diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/channel_head_cache.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/channel_head_cache.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2cf2b7ef5b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/channel_head_cache.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,398 @@
+//! Persistent native cache for recently visited channel head pages.
+//!
+//! The cache is a paint accelerator only: the renderer always replaces a
+//! hydrated page with an authoritative relay response after subscribing.
+
+use std::{
+    path::{Path, PathBuf},
+    sync::{Arc, Mutex},
+};
+
+use rusqlite::{params, Connection, OptionalExtension, Transaction};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+use serde_json::Value;
+use tauri::{AppHandle, Manager, State};
+
+const SCHEMA_VERSION: i64 = 1;
+const CHANNELS_PER_SCOPE_CAP: i64 = 32;
+const ROW_BYTES_CAP: usize = 1024 * 1024;
+
+/// Serializes cache mutations on the blocking pool.
+#[derive(Default)]
+pub(crate) struct ChannelHeadCacheStore {
+    write_lock: Arc<Mutex<()>>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub(crate) struct ChannelHeadScope {
+    pub(crate) pubkey: String,
+    pub(crate) relay_url: String,
+}
+
+impl ChannelHeadScope {
+    fn key(&self) -> String {
+        format!(
+            "{}:{}",
+            self.pubkey.trim().to_ascii_lowercase(),
+            self.relay_url.trim().trim_end_matches('/')
+        )
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, PartialEq)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub(crate) struct ChannelHeadEntry {
+    channel_id: String,
+    events: Vec<Value>,
+    saved_at: i64,
+    last_visited_at: i64,
+}
+
+fn db_path(app: &AppHandle) -> Result<PathBuf, String> {
+    let dir = app
+        .path()
+        .app_data_dir()
+        .map_err(|error| format!("resolve channel-head cache data dir: {error}"))?;
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&dir)
+        .map_err(|error| format!("create channel-head cache data dir: {error}"))?;
+    Ok(dir.join("channel-head-cache.db"))
+}
+
+fn create_schema(conn: &Connection) -> Result<(), String> {
+    conn.execute_batch(
+        "CREATE TABLE schema_meta(version INTEGER NOT NULL);
+         INSERT INTO schema_meta(version) VALUES(1);
+         CREATE TABLE channel_head(
+           scope TEXT NOT NULL,
+           channel_id TEXT NOT NULL,
+           events_json TEXT NOT NULL,
+           row_count INTEGER NOT NULL,
+           saved_at INTEGER NOT NULL,
+           last_visited_at INTEGER NOT NULL,
+           PRIMARY KEY(scope, channel_id)
+         );",
+    )
+    .map_err(|error| format!("initialize channel-head cache db: {error}"))
+}
+
+fn open_db(path: &Path) -> Result<Connection, String> {
+    let conn =
+        Connection::open(path).map_err(|error| format!("open channel-head cache db: {error}"))?;
+    conn.pragma_update(None, "busy_timeout", 5_000)
+        .map_err(|error| format!("configure channel-head cache db: {error}"))?;
+    conn.pragma_update(None, "journal_mode", "WAL")
+        .map_err(|error| format!("configure channel-head cache WAL: {error}"))?;
+
+    let has_schema_meta: bool = conn
+        .query_row(
+            "SELECT EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM sqlite_master WHERE type='table' AND name='schema_meta')",
+            [],
+            |row| row.get(0),
+        )
+        .map_err(|error| format!("inspect channel-head cache schema: {error}"))?;
+    if !has_schema_meta {
+        create_schema(&conn)?;
+        return Ok(conn);
+    }
+
+    let version = conn
+        .query_row("SELECT version FROM schema_meta LIMIT 1", [], |row| {
+            row.get::<_, i64>(0)
+        })
+        .optional()
+        .map_err(|error| format!("read channel-head cache schema: {error}"))?;
+    let has_channel_head: bool = conn
+        .query_row(
+            "SELECT EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM sqlite_master WHERE type='table' AND name='channel_head')",
+            [],
+            |row| row.get(0),
+        )
+        .map_err(|error| format!("inspect channel-head cache table: {error}"))?;
+    if version != Some(SCHEMA_VERSION) || !has_channel_head {
+        conn.execute_batch("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS channel_head; DROP TABLE IF EXISTS schema_meta;")
+            .map_err(|error| format!("reset channel-head cache schema: {error}"))?;
+        create_schema(&conn)?;
+    }
+    Ok(conn)
+}
+
+async fn run_blocking<T, F>(task: F) -> Result<T, String>
+where
+    T: Send + 'static,
+    F: FnOnce() -> Result<T, String> + Send + 'static,
+{
+    tauri::async_runtime::spawn_blocking(task)
+        .await
+        .map_err(|error| format!("channel-head cache db task failed: {error}"))?
