diff --git a/cmd/server/db.go b/cmd/server/db.go
index 4226c5fe..14cac6fb 100644
--- a/cmd/server/db.go
+++ b/cmd/server/db.go
@@ -1863,7 +1863,7 @@ func (db *DB) GetChannelMessages(channelHash string, limit, offset int, region .
 	var obsSQL string
 	if db.isV3 {
 		obsSQL = `SELECT o.id, t.id, t.hash, t.decoded_json, t.first_seen,
-				obs.id, obs.name, o.snr, o.path_json, o.timestamp` + scopeCol + `
+				obs.id, obs.name, o.snr, o.path_json, o.timestamp, t.route_type` + scopeCol + `
 			FROM observations o
 			JOIN transmissions t ON t.id = o.transmission_id
 			LEFT JOIN observers obs ON obs.rowid = o.observer_idx
@@ -1871,7 +1871,7 @@ func (db *DB) GetChannelMessages(channelHash string, limit, offset int, region .
 			ORDER BY o.id ASC`
 	} else {
 		obsSQL = `SELECT o.id, t.id, t.hash, t.decoded_json, t.first_seen,
-				o.observer_id, o.observer_name, o.snr, o.path_json, o.timestamp` + scopeCol + `
+				o.observer_id, o.observer_name, o.snr, o.path_json, o.timestamp, t.route_type` + scopeCol + `
 			FROM observations o
 			JOIN transmissions t ON t.id = o.transmission_id
 			WHERE t.id IN (` + strings.Join(idPlaceholders, ",") + `)
@@ -1896,8 +1896,9 @@ func (db *DB) GetChannelMessages(channelHash string, limit, offset int, region .
 		var pktHash, dj, fs, obsID, obsName, pathJSON sql.NullString
 		var snr sql.NullFloat64
 		var obsTs sql.NullInt64
+		var routeType sql.NullInt64
 		var scopeName sql.NullString
-		scanArgs := []interface{}{&pktID, &txID, &pktHash, &dj, &fs, &obsID, &obsName, &snr, &pathJSON, &obsTs}
+		scanArgs := []interface{}{&pktID, &txID, &pktHash, &dj, &fs, &obsID, &obsName, &snr, &pathJSON, &obsTs, &routeType}
 		if db.hasScopeName {
 			scanArgs = append(scanArgs, &scopeName)
 		}
@@ -1953,6 +1954,7 @@ func (db *DB) GetChannelMessages(channelHash string, limit, offset int, region .
 				"hops":             hops,
 				"snr":              nullFloat(snr),
 				"scope":            nullStr(scopeName),
+				"routeType":        nullInt(routeType),
 			},
 			Repeats: 1,
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/server/store.go b/cmd/server/store.go
index 5ad623c0..d7ad4307 100644
--- a/cmd/server/store.go
+++ b/cmd/server/store.go
@@ -5519,6 +5519,7 @@ func (s *PacketStore) GetChannelMessages(channelHash string, limit, offset int,
 					"hops":             hops,
 					"snr":              snrVal,
 					"scope":            strOrNil(tx.ScopeName),
+					"routeType":        intPtrOrNil(tx.RouteType),
 				},
 				Repeats:   1,
 				Observers: observers,
diff --git a/cmd/server/types.go b/cmd/server/types.go
index 54738397..28537bb6 100644
--- a/cmd/server/types.go
+++ b/cmd/server/types.go
@@ -906,6 +906,7 @@ type ChannelMessageResp struct {
 	Hops            int         `json:"hops"`
 	SNR             interface{} `json:"snr"`
 	Scope           interface{} `json:"scope"`
+	RouteType       interface{} `json:"routeType"`
 }
 
 type ChannelMessagesResponse struct {
diff --git a/public/channels.js b/public/channels.js
index 23205825..40abb9db 100644
--- a/public/channels.js
+++ b/public/channels.js
@@ -664,6 +664,7 @@
           hops: d.path_len || 0, snr: c.packet.snr || null,
           observers: c.packet.observer_name ? [c.packet.observer_name] : [],
           scope: c.packet.scope_name || null,
+          routeType: c.packet.route_type ?? null,
           repeats: 1
         });
         continue;
@@ -681,6 +682,7 @@
           hops: 0, snr: c.packet.snr || null,
           observers: c.packet.observer_name ? [c.packet.observer_name] : [],
           scope: c.packet.scope_name || null,
+          routeType: c.packet.route_type ?? null,
           repeats: 1
         });
       } else {
@@ -1420,6 +1422,7 @@
         var snr = m.data?.snr ?? m.data?.packet?.snr ?? payload.SNR ?? null;
         var observer = m.data?.packet?.observer_name || m.data?.observer || null;
         var scope = m.data?.scope_name || m.data?.packet?.scope_name || null;
+        var routeType = m.data?.route_type ?? m.data?.packet?.route_type ?? null;
 
         // Update channel list entry — only once per unique packet hash
         var isFirstObservation = pktHash && !seenHashes.has(pktHash + ':' + channelKey);
@@ -1472,6 +1475,7 @@
               hops: payload.path_len || 0,
               snr: snr,
               scope: scope,
+              routeType: routeType,
               // #1498: mark as WS-pushed so a later REST replacement
               // (selectChannel / refreshMessages) can merge instead of
               // stomp. Without this flag the REST response wipes any
@@ -2262,7 +2266,15 @@
       if (msg.observers?.length > 1) meta.push(`${msg.observers.length} observers`);
       if (msg.hops > 0) meta.push(`${msg.hops} hops`);
       if (msg.snr !== null && msg.snr !== undefined) meta.push(`SNR ${msg.snr}`);
+      // Scope only applies to TRANSPORT_FLOOD(0)/TRANSPORT_DIRECT(3) routes.
+      // Plain FLOOD(1)/DIRECT(2) never carry a scope — show nothing for those.
+      // A transport-eligible message with an empty scope means the region
+      // couldn't be determined (no configured region matched, or an
+      // HMAC collision made the match ambiguous) — show it as unknown
+      // rather than silently omitting the tag.
+      const isTransportRoute = msg.routeType === 0 || msg.routeType === 3;
       if (msg.scope) meta.push(`Scope: ${escapeHtml(msg.scope)}`);
+      else if (isTransportRoute) meta.push('Scope: unknown');
 
       const safeId = btoa(encodeURIComponent(sender));
       // #1367: emit BOTH the new chat-app class names (.ch-message /