diff --git a/src/components/NoteStats/RepostButton.tsx b/src/components/NoteStats/RepostButton.tsx
index 5bcbba98..9b1b24e6 100644
--- a/src/components/NoteStats/RepostButton.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NoteStats/RepostButton.tsx
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ export function RepostButtonWithStats({ event, hideCount = false, noteStats }: R
   const [reposting, setReposting] = useState(false)
   const [isPostDialogOpen, setIsPostDialogOpen] = useState(false)
   const [isDrawerOpen, setIsDrawerOpen] = useState(false)
+  const statsLoaded = noteStats?.updatedAt != null
   const { repostCount, hasReposted } = useMemo(() => {
     return {
       repostCount: hideUntrustedInteractions
@@ -49,7 +50,8 @@ export function RepostButtonWithStats({ event, hideCount = false, noteStats }: R
         : noteStats?.reposts?.length,
       hasReposted: pubkey ? noteStats?.repostPubkeySet?.has(pubkey) : false
     }
-  }, [noteStats, event.id, hideUntrustedInteractions])
+  }, [noteStats, event.id, hideUntrustedInteractions, isUserTrusted])
+  const showRepostCount = !hideCount && (statsLoaded || (repostCount ?? 0) > 0)
   const canRepost = !hasReposted && !reposting
 
   const repost = async () => {
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ export function RepostButtonWithStats({ event, hideCount = false, noteStats }: R
       }}
     >
       {reposting ? <Skeleton className="size-4 shrink-0 rounded-full" aria-hidden /> : <Repeat />}
-      {!hideCount && !!repostCount && <div className="text-sm">{formatCount(repostCount)}</div>}
+      {showRepostCount && <div className="text-sm tabular-nums">{formatCount(repostCount ?? 0)}</div>}
     </button>
   )
 
diff --git a/src/components/NoteStats/ZapButton.tsx b/src/components/NoteStats/ZapButton.tsx
index e294aed3..edd12e07 100644
--- a/src/components/NoteStats/ZapButton.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NoteStats/ZapButton.tsx
@@ -30,12 +30,14 @@ export function ZapButtonWithStats({ event, hideCount = false, noteStats }: ZapB
   const [touchStart, setTouchStart] = useState<{ x: number; y: number } | null>(null)
   const [openZapDialog, setOpenZapDialog] = useState(false)
   const [zapping, setZapping] = useState(false)
+  const statsLoaded = noteStats?.updatedAt != null
   const { zapAmount, hasZapped } = useMemo(() => {
     return {
       zapAmount: noteStats?.zaps?.reduce((acc, zap) => acc + zap.amount, 0),
       hasZapped: pubkey ? noteStats?.zaps?.some((zap) => zap.pubkey === pubkey) : false
     }
   }, [noteStats, pubkey])
+  const showZapAmount = !hideCount && (statsLoaded || (zapAmount ?? 0) > 0)
   const [disable, setDisable] = useState(true)
   const timerRef = useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null)
   const isLongPressRef = useRef(false)
@@ -170,14 +172,14 @@ export function ZapButtonWithStats({ event, hideCount = false, noteStats }: ZapB
             )}
           />
         )}
-        {!hideCount && !!zapAmount && (
+        {showZapAmount && (
           <div
             className={cn(
               'text-sm tabular-nums',
               hasZapped ? 'text-yellow-400' : 'text-muted-foreground'
             )}
           >
-            {formatAmount(zapAmount)}
+            {formatAmount(zapAmount ?? 0)}
           </div>
         )}
       </button>
diff --git a/src/components/ReplyNoteList/index.tsx b/src/components/ReplyNoteList/index.tsx
index 62faf7cb..ff1571b3 100644
--- a/src/components/ReplyNoteList/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ReplyNoteList/index.tsx
@@ -300,6 +300,13 @@ function replyMatchesThreadForList(
     return true
   }
   if (replyBelongsToNoteThread(evt, opEvent, rootInfo, threadWalkLocal)) return true
+  if (
+    evt.kind === kinds.Zap &&
+    (rootInfo.type === 'E' || rootInfo.type === 'A') &&
+    eventReferencesThreadTarget(evt, rootInfo)
+  ) {
+    return true
+  }
   if (
     (rootInfo.type === 'E' || rootInfo.type === 'A') &&
     evt.kind !== kinds.ShortTextNote &&
@@ -343,17 +350,10 @@ function threadBacklinkRelationLabel(item: NEvent, t: TFunction): string {
   return t('referenced this note')
 }
 
