diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/federation/handlers.rs b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/federation/handlers.rs
index d80690f0..5a63e9bf 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/federation/handlers.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/federation/handlers.rs
@@ -262,9 +262,36 @@ impl RpcHandler {
             .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Missing 'did' parameter"))?;
         validate_did(did)?;
 
+        // Capture the node's pubkey before removal so we can also purge its
+        // synthetic mesh contact/thread (#2) — remove_node only touches
+        // nodes.json, which would otherwise leave a stale chat contact behind.
+        let removed_pubkey = federation::load_nodes(&self.config.data_dir)
+            .await
+            .ok()
+            .and_then(|nodes| {
+                nodes
+                    .into_iter()
+                    .find(|n| n.did == did)
+                    .map(|n| n.pubkey)
+            });
+
         let nodes = federation::remove_node(&self.config.data_dir, did).await?;
         info!(did = %did, "Removed node from federation");
 
+        if let Some(pubkey) = removed_pubkey.filter(|p| !p.is_empty()) {
+            let svc = self.mesh_service.read().await;
+            if let Some(svc) = svc.as_ref() {
+                let contact_id = mesh::federation_peer_contact_id(&pubkey);
+                mesh::purge_federation_peer(
+                    &svc.shared_state(),
+                    contact_id,
+                    &pubkey,
+                    &self.config.data_dir,
+                )
+                .await;
+            }
+        }
+
         Ok(serde_json::json!({
             "removed": true,
             "nodes_remaining": nodes.len(),
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/mesh/mod.rs b/core/archipelago/src/mesh/mod.rs
index 618348d1..46984dd3 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/mesh/mod.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/mesh/mod.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,38 @@ pub(crate) async fn upsert_federation_peer(
     contact_id
 }
 
+/// Purge a federation peer from all live mesh state and persisted contacts so
+/// removing a node (federation.remove-node) also clears its chat contact,
+/// thread, and any per-contact customisation — otherwise a stale/renamed node
+/// (e.g. an old "Arch HP" entry) lingers in the chat list even after it's gone
+/// from `nodes.json` (#2). Keyed by the synthetic `contact_id` for the peer
+/// table/messages and by `pubkey_hex` for the pubkey-keyed contacts/presence
+/// stores.
+pub(crate) async fn purge_federation_peer(
+    state: &Arc<listener::MeshState>,
+    contact_id: u32,
+    pubkey_hex: &str,
+    data_dir: &Path,
+) {
+    state.peers.write().await.remove(&contact_id);
+    state.shared_secrets.write().await.remove(&contact_id);
+    state
+        .messages
+        .write()
+        .await
+        .retain(|m| m.peer_contact_id != contact_id);
+    state.presence.write().await.remove(pubkey_hex);
+    let mut contacts = state.contacts.write().await;
+    if contacts.remove(pubkey_hex).is_some() {
+        let snapshot = contacts.clone();
+        drop(contacts);
+        if let Err(e) = save_mesh_contacts(data_dir, &snapshot).await {
+            warn!("Failed to persist mesh contacts after purge: {}", e);
+        }
+    }
+    state.update_peer_count().await;
+}
+
 /// Load federation nodes from disk and upsert each as a synthetic mesh peer.
 /// Called at MeshService startup so the chat list already contains every
 /// known federation node — users can share files to them without first