diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessagesList.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessagesList.tsx
index d3f9916ec4..381f5fe4eb 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessagesList.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/Conversation/MessagesList.tsx
@@ -26,12 +26,10 @@ function MaybeLoader({isLoading}: {isLoading: boolean}) {
 }
 
 function renderItem({item}: {item: ConvoItem}) {
-  if (item.type === 'message') {
+  if (item.type === 'message' || item.type === 'pending-message') {
     return <MessageItem item={item.message} next={item.nextMessage} />
   } else if (item.type === 'deleted-message') {
     return <Text>Deleted message</Text>
-  } else if (item.type === 'pending-message') {
-    return <Text>{item.message.text}</Text>
   } else if (item.type === 'pending-retry') {
     return (
       <View>
diff --git a/src/state/messages/convo.ts b/src/state/messages/convo.ts
index 73ef8d73e7..e60ba0ac30 100644
--- a/src/state/messages/convo.ts
+++ b/src/state/messages/convo.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export enum ConvoStatus {
 
 export type ConvoItem =
   | {
-      type: 'message'
+      type: 'message' | 'pending-message'
       key: string
       message: ChatBskyConvoDefs.MessageView
       nextMessage:
@@ -41,11 +41,6 @@ export type ConvoItem =
         | ChatBskyConvoDefs.DeletedMessageView
         | null
     }
-  | {
-      type: 'pending-message'
-      key: string
-      message: ChatBskyConvoSendMessage.InputSchema['message']
-    }
   | {
       type: 'pending-retry'
       key: string
@@ -113,6 +108,10 @@ export class Convo {
   private pendingEventIngestion: Promise<void> | undefined
   private isProcessingPendingMessages = false
 
+  get sender() {
+    return this.convo?.members.find(m => m.did === this.__tempFromUserDid)
+  }
+
   constructor(params: ConvoParams) {
     this.convoId = params.convoId
     this.agent = params.agent
@@ -324,7 +323,7 @@ export class Convo {
       this.newMessages.set(res.id, {
         ...res,
         $type: 'chat.bsky.convo.defs#messageView',
-        sender: this.convo?.members.find(m => m.did === this.__tempFromUserDid),
+        sender: this.sender,
       })
       this.pendingMessages.delete(id)
 
@@ -440,7 +439,14 @@ export class Convo {
       items.unshift({
         type: 'pending-message',
         key: m.id,
-        message: m.message,
+        message: {
+          ...m.message,
+          id: nanoid(),
+          rev: '__fake__',
+          sentAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+          sender: this.sender,
+        },
+        nextMessage: null,
       })
     })