diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/features/chat/ChatClient.autoFavorite.test.ts b/packages/sdk/src/features/chat/ChatClient.autoFavorite.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a90be155
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/features/chat/ChatClient.autoFavorite.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,160 @@
+import { create } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import * as Protobuf from "@meshtastic/protobufs";
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { MeshClient } from "../../core/client/MeshClient.ts";
+import { createFakeTransport } from "../../core/testing/createFakeTransport.ts";
+import { ChannelNumber } from "../../core/types.ts";
+import { Result } from "better-result";
+
+const MY_NODE = 0xdeadbeef;
+
+function setMyNode(client: MeshClient): void {
+  client.events.onMyNodeInfo.dispatch(
+    create(Protobuf.Mesh.MyNodeInfoSchema, { myNodeNum: MY_NODE }),
+  );
+}
+
+function setDeviceRole(
+  client: MeshClient,
+  role: Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfig_Role,
+): void {
+  client.events.onConfigPacket.dispatch(
+    create(Protobuf.Config.ConfigSchema, {
+      payloadVariant: {
+        case: "device",
+        value: create(Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfigSchema, { role }),
+      },
+    }),
+  );
+}
+
+function dispatchDirectMessage(
+  client: MeshClient,
+  opts: { from: number; to: number; ms: number },
+): void {
+  client.events.onMessagePacket.dispatch({
+    id: opts.ms,
+    from: opts.from,
+    to: opts.to,
+    channel: ChannelNumber.Primary,
+    type: "direct",
+    rxTime: new Date(opts.ms),
+    data: "hello",
+  } as never);
+}
+
+describe("ChatClient auto-favorite on direct message", () => {
+  it("auto-favorites the peer on inbound direct message", () => {
+    const { transport } = createFakeTransport();
+    const client = new MeshClient({ transport });
+    setMyNode(client);
+    setDeviceRole(client, Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfig_Role.CLIENT);
+
+    const favoriteSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(client.nodes, "favorite")
+      .mockResolvedValue(Result.ok(1));
+
+    dispatchDirectMessage(client, { from: 100, to: MY_NODE, ms: 1000 });
+
+    expect(favoriteSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(100);
+  });
+
+  it("skips auto-favorite when peer is already favorited", () => {
+    const { transport } = createFakeTransport();
+    const client = new MeshClient({ transport });
+    setMyNode(client);
+    setDeviceRole(client, Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfig_Role.CLIENT);
+
+    client.events.onNodeInfoPacket.dispatch(
+      create(Protobuf.Mesh.NodeInfoSchema, {
+        num: 100,
+        isFavorite: true,
+      }),
+    );
+
+    const favoriteSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(client.nodes, "favorite")
+      .mockResolvedValue(Result.ok(1));
+
+    dispatchDirectMessage(client, { from: 100, to: MY_NODE, ms: 1000 });
+
+    expect(favoriteSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("does not auto-favorite when local role is CLIENT_BASE", () => {
+    const { transport } = createFakeTransport();
+    const client = new MeshClient({ transport });
+    setMyNode(client);
+    setDeviceRole(client, Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfig_Role.CLIENT_BASE);
+
+    const favoriteSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(client.nodes, "favorite")
+      .mockResolvedValue(Result.ok(1));
+
+    dispatchDirectMessage(client, { from: 200, to: MY_NODE, ms: 1000 });
+
+    expect(favoriteSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("calls favorite only once for repeated messages from the same peer", () => {
+    const { transport } = createFakeTransport();
+    const client = new MeshClient({ transport });
+    setMyNode(client);
+    setDeviceRole(client, Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfig_Role.CLIENT);
+
+    const favoriteSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(client.nodes, "favorite")
+      .mockResolvedValue(Result.ok(1));
+
+    dispatchDirectMessage(client, { from: 100, to: MY_NODE, ms: 1000 });
+    dispatchDirectMessage(client, { from: 100, to: MY_NODE, ms: 2000 });
+    dispatchDirectMessage(client, { from: 100, to: MY_NODE, ms: 3000 });
+
+    expect(favoriteSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it("re-attempts favorite after the in-flight request settles", async () => {
+    const { transport } = createFakeTransport();
+    const client = new MeshClient({ transport });
+    setMyNode(client);
+    setDeviceRole(client, Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfig_Role.CLIENT);
+
+    const favoriteSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(client.nodes, "favorite")
+      .mockResolvedValue(Result.ok(1));
+
+    dispatchDirectMessage(client, { from: 100, to: MY_NODE, ms: 1000 });
+    expect(favoriteSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+      expect(favoriteSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    });
+    await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, 0));
+
+    dispatchDirectMessage(client, { from: 100, to: MY_NODE, ms: 2000 });
+    expect(favoriteSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+
+  it("auto-favorites the peer on outbound direct message via send()", async () => {
+    const { transport } = createFakeTransport();
+    const client = new MeshClient({ transport });
+    setMyNode(client);
+    setDeviceRole(client, Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfig_Role.CLIENT);
+
+    const favoriteSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(client.nodes, "favorite")
+      .mockResolvedValue(Result.ok(1));
+
+    const flush = setInterval(() => {
+      for (const item of client.queue.getState())
+        client.queue.processAck(item.id);
+    }, 5);
+    try {
+      await client.chat.send({ text: "hey", destination: 300 });
+    } finally {
+      clearInterval(flush);
+    }
+
+    expect(favoriteSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(300);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/sdk/src/features/chat/ChatClient.ts b/packages/sdk/src/features/chat/ChatClient.ts
index f2b663a74..0f07c0ec8 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/src/features/chat/ChatClient.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/src/features/chat/ChatClient.ts
@@ -142,6 +142,10 @@ export class ChatClient {
       if (packet.from !== client.myNodeNum) {
         this.bumpUnread(key);
       }
+
+      if (conv.kind === "direct") {
+        this.autoFavorite(conv.peer);
+      }
     });
 
     client.events.onRoutingPacket.subscribe((packet) => {
@@ -309,6 +313,10 @@ export class ChatClient {
         ? { kind: "direct", peer: input.destination }
         : { kind: "channel", channel: input.channel ?? 0 };
 
+    if (conv.kind === "direct") {
+      this.autoFavorite(conv.peer);
+    }
+
     // Optimistic-append BEFORE awaiting `sendText`. The send pipeline
     // resolves only after `queue.processAck(id)` fires (firmware ack —
     // can be 1–3 s on LoRa) and we don't want the UI to wait that long
@@ -433,6 +441,23 @@ export class ChatClient {
     this.unreadByKey.value = next;
   }
 
+  private readonly favoriteRequested = new Set<number>();
+
+  private autoFavorite(peer: number): void {
+    if (this.favoriteRequested.has(peer)) return;
+    const node = this.client.nodes.byNum(peer);
+    if (node?.isFavorite) return;
+    const role = this.client.config.radio.value.device?.role;
+    if (role === Protobuf.Config.Config_DeviceConfig_Role.CLIENT_BASE) {
+      return;
+    }
+    this.favoriteRequested.add(peer);
+    void this.client.nodes
+      .favorite(peer)
+      .finally(() => this.favoriteRequested.delete(peer))
+      .catch(() => {});
+  }
+
   private markRead(key: ConversationKey): void {
     const k = this.keyFor(key);
     const current = this.unreadByKey.peek();