diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/Account.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/Account.kt
index 6aa8fddc7a..5d01bf698c 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/Account.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/Account.kt
@@ -256,6 +256,8 @@ class Account(
     val client: INostrClient,
     val scope: CoroutineScope,
     val mlsGroupStateStore: MlsGroupStateStore? = null,
+    val marmotMessageStore: com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.group.MarmotMessageStore? = null,
+    val marmotKeyPackageStore: com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages.KeyPackageBundleStore? = null,
 ) : IAccount {
     private var userProfileCache: User? = null
 
@@ -380,13 +382,13 @@ class Account(
     override val chatroomList = cache.getOrCreateChatroomList(signer.pubKey)
     override val marmotGroupList =
         com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.model.marmotGroups
-            .MarmotGroupList()
+            .MarmotGroupList(signer.pubKey)
 
     val newNotesPreProcessor = EventProcessor(this, cache)
 
     val otsState = OtsState(signer, cache, otsResolverBuilder, scope, settings)
 
-    val marmotManager: MarmotManager? = mlsGroupStateStore?.let { MarmotManager(signer, it) }
+    val marmotManager: MarmotManager? = mlsGroupStateStore?.let { MarmotManager(signer, it, marmotMessageStore, marmotKeyPackageStore) }
 
     val paymentTargetsState = NipA3PaymentTargetsState(signer, cache, scope, settings)
 
@@ -1735,11 +1737,27 @@ class Account(
         innerEvent: Event,
         groupRelays: Set<NormalizedRelayUrl>,
     ) {
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "sendMarmotGroupMessage: group=${nostrGroupId.take(8)}… innerKind=${innerEvent.kind} innerId=${innerEvent.id.take(8)}… " +
+                "→ ${groupRelays.size} relay(s): ${groupRelays.map { it.url }}"
+        }
         val manager = marmotManager ?: return
         if (!isWriteable()) return
 
         val outbound = manager.buildGroupMessage(nostrGroupId, innerEvent)
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "sendMarmotGroupMessage: built outer kind:${outbound.signedEvent.kind} id=${outbound.signedEvent.id.take(8)}…"
+        }
         cache.justConsumeMyOwnEvent(outbound.signedEvent)
+        // Sending a message moves the group out of "New Requests" into
+        // "Known" — do this eagerly before relay round-trip so the UI
+        // updates immediately.
+        marmotGroupList.markAsKnown(nostrGroupId)
+        if (groupRelays.isEmpty()) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") {
+                "sendMarmotGroupMessage: NO group relays for group=${nostrGroupId.take(8)}… — message will be silently dropped"
+            }
+        }
         client.publish(outbound.signedEvent, groupRelays)
     }
 
@@ -1752,6 +1770,9 @@ class Account(
         nostrGroupId: HexKey,
         memberPubKey: HexKey,
     ): String {
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "fetchKeyPackageAndAddMember: group=${nostrGroupId.take(8)}… member=${memberPubKey.take(8)}…"
+        }
         val manager = marmotManager ?: return "Error: Marmot not initialized"
         if (!isWriteable()) return "Error: Account is read-only"
 
@@ -1772,6 +1793,11 @@ class Account(
                 .orEmpty()
         val fetchRelays = memberOutbox + myOutbox
 
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "fetchKeyPackageAndAddMember: querying ${fetchRelays.size} relay(s) for ${memberPubKey.take(8)}… KeyPackage " +
+                "(memberOutbox=${memberOutbox.size}, myOutbox=${myOutbox.size}): ${fetchRelays.map { it.url }}"
+        }
+
         // Query across the combined relay set
         val filterMap = fetchRelays.associateWith { listOf(filter) }
 
@@ -1781,15 +1807,24 @@ class Account(
             )
 
         if (event == null) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") {
+                "fetchKeyPackageAndAddMember: NO KeyPackage found for ${memberPubKey.take(8)}… on any of ${fetchRelays.size} relay(s)"
+            }
             return "Error: No KeyPackage found for this user. They may not have published one yet."
         }
 
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "fetchKeyPackageAndAddMember: got KeyPackage event id=${event.id.take(8)}… kind=${event.kind} authored=${event.pubKey.take(8)}…"
+        }
+
         if (event !is com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages.KeyPackageEvent) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "fetchKeyPackageAndAddMember: unexpected kind ${event.kind}" }
             return "Error: Unexpected event type received"
         }
 
         val keyPackageBase64 = event.keyPackageBase64()
         if (keyPackageBase64.isBlank()) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "fetchKeyPackageAndAddMember: KeyPackage event has empty content" }
             return "Error: KeyPackage event has empty content"
         }
 
@@ -1802,6 +1837,10 @@ class Account(
         // outbox — that's where we will publish them.
         val groupRelays = myOutbox.toList()
 
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "fetchKeyPackageAndAddMember: addMarmotGroupMember → groupRelays=${groupRelays.size}: ${groupRelays.map { it.url }}"
+        }
+
         addMarmotGroupMember(
             nostrGroupId = nostrGroupId,
             memberPubKey = memberPubKey,
@@ -1824,6 +1863,10 @@ class Account(
         keyPackageEventId: HexKey,
         groupRelays: List<NormalizedRelayUrl>,
     ) {
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "addMarmotGroupMember: group=${nostrGroupId.take(8)}… member=${memberPubKey.take(8)}… " +
+                "keyPackageBytes=${keyPackageBytes.size}B groupRelays=${groupRelays.size}"
+        }
         val manager = marmotManager ?: return
         if (!isWriteable()) return
 
@@ -1836,36 +1879,54 @@ class Account(
                 relays = groupRelays,
             )
 
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "addMarmotGroupMember: built commit kind=${commitEvent.signedEvent.kind} id=${commitEvent.signedEvent.id.take(8)}… " +
+                "welcomeDelivery=${if (welcomeDelivery != null) "present(giftWrapId=${welcomeDelivery.giftWrapEvent.id.take(8)}…)" else "null"}"
+        }
+
         // Publish commit first (critical ordering)
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "addMarmotGroupMember: publishing commit kind:${commitEvent.signedEvent.kind} to ${groupRelays.size} relay(s): ${groupRelays.map { it.url }}"
+        }
         client.publish(commitEvent.signedEvent, groupRelays.toSet())
 
         // Then send the Welcome gift wrap to the new member.
         //
-        // We deliberately do NOT route this through
-        // computeRelayListToBroadcast(): its GiftWrap branch returns an
-        // empty relay set when the recipient has no NIP-17 kind:10050 and
-        // no cached NIP-65 inbox relays, which silently drops the welcome
-        // and leaves the invitee with no way to discover the group.
-        //
-        // Instead, mirror sendNip04PrivateMessage's delivery strategy:
-        // publish to our own outbox (so we keep a copy and the invitee
-        // may find it via a shared relay) unioned with the recipient's
-        // DM inbox relays — User.dmInboxRelays() already falls back
-        // through NIP-17 kind:10050 → NIP-65 read relays, which is where
-        // the invitee's AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager actually listens.
+        // Use the same delivery path that NIP-17 DMs (kind:1059) take —
+        // computeRelayListToBroadcast() — which has fallbacks for kind:10050
+        // → NIP-65 read → relay hints. Empirically, NIP-17 DMs reach the
+        // invitee, so this path is the one we know works. We also union
+        // with our own outbox + the recipient's dmInboxRelays() as a
+        // belt-and-braces measure in case the cache hasn't been hydrated
+        // yet for this contact.
         if (welcomeDelivery != null) {
+            val computed = computeRelayListToBroadcast(welcomeDelivery.giftWrapEvent)
             val recipientInbox =
                 cache
                     .getOrCreateUser(memberPubKey)
                     .dmInboxRelays()
                     .orEmpty()
-            val relayList = outboxRelays.flow.value + recipientInbox
+            val relayList = computed + outboxRelays.flow.value + recipientInbox
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "addMarmotGroupMember: welcome gift wrap relay sources " +
+                    "computeRelayListToBroadcast=${computed.size} myOutbox=${outboxRelays.flow.value.size} " +
+                    "recipientInbox=${recipientInbox.size} → union=${relayList.size}"
+            }
             if (relayList.isEmpty()) {
-                Log.w("Marmot") {
-                    "addMarmotGroupMember: no relays to deliver welcome gift wrap to ${memberPubKey.take(8)}…"
+                Log.w("MarmotDbg") {
+                    "addMarmotGroupMember: NO relays to deliver welcome gift wrap to ${memberPubKey.take(8)}… — welcome will be silently dropped"
+                }
+            } else {
+                Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                    "addMarmotGroupMember: publishing welcome gift wrap id=${welcomeDelivery.giftWrapEvent.id.take(8)}… " +
+                        "kind:${welcomeDelivery.giftWrapEvent.kind} → ${relayList.size} relay(s): ${relayList.map { it.url }}"
                 }
             }
             client.publish(welcomeDelivery.giftWrapEvent, relayList)
+        } else {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") {
+                "addMarmotGroupMember: welcomeDelivery is NULL — invitee ${memberPubKey.take(8)}… will receive nothing!"
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -1895,11 +1956,55 @@ class Account(
         if (!isWriteable()) return
 
         val relays = outboxRelays.flow.value.toList()
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "publishMarmotKeyPackage: generating + publishing KeyPackage event → ${relays.size} relay(s): ${relays.map { it.url }}"
+        }
         val event = manager.generateKeyPackageEvent(relays)
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "publishMarmotKeyPackage: signed kind:${event.kind} id=${event.id.take(8)}… authored=${event.pubKey.take(8)}…"
+        }
         cache.justConsumeMyOwnEvent(event)
         client.publish(event, outboxRelays.flow.value)
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Ensure the local user has at least one active KeyPackage bundle and
+     * a published KeyPackage event on relays. Called from [init] after
+     * Marmot state has been restored from disk.
+     *
+     * - If [KeyPackageRotationManager] already has an active bundle (from
+     *   the persisted snapshot), we trust the previous session and do
+     *   nothing. The matching kind:30443 should already be on relays from
+     *   when the bundle was first generated.
+     * - Otherwise we generate a fresh bundle (which is now persisted to
+     *   disk by [KeyPackageRotationManager.generateKeyPackage]) and
+     *   publish the corresponding event.
+     *
+     * Best-effort: failures are logged but never propagated. We don't want
+     * a flaky relay or missing outbox config at startup to crash account
+     * initialization.
+     */
+    private suspend fun ensureMarmotKeyPackagePublished() {
+        val manager = marmotManager ?: return
+        if (!isWriteable()) return
+        try {
+            val hasBundle = manager.hasActiveKeyPackages()
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "ensureMarmotKeyPackagePublished: hasActiveKeyPackages=$hasBundle for ${signer.pubKey.take(8)}…"
+            }
+            if (hasBundle) {
+                return
+            }
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "ensureMarmotKeyPackagePublished: no active bundle — generating + publishing now"
+            }
+            publishMarmotKeyPackage()
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            if (e is CancellationException) throw e
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg", "ensureMarmotKeyPackagePublished failed: ${e.message}", e)
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Check if a KeyPackage has been published, either locally generated
      * in this session or found in the local cache from a previous session.
@@ -1927,6 +2032,9 @@ class Account(
         val manager = marmotManager ?: return
         if (!isWriteable()) return
         manager.createGroup(nostrGroupId)
+        // Creator owns the group — mark it as "known" immediately so it
+        // doesn't appear under "New Requests" before the first message.
+        marmotGroupList.markAsKnown(nostrGroupId)
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1973,6 +2081,11 @@ class Account(
         if (!isWriteable()) return
 
         val outbound = manager.updateGroupMetadata(nostrGroupId, metadata)
+        // The MLS commit has already been applied locally — surface the new
+        // metadata in the chatroom now so the UI reflects it without waiting
+        // for the relay round-trip.
+        val chatroom = marmotGroupList.getOrCreateGroup(nostrGroupId)
+        manager.syncMetadataTo(nostrGroupId, chatroom)
         client.publish(outbound.signedEvent, groupRelays)
     }
 
