diff --git a/src/lib/__tests__/xrpc-error.test.ts b/src/lib/__tests__/xrpc-error.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5c09fb4f08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/__tests__/xrpc-error.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import {
+  getMain,
+  type Procedure,
+  type Query,
+  XrpcInternalError,
+  XrpcResponseError,
+} from '@atproto/lex'
+import {describe, expect, it} from '@jest/globals'
+
+import {app, com} from '#/lexicons'
+import {matchXrpcError} from '../xrpc-error'
+
+const createAccount = com.atproto.server.createAccount
+const getTrends = app.bsky.unspecced.getTrends
+
+/**
+ * An `XrpcResponseError` as a lex `Client` would construct it: the method
+ * schema it was thrown for, plus the server's error response and its parsed
+ * payload.
+ */
+function responseError(method: Procedure | Query, error: string, status = 400) {
+  return new XrpcResponseError(
+    method,
+    new Response(JSON.stringify({error}), {
+      status,
+      headers: {'content-type': 'application/json'},
+    }),
+    {encoding: 'application/json', body: {error}},
+  )
+}
+
+describe('matchXrpcError', () => {
+  it('returns a code declared by the method', () => {
+    const e = responseError(getMain(createAccount), 'InvalidHandle')
+    expect(matchXrpcError(e, createAccount)).toBe('InvalidHandle')
+  })
+
+  it('accepts the .main schema as well as the namespace', () => {
+    const e = responseError(getMain(createAccount), 'InvalidInviteCode')
+    expect(matchXrpcError(e, createAccount.main)).toBe('InvalidInviteCode')
+  })
+
+  it('returns undefined for a code the method does not declare', () => {
+    const e = responseError(getMain(createAccount), 'RateLimitExceeded')
+    expect(matchXrpcError(e, createAccount)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('returns undefined for a method that declares no errors at all', () => {
+    const e = responseError(getMain(getTrends), 'InvalidHandle')
+    expect(matchXrpcError(e, getTrends)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('does not match a declared code thrown for a different method', () => {
+    /*
+     * `InvalidHandle` is declared by createAccount but this error came from a
+     * getTrends call, so scoping must reject it.
+     */
+    const e = responseError(getMain(getTrends), 'InvalidHandle')
+    expect(matchXrpcError(e, createAccount)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('returns undefined for a lex error carrying no server code', () => {
+    const e = new XrpcInternalError(getMain(createAccount), 'boom')
+    expect(matchXrpcError(e, createAccount)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('returns undefined for non-lex errors and non-errors', () => {
+    expect(matchXrpcError(new Error('InvalidHandle'), createAccount)).toBe(
+      undefined,
+    )
+    expect(matchXrpcError('InvalidHandle', createAccount)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(matchXrpcError(undefined, createAccount)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('narrows the result to the declared-errors union', () => {
+    const e = responseError(getMain(createAccount), 'InvalidHandle')
+    const code = matchXrpcError(e, createAccount)
+
+    /*
+     * A misspelled or undeclared code is not comparable to the narrowed union,
+     * which is what makes a typo'd `switch` case a compile error (TS2678 /
+     * TS2367) rather than a branch that never runs.
+     */
+    // @ts-expect-error 'InvalidHandel' is not a declared createAccount error
+    expect(code === 'InvalidHandel').toBe(false)
+    // @ts-expect-error 'RateLimitExceeded' is not declared by createAccount
+    expect(code === 'RateLimitExceeded').toBe(false)
+
+    expect(code === 'UnsupportedDomain').toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/lib/lexClient.ts b/src/lib/lexClient.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..40b0640665
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/lexClient.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import {
+  type Agent,
+  type AgentOptions,
+  Client,
+  type ClientOptions,
+} from '@atproto/lex'
+
+/**
+ * App-standard factory for lex {@link Client}s. Use this instead of `new
+ * Client(...)` so every client shares the same lenient response processing.
