diff --git a/cli/mmcli-sms.c b/cli/mmcli-sms.c
index 214ba9d6..a9c2cb14 100644
--- a/cli/mmcli-sms.c
+++ b/cli/mmcli-sms.c
@@ -181,16 +181,17 @@ print_sms_info (MMSms *sms)
     g_print ("  -----------------------------------\n"
              "  Properties |            PDU type: '%s'\n"
              "             |               state: '%s'\n"
-             "             |                smsc: '%s'\n"
-             "             |            validity: '%u'\n"
-             "             |               class: '%u'\n"
-             "             |             storage: '%s'\n",
-
-
+             "             |                smsc: '%s'\n",
              mm_sms_pdu_type_get_string (pdu_type),
              mm_sms_state_get_string (mm_sms_get_state (sms)),
-             VALIDATE (mm_sms_get_smsc (sms)),
-             mm_sms_get_validity (sms),
+             VALIDATE (mm_sms_get_smsc (sms)));
+
+    if (mm_sms_get_validity_type (sms) == MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_RELATIVE)
+        g_print ("             | validity (relative): '%u'\n",
+                 mm_sms_get_validity_relative (sms));
+
+    g_print ("             |               class: '%u'\n"
+             "             |             storage: '%s'\n",
              mm_sms_get_class (sms),
              mm_sms_storage_get_string (mm_sms_get_storage (sms)));
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/api/ModemManager-sections.txt b/docs/reference/api/ModemManager-sections.txt
index 37309e9d..94cc0336 100644
--- a/docs/reference/api/ModemManager-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/reference/api/ModemManager-sections.txt
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ MMSmsPduType
 MMSmsState
 MMSmsDeliveryState
 MMSmsStorage
+MMSmsValidityType
 </SECTION>
 
 <SECTION>
diff --git a/docs/reference/libmm-glib/libmm-glib-sections.txt b/docs/reference/libmm-glib/libmm-glib-sections.txt
index 7fed42c1..d2626187 100644
--- a/docs/reference/libmm-glib/libmm-glib-sections.txt
+++ b/docs/reference/libmm-glib/libmm-glib-sections.txt
@@ -885,7 +885,8 @@ mm_sms_get_smsc
 mm_sms_dup_smsc
 mm_sms_get_message_reference
 mm_sms_get_class
-mm_sms_get_validity
+mm_sms_get_validity_type
+mm_sms_get_validity_relative
 mm_sms_get_timestamp
 mm_sms_dup_timestamp
 mm_sms_get_discharge_timestamp
@@ -979,6 +980,7 @@ mm_sms_pdu_type_get_string
 mm_sms_state_get_string
 mm_sms_delivery_state_get_string
 mm_sms_storage_get_string
+mm_sms_validity_type_get_string
 mm_firmware_image_type_get_string
 <SUBSECTION Private>
 mm_modem_capability_get_string
@@ -994,6 +996,7 @@ mm_sms_pdu_type_build_string_from_mask
 mm_sms_state_build_string_from_mask
 mm_sms_delivery_state_build_string_from_mask
 mm_sms_storage_build_string_from_mask
+mm_sms_validity_type_build_string_from_mask
 mm_modem_location_source_get_string
 mm_modem_contacts_storage_build_string_from_mask
 mm_bearer_ip_family_build_string_from_mask
@@ -1034,6 +1037,7 @@ MM_TYPE_SMS_DELIVERY_STATE
 MM_TYPE_SMS_PDU_TYPE
 MM_TYPE_SMS_STATE
 MM_TYPE_SMS_STORAGE
+MM_TYPE_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE
 mm_bearer_ip_family_get_type
 mm_bearer_ip_method_get_type
 mm_bearer_allowed_auth_get_type
@@ -1060,6 +1064,7 @@ mm_sms_delivery_state_get_type
 mm_sms_pdu_type_get_type
 mm_sms_state_get_type
 mm_sms_storage_get_type
+mm_sms_validity_type_get_type
 </SECTION>
 
