diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 4ed58e7..9211d81 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -670,6 +670,163 @@ class TestReadStateEndpoints:
             db._connection = original_conn
             await conn.close()
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_unreads_reset_after_mark_read(self):
+        """Marking a conversation as read zeroes its unread count; new messages after count again."""
+        import aiosqlite
+
+        from app.database import db
+        from app.repository import MessageRepository
+
+        conn = await aiosqlite.connect(":memory:")
+        conn.row_factory = aiosqlite.Row
+
+        await conn.execute("""
+            CREATE TABLE channels (
+                key TEXT PRIMARY KEY, name TEXT NOT NULL,
+                is_hashtag INTEGER DEFAULT 0, on_radio INTEGER DEFAULT 0, last_read_at INTEGER
+            )
+        """)
+        await conn.execute("""
+            CREATE TABLE contacts (
+                public_key TEXT PRIMARY KEY, name TEXT,
+                type INTEGER DEFAULT 0, flags INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
+                last_path TEXT, last_path_len INTEGER DEFAULT -1,
+                last_advert INTEGER, lat REAL, lon REAL, last_seen INTEGER,
+                on_radio INTEGER DEFAULT 0, last_contacted INTEGER, last_read_at INTEGER
+            )
+        """)
+        await conn.execute("""
+            CREATE TABLE messages (
+                id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, type TEXT NOT NULL,
+                conversation_key TEXT NOT NULL, text TEXT NOT NULL,
+                sender_timestamp INTEGER, received_at INTEGER NOT NULL,
+                paths TEXT, txt_type INTEGER DEFAULT 0, signature TEXT,
+                outgoing INTEGER DEFAULT 0, acked INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
+                UNIQUE(type, conversation_key, text, sender_timestamp)
+            )
+        """)
+
+        chan_key = "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA1"
+        await conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO channels (key, name, last_read_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?)",
+            (chan_key, "Public", 1000),
+        )
+        # 2 unread messages (received_at > last_read_at=1000)
+        await conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+            ("CHAN", chan_key, "msg1", 1001, 0),
+        )
+        await conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+            ("CHAN", chan_key, "msg2", 1002, 0),
+        )
+        await conn.commit()
+
+        original_conn = db._connection
+        db._connection = conn
+
+        try:
+            # Verify 2 unread
+            result = await MessageRepository.get_unread_counts(None)
+            assert result["counts"][f"channel-{chan_key}"] == 2
+
+            # Simulate mark-read by updating last_read_at to after all messages
+            await conn.execute(
+                "UPDATE channels SET last_read_at = ? WHERE key = ?", (1002, chan_key)
+            )
+            await conn.commit()
+
+            # Verify 0 unread
+            result = await MessageRepository.get_unread_counts(None)
+            assert result["counts"].get(f"channel-{chan_key}", 0) == 0
+
+            # New message arrives after the read point
+            await conn.execute(
+                "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+                ("CHAN", chan_key, "msg3", 1003, 0),
+            )
+            await conn.commit()
+
+            # Verify exactly 1 unread
+            result = await MessageRepository.get_unread_counts(None)
+            assert result["counts"][f"channel-{chan_key}"] == 1
+        finally:
+            db._connection = original_conn
+            await conn.close()
+
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_unreads_exclude_outgoing_messages(self):
+        """Outgoing messages should never count as unread, even when received_at > last_read_at.
+
+        This is critical: without the outgoing filter, every message we send would
+        show as an unread badge in the sidebar.
