diff --git a/meshexplorer/src/server/connect/mappers.ts b/meshexplorer/src/server/connect/mappers.ts
index 1a4d3f5..b823fe2 100644
--- a/meshexplorer/src/server/connect/mappers.ts
+++ b/meshexplorer/src/server/connect/mappers.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ export function num(v: unknown): number {
   return Number(v ?? 0);
 }
 
+// ClickHouse returns UInt8 boolean-ish columns (e.g. is_recent) as JSON numbers
+// (1/0). Coerce before feeding a proto `bool` field.
+export function bool(v: unknown): boolean {
+  return v === true || v === 1 || v === "1";
+}
+
 /** Maps a ClickHouse neighbor-edge row to the NeighborEdge proto init shape. */
 export function toNeighborEdge(row: NeighborEdgeRow): MessageInitShape<typeof NeighborEdgeSchema> {
   return {
diff --git a/meshexplorer/src/server/connect/node.ts b/meshexplorer/src/server/connect/node.ts
index 7c112c4..8ae3d36 100644
--- a/meshexplorer/src/server/connect/node.ts
+++ b/meshexplorer/src/server/connect/node.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
   getMeshcoreNodeNeighbors,
   searchMeshcoreNodes,
 } from "@/lib/clickhouse/actions";
-import { num } from "./mappers";
+import { bool, num } from "./mappers";
 
 interface SearchResultRow {
   public_key: string;
@@ -112,13 +112,13 @@ export const nodeServiceImpl: ServiceImpl<typeof NodeService> = {
         longitude: l.longitude,
       })),
       mqtt: {
-        isUplinked: nodeInfo.mqtt.is_uplinked,
-        hasPackets: nodeInfo.mqtt.has_packets,
+        isUplinked: bool(nodeInfo.mqtt.is_uplinked),
+        hasPackets: bool(nodeInfo.mqtt.has_packets),
         topics: nodeInfo.mqtt.topics.map((t) => ({
           topic: t.topic,
           broker: t.broker,
           lastPacketTime: t.last_packet_time,
-          isRecent: t.is_recent,
+          isRecent: bool(t.is_recent),
         })),
       },
       region: nodeInfo.region ?? undefined,