diff --git a/src/screens/Messages/components/MessagesList.tsx b/src/screens/Messages/components/MessagesList.tsx
index 727829795c..2d471a8d35 100644
--- a/src/screens/Messages/components/MessagesList.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Messages/components/MessagesList.tsx
@@ -709,7 +709,13 @@ function getFooterState(
   convoState: ActiveConvoStates,
   hasAcceptOverride?: boolean,
 ): FooterState {
-  if (convoState.convo.view.status === 'request' && !hasAcceptOverride) {
+  const isRequest =
+    convoState.convo.view.status === 'request' && !hasAcceptOverride
+
+  // For group chats, the request footer is driven purely off status: the owner
+  // is always 'accepted' so never sees it, while members the owner added are
+  // 'request' until they accept. This holds even before any messages load.
+  if (convoState.convo.kind === 'group' && isRequest) {
     return 'request'
   }
 
@@ -721,6 +727,15 @@ function getFooterState(
     }
   }
 
+  // For direct chats, only show the request footer once there's a message. The
+  // viewer's status stays 'request' until they send their first message, so an
+  // empty direct request is one the viewer started themselves (show the
+  // composer), whereas any message present must be an incoming one from the
+  // other user (show the accept/reject footer).
+  if (isRequest) {
+    return 'request'
+  }
+
   return 'standard'
 }
 
diff --git a/src/state/queries/messages/list-conversations.tsx b/src/state/queries/messages/list-conversations.tsx
index 372ef708f3..62f5772bef 100644
--- a/src/state/queries/messages/list-conversations.tsx
+++ b/src/state/queries/messages/list-conversations.tsx
@@ -738,7 +738,16 @@ function calculateCount(
           moderateProfile(convo.primaryMember, moderationOpts).blocked ||
           convo.primaryMember.handle === 'missing.invalid' ||
           (convo.kind === 'group' && convo.details.lockStatus !== 'unlocked')
-        const unreadCount = !shouldIgnore && convo.view.unreadCount > 0 ? 1 : 0
+        const unreadJoinRequestCount =
+          convo.kind === 'group'
+            ? (convo.details.unreadJoinRequestCount ?? 0)
+            : 0
+
+        const unreadCount =
+          !shouldIgnore &&
+          (convo.view.unreadCount > 0 || unreadJoinRequestCount > 0)
+            ? 1
+            : 0
 
         return acc + unreadCount
       }, 0) ?? 0