diff --git a/docs/systems/dm-system.md b/docs/systems/dm-system.md
index 9c75657a..f4005e39 100644
--- a/docs/systems/dm-system.md
+++ b/docs/systems/dm-system.md
@@ -426,6 +426,8 @@ A Deleted-User 1-on-1 is a **read-only archive** — you can never message a tom
 
 - **Helper:** `permissions.ts:isDeadOneOnOne(dmChannelId, requesterId)` → `true` when the channel is 1-on-1 (`ownerId IS NULL`) **and** every member other than the requester has `isDeleted = 1` (returns `false` for groups and when there are no other members).
 - **Applied to all three message-mutation endpoints** in `dm.ts`: `POST /api/dm/:id/messages` (after the `isDmMember` gate), `PATCH /api/dm/messages/:id`, and `DELETE /api/dm/messages/:id`. Each rejects with **`403 { error: "This user's account was deleted", code: 'recipient_deleted', statusCode: 403 }`**.
+- **Applied to DM reactions on the WebSocket path** in `ws/events.ts`: `handleReactionAdd` and `handleReactionRemove` call `isDeadOneOnOne(dmMsg.dmChannelId, userId)` after the `isDmMember` gate and **silently drop** the frame (WS has no response channel). Without this, a survivor could add/remove reactions on historical messages and the reaction would relay to **all** active peers (a 1-on-1 has no group target-origins, so `queueOutboxEvent(..., undefined)` fans out) — the exact mis-directed relay the read-only invariant exists to prevent.
+- **Client mirror (consistency, not the boundary):** `components/chat/Message.tsx` withdraws the add-reaction affordances (hover button, emoji picker, context-menu "Add Reaction") and no-ops existing-pill toggles when the message's DM is a dead 1-on-1 (`isDeletedPartnerDm(dm, currentUser)`). Existing reactions still **display** read-only; only add/remove is disabled.
 
 ### Live update on the heal path
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/userDeletion.dmMembership.test.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/userDeletion.dmMembership.test.ts
index 9de70378..424e001f 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/userDeletion.dmMembership.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/userDeletion.dmMembership.test.ts
@@ -33,12 +33,19 @@ function seedDm(id: string, ownerId: string | null) {
 function seedMember(dmChannelId: string, userId: string) {
   testDb.insert(schema.dmMembers).values({ dmChannelId, userId, closed: 0 }).run();
 }
+function seedDmMessage(id: string, dmChannelId: string, userId: string) {
+  testDb.insert(schema.dmMessages).values({ id, dmChannelId, userId, content: 'x', createdAt: Date.now() }).run();
+}
 
 describe('tombstoneUser — DM membership partition', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     sqlite = new Database(':memory:');
     testDb = drizzle(sqlite, { schema });
     applyMigrations(sqlite);
+    // Match production (db/index.ts:31): FK enforcement ON. better-sqlite3 defaults
+    // this OFF, which would silently skip the dm_channels→dm_members/dm_messages
+    // cascade and let orphaned rows survive a purge unnoticed.
+    sqlite.pragma('foreign_keys = ON');
     vi.clearAllMocks();
   });
   afterEach(() => sqlite.close());
@@ -65,10 +72,32 @@ describe('tombstoneUser — DM membership partition', () => {
     seedDm('dm_live', null); seedMember('dm_live', 'victim'); seedMember('dm_live', 'survivor');
     // Both-dead thread — victim + an already-deleted partner → must be purged
     seedDm('dm_dead', null); seedMember('dm_dead', 'victim'); seedMember('dm_dead', 'alreadyDead');
+    seedDmMessage('msg_dead', 'dm_dead', 'victim');
 
     tombstoneUser('victim', { purgeContent: false });
 
     expect(testDb.select().from(schema.dmChannels).where(eq(schema.dmChannels.id, 'dm_live')).get()).toBeTruthy();
     expect(testDb.select().from(schema.dmChannels).where(eq(schema.dmChannels.id, 'dm_dead')).get()).toBeUndefined();
+    // Cascade cleanup: with FK ON, dropping the dm_channels row must also remove its
+    // dm_members and dm_messages — no orphaned rows may linger.
+    expect(testDb.select().from(schema.dmMembers).where(eq(schema.dmMembers.dmChannelId, 'dm_dead')).all()).toEqual([]);
+    expect(testDb.select().from(schema.dmMessages).where(eq(schema.dmMessages.dmChannelId, 'dm_dead')).all()).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('transfers owned group DM to a LIVE member, never a tombstoned one', async () => {
+    const { tombstoneUser } = await import('./userDeletion.js');
+    seedUser('owner'); seedUser('deadmate', { isDeleted: 1 }); seedUser('livemate');
+    // owner owns a group DM whose other members are one dead + one live.
+    // The membership rows are ordered so the dead member would be picked first
+    // by an unfiltered `LIMIT 1` — proving the isDeleted=0 guard is what selects livemate.
+    seedDm('dm_owned', 'owner');
+    seedMember('dm_owned', 'owner');
+    seedMember('dm_owned', 'deadmate');
+    seedMember('dm_owned', 'livemate');
+
+    tombstoneUser('owner', { purgeContent: false });
+
+    const channel = testDb.select().from(schema.dmChannels).where(eq(schema.dmChannels.id, 'dm_owned')).get();
+    expect(channel?.ownerId).toBe('livemate');
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/userDeletion.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/userDeletion.ts
index 3d050a7b..5ec891e7 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/userDeletion.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/userDeletion.ts
@@ -170,11 +170,17 @@ export function tombstoneUser(uid: string, options?: TombstoneOptions): string[]
       and(eq(schema.channelOverrides.targetType, 'member'), eq(schema.channelOverrides.targetId, uid))
     ).run();
 
