diff --git a/apps/simplex-support-bot/bot.test.ts b/apps/simplex-support-bot/bot.test.ts
index d390835f46..de787ae4cc 100644
--- a/apps/simplex-support-bot/bot.test.ts
+++ b/apps/simplex-support-bot/bot.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 import {describe, test, expect, beforeEach, vi} from "vitest"
+import {core} from "simplex-chat"
 import {SupportBot} from "./src/bot.js"
 import {CardManager} from "./src/cards.js"
 import {parseConfig} from "./src/config.js"
 import {GrokApiClient} from "./src/grok.js"
-import {welcomeMessage, queueMessage, grokActivatedMessage, teamLockedMessage} from "./src/messages.js"
+import {welcomeMessage, queueMessage, grokActivatedMessage, teamLockedMessage, teamAlreadyInvitedMessage} from "./src/messages.js"
 
 // Silence console output during tests
 vi.spyOn(console, "log").mockImplementation(() => {})
@@ -83,15 +84,39 @@ class MockChatApi {
   async apiListMembers(groupId: number) {
     return this.members.get(groupId) || []
   }
-  async apiGetChat(_chatType: string, chatId: number, _count: number) {
+  async apiGetChat(chatType: string, chatId: number, _count: number) {
+    if (chatType === ChatType.Direct) {
+      // Tests don't exercise direct lookups; throw the same shape production
+      // would so getContact() resolves to null instead of synthesizing a contact.
+      throw new core.ChatAPIError("contact not found", {
+        type: "errorStore",
+        storeError: {type: "contactNotFound", contactId: chatId},
+      } as any)
+    }
+    const baseGroupInfo = this.groups.get(chatId)
+    if (!baseGroupInfo) {
+      // Mirror production behavior: the real apiGetChat throws "groupNotFound"
+      // for an unknown id; getGroupInfo() catches and returns null.
+      throw new core.ChatAPIError("group not found", {
+        type: "errorStore",
+        storeError: {type: "groupNotFound", groupId: chatId},
+      } as any)
+    }
     const items = this.chatItems.get(chatId) || []
-    const groupInfo = this.groups.get(chatId)
+    const groupInfo = {...baseGroupInfo, customData: this.customData.get(chatId)}
     return {
-      chatInfo: {type: "group", groupInfo: groupInfo || makeGroupInfo(chatId)},
+      chatInfo: {type: "group", groupInfo},
       chatItems: items,
       chatStats: {unreadCount: 0, unreadMentions: 0, reportsCount: 0, minUnreadItemId: 0, unreadChat: false},
     }
   }
+  async apiGetChats(_userId: number, _pagination: any, _query?: any, _pcc?: boolean) {
+    return [...this.groups.values()].map(g => ({
+      chatInfo: {type: "group", groupInfo: {...g, customData: this.customData.get(g.groupId)}},
+      chatItems: [],
+      chatStats: {unreadCount: 0, unreadMentions: 0, reportsCount: 0, minUnreadItemId: 0, unreadChat: false},
+    }))
+  }
   async apiListGroups(_userId: number) {
     return [...this.groups.values()].map(g => ({...g, customData: this.customData.get(g.groupId)}))
   }
@@ -638,7 +663,7 @@ describe("/grok Activation", () => {
     await joinPromise
     await bot.flush()
     expectMemberAdded(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, GROK_CONTACT_ID)
-    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "You are chatting with Grok")
+    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, grokActivatedMessage)
   })
 
   test("/grok as first message → WELCOME→GROK directly, no queue message", async () => {
@@ -646,7 +671,7 @@ describe("/grok Activation", () => {
     await bot.onNewChatItems(customerMessage("/grok"))
     await joinPromise
     await bot.flush()
-    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "You are chatting with Grok")
+    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, grokActivatedMessage)
     expectNotSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "The team will reply to your message")
     expect(chat.sentTo(TEAM_GROUP_ID).length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
   })
@@ -654,7 +679,7 @@ describe("/grok Activation", () => {
   test("/grok in TEAM → rejected with teamLockedMessage", async () => {
     await reachTeam()
     await bot.onNewChatItems(customerMessage("/grok"))
-    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "team mode")
+    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, teamLockedMessage)
   })
 