 <SECTION>
@@ -2317,6 +2322,7 @@ mm_gdbus_sms_dup_number
 mm_gdbus_sms_get_smsc
 mm_gdbus_sms_dup_smsc
 mm_gdbus_sms_get_validity
+mm_gdbus_sms_dup_validity
 mm_gdbus_sms_get_class
 mm_gdbus_sms_get_timestamp
 mm_gdbus_sms_dup_timestamp
diff --git a/include/ModemManager-enums.h b/include/ModemManager-enums.h
index 6c121354..f297d1be 100644
--- a/include/ModemManager-enums.h
+++ b/include/ModemManager-enums.h
@@ -521,6 +521,22 @@ typedef enum { /*< underscore_name=mm_sms_storage >*/
     MM_SMS_STORAGE_TA      = 6,
 } MMSmsStorage;
 
+/**
+ * MMSmsValidityType:
+ * @MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_UNKNOWN: Validity type unknown.
+ * @MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_RELATIVE: Relative validity.
+ * @MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_ABSOLUTE: Absolute validity.
+ * @MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_ENHANCED: Enhanced validity.
+ *
+ * Type of SMS validity value.
+ */
+typedef enum { /*< underscore_name=mm_sms_validity_type >*/
+    MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_UNKNOWN  = 0,
+    MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_RELATIVE = 1,
+    MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_ABSOLUTE = 2,
+    MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_ENHANCED = 3,
+} MMSmsValidityType;
+
 /**
  * MMModemLocationSource:
  * @MM_MODEM_LOCATION_SOURCE_NONE: None.
diff --git a/introspection/org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.Sms.xml b/introspection/org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.Sms.xml
index 858c9890..16e29d2f 100644
--- a/introspection/org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.Sms.xml
+++ b/introspection/org.freedesktop.ModemManager1.Sms.xml
@@ -99,11 +99,25 @@
     <!--
         Validity:
 
-        Specifies when the SMS expires in the SMSC.
+        Indicates when the SMS expires in the SMSC.
 
-        Always 0 for 3GPP2/CDMA.
+        This value is composed of a
+	<link linkend="MMSmsValidityType">MMSmsValidityType</link>
+	key, with an associated data which contains type-specific validity
+	information:
+
+	<variablelist>
+	  <varlistentry><term><link linkend="MM-SMS-VALIDITY-TYPE-RELATIVE:CAPS">MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_RELATIVE</link></term>
+          <listitem>
+            <para>
+	      The value is the length of the validity period in minutes, given
+	      as an unsigned integer (D-Bus signature <literal>'u'</literal>).
+            </para>
+          </listitem>
+          </varlistentry>
+        </variablelist>
     -->
-    <property name="Validity" type="u" access="read" />
+    <property name="Validity" type="(uv)" access="read" />
 
     <!--
         Class:
diff --git a/libmm-glib/mm-sms.c b/libmm-glib/mm-sms.c
index 3a0bd5f5..a69b5dc7 100644
--- a/libmm-glib/mm-sms.c
+++ b/libmm-glib/mm-sms.c
@@ -375,19 +375,66 @@ mm_sms_dup_discharge_timestamp (MMSms *self)
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
 /**
- * mm_sms_get_validity:
+ * mm_sms_get_validity_type:
  * @self: A #MMSms.
  *
- * Gets the validity time of the SMS.
+ * Gets the type of validity information in the SMS.
  *
- * Returns: the validity time or 0 if unknown.
+ * Returns: the validity type or #MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_UNKNOWN.
+ */
+MMSmsValidityType
+mm_sms_get_validity_type (MMSms *self)
+{
+    GVariant *variant;
+    guint type;
+    GVariant *value;
+
+    g_return_val_if_fail (MM_IS_SMS (self), MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_UNKNOWN);
+
+    variant = mm_gdbus_sms_dup_validity (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self));
+    if (!variant)
+        return MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_UNKNOWN;
+
+    g_variant_get (variant, "(uv)", &type, &value);
+    g_variant_unref (variant);
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+
+    return (MMSmsValidityType)type;
+}
+
+/**
+ * mm_sms_get_validity_relative:
+ * @self: A #MMSms.
+ *
+ * Gets the length of the validity period, in minutes.
+ *
+ * Only applicable if the type of validity is #MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_RELATIVE.
+ *
+ * Returns: the length of the validity period, or 0 if unknown.
  */
 guint
-mm_sms_get_validity (MMSms *self)
+mm_sms_get_validity_relative (MMSms *self)
 {
-    g_return_val_if_fail (MM_IS_SMS (self), 0);
+    GVariant *variant;
+    guint type;
+    GVariant *value;
+    guint value_integer = 0;
 
