diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/AddMembersLink.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/AddMembersLink.tsx
index 58674d830a..1253c70881 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/AddMembersLink.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/AddMembersLink.tsx
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ import {Text} from '#/components/Typography'
 
 export function AddMembersLink({
   convo,
+  disabled,
 }: {
   convo: Extract<ConvoWithDetails, {kind: 'group'}>
+  disabled?: boolean
 }) {
   const t = useTheme()
   const {t: l} = useLingui()
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ export function AddMembersLink({
   return (
     <>
       <Button
-        disabled={isAddPending}
+        disabled={disabled || isAddPending}
         label={l`Add members`}
         onPress={addMembersControl.open}>
         {({interacting}) => (
diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/MembersAndRequests.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/MembersAndRequests.tsx
index fe11dfeb44..b54a017e8a 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/MembersAndRequests.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/MembersAndRequests.tsx
@@ -23,21 +23,19 @@ export function MembersAndRequests({
 
   return (
     <View style={[a.flex_row, a.justify_between, a.px_xl, a.pt_xl, a.pb_sm]}>
-      <View style={[a.flex_row, a.align_center, a.gap_sm]}>
+      <View style={[a.flex_row, a.align_center, a.gap_xs]}>
         <Text style={[a.text_lg, a.font_semi_bold, t.atoms.text]}>
-          <Trans>Members</Trans>
+          <Trans comment="The heading above the list of chat members.">
+            Members
+          </Trans>
+        </Text>
+        <Text style={[a.text_xs, a.font_medium, t.atoms.text_contrast_medium]}>
+          {l({
+            message: `${memberCount}/${MEMBER_LIMIT}`,
+            comment:
+              'The number of group chat members out of the total number of permitted users.',
+          })}
         </Text>
-        <View
-          style={[a.px_xs, a.py_2xs, t.atoms.bg_contrast_50, a.rounded_full]}>
-          <Text
-            style={[a.text_xs, a.font_medium, {color: t.palette.contrast_500}]}>
-            {l({
-              message: `${memberCount}/${MEMBER_LIMIT}`,
-              comment:
-                'The number of group chat members out of the total number of permitted users.',
-            })}
-          </Text>
-        </View>
       </View>
       {isOwner && requestCount > 0 ? (
         <InlineLinkText
diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/index.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/index.tsx
index 795a90c9da..15a4ce4e37 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/index.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/ConversationSettings/index.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {View} from 'react-native'
 import {
   ChatBskyActorDefs,
   ChatBskyConvoDefs,
-  ModerationOpts,
+  type ModerationOpts,
 } from '@atproto/api'
 import {Trans, useLingui} from '@lingui/react/macro'
 import {useNavigation} from '@react-navigation/native'
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function SettingsInner() {
     )
   }
 
-  if (!isConvoActive(convoState) || !moderationOpts) {
+  if (!convoState.convo || !moderationOpts) {
     return (
       <View style={[a.flex_1, a.align_center, a.justify_center]}>
         <Loader size="xl" />
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ function SettingsInner() {
     )
   }
 
-  if (convoState.convo?.kind !== 'group') {
+  if (convoState.convo.kind !== 'group') {
     return (
       <Error
         title={l`Wrong kind of conversation`}
@@ -142,7 +142,11 @@ function SettingsInner() {
   }
 
   return (
-    <GroupSettings convo={convoState.convo} moderationOpts={moderationOpts} />
+    <GroupSettings
+      convo={convoState.convo}
+      moderationOpts={moderationOpts}
+      isReady={isConvoActive(convoState)}
+    />
   )
 }
 
@@ -166,9 +170,11 @@ function isGroupMember(
 function GroupSettings({
   convo,
   moderationOpts,
+  isReady,
 }: {
   convo: Extract<ConvoWithDetails, {kind: 'group'}>
   moderationOpts: ModerationOpts
+  isReady: boolean
 }) {
   const initialNumToRender = useInitialNumToRender({minItemHeight: 68})
   const bottomBarOffset = useBottomBarOffset()
@@ -178,7 +184,7 @@ function GroupSettings({
   const primaryMember = convo.primaryMember
   const isOwner = !!primaryMember && primaryMember.did === currentAccount?.did
 
-  const {data: memberListData = [], isPending} = useListConvoMembersQuery({
+  const {data: memberListData = []} = useListConvoMembersQuery({
     convoId: convo.view.id,
     placeholderData: convo.members,
   })
@@ -197,6 +203,16 @@ function GroupSettings({
       0,
     ) ?? 0
 
