diff --git a/packages/server/src/routes/federation.resolveOrCreate.test.ts b/packages/server/src/routes/federation.resolveOrCreate.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e6c550c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/routes/federation.resolveOrCreate.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest';
+import Database from 'better-sqlite3';
+import { drizzle } from 'drizzle-orm/better-sqlite3';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import * as schema from '../db/schema.js';
+import { eq } from 'drizzle-orm';
+
+const __dirname = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
+type TestDb = ReturnType<typeof drizzle<typeof schema>>;
+let sqlite: Database.Database;
+let testDb: TestDb;
+
+vi.mock('../db/index.js', () => ({
+  getDb: () => testDb,
+  getRawDb: () => sqlite,
+  schema,
+}));
+
+let _sf = 1;
+vi.mock('../utils/snowflake.js', () => ({
+  generateSnowflake: () => String(_sf++),
+  setWorkerId: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+// federation.ts also imports connectionManager/ws — stub minimal surface so
+// the route module loads at test time. The function under test doesn't touch any of these.
+vi.mock('../ws/handler.js', () => ({
+  connectionManager: {
+    sendToUser: vi.fn(),
+    sendToSpace: vi.fn(),
+    sendToDmMembers: vi.fn(),
+    sendToAdmins: vi.fn(),
+    getAllOnlineUserIds: () => [],
+    evictFederatedCallsForHost: vi.fn(),
+    federatedCalls: new Map(),
+    isUserOnline: vi.fn(),
+    lateBindFederatedCall: vi.fn(),
+  },
+}));
+
+function applyMigrations(db: Database.Database): void {
+  const migrationsDir = path.resolve(__dirname, '../../drizzle');
+  const files = fs.readdirSync(migrationsDir).filter(f => f.endsWith('.sql')).sort();
+  for (const f of files) {
+    const sql = fs.readFileSync(path.join(migrationsDir, f), 'utf8');
+    for (const stmt of sql.split(/-->\s*statement-breakpoint/)) {
+      const clean = stmt.trim();
+      if (clean) db.exec(clean);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+beforeEach(() => {
+  sqlite = new Database(':memory:');
+  testDb = drizzle(sqlite, { schema });
+  applyMigrations(sqlite);
+  _sf = 1;
+});
+
+describe('resolveOrCreateReplicatedUser — stub username', () => {
+  it('creates stub with realname@domain when hint provides username', async () => {
+    const { resolveOrCreateReplicatedUser } = await import('./federation.js');
+    const created = resolveOrCreateReplicatedUser(
+      '310002371434024960',
+      'orbit.ddns.net',
+      testDb,
+      { username: 'pbtest3' },
+    );
+    expect(created).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(created!.username).toBe('pbtest3@orbit.ddns.net');
+    expect(created!.homeUserId).toBe('310002371434024960');
+    expect(created!.homeInstance).toBe('orbit.ddns.net');
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to homeUserId@domain when no hint provided', async () => {
+    const { resolveOrCreateReplicatedUser } = await import('./federation.js');
+    const created = resolveOrCreateReplicatedUser(
+      '310002371434024960',
+      'orbit.ddns.net',
+      testDb,
+    );
+    expect(created!.username).toBe('310002371434024960@orbit.ddns.net');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/server/src/routes/federation.ts b/packages/server/src/routes/federation.ts
index 6173d5ba..f4d188e8 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/routes/federation.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/routes/federation.ts
@@ -3181,9 +3181,13 @@ export function resolveOrCreateReplicatedUser(
     return null;
   }
 
-  // Use the snowflake-style homeUserId as the local part; append the
-  // domain so the username is globally unique and human-readable.
-  const baseUsername = `${homeUserId}@${domain}`.toLowerCase();
+  // Use the home user's real username when the caller passes a hint (the wire
+  // profile snapshot from friend_request_create / friend_add / DM relay carries
+  // it). This makes the local stub's `username` human-readable, so client-side
+  // `parseFederatedUsername(username).baseName` returns the real handle. Falls
+  // back to the snowflake-id scheme when no hint is available (legacy paths).
+  const localPart = (hints?.username ?? homeUserId).toLowerCase();
+  const baseUsername = `${localPart}@${domain}`.toLowerCase();
 
   // Guard against the (unlikely) case where this username already
   // exists — e.g. a prior partial replication or manual creation.
@@ -3192,11 +3196,11 @@ export function resolveOrCreateReplicatedUser(
   let attempt = 0;
   while (collision) {
     attempt++;
-    username = `${homeUserId}_${attempt}@${domain}`.toLowerCase();
+    username = `${localPart}_${attempt}@${domain}`.toLowerCase();
     collision = db.select().from(schema.users).where(eq(schema.users.username, username)).get();
     if (attempt > 10) {
       // Extremely unlikely; use a random suffix to break out
-      username = `${homeUserId}_${randomBytes(4).toString('hex')}@${domain}`.toLowerCase();
+      username = `${localPart}_${randomBytes(4).toString('hex')}@${domain}`.toLowerCase();
       break;
     }
   }