diff --git a/web/src/stores/conversation.ts b/web/src/stores/conversation.ts
index b54dfde..eeaf73f 100644
--- a/web/src/stores/conversation.ts
+++ b/web/src/stores/conversation.ts
@@ -135,12 +135,14 @@ export const useConversationStore = create<ConversationState>((set, get) => ({
   },
 
   sendMessage: async (conversationId, content) => {
-    // don't append here — WS MESSAGE_CREATE broadcast is the single source of truth.
-    // Appending in both places caused double messages when the WS event arrived before the HTTP response.
+    // Add locally so the message appears immediately even if WS lags.
+    // addMessage dedupes, so a late WS event won't double it.
     const message = await api.post<ConversationMessage>(
       `/conversations/${conversationId}/messages`,
       { content },
     );
+    // ponytail: local append as fallback for WS MESSAGE_CREATE; remove if WS reliability improves
+    get().addMessage(message);
     return message;
   },
 
diff --git a/web/src/stores/message.ts b/web/src/stores/message.ts
index 987486a..834dc05 100644
--- a/web/src/stores/message.ts
+++ b/web/src/stores/message.ts
@@ -169,12 +169,14 @@ export const useMessageStore = create<MessageState>((set, get) => ({
   sendMessage: async (channelId, content, replyTo) => {
     const body: { content: string; reply_to?: string } = { content };
     if (replyTo) body.reply_to = replyTo;
-    // ponytail: don't append here — WS MESSAGE_CREATE broadcast is the single source of truth.
-    // Appending in both places caused double messages when the WS event arrived before the HTTP response.
+    // Add locally so the message appears immediately even if WS lags.
+    // addMessage dedupes, so a late WS event won't double it.
     const message = await api.post<Message>(
       `/channels/${channelId}/messages`,
       body,
     );
+    // ponytail: local append as fallback for WS MESSAGE_CREATE; remove if WS reliability improves
+    get().addMessage(message);
     return message;
   },