diff --git a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_participant_indicator.dart b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_participant_indicator.dart
index 12fb4f77a..c8c06a259 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_participant_indicator.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_participant_indicator.dart
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
 
 import 'package:cached_network_image/cached_network_image.dart';
 import 'package:matrix/matrix.dart';
+import 'package:shimmer/shimmer.dart';
 
+import 'package:fluffychat/config/app_config.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/l10n/l10n.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/utils/string_color.dart';
 import 'package:fluffychat/widgets/avatar.dart';
@@ -17,6 +19,7 @@ class ActivityParticipantIndicator extends StatelessWidget {
   final VoidCallback? onTap;
   final bool selected;
   final bool selectable;
+  final bool shimmer;
   final double opacity;
 
   final EdgeInsetsGeometry? padding;
@@ -29,6 +32,7 @@ class ActivityParticipantIndicator extends StatelessWidget {
     this.userId,
     this.selected = false,
     this.selectable = true,
+    this.shimmer = false,
     this.onTap,
     this.opacity = 1.0,
     this.padding,
@@ -70,35 +74,46 @@ class ActivityParticipantIndicator extends StatelessWidget {
                   child: Column(
                     mainAxisSize: MainAxisSize.min,
                     children: [
-                      userId != null
-                          ? user?.avatarUrl == null ||
-                                  user!.avatarUrl!.toString().startsWith("mxc")
-                              ? Avatar(
-                                  mxContent: user?.avatarUrl != null
-                                      ? user!.avatarUrl!
-                                      : null,
-                                  name: userId!.localpart,
-                                  size: 60.0,
-                                  userId: userId,
-                                )
-                              : ClipRRect(
-                                  borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(30),
-                                  child: CachedNetworkImage(
-                                    imageUrl: user!.avatarUrl!.toString(),
-                                    width: 60.0,
-                                    height: 60.0,
-                                    fit: BoxFit.cover,
-                                  ),
-                                )
-                          : CircleAvatar(
-                              radius: 30.0,
-                              backgroundColor:
-                                  theme.colorScheme.primaryContainer,
-                              child: const Icon(
-                                Icons.question_mark,
-                                size: 30.0,
+                      Shimmer.fromColors(
+                        enabled: shimmer && !selected,
+                        baseColor: shimmer && !selected
+                            ? AppConfig.gold.withAlpha(20)
+                            : Colors.transparent,
+                        highlightColor: shimmer && !selected
+                            ? AppConfig.gold.withAlpha(50)
+                            : Colors.transparent,
+                        child: userId != null
+                            ? user?.avatarUrl == null ||
+                                    user!.avatarUrl!
+                                        .toString()
+                                        .startsWith("mxc")
+                                ? Avatar(
+                                    mxContent: user?.avatarUrl != null
+                                        ? user!.avatarUrl!
+                                        : null,
+                                    name: userId!.localpart,
+                                    size: 60.0,
+                                    userId: userId,
+                                  )
+                                : ClipRRect(
+                                    borderRadius: BorderRadius.circular(30),
+                                    child: CachedNetworkImage(
+                                      imageUrl: user!.avatarUrl!.toString(),
+                                      width: 60.0,
+                                      height: 60.0,
+                                      fit: BoxFit.cover,
+                                    ),
+                                  )
+                            : CircleAvatar(
+                                radius: 30.0,
+                                backgroundColor:
+                                    theme.colorScheme.primaryContainer,
+                                child: const Icon(
+                                  Icons.question_mark,
+                                  size: 30.0,
+                                ),
                               ),
-                            ),
+                      ),
                       Text(
                         name,
                         style: const TextStyle(
diff --git a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_participant_list.dart b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_participant_list.dart
index b8fab53e4..d3decbf81 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_participant_list.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_participant_list.dart
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ class ActivityParticipantList extends StatelessWidget {
 
   final bool Function(String)? canSelect;
   final bool Function(String)? isSelected;
+  final bool Function(String)? isShimmering;
   final double Function(ActivityRoleModel?)? getOpacity;
 
   const ActivityParticipantList({
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ class ActivityParticipantList extends StatelessWidget {
     this.onTap,
     this.canSelect,
     this.isSelected,
+    this.isShimmering,
     this.getOpacity,
   });
 
@@ -76,6 +78,10 @@ class ActivityParticipantList extends StatelessWidget {
                 final selectable =
                     canSelect != null ? canSelect!(availableRole.id) : true;
 
+                final shimmering = isShimmering != null
+                    ? isShimmering!(availableRole.id)
+                    : false;
+
                 return ActivityParticipantIndicator(
                   name: availableRole.name,
                   userId: assignedRole?.userId,
@@ -86,6 +92,7 @@ class ActivityParticipantList extends StatelessWidget {
                       : null,
                   selected: selected,
                   selectable: selectable,
+                  shimmer: shimmering,
                 );
               }).toList(),
             ),
diff --git a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_session_start_page.dart b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_session_start_page.dart
index 468a166cd..bc27ed213 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_session_start_page.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_session_start_page.dart
@@ -179,6 +179,21 @@ class ActivitySessionStartController extends State<ActivitySessionStartPage>
     return unassignedIds.contains(id);
   }
 
+  bool isParticipantShimmering(String id) {
+    if (state != SessionState.notSelectedRole) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    final availableRoles = activity!.roles;
+    final assignedRoles = activityRoom?.assignedRoles ??
+        roomSummaries?[widget.roomId]?.activityRoles.roles ??
+        {};
+    final unassignedIds = availableRoles.keys
+        .where((id) => !assignedRoles.containsKey(id))
+        .toList();
+    return unassignedIds.contains(id);
+  }
+
   bool isParticipantSelected(String id) {
     if (state == SessionState.confirmedRole) {
       return activityRoom?.ownRoleState?.id == id;
diff --git a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_sessions_start_view.dart b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_sessions_start_view.dart
index 77f656fbe..1ca855d3b 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_sessions_start_view.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_sessions_start_view.dart
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ class ActivitySessionStartView extends StatelessWidget {
                                       onTapParticipant: controller.selectRole,
                                       isParticipantSelected:
                                           controller.isParticipantSelected,
+                                      isParticipantShimmering:
+                                          controller.isParticipantShimmering,
                                       canSelectParticipant:
                                           controller.canSelectParticipant,
                                       assignedRoles: controller.assignedRoles,
diff --git a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_summary_widget.dart b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_summary_widget.dart
index a1ae85035..2be683199 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_summary_widget.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_summary_widget.dart
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class ActivitySummary extends StatelessWidget {
   final Function(String)? onTapParticipant;
   final bool Function(String)? canSelectParticipant;
   final bool Function(String)? isParticipantSelected;
+  final bool Function(String)? isParticipantShimmering;
   final double Function(ActivityRoleModel?)? getParticipantOpacity;
 
   final ValueNotifier<Set<String>>? usedVocab;
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ class ActivitySummary extends StatelessWidget {
     this.onTapParticipant,
     this.canSelectParticipant,
     this.isParticipantSelected,
+    this.isParticipantShimmering,
     this.getParticipantOpacity,
     this.room,
     this.course,
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ class ActivitySummary extends StatelessWidget {
               onTap: onTapParticipant,
               canSelect: canSelectParticipant,
               isSelected: isParticipantSelected,
+              isShimmering: isParticipantShimmering,
               getOpacity: getParticipantOpacity,
             ),
             DecoratedBox(