-    // Transfer ownership of group DMs to the next remaining member
+    // Transfer ownership of group DMs to the next remaining member.
+    // Invariant: ownership must never transfer to a tombstoned member — join
+    // users and require isDeleted=0 so a dead incarnation can't become owner.
     for (const { id: dmId } of ownedGroupDms) {
       const nextMember = tx.select({ userId: schema.dmMembers.userId })
         .from(schema.dmMembers)
-        .where(eq(schema.dmMembers.dmChannelId, dmId))
+        .innerJoin(schema.users, eq(schema.dmMembers.userId, schema.users.id))
+        .where(and(
+          eq(schema.dmMembers.dmChannelId, dmId),
+          eq(schema.users.isDeleted, 0),
+        ))
         .limit(1)
         .get();
       if (nextMember) {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/ws/events.ts b/packages/server/src/ws/events.ts
index 8212a08e..54a1765d 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/ws/events.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/ws/events.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { getDb, schema } from '../db/index.js';
 import { generateSnowflake } from '../utils/snowflake.js';
 import { connectionManager } from './handler.js';
 import type { VoiceRoom, DmRoomMeta, SpaceRoomMeta } from './handler.js';
-import { isMember, getChannelSpaceId, isDmMember, hasPermission, computePermissions, PermissionBits } from '../utils/permissions.js';
+import { isMember, getChannelSpaceId, isDmMember, isDeadOneOnOne, hasPermission, computePermissions, PermissionBits } from '../utils/permissions.js';
 import { broadcastDmMessage, getDmMessageWithUser } from '../routes/dm.js';
 import { MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH, type MessageWithUser, type Attachment, type DmMessageWithUser, type Embed, type Activity, type ActivityType, type ActivityTimestamps, type ActivityAssets, type ServerEvent, type DmCallUndeliverableFailure, type DmCallUndeliverableReason } from '@backspace/shared';
 import type { CallRelayResult, CallFanoutFailure } from '../utils/federationOutbox.js';
@@ -1138,6 +1138,9 @@ function handleReactionAdd(event: Record<string, unknown>, userId: string, isFed
   if (isFederated) return;
   const dmMsg = db.select().from(schema.dmMessages).where(eq(schema.dmMessages.id, messageId)).get();
   if (!dmMsg || !isDmMember(dmMsg.dmChannelId, userId)) return;
+  // Read-only enforcement: a dead 1-on-1 thread (partner tombstoned) accepts no
+  // reaction mutations — the relay would fan out to all peers via undefined origins.
+  if (isDeadOneOnOne(dmMsg.dmChannelId, userId)) return;
 
   const reactionId = generateSnowflake();
   const now = Date.now();
@@ -1224,6 +1227,9 @@ function handleReactionRemove(event: Record<string, unknown>, userId: string, is
   if (isFederated) return;
   const dmMsg = db.select().from(schema.dmMessages).where(eq(schema.dmMessages.id, messageId)).get();
   if (!dmMsg || !isDmMember(dmMsg.dmChannelId, userId)) return;
+  // Read-only enforcement: a dead 1-on-1 thread (partner tombstoned) accepts no
+  // reaction mutations — the relay would fan out to all peers via undefined origins.
+  if (isDeadOneOnOne(dmMsg.dmChannelId, userId)) return;
 
   const result = db.delete(schema.dmReactions)
     .where(and(
diff --git a/packages/server/test/federation-identity-deletion.test.ts b/packages/server/test/federation-identity-deletion.test.ts
index 957bf6c4..2868ed3a 100644
--- a/packages/server/test/federation-identity-deletion.test.ts
+++ b/packages/server/test/federation-identity-deletion.test.ts
@@ -451,6 +451,50 @@ describe('Federation identity deletion — server suite', () => {
     expect((await remove.json()).code).toBe('recipient_deleted');
   });
 
