diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index cf2e016..e205a8b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -104,6 +104,16 @@ semantic versioning.
 
 ### Added
 
+- `hops_min:N` response-template filter, alongside `pathbytes_min:N`. It clears a
+  field unless the message actually travelled at least N hops, so
+  `{firstlast_distance|hops_min:1|prefix_if_nonempty: | F/L Dist: }` drops the whole
+  clause on a direct message. The distance placeholders render `N/A` when there is no
+  path, and `prefix_if_nonempty` treats that as a value and prints its label, so a
+  gate was needed; `pathbytes_min` was the only one available and it asks how the path
+  is *encoded*, which meant throwing away a measurable one-byte multi-hop distance to
+  suppress the direct case. `hops_min` asks about the route instead. An unknown hop
+  count clears the field rather than guessing.
+
 - `{packet_hash}` placeholder for `[Keywords]` responses, the test command's
   `response_format` and the path command's `reply_prefix`: the 16-char MeshCore
   packet identity hash (uppercase hex) of the packet that carried the request, so a
diff --git a/config.ini.example b/config.ini.example
index ff3341b..a94b56d 100644
--- a/config.ini.example
+++ b/config.ini.example
@@ -1038,7 +1038,8 @@ enable_p_shortcut = true
 # It renders empty unless every node in the chain has known coordinates and the bot has
 # bot_latitude/bot_longitude set, so a partial sum is never mistaken for the full distance.
 # Feed-style pipe filters are supported (same engine as [Test_Command] response_format),
-# so a label can disappear along with an empty value.
+# so a label can disappear along with an empty value. hops_min:1 drops a clause on a
+# direct message, where {path_distance} would otherwise render "N/A".
 # Only the first RF chunk includes the prefix when the reply is split.
 # Example: @[{sender}]
 # Example: {path_distance|prefix_if_nonempty:\U0001F4CF }
@@ -1556,7 +1557,12 @@ require_path_bytes_failure_response =
 # {firstlast_distance} requires at least two path nodes with stored repeater/roomserver coordinates.
 # Pipe filters (feed-style), e.g. only show cumulative path distance when hops are multibyte (2+ bytes per hop):
 # response_format = ack @[{sender}]{phrase_part} | {connection_info}{path_distance|pathbytes_min:2|prefix_if_nonempty: | Path Dist: }| F/L Dist: {firstlast_distance} | {elapsed} | Rec: {timestamp}
-# Filters: pathbytes_min:N (alias pathbytes:N) clears the field unless bytes_per_hop >= N; prefix_if_nonempty:L prepends literal L when value non-empty after prior filters. If L contains |, put prefix_if_nonempty last in that placeholder (it consumes the rest of the chain as its literal).
+# Filters: pathbytes_min:N (alias pathbytes:N) clears the field unless bytes_per_hop >= N; hops_min:N clears it unless the message travelled at least N hops; prefix_if_nonempty:L prepends literal L when value non-empty after prior filters. If L contains |, put prefix_if_nonempty last in that placeholder (it consumes the rest of the chain as its literal).
+# hops_min asks about the route, pathbytes_min about how it is encoded. Use hops_min:1 to drop a
+# distance clause on a direct message without also dropping a measurable one-byte multi-hop path.
+# The distance placeholders render "N/A" on a direct message, which is non-empty, so
+# prefix_if_nonempty alone will still print its label there -- gate with hops_min:1 first:
+# response_format = ack @[{sender}]{phrase_part} | {path}{firstlast_distance|hops_min:1|prefix_if_nonempty: | F/L Dist: }{packet_hash|prefix_if_nonempty: | Hash: }
 # channels =
 [Trace_Command]
 # Enable or disable the trace/tracer commands (link diagnostics)
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index ede13a9..db120f2 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ Many commands and features have their own section. Options there control whether
 Examples of sections that configure specific commands or features:
 
