From ec9e2c29bb6ced745d5a832e5e128e97a9269f77 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jack Kingsman <jack.kingsman@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2026 20:54:50 -0800
Subject: [PATCH] Force DM contact onto radio before send

---
 app/routers/messages.py | 26 +++++++++++++-------------
 tests/test_api.py       |  5 +++++
 2 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/app/routers/messages.py b/app/routers/messages.py
index 6c5d9c67..4e8ba69b 100644
--- a/app/routers/messages.py
+++ b/app/routers/messages.py
@@ -58,21 +58,21 @@ async def send_direct_message(request: SendDirectMessageRequest) -> Message:
             status_code=404, detail=f"Contact not found in database: {request.destination}"
         )
 
-    # Check if contact is on radio, if not add it
+    # Always add/update the contact on radio before sending.
+    # The library cache (get_contact_by_key_prefix) can be stale after radio reboot,
+    # so we can't rely on it to know if the firmware has the contact.
+    # add_contact is idempotent - updates if exists, adds if not.
+    contact_data = db_contact.to_radio_dict()
+    logger.debug("Ensuring contact %s is on radio before sending", db_contact.public_key[:12])
+    add_result = await mc.commands.add_contact(contact_data)
+    if add_result.type == EventType.ERROR:
+        logger.warning("Failed to add contact to radio: %s", add_result.payload)
+        # Continue anyway - might still work if contact exists
+
+    # Get the contact from the library cache (may have updated info like path)
     contact = mc.get_contact_by_key_prefix(db_contact.public_key[:12])
     if not contact:
-        logger.info("Adding contact %s to radio before sending", db_contact.public_key[:12])
-        contact_data = db_contact.to_radio_dict()
-        add_result = await mc.commands.add_contact(contact_data)
-        if add_result.type == EventType.ERROR:
-            logger.warning("Failed to add contact to radio: %s", add_result.payload)
-            # Continue anyway - might still work
-
-        # Get the contact from radio again
-        contact = mc.get_contact_by_key_prefix(db_contact.public_key[:12])
-        if not contact:
-            # Use the contact_data we built as fallback
-            contact = contact_data
+        contact = contact_data
 
     logger.info("Sending direct message to %s", db_contact.public_key[:12])
 
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 46de768d..4db2ba88 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -129,6 +129,11 @@ class TestMessagesEndpoint:
         mock_mc = MagicMock()
         mock_mc.get_contact_by_key_prefix.return_value = {"public_key": "a" * 64}
 
+        mock_add_result = MagicMock()
+        mock_add_result.type = MagicMock()
+        mock_add_result.type.name = "OK"
+        mock_mc.commands.add_contact = AsyncMock(return_value=mock_add_result)
+
         mock_send_result = MagicMock()
         mock_send_result.type = MagicMock()
         mock_send_result.type.name = "OK"