diff --git a/bitchat/Identity/IdentityModels.swift b/bitchat/Identity/IdentityModels.swift
index 8b20aec6..bb753977 100644
--- a/bitchat/Identity/IdentityModels.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Identity/IdentityModels.swift
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ import Foundation
 /// Represents the ephemeral layer of identity - short-lived peer IDs that provide network privacy.
 /// These IDs rotate periodically to prevent tracking while maintaining cryptographic relationships.
 struct EphemeralIdentity {
-    let peerID: String          // 8 random bytes
+    let peer: Peer          // 8 random bytes
     let sessionStart: Date
     var handshakeState: HandshakeState
 }
diff --git a/bitchat/Identity/SecureIdentityStateManager.swift b/bitchat/Identity/SecureIdentityStateManager.swift
index 339605b7..7342dd1f 100644
--- a/bitchat/Identity/SecureIdentityStateManager.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Identity/SecureIdentityStateManager.swift
@@ -121,12 +121,12 @@ protocol SecureIdentityStateManagerProtocol {
     func getBlockedNostrPubkeys() -> Set<String>
     
     // MARK: Ephemeral Session Management
-    func registerEphemeralSession(peerID: String, handshakeState: HandshakeState)
-    func updateHandshakeState(peerID: String, state: HandshakeState)
+    func registerEphemeralSession(peer: Peer, handshakeState: HandshakeState)
+    func updateHandshakeState(peer: Peer, state: HandshakeState)
     
     // MARK: Cleanup
     func clearAllIdentityData()
-    func removeEphemeralSession(peerID: String)
+    func removeEphemeralSession(peer: Peer)
     
     // MARK: Verification
     func setVerified(fingerprint: String, verified: Bool)
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ final class SecureIdentityStateManager: SecureIdentityStateManagerProtocol {
     private let encryptionKeyName = "identityCacheEncryptionKey"
     
     // In-memory state
-    private var ephemeralSessions: [String: EphemeralIdentity] = [:]
+    private var ephemeralSessions: [Peer: EphemeralIdentity] = [:]
     private var cryptographicIdentities: [String: CryptographicIdentity] = [:]
     private var cache: IdentityCache = IdentityCache()
     
@@ -455,19 +455,19 @@ final class SecureIdentityStateManager: SecureIdentityStateManagerProtocol {
     
     // MARK: - Ephemeral Session Management
     
-    func registerEphemeralSession(peerID: String, handshakeState: HandshakeState = .none) {
+    func registerEphemeralSession(peer: Peer, handshakeState: HandshakeState = .none) {
         queue.async(flags: .barrier) {
-            self.ephemeralSessions[peerID] = EphemeralIdentity(
-                peerID: peerID,
+            self.ephemeralSessions[peer] = EphemeralIdentity(
+                peer: peer,
                 sessionStart: Date(),
                 handshakeState: handshakeState
             )
         }
     }
     
-    func updateHandshakeState(peerID: String, state: HandshakeState) {
+    func updateHandshakeState(peer: Peer, state: HandshakeState) {
         queue.async(flags: .barrier) {
-            self.ephemeralSessions[peerID]?.handshakeState = state
+            self.ephemeralSessions[peer]?.handshakeState = state
             
             // If handshake completed, update last interaction
             if case .completed(let fingerprint) = state {
@@ -493,9 +493,9 @@ final class SecureIdentityStateManager: SecureIdentityStateManagerProtocol {
         }
     }
     
-    func removeEphemeralSession(peerID: String) {
+    func removeEphemeralSession(peer: Peer) {
         queue.async(flags: .barrier) {
-            self.ephemeralSessions.removeValue(forKey: peerID)
+            self.ephemeralSessions.removeValue(forKey: peer)
         }
     }
     
diff --git a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
index 26342889..48d91f87 100644
--- a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
+++ b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
@@ -1298,7 +1298,7 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
         }
         
         // Update identity state manager with handshake completion
-        identityManager.updateHandshakeState(peerID: peerID, state: .completed(fingerprint: fingerprintStr))
+        identityManager.updateHandshakeState(peer: Peer(str: peerID), state: .completed(fingerprint: fingerprintStr))
         
         // Update encryption status now that we have the fingerprint
         updateEncryptionStatus(for: peerID)
@@ -4608,7 +4608,7 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
             isConnected = true
             
             // Register ephemeral session with identity manager
-            identityManager.registerEphemeralSession(peerID: peerID, handshakeState: .none)
+            identityManager.registerEphemeralSession(peer: Peer(str: peerID), handshakeState: .none)
             
             // Intentionally do not resend favorites on reconnect.
             // We only send our npub when a favorite is toggled on, or if our npub changes.
@@ -4633,7 +4633,7 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
         SecureLogger.debug("👋 Peer disconnected: \(peerID)", category: .session)
         
         // Remove ephemeral session from identity manager
-        identityManager.removeEphemeralSession(peerID: peerID)
+        identityManager.removeEphemeralSession(peer: Peer(str: peerID))
 
         // If the open PM is tied to this short peer ID, switch UI context to the full Noise key (offline favorite)
         var derivedStableKeyHex: String? = shortIDToNoiseKey[peerID]
@@ -4740,7 +4740,7 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
             
             // Register ephemeral sessions for all connected peers
             for peerID in peers {
-                self.identityManager.registerEphemeralSession(peerID: peerID, handshakeState: .none)
+                self.identityManager.registerEphemeralSession(peer: Peer(str: peerID), handshakeState: .none)
             }
             
             // Schedule UI refresh to ensure offline favorites are shown