   test("/grok when grokContactId is null → grokUnavailableMessage", async () => {
@@ -864,7 +889,7 @@ describe("/team Activation", () => {
     addBotMessage("We will reply within 24 hours.")
     chat.members.set(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, [makeTeamMember(TEAM_MEMBER_1_ID, "Alice")])
     await bot.onNewChatItems(customerMessage("/team"))
-    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "already been invited")
+    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, teamAlreadyInvitedMessage)
   })
 
   test("/team with no team members → noTeamMembersMessage", async () => {
@@ -898,7 +923,7 @@ describe("One-Way Gate", () => {
   test("/grok after gate → teamLockedMessage", async () => {
     await reachTeam()
     await bot.onNewChatItems(customerMessage("/grok"))
-    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "team mode")
+    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, teamLockedMessage)
   })
 
   test("customer text in TEAM → card update scheduled, no bot reply", async () => {
@@ -1456,7 +1481,7 @@ describe("Error Handling", () => {
     // Only the "Inviting Grok" message is sent — no activated/unavailable result
     expect(chat.sent.length).toBe(sentBefore + 1)
     expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "Inviting Grok")
-    expectNotSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "You are chatting with Grok")
+    expectNotSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, grokActivatedMessage)
     expectNotSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "temporarily unavailable")
   })
 
@@ -1646,7 +1671,7 @@ describe("Grok Join Flow", () => {
     await bot.flush()
 
     expect(chat.joined).toContain(GROK_LOCAL_GROUP_ID)
-    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "You are chatting with Grok")
+    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, grokActivatedMessage)
   })
 
   test("per-message responses suppressed during activateGrok initial response", async () => {
@@ -1794,7 +1819,7 @@ describe("End-to-End Flows", () => {
     await joinPromise
     await bot.flush()
 
-    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "You are chatting with Grok")
+    expectSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, grokActivatedMessage)
     expectNotSentToGroup(CUSTOMER_GROUP_ID, "The team will reply to your message")
     expect(chat.sentTo(TEAM_GROUP_ID).length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
   })
@@ -1834,8 +1859,8 @@ describe("Message Templates", () => {
     expect(grokActivatedMessage).toContain("chatting with Grok")
   })
 
-  test("teamLockedMessage mentions team mode", () => {
-    expect(teamLockedMessage).toContain("team mode")
+  test("teamLockedMessage tells customer the team will handle the conversation", () => {
+    expect(teamLockedMessage).toContain("team")
   })
 
   test("queueMessage mentions hours", () => {
diff --git a/apps/simplex-support-bot/package.json b/apps/simplex-support-bot/package.json
index ee57762465..0b8a3e25d1 100644
--- a/apps/simplex-support-bot/package.json
+++ b/apps/simplex-support-bot/package.json
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
     "start": "node dist/index.js"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@simplex-chat/types": "^0.5.0",
+    "@simplex-chat/types": "^0.6.0",
     "async-mutex": "^0.5.0",
     "commander": "^14.0.3",
-    "simplex-chat": "^6.5.0"
+    "simplex-chat": "^6.5.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/node": "^22.0.0",
diff --git a/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/bot.ts b/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/bot.ts
index 9bfb44d93d..553602712b 100644
--- a/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/bot.ts
+++ b/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/bot.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import {
   teamAlreadyInvitedMessage, teamLockedMessage, noTeamMembersMessage,
   grokUnavailableMessage, grokErrorMessage, grokNoHistoryMessage,
 } from "./messages.js"
-import {profileMutex, log, logError} from "./util.js"
+import {profileMutex, log, logError, getGroupInfo} from "./util.js"
 
 // True for any non-terminal status — invited but not yet accepted, through
 // connected. Used to decide whether a contact is already in the group so we
@@ -795,10 +795,7 @@ export class SupportBot {
 
   private async handleJoinCommand(targetGroupId: number, senderContactId: number): Promise<void> {
     // Validate target is a business group
-    const groups = await this.withMainProfile(() =>
-      this.chat.apiListGroups(this.mainUserId)
-    )
-    const targetGroup = groups.find(g => g.groupId === targetGroupId)
+    const targetGroup = await this.withMainProfile(() => getGroupInfo(this.chat, targetGroupId))
     if (!targetGroup?.businessChat) {
       await this.sendToGroup(this.config.teamGroup.id, `Error: group ${targetGroupId} is not a business chat`)
       return
diff --git a/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts b/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts
index 3d27c036e9..feea986551 100644
--- a/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts
+++ b/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import {T} from "@simplex-chat/types"
 import {api, util} from "simplex-chat"
 import {Mutex} from "async-mutex"
 import {Config} from "./config.js"
-import {profileMutex, log, logError} from "./util.js"
+import {profileMutex, log, logError, getGroupInfo} from "./util.js"
 