+        """
+        import aiosqlite
+
+        from app.database import db
+        from app.repository import MessageRepository
+
+        conn = await aiosqlite.connect(":memory:")
+        conn.row_factory = aiosqlite.Row
+
+        await conn.execute("""
+            CREATE TABLE channels (
+                key TEXT PRIMARY KEY, name TEXT NOT NULL,
+                is_hashtag INTEGER DEFAULT 0, on_radio INTEGER DEFAULT 0, last_read_at INTEGER
+            )
+        """)
+        await conn.execute("""
+            CREATE TABLE contacts (
+                public_key TEXT PRIMARY KEY, name TEXT,
+                type INTEGER DEFAULT 0, flags INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
+                last_path TEXT, last_path_len INTEGER DEFAULT -1,
+                last_advert INTEGER, lat REAL, lon REAL, last_seen INTEGER,
+                on_radio INTEGER DEFAULT 0, last_contacted INTEGER, last_read_at INTEGER
+            )
+        """)
+        await conn.execute("""
+            CREATE TABLE messages (
+                id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, type TEXT NOT NULL,
+                conversation_key TEXT NOT NULL, text TEXT NOT NULL,
+                sender_timestamp INTEGER, received_at INTEGER NOT NULL,
+                paths TEXT, txt_type INTEGER DEFAULT 0, signature TEXT,
+                outgoing INTEGER DEFAULT 0, acked INTEGER DEFAULT 0,
+                UNIQUE(type, conversation_key, text, sender_timestamp)
+            )
+        """)
+
+        contact_key = "abcd" * 16
+        await conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO contacts (public_key, name, last_read_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?)",
+            (contact_key, "Bob", 1000),
+        )
+        # 1 incoming (should count) + 2 outgoing (should NOT count)
+        await conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+            ("PRIV", contact_key, "incoming msg", 1001, 0),
+        )
+        await conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+            ("PRIV", contact_key, "my reply", 1002, 1),
+        )
+        await conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO messages (type, conversation_key, text, received_at, outgoing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?)",
+            ("PRIV", contact_key, "another reply", 1003, 1),
+        )
+        await conn.commit()
+
+        original_conn = db._connection
+        db._connection = conn
+
+        try:
+            result = await MessageRepository.get_unread_counts(None)
+            # Only the 1 incoming message should count as unread
+            assert result["counts"][f"contact-{contact_key}"] == 1
+        finally:
+            db._connection = original_conn
+            await conn.close()
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_mark_all_read_updates_all_conversations(self):
         """Bulk mark-all-read updates all contacts and channels."""
diff --git a/tests/test_packet_pipeline.py b/tests/test_packet_pipeline.py
index 7b72af1..498f45f 100644
--- a/tests/test_packet_pipeline.py
+++ b/tests/test_packet_pipeline.py
@@ -386,6 +386,58 @@ class TestAdvertisementPipeline:
         contact = await ContactRepository.get_by_key(test_pubkey)
         assert contact.last_path_len == 1  # Still the shorter path
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_advertisement_replaces_stale_path_outside_window(
+        self, test_db, captured_broadcasts
+    ):
+        """When existing path is stale (>60s), a new longer path should replace it.
+
+        In a mesh network, a stale short path may no longer be valid (node moved, repeater
+        went offline). Accepting the new longer path ensures we have a working route.
+        """
+        from app.packet_processor import _process_advertisement
+
+        test_pubkey = "1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef"
+        await ContactRepository.upsert(
+            {
+                "public_key": test_pubkey,
+                "name": "TestNode",
+                "type": 1,
+                "last_seen": 1000,
+                "last_path_len": 1,  # Short path
+                "last_path": "aa",
+            }
+        )
+
+        from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+        from app.decoder import ParsedAdvertisement
+
+        broadcasts, mock_broadcast = captured_broadcasts
+
+        # New longer path arriving AFTER 60s window (timestamp 1000 + 61 = 1061)
+        long_packet_info = MagicMock()
+        long_packet_info.path_length = 4
+        long_packet_info.path = bytes.fromhex("aabbccdd")
+        long_packet_info.payload = b""
+
+        with patch("app.packet_processor.broadcast_event", mock_broadcast):
+            with patch("app.packet_processor.parse_advertisement") as mock_parse:
+                mock_parse.return_value = ParsedAdvertisement(
+                    public_key=test_pubkey,
+                    name="TestNode",
+                    timestamp=1061,
+                    lat=None,
+                    lon=None,
+                    device_role=1,
+                )
+                await _process_advertisement(b"", timestamp=1061, packet_info=long_packet_info)
+
+        # Verify the longer path replaced the stale shorter one
+        contact = await ContactRepository.get_by_key(test_pubkey)
+        assert contact.last_path_len == 4
+        assert contact.last_path == "aabbccdd"
+
 
 class TestAckPipeline:
     """Test ACK flow: outgoing message → ACK received → broadcast update."""