diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/MsgContentView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/MsgContentView.swift
index a860167359..6b15053cac 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/MsgContentView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/Chat/ChatItem/MsgContentView.swift
@@ -216,8 +216,9 @@ private func handleTextTaps(
             if index >= range.location && index < range.location + range.length {
                 if attrs[nameAttrKey] is SimplexNameInfo {
                     // Route the tapped name through the same connect flow as a link;
-                    // planAndConnect resolves it on the core (name target).
-                    planAndConnect(s.attributedSubstring(from: range).string, theme: theme, dismiss: false)
+                    // planAndConnect resolves it on the core (name target). This runs
+                    // in a free function with no view context, so use the global theme.
+                    planAndConnect(s.attributedSubstring(from: range).string, theme: AppTheme.shared, dismiss: false)
                 } else if let url = attrs[linkAttrKey] as? String {
                     linkURL = url
                     browser = attrs[webLinkAttrKey] != nil
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatListView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatListView.swift
index 6e745d1bd3..b70904e34e 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatListView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/ChatList/ChatListView.swift
@@ -684,8 +684,18 @@ struct ChatListSearchBar: View {
                     searchChatFilteredBySimplexLink = nil
                     connect(text)
                 case let .name(text, _):
+                    // A name lookup means "take me to this contact": open it (visible prompt),
+                    // unlike a pasted link in search which filters the list — so no filterKnownContact.
                     searchFocussed = false
-                    connect(text)
+                    planAndConnect(
+                        text,
+                        theme: theme,
+                        dismiss: false,
+                        cleanup: {
+                            searchText = ""
+                            searchFocussed = false
+                        }
+                    )
                 case .none:
                     if t != "" {
                         searchFocussed = true
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatMenuButton.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatMenuButton.swift
index 177225921c..32848bb219 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatMenuButton.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatMenuButton.swift
@@ -390,8 +390,18 @@ struct ContactsListSearchBar: View {
                     searchChatFilteredBySimplexLink = nil
                     connect(text)
                 case let .name(text, _):
+                    // A name lookup means "take me to this contact": open it (visible prompt),
+                    // unlike a pasted link in search which filters the list — so no filterKnownContact.
                     searchFocussed = false
-                    connect(text)
+                    planAndConnect(
+                        text,
+                        theme: theme,
+                        dismiss: true,
+                        cleanup: {
+                            searchText = ""
+                            searchFocussed = false
+                        }
+                    )
                 case .none:
                     if t != "" {
                         searchFocussed = true
diff --git a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatView.swift b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatView.swift
index 640b31a13a..7e123a584f 100644
--- a/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatView.swift
+++ b/apps/ios/Shared/Views/NewChat/NewChatView.swift
@@ -1463,6 +1463,12 @@ func planAndConnect(
                     case let .known(contact):
                         logger.debug("planAndConnect, .contactAddress, .known")
                         await MainActor.run {
+                            // A name-resolved contact is prepared in the store but not yet in the
+                            // chat list (link-prepared chats arrive via NewPreparedChat). Surface it
+                            // so it's visible and openable; no-op if already present.
+                            if ChatModel.shared.getContactChat(contact.contactId) == nil {
+                                ChatModel.shared.addChat(Chat(chatInfo: .direct(contact: contact)))
+                            }
                             if let f = filterKnownContact {
                                 f(contact)
                             } else {
@@ -1542,6 +1548,11 @@ func planAndConnect(
                     case let .known(groupInfo):
                         logger.debug("planAndConnect, .groupLink, .known")
                         await MainActor.run {
+                            // Same as .contactAddress .known: surface a name-resolved (prepared)
+                            // group in the chat list so it's visible and openable.
