diff --git a/bitchat/Services/CommandProcessor.swift b/bitchat/Services/CommandProcessor.swift
index 40a3c3dc..9857e674 100644
--- a/bitchat/Services/CommandProcessor.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Services/CommandProcessor.swift
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ class CommandProcessor {
                 chatViewModel?.addLocalPrivateSystemMessage(localText, to: targetPeerID)
             }
         } else {
-            // In public chat: send to mesh and also add a local system echo so sender sees it immediately
-            meshService?.sendMessage(emoteContent, mentions: [])
+            // In public chat: send to active public channel (mesh or geohash)
+            chatViewModel?.sendPublicRaw(emoteContent)
             let publicEcho = "\(emoji) \(myNickname) \(action) \(nickname)\(suffix)"
             chatViewModel?.addPublicSystemMessage(publicEcho)
         }
diff --git a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
index 76f69051..39dd44cc 100644
--- a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
+++ b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
@@ -2147,9 +2147,34 @@ class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate {
             trimPrivateChatMessagesIfNeeded(for: peerID)
             
         } else {
-            // In public chat - send to everyone
+            // In public chat - send to active public channel
+            #if os(iOS)
+            switch activeChannel {
+            case .mesh:
+                meshService.sendMessage(screenshotMessage, mentions: [])
+            case .location(let ch):
+                Task { @MainActor in
+                    do {
+                        let identity = try NostrIdentityBridge.deriveIdentity(forGeohash: ch.geohash)
+                        let event = try NostrProtocol.createEphemeralGeohashEvent(
+                            content: screenshotMessage,
+                            geohash: ch.geohash,
+                            senderIdentity: identity,
+                            nickname: self.nickname
+                        )
+                        NostrRelayManager.shared.sendEvent(event)
+                        // Track ourselves as active participant
+                        self.recordGeoParticipant(pubkeyHex: identity.publicKeyHex)
+                    } catch {
+                        SecureLogger.log("❌ Failed to send geohash screenshot message: \(error)", category: SecureLogger.session, level: .error)
+                        self.addSystemMessage("failed to send to location channel")
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            #else
             meshService.sendMessage(screenshotMessage, mentions: [])
-            
+            #endif
+
             // Show local notification immediately as system message
             let localNotification = BitchatMessage(
                 sender: "system",
diff --git a/bitchat/Views/LocationChannelsSheet.swift b/bitchat/Views/LocationChannelsSheet.swift
index 8977654b..f129ba0e 100644
--- a/bitchat/Views/LocationChannelsSheet.swift
+++ b/bitchat/Views/LocationChannelsSheet.swift
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ struct LocationChannelsSheet: View {
                     let namePart = nameBase.map { formattedNamePrefix(for: channel.level) + $0 }
                     let subtitlePrefix = "#\(channel.geohash) • \(coverage)"
                     let highlight = viewModel.geohashParticipantCount(for: channel.geohash) > 0
-                    channelRow(title: geohashTitleWithCount(for: channel), subtitlePrefix: subtitlePrefix, subtitleName: namePart, subtitleNameBold: highlight, isSelected: isSelected(channel), titleBold: highlight) {
+                    channelRow(title: geohashTitleWithCount(for: channel), subtitlePrefix: subtitlePrefix, subtitleName: namePart, isSelected: isSelected(channel), titleBold: highlight) {
                         manager.select(ChannelID.location(channel))
                         isPresented = false
                     }