+ *
+ * lex-client defaults to strict Lex processing, which rejects responses
+ * containing the LEGACY blob reference format (objects with `cid` and
+ * `mimeType` properties instead of `$type: 'blob'`). Older records on the
+ * network still carry these, and rejecting them would drop records the app
+ * currently renders. Lenient mode also relaxes datetime format checks (e.g.
+ * missing timezones) and blob MIME/size constraints. `Client.configure` only
+ * accepts `appLabelers` globally, so the option is defaulted here, per
+ * constructed client.
+ */
+export function createLexClient(
+  agent: Agent | AgentOptions,
+  options?: ClientOptions,
+): Client {
+  return new Client(agent, {strictResponseProcessing: false, ...options})
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/xrpc-error.ts b/src/lib/xrpc-error.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..25f9a1277e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/xrpc-error.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import {
+  getMain,
+  type InferMethodError,
+  type Main,
+  type Procedure,
+  type Query,
+  XrpcResponseError,
+} from '@atproto/lex'
+
+/**
+ * Same nsid means `e` was thrown for this method schema, so `e` can be
+ * treated as an `XrpcResponseError<M>` - which is what lets the SDK's
+ * `matchesSchemaErrors()` narrow `e.error` to M's declared errors.
+ */
+function isThrownFor<M extends Procedure | Query>(
+  e: XrpcResponseError,
+  schema: M,
+): e is XrpcResponseError<M> {
+  return e.method.nsid === schema.nsid
+}
+
+/**
+ * The lexicon error code carried by `e`, narrowed to the errors DECLARED by
+ * `method`, or `undefined` when `e` is not such an error.
+ *
+ * `XrpcResponseError.error` is the open `LexErrorCode` union, so comparing it
+ * as a plain string lets a typo silently never match. Narrowing the return type
+ * to `InferMethodError<M>` makes a `switch` over the result reject an
+ * undeclared or misspelled `case` at compile time:
+ *
+ * ```ts
+ * switch (matchXrpcError(e, com.atproto.server.createAccount)) {
+ *   case 'InvalidHandle':
+ *     ...
+ * }
+ * ```
+ *
+ * Matching is scoped to `method`: `XrpcError` records the method schema it was
+ * thrown for, so a declared code arriving from a DIFFERENT call does not match.
+ * Undeclared codes, non-XRPC errors, and the internal/fetch lex errors (which
+ * carry no server error code) all return `undefined`.
+ *
+ * `method` accepts the same value passed to `client.call` - either the
+ * generated method namespace (`com.atproto.server.createAccount`) or its
+ * `.main` schema - via lex's `Main<M>`.
+ */
+export function matchXrpcError<M extends Procedure | Query>(
+  e: unknown,
+  method: Main<M>,
+): InferMethodError<M> | undefined {
+  if (!(e instanceof XrpcResponseError)) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+  const schema = getMain(method)
+  if (isThrownFor(e, schema) && e.matchesSchemaErrors()) {
+    return e.error
+  }
+  return undefined
+}
diff --git a/src/screens/Signup/state.ts b/src/screens/Signup/state.ts
index 8acbd47908..9f0ce29bcf 100644
--- a/src/screens/Signup/state.ts
+++ b/src/screens/Signup/state.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import {createContext, useCallback, useContext} from 'react'
 import {LayoutAnimation} from 'react-native'
 import {type ComAtprotoServerDescribeServer} from '@atproto/api'
-import {XrpcResponseError} from '@atproto/lex'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react/macro'
 import * as EmailValidator from 'email-validator'
 
@@ -9,9 +8,11 @@ import {DEFAULT_SERVICE} from '#/lib/constants'
 import {cleanError, isNetworkError} from '#/lib/strings/errors'
 import {createFullHandle} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
 import {getAge} from '#/lib/strings/time'
+import {matchXrpcError} from '#/lib/xrpc-error'
 import {useSessionApi} from '#/state/session'
 import {useOnboardingDispatch} from '#/state/shell'
 import {type AnalyticsContextType, useAnalytics} from '#/analytics'
+import {com} from '#/lexicons'
 
 export type ServiceDescription = ComAtprotoServerDescribeServer.OutputSchema
 
@@ -258,34 +259,13 @@ export const useSignupContext = () => useContext(SignupContext)
  * failure is unexpected and should be reported to Sentry.