@@ -2438,10 +2551,60 @@ class Account(
         if (marmotManager != null) {
             scope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
                 marmotManager.restoreAll()
-                // Sync MIP-01 metadata from restored groups to chatrooms
+
+                // Ensure the local user has a KeyPackage published to relays
+                // so other users can invite them to groups. Without this,
+                // freshly installed accounts (and accounts that never opened
+                // the Marmot Group screen) would never have an active
+                // KeyPackage on the relays, and any inviter trying to add
+                // them would fail with "No KeyPackage found".
+                //
+                // The KeyPackage bundle (private keys included) is persisted
+                // by KeyPackageRotationManager via marmotKeyPackageStore, so
+                // restoreAll() above has already restored any previously
+                // generated bundles. Only generate-and-publish if no active
+                // bundle exists in memory after restore.
+                ensureMarmotKeyPackagePublished()
+
+                // Sync MIP-01 metadata from restored groups to chatrooms and
+                // re-hydrate decrypted messages from persistent storage.
+                // Note: Marmot MLS application messages cannot be re-decrypted
+                // after the ratchet advances, so persisted plaintext is the
+                // only way to restore group history across restarts.
                 marmotManager.activeGroupIds().forEach { groupId ->
                     val chatroom = marmotGroupList.getOrCreateGroup(groupId)
                     marmotManager.syncMetadataTo(groupId, chatroom)
+                    // Force the kind:445 EOSE manager to re-poll its filter
+                    // set so the restored group's per-`h`-tag subscription
+                    // is actually sent to relays. Without this, restored
+                    // groups would never receive new messages until the user
+                    // explicitly created/joined another group.
+                    marmotGroupList.notifyGroupChanged(groupId)
+
+                    val storedMessages = marmotManager.loadStoredMessages(groupId)
+                    if (storedMessages.isNotEmpty()) {
+                        Log.d("Account") {
+                            "Restoring ${storedMessages.size} Marmot message(s) for group $groupId"
+                        }
+                        storedMessages.forEach { json ->
+                            try {
+                                val innerEvent =
+                                    com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
+                                        .fromJson(json)
+                                val isNew = cache.justConsume(innerEvent, null, false)
+                                val innerNote = cache.getOrCreateNote(innerEvent.id)
+                                if (isNew) {
+                                    innerNote.event = innerEvent
+                                }
+                                marmotGroupList.restoreMessage(groupId, innerNote)
+                            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                                Log.w(
+                                    "Account",
+                                    "Failed to restore persisted Marmot message for $groupId: ${e.message}",
+                                )
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/accountsCache/AccountCacheState.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/accountsCache/AccountCacheState.kt
index c4daa86e07..baf2ee137d 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/accountsCache/AccountCacheState.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/accountsCache/AccountCacheState.kt
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import android.content.ContentResolver
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.Account
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.AccountSettings
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.LocalCache
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.marmot.AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.marmot.AndroidMarmotMessageStore
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.marmot.AndroidMlsGroupStateStore
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.marmot.InMemoryMlsGroupStateStore
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.service.location.LocationState
@@ -117,6 +119,30 @@ class AccountCacheState(
             "Account ${signer.pubKey.take(8)}… using Marmot store: ${mlsStore::class.simpleName}"
         }
 
+        val marmotMessageStore =
+            try {
+                AndroidMarmotMessageStore(rootFilesDir())
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                Log.e(
+                    "AccountCacheState",
+                    "Failed to initialize AndroidMarmotMessageStore (Marmot messages will NOT persist across restarts)",
+                    e,
+                )
+                null
+            }
+
+        val marmotKeyPackageStore =
+            try {
+                AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore(rootFilesDir())
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                Log.e(
+                    "AccountCacheState",
+                    "Failed to initialize AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore (Marmot KeyPackages will NOT persist across restarts)",
+                    e,
+                )
+                null
+            }
+
         return Account(
             settings = accountSettings,
             signer = signerWithClientTag,
@@ -134,6 +160,8 @@ class AccountCacheState(
                         },
                 ),
             mlsGroupStateStore = mlsStore,
+            marmotMessageStore = marmotMessageStore,
+            marmotKeyPackageStore = marmotKeyPackageStore,
         ).also { newAccount ->
             accounts.update { existingAccounts ->
                 existingAccounts.plus(Pair(signer.pubKey, newAccount))
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/marmot/AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/marmot/AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1a18bf77bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/marmot/AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Vitor Pamplona
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
+ * this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
+ * the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use,
+ * copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the
+ * Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+ * subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
+ * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+ * AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
+ * WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+package com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.marmot
+
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.preferences.KeyStoreEncryption
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages.KeyPackageBundleStore
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
+import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
+import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.Mutex
+import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
+import kotlinx.coroutines.withContext
+import java.io.File
+
+/**
+ * Android implementation of [KeyPackageBundleStore] using file-based encrypted storage.
+ *
+ * Storage layout:
+ * ```
+ * <rootDir>/marmot_keypackages/state    — encrypted snapshot
+ * ```
+ *
+ * The blob contains private key material — init keys, encryption keys,
+ * signature keys — that the MLS engine needs to process Welcome events
+ * received days or weeks after the corresponding KeyPackage was published.
+ * It is encrypted at rest with [KeyStoreEncryption] (AES/GCM via Android
+ * KeyStore), the same primitive used by [AndroidMlsGroupStateStore].
+ */
+class AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore(
+    private val rootDir: File,
+    private val encryption: KeyStoreEncryption = KeyStoreEncryption(),
+) : KeyPackageBundleStore {
+    private val mutex = Mutex()
+
+    init {
+        Log.d(TAG) {
+            "Initialized AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore: rootDir=${rootDir.absolutePath}"
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun stateFile(): File = File(rootDir, "marmot_keypackages/state")
+
+    override suspend fun save(snapshot: ByteArray) =
+        withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
+            mutex.withLock {
+                val file = stateFile()
+                try {
+                    file.parentFile?.mkdirs()
+                    val encrypted = encryption.encrypt(snapshot)
+                    atomicWrite(file, encrypted)
+                    Log.d(TAG) {
+                        "save(): wrote ${encrypted.size} encrypted bytes (${snapshot.size} plain)"
+                    }
+                } catch (e: Exception) {
+                    Log.e(TAG, "save() FAILED: ${e.message}", e)
+                    throw e
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+    override suspend fun load(): ByteArray? =
+        withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
+            val file = stateFile()
+            if (!file.exists()) {
+                Log.d(TAG) { "load(): no state file at ${file.absolutePath}" }
+                return@withContext null
+            }
+            try {
+                val encrypted = file.readBytes()
+                val decrypted = encryption.decrypt(encrypted)
+                Log.d(TAG) {
+                    "load(): read ${encrypted.size} encrypted bytes → ${decrypted?.size ?: -1} plain"
+                }
+                decrypted
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                Log.e(TAG, "load() FAILED: ${e.message}", e)
+                null
+            }
+        }
+
+    override suspend fun delete() {
+        withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
+            mutex.withLock {
+                val file = stateFile()
+                if (file.exists()) {
+                    Log.w(TAG) { "delete(): removing ${file.absolutePath}" }
+                    file.delete()
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun atomicWrite(
+        target: File,
+        data: ByteArray,
+    ) {
+        val tempFile = File(target.parentFile, "${target.name}.tmp")
+        tempFile.writeBytes(data)
+        if (!tempFile.renameTo(target)) {
+            tempFile.copyTo(target, overwrite = true)
+            if (!tempFile.delete()) {
+                Log.w(TAG) { "Failed to delete temp file after copy fallback: ${tempFile.absolutePath}" }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    companion object {
+        private const val TAG = "AndroidKeyPackageBundleStore"
+    }
+}
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/marmot/AndroidMarmotMessageStore.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/marmot/AndroidMarmotMessageStore.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..56a32e2e4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/model/marmot/AndroidMarmotMessageStore.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Vitor Pamplona
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
+ * this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
+ * the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use,
+ * copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the
+ * Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+ * subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
+ * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+ * AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
+ * WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+package com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.marmot
+
+import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.model.preferences.KeyStoreEncryption
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.group.MarmotMessageStore
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
+import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
+import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.Mutex
+import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
+import kotlinx.coroutines.withContext
+import java.io.File
+
+/**
+ * Android implementation of [MarmotMessageStore] using file-based encrypted storage.
+ *
+ * Stored alongside the [AndroidMlsGroupStateStore] data:
+ * ```
+ * <rootDir>/mls_groups/<nostrGroupId>/messages    — encrypted message log
+ * ```
+ *
+ * The on-disk format (after decryption) is a sequence of length-prefixed
+ * UTF-8 entries:
+ * ```
+ * uint32 count
+ * for each entry:
+ *   uint32 length
+ *   byte[length] utf8
+ * ```
+ *
+ * The whole blob is rewritten on each append (via atomic rename) — this
+ * keeps encryption simple (one GCM nonce per write) and is acceptable for
+ * conversation-scale histories.
+ */
+class AndroidMarmotMessageStore(
+    private val rootDir: File,
+    private val encryption: KeyStoreEncryption = KeyStoreEncryption(),
+) : MarmotMessageStore {
+    private val writeMutex = Mutex()
+
+    init {
+        Log.d(TAG) {
+            "Initialized AndroidMarmotMessageStore: rootDir=${rootDir.absolutePath}"
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun groupDir(nostrGroupId: String): File {
+        require(nostrGroupId.matches(HEX_PATTERN)) {
+            "Invalid nostrGroupId: must be a hex string"
+        }
+        return File(rootDir, "mls_groups/$nostrGroupId")
+    }
+
+    private fun messagesFile(nostrGroupId: String): File = File(groupDir(nostrGroupId), "messages")
+
+    override suspend fun appendMessage(
+        nostrGroupId: String,
+        innerEventJson: String,
+    ) = withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
+        writeMutex.withLock {
+            try {
+                val existing = readAll(nostrGroupId).toMutableList()
+                existing.add(innerEventJson)
+                writeAll(nostrGroupId, existing)
+                Log.d(TAG) {
+                    "appendMessage($nostrGroupId): now ${existing.size} message(s) persisted"
+                }
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                Log.e(TAG, "appendMessage($nostrGroupId) FAILED: ${e.message}", e)
+                throw e
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    override suspend fun loadMessages(nostrGroupId: String): List<String> =
+        withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
+            try {
+                val messages = readAll(nostrGroupId)
+                Log.d(TAG) {
+                    "loadMessages($nostrGroupId): loaded ${messages.size} message(s)"
+                }
+                messages
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                Log.e(TAG, "loadMessages($nostrGroupId) FAILED: ${e.message}", e)
+                emptyList()
+            }
+        }
+
+    override suspend fun delete(nostrGroupId: String) {
+        withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
+            writeMutex.withLock {
+                val file = messagesFile(nostrGroupId)
+                if (file.exists()) {
+                    Log.w(TAG) { "delete($nostrGroupId): removing ${file.absolutePath}" }
+                    file.delete()
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    private fun readAll(nostrGroupId: String): List<String> {
+        val file = messagesFile(nostrGroupId)
+        if (!file.exists()) return emptyList()
+        val encrypted = file.readBytes()
+        val plain = encryption.decrypt(encrypted) ?: return emptyList()
+        if (plain.size < 4) return emptyList()
+
+        var offset = 0
+        val count =
+            ((plain[offset++].toInt() and 0xFF) shl 24) or
+                ((plain[offset++].toInt() and 0xFF) shl 16) or
+                ((plain[offset++].toInt() and 0xFF) shl 8) or
+                (plain[offset++].toInt() and 0xFF)
+
+        val result = ArrayList<String>(count.coerceAtMost(MAX_MESSAGES))
+        for (i in 0 until count) {
+            if (offset + 4 > plain.size) break
+            val len =
+                ((plain[offset++].toInt() and 0xFF) shl 24) or
+                    ((plain[offset++].toInt() and 0xFF) shl 16) or
+                    ((plain[offset++].toInt() and 0xFF) shl 8) or
+                    (plain[offset++].toInt() and 0xFF)
+            if (len < 0 || offset + len > plain.size) break
+            result.add(plain.copyOfRange(offset, offset + len).decodeToString())
+            offset += len
+        }
+        return result
+    }
+
+    private fun writeAll(
+        nostrGroupId: String,
+        messages: List<String>,
+    ) {
+        val file = messagesFile(nostrGroupId)
+        file.parentFile?.mkdirs()
+
+        val encodedEntries = messages.map { it.encodeToByteArray() }
+        val totalSize = 4 + encodedEntries.sumOf { 4 + it.size }
+        val buffer = ByteArray(totalSize)
+        var offset = 0
+
+        val count = encodedEntries.size
+        buffer[offset++] = (count shr 24).toByte()
+        buffer[offset++] = (count shr 16).toByte()
+        buffer[offset++] = (count shr 8).toByte()
+        buffer[offset++] = count.toByte()
+
+        for (entry in encodedEntries) {
+            val len = entry.size
+            buffer[offset++] = (len shr 24).toByte()
+            buffer[offset++] = (len shr 16).toByte()
+            buffer[offset++] = (len shr 8).toByte()
+            buffer[offset++] = len.toByte()
+            entry.copyInto(buffer, offset)
+            offset += len
+        }
+
+        val encrypted = encryption.encrypt(buffer)
+        atomicWrite(file, encrypted)
+    }
+
+    private fun atomicWrite(
+        target: File,
+        data: ByteArray,
+    ) {
+        val tempFile = File(target.parentFile, "${target.name}.tmp")
+        tempFile.writeBytes(data)
+        if (!tempFile.renameTo(target)) {
+            tempFile.copyTo(target, overwrite = true)
+            if (!tempFile.delete()) {
+                Log.w(TAG) { "Failed to delete temp file after copy fallback: ${tempFile.absolutePath}" }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    companion object {
+        private const val TAG = "AndroidMarmotMessageStore"
+        private const val MAX_MESSAGES = 1_000_000
+        private val HEX_PATTERN = Regex("^[0-9a-fA-F]+$")
+    }
+}
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/notifications/EventNotificationConsumer.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/notifications/EventNotificationConsumer.kt
index 8216d9b68a..e2c6bb47bb 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/notifications/EventNotificationConsumer.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/notifications/EventNotificationConsumer.kt
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.service.relayClient.reqCommand.user.UserFinder
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.note.showAmount
 import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.ui.stringRes
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.experimental.notifications.wake.WakeUpEvent
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.WelcomeResult
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip02Welcome.WelcomeEvent
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.hexToByteArray
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.signers.NostrSigner
@@ -168,6 +170,10 @@ class EventNotificationConsumer(
                     is WakeUpEvent -> {
                         wakeUpFor(innerEvent, innerNote, account)
                     }
+
+                    is WelcomeEvent -> {
+                        notify(innerEvent, account)
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -433,6 +439,67 @@ class EventNotificationConsumer(
         }
     }
 
