diff --git a/src/judas_protocol/message.py b/src/judas_protocol/message.py
index 8167e00..42591bd 100644
--- a/src/judas_protocol/message.py
+++ b/src/judas_protocol/message.py
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ class Message:
         category: Category,
         action: Enum,
         payload: dict[str, Any] | None = None,
+        *,
+        acknowledged: bool = False,
+        ack_required: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         """Initialize a Message.
 
@@ -26,19 +29,28 @@ class Message:
             category (Category): The category of the message.
             action (Enum): The action of the message.
             payload (dict[str, Any] | None): The payload of the message.
+            acknowledged (bool): Whether the message has been acknowledged. Defaults to False.
+            ack_required (bool): Whether the message requires an acknowledgment. Defaults to False.
         """
         self.id: str = id_ or str(uuid.uuid4())
         self.category: Category = category
         self.action: Enum = action
         self.payload: dict[str, Any] = payload or {}
 
+        self.acknowledged: bool = acknowledged
+        self.ack_required: bool = ack_required
+
     @override
     def __str__(self) -> str:
-        return f"Message ({self.id}) [{self.category.name}] {self.action.name} - {self.payload}"
+        return f"Message ({self.id}) ack'd: {self.acknowledged}, req: {self.ack_required} [{self.category.name}] {self.action.name} - {self.payload}"
 
     @override
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
-        return f"Message(category={self.category}, action={self.action}, payload={self.payload})"
+        return (
+            f"Message(id_={self.id}, category={self.category}, action={self.action}"
+            f", payload={self.payload}, acknowledged={self.acknowledged}"
+            f", ack_required={self.ack_required})"
+        )
 
     def to_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """Convert the message to a dictionary.
@@ -51,6 +63,8 @@ class Message:
             "category": self.category,
             "action": self.action,
             "payload": self.payload,
+            "acknowledged": self.acknowledged,
+            "ack_required": self.ack_required,
         }
 
     def to_json(self) -> str:
@@ -85,6 +99,8 @@ class Message:
         id_: str | None = data["id"]
         category = Category(data["category"])
         action_str = data["action"]
+        acknowledged = data["acknowledged"]
+        ack_required = data["ack_required"]
 
         match category:
             case Category.CONTROL:
@@ -93,7 +109,14 @@ class Message:
                 raise ValueError(f"Unknown category: {category}")
 
         payload = data.get("payload", {})
-        return cls(id_=id_, category=category, action=action, payload=payload)
+        return cls(
+            id_=id_,
+            category=category,
+            action=action,
+            payload=payload,
+            acknowledged=acknowledged,
+            ack_required=ack_required,
+        )
 
     @classmethod
     def from_json(cls, data: str) -> Message:
@@ -137,6 +160,8 @@ class Message:
             category=Category.CONTROL,
             action=ControlAction.ACK,
             payload={"target_id": target_id},
+            acknowledged=False,
+            ack_required=False,
         )
 
     @classmethod
@@ -153,4 +178,6 @@ class Message:
             category=Category.CONTROL,
             action=ControlAction.HELLO,
             payload={"mac": mac},
+            acknowledged=False,
+            ack_required=True,
         )