diff --git a/bitchat/Protocols/BitchatProtocol.swift b/bitchat/Protocols/BitchatProtocol.swift
index 58e3d0bb..ccfc9050 100644
--- a/bitchat/Protocols/BitchatProtocol.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Protocols/BitchatProtocol.swift
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ protocol BitchatDelegate: AnyObject {
     func didConnectToPeer(_ peerID: String)
     func didDisconnectFromPeer(_ peerID: String)
     func didUpdatePeerList(_ peers: [String])
+    func didReceiveRoomLeave(_ room: String, from peerID: String)
     
     // Optional method to check if a fingerprint belongs to a favorite peer
     func isFavorite(fingerprint: String) -> Bool
@@ -165,4 +166,8 @@ extension BitchatDelegate {
     func isFavorite(fingerprint: String) -> Bool {
         return false
     }
+    
+    func didReceiveRoomLeave(_ room: String, from peerID: String) {
+        // Default empty implementation
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bitchat/Services/BluetoothMeshService.swift b/bitchat/Services/BluetoothMeshService.swift
index 8a8cc53a..cc7f643c 100644
--- a/bitchat/Services/BluetoothMeshService.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Services/BluetoothMeshService.swift
@@ -665,6 +665,26 @@ class BluetoothMeshService: NSObject {
         }
     }
     
+    func sendRoomLeaveNotification(_ room: String) {
+        messageQueue.async { [weak self] in
+            guard let self = self else { return }
+            
+            // Create a leave packet with room hashtag as payload
+            let packet = BitchatPacket(
+                type: MessageType.leave.rawValue,
+                senderID: Data(self.myPeerID.utf8),
+                recipientID: SpecialRecipients.broadcast,  // Broadcast to all
+                timestamp: UInt64(Date().timeIntervalSince1970 * 1000),
+                payload: Data(room.utf8),  // Room hashtag as payload
+                signature: nil,
+                ttl: 3  // Short TTL for leave notifications
+            )
+            
+            bitchatLog("Sending room leave notification for \(room)", category: "room")
+            self.broadcastPacket(packet)
+        }
+    }
+    
     private func sendAnnouncementToPeer(_ peerID: String) {
         guard let vm = delegate as? ChatViewModel else { return }
         
@@ -1585,28 +1605,45 @@ class BluetoothMeshService: NSObject {
             }
             
         case .leave:
-            if let nickname = String(data: packet.payload, encoding: .utf8),
-               let senderID = String(data: packet.senderID.trimmingNullBytes(), encoding: .utf8) {
-                
-                
-                // Remove from active peers with proper locking
-                activePeersLock.lock()
-                activePeers.remove(senderID)
-                activePeersLock.unlock()
-                
-                announcedPeers.remove(senderID)
-                
-                // Show leave message
-                DispatchQueue.main.async {
-                    self.delegate?.didDisconnectFromPeer(nickname)
+            if let senderID = String(data: packet.senderID.trimmingNullBytes(), encoding: .utf8) {
+                // Check if payload contains a room hashtag
+                if let room = String(data: packet.payload, encoding: .utf8),
+                   room.hasPrefix("#") {
+                    // Room leave notification
+                    bitchatLog("Received room leave notification from \(senderID) for room \(room)", category: "room")
+                    
+                    DispatchQueue.main.async {
+                        self.delegate?.didReceiveRoomLeave(room, from: senderID)
+                    }
+                    
+                    // Relay if TTL > 0
+                    if packet.ttl > 1 {
+                        var relayPacket = packet
+                        relayPacket.ttl -= 1
+                        self.broadcastPacket(relayPacket)
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    // Legacy peer disconnect (keeping for backwards compatibility)
+                    if let nickname = String(data: packet.payload, encoding: .utf8) {
+                        // Remove from active peers with proper locking
+                        activePeersLock.lock()
+                        activePeers.remove(senderID)
+                        activePeersLock.unlock()
+                        
+                        announcedPeers.remove(senderID)
+                        
+                        // Show leave message
+                        DispatchQueue.main.async {
+                            self.delegate?.didDisconnectFromPeer(nickname)
+                        }
+                        self.notifyPeerListUpdate()
+                        
+                        // Clean up peer data
+                        peerNicknamesLock.lock()
+                        peerNicknames.removeValue(forKey: senderID)
+                        peerNicknamesLock.unlock()
+                    }
                 }
-                self.notifyPeerListUpdate()
-                
-                // Clean up peer data
-                peerNicknamesLock.lock()
-                peerNicknames.removeValue(forKey: senderID)
-                peerNicknamesLock.unlock()
-            } else {
             }
             
         case .fragmentStart, .fragmentContinue, .fragmentEnd:
diff --git a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
index 09858cb2..6a944fce 100644
--- a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
+++ b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject {
         joinedRooms.remove(room)
         saveJoinedRooms()
         
+        // Send leave notification to other peers
+        meshService.sendRoomLeaveNotification(room)
+        
         // If we're currently in this room, exit to main chat
         if currentRoom == room {
             currentRoom = nil
@@ -630,6 +633,17 @@ class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject {
 }
 
 extension ChatViewModel: BitchatDelegate {
+    func didReceiveRoomLeave(_ room: String, from peerID: String) {
+        // Remove peer from room members
+        if roomMembers[room] != nil {
+            roomMembers[room]?.remove(peerID)
+            bitchatLog("Removed peer \(peerID) from room \(room) members", category: "room")
+            
+            // Force UI update
+            objectWillChange.send()
+        }
+    }
+    
     func didReceiveMessage(_ message: BitchatMessage) {
         bitchatLog("Received message from \(message.sender), room: \(message.room ?? "nil"), senderPeerID: \(message.senderPeerID ?? "nil")", category: "message")
         
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift b/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
index d24d7c39..a1b7f588 100644
--- a/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
@@ -644,8 +644,8 @@ struct ContentView: View {
                             HStack(spacing: 8) {
                                 // Signal strength indicator or unread message icon
                                 if isMe {
-                                    Text("•")
-                                        .font(.system(size: 12))
+                                    Image(systemName: "person.fill")
+                                        .font(.system(size: 10))
                                         .foregroundColor(textColor)
                                 } else if viewModel.unreadPrivateMessages.contains(peerID) {
                                     Image(systemName: "envelope.fill")