+  const groupMembers = memberListData.filter(isGroupMember).sort((a, b) => {
+    const aIsOwner = a.did === primaryMember?.did
+    const bIsOwner = b.did === primaryMember?.did
+    const aIsSelf = a.did === currentAccount?.did
+    const bIsSelf = b.did === currentAccount?.did
+    if (aIsOwner !== bIsOwner) return aIsOwner ? -1 : 1
+    if (aIsSelf !== bIsSelf) return aIsSelf ? -1 : 1
+    return 0
+  })
+
   const items: Item[] = [
     {
       type: 'MEMBERS_AND_REQUESTS',
@@ -206,41 +222,30 @@ function GroupSettings({
       ? [{type: 'ADD_MEMBERS_LINK', key: 'add-members-link'} as const]
       : []),
   ]
-  if (isPending) {
-    // should never be pending if we correctly set the query cache data
-    items.push(
-      ...Array.from({length: 5}, (_, i) => ({
-        type: 'CHAT_MEMBER_PLACEHOLDER' as const,
-        key: `chat-member-placeholder-${i}`,
-      })),
-    )
-  } else {
-    items.push(
-      ...memberListData
-        .filter(isGroupMember)
-        .sort((a, b) => {
-          const aIsOwner = a.did === primaryMember?.did
-          const bIsOwner = b.did === primaryMember?.did
-          const aIsSelf = a.did === currentAccount?.did
-          const bIsSelf = b.did === currentAccount?.did
-          if (aIsOwner !== bIsOwner) return aIsOwner ? -1 : 1
-          if (aIsSelf !== bIsSelf) return aIsSelf ? -1 : 1
-          return 0
-        })
-        .map(
-          (profile): Item => ({
-            type: 'CHAT_MEMBER',
-            key: profile.did,
-            profile,
-            status:
-              primaryMember?.did === profile.did
-                ? 'owner'
-                : invites.includes(profile.did)
-                  ? 'invited'
-                  : 'standard',
-          }),
-        ),
-    )
+  items.push(
+    ...groupMembers.map(
+      (profile): Item => ({
+        type: 'CHAT_MEMBER',
+        key: profile.did,
+        profile,
+        status:
+          primaryMember?.did === profile.did
+            ? 'owner'
+            : invites.includes(profile.did)
+              ? 'invited'
+              : 'standard',
+      }),
+    ),
+  )
+  const placeholderCount = Math.max(
+    0,
+    convo.details.memberCount - groupMembers.length,
+  )
+  for (let i = 0; i < placeholderCount; i++) {
+    items.push({
+      type: 'CHAT_MEMBER_PLACEHOLDER',
+      key: `chat-member-placeholder-${i}`,
+    })
   }
 
   function renderItem({item}: {item: Item}) {
@@ -255,7 +260,7 @@ function GroupSettings({
           />
         )
       case 'ADD_MEMBERS_LINK':
-        return <AddMembersLink convo={convo} />
+        return <AddMembersLink convo={convo} disabled={!isReady} />
       case 'CHAT_MEMBER':
         return (
           <Member
@@ -286,6 +291,7 @@ function GroupSettings({
           convo={convo}
           isOwner={isOwner}
           moderationOpts={moderationOpts}
+          isReady={isReady}
         />
       }
       renderItem={renderItem}
@@ -299,10 +305,12 @@ function SettingsHeader({
   convo,
   isOwner,
   moderationOpts,
+  isReady,
 }: {
   convo: Extract<ConvoWithDetails, {kind: 'group'}>
   isOwner: boolean
   moderationOpts: ModerationOpts
+  isReady: boolean
 }) {
   const t = useTheme()
   const {i18n, t: l} = useLingui()
@@ -462,7 +470,7 @@ function SettingsHeader({
           ]}>
           <SettingsButton
             color={convo.view.muted ? 'negative_subtle' : 'secondary'}
-            disabled={isMuting}
+            disabled={!isReady || isMuting}
             icon={convo.view.muted ? BellOffIcon : BellIcon}
             label={
               convo.view.muted
@@ -474,7 +482,7 @@ function SettingsHeader({
           />
           {isOwner ? (
             <SettingsButton
-              disabled={isEditingName}
+              disabled={!isReady || isEditingName}
               icon={EditIcon}
               label={l`Edit this group chat’s name`}
               text={l`Edit name`}
@@ -483,7 +491,7 @@ function SettingsHeader({
           ) : null}
           {isJoinLinkEnabled ? (
             <SettingsButton
-              disabled={lockStatus !== 'unlocked'}
+              disabled={!isReady || lockStatus !== 'unlocked'}
               icon={ChainLinkIcon}
               label={
                 isOwner
@@ -497,7 +505,7 @@ function SettingsHeader({
           {canLockGroupChat ? (
             <SettingsButton
               color={lockStatus === 'locked' ? 'negative_subtle' : 'secondary'}
-              disabled={isLocking}
+              disabled={!isReady || isLocking}
               icon={LockIcon}
               label={
                 lockStatus === 'locked'
@@ -512,6 +520,7 @@ function SettingsHeader({
           ) : null}
           {!isOwner && isReportLinkEnabled && (
             <SettingsButton
+              disabled={!isReady}
               icon={FlagIcon}
               label={l`Report this group chat`}
               text={l`Report`}
@@ -520,7 +529,7 @@ function SettingsHeader({
           )}
           {!isOwner && (
             <SettingsButton
-              disabled={isLeaving}
+              disabled={!isReady || isLeaving}
               icon={ArrowBoxLeftIcon}
               label={l`Leave this group chat`}
               text={l`Leave`}