-function isKind1QuoteOnlyOfEaRoot(evt: NEvent, root: TRootInfo): boolean {
-  if (root.type === 'I') return false
-  if (evt.kind !== kinds.ShortTextNote) return false
-  if (getParentETag(evt) || getParentATag(evt)) return false
-  return kind1QuotesThreadRoot(evt, root)
-}
-
-/** E/A roots: #q-only kind 1 + relay “reply” rows for {@link NOTE_STATS_OP_REFERENCE_KINDS} belong in backlinks tail, not the chronological middle. */
+/** E/A roots: kind-1 #q quotes + op-reference kinds belong in backlinks tail, not the chronological middle. */
 function isEaThreadTailBacklinkCandidate(evt: NEvent, root: TRootInfo): boolean {
   if (root.type !== 'E' && root.type !== 'A') return false
-  if (isKind1QuoteOnlyOfEaRoot(evt, root)) return true
+  if (evt.kind === kinds.ShortTextNote && kind1QuotesThreadRoot(evt, root)) return true
   return EA_THREAD_TAIL_REFERENCE_KINDS.has(evt.kind)
 }
 
@@ -1371,11 +1371,17 @@ function ReplyNoteList({
                 noteStatsService.updateNoteStatsByEvents(sessionEdge, reply.pubkey)
               }
             }
+            const threadRootHexId =
+              rootInfo.type === 'E'
+                ? rootInfo.id
+                : rootInfo.type === 'A' && /^[0-9a-f]{64}$/i.test(rootInfo.eventId)
+                  ? rootInfo.eventId.toLowerCase()
+                  : undefined
             void noteStatsService.fetchThreadReplyNoteStatsBatch(
               repliesForStatsPrime,
               relayUrlsForThreadReq,
               userPubkey ?? null,
-              { foreground: statsForeground }
+              { foreground: statsForeground, threadRootHexId }
             )
           }
 
@@ -1634,8 +1640,11 @@ function ReplyNoteList({
         return false
       }
       const isQuote = quoteUiIdSet.has(item.id)
+      // Zap receipts are public payment records — always show when they passed mute filters.
+      if (item.kind === kinds.Zap) return true
+      // Backlink rows (quotes, highlights, …): show even when author is not in the trust list.
+      if (isQuote) return true
       if (isTrustLoaded && hideUntrustedInteractions && !isUserTrusted(item.pubkey)) {
-        if (isQuote) return false
         if (rootInfo?.type !== 'I') {
           const repliesForThisReply = repliesMap.get(item.id)
           if (
diff --git a/src/services/note-stats.service.ts b/src/services/note-stats.service.ts
index 825f2dcb..c4486b50 100644
--- a/src/services/note-stats.service.ts
+++ b/src/services/note-stats.service.ts
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@ import {
   isNip25ReactionKind,
   isReplaceableEvent
 } from '@/lib/event'
-import { eventReferencesThreadTarget, threadRootRefFromStatsRootEvent } from '@/lib/op-reference-tags'
-import type { TThreadRootRef } from '@/lib/thread-reply-root-match'
 import { getZapInfoFromEvent } from '@/lib/event-metadata'
 import logger from '@/lib/logger'
 import {
@@ -28,9 +26,15 @@ import {
   getWebExternalReactionTargetUrl,
   rssArticleStableEventId
 } from '@/lib/rss-article'
+import { eventReferencesThreadTarget, threadRootRefFromStatsRootEvent } from '@/lib/op-reference-tags'
+import type { TThreadRootRef } from '@/lib/thread-reply-root-match'
 import { feedRelayPolicyUrls } from '@/features/feed/relay-policy'
 import { userReadRelaysWithHttp } from '@/lib/favorites-feed-relays'
-import { getEmojiInfosFromEmojiTags, getFirstHexEventIdFromETags, tagNameEquals } from '@/lib/tag'
+import {
+  getEmojiInfosFromEmojiTags,
+  getNip25ReactionTargetHexFromTags,
+  tagNameEquals
+} from '@/lib/tag'
 import { normalizeAnyRelayUrl, normalizeUrl } from '@/lib/url'
 import client, { eventService } from '@/services/client.service'
 import { TEmoji, type TRelayList } from '@/types'
@@ -246,7 +250,7 @@ class NoteStatsService {
     replies: Event[],
     relayUrls: string[],
     _pubkey?: string | null,
-    opts?: { foreground?: boolean }
+    opts?: { foreground?: boolean; threadRootHexId?: string }
   ): Promise<void> {
     const urls = (relayUrls ?? []).filter(Boolean)
     const hexReplies: Event[] = []
@@ -273,6 +277,10 @@ class NoteStatsService {
         hexIdsSet.add(this.statsKey(parentHex))
       }
     }
+    const rootHex = opts?.threadRootHexId?.trim().toLowerCase()
+    if (rootHex && this.hexNoteStatsIdRe.test(rootHex)) {
+      hexIdsSet.add(this.statsKey(rootHex))
+    }
     const hexIds = [...hexIdsSet]
 
     for (const r of hexReplies) {
@@ -365,6 +373,7 @@ class NoteStatsService {
       const ch = hexIds.slice(off, off + this.THREAD_REPLY_STATS_BATCH_HEX_CHUNK)
       nonSocial.push(
         { '#e': ch, kinds: [kinds.Reaction], limit: reactionLimit },
+        { '#E': ch, kinds: [kinds.Reaction], limit: reactionLimit },
         { '#e': ch, kinds: [kinds.Zap], limit: 100 }
       )
       social.push(
@@ -514,9 +523,12 @@ class NoteStatsService {
       }
 