+    private suspend fun notify(
+        event: WelcomeEvent,
+        account: Account,
+    ) {
+        Log.d(TAG, "New Marmot Welcome to Notify")
+
+        // old event being re-broadcast
+        if (event.createdAt < TimeUtils.fifteenMinutesAgo()) return
+        // a welcome we ourselves emitted
+        if (event.pubKey == account.signer.pubKey) return
+
+        val nostrGroupId = event.nostrGroupId() ?: return
+        val manager = account.marmotManager ?: return
+
+        // Best-effort: process the welcome here so the chatroom is hydrated
+        // before composing the notification body. The push-notification
+        // background path does NOT go through Account.eventProcessor, so
+        // without this the invitee would only join the group later, when
+        // they next open the app and the relay subscription redelivers.
+        if (!manager.isMember(nostrGroupId)) {
+            try {
+                val result = manager.processWelcome(event, nostrGroupId)
+                if (result is WelcomeResult.Joined) {
+                    val chatroom = account.marmotGroupList.getOrCreateGroup(result.nostrGroupId)
+                    manager.syncMetadataTo(result.nostrGroupId, chatroom)
+                    account.marmotGroupList.notifyGroupChanged(result.nostrGroupId)
+                }
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                if (e is CancellationException) throw e
+                Log.w(TAG) { "Failed to process Marmot Welcome from notification path: ${e.message}" }
+            }
+        }
+
+        val chatroom = account.marmotGroupList.getOrCreateGroup(nostrGroupId)
+        val groupName = chatroom.displayName.value?.takeIf { it.isNotBlank() } ?: "a private group"
+        val inviter = LocalCache.getOrCreateUser(event.pubKey)
+        val inviterName = inviter.toBestDisplayName()
+        val inviterPicture = inviter.profilePicture()
+
+        val accountNpub =
+            account.signer.pubKey
+                .hexToByteArray()
+                .toNpub()
+        // marmot:<groupHex>?account=<npub> — parsed by uriToRoute below.
+        val noteUri = "marmot:$nostrGroupId$ACCOUNT_QUERY_PARAM$accountNpub"
+
+        notificationManager()
+            .sendDMNotification(
+                id = event.id,
+                messageBody = "You've been added to $groupName",
+                senderName = inviterName,
+                time = event.createdAt,
+                pictureUrl = inviterPicture,
+                uri = noteUri,
+                applicationContext = applicationContext,
+                accountNpub = accountNpub,
+                accountPictureUrl = account.userProfile().profilePicture(),
+                chatroomMembers = null,
+            )
+    }
+
     suspend fun decryptZapContentAuthor(
         event: LnZapRequestEvent,
         signer: NostrSigner,
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/relayClient/reqCommand/account/marmot/MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/relayClient/reqCommand/account/marmot/MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager.kt
index 6946385521..5457125d48 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/relayClient/reqCommand/account/marmot/MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/relayClient/reqCommand/account/marmot/MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager.kt
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.service.relays.SincePerRelayMap
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.client.INostrClient
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.client.pool.RelayBasedFilter
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.client.subscriptions.Subscription
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
@@ -56,6 +57,9 @@ class MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager(
 
         // Per-group kind:445 filters — route each to the group's own relays
         val groupStates = manager.subscriptionManager.activeGroupIdsSnapshot()
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager.updateFilter: ${groupStates.size} active group(s), fallbackRelays=${fallbackRelays.size}"
+        }
         for (groupId in groupStates) {
             val filter =
                 manager.subscriptionManager.let { sub ->
@@ -77,6 +81,10 @@ class MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager(
                             .normalizeOrNull(it)
                     }?.toSet()
             val relaysForGroup = if (!groupRelays.isNullOrEmpty()) groupRelays else fallbackRelays
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager.updateFilter: group=${groupId.take(8)}… → ${relaysForGroup.size} relay(s) " +
+                    "(metadataRelays=${groupRelays?.size ?: 0}, usingFallback=${groupRelays.isNullOrEmpty()}): ${relaysForGroup.map { it.url }}"
+            }
             for (relay in relaysForGroup) {
                 result.add(RelayBasedFilter(relay = relay, filter = filter))
             }
@@ -90,6 +98,9 @@ class MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager(
             }
         }
 
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager.updateFilter: emitting ${result.size} RelayBasedFilter(s)"
+        }
         return result
     }
 