+                            if ChatModel.shared.getGroupChat(groupInfo.groupId) == nil {
+                                ChatModel.shared.addChat(Chat(chatInfo: .group(groupInfo: groupInfo, groupChatScope: nil)))
+                            }
                             if let f = filterKnownGroup {
                                 f(groupInfo)
                             } else {
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chatlist/ChatListView.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chatlist/ChatListView.kt
index 05255a4bb1..99dec506e7 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chatlist/ChatListView.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/chatlist/ChatListView.kt
@@ -801,8 +801,18 @@ private fun ChatListSearchBar(listState: LazyListState, searchText: MutableState
                 connect(target.text, searchChatFilteredBySimplexLink) { searchText.value = TextFieldValue() }
               }
               is ConnectTarget.Name -> {
+                // A name lookup means "take me to this contact": open the chat if
+                // it's already known (visible prompt), unlike a pasted link which
+                // filters the list. So no filterKnownContact here.
                 hideKeyboard(view)
-                connect(target.text, searchChatFilteredBySimplexLink) { searchText.value = TextFieldValue() }
+                withBGApi {
+                  planAndConnect(
+                    chatModel.remoteHostId(),
+                    target.text,
+                    close = null,
+                    cleanup = { searchText.value = TextFieldValue() },
+                  )
+                }
               }
               null -> if (!searchShowingSimplexLink.value || it.isEmpty()) {
                 if (it.isNotEmpty()) {
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/ConnectPlan.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/ConnectPlan.kt
index 3840cf466e..9ed6dd0f19 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/ConnectPlan.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/ConnectPlan.kt
@@ -201,6 +201,12 @@ private suspend fun planAndConnectTask(
         is ContactAddressPlan.Known -> {
           Log.d(TAG, "planAndConnect, .ContactAddress, .Known")
           val contact = connectionPlan.contactAddressPlan.contact
+          // A name-resolved contact is prepared in the store but not yet in the
+          // chat list (link-prepared chats arrive via NewPreparedChat). Surface it
+          // so it's visible and openable; no-op if already present.
+          if (chatModel.getContactChat(contact.contactId) == null) {
+            chatModel.chatsContext.addChat(Chat(remoteHostId = rhId, chatInfo = ChatInfo.Direct(contact), chatItems = emptyList()))
+          }
           if (filterKnownContact != null) {
             filterKnownContact(contact)
           } else {
@@ -285,6 +291,11 @@ private suspend fun planAndConnectTask(
         is GroupLinkPlan.Known -> {
           Log.d(TAG, "planAndConnect, .GroupLink, .Known")
           val groupInfo = connectionPlan.groupLinkPlan.groupInfo
+          // Same as ContactAddress.Known: surface a name-resolved (prepared)
+          // group in the chat list so it's visible and openable.
+          if (chatModel.getGroupChat(groupInfo.groupId) == null) {
+            chatModel.chatsContext.addChat(Chat(remoteHostId = rhId, chatInfo = ChatInfo.Group(groupInfo, groupChatScope = null), chatItems = emptyList()))
+          }
           if (filterKnownGroup != null) {
             filterKnownGroup(groupInfo)
           } else {
diff --git a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/NewChatSheet.kt b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/NewChatSheet.kt
index 41bf920a48..5da29e5851 100644
--- a/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/NewChatSheet.kt
+++ b/apps/multiplatform/common/src/commonMain/kotlin/chat/simplex/common/views/newchat/NewChatSheet.kt
@@ -537,13 +537,18 @@ private fun ContactsSearchBar(
               )
             }
             is ConnectTarget.Name -> {
+              // A name lookup means "take me to this contact": open the chat if
+              // it's already known (visible prompt), unlike a pasted link which
+              // filters the list. So no filterKnownContact here.
               hideKeyboard(view)
-              connect(
-                link = target.text,
-                searchChatFilteredBySimplexLink = searchChatFilteredBySimplexLink,
-                close = close,
-                cleanup = { searchText.value = TextFieldValue() }
-              )
+              withBGApi {
+                planAndConnect(
+                  chatModel.remoteHostId(),
+                  target.text,
+                  close = close,
+                  cleanup = { searchText.value = TextFieldValue() },
+                )
+              }
             }
             null -> if (!searchShowingSimplexLink.value || it.isEmpty()) {
               if (it.isNotEmpty()) {