diff --git a/src/state/queries/activity-subscriptions.ts b/src/state/queries/activity-subscriptions.ts
index e6dcbd8829..f77d1001cb 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/activity-subscriptions.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/activity-subscriptions.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-import {
-  type AppBskyActorDefs,
-  type AppBskyNotificationDeclaration,
-} from '@atproto/api'
+import {type AppBskyActorDefs} from '@atproto/api'
+import {type AtIdentifierString} from '@atproto/syntax'
 import {t} from '@lingui/core/macro'
 import {
   type InfiniteData,
@@ -12,7 +10,8 @@ import {
   useQueryClient,
 } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 
-import {useAgent, useAppviewClient, useSession} from '#/state/session'
+import {isRecordNotFoundError} from '#/lib/xrpc-error'
+import {useAppviewClient, usePdsClient, useSession} from '#/state/session'
 import * as Toast from '#/components/Toast'
 import {app} from '#/lexicons'
 
@@ -36,27 +35,25 @@ export function useActivitySubscriptionsQuery() {
 }
 
 export function useNotificationDeclarationQuery() {
-  const agent = useAgent()
+  const client = usePdsClient()
   const {currentAccount} = useSession()
   return useQuery({
     queryKey: RQKEY_getNotificationDeclaration,
     queryFn: async () => {
       try {
-        const response = await agent.app.bsky.notification.declaration.get({
-          repo: currentAccount!.did,
+        const response = await client.get(app.bsky.notification.declaration, {
+          // the session account is still legacy-typed, so its did is unbranded
+          repo: currentAccount!.did as AtIdentifierString,
           rkey: 'self',
         })
         return response
       } catch (err) {
-        if (
-          err instanceof Error &&
-          err.message.startsWith('Could not locate record')
-        ) {
+        if (isRecordNotFoundError(err)) {
           return {
             value: {
               $type: 'app.bsky.notification.declaration',
               allowSubscriptions: 'followers',
-            } satisfies AppBskyNotificationDeclaration.Record,
+            } satisfies app.bsky.notification.declaration.Main,
           }
         } else {
           throw err
@@ -67,17 +64,18 @@ export function useNotificationDeclarationQuery() {
 }
 
 export function useNotificationDeclarationMutation() {
-  const agent = useAgent()
+  const client = usePdsClient()
   const {currentAccount} = useSession()
   const queryClient = useQueryClient()
   return useMutation({
-    mutationFn: async (record: AppBskyNotificationDeclaration.Record) => {
-      const response = await agent.app.bsky.notification.declaration.put(
+    mutationFn: async (record: app.bsky.notification.declaration.Main) => {
+      const response = await client.put(
+        app.bsky.notification.declaration,
+        record,
         {
-          repo: currentAccount!.did,
+          repo: currentAccount!.did as AtIdentifierString,
           rkey: 'self',
         },
-        record,
       )
       return response
     },
@@ -87,7 +85,7 @@ export function useNotificationDeclarationMutation() {
         (old?: {
           uri: string
           cid: string
-          value: AppBskyNotificationDeclaration.Record
+          value: app.bsky.notification.declaration.Main
         }) => {
           if (!old) return old
           return {
diff --git a/src/state/queries/messages/actor-declaration.ts b/src/state/queries/messages/actor-declaration.ts
index f6cd2d51d5..17f36cbdd8 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/messages/actor-declaration.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/messages/actor-declaration.ts
@@ -3,11 +3,13 @@ import {
   type AppBskyActorDefs,
   type ChatBskyActorDeclaration,
 } from '@atproto/api'
+import {type DidString} from '@atproto/syntax'
 import {useMutation, useQueryClient} from '@tanstack/react-query'
 
 import {logger} from '#/logger'
-import {useAgent, useSession} from '#/state/session'
+import {usePdsClient, useSession} from '#/state/session'
 import {resolveAllowGroupInvites} from '#/components/dms/util'
+import {com} from '#/lexicons'
 import {RQKEY as PROFILE_RKEY} from '../profile'
 
 export function useUpdateActorDeclaration({
@@ -19,7 +21,7 @@ export function useUpdateActorDeclaration({
 }) {
   const queryClient = useQueryClient()
   const {currentAccount} = useSession()
-  const agent = useAgent()
+  const pdsClient = usePdsClient()
 
   return useMutation({
     mutationFn: async (update: {
@@ -41,8 +43,9 @@ export function useUpdateActorDeclaration({
           update.allowGroupInvites ??
           current?.associated?.chat?.allowGroupInvites,
       })
-      const result = await agent.com.atproto.repo.putRecord({
-        repo: currentAccount.did,
+      const result = await pdsClient.call(com.atproto.repo.putRecord, {
+        // the session account is still legacy-typed, so its did is unbranded
+        repo: currentAccount.did as DidString,
         collection: 'chat.bsky.actor.declaration',
         rkey: 'self',
         record: {
@@ -101,13 +104,13 @@ export function useUpdateActorDeclaration({
 // for use in the settings screen for testing
 export function useDeleteActorDeclaration() {
   const {currentAccount} = useSession()
-  const agent = useAgent()
+  const pdsClient = usePdsClient()
 
   return useMutation({
     mutationFn: async () => {
       if (!currentAccount) throw new Error('Not signed in')
-      const result = await agent.api.com.atproto.repo.deleteRecord({
-        repo: currentAccount.did,
+      const result = await pdsClient.call(com.atproto.repo.deleteRecord, {
+        repo: currentAccount.did as DidString,
         collection: 'chat.bsky.actor.declaration',
         rkey: 'self',
       })
@@ -116,6 +119,11 @@ export function useDeleteActorDeclaration() {
   })
 }
 
+/*
+ * Still takes the legacy agent: its only caller is `getOtherRequiredData` in
+ * `#/ageAssurance/data`, which is blocked on `getPreferences` and so cannot
+ * hand over a lex client yet.
+ */
 export async function fetchActorDeclarationRecord({
   agent,
   did,