       const { queryService } = await import('@/services/client.service')
+      const rootHex = this.statsKey(resolvedEvent.id)
       const onStatsEvent = (evt: Event) => {
         this.updateNoteStatsByEvents([evt], resolvedEvent!.pubkey, {
-          statsRootEvent: resolvedEvent!
+          statsRootEvent: resolvedEvent!,
+          interactionTargetNoteId:
+            evt.kind === kinds.Reaction && /^[0-9a-f]{64}$/i.test(rootHex) ? rootHex : undefined
         })
       }
       await Promise.all([
@@ -534,6 +546,13 @@ class NoteStatsService {
           : Promise.resolve([] as Event[])
       ])
 
+      if (resolvedEvent.kind !== ExtendedKind.RSS_THREAD_ROOT) {
+        const likeCount = this.noteStatsMap.get(rootHex)?.likes?.length ?? 0
+        if (likeCount === 0) {
+          await this.fetchReactionsForNoteTarget(resolvedEvent, finalRelayUrls)
+        }
+      }
+
       markStatsLoaded(resolvedEvent.id)
     } catch (err) {
       logger.warn('[NoteStats] processSingleEvent failed', {
@@ -692,6 +711,7 @@ class NoteStatsService {
     const rootId = this.statsKey(event.id)
     const nonSocial: Filter[] = [
       { '#e': [rootId], kinds: [kinds.Reaction], limit: reactionLimit },
+      { '#E': [rootId], kinds: [kinds.Reaction], limit: reactionLimit },
       { '#e': [rootId], kinds: [kinds.Zap], limit: 100 }
     ]
 
@@ -743,6 +763,7 @@ class NoteStatsService {
       )
       nonSocial.push(
         { '#a': [replaceableCoordinate], kinds: [kinds.Reaction], limit: reactionLimit },
+        { '#A': [replaceableCoordinate], kinds: [kinds.Reaction], limit: reactionLimit },
         { '#a': [replaceableCoordinate], kinds: [kinds.Zap], limit: 100 }
       )
       social.push(
@@ -1002,11 +1023,11 @@ class NoteStatsService {
 
   private reactionTargetHexForLike(evt: Event, forcedTargetEventId?: string): string | undefined {
     const forced = forcedTargetEventId?.trim()
-    if (forced) return forced
+    if (forced) return this.statsKey(forced)
+    const nip25 = getNip25ReactionTargetHexFromTags(evt.tags)
+    if (nip25 && /^[0-9a-f]{64}$/i.test(nip25)) return nip25.toLowerCase()
     const parentHex = getParentEventHexId(evt)
-    if (parentHex && /^[0-9a-f]{64}$/i.test(parentHex)) return parentHex
-    const firstE = getFirstHexEventIdFromETags(evt.tags)
-    if (firstE) return firstE
+    if (parentHex && /^[0-9a-f]{64}$/i.test(parentHex)) return parentHex.toLowerCase()
     if (evt.kind === kinds.Reaction) {
       const pageUrl = getReactionPageUrlFromRTags(evt)
       if (pageUrl) {
@@ -1016,6 +1037,41 @@ class NoteStatsService {
     return undefined
   }
 
+  /** Second pass when the main stats wave returned no kind-7 rows (common on direct note open). */
+  private async fetchReactionsForNoteTarget(rootEvent: Event, relayUrls: string[]): Promise<void> {
+    const rootHex = this.statsKey(rootEvent.id)
+    if (!/^[0-9a-f]{64}$/i.test(rootHex)) return
+
+    const hintRelays = client.eventService.getSessionRelayHintsForHexTarget(rootHex)
+    const urls = feedRelayPolicyUrls(
+      [{ source: 'fallback', urls: [...new Set([...hintRelays, ...relayUrls])] }],
+      {
+        operation: 'read',
+        applySocialKindBlockedFilter: false,
+        allowThirdPartyLocalRelays: true
+      }
+    )
+    if (!urls.length) return
+
+    const filters: Filter[] = [
+      { '#e': [rootHex], kinds: [kinds.Reaction], limit: 500 },
+      { '#E': [rootHex], kinds: [kinds.Reaction], limit: 500 }
+    ]
+    const { queryService } = await import('@/services/client.service')
+    await queryService.fetchEvents(urls, filters, {
+      eoseTimeout: 12_000,
+      globalTimeout: 22_000,
+      firstRelayResultGraceMs: false,
+      onevent: (evt: Event) => {
+        this.updateNoteStatsByEvents([evt], rootEvent.pubkey, {
+          statsRootEvent: rootEvent,
+          interactionTargetNoteId: rootHex
+        })
+      }
+    })
+    this.notifyNoteStats(rootHex)
+  }
+
   private addLikeByEvent(evt: Event, _originalEventAuthor?: string, forcedTargetEventId?: string) {
     const targetEventIdRaw = this.reactionTargetHexForLike(evt, forcedTargetEventId)
     if (!targetEventIdRaw) return