diff --git a/app/repository.py b/app/repository.py
index 00a9b73..69974fe 100644
--- a/app/repository.py
+++ b/app/repository.py
@@ -511,6 +511,17 @@ class MessageRepository:
         row = await cursor.fetchone()
         return row["acked"] if row else 0
 
+    @staticmethod
+    async def get_ack_and_paths(message_id: int) -> tuple[int, list[MessagePath] | None]:
+        """Get the current ack count and paths for a message."""
+        cursor = await db.conn.execute(
+            "SELECT acked, paths FROM messages WHERE id = ?", (message_id,)
+        )
+        row = await cursor.fetchone()
+        if not row:
+            return 0, None
+        return row["acked"], MessageRepository._parse_paths(row["paths"])
+
     @staticmethod
     async def get_by_content(
         msg_type: str,
diff --git a/app/routers/messages.py b/app/routers/messages.py
index 6dd4b8b..fab95cc 100644
--- a/app/routers/messages.py
+++ b/app/routers/messages.py
@@ -250,6 +250,23 @@ async def send_channel_message(request: SendChannelMessageRequest) -> Message:
                 detail="Failed to store outgoing message - unexpected duplicate",
             )
 
+        # Broadcast immediately so all connected clients see the message before any
+        # double-send delay.  This also ensures the message is in the frontend's state
+        # when echo-driven `message_acked` events arrive during the sleep below.
+        broadcast_event(
+            "message",
+            Message(
+                id=message_id,
+                type="CHAN",
+                conversation_key=channel_key_upper,
+                text=text_with_sender,
+                sender_timestamp=now,
+                received_at=now,
+                outgoing=True,
+                acked=0,
+            ).model_dump(),
+        )
+
         # Experimental: byte-perfect resend after a delay to improve delivery reliability.
         # This intentionally holds the radio operation lock for the full delay — it is an
         # opt-in experimental feature where blocking other radio operations is acceptable.
@@ -272,7 +289,7 @@ async def send_channel_message(request: SendChannelMessageRequest) -> Message:
     if message_id is None or now is None:
         raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail="Failed to store outgoing message")
 
-    acked_count = await MessageRepository.get_ack_count(message_id)
+    acked_count, paths = await MessageRepository.get_ack_and_paths(message_id)
 
     message = Message(
         id=message_id,
@@ -283,11 +300,9 @@ async def send_channel_message(request: SendChannelMessageRequest) -> Message:
         received_at=now,
         outgoing=True,
         acked=acked_count,
+        paths=paths,
     )
 
-    # Broadcast so all connected clients (not just sender) see the outgoing message immediately.
-    broadcast_event("message", message.model_dump())
-
     # Trigger bots for outgoing channel messages (runs in background, doesn't block response)
     from app.bot import run_bot_for_message