diff --git a/src/reticulum/LXMFManager.cpp b/src/reticulum/LXMFManager.cpp
index ce49341..3d7f9d6 100644
--- a/src/reticulum/LXMFManager.cpp
+++ b/src/reticulum/LXMFManager.cpp
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ bool LXMFManager::sendDirect(LXMFMessage& msg) {
     // Background: establish link for future messages to this peer
     if (!_outLinkPending && (!_outLink || _outLinkDestHash != msg.destHash
         || _outLink.status() == RNS::Type::Link::CLOSED)) {
-        _outLinkDestHash = msg.destHash;
+        _outLinkPendingHash = msg.destHash;
         _outLinkPending = true;
         Serial.printf("[LXMF] Establishing link to %s for future messages\n",
                       msg.destHash.toHex().substr(0, 8).c_str());
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ void LXMFManager::onPacketReceived(const RNS::Bytes& data, const RNS::Packet& pa
 void LXMFManager::onOutLinkEstablished(RNS::Link& link) {
     if (!_instance) return;
     _instance->_outLink = link;
+    _instance->_outLinkDestHash = _instance->_outLinkPendingHash;
     _instance->_outLinkPending = false;
     Serial.printf("[LXMF] Outbound link established to %s\n",
                   _instance->_outLinkDestHash.toHex().substr(0, 8).c_str());
diff --git a/src/reticulum/LXMFManager.h b/src/reticulum/LXMFManager.h
index 2c59c95..3ded508 100644
--- a/src/reticulum/LXMFManager.h
+++ b/src/reticulum/LXMFManager.h
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ private:
 
     // Outbound link state (opportunistic-first, link upgrades in background)
     RNS::Link _outLink{RNS::Type::NONE};
-    RNS::Bytes _outLinkDestHash;
+    RNS::Bytes _outLinkDestHash;       // Destination the ACTIVE _outLink is for
+    RNS::Bytes _outLinkPendingHash;    // Destination being connected to (not yet established)
     bool _outLinkPending = false;
 
     // Deduplication: recently seen message IDs