diff --git a/logos_delivery/waku/waku_core/message.nim b/logos_delivery/waku/waku_core/message.nim
index 3f2d93d8a..c009aefa1 100644
--- a/logos_delivery/waku/waku_core/message.nim
+++ b/logos_delivery/waku/waku_core/message.nim
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import
   ./message/default_values,
   ./message/codec,
   ./message/digest,
+  ./message/envelope,
   ./message/path_counters
 
-export message, default_values, codec, digest, path_counters
+export message, default_values, codec, digest, envelope, path_counters
diff --git a/logos_delivery/waku/waku_core/message/envelope.nim b/logos_delivery/waku/waku_core/message/envelope.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6aaf86e73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/logos_delivery/waku/waku_core/message/envelope.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+## Waku message envelope.
+##
+## Bundles a decoded `WakuMessage` with its `pubsubTopic` and the deterministic
+## `WakuMessageHash`, computed **once** at construction. The envelope is the unit
+## that flows through the internal relay dispatch (relay topic handler ->
+## subscription_manager -> archive / filter / store-sync / app handlers) so that
+## the same message is neither re-decoded nor re-hashed by each consumer.
+##
+## Like `WakuMessage`, a `WakuEnvelope` is a `ref object` and **immutable by
+## convention**: construct it once after validation and never mutate it. Under
+## `--mm:refc` passing it around is a pointer + refcount, not a deep copy.
+
+{.push raises: [].}
+
+import ../topics, ./message, ./digest
+
+type WakuEnvelope* = ref object
+  msg*: WakuMessage
+  pubsubTopic*: PubsubTopic
+  hash*: WakuMessageHash
+
+proc init*(T: type WakuEnvelope, pubsubTopic: PubsubTopic, msg: WakuMessage): T =
+  ## Builds an envelope, computing the message hash once (the single inbound-path
+  ## hash). `msg` is referenced, not copied.
+  WakuEnvelope(
+    msg: msg, pubsubTopic: pubsubTopic, hash: computeMessageHash(pubsubTopic, msg)
+  )
+
+proc shortLog*(envelope: WakuEnvelope): string =
+  ## Compact chronicles representation: short hash + topic.
+  if envelope.isNil():
+    return "nil"
+  "hash=" & envelope.hash.to0xHex() & " topic=" & envelope.pubsubTopic
+
+proc `$`*(envelope: WakuEnvelope): string =
+  shortLog(envelope)
+
+{.pop.}
diff --git a/tests/all_tests_waku.nim b/tests/all_tests_waku.nim
index f8ffc7b20..0e2b6ce4d 100644
--- a/tests/all_tests_waku.nim
+++ b/tests/all_tests_waku.nim
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import
   ./waku_core/test_time,
   ./waku_core/test_message,
   ./waku_core/test_message_digest,
+  ./waku_core/test_message_envelope,
   ./waku_core/test_peers,
   ./waku_core/test_published_address
 
diff --git a/tests/waku_core/test_all.nim b/tests/waku_core/test_all.nim
index f7f4fad38..7ff2545dc 100644
--- a/tests/waku_core/test_all.nim
+++ b/tests/waku_core/test_all.nim
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import
   ./test_message_digest,
+  ./test_message_envelope,
   ./test_namespaced_topics,
   ./test_peers,
   ./test_published_address,
diff --git a/tests/waku_core/test_message_envelope.nim b/tests/waku_core/test_message_envelope.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..67b37d6fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/waku_core/test_message_envelope.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+{.used.}
+
+import std/sequtils, stew/byteutils, testutils/unittests
+import logos_delivery/waku/waku_core, ../testlib/wakucore
+
+suite "Waku Message - Envelope":
+  test "envelope init computes the same hash as computeMessageHash":
+    ## Given
+    let pubsubTopic = DefaultPubsubTopic
+    let message = fakeWakuMessage(
+      contentTopic = DefaultContentTopic,
+      payload = "\x01\x02\x03\x04TEST\x05\x06\x07\x08".toBytes(),
+      meta = newSeq[byte](),
+      ts = getNanosecondTime(1681964442),
+    )
+
+    ## When
+    let envelope = WakuEnvelope.init(pubsubTopic, message)
+
+    ## Then
+    check:
+      envelope.hash == computeMessageHash(pubsubTopic, message)
+      envelope.pubsubTopic == pubsubTopic
+      envelope.msg == message
+
+  test "envelope references the same message (no copy)":
+    let pubsubTopic = DefaultPubsubTopic
+    let message = fakeWakuMessage(payload = "abc".toBytes())
+    let envelope = WakuEnvelope.init(pubsubTopic, message)
+
+    ## The envelope holds the very same ref, not a clone.
+    check:
+      envelope.msg == message
+      # ref identity: mutating through one is visible through the other
+      cast[pointer](envelope.msg) == cast[pointer](message)
+
+  test "different topics yield different hashes for the same message":
+    let message = fakeWakuMessage(payload = "same-payload".toBytes())
+    let e1 = WakuEnvelope.init("/waku/2/rs/0/0", message)
+    let e2 = WakuEnvelope.init("/waku/2/rs/0/1", message)
+
+    check:
+      e1.hash != e2.hash
+      e1.msg == e2.msg