+  it('#20 read-only: WS reaction_add on a Deleted-User 1-on-1 is silently dropped, not persisted', async () => {
+    const fx = await setupFullDeletionFixture('t20');
+    const { openInspector } = await import('./helpers/dbInspect.js');
+
+    // Survivor authors a message BEFORE the deletion so there is a message living
+    // in the dead thread for the survivor to (attempt to) react on.
+    const pre = await fetch(`${harness.remote.origin}/api/dm/${fx.dmChannelId}/messages`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', Authorization: `Bearer ${fx.observerOnRemote.token}` },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ content: 'before deletion' }),
+    });
+    expect(pre.status).toBe(201);
+    const { id: messageId } = await pre.json() as { id: string };
+
+    // Tombstone the remote (federated) user via soft delete → thread becomes dead 1-on-1.
+    const del = await fetch(`${harness.home.origin}/api/users/@me/federation-identity/delete`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json', Authorization: `Bearer ${fx.homeUser.token}` },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ origins: [harness.remote.origin], mode: 'soft' }),
+    });
+    expect(del.status).toBe(200);
+
+    // Sanity: no reaction by the survivor yet.
+    const before = openInspector(harness.remote);
+    expect(before.dmReactionsForUser(fx.observerOnRemote.id).filter(r => r.dmMessageId === messageId)).toEqual([]);
+    before.close();
+
+    // Survivor opens a WS and attempts to react on the message in the dead thread.
+    const ws = await connectWs(harness.remote.origin, fx.observerOnRemote.token);
+    try {
+      ws.send({ type: 'reaction_add', messageId, emoji: '🔥' });
+      // The handler is synchronous after the frame arrives; 400ms covers transit +
+      // any (rejected) insert attempt. There is no S→C ack for a dropped reaction.
+      await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 400));
+    } finally {
+      ws.close();
+    }
+
+    // Assert: NO dm_reactions row was persisted for the survivor on that message.
+    const after = openInspector(harness.remote);
+    expect(after.dmReactionsForUser(fx.observerOnRemote.id).filter(r => r.dmMessageId === messageId)).toEqual([]);
+    after.close();
+  });
+
   it('#7 owned-spaces 409: ownership prevents deletion, registry preserved', async () => {
     const { createFederatedUser } = await import('./helpers/testUsers.js');
     const { openInspector } = await import('./helpers/dbInspect.js');
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/chat/Message.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/chat/Message.tsx
index a346ddfa..1ba136bf 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/chat/Message.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/chat/Message.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { EmbedRenderer } from './EmbedRenderer';
 import { Username } from '../ui/Username';
 import { EmojiPicker } from './EmojiPicker';
 import { hasPermissionBit, PermissionBits } from '../../utils/permissions';
+import { isDeletedPartnerDm } from '../../utils/dmFormatters';
 import { isSelf, resolveDisplayIdentity } from '../../utils/identity';
 import { useCanonicalUserView } from '../../utils/userViewLookup';
 import {
@@ -161,10 +162,21 @@ export function Message({ message, isCompact, isFirstInGroup, previousMessageId
   const isDmMessage = isPendingMessage(message)
     ? !!message.dmChannelId || !message.channelId
     : !!(message as MessageWithUser & { dmChannelId?: string }).dmChannelId || !message.channelId;
+  const dmChannelId = isPendingMessage(message)
+    ? message.dmChannelId
+    : (message as MessageWithUser & { dmChannelId?: string }).dmChannelId;
+  const dmChannels = useSpaceStore((s) => s.dmChannels);
+  // Read-only enforcement (client mirror of the server guard): a dead 1-on-1 DM
+  // (partner tombstoned) accepts no reaction mutations. Existing reactions still
+  // DISPLAY, but the add/toggle affordances are withdrawn since the server drops them.
+  const isDeadDmThread = !!dmChannelId && (() => {
+    const dm = dmChannels.find(d => d.id === dmChannelId);
+    return dm ? isDeletedPartnerDm(dm, currentUser) : false;
+  })();
   const canManageMessages = hasPermissionBit(myChPerms, PermissionBits.MANAGE_MESSAGES);
   const canSendMessages = isDmMessage || hasPermissionBit(myChPerms, PermissionBits.SEND_MESSAGES);
   const canDelete = isAuthor || canManageMessages;
-  const canAddReactions = isDmMessage || hasPermissionBit(myChPerms, PermissionBits.ADD_REACTIONS);
+  const canAddReactions = (isDmMessage || hasPermissionBit(myChPerms, PermissionBits.ADD_REACTIONS)) && !isDeadDmThread;
 
   const addReaction = useChatStore((s) => s.addReaction);
   const removeReaction = useChatStore((s) => s.removeReaction);
@@ -181,6 +193,8 @@ export function Message({ message, isCompact, isFirstInGroup, previousMessageId
     r.user ? isSelf(r.user, currentUser) : r.userId === currentUser?.id;
 
   const toggleReaction = (emoji: string) => {
+    // Read-only: a dead 1-on-1 DM accepts no reaction mutations (add OR remove).
+    if (isDeadDmThread) return;
     const hasReacted = message.reactions?.some(r => isOwnReaction(r) && r.emoji === emoji);
     if (hasReacted) {
       removeReaction(message.id, emoji);