@@ -105,6 +116,20 @@ class MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager(
                         invalidateFilters()
                     }
                 },
+                // Critical: invalidate the kind:445 filter set whenever a
+                // group is joined (via Welcome processing), created, or
+                // left. Without this the per-group h-tag subscription is
+                // never sent to relays after the initial connect, so an
+                // invitee that just joined a group would never actually
+                // receive any of its messages until the next app restart.
+                key.account.scope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) {
+                    key.account.marmotGroupList.groupListChanges.collect { changedGroupId ->
+                        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                            "MarmotGroupEventsEoseManager: groupListChanges → ${changedGroupId.take(8)}… invalidating filters"
+                        }
+                        invalidateFilters()
+                    }
+                },
             )
 
         return super.newSub(key)
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/relayClient/reqCommand/account/nip59GiftWraps/AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/relayClient/reqCommand/account/nip59GiftWraps/AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager.kt
index ab4de28752..54b9e0fd4d 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/relayClient/reqCommand/account/nip59GiftWraps/AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/service/relayClient/reqCommand/account/nip59GiftWraps/AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager.kt
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.service.relays.SincePerRelayMap
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.client.INostrClient
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.client.pool.RelayBasedFilter
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.client.subscriptions.Subscription
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.FlowPreview
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
@@ -45,7 +46,12 @@ class AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager(
     ): List<RelayBasedFilter> {
         // Only loads DMs if the account is writeable
         return if (key.account.isWriteable()) {
-            key.account.dmRelays.flow.value.flatMap { relay ->
+            val relays = key.account.dmRelays.flow.value
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager.updateFilter: pubkey=${user(key).pubkeyHex.take(8)}… " +
+                    "subscribing kind:1059 on ${relays.size} dmRelay(s): ${relays.map { it.url }}"
+            }
+            relays.flatMap { relay ->
                 filterGiftWrapsToPubkey(
                     relay = relay,
                     pubkey = user(key).pubkeyHex,
@@ -53,6 +59,7 @@ class AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager(
                 )
             }
         } else {
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") { "AccountGiftWrapsEoseManager.updateFilter: account not writeable, skipping" }
             emptyList()
         }
     }
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/MainActivity.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/MainActivity.kt
index 746c69e69b..6871e1aca0 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/MainActivity.kt
@@ -125,6 +125,10 @@ fun isHashtagRoute(uri: String) = uri.startsWith("hashtag?id=") || uri.startsWit
 
 fun isWalletConnectRoute(uri: String) = uri.startsWith("dlnwc?value=") || uri.startsWith("amethyst+walletconnect:dlnwc?value=") || uri.startsWith("amethyst+walletconnect://dlnwc?value=")
 
+fun isMarmotGroupRoute(uri: String) = uri.startsWith("marmot:")
+
+private val MARMOT_HEX = Regex("^[0-9a-fA-F]+$")
+
 fun uriToRoute(
     uri: String,
     account: Account,
@@ -194,6 +198,18 @@ fun uriToRoute(
         }
     }
 
+    if (isMarmotGroupRoute(uri)) {
+        // marmot:<groupHex>?account=<npub>
+        val groupHex =
+            uri
+                .removePrefix("marmot:")
+                .substringBefore("?")
+                .substringBefore("&")
+        if (groupHex.matches(MARMOT_HEX)) {
+            return Route.MarmotGroupChat(groupHex)
+        }
+    }
+
     if (isWalletConnectRoute(uri)) {
         try {
             val url = UriParser(uri)
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/AccountViewModel.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/AccountViewModel.kt
index 8cb6ebac82..1613cecb74 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/AccountViewModel.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/AccountViewModel.kt
@@ -1509,14 +1509,40 @@ class AccountViewModel(
         name: String,
         description: String,
     ) {
-        val currentMetadata =
-            account.marmotManager?.groupMetadata(nostrGroupId)
-                ?: throw IllegalStateException("Group metadata not found")
+        val currentMetadata = account.marmotManager?.groupMetadata(nostrGroupId)
+        // Stamp the inviter's outbox relays into the group metadata so that
+        // every member ends up with a single canonical relay set for kind:445
+        // GroupEvents. Without this, both the inviter and the invitee fall
+        // back to their *own* home/outbox relays — which usually do not
+        // overlap, so kind:445 messages never reach the other side. The
+        // welcome carries the metadata, so the invitee learns the relays at
+        // join time.
+        val outboxRelayStrings =
+            account.outboxRelays.flow.value
+                .map { it.url }
+        val mergedRelays =
+            (currentMetadata?.relays.orEmpty() + outboxRelayStrings)
+                .distinct()
         val updatedMetadata =
-            currentMetadata.copy(
-                name = name,
-                description = description,
-            )
+            if (currentMetadata != null) {
+                currentMetadata.copy(
+                    name = name,
+                    description = description,
+                    relays = mergedRelays,
+                )
+            } else {
+                // No MarmotGroupData extension exists yet — this happens for groups
+                // created before initial metadata was persisted, or right after a
+                // fresh `createMarmotGroup`. Build a brand-new extension with the
+                // creator as the sole admin so the GCE proposal carries valid data.
+                com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip01Groups.MarmotGroupData(
+                    nostrGroupId = nostrGroupId,
+                    name = name,
+                    description = description,
+                    adminPubkeys = listOf(account.signer.pubKey),
+                    relays = mergedRelays,
+                )
+            }
         val relays = marmotGroupRelays(nostrGroupId)
         account.updateMarmotGroupMetadata(nostrGroupId, updatedMetadata, relays)
     }
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/DecryptAndIndexProcessor.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/DecryptAndIndexProcessor.kt
index c55d963f86..62356c6ee0 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/DecryptAndIndexProcessor.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/DecryptAndIndexProcessor.kt
@@ -293,12 +293,27 @@ class GiftWrapEventHandler(
         eventNote: Note,
         publicNote: Note,
     ) {
-        val innerGift = event.unwrapOrNull(account.signer) ?: return
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "GiftWrapEventHandler.processNewGiftWrap: id=${event.id.take(8)}… recipient=${event.recipientPubKey()?.take(8)}…"
+        }
+        val innerGift = event.unwrapOrNull(account.signer)
+        if (innerGift == null) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") {
+                "GiftWrapEventHandler.processNewGiftWrap: unwrap returned null (decrypt failed) for id=${event.id.take(8)}…"
+            }
+            return
+        }
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "GiftWrapEventHandler.processNewGiftWrap: unwrapped innerKind=${innerGift.kind} innerId=${innerGift.id.take(8)}…"
+        }
 
         eventNote.event = event.copyNoContent()
 
         // Check if the unwrapped event is a Marmot WelcomeEvent (kind:444)
         if (MarmotInboundProcessor.isWelcomeEvent(innerGift)) {
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "GiftWrapEventHandler: detected Marmot WelcomeEvent — routing to processMarmotWelcome"
+            }
             processMarmotWelcome(innerGift, eventNote, publicNote)
             return
         }
@@ -315,31 +330,7 @@ class GiftWrapEventHandler(
         eventNote: Note,
         publicNote: Note,
     ) {
-        val manager = account.marmotManager ?: return
-        if (innerEvent !is WelcomeEvent) return
-
-        val nostrGroupId = innerEvent.nostrGroupId() ?: return
-
-        val result = manager.processWelcome(innerEvent, nostrGroupId)
-
-        when (result) {
-            is WelcomeResult.Joined -> {
-                Log.d("GiftWrapEventHandler", "Joined Marmot group ${result.nostrGroupId}")
-
-                // Sync MIP-01 metadata from group extensions to chatroom
-                val chatroom = account.marmotGroupList.getOrCreateGroup(result.nostrGroupId)
-                manager.syncMetadataTo(result.nostrGroupId, chatroom)
-
-                // Rotate KeyPackages if needed
-                if (result.needsKeyPackageRotation) {
-                    account.publishMarmotKeyPackages()
-                }
-            }
-
-            is WelcomeResult.Error -> {
-                Log.w("GiftWrapEventHandler") { "Failed to process Marmot Welcome: ${result.message}" }
-            }
-        }
+        processMarmotWelcomeFlow(innerEvent, account)
     }
 
     private suspend fun processExistingGiftWrap(
@@ -354,6 +345,71 @@ class GiftWrapEventHandler(
     }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Shared Marmot Welcome handler used by both [GiftWrapEventHandler]
+ * (in case a Welcome arrives directly inside a kind:1059 with no Seal
+ * layer) and [SealedRumorEventHandler] (the actual production path —
+ * Welcomes are wrapped GiftWrap → Seal → Welcome per
+ * [com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip02Welcome.WelcomeGiftWrap]).
+ */
+private suspend fun processMarmotWelcomeFlow(
+    innerEvent: Event,
+    account: Account,
+) {
+    Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+        "processMarmotWelcomeFlow: innerKind=${innerEvent.kind} innerId=${innerEvent.id.take(8)}…"
+    }
+    val manager = account.marmotManager
+    if (manager == null) {
+        Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "processMarmotWelcomeFlow: marmotManager is null — Marmot store probably failed to init" }
+        return
+    }
+    if (innerEvent !is WelcomeEvent) {
+        Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "processMarmotWelcomeFlow: inner is not WelcomeEvent (kind=${innerEvent.kind})" }
+        return
+    }
+
+    val nostrGroupId = innerEvent.nostrGroupId()
+    if (nostrGroupId == null) {
+        Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "processMarmotWelcomeFlow: WelcomeEvent missing 'h' tag (nostrGroupId)" }
+        return
+    }
+    Log.d("MarmotDbg") { "processMarmotWelcomeFlow: invoking manager.processWelcome group=${nostrGroupId.take(8)}…" }
+
+    val result = manager.processWelcome(innerEvent, nostrGroupId)
+
+    when (result) {
+        is WelcomeResult.Joined -> {
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "processMarmotWelcomeFlow: Joined ${result.nostrGroupId.take(8)}… needsKeyPackageRotation=${result.needsKeyPackageRotation}"
+            }
+
+            // Sync MIP-01 metadata from group extensions to chatroom
+            val chatroom = account.marmotGroupList.getOrCreateGroup(result.nostrGroupId)
+            manager.syncMetadataTo(result.nostrGroupId, chatroom)
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "processMarmotWelcomeFlow: synced metadata name=${chatroom.displayName.value} " +
+                    "members=${chatroom.memberCount.value} relays=${chatroom.relays.value}"
+            }
+
+            // Notify any open MarmotGroupListScreen that a new invited
+            // group has appeared so it can re-render (the screen
+            // re-runs `loadGroupList` on every emission). Without this,
+            // newly-joined groups only show up after a manual refresh.
+            account.marmotGroupList.notifyGroupChanged(result.nostrGroupId)
+
+            // Rotate KeyPackages if needed
+            if (result.needsKeyPackageRotation) {
+                account.publishMarmotKeyPackages()
+            }
+        }
+
+        is WelcomeResult.Error -> {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "processMarmotWelcomeFlow: ERROR ${result.message}" }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 class SealedRumorEventHandler(
     private val account: Account,
     private val cache: LocalCache,
@@ -389,9 +445,34 @@ class SealedRumorEventHandler(
         eventNote: Note,
         publicNote: Note,
     ) {
-        val innerRumor = event.unsealOrNull(account.signer) ?: return
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "SealedRumorEventHandler.processNewSealedRumor: id=${event.id.take(8)}…"
+        }
+        val innerRumor = event.unsealOrNull(account.signer)
+        if (innerRumor == null) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") {
+                "SealedRumorEventHandler.processNewSealedRumor: unseal returned null for ${event.id.take(8)}…"
+            }
+            return
+        }
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "SealedRumorEventHandler.processNewSealedRumor: unsealed innerKind=${innerRumor.kind} innerId=${innerRumor.id.take(8)}…"
+        }
 
         eventNote.event = event.copyNoContent()
+
+        // Marmot Welcome: GiftWrap → Seal → WelcomeEvent. The Seal handler
+        // is the actual point at which we see the kind:444 inner. Route it
+        // straight to the shared flow — there's no normal LocalCache event
+        // handler for kind:444, so otherwise it would be silently dropped.
+        if (MarmotInboundProcessor.isWelcomeEvent(innerRumor)) {
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "SealedRumorEventHandler: detected Marmot WelcomeEvent inside seal — routing to processMarmotWelcomeFlow"
+            }
+            processMarmotWelcomeFlow(innerRumor, account)
+            return
+        }
+
         cache.justConsume(innerRumor, null, true)
         cache.copyRelaysFromTo(publicNote, innerRumor)
 