 // State derivation types
 export type ConversationState = "WELCOME" | "QUEUE" | "GROK" | "TEAM-PENDING" | "TEAM"
@@ -117,8 +117,7 @@ export class CardManager {
 
   // Dispatches to create-path when cardItemId is absent so a failed createCard retries.
   private async flushOne(groupId: number): Promise<void> {
-    const groups = await this.withMainProfile(() => this.chat.apiListGroups(this.mainUserId))
-    const groupInfo = groups.find(g => g.groupId === groupId)
+    const groupInfo = await this.withMainProfile(() => getGroupInfo(this.chat, groupId))
     if (!groupInfo) return
     const data = groupInfo.customData as Record<string, unknown> | undefined
     if (typeof data?.cardItemId === "number") {
@@ -129,12 +128,22 @@ export class CardManager {
   }
 
   async refreshAllCards(): Promise<void> {
-    const groups = await this.withMainProfile(() => this.chat.apiListGroups(this.mainUserId))
+    // Scan the most recently active 1000 chats. Active cards live on
+    // recently-active customer chats by definition — a card stays open
+    // while the conversation is in flight. If the bot has been offline
+    // long enough that an active card has fallen outside this window, the
+    // card refreshes lazily on the next customer message (which moves the
+    // chat back into the recent window).
+    const chats = await this.withMainProfile(() =>
+      this.chat.apiGetChats(this.mainUserId, {type: "last", count: 1000})
+    )
     const activeCards: {groupId: number; cardItemId: number}[] = []
-    for (const group of groups) {
-      const customData = group.customData as Record<string, unknown> | undefined
+    for (const c of chats) {
+      if (c.chatInfo.type !== "group") continue
+      const groupInfo = c.chatInfo.groupInfo
+      const customData = groupInfo.customData as Record<string, unknown> | undefined
       if (customData && typeof customData.cardItemId === "number" && !customData.complete) {
-        activeCards.push({groupId: group.groupId, cardItemId: customData.cardItemId})
+        activeCards.push({groupId: groupInfo.groupId, cardItemId: customData.cardItemId})
       }
     }
     if (activeCards.length === 0) return
@@ -210,8 +219,7 @@ export class CardManager {
   // --- Custom data ---
 
   async getRawCustomData(groupId: number): Promise<Partial<CardData> | null> {
-    const groups = await this.withMainProfile(() => this.chat.apiListGroups(this.mainUserId))
-    const group = groups.find(g => g.groupId === groupId)
+    const group = await this.withMainProfile(() => getGroupInfo(this.chat, groupId))
     if (!group?.customData) return null
     const data = group.customData as Record<string, unknown>
     const result: Partial<CardData> = {}
@@ -247,9 +255,7 @@ export class CardManager {
   // --- Internal ---
 
   private async updateCard(groupId: number): Promise<void> {
-    // Read customData and groupInfo in one apiListGroups call
-    const groups = await this.withMainProfile(() => this.chat.apiListGroups(this.mainUserId))
-    const groupInfo = groups.find(g => g.groupId === groupId)
+    const groupInfo = await this.withMainProfile(() => getGroupInfo(this.chat, groupId))
     if (!groupInfo) return
 
     const customData = groupInfo.customData as Record<string, unknown> | undefined
diff --git a/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/index.ts b/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/index.ts
index cc1dd0538c..6f392e9deb 100644
--- a/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/index.ts
+++ b/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/index.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {parseConfig} from "./config.js"
 import {SupportBot} from "./bot.js"
 import {GrokApiClient} from "./grok.js"
 import {welcomeMessage} from "./messages.js"
-import {profileMutex, log, logError} from "./util.js"
+import {profileMutex, log, logError, getGroupInfo, getContact} from "./util.js"
 
 interface BotState {
   teamGroupId?: number
@@ -163,14 +163,12 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
   await chat.apiSetAutoAcceptMemberContacts(mainUser.userId, true)
   log("Auto-accept member contacts enabled")
 
