diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/MessageHandler.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/MessageHandler.kt
index 809cd1e6..76fea7a1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/MessageHandler.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/mesh/MessageHandler.kt
@@ -88,12 +88,12 @@ class MessageHandler(private val myPeerID: String) {
                             return
                         }
                         
-                        // Create BitchatMessage - use local system time for incoming messages
+                        // Create BitchatMessage - preserve source packet timestamp
                         val message = BitchatMessage(
                             id = privateMessage.messageID,
                             sender = delegate?.getPeerNickname(peerID) ?: "Unknown",
                             content = privateMessage.content,
-                            timestamp = java.util.Date(), // Use local system time instead of packet timestamp
+                            timestamp = java.util.Date(packet.timestamp.toLong()),
                             isRelay = false,
                             originalSender = null,
                             isPrivate = true,
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ class MessageHandler(private val myPeerID: String) {
                 sender = delegate?.getPeerNickname(peerID) ?: "unknown",
                 content = String(packet.payload, Charsets.UTF_8),
                 senderPeerID = peerID,
-                timestamp = Date()
+                timestamp = Date(packet.timestamp.toLong())
             )
 
             delegate?.onMessageReceived(message)
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ class MessageHandler(private val myPeerID: String) {
                 sender = delegate?.getPeerNickname(peerID) ?: "unknown",
                 content = String(packet.payload, Charsets.UTF_8),
                 senderPeerID = peerID,
-                timestamp = Date()
+                timestamp = Date(packet.timestamp.toLong())
             )
             delegate?.onMessageReceived(message)
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrGeohashService.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrGeohashService.kt
index 198dfcce..4f443c4b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrGeohashService.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrGeohashService.kt
@@ -680,7 +680,6 @@ class NostrGeohashService(
     private fun storeGeohashMessage(geohash: String, message: BitchatMessage) {
         val messages = geohashMessageHistory.getOrPut(geohash) { mutableListOf() }
         messages.add(message)
-        messages.sortBy { it.timestamp }
         
         // Limit message history to prevent memory issues
         if (messages.size > maxGeohashMessages) {
@@ -1234,8 +1233,8 @@ class NostrGeohashService(
             val senderName = displayNameForNostrPubkeyUI(event.pubkey)
             val content = event.content
             
-            // Use local time instead of Nostr event time for consistent message ordering
-            val messageTimestamp = Date()
+            // Preserve Nostr event time to avoid reordering
+            val messageTimestamp = Date(event.createdAt.toLong() * 1000L)
             // Note: mentions parsing needs peer nicknames parameter
             // val mentions = messageManager.parseMentions(content, peerNicknames, nickname)
             
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/services/ConversationAliasResolver.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/services/ConversationAliasResolver.kt
index b8a91218..2c80d17e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/services/ConversationAliasResolver.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/services/ConversationAliasResolver.kt
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ object ConversationAliasResolver {
             }
         }
         if (didMerge) {
-            targetList.sortBy { it.timestamp }
+            // Preserve arrival order; do not sort by timestamp
             currentChats[targetPeerID] = targetList
             state.setPrivateChats(currentChats)
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/MessageManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/MessageManager.kt
index 9d8b3144..c1e58963 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/MessageManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/MessageManager.kt
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ class MessageManager(private val state: ChatState) {
     fun addMessage(message: BitchatMessage) {
         val currentMessages = state.getMessagesValue().toMutableList()
         currentMessages.add(message)
-        currentMessages.sortBy { it.timestamp }
         state.setMessages(currentMessages)
     }
     
@@ -39,7 +38,6 @@ class MessageManager(private val state: ChatState) {
         
         val channelMessageList = currentChannelMessages[channel]?.toMutableList() ?: mutableListOf()
         channelMessageList.add(message)
-        channelMessageList.sortBy { it.timestamp }
         currentChannelMessages[channel] = channelMessageList
         state.setChannelMessages(currentChannelMessages)
         
@@ -83,7 +81,6 @@ class MessageManager(private val state: ChatState) {
         
         val chatMessages = currentPrivateChats[peerID]?.toMutableList() ?: mutableListOf()
         chatMessages.add(message)
-        chatMessages.sortBy { it.timestamp }
         currentPrivateChats[peerID] = chatMessages
         state.setPrivateChats(currentPrivateChats)
         
@@ -103,7 +100,6 @@ class MessageManager(private val state: ChatState) {
         }
         val chatMessages = currentPrivateChats[peerID]?.toMutableList() ?: mutableListOf()
         chatMessages.add(message)
-        chatMessages.sortBy { it.timestamp }
         currentPrivateChats[peerID] = chatMessages
         state.setPrivateChats(currentPrivateChats)
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/PrivateChatManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/PrivateChatManager.kt
index c0308a70..cf549d76 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/PrivateChatManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/ui/PrivateChatManager.kt
@@ -501,7 +501,6 @@ class PrivateChatManager(
         }
 
         if (didMerge) {
-            targetList.sortBy { it.timestamp }
             currentChats[targetPeerID] = targetList
             state.setPrivateChats(currentChats)