@@ -464,49 +545,84 @@ class GroupEventHandler(
         eventNote: Note,
         publicNote: Note,
     ) {
-        val manager = account.marmotManager ?: return
+        Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+            "GroupEventHandler.add: kind:445 id=${event.id.take(8)}… groupId=${event.groupId()?.take(8)}…"
+        }
+        val manager = account.marmotManager
+        if (manager == null) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "GroupEventHandler.add: marmotManager is null" }
+            return
+        }
 
-        val groupId = event.groupId() ?: return
-        if (!manager.isMember(groupId)) return
+        val groupId = event.groupId()
+        if (groupId == null) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "GroupEventHandler.add: kind:445 missing 'h' tag" }
+            return
+        }
+        if (!manager.isMember(groupId)) {
+            Log.w("MarmotDbg") {
+                "GroupEventHandler.add: not a member of group=${groupId.take(8)}… — dropping kind:445 ${event.id.take(8)}…"
+            }
+            return
+        }
 
         try {
             val result = manager.processGroupEvent(event)
+            Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                "GroupEventHandler.add: processGroupEvent returned ${result::class.simpleName} for group=${groupId.take(8)}…"
+            }
 
             when (result) {
                 is GroupEventResult.ApplicationMessage -> {
                     // Parse the inner event JSON and index it
                     val innerEvent = Event.fromJson(result.innerEventJson)
+                    Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                        "GroupEventHandler.add: ApplicationMessage decrypted innerKind=${innerEvent.kind} " +
+                            "innerId=${innerEvent.id.take(8)}… author=${innerEvent.pubKey.take(8)}…"
+                    }
                     if (cache.justConsume(innerEvent, null, false)) {
                         val innerNote = cache.getOrCreateNote(innerEvent.id)
                         innerNote.event = innerEvent
 
                         // Track the message in the Marmot group chatroom
                         account.marmotGroupList.addMessage(result.groupId, innerNote)
+
+                        // Persist the decrypted plaintext so the message
+                        // survives an app restart. Marmot/MLS application
+                        // messages cannot be re-decrypted once the ratchet
+                        // has advanced, so we must capture them here.
+                        manager.persistDecryptedMessage(result.groupId, result.innerEventJson)
+                    } else {
+                        Log.d("MarmotDbg") { "GroupEventHandler.add: inner event already in cache (duplicate)" }
                     }
                 }
 
                 is GroupEventResult.CommitProcessed -> {
-                    Log.d("GroupEventHandler", "Commit processed for group ${result.groupId}, epoch=${result.newEpoch}")
+                    Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                        "GroupEventHandler.add: CommitProcessed group=${result.groupId.take(8)}… newEpoch=${result.newEpoch}"
+                    }
                     // Sync MIP-01 metadata after epoch advance (extensions may have changed)
                     val chatroom = account.marmotGroupList.getOrCreateGroup(result.groupId)
                     manager.syncMetadataTo(result.groupId, chatroom)
                 }
 
                 is GroupEventResult.CommitPending -> {
-                    Log.d("GroupEventHandler", "Commit pending for group ${result.groupId}, epoch=${result.epoch}")
+                    Log.d("MarmotDbg") {
+                        "GroupEventHandler.add: CommitPending group=${result.groupId.take(8)}… epoch=${result.epoch}"
+                    }
                 }
 
                 is GroupEventResult.Duplicate -> {
-                    Log.d("GroupEventHandler") { "Duplicate GroupEvent for group ${result.groupId}" }
+                    Log.d("MarmotDbg") { "GroupEventHandler.add: Duplicate kind:445 for group=${result.groupId.take(8)}…" }
                 }
 
                 is GroupEventResult.Error -> {
-                    Log.w("GroupEventHandler") { "Error processing GroupEvent: ${result.message}" }
+                    Log.w("MarmotDbg") { "GroupEventHandler.add: ERROR ${result.message}" }
                 }
             }
         } catch (e: Exception) {
             if (e is CancellationException) throw e
-            Log.e("GroupEventHandler", "Failed to process GroupEvent", e)
+            Log.e("MarmotDbg", "GroupEventHandler.add: exception processing kind:445", e)
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/marmotGroup/CreateGroupScreen.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/marmotGroup/CreateGroupScreen.kt
index 627cbc1d47..77e42d7a1a 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/marmotGroup/CreateGroupScreen.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/marmotGroup/CreateGroupScreen.kt
@@ -68,11 +68,19 @@ fun CreateGroupScreen(
                         try {
                             val nostrGroupId = RandomInstance.bytes(32).toHexKey()
                             accountViewModel.createMarmotGroup(nostrGroupId)
-                            if (groupName.isNotBlank()) {
-                                accountViewModel.account.marmotGroupList
-                                    .getOrCreateGroup(nostrGroupId)
-                                    .displayName.value = groupName
-                            }
+                            // Always commit an initial metadata extension so that
+                            // (a) the name (if any) is persisted in MLS extensions
+                            //     and survives app restarts,
+                            // (b) the inviter's outbox relays land in the group
+                            //     metadata so every member ends up with the same
+                            //     canonical relay set for kind:445 — without this,
+                            //     invitees would never receive the group's messages.
+                            // Both are handled inside `updateMarmotGroupMetadata`.
+                            accountViewModel.updateMarmotGroupMetadata(
+                                nostrGroupId = nostrGroupId,
+                                name = groupName.trim(),
+                                description = "",
+                            )
                             nav.nav(Route.MarmotGroupChat(nostrGroupId))
                         } catch (e: Exception) {
                             isCreating = false
diff --git a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/marmotGroup/MarmotGroupListScreen.kt b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/marmotGroup/MarmotGroupListScreen.kt
index 586723e493..6154ade01c 100644
--- a/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/marmotGroup/MarmotGroupListScreen.kt
+++ b/amethyst/src/main/java/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/ui/screen/loggedIn/chats/marmotGroup/MarmotGroupListScreen.kt
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ import androidx.compose.material3.HorizontalDivider
 import androidx.compose.material3.Icon
 import androidx.compose.material3.IconButton
 import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
+import androidx.compose.material3.PrimaryTabRow
 import androidx.compose.material3.Scaffold
+import androidx.compose.material3.Tab
 import androidx.compose.material3.Text
 import androidx.compose.material3.TopAppBar
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ fun MarmotGroupListScreen(
     nav: INav,
 ) {
     var groupList by remember { mutableStateOf(listOf<Pair<HexKey, MarmotGroupChatroom>>()) }
+    var selectedTab by remember { mutableStateOf(0) }
 
     // Load group list
     LaunchedEffect(Unit) {
@@ -86,16 +89,13 @@ fun MarmotGroupListScreen(
         }
     }
 
-    // Auto-publish KeyPackage if none exists yet
-    LaunchedEffect(Unit) {
-        if (!accountViewModel.hasPublishedKeyPackage()) {
-            try {
-                accountViewModel.publishMarmotKeyPackage()
-            } catch (_: Exception) {
-                // Silently retry on next screen visit
-            }
-        }
-    }
+    // KeyPackage publishing is handled at Account startup
+    // (Account.ensureMarmotKeyPackagePublished), so this screen no longer
+    // needs to do anything to make sure invitees can find a KeyPackage.
+
+    val knownGroups = remember(groupList) { groupList.filter { it.second.ownerSentMessage } }
+    val newRequestGroups = remember(groupList) { groupList.filter { !it.second.ownerSentMessage } }
+    val visibleGroups = if (selectedTab == 0) knownGroups else newRequestGroups
 