+}
+
+fn load_from_path(
+    path: &Path,
+    scope: &ChannelHeadScope,
+    limit: u32,
+) -> Result<Vec<ChannelHeadEntry>, String> {
+    let conn = open_db(path)?;
+    let mut statement = conn
+        .prepare(
+            "SELECT channel_id, events_json, saved_at, last_visited_at
+             FROM channel_head WHERE scope=?1
+             ORDER BY last_visited_at DESC, saved_at DESC, channel_id ASC LIMIT ?2",
+        )
+        .map_err(|error| format!("prepare channel-head cache load: {error}"))?;
+    let rows = statement
+        .query_map(params![scope.key(), i64::from(limit)], |row| {
+            Ok((
+                row.get::<_, String>(0)?,
+                row.get::<_, String>(1)?,
+                row.get::<_, i64>(2)?,
+                row.get::<_, i64>(3)?,
+            ))
+        })
+        .map_err(|error| format!("query channel-head cache: {error}"))?;
+    let mut entries = Vec::new();
+    for row in rows {
+        let (channel_id, events_json, saved_at, last_visited_at) =
+            row.map_err(|error| format!("read channel-head cache row: {error}"))?;
+        let events = serde_json::from_str(&events_json)
+            .map_err(|error| format!("decode channel-head cache row {channel_id}: {error}"))?;
+        entries.push(ChannelHeadEntry {
+            channel_id,
+            events,
+            saved_at,
+            last_visited_at,
+        });
+    }
+    Ok(entries)
+}
+
+fn store_in_transaction(
+    transaction: &Transaction<'_>,
+    scope: &str,
+    channel_id: &str,
+    events_json: &str,
+    row_count: usize,
+    now: i64,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let last_visited_at: i64 = transaction
+        .query_row(
+            "SELECT COALESCE(MAX(last_visited_at), ?2 - 1) + 1 FROM channel_head WHERE scope=?1",
+            params![scope, now],
+            |row| row.get(0),
+        )
+        .map_err(|error| format!("advance channel-head cache visit clock: {error}"))?;
+    transaction
+        .execute(
+            "INSERT INTO channel_head(scope, channel_id, events_json, row_count, saved_at, last_visited_at)
+             VALUES(?1, ?2, ?3, ?4, ?5, ?6)
+             ON CONFLICT(scope, channel_id) DO UPDATE SET
+               events_json=excluded.events_json,
+               row_count=excluded.row_count,
+               saved_at=excluded.saved_at,
+               last_visited_at=excluded.last_visited_at",
+            params![scope, channel_id, events_json, row_count as i64, now, last_visited_at],
+        )
+        .map_err(|error| format!("store channel-head cache row: {error}"))?;
+    transaction
+        .execute(
+            "DELETE FROM channel_head WHERE rowid IN (
+               SELECT rowid FROM channel_head WHERE scope=?1
+               ORDER BY last_visited_at DESC, saved_at DESC, channel_id ASC
+               LIMIT -1 OFFSET ?2
+             )",
+            params![scope, CHANNELS_PER_SCOPE_CAP],
+        )
+        .map_err(|error| format!("prune channel-head cache: {error}"))?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn store_at(
+    path: &Path,
+    scope: &ChannelHeadScope,
+    channel_id: &str,
+    events: &[Value],
+    now: i64,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let events_json = serde_json::to_string(events)
+        .map_err(|error| format!("encode channel-head cache row: {error}"))?;
+    let mut conn = open_db(path)?;
+    let transaction = conn
+        .transaction()
+        .map_err(|error| format!("begin channel-head cache store: {error}"))?;
+    if events_json.len() > ROW_BYTES_CAP {
+        transaction
+            .execute(
+                "DELETE FROM channel_head WHERE scope=?1 AND channel_id=?2",
+                params![scope.key(), channel_id],
+            )
+            .map_err(|error| format!("drop oversized channel-head cache row: {error}"))?;