  */
 function classifyExpectedSignupError(e: unknown): string | undefined {
-  /*
-   * TODO: `XrpcResponseError.error` is the open `LexErrorCode` union, so these
-   * codes are compared as plain strings and a typo silently never matches.
-   * Once the generated lexicons land, replace this (and every multi-code error
-   * site) with a shared helper that narrows against the method schema:
-   *
-   *   function matchXrpcError<M extends Procedure | Query>(
-   *     e: unknown,
-   *     method: Main<M>,
-   *   ): InferMethodError<M> | undefined
-   *
-   *   switch (matchXrpcError(e, com.atproto.server.createAccount)) {
-   *     case 'InvalidHandle': ...
-   *   }
-   *
-   * The return type is the method's declared-errors union, so a typo'd case is
-   * a compile error, and undeclared codes fall through to `undefined`. The
-   * helper should also match `e.method.nsid` so a declared code from a
-   * different call cannot match, mirroring the old per-method error classes.
-   */
-  if (e instanceof XrpcResponseError) {
-    switch (e.error) {
-      case 'InvalidHandle':
-      case 'HandleNotAvailable':
-      case 'InvalidPassword':
-      case 'UnsupportedDomain':
-        return e.error
-    }
+  const code = matchXrpcError(e, com.atproto.server.createAccount)
+  switch (code) {
+    case 'InvalidHandle':
+    case 'HandleNotAvailable':
+    case 'InvalidPassword':
+    case 'UnsupportedDomain':
+      return code
   }
   /* the server sends no typed error for this case */
   if (String(e).includes('Email already taken')) return 'EmailTaken'
@@ -376,7 +356,10 @@ export function useSubmitSignup() {
       } catch (err) {
         const e = err as Error
         let errMsg = e.toString()
-        if (e instanceof XrpcResponseError && e.error === 'InvalidInviteCode') {
+        if (
+          matchXrpcError(e, com.atproto.server.createAccount) ===
+          'InvalidInviteCode'
+        ) {
           dispatch({
             type: 'setError',
             value: l`Invite code not accepted. Check that you input it correctly and try again.`,
diff --git a/src/state/queries/trending/useGetTrendsQuery.ts b/src/state/queries/trending/useGetTrendsQuery.ts
index 757e868d1f..e7d6806b3e 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/trending/useGetTrendsQuery.ts
+++ b/src/state/queries/trending/useGetTrendsQuery.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {useCallback, useMemo} from 'react'
-import {type AppBskyUnspeccedGetTrends, hasMutedWord} from '@atproto/api'
+import {hasMutedWord} from '@atproto/api'
 import {useQuery} from '@tanstack/react-query'
 
 import {
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ import {logger} from '#/logger'
 import {getContentLanguages} from '#/state/preferences/languages'
 import {STALE} from '#/state/queries'
 import {usePreferencesQuery} from '#/state/queries/preferences'
-import {useAgent} from '#/state/session'
+import {useLexClient} from '#/state/session'
+import {app} from '#/lexicons'
 
 export const DEFAULT_LIMIT = 5
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ export const createGetTrendsQueryKey = (limit?: number) =>
   limit === undefined ? ['trends'] : ['trends', {limit}]
 
 export function useGetTrendsQuery(props: QueryProps = {}) {
-  const agent = useAgent()
+  const client = useLexClient()
   const {data: preferences} = usePreferencesQuery()
   const limit = props.limit ?? DEFAULT_LIMIT
   const mutedWords = useMemo(() => {
@@ -46,7 +47,8 @@ export function useGetTrendsQuery(props: QueryProps = {}) {
     queryKey: createGetTrendsQueryKey(limit),
     queryFn: async () => {
       const contentLangs = getContentLanguages().join(',')