 - **`[Path_Command]`** – Path decoding and repeater selection. See [Path Command](path-command-config.md) for all options.
-- **`[Test_Command]`** – `test` / `t` behavior. Optional **`response_format`** overrides the legacy **`[Keywords] test`** string. Templates support the same placeholders as Keywords, plus **feed-style pipe filters** on placeholders (e.g. `{path_distance|pathbytes_min:2}`) implemented in `modules/response_template.py`—see comments under `[Test_Command]` in `config.ini.example`.
+- **`[Test_Command]`** – `test` / `t` behavior. Optional **`response_format`** overrides the legacy **`[Keywords] test`** string. Templates support the same placeholders as Keywords, plus **feed-style pipe filters** on placeholders (e.g. `{path_distance|pathbytes_min:2}`, `{firstlast_distance|hops_min:1}`) implemented in `modules/response_template.py`—see comments under `[Test_Command]` in `config.ini.example`.
 - **`[Prefix_Command]`** – Prefix lookup, prefix best, range limits.
 - **`[Cmd_Command]`** – `cmd` behavior. Set `cmd_reference_url` to return `Full command reference: <url>` instead of the generated compact command list.
 - **`[Weather]`** – Used by the `wx` / `gwx` commands and the Weather Service plugin (see [Weather Service](weather-service.md)).
diff --git a/docs/path-command-config.md b/docs/path-command-config.md
index ca30fe0..4688582 100644
--- a/docs/path-command-config.md
+++ b/docs/path-command-config.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ These options only affect the **path** command’s reply text and whether repeat
 ```ini
 reply_prefix = "{path_distance|prefix_if_nonempty:📏 }\n"
 ```
+- `hops_min:N` clears a field unless the message actually travelled at least N hops. `{path_distance}` renders `N/A` on a direct message, which `prefix_if_nonempty` treats as a value, so gate it first: `{path_distance|hops_min:1|prefix_if_nonempty:📏 }`. Unlike `pathbytes_min:N`, which asks how the path is *encoded*, this keeps a measurable one-byte multi-hop path.
 
 **`minimum_path_bytes`** (integer `0`–`3`, default `0`)
 
diff --git a/modules/commands/base_command.py b/modules/commands/base_command.py
index d40e4b9..adb5a61 100644
--- a/modules/commands/base_command.py
+++ b/modules/commands/base_command.py
@@ -21,7 +21,12 @@ from ..command_prefix import (
 from ..config_schema import LEGACY_ENABLED_ALIASES
 from ..models import CHANNEL_REGIONAL_FLOOD_SCOPE_BODY_OVERHEAD, MeshMessage
 from ..security_utils import validate_pubkey_format
-from ..utils import format_elapsed_display, get_config_timezone, get_packet_hash_placeholder
+from ..utils import (
+    format_elapsed_display,
+    get_config_timezone,
+    get_packet_hash_placeholder,
+    message_hop_count,
+)
 
 # Task-local override for the active translator.  When set (via
 # ``BaseCommand.respond_in_sender_language``), ``translate`` / ``translate_get_value``
@@ -1222,23 +1227,8 @@ class BaseCommand(ABC):
 
     def get_hops_display_values(self, message: MeshMessage) -> tuple[str, str]:
         """Return hop count placeholders as numeric and pluralized strings."""
-        hops_val = getattr(message, 'hops', None)
-        routing_info = getattr(message, 'routing_info', None)
-
-        if not isinstance(hops_val, int) and routing_info is not None:
-            hops_val = routing_info.get('path_length')
-            if hops_val is None and routing_info.get('path_nodes'):
-                hops_val = len(routing_info['path_nodes'])
-
-        if not isinstance(hops_val, int):
-            path_str = message.path or ""
-            hop_match = re.search(r'\((\d+)\s*hops?', path_str, re.IGNORECASE)
-            if hop_match:
-                hops_val = int(hop_match.group(1))
-            elif re.search(r'\bdirect\b|\b0\s*hops?\b', path_str, re.IGNORECASE):
-                hops_val = 0
-
-        if not isinstance(hops_val, int):
+        hops_val = message_hop_count(message)
+        if hops_val is None:
             return "?", "?"
 
         hops_str = str(hops_val)
diff --git a/modules/response_template.py b/modules/response_template.py
index 6230a68..66a4a07 100644
--- a/modules/response_template.py
+++ b/modules/response_template.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import re
 from typing import Any, Callable
 
