diff --git a/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/message-replies.test.js b/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/message-replies.test.js
index 492c4f8..9bc4f79 100644
--- a/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/message-replies.test.js
+++ b/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/message-replies.test.js
@@ -102,3 +102,52 @@ test('buildMessageBody suppresses reaction slot markers and formats counts', ()
 
   assert.equal(countedBody, 'EMOJI(✨) ESC(×2)');
 });
+
+test('buildMessageBody treats REACTION_APP packets without reply identifiers as reactions', () => {
+  const reactionAppPacket = {
+    text: '1',
+    emoji: '🚀',
+    portnum: 'REACTION_APP'
+  };
+
+  const body = buildMessageBody({
+    message: reactionAppPacket,
+    escapeHtml: value => `ESC(${value})`,
+    renderEmojiHtml: value => `EMOJI(${value})`
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(body, 'EMOJI(🚀)');
+});
+
+test('buildMessageBody renders reaction emoji from text when emoji field carries placeholder counts', () => {
+  const placeholderEmojiMessage = {
+    text: '💩',
+    emoji: '1',
+    reply_id: 98822809,
+    portnum: 'TEXT_MESSAGE_APP'
+  };
+
+  const body = buildMessageBody({
+    message: placeholderEmojiMessage,
+    escapeHtml: value => `ESC(${value})`,
+    renderEmojiHtml: value => `EMOJI(${value})`
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(body, 'EMOJI(💩)');
+});
+
+test('buildMessageBody appends reaction counts for REACTION_APP packets without reply identifiers', () => {
+  const countedReactionAppPacket = {
+    text: '2',
+    emoji: '🌶',
+    portnum: 'REACTION_APP'
+  };
+
+  const body = buildMessageBody({
+    message: countedReactionAppPacket,
+    escapeHtml: value => `ESC(${value})`,
+    renderEmojiHtml: value => `EMOJI(${value})`
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(body, 'EMOJI(🌶) ESC(×2)');
+});
diff --git a/web/public/assets/js/app/message-replies.js b/web/public/assets/js/app/message-replies.js
index 01bb210..725a7b4 100644
--- a/web/public/assets/js/app/message-replies.js
+++ b/web/public/assets/js/app/message-replies.js
@@ -290,14 +290,16 @@ function isReactionMessage(message) {
     return false;
   }
   const portnum = toTrimmedString(message.portnum ?? message.portNum);
-  if (portnum && portnum.toUpperCase() === 'REACTION_APP') {
+  const reactionPort = portnum && portnum.toUpperCase() === 'REACTION_APP';
+  if (reactionPort) {
     return true;
   }
   const hasEmoji = !!normaliseEmojiValue(message.emoji);
   if (!hasEmoji) {
     return false;
   }
-  return message.reply_id != null || message.replyId != null || !!portnum;
+  const hasReplyId = message.reply_id != null || message.replyId != null;
+  return hasReplyId || !!portnum;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -357,20 +359,33 @@ export function buildMessageBody({ message, escapeHtml, renderEmojiHtml }) {
     return '';
   }
 
-  const segments = [];
+ const segments = [];
   const reaction = isReactionMessage(message);
   const textSegment = resolveMessageTextSegment(message, reaction);
   const reactionCount = reaction && textSegment && /^×\d+$/.test(textSegment) ? textSegment : null;
-  if (textSegment && !reaction) {
+  const emoji = normaliseEmojiValue(message.emoji);
+  const emojiIsNumericPlaceholder = reaction && emoji && /^\d+$/.test(emoji);
+  let reactionEmoji = reaction && !emojiIsNumericPlaceholder ? emoji : null;
+
+  if (!reaction && textSegment) {
     segments.push(escapeHtml(textSegment));
   }
-  const emoji = normaliseEmojiValue(message.emoji);
-  if (emoji) {
+
+  if (reaction) {
+    if (!reactionEmoji && textSegment && !reactionCount) {
+      reactionEmoji = textSegment;
+    }
+    if (reactionEmoji) {
+      segments.push(renderEmojiHtml(reactionEmoji));
+    } else if (textSegment && !reactionCount) {
+      segments.push(escapeHtml(textSegment));
+    }
+    if (reactionCount) {
+      segments.push(escapeHtml(reactionCount));
+    }
+  } else if (emoji) {
     segments.push(renderEmojiHtml(emoji));
   }
-  if (reactionCount) {
-    segments.push(escapeHtml(reactionCount));
-  }
 
   if (segments.length === 0) {
     return '';