-  // Step 5: List contacts, resolve Grok contact
-  const contacts = await chat.apiListContacts(mainUser.userId)
-  log(`Contacts connected: ${contacts.length || "(none)"}`)
-
+  // Step 5: Resolve Grok contact by ID. Avoid apiListContacts — it loads
+  // every contact in one response and OOMs the native binding on large DBs.
   // Always restore grokContactId so the one-way gate can find and remove
   // Grok members even when Grok API is disabled.
   if (typeof state.grokContactId === "number") {
-    const found = contacts.find(c => c.contactId === state.grokContactId)
+    const found = await getContact(chat, state.grokContactId)
     if (found) {
       config.grokContactId = found.contactId
       log(`Grok contact from state: ID=${config.grokContactId}`)
@@ -210,14 +208,13 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
     }
   }
 
-  // Step 6: Resolve team group
+  // Step 6: Resolve team group by ID. Avoid apiListGroups — it loads every
+  // group in one response and OOMs the native binding on large DBs.
   log("Resolving team group...")
-  const groups = await chat.apiListGroups(mainUser.userId)
-
-  let existingGroup: T.GroupInfo | undefined
+  let existingGroup: T.GroupInfo | null = null
 
   if (typeof state.teamGroupId === "number") {
-    existingGroup = groups.find(g => g.groupId === state.teamGroupId)
+    existingGroup = await getGroupInfo(chat, state.teamGroupId)
     if (existingGroup) {
       config.teamGroup.id = existingGroup.groupId
       log(`Team group from state: ${config.teamGroup.id}:${existingGroup.groupProfile.displayName}`)
@@ -302,13 +299,13 @@ async function main(): Promise<void> {
     inviteLinkTimer.unref()
   }
 
-  // Step 9: Validate team members
+  // Step 9: Validate team members (lookup by ID, one round-trip per member)
   if (config.teamMembers.length > 0) {
     log("Validating team members...")
     for (const member of config.teamMembers) {
-      const contact = contacts.find(c => c.contactId === member.id)
+      const contact = await getContact(chat, member.id)
       if (!contact) {
-        console.error(`Team member not found: ID=${member.id}. Available: ${contacts.map(c => `${c.contactId}:${c.profile.displayName}`).join(", ") || "(none)"}`)
+        console.error(`Team member not found: ID=${member.id}`)
         process.exit(1)
       }
       if (contact.profile.displayName !== member.name) {
diff --git a/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/util.ts b/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/util.ts
index 288a48d673..f9a2319610 100644
--- a/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/util.ts
+++ b/apps/simplex-support-bot/src/util.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,36 @@
 import {Mutex} from "async-mutex"
+import {api, core} from "simplex-chat"
+import {T} from "@simplex-chat/types"
 
 export const profileMutex = new Mutex()
 
+export function isChatNotFound(err: unknown, kind: "group" | "contact"): boolean {
+  if (!(err instanceof core.ChatAPIError)) return false
+  if (err.chatError?.type !== "errorStore") return false
+  const seType = err.chatError.storeError.type
+  return kind === "group" ? seType === "groupNotFound" : seType === "contactNotFound"
+}
+
+export async function getGroupInfo(chat: api.ChatApi, groupId: number): Promise<T.GroupInfo | null> {
+  try {
+    const c = await chat.apiGetChat(T.ChatType.Group, groupId, 0)
+    return c.chatInfo.type === "group" ? c.chatInfo.groupInfo : null
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (isChatNotFound(err, "group")) return null
+    throw err
+  }
+}
+
+export async function getContact(chat: api.ChatApi, contactId: number): Promise<T.Contact | null> {
+  try {
+    const c = await chat.apiGetChat(T.ChatType.Direct, contactId, 0)
+    return c.chatInfo.type === "direct" ? c.chatInfo.contact : null
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (isChatNotFound(err, "contact")) return null
+    throw err
+  }
+}
+
 export function isWeekend(timezone: string): boolean {
   const day = new Intl.DateTimeFormat("en-US", {timeZone: timezone, weekday: "short"}).format(new Date())
   return day === "Sat" || day === "Sun"
diff --git a/apps/simplex-support-bot/test/__mocks__/simplex-chat.js b/apps/simplex-support-bot/test/__mocks__/simplex-chat.js
index 64c9246f27..97a7b866ca 100644
--- a/apps/simplex-support-bot/test/__mocks__/simplex-chat.js
+++ b/apps/simplex-support-bot/test/__mocks__/simplex-chat.js
@@ -19,8 +19,18 @@ function contactAddressStr(link) {
   return link.connShortLink || link.connFullLink
 }
 
