diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6670055d3..39d55eab7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 ## Unreleased: mitmproxy next
 
+* Fix a bug where the direction indicator in the message stream view would be in the wrong direction.
+  ([#5921](https://github.com/mitmproxy/mitmproxy/issues/5921), @konradh)
 * Fix a bug where peername would be None in tls_passthrough script, which would make it not working.
   ([#5904](https://github.com/mitmproxy/mitmproxy/pull/5904), @truebit)
 
diff --git a/mitmproxy/tools/console/flowview.py b/mitmproxy/tools/console/flowview.py
index f00d2fefe..9f2298728 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/tools/console/flowview.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/tools/console/flowview.py
@@ -255,21 +255,17 @@ class FlowDetails(tabs.Tabs):
         viewmode = self.master.commands.call("console.flowview.mode")
 
         widget_lines = []
-
-        from_client = flow.messages[0].from_client
         for m in flow.messages:
             _, lines, _ = contentviews.get_message_content_view(viewmode, m, flow)
 
             for line in lines:
-                if from_client:
+                if m.from_client:
                     line.insert(0, self.FROM_CLIENT_MARKER)
                 else:
                     line.insert(0, self.TO_CLIENT_MARKER)
 
                 widget_lines.append(urwid.Text(line))
 
-            from_client = not from_client
-
         if flow.intercepted:
             markup = widget_lines[-1].get_text()[0]
             widget_lines[-1].set_text(("intercept", markup))