diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationActivity.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationActivity.java
index 3c9cb48f8..e2e16ffe0 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationActivity.java
@@ -371,6 +371,13 @@ public class ConversationActivity extends BriarActivity
 		observeOnce(viewModel.getContactItem(), this, contact ->
 				menu.findItem(R.id.action_set_alias).setEnabled(true));
 
+		// enable help recover account action if available
+		observeOnce(viewModel.amCustodian(), this, enable -> {
+			if (enable) {
+				menu.findItem(R.id.action_help_recover_account).setEnabled(true);
+			}
+		});
+
 		return super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu);
 	}
 
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
index 2a7e23dc7..2fa2533d5 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/java/org/briarproject/briar/android/conversation/ConversationViewModel.java
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ import org.briarproject.briar.api.messaging.PrivateMessage;
 import org.briarproject.briar.api.messaging.PrivateMessageFactory;
 import org.briarproject.briar.api.messaging.PrivateMessageHeader;
 import org.briarproject.briar.api.messaging.event.AttachmentReceivedEvent;
+import org.briarproject.briar.api.socialbackup.SocialBackup;
+import org.briarproject.briar.api.socialbackup.SocialBackupManager;
 
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends DbViewModel
 	private final PrivateMessageFactory privateMessageFactory;
 	private final AttachmentRetriever attachmentRetriever;
 	private final AttachmentCreator attachmentCreator;
+	private final SocialBackupManager socialBackupManager;
 
 	@Nullable
 	private ContactId contactId = null;
@@ -104,6 +107,7 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends DbViewModel
 			new MutableLiveData<>();
 	private final MutableLiveEvent<PrivateMessageHeader> addedHeader =
 			new MutableLiveEvent<>();
+    private final MutableLiveData<Boolean> amCustodian = new MutableLiveData<>();
 
 	@Inject
 	ConversationViewModel(Application application,
@@ -118,7 +122,8 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends DbViewModel
 			SettingsManager settingsManager,
 			PrivateMessageFactory privateMessageFactory,
 			AttachmentRetriever attachmentRetriever,
-			AttachmentCreator attachmentCreator) {
+			AttachmentCreator attachmentCreator,
+			SocialBackupManager socialBackupManager) {
 		super(application, dbExecutor, lifecycleManager, db, androidExecutor);
 		this.db = db;
 		this.eventBus = eventBus;
@@ -129,6 +134,7 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends DbViewModel
 		this.privateMessageFactory = privateMessageFactory;
 		this.attachmentRetriever = attachmentRetriever;
 		this.attachmentCreator = attachmentCreator;
+		this.socialBackupManager = socialBackupManager;
 		messagingGroupId = map(contactItem, c ->
 				messagingManager.getContactGroup(c.getContact()).getId());
 		contactDeleted.setValue(false);
@@ -296,6 +302,12 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends DbViewModel
 			onOnboardingShown(SHOW_ONBOARDING_INTRODUCTION);
 			showIntroductionOnboarding.postEvent(true);
 		}
+
+		// Check if we are a social backup custodian for this contact
+		boolean amCustodianBool = db.transactionWithResult(true,
+				txn -> socialBackupManager.amCustodian(txn, c));
+		amCustodian.postValue(amCustodianBool);
+
 	}
 
 	@DatabaseExecutor
@@ -381,6 +393,10 @@ public class ConversationViewModel extends DbViewModel
 		return addedHeader;
 	}
 
+	LiveData<Boolean> amCustodian() {
+		return amCustodian;
+	}
+
 	@UiThread
 	void recheckFeaturesAndOnboarding(ContactId contactId) {
 		runOnDbThread(() -> {
diff --git a/briar-android/src/main/res/menu/conversation_actions.xml b/briar-android/src/main/res/menu/conversation_actions.xml
index da47ae7d4..0165f3366 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/main/res/menu/conversation_actions.xml
+++ b/briar-android/src/main/res/menu/conversation_actions.xml
@@ -31,5 +31,6 @@
 		android:id="@+id/action_help_recover_account"
 		android:icon="@drawable/introduction_white"
 		android:title="@string/help_recover_account"
+		android:enabled="false"
 		app:showAsAction="never"/>
 </menu>
\ No newline at end of file