diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/mod.rs b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/mod.rs
index 1001b7a6..07779577 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/mod.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/mod.rs
@@ -475,6 +475,7 @@ impl RpcHandler {
             "node-send-message" => self.handle_node_send_message(params).await,
             "node-check-peer" => self.handle_node_check_peer(params).await,
             "node-messages-received" => self.handle_node_messages_received().await,
+            "node-store-sent" => self.handle_node_store_sent(params).await,
             "node-nostr-discover" => self.handle_node_nostr_discover().await,
             "node.did" => self.handle_node_did().await,
             "node.signChallenge" => self.handle_node_sign_challenge(params).await,
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/peers.rs b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/peers.rs
index d2a7880f..adf30f87 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/peers.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/peers.rs
@@ -111,6 +111,20 @@ impl RpcHandler {
         Ok(serde_json::json!({ "messages": messages }))
     }
 
+    /// Store a sent message for Archipelago channel history persistence.
+    pub(super) async fn handle_node_store_sent(
+        &self,
+        params: Option<serde_json::Value>,
+    ) -> Result<serde_json::Value> {
+        let params = params.ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Missing params"))?;
+        let message = params
+            .get("message")
+            .and_then(|v| v.as_str())
+            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("Missing message"))?;
+        node_message::store_sent(message);
+        Ok(serde_json::json!({ "ok": true }))
+    }
+
     pub(super) async fn handle_node_nostr_discover(&self) -> Result<serde_json::Value> {
         let identity_dir = self.config.data_dir.join("identity");
         let nodes = nostr_discovery::discover_archipelago_nodes(
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/node_message.rs b/core/archipelago/src/node_message.rs
index deccad58..c8375379 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/node_message.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/node_message.rs
@@ -1,51 +1,142 @@
 //! Node-to-node messaging over Tor.
 //! Sends messages to peer .onion addresses via SOCKS5 proxy.
+//! Messages are persisted to disk and survive restarts.
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::sync::{Mutex, OnceLock};
 
 const TOR_SOCKS: &str = "socks5h://127.0.0.1:9050";
+const MAX_STORED: usize = 200;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct IncomingMessage {
     pub from_pubkey: String,
+    #[serde(default)]
     pub from_onion: Option<String>,
     pub message: String,
     pub timestamp: String,
+    /// "sent" or "received"
+    #[serde(default = "default_received")]
+    pub direction: String,
 }
 
-fn received_messages() -> &'static Mutex<Vec<IncomingMessage>> {
-    static RECEIVED: OnceLock<Mutex<Vec<IncomingMessage>>> = OnceLock::new();
-    RECEIVED.get_or_init(|| Mutex::new(Vec::new()))
+fn default_received() -> String {
+    "received".to_string()
 }
 
-const MAX_STORED: usize = 100;
+#[derive(Debug, Default, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+struct MessageStore {
+    messages: Vec<IncomingMessage>,
+}
+
+fn store() -> &'static Mutex<MessageStore> {
+    static STORE: OnceLock<Mutex<MessageStore>> = OnceLock::new();
+    STORE.get_or_init(|| Mutex::new(MessageStore::default()))
+}
+
+fn data_path() -> &'static Mutex<Option<PathBuf>> {
+    static PATH: OnceLock<Mutex<Option<PathBuf>>> = OnceLock::new();
+    PATH.get_or_init(|| Mutex::new(None))
+}
+
+/// Initialize message store — load from disk. Call once at startup.
+pub async fn init(data_dir: &Path) {
+    let path = data_dir.join("messages.json");
+    *data_path().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner()) = Some(path.clone());
+
+    if let Ok(content) = tokio::fs::read_to_string(&path).await {
+        if let Ok(loaded) = serde_json::from_str::<MessageStore>(&content) {
+            let mut guard = store().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+            *guard = loaded;
+            tracing::info!("Loaded {} messages from disk", guard.messages.len());
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Persist current messages to disk.
+fn persist() {
+    let guard = store().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+    let path_guard = data_path().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+    if let Some(ref path) = *path_guard {
+        if let Ok(content) = serde_json::to_string(&*guard) {
+            // Use sync write — called from store functions already holding the lock
+            let _ = std::fs::write(path, content);
+        }
+    }
+}
 
 /// Store a received message (called from HTTP handler).
 pub fn store_received_sync(from_pubkey: &str, message: &str) {
-    let mut guard = received_messages().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
-    guard.push(IncomingMessage {
+    let ts = chrono::Utc::now().to_rfc3339();
+    let mut guard = store().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+
+    // Deduplication: skip if same pubkey + message within last 30 seconds
+    let dominated = guard.messages.iter().rev().take(20).any(|m| {
+        m.from_pubkey == from_pubkey && m.message == message && m.direction == "received"
+            && within_seconds(&m.timestamp, &ts, 30)
+    });
+    if dominated {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    guard.messages.push(IncomingMessage {
         from_pubkey: from_pubkey.to_string(),
         from_onion: None,
         message: message.to_string(),
-        timestamp: chrono::Utc::now().to_rfc3339(),
+        timestamp: ts,
+        direction: "received".to_string(),
     });
-    let len = guard.len();
-    if len > MAX_STORED {
-        guard.drain(0..len - MAX_STORED);
-    }
+    trim_messages(&mut guard);
+    drop(guard);
+    persist();
 }
 
 pub async fn store_received(from_pubkey: &str, message: &str) {
     store_received_sync(from_pubkey, message);
 }
 
