diff --git a/src/lib/api/index.ts b/src/lib/api/index.ts
index a869596335..751c97122b 100644
--- a/src/lib/api/index.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api/index.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import {
   AppBskyEmbedImages,
   AppBskyEmbedRecord,
   AppBskyEmbedRecordWithMedia,
-  AppBskyFeedThreadgate,
   BskyAgent,
   ComAtprotoLabelDefs,
   ComAtprotoRepoUploadBlob,
@@ -12,7 +11,11 @@ import {
 import {AtUri} from '@atproto/api'
 
 import {logger} from '#/logger'
-import {ThreadgateAllowUISetting} from '#/state/queries/threadgate'
+import {
+  createThreadgate as upsertThreadgate,
+  ThreadgateAllowUISetting,
+  threadgateAllowUISettingToAllowType,
+} from '#/state/queries/threadgate'
 import {isNetworkError} from 'lib/strings/errors'
 import {shortenLinks, stripInvalidMentions} from 'lib/strings/rich-text-manip'
 import {isNative, isWeb} from 'platform/detection'
@@ -279,38 +282,8 @@ export async function createThreadgate(
   postUri: string,
   threadgate: ThreadgateAllowUISetting[],
 ) {
-  let allow: (
-    | AppBskyFeedThreadgate.MentionRule
-    | AppBskyFeedThreadgate.FollowingRule
-    | AppBskyFeedThreadgate.ListRule
-  )[] = []
-  if (!threadgate.find(v => v.type === 'nobody')) {
-    for (const rule of threadgate) {
-      if (rule.type === 'mention') {
-        allow.push({$type: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate#mentionRule'})
-      } else if (rule.type === 'following') {
-        allow.push({$type: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate#followingRule'})
-      } else if (rule.type === 'list') {
-        allow.push({
-          $type: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate#listRule',
-          list: rule.list,
-        })
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  const postUrip = new AtUri(postUri)
-  await agent.api.com.atproto.repo.putRecord({
-    repo: agent.session!.did,
-    collection: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate',
-    rkey: postUrip.rkey,
-    record: {
-      $type: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate',
-      post: postUri,
-      allow,
-      createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-    },
-  })
+  const allow = threadgateAllowUISettingToAllowType(threadgate)
+  return upsertThreadgate({agent, postUri, threadgate: {allow}})
 }
 
 // helpers
diff --git a/src/state/queries/threadgate/index.ts b/src/state/queries/threadgate/index.ts
index b581ae3342..71ebc24797 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/threadgate/index.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/threadgate/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import {AppBskyFeedThreadgate, AtUri, BskyAgent} from '@atproto/api'
-import {useQuery} from '@tanstack/react-query'
+import {useMutation, useQuery, useQueryClient} from '@tanstack/react-query'
 
+import {networkRetry} from '#/lib/async/retry'
+import {mergeThreadgateRecords} from '#/state/queries/threadgate/util'
 import {useAgent} from '#/state/session'
 
 export * from '#/state/queries/threadgate/types'
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ export function useThreadgateRecordQuery({
   })
 }
 
-export function createThreadgate({
+export async function createThreadgate({
   agent,
   postUri,
   threadgate,
@@ -54,18 +56,72 @@ export function createThreadgate({
   postUri: string
   threadgate: Partial<AppBskyFeedThreadgate.Record>
 }) {
-  const urip = new AtUri(postUri)
-  const record = {
-    ...threadgate,
-    post: postUri,
-    createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
-  }
+  const postUrip = new AtUri(postUri)
 
-  return agent.api.app.bsky.feed.threadgate.create(
-    {
-      repo: urip.host,
-      rkey: urip.rkey,
-    },
-    record,
+  const {data} = await networkRetry(2, () =>
+    agent.api.com.atproto.repo.getRecord({
+      repo: agent.session!.did,
+      collection: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate',
+      rkey: postUrip.rkey,
+    }),
   )
+
+  if (data.value && AppBskyFeedThreadgate.isRecord(data.value)) {
+    // has existing, merge
+    const prev = data.value
+    const merged = mergeThreadgateRecords(prev, threadgate)
+
+    await networkRetry(2, () =>
+      agent.api.com.atproto.repo.putRecord({
+        repo: agent.session!.did,
+        collection: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate',
+        rkey: postUrip.rkey,
+        record: merged,
+      }),
+    )
+  } else {
+    // no existing, create new
+    const record: AppBskyFeedThreadgate.Record = {
+      $type: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate',
+      post: postUri,
+      allow: threadgate.allow || [],
+      hiddenReplies: threadgate.hiddenReplies || [],
+      createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+    }
+
+    await networkRetry(2, () =>
+      agent.api.com.atproto.repo.putRecord({
+        repo: agent.session!.did,
+        collection: 'app.bsky.feed.threadgate',
+        rkey: postUrip.rkey,
+        record,
+      }),
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+export function useCreateThreadgateMutation() {
+  const agent = useAgent()
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient()
+
+  return useMutation({
+    mutationFn: async ({
+      postUri,
+      threadgate,
+    }: {
+      postUri: string
+      threadgate: Partial<AppBskyFeedThreadgate.Record>
+    }) => {
+      return createThreadgate({
+        agent,
+        postUri,
+        threadgate,
+      })
+    },
+    onSuccess() {
+      queryClient.invalidateQueries({
+        queryKey: [threadgateRecordQueryKeyRoot],
+      })
+    },
+  })
 }
diff --git a/src/view/com/util/forms/PostDropdownBtn.tsx b/src/view/com/util/forms/PostDropdownBtn.tsx
index b639372c52..028907d98a 100644
--- a/src/view/com/util/forms/PostDropdownBtn.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/util/forms/PostDropdownBtn.tsx
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ import {
   usePostDeleteMutation,
   useThreadMuteMutationQueue,
 } from '#/state/queries/post'
-import {createThreadgate} from '#/state/queries/threadgate'
-import {useAgent, useSession} from '#/state/session'
+import {useCreateThreadgateMutation} from '#/state/queries/threadgate'
+import {useSession} from '#/state/session'
 import {getCurrentRoute} from 'lib/routes/helpers'
 import {shareUrl} from 'lib/sharing'
 import {toShareUrl} from 'lib/strings/url-helpers'
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ let PostDropdownBtn = ({
   rootPostUri?: string
 }): React.ReactNode => {
   const {hasSession, currentAccount} = useSession()
-  const agent = useAgent()
   const theme = useTheme()
   const alf = useAlf()
   const {gtMobile} = useBreakpoints()
@@ -108,6 +107,8 @@ let PostDropdownBtn = ({
   const loggedOutWarningPromptControl = useDialogControl()
   const embedPostControl = useDialogControl()
   const sendViaChatControl = useDialogControl()
+  const {mutateAsync: createThreadgate} = useCreateThreadgateMutation()
+
   const postUri = post.uri
   const postCid = post.cid
   const postAuthor = post.author
@@ -404,7 +405,6 @@ let PostDropdownBtn = ({
                     label={_(msg`Hide reply`)}
                     onPress={() => {
                       createThreadgate({
-                        agent,
                         postUri: rootPostUri,
                         threadgate: {
                           hiddenReplies: [postUri],