diff --git a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/press/mantra/compose/database/dao/NostrDao.kt b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/press/mantra/compose/database/dao/NostrDao.kt
index 9533c89e..26a35736 100644
--- a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/press/mantra/compose/database/dao/NostrDao.kt
+++ b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/press/mantra/compose/database/dao/NostrDao.kt
@@ -670,41 +670,11 @@ abstract class NostrDao(
                                                         }
                                                     }
 
-                                            if (chatMessageRelayListEvent != null) {
-                                                // Sync messages from this relay that were sent by us
-                                                val synchronizationFilter =
-                                                    SynchronizationFilter(
-                                                        kinds = arrayOf(
-                                                            GiftWrapEvent.KIND,
-                                                        ),
-                                                        authors = arrayOf(
-                                                            userPublicKey
-                                                        ),
-                                                        tags = mapOf(
-                                                            Pair(
-                                                                "p",
-                                                                listOf(participant.participantPublicKey)
-                                                            )
-                                                        ),
-                                                        limit = 50
-                                                    )
-                                                database.negentropySynchronizeRequestDao()
-                                                    .insert(
-                                                        chatMessageRelayListEvent.relays()
-                                                            .map { normalizedRelayUrl ->
-                                                                NegentropySynchronizeRequest(
-                                                                    id = NegentropySynchronizeRequest.computeId(
-                                                                        relayURL = normalizedRelayUrl.url,
-                                                                        synchronizationFilter = synchronizationFilter
-                                                                    ),
-                                                                    purpose = "sent-messages",
-                                                                    synchronizationFilter = synchronizationFilter,
-                                                                    relayURL = normalizedRelayUrl.url,
-                                                                    level = 0
-                                                                )
-                                                            }
-                                                    )
-                                            } else {
+                                            // Nothing to sync when we do have the relay list: a gift
+                                            // wrap is authored by a throwaway key, so authors=us matched
+                                            // nothing and this request was always empty. Our own inbox is
+                                            // synced by p-tag on the chat room list instead.
+                                            if (chatMessageRelayListEvent == null) {
                                                 logger.w("We don't have a chatMessageRelayListEvent for the pubkey $publicKey")
 
                                                 // Sync ChatMessageRelayListEvent publicKey...
@@ -906,35 +876,9 @@ abstract class NostrDao(
                                             }
                                         }
 
-                                        if (chatMessageRelayListEvent != null) {
-                                            // Sync messages from this relay that were sent by us
-                                            val synchronizationFilter = SynchronizationFilter(
-                                                kinds = arrayOf(
-                                                    GiftWrapEvent.KIND,
-                                                ),
-                                                authors = arrayOf(
-                                                    userPublicKey
-                                                ),
-                                                tags = mapOf(
-                                                    Pair("p", listOf(participant.participantPublicKey))
-                                                ),
-                                                limit = 50
-                                            )
-                                            database.negentropySynchronizeRequestDao().insert(
-                                                chatMessageRelayListEvent.relays().map { normalizedRelayUrl ->
-                                                    NegentropySynchronizeRequest(
-                                                        id = NegentropySynchronizeRequest.computeId(
-                                                            relayURL = normalizedRelayUrl.url,
-                                                            synchronizationFilter = synchronizationFilter
-                                                        ),
-                                                        purpose = "sent-messages",
-                                                        synchronizationFilter = synchronizationFilter,
-                                                        relayURL = normalizedRelayUrl.url,
-                                                        level = 0
-                                                    )
-                                                }
-                                            )
-                                        } else {
+                                        // See the identical block above: authors=us never matches a
+                                        // gift wrap, so only the missing-relay-list case has work to do.
+                                        if (chatMessageRelayListEvent == null) {
                                             logger.w("We don't have a chatMessageRelayListEvent for the pubkey $publicKey")
 
                                             // Sync ChatMessageRelayListEvent publicKey...
diff --git a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/press/mantra/compose/ui/view/model/ChatMessageListViewModel.kt b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/press/mantra/compose/ui/view/model/ChatMessageListViewModel.kt
index 2d2a20d6..1a5d0357 100755
--- a/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/press/mantra/compose/ui/view/model/ChatMessageListViewModel.kt
+++ b/composeApp/src/commonMain/kotlin/press/mantra/compose/ui/view/model/ChatMessageListViewModel.kt
@@ -123,15 +123,19 @@ class ChatMessageListViewModel(
                     val chatMessageRelayListEvent = chatRepository.getChatMessageRelayForPublicKey(recipients.participant.participantPublicKey)
 
                     val relayAndSynchronizationFilter = if (chatMessageRelayListEvent != null) {
-                        // Sync messages from this relay...
+                        // Refresh our own inbox. A wrap names only its recipient, so
+                        // "the messages in this conversation" is not something a filter
+                        // can ask for, and the recipient's relays hold their mail, not
+                        // ours. p-tagging the peer here fetched other people's wraps,
+                        // which no key of ours can open.
                         Pair(
-                            chatMessageRelayListEvent.relays(),
+                            Relays.DefaultDMRelayList,
                             SynchronizationFilter(
                                 kinds = arrayOf(
                                     GiftWrapEvent.KIND,
                                 ),
                                 tags = mapOf(
-                                    Pair("p", listOf(recipients.participant.participantPublicKey))
+                                    Pair("p", listOf(localChatRoom.chatRoom.userPublicKey))
                                 ),
                                 limit = 50
                             )
@@ -166,7 +170,7 @@ class ChatMessageListViewModel(
                             purpose = if (isReceiverChatMessageRelayListMissing.value) {
                                 "chat-message-relays"
                             } else {
-                                "sent-messages"
+                                "chat"
                             },
                             synchronizationFilter = relayAndSynchronizationFilter.second,
                             relayURL = normalizedRelayUrl.url,