-    return mm_gdbus_sms_get_validity (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self));
+    g_return_val_if_fail (MM_IS_SMS (self), MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_UNKNOWN);
+
+    variant = mm_gdbus_sms_dup_validity (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self));
+    if (!variant)
+        return 0;
+
+    g_variant_get (variant, "(uv)", &type, &value);
+
+    if (type == MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_RELATIVE)
+        value_integer = g_variant_get_uint32 (value);
+
+    g_variant_unref (variant);
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+
+    return value_integer;
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
diff --git a/libmm-glib/mm-sms.h b/libmm-glib/mm-sms.h
index 6cfb5b78..cb5b2b9d 100644
--- a/libmm-glib/mm-sms.h
+++ b/libmm-glib/mm-sms.h
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ gchar        *mm_sms_dup_timestamp               (MMSms *self);
 const gchar  *mm_sms_get_discharge_timestamp     (MMSms *self);
 gchar        *mm_sms_dup_discharge_timestamp     (MMSms *self);
 
-guint         mm_sms_get_validity                (MMSms *self);
+MMSmsValidityType mm_sms_get_validity_type       (MMSms *self);
+guint             mm_sms_get_validity_relative   (MMSms *self);
 
 guint         mm_sms_get_class                   (MMSms *self);
 
diff --git a/src/mm-sms-part.c b/src/mm-sms-part.c
index ffe15a99..e68a25b6 100644
--- a/src/mm-sms-part.c
+++ b/src/mm-sms-part.c
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ struct _MMSmsPart {
     MMSmsEncoding encoding;
     GByteArray *data;
     guint class;
-    guint validity;
+    guint validity_relative;
     gboolean delivery_report_request;
     guint message_reference;
     /* NOT a MMSmsDeliveryState, which just includes the known values */
@@ -405,8 +405,8 @@ PART_GET_FUNC (MMSmsEncoding, encoding)
 PART_SET_FUNC (MMSmsEncoding, encoding)
 PART_GET_FUNC (guint, class)
 PART_SET_FUNC (guint, class)
-PART_GET_FUNC (guint, validity)
-PART_SET_FUNC (guint, validity)
+PART_GET_FUNC (guint, validity_relative)
+PART_SET_FUNC (guint, validity_relative)
 PART_GET_FUNC (gboolean, delivery_report_request)
 PART_SET_FUNC (gboolean, delivery_report_request)
 PART_GET_FUNC (guint, message_reference)
@@ -655,8 +655,8 @@ mm_sms_part_new_from_binary_pdu (guint index,
             switch (validity_format) {
             case 0x10:
                 mm_dbg ("  validity available, format relative");
-                mm_sms_part_set_validity (sms_part,
-                                          relative_to_validity (pdu[offset]));
+                mm_sms_part_set_validity_relative (sms_part,
+                                                   relative_to_validity (pdu[offset]));
                 offset++;
                 break;
             case 0x08:
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ mm_sms_part_get_submit_pdu (MMSmsPart *part,
     pdu[offset] = 0;
 
     /* TP-VP present; format RELATIVE */
-    if (part->validity > 0) {
+    if (part->validity_relative > 0) {
         mm_dbg ("  adding validity to PDU...");
         pdu[offset] |= 0x10;
     }
@@ -1034,8 +1034,8 @@ mm_sms_part_get_submit_pdu (MMSmsPart *part,
     /* ----------- TP-Validity-Period (1 byte): 4 days ----------- */
     /* Only if TP-VPF was set in first byte */
 
-    if (part->validity > 0)
-        pdu[offset++] = validity_to_relative (part->validity);
+    if (part->validity_relative > 0)
+        pdu[offset++] = validity_to_relative (part->validity_relative);
 
     /* ----------- TP-User-Data-Length ----------- */
     /* Set to zero initially, and keep a ptr for easy access later */
diff --git a/src/mm-sms-part.h b/src/mm-sms-part.h
index 4517a7a7..8e7cdd92 100644
--- a/src/mm-sms-part.h
+++ b/src/mm-sms-part.h
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ guint             mm_sms_part_get_class              (MMSmsPart *part);
 void              mm_sms_part_set_class              (MMSmsPart *part,
                                                       guint class);
 
