diff --git a/ts/util/expiringMessages.ts b/ts/util/expiringMessages.ts
index def107d51..4dd06f503 100644
--- a/ts/util/expiringMessages.ts
+++ b/ts/util/expiringMessages.ts
@@ -204,7 +204,12 @@ export function setExpirationStartTimestamp(
   let expirationStartTimestamp = Date.now();
 
   if (timestamp) {
-    expirationStartTimestamp = Math.min(expirationStartTimestamp, timestamp);
+    expirationStartTimestamp = Math.min(Date.now(), timestamp);
+    window.log.info(
+      `WIP: setExpirationStartTimestamp has a timestamp, comparing`,
+      Date.now(),
+      timestamp
+    );
   }
 
   if (mode === 'deleteAfterRead') {
diff --git a/ts/util/readReceipts.ts b/ts/util/readReceipts.ts
index 4881c5960..02f057e1d 100644
--- a/ts/util/readReceipts.ts
+++ b/ts/util/readReceipts.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { MessageCollection } from '../models/message';
 
 import { Data } from '../data/data';
 import { getConversationController } from '../session/conversations';
-import { setExpirationStartTimestamp } from './expiringMessages';
 
 async function getTargetMessage(reader: string, messages: MessageCollection) {
   if (messages.length === 0) {