diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/service/NostrConnectUtils.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/service/NostrConnectUtils.kt
index f488af34..84708b4e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/service/NostrConnectUtils.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/service/NostrConnectUtils.kt
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ import java.util.UUID
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 
 object NostrConnectUtils {
+    /**
+     * Splits a query parameter into its name and value on the first `=` only,
+     * so values that contain `=` (e.g. base64 padding like "XQUdha4rjh_gjAgHN8X5yg==") are preserved.
+     */
+    fun splitParam(param: String): Pair<String, String> = param.substringBefore("=") to param.substringAfter("=", "")
     private fun metaDataFromJson(json: String): BunkerMetadata = BunkerMetadata.mapper.readValue(json, BunkerMetadata::class.java)
 
     fun getIntentFromNostrConnect(
@@ -36,16 +41,12 @@ object NostrConnectUtils {
             var url = ""
             var image = ""
             val pubKey = split.first()
-            val parsedData = IntentUtils.decodeData(split.drop(1).joinToString { it })
+            val parsedData = IntentUtils.decodeData(split.drop(1).joinToString("") { it })
             val splitParsedData = parsedData.split("&")
             val permissions = mutableListOf<Permission>()
             var nostrConnectSecret = ""
             splitParsedData.forEach {
-                val internalSplit = it.split("=")
-                val paramName = internalSplit.first()
-                val json = internalSplit.mapIndexedNotNull { index, s ->
-                    if (index == 0) null else s
-                }.joinToString { data -> data }
+                val (paramName, json) = splitParam(it)
                 if (paramName == "relay") {
                     val relayUrl = RelayUrlNormalizer.normalizeOrNull(json)
                     if (relayUrl != null) {
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/service/NostrConnectUtilsTest.kt b/app/src/test/java/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/service/NostrConnectUtilsTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..42748c92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/test/java/com/greenart7c3/nostrsigner/service/NostrConnectUtilsTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package com.greenart7c3.nostrsigner.service
+
+import org.junit.Assert.assertEquals
+import org.junit.Test
+
+class NostrConnectUtilsTest {
+
+    // --- values that contain `=` (issue #526) ---
+
+    @Test
+    fun `base64 secret with padding is preserved`() {
+        val (name, value) = NostrConnectUtils.splitParam("secret=XQUdha4rjh_gjAgHN8X5yg==")
+        assertEquals("secret", name)
+        assertEquals("XQUdha4rjh_gjAgHN8X5yg==", value)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `value with multiple equals signs is preserved`() {
+        val (name, value) = NostrConnectUtils.splitParam("secret=YQ==Zm9v")
+        assertEquals("secret", name)
+        assertEquals("YQ==Zm9v", value)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `url encoded relay value is not corrupted`() {
+        val (name, value) = NostrConnectUtils.splitParam("relay=wss%3A%2F%2Frelay.primal.net")
+        assertEquals("relay", name)
+        assertEquals("wss%3A%2F%2Frelay.primal.net", value)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `perms value is preserved`() {
+        val (name, value) = NostrConnectUtils.splitParam("perms=nip04_encrypt,nip44_decrypt,sign_event:1")
+        assertEquals("perms", name)
+        assertEquals("nip04_encrypt,nip44_decrypt,sign_event:1", value)
+    }
+
+    // --- degenerate inputs keep the previous behavior ---
+
+    @Test
+    fun `parameter without equals has empty value`() {
+        val (name, value) = NostrConnectUtils.splitParam("flag")
+        assertEquals("flag", name)
+        assertEquals("", value)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `parameter with empty value returns empty string`() {
+        val (name, value) = NostrConnectUtils.splitParam("secret=")
+        assertEquals("secret", name)
+        assertEquals("", value)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `empty parameter returns empty name and value`() {
+        val (name, value) = NostrConnectUtils.splitParam("")
+        assertEquals("", name)
+        assertEquals("", value)
+    }
+}