-/// Get received messages for UI display.
-pub fn get_received() -> Vec<IncomingMessage> {
-    received_messages().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner()).clone()
+/// Store a sent message (for display in Archipelago channel).
+pub fn store_sent(message: &str) {
+    let mut guard = store().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner());
+    guard.messages.push(IncomingMessage {
+        from_pubkey: "me".to_string(),
+        from_onion: None,
+        message: message.to_string(),
+        timestamp: chrono::Utc::now().to_rfc3339(),
+        direction: "sent".to_string(),
+    });
+    trim_messages(&mut guard);
+    drop(guard);
+    persist();
 }
 
+/// Get all messages (sent + received) for UI display.
+pub fn get_received() -> Vec<IncomingMessage> {
+    store().lock().unwrap_or_else(|e| e.into_inner()).messages.clone()
+}
+
+fn trim_messages(store: &mut MessageStore) {
+    if store.messages.len() > MAX_STORED {
+        let drain = store.messages.len() - MAX_STORED;
+        store.messages.drain(0..drain);
+    }
+}
+
+/// Check if two ISO8601 timestamps are within N seconds of each other.
+fn within_seconds(ts1: &str, ts2: &str, secs: i64) -> bool {
+    use chrono::DateTime;
+    let a = DateTime::parse_from_rfc3339(ts1).ok();
+    let b = DateTime::parse_from_rfc3339(ts2).ok();
+    match (a, b) {
+        (Some(a), Some(b)) => (a - b).num_seconds().unsigned_abs() < secs as u64,
+        _ => false,
+    }
+}
+
+// ─── Tor Messaging ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
 /// Tor v3 onion hostname is 56 base32 chars (a-z, 2-7). Reject invalid formats.
 fn validate_onion(onion: &str) -> Result<()> {
     let host = onion.trim_end_matches(".onion");
@@ -93,7 +184,7 @@ pub async fn send_to_peer(onion: &str, from_pubkey: &str, message: &str) -> Resu
         .map_err(|e| {
             let msg = e.to_string();
             if msg.contains("connection refused") || msg.contains("Connection refused") {
-                anyhow::anyhow!("Tor not reachable at 127.0.0.1:9050. Is the Tor container running?")
+                anyhow::anyhow!("Tor not reachable at 127.0.0.1:9050. Is Tor running?")
             } else if msg.contains("timeout") || msg.contains("timed out") {
                 anyhow::anyhow!("Connection timed out. The peer may be offline or unreachable over Tor.")
             } else {
diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/server.rs b/core/archipelago/src/server.rs
index 7fcd972f..2d2e8ac7 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/server.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/server.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ impl Server {
         }
         state_manager.update_data(data.clone()).await;
 
+        // Load persisted messages (Archipelago channel)
+        node_message::init(&config.data_dir).await;
+
         // Auto-create default identity if none exist (fresh boot or factory reset)
         {
             let im = crate::identity_manager::IdentityManager::new(&config.data_dir).await;
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
index 68c2f1d0..78e0abfd 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ async function sendArchMessage() {
   sendError.value = ''
   sendingArch.value = true
   try {
-    // Broadcast to all federated peers over Tor
     const nodes = await rpcClient.federationListNodes()
     const msg = messageText.value.trim()
     let sent = 0
@@ -77,16 +76,14 @@ async function sendArchMessage() {
         sent++
       } catch { /* some peers may be offline */ }
     }
-    // Local echo — show the sent message immediately
-    archMessages.value.push({
-      from_pubkey: 'me',
-      message: msg,
-      timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
-    })
+    // Persist sent message on backend (survives restarts)
+    try {
+      await rpcClient.call({ method: 'node-store-sent', params: { message: msg } })
+    } catch { /* non-fatal */ }
     messageText.value = ''
     if (sent === 0) sendError.value = 'No peers reachable — message may arrive when they come online'
-    // Also reload in background to pick up any replies
-    setTimeout(loadArchMessages, 5000)
+    // Reload to show the persisted sent message
+    await loadArchMessages()
   } catch (e) {
     sendError.value = e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Send failed'
   } finally {
@@ -322,18 +319,21 @@ const hasActiveChat = computed(() => !!activeChatPeer.value || !!activeChatChann
 const chatMessages = computed(() => {
   if (archChannelActive.value) {
     // Map Tor messages to mesh message format for rendering
-    return archMessages.value.map((m, i) => ({
-      id: i,
-      peer_contact_id: -99,
-      peer_name: m.from_pubkey === 'me' ? 'You' : (m.from_pubkey.slice(0, 12) + '...'),
-      direction: (m.from_pubkey === 'me' ? 'sent' : 'received') as 'sent' | 'received',
-      plaintext: m.message,
-      timestamp: m.timestamp,
-      delivered: true,
-      encrypted: false,
-      message_type: undefined,
-      typed_payload: undefined,
-    }))
+    return archMessages.value.map((m, i) => {
+      const isSent = (m as Record<string, unknown>).direction === 'sent' || m.from_pubkey === 'me'
+      return {
+        id: i,
+        peer_contact_id: -99,
+        peer_name: isSent ? 'You' : (m.from_pubkey.slice(0, 12) + '...'),
+        direction: (isSent ? 'sent' : 'received') as 'sent' | 'received',
+        plaintext: m.message,
+        timestamp: m.timestamp,
+        delivered: true,
+        encrypted: false,
+        message_type: undefined,
+        typed_payload: undefined,
+      }
+    })
   }
   if (activeChatChannel.value) {
     // Channel messages have negative contact_id = -(channel_index + 1)