+    } else {
+        store_in_transaction(
+            &transaction,
+            &scope.key(),
+            channel_id,
+            &events_json,
+            events.len(),
+            now,
+        )?;
+    }
+    transaction
+        .commit()
+        .map_err(|error| format!("commit channel-head cache store: {error}"))
+}
+
+/// Loads the most recently visited channel heads for one identity and relay.
+#[tauri::command]
+pub(crate) async fn channel_head_cache_load(
+    scope: ChannelHeadScope,
+    limit: u32,
+    app: AppHandle,
+) -> Result<Vec<ChannelHeadEntry>, String> {
+    let path = db_path(&app)?;
+    run_blocking(move || load_from_path(&path, &scope, limit)).await
+}
+
+/// Stores one raw channel-window response, dropping payloads above one MiB.
+#[tauri::command]
+pub(crate) async fn channel_head_cache_store(
+    scope: ChannelHeadScope,
+    channel_id: String,
+    events: Vec<Value>,
+    app: AppHandle,
+    store: State<'_, ChannelHeadCacheStore>,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let path = db_path(&app)?;
+    let write_lock = Arc::clone(&store.write_lock);
+    run_blocking(move || {
+        let _guard = write_lock.lock().map_err(|error| error.to_string())?;
+        store_at(
+            &path,
+            &scope,
+            &channel_id,
+            &events,
+            chrono::Utc::now().timestamp(),
+        )
+    })
+    .await
+}
+
+/// Clears all persisted channel heads for one identity and relay.
+#[tauri::command]
+pub(crate) async fn channel_head_cache_clear(
+    scope: ChannelHeadScope,
+    app: AppHandle,
+    store: State<'_, ChannelHeadCacheStore>,
+) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let path = db_path(&app)?;
+    let write_lock = Arc::clone(&store.write_lock);
+    run_blocking(move || {
+        let _guard = write_lock.lock().map_err(|error| error.to_string())?;
+        let conn = open_db(&path)?;
+        conn.execute("DELETE FROM channel_head WHERE scope=?1", [scope.key()])
+            .map_err(|error| format!("clear channel-head cache scope: {error}"))?;
+        Ok(())
+    })
+    .await
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn flush(app: &AppHandle) {
+    if let Ok(path) = db_path(app) {
+        if let Ok(conn) = open_db(&path) {
+            let _ = conn.execute_batch("PRAGMA wal_checkpoint(PASSIVE);");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn scope() -> ChannelHeadScope {
+        ChannelHeadScope {
+            pubkey: "PK".into(),
+            relay_url: "wss://relay/".into(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn serialized_entry_matches_typescript_contract() {
+        let actual = serde_json::to_value(ChannelHeadEntry {
+            channel_id: "general".into(),
+            events: vec![serde_json::json!({"id":"event"})],
+            saved_at: 42,
+            last_visited_at: 43,
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+        let expected = serde_json::json!({
+            "channelId":"general",
+            "events":[{"id":"event"}],
+            "savedAt":42,
+            "lastVisitedAt":43
+        });
+        assert_eq!(actual, expected);
+
+        let decoded: ChannelHeadScope = serde_json::from_value(serde_json::json!({
+            "pubkey":"PK", "relayUrl":"wss://relay/"
+        }))
+        .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(decoded, scope());
+        assert_eq!(decoded.key(), "pk:wss://relay");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn enforces_lru_and_payload_caps() {
+        let directory = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let path = directory.path().join("channel-head-cache.db");
+        for index in 0..=CHANNELS_PER_SCOPE_CAP {
+            store_at(
+                &path,
+                &scope(),
+                &format!("channel-{index:02}"),