-from .utils import message_path_bytes_per_hop
+from .utils import message_hop_count, message_path_bytes_per_hop
 
 FilterFn = Callable[[str, dict[str, Any], str], str]
 
@@ -33,6 +33,33 @@ def _filter_pathbytes_min(value: str, ctx: dict[str, Any], args: str) -> str:
     return value
 
 
+def _filter_hops_min(value: str, ctx: dict[str, Any], args: str) -> str:
+    """Clear *value* unless the message travelled at least *N* hops.
+
+    Asks about the route rather than how it is encoded, which is what separates
+    this from ``pathbytes_min``: a one-byte multi-hop path has a real, measurable
+    distance, and ``pathbytes_min:2`` would throw it away along with the direct
+    messages it was aimed at. ``hops_min:1`` is the way to drop a clause on a
+    direct message and nothing else.
+
+    An unknown hop count clears the value: a gate that cannot confirm the route
+    should suppress rather than guess, matching ``pathbytes_min``.
+    """
+    message = ctx.get('message')
+    if message is None:
+        return ''
+    try:
+        n = int(args.strip())
+    except ValueError:
+        return value
+    if n < 0:
+        return value
+    hops = message_hop_count(message)
+    if hops is None or hops < n:
+        return ''
+    return value
+
+
 def _filter_prefix_if_nonempty(value: str, ctx: dict[str, Any], args: str) -> str:
     """Prepend *args* literal to *value* only when *value* is non-empty after prior filters."""
     if not value:
@@ -43,6 +70,7 @@ def _filter_prefix_if_nonempty(value: str, ctx: dict[str, Any], args: str) -> st
 RESPONSE_TEMPLATE_FILTERS: dict[str, FilterFn] = {
     'pathbytes_min': _filter_pathbytes_min,
     'pathbytes': _filter_pathbytes_min,
+    'hops_min': _filter_hops_min,
     'prefix_if_nonempty': _filter_prefix_if_nonempty,
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/utils.py b/modules/utils.py
index ffd3264..0deb4cb 100644
--- a/modules/utils.py
+++ b/modules/utils.py
@@ -1915,6 +1915,35 @@ def bytes_per_hop_from_routing_and_nodes(
     return 1
 
 
+def message_hop_count(message: Any) -> Optional[int]:
+    """Hop count for the message, or ``None`` when it cannot be determined.
+
+    Prefers ``message.hops``, then ``routing_info`` (``path_length``, else the
+    number of ``path_nodes``), then a count parsed from the path display string
+    (``"01,5f (2 hops)"``; ``"Direct"`` or ``"0 hops"`` mean zero).
+
+    ``None`` means unknown, which is not the same as zero: callers that gate on
+    hop count should treat it as "cannot confirm" rather than "direct".
+    """
+    hops_val = getattr(message, 'hops', None)
+    routing_info = getattr(message, 'routing_info', None)
+
+    if not isinstance(hops_val, int) and isinstance(routing_info, dict):
+        hops_val = routing_info.get('path_length')
+        if hops_val is None and routing_info.get('path_nodes'):
+            hops_val = len(routing_info['path_nodes'])
+
+    if not isinstance(hops_val, int):
+        path_str = getattr(message, 'path', None) or ""
+        hop_match = re.search(r'\((\d+)\s*hops?', path_str, re.IGNORECASE)
+        if hop_match:
+            hops_val = int(hop_match.group(1))
+        elif re.search(r'\bdirect\b|\b0\s*hops?\b', path_str, re.IGNORECASE):
+            hops_val = 0
+
+    return hops_val if isinstance(hops_val, int) else None
+
+
 def message_path_bytes_per_hop(message: Any, *, prefix_hex_chars: int = 2) -> int:
     """Best-effort bytes per hop for the message path (RF metadata or inferred from path text).
 