-      const {data} = await agent.app.bsky.unspecced.getTrends(
+      const data = await client.call(
+        app.bsky.unspecced.getTrends,
         {
           limit,
         },
@@ -63,7 +65,7 @@ export function useGetTrendsQuery(props: QueryProps = {}) {
       return data
     },
     select: useCallback(
-      (data: AppBskyUnspeccedGetTrends.OutputSchema) => {
+      (data: app.bsky.unspecced.getTrends.$OutputBody) => {
         return {
           recId: data.recIdStr,
           trends: dedupe(
diff --git a/src/state/session/__tests__/clients-test.ts b/src/state/session/__tests__/clients-test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f90841dbc8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/state/session/__tests__/clients-test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,179 @@
+import {Client} from '@atproto/lex'
+import {PasswordSession} from '@atproto/lex-password-session'
+import {beforeEach, describe, expect, it, jest} from '@jest/globals'
+
+jest.mock('#/state/events', () => ({
+  emitNetworkConfirmed: jest.fn(),
+  emitNetworkLost: jest.fn(),
+}))
+
+jest.mock('jwt-decode', () => ({
+  jwtDecode() {
+    return {scope: 'com.atproto.access'}
+  },
+}))
+
+import {app} from '#/lexicons'
+import {BskyAppAgent, PasswordSessionManager} from '../bridge-agent'
+import {agentToLexClient} from '../clients'
+import {sessionAccountToSessionData} from '../session-data'
+import {
+  asFetch,
+  DID,
+  HANDLE,
+  json,
+  makeAccount,
+  makeMockFetch,
+  type MockFetch,
+  SERVICE,
+} from './mock-fetch'
+
+const PROFILE_BODY = {
+  did: DID,
+  handle: HANDLE,
+}
+
+/** A mock fetch that answers `getProfile` and records every request. */
+function makeProfileFetch(): MockFetch {
+  return makeMockFetch({
+    'app.bsky.actor.getProfile': () => json(PROFILE_BODY),
+  })
+}
+
+/** An authenticated agent whose whole network path is the mock fetch. */
+function setup(fetchMock: MockFetch = makeProfileFetch()) {
+  const account = makeAccount()
+  const inner = new PasswordSession(sessionAccountToSessionData(account), {
+    fetch: asFetch(fetchMock),
+  })
+  const manager = new PasswordSessionManager(inner, {
+    service: account.service,
+  })
+  manager.setFetch(asFetch(fetchMock))
+  const agent = new BskyAppAgent(manager)
+  return {agent, fetchMock}
+}
+
+/** A logged-out agent whose whole network path is the mock fetch. */
+function setupPublic(fetchMock: MockFetch = makeProfileFetch()) {
+  const manager = new PasswordSessionManager(null, {service: SERVICE})
+  manager.setFetch(asFetch(fetchMock))
+  return {agent: new BskyAppAgent(manager), fetchMock}
+}
+
+/** The `init` a mock fetch was called with for a given nsid. */
+function initFor(mock: MockFetch, nsid: string): RequestInit | undefined {
+  const call = mock.mock.calls.find(c => {
+    const url = c[0] instanceof URL ? c[0].href : String(c[0])
+    return url.includes(`/xrpc/${nsid}`)
+  })
+  return call?.[1]
+}
+
+describe('agentToLexClient', () => {
+  let fetchMock: MockFetch
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    fetchMock = makeProfileFetch()
+  })
+
+  it('memoizes one client per agent', () => {
+    const {agent: agentA} = setup(fetchMock)
+    const {agent: agentB} = setup(fetchMock)
+
+    const clientA1 = agentToLexClient(agentA)
+    const clientA2 = agentToLexClient(agentA)
+    const clientB = agentToLexClient(agentB)
+
+    expect(clientA1).toBeInstanceOf(Client)
+    expect(clientA1).toBe(clientA2)
+    expect(clientA1).not.toBe(clientB)
+  })
+
+  it('passes through the agent did', () => {
+    const {agent} = setup(fetchMock)
+    expect(agentToLexClient(agent).did).toBe(DID)
+  })
+
+  it('reflects an undefined did on a logged-out agent', () => {
