diff --git a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
index fd4fe434..c8be5787 100644
--- a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
+++ b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
@@ -1473,6 +1473,17 @@ class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
 
     // MARK: - Public helpers (iOS)
     #if os(iOS)
+    /// Return the current, pruned, sorted people list for the active geohash without mutating state.
+    @MainActor
+    func visibleGeohashPeople() -> [GeoPerson] {
+        guard let gh = currentGeohash else { return [] }
+        let cutoff = Date().addingTimeInterval(-5 * 60)
+        let map = (geoParticipants[gh] ?? [:]).filter { $0.value >= cutoff }
+        let people = map
+            .map { (pub, seen) in GeoPerson(id: pub, displayName: displayNameForNostrPubkey(pub), lastSeen: seen) }
+            .sorted { $0.lastSeen > $1.lastSeen }
+        return people
+    }
     /// Returns the current participant count for a specific geohash, using the 5-minute activity window.
     @MainActor
     func geohashParticipantCount(for geohash: String) -> Int {
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift b/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
index caa276a8..8940663d 100644
--- a/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
@@ -871,8 +871,12 @@ struct ContentView: View {
                 // Unread icon immediately to the left of the channel badge (independent from channel button)
                 #if os(iOS)
                 let cc = channelPeopleCountAndColor()
-                let otherPeersCount = cc.0
+                var otherPeersCount = cc.0
                 let countColor = cc.1
+                // Ensure geohash count matches the actual pruned list used in the sidebar
+                if case .location = locationManager.selectedChannel {
+                    otherPeersCount = viewModel.visibleGeohashPeople().count
+                }
                 #else
                 let peerCounts = viewModel.allPeers.reduce(into: (others: 0, mesh: 0)) { counts, peer in
                     guard peer.id != viewModel.meshService.myPeerID else { return }
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/GeohashPeopleList.swift b/bitchat/Views/GeohashPeopleList.swift
index 69528c61..e5c5065c 100644
--- a/bitchat/Views/GeohashPeopleList.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Views/GeohashPeopleList.swift
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ struct GeohashPeopleList: View {
                     }
                     return nil
                 }()
-                let ordered = viewModel.geohashPeople.sorted { a, b in
+                let ordered = viewModel.visibleGeohashPeople().sorted { a, b in
                     if let me = myHex {
                         if a.id == me && b.id != me { return true }
                         if b.id == me && a.id != me { return false }