diff --git a/src/py/flwr/client/message_handler/message_handler_test.py b/src/py/flwr/client/message_handler/message_handler_test.py
index 2a510b291c49..5244951c8a48 100644
--- a/src/py/flwr/client/message_handler/message_handler_test.py
+++ b/src/py/flwr/client/message_handler/message_handler_test.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ def test_client_without_get_properties() -> None:
             src_node_id=1123,
             dst_node_id=0,
             reply_to_message=message.metadata.message_id,
-            ttl=DEFAULT_TTL,
+            ttl=actual_msg.metadata.ttl,  # computed based on [message].create_reply()
             message_type=MessageTypeLegacy.GET_PROPERTIES,
         ),
         content=expected_rs,
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ def test_client_with_get_properties() -> None:
             src_node_id=1123,
             dst_node_id=0,
             reply_to_message=message.metadata.message_id,
-            ttl=DEFAULT_TTL,
+            ttl=actual_msg.metadata.ttl,  # computed based on [message].create_reply()
             message_type=MessageTypeLegacy.GET_PROPERTIES,
         ),
         content=expected_rs,
diff --git a/src/py/flwr/common/message.py b/src/py/flwr/common/message.py
index 6e0ab9149828..7707f3c72de1 100644
--- a/src/py/flwr/common/message.py
+++ b/src/py/flwr/common/message.py
@@ -297,22 +297,33 @@ def _create_reply_metadata(self, ttl: float) -> Metadata:
             partition_id=self.metadata.partition_id,
         )
 
-    def create_error_reply(
-        self,
-        error: Error,
-        ttl: float,
-    ) -> Message:
+    def create_error_reply(self, error: Error, ttl: float | None = None) -> Message:
         """Construct a reply message indicating an error happened.
 
         Parameters
         ----------
         error : Error
             The error that was encountered.
-        ttl : float
-            Time-to-live for this message in seconds.
+        ttl : Optional[float] (default: None)
+            Time-to-live for this message in seconds. If unset, it will be set based
+            on the remaining time for the received message before it expires. This
+            follows the equation:
+
+            ttl = msg.meta.ttl - (reply.meta.created_at - msg.meta.created_at)
         """
+        # If no TTL passed, use default for message creation (will update after
+        # message creation)
+        ttl_ = DEFAULT_TTL if ttl is None else ttl
         # Create reply with error
-        message = Message(metadata=self._create_reply_metadata(ttl), error=error)
+        message = Message(metadata=self._create_reply_metadata(ttl_), error=error)
+
+        if ttl is None:
+            # Set TTL equal to the remaining time for the received message to expire
+            ttl = self.metadata.ttl - (
+                message.metadata.created_at - self.metadata.created_at
+            )
+            message.metadata.ttl = ttl
+
         return message
 
     def create_reply(self, content: RecordSet, ttl: float | None = None) -> Message:
@@ -327,18 +338,31 @@ def create_reply(self, content: RecordSet, ttl: float | None = None) -> Message:
         content : RecordSet
             The content for the reply message.
         ttl : Optional[float] (default: None)
-            Time-to-live for this message in seconds. If unset, it will use
-            the `common.DEFAULT_TTL` value.
+            Time-to-live for this message in seconds. If unset, it will be set based
+            on the remaining time for the received message before it expires. This
+            follows the equation:
+
+            ttl = msg.meta.ttl - (reply.meta.created_at - msg.meta.created_at)
 
         Returns
         -------
         Message
             A new `Message` instance representing the reply.
         """
-        if ttl is None:
-            ttl = DEFAULT_TTL
+        # If no TTL passed, use default for message creation (will update after
+        # message creation)
+        ttl_ = DEFAULT_TTL if ttl is None else ttl
 
-        return Message(
-            metadata=self._create_reply_metadata(ttl),
+        message = Message(
+            metadata=self._create_reply_metadata(ttl_),
             content=content,
         )
+
+        if ttl is None:
+            # Set TTL equal to the remaining time for the received message to expire
+            ttl = self.metadata.ttl - (
+                message.metadata.created_at - self.metadata.created_at
+            )
+            message.metadata.ttl = ttl
+
+        return message
diff --git a/src/py/flwr/common/message_test.py b/src/py/flwr/common/message_test.py
index cd5a7d72272f..1a5da0517352 100644
--- a/src/py/flwr/common/message_test.py
+++ b/src/py/flwr/common/message_test.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 import time
 from contextlib import ExitStack
-from typing import Any, Callable
+from typing import Any, Callable, Optional
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -73,17 +73,21 @@ def test_message_creation(
         assert message.metadata.created_at < time.time()
 
 
-def create_message_with_content() -> Message:
+def create_message_with_content(ttl: Optional[float] = None) -> Message:
     """Create a Message with content."""
     maker = RecordMaker(state=2)
     metadata = maker.metadata()
+    if ttl:
+        metadata.ttl = ttl
     return Message(metadata=metadata, content=RecordSet())
 
 
-def create_message_with_error() -> Message:
+def create_message_with_error(ttl: Optional[float] = None) -> Message:
     """Create a Message with error."""
     maker = RecordMaker(state=2)
     metadata = maker.metadata()
+    if ttl:
+        metadata.ttl = ttl
     return Message(metadata=metadata, error=Error(code=1))
 
 
@@ -111,3 +115,45 @@ def test_altering_message(
             message.error = Error(code=123)
         if message.has_error():
             message.content = RecordSet()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "message_creation_fn,ttl,reply_ttl",
+    [
+        (create_message_with_content, 1e6, None),
+        (create_message_with_error, 1e6, None),
+        (create_message_with_content, 1e6, 3600),
+        (create_message_with_error, 1e6, 3600),
+    ],
+)
+def test_create_reply(
+    message_creation_fn: Callable[
+        [float],
+        Message,
+    ],
+    ttl: float,
+    reply_ttl: Optional[float],
+) -> None:
+    """Test reply creation from message."""
+    message: Message = message_creation_fn(ttl)
+
+    time.sleep(0.1)
+
+    if message.has_error():
+        dummy_error = Error(code=0, reason="it crashed")
+        reply_message = message.create_error_reply(dummy_error, ttl=reply_ttl)
+    else:
+        reply_message = message.create_reply(content=RecordSet(), ttl=reply_ttl)
+
+    # Ensure reply has a higher timestamp
+    assert message.metadata.created_at < reply_message.metadata.created_at
+    if reply_ttl:
+        # Ensure the TTL is the one specify upon reply creation
+        assert reply_message.metadata.ttl == reply_ttl
+    else:
+        # Ensure reply ttl is lower (since it uses remaining time left)
+        assert message.metadata.ttl > reply_message.metadata.ttl
+
+    assert message.metadata.src_node_id == reply_message.metadata.dst_node_id
+    assert message.metadata.dst_node_id == reply_message.metadata.src_node_id
+    assert reply_message.metadata.reply_to_message == message.metadata.message_id