+    const {agent} = setupPublic(fetchMock)
+    expect(agentToLexClient(agent).did).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('routes client.call through the agent to the network', async () => {
+    const {agent} = setup(fetchMock)
+
+    const body = await agentToLexClient(agent).call(app.bsky.actor.getProfile, {
+      actor: HANDLE,
+    })
+
+    expect(body.handle).toBe(HANDLE)
+    const call = fetchMock.mock.calls.find(c => {
+      const url = c[0] instanceof URL ? c[0].href : String(c[0])
+      return url.includes('/xrpc/app.bsky.actor.getProfile')
+    })
+    expect(call).toBeDefined()
+    const url = call![0] instanceof URL ? call![0].href : String(call![0])
+    expect(url).toContain(`actor=${HANDLE}`)
+  })
+
+  it('emits the agent proxy header', async () => {
+    const {agent} = setup(fetchMock)
+    agent.configureProxy('did:web:api.bsky.app#bsky_appview')
+
+    await agentToLexClient(agent).call(app.bsky.actor.getProfile, {
+      actor: HANDLE,
+    })
+
+    const init = initFor(fetchMock, 'app.bsky.actor.getProfile')
+    expect(new Headers(init?.headers).get('atproto-proxy')).toBe(
+      'did:web:api.bsky.app#bsky_appview',
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('emits the agent labeler header exactly once', async () => {
+    const {agent} = setup(fetchMock)
+    agent.configureLabelersHeader(['did:plc:labeler'])
+
+    await agentToLexClient(agent).call(app.bsky.actor.getProfile, {
+      actor: HANDLE,
+    })
+
+    const init = initFor(fetchMock, 'app.bsky.actor.getProfile')
+    const labelers = new Headers(init?.headers).get('atproto-accept-labelers')
+    expect(labelers).toContain('did:plc:labeler')
+    /*
+     * The client contributes no labelers of its own, so the agent's single
+     * entry must not be duplicated.
+     */
+    const entries = labelers!
+      .split(',')
+      .filter(l => l.includes('did:plc:labeler'))
+    expect(entries).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
+  it('sends the session access token', async () => {
+    const {agent} = setup(fetchMock)
+
+    await agentToLexClient(agent).call(app.bsky.actor.getProfile, {
+      actor: HANDLE,
+    })
+
+    const init = initFor(fetchMock, 'app.bsky.actor.getProfile')
+    expect(new Headers(init?.headers).get('authorization')).toBe(
+      'Bearer access-jwt',
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to unauthenticated requests once the agent is disposed', async () => {
+    const {agent} = setup(fetchMock)
+    const client = agentToLexClient(agent)
+    agent.dispose()
+
+    await client.call(app.bsky.actor.getProfile, {actor: HANDLE})
+
+    const init = initFor(fetchMock, 'app.bsky.actor.getProfile')
+    expect(new Headers(init?.headers).has('authorization')).toBe(false)
+    expect(client.did).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/state/session/clients.ts b/src/state/session/clients.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff6a597ac7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/state/session/clients.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import {type Client} from '@atproto/lex'
+
+import {PUBLIC_BSKY_SERVICE} from '#/lib/constants'
+import {createLexClient} from '#/lib/lexClient'
+import {type BskyAppAgent} from './bridge-agent'
+import {networkAwareFetch} from './network'
+
+/*
+ * One client per agent, so that repeated reads for the same agent return the
+ * same instance. Client identity is observable: a lex `Client` is passed to
+ * React Query `queryFn`s and read from render paths, so a freshly allocated
+ * client on every read would break any dependency array or reference
+ * comparison built on top of it.
