diff --git a/src/features/messages/MessageComposer.tsx b/src/features/messages/MessageComposer.tsx
index 79a580211..a95d52506 100644
--- a/src/features/messages/MessageComposer.tsx
+++ b/src/features/messages/MessageComposer.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   allowsOutsideMentions,
   archivedMention,
   mentionAdmission,
+  pastedMentionRecipient,
 } from "./mention-admission";
 import { rememberMention } from "./mention-history";
 import {
@@ -1392,25 +1393,20 @@ function Composer({
               }}
               onFormatsChange={setActiveFormats}
               onEditLink={setLinkEdit}
-              // Pasted identity links notify the people the picker would offer,
-              // under their current names; edits never add recipients. In a
-              // stream or forum, a cached profile outside the channel counts as
-              // a picked directory row, so Send asks before adding them. The
-              // pasted label is never the name: it could disguise the invitee.
-              acceptRecipient={(pubkey) => {
-                if (editing.target) return null;
-                const name = session.profiles.snapshot().get(pubkey)?.name;
-                return (
-                  mentionCandidates(
-                    session,
-                    channelId,
-                    agentChoices,
-                    mentionRoster,
-                    name ? [{ pubkey, name }] : [],
-                  ).find((c) => c.recipient.pubkey === pubkey)?.recipient ??
-                  null
-                );
-              }}
+              // Pasted identity links notify admitted recipients under their
+              // current names; edits never add recipients. Send still asks
+              // before adding someone outside the channel.
+              acceptRecipient={(pubkey) =>
+                editing.target
+                  ? null
+                  : pastedMentionRecipient(
+                      session,
+                      channelId,
+                      pubkey,
+                      agentChoices,
+                      mentionRoster,
+                    )
+              }
               data-single-emoji={largeEmojiDraft || undefined}
               maxLength={16000}
               aria-label={label}
diff --git a/src/features/messages/mention-admission.test.ts b/src/features/messages/mention-admission.test.ts
index e739a92ac..54660745a 100644
--- a/src/features/messages/mention-admission.test.ts
+++ b/src/features/messages/mention-admission.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { expect, it } from "vitest";
 import type { RelaySession } from "../relay/session";
-import { mentionAdmission } from "./mention-admission";
+import { mentionAdmission, pastedMentionRecipient } from "./mention-admission";
 
 const member = "a".repeat(64);
 const outside = "b".repeat(64);
@@ -84,3 +84,28 @@ it("refuses invalid keys, archived identities and closed destinations", () => {
       )(member),
     ).toBe(false);
 });
+
+it("names a pasted recipient from current state, and leaves an unknown outsider display-only", () => {
+  const base = session({ channelType: "stream" });
+  const profiles = new Map([[outside, { name: "Jane" }]]);
+  const withProfiles = {
+    ...base,
+    profiles: { snapshot: () => profiles },
+  } as unknown as RelaySession;
+  expect(pastedMentionRecipient(withProfiles, "channel", outside)).toEqual({
+    pubkey: outside,
+    name: "Jane",
+  });
+  expect(pastedMentionRecipient(withProfiles, "channel", member)).toEqual({
+    pubkey: member,
+    name: member.slice(0, 12),
+  });
+  expect(pastedMentionRecipient(withProfiles, "channel", library)).toEqual({
+    pubkey: library,
+    name: "Honey",
+  });
+  expect(pastedMentionRecipient(withProfiles, "channel", "f".repeat(64))).toBe(
+    null,
+  );
+  expect(pastedMentionRecipient(withProfiles, "channel", archived)).toBe(null);
+});
diff --git a/src/features/messages/mention-admission.ts b/src/features/messages/mention-admission.ts
index 929f4006f..d3b5e50c8 100644
--- a/src/features/messages/mention-admission.ts
+++ b/src/features/messages/mention-admission.ts
@@ -48,3 +48,35 @@ export function mentionAdmission(
     !archivedMention(session, pubkey) &&
     (outside || allowed.has(pubkey));
 }
+
+/**
+ * The recipient a pasted identity link adds, under its current name, or null.
+ * The pasted label is never the name: it could disguise the invitee. A key
+ * with no known name is accepted only if it is a member; otherwise the link
+ * stays display-only, as the chooser would not offer it.
+ */
+export function pastedMentionRecipient(
+  session: RelaySession,
+  channelId: string,
+  pubkey: string,
+  inviteAgents = false,
+  roster?: readonly MentionRecipient[],
+): MentionRecipient | null {
+  if (!mentionAdmission(session, channelId, inviteAgents, roster)(pubkey))
+    return null;
+  const listed = roster?.find((person) => person.pubkey === pubkey);
+  const name =
+    session.profiles.snapshot().get(pubkey)?.name ||
+    listed?.name ||
+    session.agentChoices
+      .snapshot()
+      .identities.find((agent) => agent.pubkey === pubkey)?.name;
+  if (name) return { pubkey, name };
+  const member = roster
+    ? !!listed
+    : !!session.channels
+        .list()
+        .channels.find((c) => c.id === channelId)
+        ?.members?.includes(pubkey);
+  return member ? { pubkey, name: pubkey.slice(0, 12) } : null;
+}