+                &[serde_json::json!({"index":index})],
+                1_000 + index,
+            )
+            .unwrap();
+        }
+        let entries = load_from_path(&path, &scope(), 100).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(entries.len(), CHANNELS_PER_SCOPE_CAP as usize);
+        assert_eq!(entries.first().unwrap().channel_id, "channel-32");
+        assert!(!entries.iter().any(|entry| entry.channel_id == "channel-00"));
+
+        let oversized = vec![Value::String("x".repeat(ROW_BYTES_CAP))];
+        store_at(&path, &scope(), "channel-32", &oversized, 2_000).unwrap();
+        let count: i64 = open_db(&path)
+            .unwrap()
+            .query_row(
+                "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM channel_head WHERE channel_id='channel-32'",
+                [],
+                |row| row.get(0),
+            )
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(count, 0);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn schema_mismatch_recreates_cache() {
+        let directory = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let path = directory.path().join("channel-head-cache.db");
+        let conn = open_db(&path).unwrap();
+        conn.execute("UPDATE schema_meta SET version=99", [])
+            .unwrap();
+        conn.execute(
+            "INSERT INTO channel_head VALUES('scope','channel','[]',0,1,1)",
+            [],
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        drop(conn);
+
+        let reset = open_db(&path).unwrap();
+        let version: i64 = reset
+            .query_row("SELECT version FROM schema_meta", [], |row| row.get(0))
+            .unwrap();
+        let rows: i64 = reset
+            .query_row("SELECT COUNT(*) FROM channel_head", [], |row| row.get(0))
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(version, SCHEMA_VERSION);
+        assert_eq!(rows, 0);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 71a5eb3806..428aa4d2a7 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ mod app_menu;
 mod app_state;
 mod archive;
 mod builderlab;
+mod channel_head_cache;
 mod commands;
 mod deep_link;
 mod egress_guard;
@@ -234,6 +235,7 @@ pub fn run() {
         .manage(archive::sync::ArchiveSyncState::default())
         .manage(native_relay_client::NativeRelayClient::default())
         .manage(observed_unread::ObservedUnreadStore::default())
+        .manage(channel_head_cache::ChannelHeadCacheStore::default())
         .setup(move |app| {
             let app_handle = app.handle().clone();
             #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
@@ -724,6 +726,9 @@ pub fn run() {
             unread_catch_up::unread_catch_up,
             observed_unread::observed_unread_open_scope,
             observed_unread::observed_unread_ingest,
+            channel_head_cache::channel_head_cache_load,
+            channel_head_cache::channel_head_cache_store,
+            channel_head_cache::channel_head_cache_clear,
             list_personas,
             create_persona,
             update_persona,
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/shutdown.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/shutdown.rs
index 17ca7a7bb3..b1548c6937 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/shutdown.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/shutdown.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ pub(crate) fn shut_down_app(app: &tauri::AppHandle, shutdown_done: &std::sync::a
     if !shutdown_done.swap(true, Ordering::SeqCst) {
         prevent_sleep::release(&app.state::<AppState>().prevent_sleep);
         crate::observed_unread::flush(app);
+        crate::channel_head_cache::flush(app);
         app.state::<crate::terminal_runtime::TerminalSessions>()
             .shutdown_all();
         if let Err(error) = shutdown_managed_agents(app) {