diff --git a/apps/flipcash/features/messenger/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/messenger/internal/screens/components/MessageList.kt b/apps/flipcash/features/messenger/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/messenger/internal/screens/components/MessageList.kt
index ffa07f131..2c8959132 100644
--- a/apps/flipcash/features/messenger/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/messenger/internal/screens/components/MessageList.kt
+++ b/apps/flipcash/features/messenger/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/messenger/internal/screens/components/MessageList.kt
@@ -154,7 +154,8 @@ internal fun MessageList(
             // Message insertion animation — scale from 0.95 + opacity with edge anchor
             var appeared by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
             LaunchedEffect(Unit) { appeared = true }
-            val insertionSpec = spring<Float>(dampingRatio = 0.73f, stiffness = Spring.StiffnessHigh)
+            val insertionSpec =
+                spring<Float>(dampingRatio = 0.73f, stiffness = Spring.StiffnessHigh)
             val insertionAlpha by animateFloatAsState(
                 targetValue = if (appeared) 1f else 0f,
                 animationSpec = insertionSpec,
@@ -197,7 +198,11 @@ internal fun MessageList(
                             val showReceipt =
                                 shouldShowReceiptLabel(index, item, messages, otherReadPointer)
                             if (showReceipt && effectiveStatus != null) {
-                                ReceiptLabel(effectiveStatus, otherReadPointer)
+                                ReceiptLabel(
+                                    itemKey = item.itemKey,
+                                    status = effectiveStatus,
+                                    readPointer = otherReadPointer
+                                )
                             }
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/apps/flipcash/features/messenger/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/messenger/internal/screens/components/ReceiptLabel.kt b/apps/flipcash/features/messenger/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/messenger/internal/screens/components/ReceiptLabel.kt
index 69a83d186..b2a73f4b1 100644
--- a/apps/flipcash/features/messenger/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/messenger/internal/screens/components/ReceiptLabel.kt
+++ b/apps/flipcash/features/messenger/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/messenger/internal/screens/components/ReceiptLabel.kt
@@ -44,16 +44,15 @@ internal fun ReceiptLabel(
     status: ReceiptStatus,
     readPointer: MessagePointer?,
     modifier: Modifier = Modifier,
+    itemKey: Any? = null,
 ) {
-    // Delayed pop for "Delivered" — wait 700ms before showing, instant removal
-    var visible by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
+    // Delayed pop for "Delivered" — wait 700ms before showing, instant removal.
+    // Start visible when not SENT so the animation is oneshot (doesn't replay on scroll).
+    var visible by remember(itemKey) { mutableStateOf(status != ReceiptStatus.SENT) }
     LaunchedEffect(status) {
-        if (status == ReceiptStatus.SENT) {
-            visible = false
+        if (status == ReceiptStatus.SENT && !visible) {
             delay(700.milliseconds)
             visible = true
-        } else {
-            visible = true
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/flipcash/shared/chat/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/shared/chat/ChatCoordinator.kt b/apps/flipcash/shared/chat/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/shared/chat/ChatCoordinator.kt
index cdfbeec32..d7b73aa2a 100644
--- a/apps/flipcash/shared/chat/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/shared/chat/ChatCoordinator.kt
+++ b/apps/flipcash/shared/chat/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/shared/chat/ChatCoordinator.kt
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ class ChatCoordinator @Inject constructor(
     private var eventStreamRetryJob: Job? = null
     private var heartbeatJob: Job? = null
     private var retryAttempt = 0
+    private var backgroundedActiveChat: ChatId? = null
 
     val state: StateFlow<ChatState>
         get() = _state.asStateFlow()
@@ -143,6 +144,10 @@ class ChatCoordinator @Inject constructor(
     }
 
     override fun onStart(owner: LifecycleOwner) {
+        backgroundedActiveChat?.let {
+            setActiveChatId(it)
+            backgroundedActiveChat = null
+        }
         if (cluster.value != null) {
             trace(tag = TAG, message = "Lifecycle resumed, syncing chat feed", type = TraceType.Process)
             syncFeed()
@@ -152,6 +157,8 @@ class ChatCoordinator @Inject constructor(
     }
 
     override fun onStop(owner: LifecycleOwner) {
+        backgroundedActiveChat = _state.value.activeChat
+        setActiveChatId(null)
         stopHeartbeat()
         closeEventStream()
     }
diff --git a/apps/flipcash/shared/notifications/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/notifications/NotificationService.kt b/apps/flipcash/shared/notifications/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/notifications/NotificationService.kt
index 73be1b469..edc5863ae 100644
--- a/apps/flipcash/shared/notifications/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/notifications/NotificationService.kt
+++ b/apps/flipcash/shared/notifications/src/main/kotlin/com/flipcash/app/notifications/NotificationService.kt
@@ -118,16 +118,18 @@ class NotificationService : FirebaseMessagingService(),
             launch { tokenCoordinator.update() }
         }
 
-        launch {
-            try {
-                if (payload?.category == NotificationCategory.CONTACT_JOIN) {
-                    launch { contactCoordinator.sync() }
+        authenticateIfNeeded {
+            launch {
+                try {
+                    if (payload?.category == NotificationCategory.CONTACT_JOIN) {
+                        launch { contactCoordinator.sync() }
+                    }
+                    val resolvedTitle = applySubstitutions(title, payload?.titleSubstitutions.orEmpty())
+                    val resolvedBody = body?.let { applySubstitutions(it, payload?.bodySubstitutions.orEmpty()) }
+                    postNotification(resolvedTitle, resolvedBody, payload)
+                } catch (e: Exception) {
+                    trace(tag = "NotificationService", message = "Failed to post notification", error = e)
                 }
-                val resolvedTitle = applySubstitutions(title, payload?.titleSubstitutions.orEmpty())
-                val resolvedBody = body?.let { applySubstitutions(it, payload?.bodySubstitutions.orEmpty()) }
-                postNotification(resolvedTitle, resolvedBody, payload)
-            } catch (e: Exception) {
-                trace(tag = "NotificationService", message = "Failed to post notification", error = e)
             }
         }
     }
@@ -187,8 +189,18 @@ class NotificationService : FirebaseMessagingService(),
         body: String?,
     ): Int {
         val notificationId = chatId.hashCode()
-        val e164 = groupKey?.takeIf { it.startsWith("+") }
-            ?: contactCoordinator.lookupContactByDmChatId(chatId.toString())?.e164
+        val groupKeyE164 = groupKey?.takeIf { it.startsWith("+") }
+        val lookupContact = if (groupKeyE164 == null) {
+            contactCoordinator.lookupContactByDmChatId(chatId.toString())
+        } else null
+        val e164 = groupKeyE164 ?: lookupContact?.e164
+
+        trace(
+            tag = "NotificationService",
+            message = "applyContactChatStyle: chatId=$chatId, groupKey=$groupKey, groupKeyE164=$groupKeyE164, lookupE164=${lookupContact?.e164}, e164=$e164, authenticated=${userManager.accountCluster != null}",
+            type = TraceType.Log,
+        )
+
         val contactPhoto = e164?.let { resolveContactPhoto(it) }
         val senderName = e164?.let { contactResolver.resolveName(it) } ?: ""