diff --git a/bitchat/Identity/SecureIdentityStateManager.swift b/bitchat/Identity/SecureIdentityStateManager.swift
index 7342dd1f..8700a1f3 100644
--- a/bitchat/Identity/SecureIdentityStateManager.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Identity/SecureIdentityStateManager.swift
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ protocol SecureIdentityStateManagerProtocol {
     
     // MARK: Cryptographic Identities
     func upsertCryptographicIdentity(fingerprint: String, noisePublicKey: Data, signingPublicKey: Data?, claimedNickname: String?)
-    func getCryptoIdentitiesByPeerIDPrefix(_ peerID: String) -> [CryptographicIdentity]
+    func getCryptoIdentitiesByPeerIDPrefix(_ peer: Peer) -> [CryptographicIdentity]
     func updateSocialIdentity(_ identity: SocialIdentity)
     
     // MARK: Favorites Management
@@ -321,11 +321,11 @@ final class SecureIdentityStateManager: SecureIdentityStateManagerProtocol {
     }
 
     /// Find cryptographic identities whose fingerprint prefix matches a peerID (16-hex) short ID
-    func getCryptoIdentitiesByPeerIDPrefix(_ peerID: String) -> [CryptographicIdentity] {
+    func getCryptoIdentitiesByPeerIDPrefix(_ peer: Peer) -> [CryptographicIdentity] {
         queue.sync {
             // Defensive: ensure hex and correct length
-            guard peerID.count == 16, peerID.allSatisfy({ $0.isHexDigit }) else { return [] }
-            return cryptographicIdentities.values.filter { $0.fingerprint.hasPrefix(peerID) }
+            guard peer.isShort, peer.id.allSatisfy({ $0.isHexDigit }) else { return [] }
+            return cryptographicIdentities.values.filter { $0.fingerprint.hasPrefix(peer.id) }
         }
     }
     
diff --git a/bitchat/Models/Peer.swift b/bitchat/Models/Peer.swift
index e710a968..ae0e96d5 100644
--- a/bitchat/Models/Peer.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Models/Peer.swift
@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ import Foundation
 
 struct Peer: Equatable, Hashable {
     let id: String
+    
+    var isShort: Bool {
+        id.count == 16 && Data(hexString: id) != nil
+    }
 }
 
 extension Peer {
diff --git a/bitchat/Services/BLEService.swift b/bitchat/Services/BLEService.swift
index 3d15a24a..33ac41fd 100644
--- a/bitchat/Services/BLEService.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Services/BLEService.swift
@@ -1730,7 +1730,7 @@ final class BLEService: NSObject {
             // Fallback: verify signature using persisted signing key for this peerID's fingerprint prefix
             if let signature = packet.signature, let packetData = packet.toBinaryDataForSigning() {
                 // Find candidate identities by peerID prefix (16 hex)
-                let candidates = identityManager.getCryptoIdentitiesByPeerIDPrefix(peerID)
+                let candidates = identityManager.getCryptoIdentitiesByPeerIDPrefix(Peer(str: peerID))
                 for candidate in candidates {
                     if let signingKey = candidate.signingPublicKey,
                        noiseService.verifySignature(signature, for: packetData, publicKey: signingKey) {
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift b/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
index 79eaf04b..ffb18c31 100644
--- a/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Views/ContentView.swift
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ struct ContentView: View {
                !fav.peerNickname.isEmpty { return fav.peerNickname }
             // Fallback: resolve from persisted social identity via fingerprint mapping
             if headerPeerID.count == 16 {
-                let candidates = viewModel.identityManager.getCryptoIdentitiesByPeerIDPrefix(headerPeerID)
+                let candidates = viewModel.identityManager.getCryptoIdentitiesByPeerIDPrefix(Peer(str: headerPeerID))
                 if let id = candidates.first,
                    let social = viewModel.identityManager.getSocialIdentity(for: id.fingerprint) {
                     if let pet = social.localPetname, !pet.isEmpty { return pet }