     Scaffold(
         topBar = {
@@ -117,37 +117,70 @@ fun MarmotGroupListScreen(
             }
         },
     ) { padding ->
-        if (groupList.isEmpty()) {
-            Box(
-                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(padding),
-                contentAlignment = Alignment.Center,
-            ) {
-                Column(horizontalAlignment = Alignment.CenterHorizontally) {
-                    Text(
-                        "No groups yet",
-                        style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleMedium,
-                    )
-                    Text(
-                        text = "Create a group or wait for an invitation.",
-                        style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodyMedium,
-                        color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant,
-                        modifier = Modifier.padding(top = 4.dp),
-                    )
-                }
+        Column(modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(padding)) {
+            PrimaryTabRow(selectedTabIndex = selectedTab) {
+                Tab(
+                    selected = selectedTab == 0,
+                    onClick = { selectedTab = 0 },
+                    text = {
+                        Text(
+                            text = if (knownGroups.isEmpty()) "Known" else "Known (${knownGroups.size})",
+                        )
+                    },
+                )
+                Tab(
+                    selected = selectedTab == 1,
+                    onClick = { selectedTab = 1 },
+                    text = {
+                        Text(
+                            text = if (newRequestGroups.isEmpty()) "New Requests" else "New Requests (${newRequestGroups.size})",
+                        )
+                    },
+                )
             }
-        } else {
-            LazyColumn(
-                modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize().padding(padding),
-            ) {
-                items(groupList, key = { it.first }) { (groupId, chatroom) ->
-                    MarmotGroupListItem(
-                        groupId = groupId,
-                        chatroom = chatroom,
-                        onClick = {
-                            nav.nav(Route.MarmotGroupChat(groupId))
-                        },
-                    )
-                    HorizontalDivider()
+
+            if (visibleGroups.isEmpty()) {
+                Box(
+                    modifier =
+                        Modifier
+                            .fillMaxSize()
+                            .padding(horizontal = 32.dp),
+                    contentAlignment = Alignment.Center,
+                ) {
+                    Column(horizontalAlignment = Alignment.CenterHorizontally) {
+                        Text(
+                            text = if (selectedTab == 0) "No groups yet" else "No invitations",
+                            style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleMedium,
+                            textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
+                        )
+                        Text(
+                            text =
+                                if (selectedTab == 0) {
+                                    "Create a group or accept an invitation."
+                                } else {
+                                    "When someone adds you to a group it will show up here until you reply."
+                                },
+                            style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodyMedium,
+                            color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onSurfaceVariant,
+                            textAlign = TextAlign.Center,
+                            modifier = Modifier.padding(top = 4.dp),
+                        )
+                    }
+                }
+            } else {
+                LazyColumn(
+                    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
+                ) {
+                    items(visibleGroups, key = { it.first }) { (groupId, chatroom) ->
+                        MarmotGroupListItem(
+                            groupId = groupId,
+                            chatroom = chatroom,
+                            onClick = {
+                                nav.nav(Route.MarmotGroupChat(groupId))
+                            },
+                        )
+                        HorizontalDivider()
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/marmot/MarmotManager.kt b/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/marmot/MarmotManager.kt
index 027c285351..ef7fea4e1c 100644
--- a/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/marmot/MarmotManager.kt
+++ b/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/marmot/MarmotManager.kt
@@ -29,12 +29,14 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.MarmotWelcomeSender
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.OutboundGroupEvent
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.WelcomeDelivery
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.WelcomeResult
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages.KeyPackageBundleStore
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages.KeyPackageEvent
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages.KeyPackageRotationManager
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages.KeyPackageUtils
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip01Groups.MarmotGroupData
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip02Welcome.WelcomeEvent
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip03GroupMessages.GroupEvent
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.group.MarmotMessageStore
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.group.MlsGroupManager
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.group.MlsGroupStateStore
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.tree.Credential
@@ -63,9 +65,11 @@ import kotlin.io.encoding.ExperimentalEncodingApi
 class MarmotManager(
     val signer: NostrSigner,
     store: MlsGroupStateStore,
+    val messageStore: MarmotMessageStore? = null,
+    val keyPackageStore: KeyPackageBundleStore? = null,
 ) {
     val groupManager = MlsGroupManager(store)
-    val keyPackageRotationManager = KeyPackageRotationManager()
+    val keyPackageRotationManager = KeyPackageRotationManager(keyPackageStore)
     val subscriptionManager = MarmotSubscriptionManager(signer.pubKey)
     val inboundProcessor = MarmotInboundProcessor(groupManager, keyPackageRotationManager)
     val outboundProcessor = MarmotOutboundProcessor(groupManager)
@@ -81,6 +85,9 @@ class MarmotManager(
             groupManager.restoreAll()
             val activeIds = groupManager.activeGroupIds()
             subscriptionManager.syncWithGroupManager(activeIds)
+            // Also restore previously-published KeyPackage bundles so that
+            // Welcomes referencing them remain processable across restarts.
+            keyPackageRotationManager.restoreFromStore()
             Log.d("MarmotManager") { "restoreAll(): done, ${activeIds.size} groups: $activeIds" }
         } catch (e: Exception) {
             Log.e("MarmotManager", "Failed to restore Marmot state", e)
@@ -219,9 +226,43 @@ class MarmotManager(
         // Now clean up group state
         groupManager.removeGroupState(nostrGroupId)
         subscriptionManager.unsubscribeGroup(nostrGroupId)
+        try {
+            messageStore?.delete(nostrGroupId)
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            Log.w("MarmotManager", "Failed to delete persisted messages for $nostrGroupId: ${e.message}")
+        }
         return outboundEvent
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Persist a freshly decrypted inner event for restart recovery.
+     * Marmot MLS application messages cannot be re-decrypted after the
+     * ratchet advances, so the only way to restore them across app restarts
+     * is to capture the plaintext at decryption time.
+     */
+    suspend fun persistDecryptedMessage(
+        nostrGroupId: HexKey,
+        innerEventJson: String,
+    ) {
+        try {
+            messageStore?.appendMessage(nostrGroupId, innerEventJson)
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            Log.w("MarmotManager", "Failed to persist Marmot message for $nostrGroupId: ${e.message}")
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Load all persisted inner event JSONs for a group, in append order.
+     * Returns an empty list if no message store is configured or none exist.
+     */
+    suspend fun loadStoredMessages(nostrGroupId: HexKey): List<String> =
+        try {
+            messageStore?.loadMessages(nostrGroupId) ?: emptyList()
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            Log.w("MarmotManager", "Failed to load persisted messages for $nostrGroupId: ${e.message}")
+            emptyList()
+        }
+
     /**
      * Remove a member from a group.
      * Returns the commit GroupEvent to publish.
@@ -272,7 +313,12 @@ class MarmotManager(
                 relays = relays,
             )
 
-        return signer.sign(template)
+        val signed = signer.sign<KeyPackageEvent>(template)
+        // Welcome receivers identify the consumed KeyPackage by its Nostr
+        // event id (the MIP-02 "e" tag), not by the MLS reference hash, so
+        // remember the mapping right after we know the signed event id.
+        keyPackageRotationManager.recordPublishedEventId(dTagSlot, signed.id)
+        return signed
     }
 
     /**
@@ -298,7 +344,9 @@ class MarmotManager(
                     keyPackageRef = keyPackageRef,
                     relays = relays,
                 )
-            signer.sign<KeyPackageEvent>(template)
+            val signed = signer.sign<KeyPackageEvent>(template)
+            keyPackageRotationManager.recordPublishedEventId(slot, signed.id)
+            signed
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/marmotGroups/MarmotGroupChatroom.kt b/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/marmotGroups/MarmotGroupChatroom.kt
index d39c3fe8ad..54b7f102ed 100644
--- a/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/marmotGroups/MarmotGroupChatroom.kt
+++ b/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/marmotGroups/MarmotGroupChatroom.kt
@@ -49,6 +49,14 @@ class MarmotGroupChatroom(
     var newestMessage: Note? = null
     val unreadCount = MutableStateFlow(0)
 
+    /**
+     * True if the local user has ever sent an application message in this
+     * group, OR explicitly created/owns it. Used by list UIs to split groups
+     * into "Known" vs "New Requests" — invitees that have not yet replied
+     * stay in "New Requests" until they participate.
+     */
+    var ownerSentMessage: Boolean = false
+
     private var changesFlow: WeakReference<MutableSharedFlow<ListChange<Note>>> = WeakReference(null)
 
     fun changesFlow(): MutableSharedFlow<ListChange<Note>> {
@@ -81,6 +89,29 @@ class MarmotGroupChatroom(
         return false
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Add a message that is being restored from persistent storage on app
+     * startup. Behaves like [addMessageSync] but does NOT bump the unread
+     * count — restored messages were already seen by the user in a previous
+     * session.
+     */
+    @Synchronized
+    fun restoreMessageSync(msg: Note): Boolean {
+        if (msg !in messages) {
+            messages = messages + msg
+            msg.addGatherer(this)
+
+            val createdAt = msg.createdAt() ?: 0L
+            if (createdAt > (newestMessage?.createdAt() ?: 0L)) {
+                newestMessage = msg
+            }
+
+            changesFlow.get()?.tryEmit(ListChange.Addition(msg))
+            return true
+        }
+        return false
+    }
+
     @Synchronized
     fun removeMessageSync(msg: Note): Boolean {
         if (msg in messages) {
diff --git a/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/marmotGroups/MarmotGroupList.kt b/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/marmotGroups/MarmotGroupList.kt
index c6eb34378a..30d6930853 100644
--- a/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/marmotGroups/MarmotGroupList.kt
+++ b/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/marmotGroups/MarmotGroupList.kt
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableSharedFlow
  * Tracks all Marmot MLS group chatrooms for an account.
  * Follows the same pattern as [com.vitorpamplona.amethyst.commons.model.privateChats.ChatroomList].
  */
-class MarmotGroupList {
+class MarmotGroupList(
+    val ownerPubKey: HexKey,
+) {
     var rooms = LargeCache<HexKey, MarmotGroupChatroom>()
         private set
 
@@ -44,11 +46,69 @@ class MarmotGroupList {
         msg: Note,
     ) {
         val chatroom = getOrCreateGroup(nostrGroupId)
-        if (chatroom.addMessageSync(msg)) {
+        val isSelfAuthored = msg.author?.pubkeyHex == ownerPubKey
+        // Use the quiet path for our own messages so the relay round-trip
+        // doesn't mark the user's own outgoing message as unread.
+        val added =
+            if (isSelfAuthored) {
+                chatroom.restoreMessageSync(msg)
+            } else {
+                chatroom.addMessageSync(msg)
+            }
+        if (added) {
+            if (isSelfAuthored) {
+                chatroom.ownerSentMessage = true
+            }
             _groupListChanges.tryEmit(nostrGroupId)
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Add a message that was restored from persistent storage at app startup.
+     * Does not bump the chatroom's unread counter.
+     */
+    fun restoreMessage(
+        nostrGroupId: HexKey,
+        msg: Note,
+    ) {
+        val chatroom = getOrCreateGroup(nostrGroupId)
+        if (chatroom.restoreMessageSync(msg)) {
+            if (msg.author?.pubkeyHex == ownerPubKey) {
+                chatroom.ownerSentMessage = true
+            }
+            _groupListChanges.tryEmit(nostrGroupId)
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Mark a group as "known" by the local user — used right after the user
+     * creates a group, so the creator doesn't appear under "New Requests"
+     * until they post their first message.
+     */
+    fun markAsKnown(nostrGroupId: HexKey) {
+        val chatroom = getOrCreateGroup(nostrGroupId)
+        if (!chatroom.ownerSentMessage) {
+            chatroom.ownerSentMessage = true
+            _groupListChanges.tryEmit(nostrGroupId)
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Notify subscribers that a group's state has changed (e.g., the invitee
+     * just joined via a Welcome and metadata was synced into the chatroom).
+     * Used when no message addition occurs but the list UI should refresh.
+     */
+    fun notifyGroupChanged(nostrGroupId: HexKey) {
+        _groupListChanges.tryEmit(nostrGroupId)
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Whether the local user has ever sent a message in this group (or
+     * explicitly created it). Mirrors `ChatroomList.hasSentMessagesTo` for
+     * private DMs.
+     */
+    fun hasSentMessagesTo(nostrGroupId: HexKey): Boolean = rooms.get(nostrGroupId)?.ownerSentMessage == true
+
     fun removeMessage(
         nostrGroupId: HexKey,
         msg: Note,
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/MarmotInboundProcessor.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/MarmotInboundProcessor.kt
index df7bbab55a..d4b46997b2 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/MarmotInboundProcessor.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/MarmotInboundProcessor.kt
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.framing.WireFormat
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.group.MlsGroupManager
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.hexToByteArray
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.Mutex
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
 import kotlin.io.encoding.Base64
@@ -229,6 +228,10 @@ class MarmotInboundProcessor(
         nostrGroupId: HexKey,
     ): WelcomeResult =
         try {
+            com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
+                .d("MarmotDbg") {
+                    "MarmotInboundProcessor.processWelcome: group=${nostrGroupId.take(8)}… eventId=${welcomeEvent.id.take(8)}…"
+                }
             // Validate the caller-provided nostrGroupId matches the Welcome event's own h tag
             val eventGroupId = welcomeEvent.nostrGroupId()
             if (eventGroupId != null && eventGroupId != nostrGroupId) {
@@ -242,26 +245,49 @@ class MarmotInboundProcessor(
             if (keyPackageEventId == null) {
                 return WelcomeResult.Error("WelcomeEvent missing KeyPackage event ID tag")
             }
+            com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
+                .d("MarmotDbg") {
+                    "MarmotInboundProcessor.processWelcome: welcomeBytes=${welcomeBytes.size}B looking up KeyPackage by ref=${keyPackageEventId.take(8)}…"
+                }
 
