diff --git a/src/identity.cc b/src/identity.cc
index ea9ba34..4bec195 100644
--- a/src/identity.cc
+++ b/src/identity.cc
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 #include "Identity.hh"
+#include "pEpmodule.hh"
+#include "message_api.hh"
 #include <typeinfo>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <pEp/identity_list.h>
+#include <pEp/message_api.h>
 
 namespace pEp {
     namespace PythonAdapter {
@@ -111,6 +114,23 @@ namespace pEp {
             return _ident->lang;
         }
 
+        int Identity::rating()
+        {
+            if (!(_ident->address))
+                throw invalid_argument("address must be given");
+
+            PEP_rating rating = PEP_rating_undefined;
+            PEP_STATUS status = identity_rating(session, _ident, &rating);
+            _throw_status(status);
+
+            return (int) rating;
+        }
+
+        int Identity::color()
+        {
+            return _color(rating());
+        }
+
         Identity identity_attr(pEp_identity *&ident)
         {
             pEp_identity *_dup;
diff --git a/src/identity.hh b/src/identity.hh
index a08f228..a3237ca 100644
--- a/src/identity.hh
+++ b/src/identity.hh
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ namespace pEp {
 
             identity_flags_t flags() { return _ident->flags; }
             void flags(identity_flags_t flags) { _ident->flags = flags; }
+
+            int rating();
+            int color();
         };
 
         Identity identity_attr(pEp_identity *&ident);
diff --git a/src/message.cc b/src/message.cc
index 427b5f1..0ba306e 100644
--- a/src/message.cc
+++ b/src/message.cc
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <sstream>
 #include <pEp/mime.h>
+#include <pEp/message_api.h>
 
 namespace pEp {
     namespace PythonAdapter {
@@ -294,6 +295,25 @@ namespace pEp {
         tuple Message::decrypt() {
             return decrypt_message(*this);
         }
+
+        int Message::outgoing_rating()
+        {
+            if (!(_msg && _msg->from))
+                throw invalid_argument("from must be a valid Identity()");
+            if (!(_msg && _msg->dir == PEP_dir_outgoing))
+                throw invalid_argument("Message.dir must be outgoing");
+
+            PEP_rating rating = PEP_rating_undefined;
+            PEP_STATUS status = outgoing_message_rating(session, _msg, &rating);
+            _throw_status(status);
+
+            return (int) rating;
+        }
+        
+        int Message::outgoing_color()
+        {
+            return _color(outgoing_rating());
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/message.hh b/src/message.hh
index ea9ee32..db78ceb 100644
--- a/src/message.hh
+++ b/src/message.hh
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ namespace pEp {
             Message encrypt(list extra);
             Message encrypt();
             tuple decrypt();
+            int outgoing_rating();
+            int outgoing_color();
         };
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/message_api.cc b/src/message_api.cc
index d5b59c2..6831191 100644
--- a/src/message_api.cc
+++ b/src/message_api.cc
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace pEp {
             return make_tuple(dst, keylist, rating, flags);
         }
 
-        int color_from_rating(int rating)
+        int _color(int rating)
         {
             return (int) ::color_from_rating((PEP_rating) rating);
         }
diff --git a/src/message_api.hh b/src/message_api.hh
index 0d69a4c..39f968e 100644
--- a/src/message_api.hh
+++ b/src/message_api.hh
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ namespace pEp {
         Message encrypt_message(Message src, list extra = list(),
                 int enc_format = 4, int flags = 0);
         tuple decrypt_message(Message src);
-        int color_from_rating(int rating);
+        int _color(int rating);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pEpmodule.cc b/src/pEpmodule.cc
index 6f6e42d..9f53c5b 100644
--- a/src/pEpmodule.cc
+++ b/src/pEpmodule.cc
@@ -90,7 +90,9 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(pEp)
                  "true if own identity, false otherwise")
         .add_property("flags", (identity_flags_t(Identity::*)()) &Identity::flags,
                 (void(Identity::*)(identity_flags_t)) &Identity::flags,
-                "flags (p≡p internal)");
+                "flags (p≡p internal)")
+        .add_property("rating", &Identity::rating, "rating of Identity")
+        .add_property("color", &Identity::color, "color of Identity");
     
     identity_class.attr("PEP_OWN_USERID") = "pEp_own_userId";
 
@@ -182,7 +184,9 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(pEp)
         .def("encrypt", (Message(Message::*)(list))&Message::encrypt, "encrypt message")
         .def("encrypt", (Message(Message::*)(list,int))&Message::encrypt, "encrypt message")
         .def("encrypt", (Message(Message::*)(list,int,int))&Message::encrypt, "encrypt message")
-        .def("decrypt", &Message::decrypt, "decrypt message");
+        .def("decrypt", &Message::decrypt, "decrypt message")
+        .add_property("outgoing_rating", &Message::outgoing_rating, "rating outgoing message will have")
+        .add_property("outgoing_color", &Message::outgoing_color, "color outgoing message will have");
 
     // basic API
 
@@ -191,9 +195,7 @@ BOOST_PYTHON_MODULE(pEp)
 
     // message API
 
-    def("encrypt_message", &encrypt_message, "encrypt message in memory");
-    def("decrypt_message", &decrypt_message, "decrypt message in memory");
-    def("color_from_rating", &color_from_rating, "calculate color value");
+    def("color", &_color, "calculate color value out of rating");
 
     // key sync API