diff --git a/web/src/components/ChatArea.tsx b/web/src/components/ChatArea.tsx
index 679910a..914d69a 100644
--- a/web/src/components/ChatArea.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/ChatArea.tsx
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ export function ChatArea() {
   );
   const isLoading = useMessageStore((s) => s.isLoading);
   const isLoadingOlder = useMessageStore((s) => s.isLoadingOlder);
+  const hasMore = useMessageStore((s) => activeChannelId ? s.hasMoreByChannel[activeChannelId] !== false : true);
   const fetchMessages = useMessageStore((s) => s.fetchMessages);
   const fetchOlderMessages = useMessageStore((s) => s.fetchOlderMessages);
   const sendMessage = useMessageStore((s) => s.sendMessage);
@@ -447,17 +448,16 @@ export function ChatArea() {
 
   const handleScroll = useCallback(() => {
     const el = scrollContainerRef.current;
-    if (!el || !activeChannelId || isLoadingOlder) return;
+    if (!el || !activeChannelId || isLoadingOlder || !hasMore) return;
     if (el.scrollTop < 100) {
       const prevHeight = el.scrollHeight;
       fetchOlderMessages(activeChannelId).then(() => {
-        // ponytail: maintain scroll position after prepending older messages
         requestAnimationFrame(() => {
           el.scrollTop = el.scrollHeight - prevHeight;
         });
       });
     }
-  }, [activeChannelId, isLoadingOlder, fetchOlderMessages]);
+  }, [activeChannelId, isLoadingOlder, hasMore, fetchOlderMessages]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     bottomRef.current?.scrollIntoView({ behavior: "auto" });
diff --git a/web/src/components/DMChat.tsx b/web/src/components/DMChat.tsx
index 24412ae..b0f9b20 100644
--- a/web/src/components/DMChat.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/DMChat.tsx
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ export function DMChat() {
   const fetchMessages = useConversationStore((s) => s.fetchMessages);
   const fetchOlderMessages = useConversationStore((s) => s.fetchOlderMessages);
   const isLoadingOlder = useConversationStore((s) => s.isLoadingOlder);
+  const hasMore = useConversationStore((s) => id ? s.hasMoreByConversation[id] !== false : true);
   const isLoading = useConversationStore((s) => s.isLoading);
   const sendMessage = useConversationStore((s) => s.sendMessage);
   const fetchConversations = useConversationStore((s) => s.fetchConversations);
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ export function DMChat() {
 
   const handleScroll = useCallback(() => {
     const el = scrollContainerRef.current;
-    if (!el || !id || isLoadingOlder) return;
+    if (!el || !id || isLoadingOlder || !hasMore) return;
     if (el.scrollTop < 100) {
       const prevHeight = el.scrollHeight;
       fetchOlderMessages(id).then(() => {
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ export function DMChat() {
         });
       });
     }
-  }, [id, isLoadingOlder, fetchOlderMessages]);
+  }, [id, isLoadingOlder, hasMore, fetchOlderMessages]);
   const messages = id ? messagesByConv[id] || [] : [];
 
   useEffect(() => {