+ *
+ * Keying on the agent also ties client lifetime to agent lifetime. A disposed
+ * agent's `fetchHandler` falls back to unauthenticated fetch, and session
+ * rotation builds a new agent rather than mutating the old one, so a client
+ * derived from a stale agent becomes unreachable exactly when its agent does.
+ */
+const lexClients = new WeakMap<BskyAppAgent, Client>()
+
+/**
+ * The lex {@link Client} for an agent, memoized per agent.
+ *
+ * The wrapped handler is `agent.fetchHandler`, NOT
+ * `agent.sessionManager.fetchHandler`. The agent-level handler is where
+ * `atproto-proxy` and `atproto-accept-labelers` are set before the request is
+ * passed down to the session manager, which only adds authorization and PDS
+ * routing. Because the agent already emits both headers, the client is
+ * deliberately built with neither a `service` option nor labelers - setting
+ * either here would emit them a second time.
+ */
+export function agentToLexClient(agent: BskyAppAgent): Client {
+  const existing = lexClients.get(agent)
+  if (existing) {
+    return existing
+  }
+  const client = createLexClient({
+    get did() {
+      return agent.did
+    },
+    fetchHandler: (path, init) => agent.fetchHandler(path, init),
+  })
+  lexClients.set(agent, client)
+  return client
+}
+
+let publicLexClient: Client | undefined
+
+/**
+ * The unauthenticated {@link Client} for public reads, pointed at the public
+ * appview.
+ *
+ * A single module-level instance for the same identity-stability reason as
+ * {@link agentToLexClient}: there is no session to scope it to, so it lives for
+ * the lifetime of the process. Requests go through {@link networkAwareFetch} so
+ * public reads feed the app's reachability signal like authenticated ones do.
+ *
+ * Unlike the public agent it parallels, this client sends neither
+ * `atproto-proxy` nor `atproto-accept-labelers`. `createPublicAgent` configures
+ * the app labeler and the proxy header, so a logged-out appview *agent* read
+ * does carry labelers while the same read through this client does not. A
+ * consumer that needs moderation labels on public reads must configure labelers
+ * itself before issuing the request.
+ */
+export function getPublicLexClient(): Client {
+  return (publicLexClient ??= createLexClient({
+    service: PUBLIC_BSKY_SERVICE,
+    fetch: networkAwareFetch,
+  }))
+}
diff --git a/src/state/session/index.tsx b/src/state/session/index.tsx
index 1a22a0e215..618804ee7b 100644
--- a/src/state/session/index.tsx
+++ b/src/state/session/index.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   useSyncExternalStore,
 } from 'react'
 import {type AtpAgent} from '@atproto/api'
+import {type Client} from '@atproto/lex'
 import {type SessionData} from '@atproto/lex-password-session'
 
 import * as persisted from '#/state/persisted'
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ import {useGlobalDialogsControlContext} from '#/components/dialogs/Context'
 import {AnalyticsContext, useAnalyticsBase, utils} from '#/analytics'
 import {IS_WEB} from '#/env'
 import {emitSessionDropped} from '../events'
+import {agentToLexClient, getPublicLexClient} from './clients'
 import {createSessionBundleAndCreateAccount} from './create-account'
 import {pickExpiryRescueCandidate} from './expiry-rescue'
 import {type Action, getInitialState, reducer, type State} from './reducer'
@@ -707,3 +709,22 @@ export function useAgent(): AtpAgent {
   }
   return bundle.agent
 }
+
+/**
+ * The lex client for the active session, or for the public agent when logged
+ * out.
+ */
+export function useLexClient(): Client {
+  const bundle = useContext(BundleContext)
+  if (!bundle) {
+    throw Error('useLexClient() must be below <SessionProvider>.')
+  }
+  return agentToLexClient(bundle.agent)
+}
+
+/**
+ * The unauthenticated lex client for public reads.
+ */
+export function usePublicLexClient(): Client {
+  return getPublicLexClient()
+}