
+  get ephemeral(): boolean | undefined {
+    return this.msg.ephemeral;
+  }
+
   get epoch(): number | undefined {
     const bytes = this.msg.rateLimitProof?.epoch;
     if (!bytes) return;