From 2cfeef588d654828a709ef1770b31589ff2032ea Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: agessaman <adam@gessaman.com>
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:22:02 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] fix(room_server): stop advancing the author sync watermark on
 post

---
 repeater/handler_helpers/room_server.py   | 14 ++++++--------
 tests/test_handler_helpers_room_server.py | 22 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 2 files changed, 28 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/repeater/handler_helpers/room_server.py b/repeater/handler_helpers/room_server.py
index de3b85d..89a56e6 100644
--- a/repeater/handler_helpers/room_server.py
+++ b/repeater/handler_helpers/room_server.py
@@ -321,17 +321,15 @@ class RoomServer:
                     f"{len(all_clients)} authenticated client(s)"
                 )
 
-                # Update client's sync_since to this message's timestamp
-                # This prevents the author from receiving their own message back
-                # Also update activity timestamp (they're clearly active if posting)
-                logger.debug(
-                    f"Room '{self.room_name}': Updating author's sync_since to {post_timestamp} "
-                    f"to prevent echo"
-                )
+                # Refresh the author's activity timestamp (they're clearly active
+                # if posting). The sync_since watermark is deliberately NOT
+                # advanced here: it moves only when a push is ACKed, and self-echo
+                # is already prevented by the author exclusion in the
+                # unsynced-message query. Advancing it on post would skip other
+                # authors' older, still-unsynced messages for this client.
                 self.db.upsert_client_sync(
                     room_hash=f"0x{self.room_hash:02X}",
                     client_pubkey=client_pubkey.hex(),
-                    sync_since=post_timestamp,  # Don't send this message back to author
                     last_activity=time.time(),
                 )
 
diff --git a/tests/test_handler_helpers_room_server.py b/tests/test_handler_helpers_room_server.py
index 2754113..1dc8f03 100644
--- a/tests/test_handler_helpers_room_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_handler_helpers_room_server.py
@@ -85,6 +85,28 @@ async def test_room_server_add_post_stores_message_and_updates_sync_state():
     assert kwargs["client_pubkey"] == (b"A" * 32).hex()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_room_server_add_post_does_not_advance_author_sync_watermark():
+    """Posting must not move the author's sync_since watermark: it advances only
+    when a push is ACKed. Self-echo is prevented by the author exclusion in the
+    unsynced-message query, so an on-post advance would only skip OTHER authors'
+    older, still-unsynced messages for this client. Activity is still refreshed."""
+    db = _FakeDB()
+    rs = _make_room_server(db=db, acl=_FakeACL([_FakeClient(b"C" * 32)]))
+
+    ok = await rs.add_post(
+        client_pubkey=b"A" * 32,
+        message_text="newer post",
+        sender_timestamp=222,
+        txt_type=TXT_TYPE_PLAIN,
+    )
+
+    assert ok is True
+    kwargs = db.upsert_client_sync.call_args.kwargs
+    assert "sync_since" not in kwargs
+    assert kwargs["last_activity"] > 0
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_room_server_add_post_truncates_and_rate_limits_client():
     db = _FakeDB()