diff --git a/src/lib/moderation.ts b/src/lib/moderation.ts
index 4105c2c2dd..00d8b3fd1c 100644
--- a/src/lib/moderation.ts
+++ b/src/lib/moderation.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import {
-  ModerationCause,
-  ModerationUI,
-  InterpretedLabelValueDefinition,
-  LABELS,
   AppBskyLabelerDefs,
   BskyAgent,
+  Did,
+  InterpretedLabelValueDefinition,
+  LABELS,
+  ModerationCause,
   ModerationOpts,
+  ModerationUI,
 } from '@atproto/api'
 
 import {sanitizeDisplayName} from '#/lib/strings/display-names'
@@ -60,10 +61,9 @@ export function isAppLabeler(
     | AppBskyLabelerDefs.LabelerView
     | AppBskyLabelerDefs.LabelerViewDetailed,
 ): boolean {
-  if (typeof labeler === 'string') {
-    return BskyAgent.appLabelers.includes(labeler)
-  }
-  return BskyAgent.appLabelers.includes(labeler.creator.did)
+  const did = typeof labeler === 'string' ? labeler : labeler.creator.did
+  // assertion here that `did` starts with `did:`
+  return did.startsWith('did:') && BskyAgent.appLabelers.includes(did as Did)
 }
 
 export function isLabelerSubscribed(
diff --git a/src/state/queries/preferences/moderation.ts b/src/state/queries/preferences/moderation.ts
index 9cd183e8b1..8cfebe3b2b 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/preferences/moderation.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/preferences/moderation.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import React from 'react'
 import {
-  DEFAULT_LABEL_SETTINGS,
   BskyAgent,
+  DEFAULT_LABEL_SETTINGS,
+  Did,
   interpretLabelValueDefinitions,
 } from '@atproto/api'
 
-import {usePreferencesQuery} from './index'
 import {useLabelersDetailedInfoQuery} from '../labeler'
+import {usePreferencesQuery} from './index'
 
 /**
  * More strict than our default settings for logged in users.
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ export function useMyLabelersQuery() {
   const dids = Array.from(
     new Set(
       BskyAgent.appLabelers.concat(
-        prefs.data?.moderationPrefs.labelers.map(l => l.did) || [],
+        prefs.data?.moderationPrefs.labelers.map(l => l.did as Did) || [],
       ),
     ),
   )