diff --git a/crates/sprout-mcp/src/server.rs b/crates/sprout-mcp/src/server.rs
index 98cfe15..713dac2 100644
--- a/crates/sprout-mcp/src/server.rs
+++ b/crates/sprout-mcp/src/server.rs
@@ -464,17 +464,24 @@ impl SproutMcpServer {
 
         let channel_tag = match nostr::Tag::parse(&["channel", &p.channel_id]) {
             Ok(t) => t,
-            Err(e) => return format!("Error building tag: {e}"),
+            Err(e) => return format!("Error building channel tag: {e}"),
+        };
+        let event_ref_tag = match nostr::Tag::parse(&["e", &p.channel_id]) {
+            Ok(t) => t,
+            Err(e) => return format!("Error building event-ref tag: {e}"),
         };
 
         let keys = self.client.keys().clone();
-        let event =
-            match nostr::EventBuilder::new(nostr::Kind::Custom(kind), &p.content, [channel_tag])
-                .sign_with_keys(&keys)
-            {
-                Ok(e) => e,
-                Err(e) => return format!("Error signing event: {e}"),
-            };
+        let event = match nostr::EventBuilder::new(
+            nostr::Kind::Custom(kind),
+            &p.content,
+            [channel_tag, event_ref_tag],
+        )
+        .sign_with_keys(&keys)
+        {
+            Ok(e) => e,
+            Err(e) => return format!("Error signing event: {e}"),
+        };
 
         match self.client.send_event(event).await {
             Ok(ok) if ok.accepted => format!("Message sent. Event ID: {}", ok.event_id),
diff --git a/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx b/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
index b2eb31d..6777975 100644
--- a/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/app/AppShell.tsx
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ export function AppShell() {
                     : "No channel selected"
                 }
                 isLoading={messagesQuery.isLoading}
-                key={activeChannel?.id ?? "no-channel"}
                 messages={timelineMessages}
               />
               <MessageComposer
@@ -178,7 +177,6 @@ export function AppShell() {
                   sendMessageMutation.isPending
                 }
                 isSending={sendMessageMutation.isPending}
-                key={activeChannel?.id ?? "no-channel"}
                 onSend={async (content) => {
                   await sendMessageMutation.mutateAsync(content);
                 }}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/hooks.ts b/desktop/src/features/messages/hooks.ts
index e782e61..77138ad 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/hooks.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/hooks.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ function createOptimisticMessage(
     pubkey: identity.pubkey,
     created_at: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1_000),
     kind: 4_0001,
-    tags: [["e", channelId]],
+    tags: [
+      ["channel", channelId],
+      ["e", channelId],
+    ],
     content,
     sig: "",
     pending: true,
diff --git a/desktop/src/shared/api/relayClient.ts b/desktop/src/shared/api/relayClient.ts
index c726e7e..5381e7d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/shared/api/relayClient.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/shared/api/relayClient.ts
@@ -122,7 +122,13 @@ class RelayClient {
     const event = await signRelayEvent({
       kind: 40001,
       content: content.trim(),
-      tags: [["e", channelId]],
+      // Include both tags for now:
+      // - `channel` lets the relay persist and authorize the event as channel-scoped
+      // - `e` keeps the existing desktop WebSocket history/subscription filters working
+      tags: [
+        ["channel", channelId],
+        ["e", channelId],
+      ],
     });
 
     return new Promise<RelayEvent>((resolve, reject) => {