-guint             mm_sms_part_get_validity           (MMSmsPart *part);
-void              mm_sms_part_set_validity           (MMSmsPart *part,
+guint             mm_sms_part_get_validity_relative  (MMSmsPart *part);
+void              mm_sms_part_set_validity_relative  (MMSmsPart *part,
                                                       guint validity);
 
 guint             mm_sms_part_get_delivery_state (MMSmsPart *part);
diff --git a/src/mm-sms.c b/src/mm-sms.c
index c540692e..f0a08e69 100644
--- a/src/mm-sms.c
+++ b/src/mm-sms.c
@@ -73,6 +73,29 @@ struct _MMSmsPrivate {
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
 
+static guint
+get_validity_relative (GVariant *tuple)
+{
+    guint type;
+    GVariant *value;
+    guint value_integer = 0;
+
+    if (!tuple)
+        return 0;
+
+    g_variant_get (tuple, "(ub)", &type, &value);
+
+    if (type == MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_RELATIVE)
+        value_integer = g_variant_get_uint32 (value);
+    else
+        /* Currently not supported other than relative */
+        g_warn_if_reached ();
+
+    g_variant_unref (value);
+
+    return value_integer;
+}
+
 static gboolean
 generate_submit_pdus (MMSms *self,
                       GError **error)
@@ -172,7 +195,7 @@ generate_submit_pdus (MMSms *self,
         mm_sms_part_set_encoding (part, encoding);
         mm_sms_part_set_number (part, mm_gdbus_sms_get_number (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self)));
         mm_sms_part_set_smsc (part, mm_gdbus_sms_get_smsc (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self)));
-        mm_sms_part_set_validity (part, mm_gdbus_sms_get_validity (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self)));
+        mm_sms_part_set_validity_relative (part, get_validity_relative (mm_gdbus_sms_get_validity (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self))));
         mm_sms_part_set_class (part, mm_gdbus_sms_get_class (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self)));
         mm_sms_part_set_delivery_report_request (part, mm_gdbus_sms_get_delivery_report_request (MM_GDBUS_SMS (self)));
 
@@ -1376,6 +1399,7 @@ assemble_sms (MMSms *self,
     MMSmsPart **sorted_parts;
     GString *fulltext;
     GByteArray *fulldata;
+    guint validity_relative;
 
     sorted_parts = g_new0 (MMSmsPart *, self->priv->max_parts);
 
@@ -1463,6 +1487,9 @@ assemble_sms (MMSms *self,
     /* If we got all parts, we also have the first one always */
     g_assert (sorted_parts[0] != NULL);
 
+    /* Prepare for validity tuple */
+    validity_relative = mm_sms_part_get_validity_relative (sorted_parts[0]);
+
     /* If we got everything, assemble the text! */
     g_object_set (self,
                   "pdu-type",  mm_sms_part_get_pdu_type (sorted_parts[0]),
@@ -1476,7 +1503,9 @@ assemble_sms (MMSms *self,
                   "smsc",      mm_sms_part_get_smsc (sorted_parts[0]),
                   "class",     mm_sms_part_get_class (sorted_parts[0]),
                   "number",    mm_sms_part_get_number (sorted_parts[0]),
-                  "validity",  mm_sms_part_get_validity (sorted_parts[0]),
+                  "validity",                (validity_relative ?
+                                              g_variant_new ("(uv)", MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_RELATIVE, g_variant_new_uint32 (validity_relative)) :
+                                              g_variant_new ("(uv)", MM_SMS_VALIDITY_TYPE_UNKNOWN, g_variant_new_boolean (FALSE))),
                   "timestamp",               mm_sms_part_get_timestamp (sorted_parts[0]),
                   "discharge-timestamp",     mm_sms_part_get_discharge_timestamp (sorted_parts[0]),
                   "delivery-state",          mm_sms_part_get_delivery_state (sorted_parts[0]),
diff --git a/src/tests/test-sms-part.c b/src/tests/test-sms-part.c
index 7d03f8f6..6a3f7183 100644
--- a/src/tests/test-sms-part.c
+++ b/src/tests/test-sms-part.c
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ common_test_create_pdu (const gchar *smsc,
         mm_sms_part_set_encoding (part, encoding);
     }
     if (validity > 0)
-        mm_sms_part_set_validity (part, validity);
+        mm_sms_part_set_validity_relative (part, validity);
     if (class > 0)
         mm_sms_part_set_class (part, class);