diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4cacd56..03a1ce0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -65,3 +65,4 @@ syncpi.sh
 
 # Docker
 /data
+Installing
diff --git a/repeater/data_acquisition/storage_utils.py b/repeater/data_acquisition/storage_utils.py
index 1fd4ab2..42cf9ad 100644
--- a/repeater/data_acquisition/storage_utils.py
+++ b/repeater/data_acquisition/storage_utils.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class PacketRecord:
             origin_id=origin_id,
             timestamp=dt.isoformat(),
             type="PACKET",
-            direction="rx",
+            direction="tx" if bool(packet_record.get("transmitted", False)) else "rx",
             time=dt.strftime("%H:%M:%S"),
             date=dt.strftime("%-d/%-m/%Y"),
             len=str(len(packet_record["raw_packet"]) // 2),
diff --git a/repeater/main.py b/repeater/main.py
index 7fc87a5..8b62d8c 100644
--- a/repeater/main.py
+++ b/repeater/main.py
@@ -1083,8 +1083,15 @@ class RepeaterDaemon:
                 route_type="flood",
             )
 
-            # Send via dispatcher
-            await self.dispatcher.send_packet(packet, wait_for_ack=False)
+            # Route advert TX through router injection so it flows through engine/storage/MQTT.
+            if not self.router:
+                logger.error("Cannot send advert: router not initialized")
+                return False
+
+            send_ok = await self.router.inject_packet(packet, wait_for_ack=False)
+            if not send_ok:
+                logger.error("Failed to inject advert packet for TX")
+                return False
 
             if self.repeater_handler:
                 self.repeater_handler.mark_seen(packet)
diff --git a/tests/test_main_py_coverage.py b/tests/test_main_py_coverage.py
index ec7330f..13566a8 100644
--- a/tests/test_main_py_coverage.py
+++ b/tests/test_main_py_coverage.py
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ async def test_register_identity_everywhere_calls_helpers_and_respects_collision
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_send_advert_branches_and_success_path():
+async def test_send_advert_branches_and_success_paths():
     daemon = RepeaterDaemon(_base_config(), radio=object())
 
     # Missing dispatcher/local identity
@@ -231,12 +231,19 @@ async def test_send_advert_branches_and_success_path():
         get_repeater_location=lambda: {"latitude": 9.1, "longitude": 8.2, "source": "gps"}
     )
 
+    # Router is now required for advert TX processing path.
+    daemon.router = None
+    assert await daemon.send_advert() is False
+
+    daemon.router = SimpleNamespace(inject_packet=AsyncMock(return_value=True))
+
     packet = SimpleNamespace(calculate_packet_hash=lambda: b"\xab" * 16)
     with patch("pymc_core.protocol.PacketBuilder.create_advert", return_value=packet):
         ok = await daemon.send_advert()
 
     assert ok is True
-    daemon.dispatcher.send_packet.assert_awaited_once_with(packet, wait_for_ack=False)
+    daemon.router.inject_packet.assert_awaited_once_with(packet, wait_for_ack=False)
+    daemon.dispatcher.send_packet.assert_not_called()
     daemon.repeater_handler.mark_seen.assert_called_once_with(packet)
     daemon.dispatcher.packet_filter.track_packet.assert_called_once()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_mqtt_publish_integration.py b/tests/test_mqtt_publish_integration.py
index ef3ee7e..204a2f8 100644
--- a/tests/test_mqtt_publish_integration.py
+++ b/tests/test_mqtt_publish_integration.py
@@ -236,3 +236,40 @@ def test_mqtt_published_packet_legacy_mqtt_format_uses_singular_packet_topic():
     payload_dict = json.loads(captured[0]["payload"])
     # Duration still flows through correctly even on the legacy topic
     assert int(payload_dict["duration"]) > 0
+
+
+def test_mqtt_published_packet_direction_uses_transmitted_flag_for_tx():
+    """When engine marks packet_record.transmitted=True, published direction must be tx."""
+    config = _make_config(format_value="letsmesh", iata_code="LAX")
+    public_key_hex = "11" * 32
+    identity = _FakeIdentity(public_key_hex)
+
+    pusher = MeshCoreToMqttPusher(local_identity=identity, config=config)
+    captured = _attach_capturing_client(pusher.connections[0])
+
+    raw_bytes = bytes(range(12))
+    airtime_mgr = AirtimeManager(config)
+    packet_record = {
+        "timestamp": 1700000000.0,
+        "type": 8,
+        "route": 1,
+        "rssi": -88,
+        "snr": 6.0,
+        "score": 0.4,
+        "payload_length": 6,
+        "packet_hash": "FACEFEED" + "00" * 4,
+        "raw_packet": raw_bytes.hex(),
+        "airtime_ms": airtime_mgr.calculate_airtime(len(raw_bytes)),
+        "transmitted": True,
+    }
+
+    record = PacketRecord.from_packet_record(
+        packet_record, origin="test-node", origin_id=public_key_hex.upper()
+    )
+    assert record is not None
+
+    pusher.publish_packet(record.to_dict())
+
+    assert len(captured) == 1
+    payload_dict = json.loads(captured[0]["payload"])
+    assert payload_dict["direction"] == "tx"