diff --git a/bitchat/Models/ReadReceipt.swift b/bitchat/Models/ReadReceipt.swift
index 0884605d..402527b7 100644
--- a/bitchat/Models/ReadReceipt.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Models/ReadReceipt.swift
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ import Foundation
 struct ReadReceipt: Codable {
     let originalMessageID: String
     let receiptID: String
-    var readerID: String  // Who read it
+    var readerID: PeerID  // Who read it
     let readerNickname: String
     let timestamp: Date
     
-    init(originalMessageID: String, readerID: String, readerNickname: String) {
+    init(originalMessageID: String, readerID: PeerID, readerNickname: String) {
         self.originalMessageID = originalMessageID
         self.receiptID = UUID().uuidString
         self.readerID = readerID
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ struct ReadReceipt: Codable {
     }
     
     // For binary decoding
-    private init(originalMessageID: String, receiptID: String, readerID: String, readerNickname: String, timestamp: Date) {
+    private init(originalMessageID: String, receiptID: String, readerID: PeerID, readerNickname: String, timestamp: Date) {
         self.originalMessageID = originalMessageID
         self.receiptID = receiptID
         self.readerID = readerID
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ struct ReadReceipt: Codable {
         data.appendUUID(receiptID)
         // ReaderID as 8-byte hex string
         var readerData = Data()
-        var tempID = readerID
+        var tempID = readerID.id
         while tempID.count >= 2 && readerData.count < 8 {
             let hexByte = String(tempID.prefix(2))
             if let byte = UInt8(hexByte, radix: 16) {
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ struct ReadReceipt: Codable {
               let receiptID = dataCopy.readUUID(at: &offset) else { return nil }
         
         guard let readerIDData = dataCopy.readFixedBytes(at: &offset, count: 8) else { return nil }
-        let readerID = readerIDData.hexEncodedString()
-        guard PeerID(str: readerID).isValid else { return nil }
+        let readerID = PeerID(hexData: readerIDData)
+        guard readerID.isValid else { return nil }
         
         guard let timestamp = dataCopy.readDate(at: &offset),
               InputValidator.validateTimestamp(timestamp),
diff --git a/bitchat/Services/PrivateChatManager.swift b/bitchat/Services/PrivateChatManager.swift
index 4214519b..af8c806d 100644
--- a/bitchat/Services/PrivateChatManager.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Services/PrivateChatManager.swift
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ final class PrivateChatManager: ObservableObject {
         // Create read receipt using the simplified method
         let receipt = ReadReceipt(
             originalMessageID: message.id,
-            readerID: meshService?.myPeerID.id ?? "",
+            readerID: meshService?.myPeerID ?? PeerID(str: ""),
             readerNickname: meshService?.myNickname ?? ""
         )
         
diff --git a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
index da8ef964..d695c50a 100644
--- a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
+++ b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
@@ -3493,7 +3493,7 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
                     if !sentReadReceipts.contains(message.id) {
                         // Use stable Noise key hex if available; else fall back to peerID
                         let recipPeer = peerID.isHex ? peerID : (unifiedPeerService.getPeer(by: peerID)?.peerID ?? peerID)
-                        let receipt = ReadReceipt(originalMessageID: message.id, readerID: meshService.myPeerID.id, readerNickname: nickname)
+                        let receipt = ReadReceipt(originalMessageID: message.id, readerID: meshService.myPeerID, readerNickname: nickname)
                         messageRouter.sendReadReceipt(receipt, to: recipPeer)
                         sentReadReceipts.insert(message.id)
                     }
@@ -5839,7 +5839,7 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
         }
         if !sentReadReceipts.contains(message.id) {
             if let key {
-                let receipt = ReadReceipt(originalMessageID: message.id, readerID: meshService.myPeerID.id, readerNickname: nickname)
+                let receipt = ReadReceipt(originalMessageID: message.id, readerID: meshService.myPeerID, readerNickname: nickname)
                 SecureLogger.debug("Viewing chat; sending READ ack for \(message.id.prefix(8))… via router", category: .session)
                 messageRouter.sendReadReceipt(receipt, to: PeerID(hexData: key))
                 sentReadReceipts.insert(message.id)
@@ -6282,7 +6282,7 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
             if !sentReadReceipts.contains(message.id) {
                 let receipt = ReadReceipt(
                     originalMessageID: message.id,
-                    readerID: meshService.myPeerID.id,
+                    readerID: meshService.myPeerID,
                     readerNickname: nickname
                 )