-            // Find the KeyPackageBundle that was consumed
-            val bundle =
-                keyPackageRotationManager.findBundleByRef(
-                    hexToBytes(keyPackageEventId),
-                ) ?: return WelcomeResult.Error(
+            // Find the KeyPackageBundle that was consumed.
+            //
+            // The Welcome's "e" tag carries the *Nostr event id* of the
+            // kind:30443 event (NOT the MLS reference hash), so we must
+            // resolve it via the eventId→slot index that
+            // [MarmotManager.generateKeyPackageEvent] populates after
+            // signing each KeyPackageEvent.
+            val bundle = keyPackageRotationManager.findBundleByEventId(keyPackageEventId)
+            if (bundle == null) {
+                com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
+                    .w("MarmotDbg") {
+                        "MarmotInboundProcessor.processWelcome: NO matching KeyPackageBundle for eventId=${keyPackageEventId.take(8)}… " +
+                            "— inviter referenced a KeyPackage we don't have private keys for. " +
+                            "Either the bundle was generated in a previous session and never persisted, " +
+                            "or this account never published this KeyPackage."
+                    }
+                return WelcomeResult.Error(
                     "No matching KeyPackageBundle found for event $keyPackageEventId",
                 )
+            }
+            com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
+                .d("MarmotDbg") { "MarmotInboundProcessor.processWelcome: bundle found — invoking groupManager.processWelcome" }
 
             // Join the group
             groupManager.processWelcome(nostrGroupId, welcomeBytes, bundle)
+            com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
+                .d("MarmotDbg") { "MarmotInboundProcessor.processWelcome: groupManager.processWelcome succeeded for ${nostrGroupId.take(8)}…" }
 
             // Mark the KeyPackage as consumed — triggers rotation
-            keyPackageRotationManager.markConsumedByRef(hexToBytes(keyPackageEventId))
+            keyPackageRotationManager.markConsumedByEventId(keyPackageEventId)
 
             WelcomeResult.Joined(
                 nostrGroupId = nostrGroupId,
                 needsKeyPackageRotation = keyPackageRotationManager.needsRotation(),
             )
         } catch (e: Exception) {
+            com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
+                .w("MarmotDbg", "MarmotInboundProcessor.processWelcome: exception ${e.message}", e)
             WelcomeResult.Error("Failed to process Welcome: ${e.message}", e)
         }
 
@@ -455,9 +481,4 @@ class MarmotInboundProcessor(
             "Outer decryption failed with current and ${retainedKeys.size} retained epoch key(s)",
         )
     }
-
-    private fun hexToBytes(hex: HexKey?): ByteArray {
-        if (hex == null) return ByteArray(0)
-        return hex.hexToByteArray()
-    }
 }
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mip00KeyPackages/KeyPackageBundleStore.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mip00KeyPackages/KeyPackageBundleStore.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..edfcc6fe07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mip00KeyPackages/KeyPackageBundleStore.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Vitor Pamplona
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
+ * this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
+ * the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use,
+ * copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the
+ * Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+ * subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
+ * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+ * AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
+ * WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages
+
+/**
+ * Encrypted local storage for the [KeyPackageRotationManager]'s state.
+ *
+ * KeyPackageBundles contain private key material (init key, encryption key,
+ * signature key) that the local user MUST retain on disk so they can process
+ * Welcome events the inviter sends days or weeks after publishing the
+ * KeyPackage. Without this storage, every app restart would discard the
+ * bundles and the user would have to re-publish a fresh KeyPackage —
+ * meanwhile, any inviter holding the old (now-orphaned) KeyPackage would be
+ * unable to add them to a group, because the matching private key is gone.
+ *
+ * Implementations MUST encrypt all data at rest. The persisted blob is a
+ * single opaque snapshot of the rotation manager state — both the active
+ * bundles map and the pending-rotation set are serialized together so they
+ * stay consistent across crashes.
+ */
+interface KeyPackageBundleStore {
+    /**
+     * Persist a snapshot of the rotation manager state.
+     * Overwrites any previously saved state.
+     *
+     * @param snapshot opaque encoded bytes from
+     *   [KeyPackageRotationManager.snapshotBytes]
+     */
+    suspend fun save(snapshot: ByteArray)
+
+    /**
+     * Load a previously saved snapshot, or null if none exists.
+     */
+    suspend fun load(): ByteArray?
+
+    /**
+     * Delete the persisted state (e.g., when wiping the account).
+     */
+    suspend fun delete()
+}
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mip00KeyPackages/KeyPackageRotationManager.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mip00KeyPackages/KeyPackageRotationManager.kt
index e030d4583a..c10e039017 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mip00KeyPackages/KeyPackageRotationManager.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mip00KeyPackages/KeyPackageRotationManager.kt
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
  */
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mip00KeyPackages
 
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.codec.TlsReader
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.codec.TlsWriter
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.crypto.Ed25519
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.crypto.MlsCryptoProvider
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.crypto.X25519
@@ -30,6 +32,8 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.tree.Credential
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.tree.LeafNode
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.tree.LeafNodeSource
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.tree.Lifetime
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.Log
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.utils.TimeUtils
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.Mutex
 import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
@@ -51,11 +55,189 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
  * Per MIP-00 spec, each user should maintain up to [KeyPackageUtils.MAX_SLOTS]
  * KeyPackage slots, rotating consumed ones promptly.
  */
-class KeyPackageRotationManager {
+class KeyPackageRotationManager(
+    private val store: KeyPackageBundleStore? = null,
+) {
     private val mutex = Mutex()
     private val activeBundles = mutableMapOf<String, KeyPackageBundle>()
     private val pendingRotations = mutableSetOf<String>()
 
+    /**
+     * Maps the Nostr event id (kind:30443) of a published KeyPackage to the
+     * d-tag slot whose bundle backs it. The welcome event references its
+     * consumed KeyPackage by Nostr event id (the MIP-02 "e" tag), but
+     * [activeBundles] is keyed by d-tag slot — so we need this side index
+     * to recover the matching bundle on the receive side.
+     *
+     * Populated by [recordPublishedEventId], which is called right after
+     * the kind:30443 event is signed (the event id is only known then).
+     * Also persisted in the snapshot so it survives app restart.
+     */
+    private val eventIdToSlot = mutableMapOf<String, String>()
+
+    /**
+     * Restore previously persisted bundles + rotation state from [store].
+     * Call once at startup before any other use of this manager.
+     * Safe to call when no store is configured (no-op in that case).
+     *
+     * NOTE: v1 snapshots are deliberately NOT loaded. v1 predates the
+     * `eventIdToSlot` index, so any bundles it holds would be unreachable
+     * to the Welcome path (which looks up bundles by Nostr event id). The
+     * cleanest upgrade is to discard the v1 state, let
+     * `Account.ensureMarmotKeyPackagePublished` regenerate + republish
+     * fresh KeyPackages, and rely on d-tag replacement on relays to
+     * replace the stale kind:30443 events.
+     */
+    suspend fun restoreFromStore() {
+        val store = store ?: return
+        val bytes =
+            try {
+                store.load()
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                Log.w("KeyPackageRotationManager", "Failed to load persisted KeyPackages: ${e.message}")
+                null
+            } ?: return
+        try {
+            val decoded = decodeSnapshot(bytes)
+            if (decoded == null) {
+                Log.w("KeyPackageRotationManager") {
+                    "Discarding legacy v1 KeyPackage snapshot — bundles will be regenerated and republished"
+                }
+                // Drop any state the caller may have set and force
+                // `ensureMarmotKeyPackagePublished` to publish fresh ones.
+                try {
+                    store.delete()
+                } catch (e: Exception) {
+                    Log.w("KeyPackageRotationManager", "Failed to delete legacy snapshot: ${e.message}")
+                }
+                return
+            }
+
+            // v2 snapshot: if bundles were restored but the eventId
+            // index is empty (upgrade corner case, or a corrupted save),
+            // the bundles are effectively unreachable — wipe them too
+            // so a fresh publish happens.
+            if (decoded.bundles.isNotEmpty() && decoded.eventIdToSlot.isEmpty()) {
+                Log.w("KeyPackageRotationManager") {
+                    "Restored ${decoded.bundles.size} bundle(s) but no eventId→slot mapping — discarding, will republish"
+                }
+                try {
+                    store.delete()
+                } catch (e: Exception) {
+                    Log.w("KeyPackageRotationManager", "Failed to delete stale snapshot: ${e.message}")
+                }
+                return
+            }
+
+            mutex.withLock {
+                activeBundles.clear()
+                activeBundles.putAll(decoded.bundles)
+                pendingRotations.clear()
+                pendingRotations.addAll(decoded.pending)
+                eventIdToSlot.clear()
+                eventIdToSlot.putAll(decoded.eventIdToSlot)
+            }
+            Log.d("KeyPackageRotationManager") {
+                "Restored ${decoded.bundles.size} active KeyPackage bundle(s), " +
+                    "${decoded.pending.size} pending rotation, ${decoded.eventIdToSlot.size} eventId mapping(s)"
+            }
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            Log.w("KeyPackageRotationManager", "Failed to decode persisted KeyPackages: ${e.message}")
+        }
+    }
+
+    private data class Snapshot(
+        val bundles: Map<String, KeyPackageBundle>,
+        val pending: Set<String>,
+        val eventIdToSlot: Map<String, String>,
+    )
+
+    /**
+     * Encode the current rotation manager state to opaque bytes for
+     * persistence. Caller must hold the mutex.
+     */
+    private fun snapshotBytesUnlocked(): ByteArray {
+        val writer = TlsWriter()
+        // version
+        writer.putUint16(SNAPSHOT_VERSION)
+        // active bundles
+        writer.putUint32(activeBundles.size.toLong())
+        for ((slot, bundle) in activeBundles) {
+            writer.putOpaque2(slot.encodeToByteArray())
+            writer.putOpaque4(bundle.keyPackage.toTlsBytes())
+            writer.putOpaque2(bundle.initPrivateKey)
+            writer.putOpaque2(bundle.encryptionPrivateKey)
+            writer.putOpaque2(bundle.signaturePrivateKey)
+        }
+        // pending rotations
+        writer.putUint32(pendingRotations.size.toLong())
+        for (slot in pendingRotations) {
+            writer.putOpaque2(slot.encodeToByteArray())
+        }
+        // eventId → slot (added in v2)
+        writer.putUint32(eventIdToSlot.size.toLong())
+        for ((eventId, slot) in eventIdToSlot) {
+            writer.putOpaque2(eventId.encodeToByteArray())
+            writer.putOpaque2(slot.encodeToByteArray())
+        }
+        return writer.toByteArray()
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Decode the persisted snapshot. Returns null if the on-disk version
+     * is older than the current [SNAPSHOT_VERSION] and should be discarded
+     * by the caller (see [restoreFromStore] for the rationale).
+     */
+    private fun decodeSnapshot(bytes: ByteArray): Snapshot? {
+        val reader = TlsReader(bytes)
+        val version = reader.readUint16()
+        if (version != SNAPSHOT_VERSION) {
+            // Older / unknown snapshot version — tell the caller to
+            // discard it rather than loading partial state.
+            return null
+        }
+        val numBundles = reader.readUint32().toInt()
+        val bundles = mutableMapOf<String, KeyPackageBundle>()
+        repeat(numBundles) {
+            val slot = reader.readOpaque2().decodeToString()
+            val kpBytes = reader.readOpaque4()
+            val keyPackage = MlsKeyPackage.decodeTls(TlsReader(kpBytes))
+            val initPriv = reader.readOpaque2()
+            val encPriv = reader.readOpaque2()
+            val sigPriv = reader.readOpaque2()
+            bundles[slot] = KeyPackageBundle(keyPackage, initPriv, encPriv, sigPriv)
+        }
+        val numPending = reader.readUint32().toInt()
+        val pending = mutableSetOf<String>()
+        repeat(numPending) {
+            pending.add(reader.readOpaque2().decodeToString())
+        }
+        val eventIdMap = mutableMapOf<String, String>()
+        if (reader.hasRemaining) {
+            val numEventIds = reader.readUint32().toInt()
+            repeat(numEventIds) {
+                val eventId = reader.readOpaque2().decodeToString()
+                val slot = reader.readOpaque2().decodeToString()
+                eventIdMap[eventId] = slot
+            }
+        }
+        return Snapshot(bundles, pending, eventIdMap)
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Persist the current state to [store]. Caller must hold the mutex.
+     * Best-effort: persistence failures are logged but don't propagate, so
+     * a failing disk write never breaks an in-flight Welcome / addMember.
+     */
+    private suspend fun persistUnlocked() {
+        val store = store ?: return
+        try {
+            store.save(snapshotBytesUnlocked())
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            Log.w("KeyPackageRotationManager", "Failed to persist KeyPackages: ${e.message}")
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Generate a new KeyPackage and its associated private bundle.
      *
@@ -98,6 +280,7 @@ class KeyPackageRotationManager {
         val bundle = KeyPackageBundle(keyPackage, initKp.privateKey, encKp.privateKey, sigKp.privateKey)
         mutex.withLock {
             activeBundles[dTagSlot] = bundle
+            persistUnlocked()
         }
         return bundle
     }
@@ -110,7 +293,13 @@ class KeyPackageRotationManager {
 