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
index dde3d3b..fc0f168 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from modules.utils import (
     get_major_city_queries,
     get_packet_hash_placeholder,
     is_valid_timezone,
+    message_hop_count,
     node_ids_from_path_string,
     parse_location_string,
     parse_path_string,
@@ -937,3 +938,42 @@ class TestCalculatePacketHashEdgeCases:
         h = calculate_packet_hash("0800000000" + "00" + "ff")
         assert h != "0000000000000000"
 
+
+
+class TestMessageHopCount:
+    """Tests for message_hop_count()."""
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _msg(**kw):
+        m = Mock()
+        m.hops = kw.get("hops")
+        m.path = kw.get("path")
+        m.routing_info = kw.get("routing_info")
+        return m
+
+    def test_prefers_message_hops(self):
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(hops=3, path="01,02 (2 hops)")) == 3
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_routing_path_length(self):
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(routing_info={"path_length": 2})) == 2
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_counting_path_nodes(self):
+        msg = self._msg(routing_info={"path_nodes": ["01", "02", "03"]})
+        assert message_hop_count(msg) == 3
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_parsing_the_path_string(self):
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(path="01,5f (2 hops)")) == 2
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(path="0a (1 hop)")) == 1
+
+    def test_direct_path_string_is_zero_hops(self):
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(path="Direct")) == 0
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(path="Direct via ROUTE_TYPE_FLOOD")) == 0
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(path="0 hops")) == 0
+
+    def test_unknown_is_none_not_zero(self):
+        """None means "cannot confirm", which callers must not read as direct."""
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg()) is None
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(path="Unknown routing")) is None
+
+    def test_non_dict_routing_info_is_ignored(self):
+        assert message_hop_count(self._msg(routing_info="01,5f", path="Direct")) == 0
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_response_template.py b/tests/unit/test_response_template.py
index c362b84..3e965d6 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_response_template.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_response_template.py
@@ -266,3 +266,61 @@ def test_test_command_response_omits_missing_packet_hash():
     out = cmd.format_response(msg, "hash={packet_hash|prefix_if_nonempty:id:}.")
 
     assert out == "hash=."
+
+
+def _msg(**kw):
+    base = dict(content="test", channel="c")
+    base.update(kw)
+    return MeshMessage(**base)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_hops_min_clears_on_a_direct_message():
+    out = format_piped_template(
+        "ack{d|hops_min:1|prefix_if_nonempty: | Dist: }",
+        {"d": "N/A"},
+        message=_msg(path="Direct", hops=0, routing_info={"path_length": 0, "bytes_per_hop": 2}),
+    )
+    assert out == "ack"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_hops_min_keeps_a_single_byte_multihop_path():
+    """The point of hops_min over pathbytes_min: a one-byte path still travelled,
+    so its distance is real and must not be discarded with the direct messages."""
+    msg = _msg(path="01,02 (2 hops)", hops=2,
+               routing_info={"path_length": 2, "path_nodes": ["01", "02"], "bytes_per_hop": 1})
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|hops_min:1}", {"d": "12.4km"}, message=msg) == "12.4km"
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|pathbytes_min:2}", {"d": "12.4km"}, message=msg) == ""
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_hops_min_threshold_is_inclusive():
+    msg = _msg(path="01,02 (2 hops)", hops=2)
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|hops_min:2}", {"d": "x"}, message=msg) == "x"
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|hops_min:3}", {"d": "x"}, message=msg) == ""
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_hops_min_zero_admits_a_direct_message():
+    msg = _msg(path="Direct", hops=0)
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|hops_min:0}", {"d": "x"}, message=msg) == "x"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_hops_min_clears_when_the_hop_count_is_unknown():
+    """A gate that cannot confirm the route suppresses rather than guesses."""
+    msg = _msg(path=None, hops=None, routing_info=None)
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|hops_min:1}", {"d": "x"}, message=msg) == ""
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_hops_min_without_a_message_clears():
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|hops_min:1}", {"d": "x"}, message=None) == ""
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_hops_min_with_an_unusable_argument_passes_the_value_through():
+    msg = _msg(path="Direct", hops=0)
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|hops_min:abc}", {"d": "x"}, message=msg) == "x"
+    assert format_piped_template("{d|hops_min:-1}", {"d": "x"}, message=msg) == "x"