     /**
      * Find the bundle whose KeyPackage reference matches the given ref.
-     * Used when we receive a Welcome and need to find the matching bundle.
+     * Used when we receive a Welcome and need to find the matching bundle
+     * via the MLS-spec KeyPackageRef hash.
+     *
+     * NOTE: a Marmot Welcome's "e" tag actually carries the *Nostr event id*
+     * of the kind:30443 event, NOT the MLS reference hash, so the welcome
+     * receive path must use [findBundleByEventId] instead. This function
+     * remains for any callers that genuinely need the MLS-ref lookup.
      */
     suspend fun findBundleByRef(keyPackageRef: ByteArray): KeyPackageBundle? =
         mutex.withLock {
@@ -119,6 +308,35 @@ class KeyPackageRotationManager {
             }
         }
 
+    /**
+     * Find the bundle for a KeyPackage that was published as the given
+     * Nostr event id (kind:30443). This is the lookup used by Welcome
+     * processing — the "e" tag in a [WelcomeEvent] is the Nostr event id.
+     *
+     * Requires [recordPublishedEventId] to have been called for the slot
+     * after the kind:30443 event was signed.
+     */
+    suspend fun findBundleByEventId(eventId: HexKey): KeyPackageBundle? =
+        mutex.withLock {
+            val slot = eventIdToSlot[eventId] ?: return@withLock null
+            activeBundles[slot]
+        }
+
+    /**
+     * Record that the bundle for [dTagSlot] has been published as the
+     * kind:30443 event with [eventId]. Call this immediately after signing
+     * the event template (the Nostr event id is only known once the event
+     * has been signed). The mapping is persisted alongside the bundles so
+     * it survives app restart.
+     */
+    suspend fun recordPublishedEventId(
+        dTagSlot: String,
+        eventId: HexKey,
+    ) = mutex.withLock {
+        eventIdToSlot[eventId] = dTagSlot
+        persistUnlocked()
+    }
+
     /**
      * Mark a KeyPackage slot as consumed (used in a Welcome).
      * The slot will be included in [pendingRotationSlots] and should be
@@ -127,7 +345,11 @@ class KeyPackageRotationManager {
     suspend fun markConsumed(dTagSlot: String) =
         mutex.withLock {
             activeBundles.remove(dTagSlot)
+            // Drop any eventId mappings that pointed at this slot.
+            val staleEventIds = eventIdToSlot.entries.filter { it.value == dTagSlot }.map { it.key }
+            staleEventIds.forEach { eventIdToSlot.remove(it) }
             pendingRotations.add(dTagSlot)
+            persistUnlocked()
         }
 
     /**
@@ -140,11 +362,29 @@ class KeyPackageRotationManager {
                     bundle.keyPackage.reference().contentEquals(keyPackageRef)
                 }
             if (entry != null) {
-                activeBundles.remove(entry.key)
-                pendingRotations.add(entry.key)
+                val consumedSlot = entry.key
+                activeBundles.remove(consumedSlot)
+                val staleEventIds = eventIdToSlot.entries.filter { it.value == consumedSlot }.map { it.key }
+                staleEventIds.forEach { eventIdToSlot.remove(it) }
+                pendingRotations.add(consumedSlot)
+                persistUnlocked()
             }
         }
 
+    /**
+     * Mark a slot as consumed by Nostr event id (the value carried by the
+     * Welcome's "e" tag). Companion to [findBundleByEventId].
+     */
+    suspend fun markConsumedByEventId(eventId: HexKey) =
+        mutex.withLock {
+            val slot = eventIdToSlot[eventId] ?: return@withLock
+            activeBundles.remove(slot)
+            val staleEventIds = eventIdToSlot.entries.filter { it.value == slot }.map { it.key }
+            staleEventIds.forEach { eventIdToSlot.remove(it) }
+            pendingRotations.add(slot)
+            persistUnlocked()
+        }
+
     /**
      * Get the d-tag slots that need rotation (KeyPackage was consumed).
      */
@@ -157,6 +397,7 @@ class KeyPackageRotationManager {
     suspend fun clearPendingRotation(dTagSlot: String) =
         mutex.withLock {
             pendingRotations.remove(dTagSlot)
+            persistUnlocked()
         }
 
     /**
@@ -184,6 +425,7 @@ class KeyPackageRotationManager {
         val bundle = generateKeyPackage(identity, dTagSlot)
         mutex.withLock {
             pendingRotations.remove(dTagSlot)
+            persistUnlocked()
         }
         return bundle
     }
@@ -233,5 +475,12 @@ class KeyPackageRotationManager {
 
         /** Proactive rotation after 7 days even if not consumed */
         const val MAX_KEY_PACKAGE_AGE_SECONDS = 7L * 24 * 60 * 60
+
+        /**
+         * On-disk snapshot format version for [KeyPackageBundleStore].
+         * v1: bundles + pendingRotations
+         * v2: + eventIdToSlot map (so welcome lookup by Nostr event id works)
+         */
+        private const val SNAPSHOT_VERSION = 2
     }
 }
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mls/group/MarmotMessageStore.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mls/group/MarmotMessageStore.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..03fc3cede3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/marmot/mls/group/MarmotMessageStore.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2025 Vitor Pamplona
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
+ * this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in
+ * the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use,
+ * copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the
+ * Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
+ * subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ * The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ * copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ * IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR
+ * COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN
+ * AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
+ * WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+ */
+package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.marmot.mls.group
+
+/**
+ * Encrypted local storage for decrypted Marmot inner event JSONs.
+ *
+ * Marmot MLS group messages are encrypted with per-message ratchet keys that
+ * advance as each message is decrypted. After the ratchet has advanced past
+ * a message, that ciphertext can no longer be decrypted — even by its
+ * original recipient. To make group history survive app restarts we must
+ * persist the *plaintext* inner events at the moment they are first
+ * decrypted, rather than relying on relay redelivery.
+ *
+ * Implementations MUST encrypt all data at rest — the stored blobs contain
+ * the contents of private group conversations.
+ *
+ * Each group's messages are stored independently, keyed by the hex-encoded
+ * Nostr group ID (the `h` tag value from MIP-01).
+ */
+interface MarmotMessageStore {
+    /**
+     * Append a decrypted inner event JSON to the group's persisted message log.
+     * Implementations should be tolerant to duplicate appends.
+     *
+     * @param nostrGroupId hex-encoded Nostr group ID
+     * @param innerEventJson the decrypted inner Nostr event JSON (e.g., kind:9 chat)
+     */
+    suspend fun appendMessage(
+        nostrGroupId: String,
+        innerEventJson: String,
+    )
+
+    /**
+     * Load all persisted inner event JSONs for a group, in append order.
+     *
+     * @param nostrGroupId hex-encoded Nostr group ID
+     * @return list of inner event JSON strings, empty if none
+     */
+    suspend fun loadMessages(nostrGroupId: String): List<String>
+
+    /**
+     * Delete all persisted messages for a group (after leaving).
+     *
+     * @param nostrGroupId hex-encoded Nostr group ID
+     */
+    suspend fun delete(nostrGroupId: String)
+}