+// Mirrors core.ChatAPIError so isChatNotFound's instanceof check passes when
+// MockChatApi throws. Tests should construct these directly.
+class ChatAPIError extends Error {
+  constructor(message, chatError) {
+    super(message)
+    this.chatError = chatError
+  }
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   api: {ChatApi: {}},
   bot: {},
+  core: {ChatAPIError},
   util: {ciContentText, ciBotCommand, contactAddressStr},
 }
diff --git a/bots/api/COMMANDS.md b/bots/api/COMMANDS.md
index 5ca2c4260a..660acaa41e 100644
--- a/bots/api/COMMANDS.md
+++ b/bots/api/COMMANDS.md
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ This file is generated automatically.
 [Chat commands](#chat-commands)
 - [APIListContacts](#apilistcontacts)
 - [APIListGroups](#apilistgroups)
+- [APIGetChats](#apigetchats)
 - [APIDeleteChat](#apideletechat)
 - [APISetGroupCustomData](#apisetgroupcustomdata)
 - [APISetContactCustomData](#apisetcontactcustomdata)
@@ -1574,6 +1575,46 @@ ChatCmdError: Command error (only used in WebSockets API).
 ---
 
 
+### APIGetChats
+
+Get chat previews. Supports time-based pagination — use this instead of APIListContacts / APIListGroups when scanning at scale (those load every record into memory and fail on large databases).
+
+*Network usage*: no.
+
+**Parameters**:
+- userId: int64
+- pendingConnections: bool
+- pagination: [PaginationByTime](./TYPES.md#paginationbytime)
+- query: [ChatListQuery](./TYPES.md#chatlistquery)
+
+**Syntax**:
+
+```
+/_get chats <userId>[ pcc=on] <str(pagination)> <json(query)>
+```
+
+```javascript
+'/_get chats ' + userId + (pendingConnections ? ' pcc=on' : '') + ' ' + PaginationByTime.cmdString(pagination) + ' ' + JSON.stringify(query) // JavaScript
+```
+
+```python
+'/_get chats ' + str(userId) + (' pcc=on' if pendingConnections else '') + ' ' + str(pagination) + ' ' + json.dumps(query) # Python
+```
+
+**Responses**:
+
+ApiChats: Chat previews (paginated). Use this instead of CRContactsList / CRGroupsList when scanning at scale..
+- type: "apiChats"
+- user: [User](./TYPES.md#user)
+- chats: [[AChat](./TYPES.md#achat)]
+
+ChatCmdError: Command error (only used in WebSockets API).
+- type: "chatCmdError"
+- chatError: [ChatError](./TYPES.md#chaterror)
+
+---
+
+
 ### APIDeleteChat
 
 Delete chat.
diff --git a/bots/api/TYPES.md b/bots/api/TYPES.md
index ceb38939b1..6145c795c9 100644
--- a/bots/api/TYPES.md
+++ b/bots/api/TYPES.md
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ This file is generated automatically.
 - [ChatInfo](#chatinfo)
 - [ChatItem](#chatitem)
 - [ChatItemDeletion](#chatitemdeletion)
+- [ChatListQuery](#chatlistquery)
 - [ChatPeerType](#chatpeertype)
 - [ChatRef](#chatref)
 - [ChatSettings](#chatsettings)
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ This file is generated automatically.
 - [NewUser](#newuser)
 - [NoteFolder](#notefolder)
 - [OwnerVerification](#ownerverification)
+- [PaginationByTime](#paginationbytime)
 - [PendingContactConnection](#pendingcontactconnection)
 - [PrefEnabled](#prefenabled)
 - [Preferences](#preferences)
@@ -1327,6 +1329,22 @@ Message deletion result.
 - toChatItem: [AChatItem](#achatitem)?
 
 
+---
+
+## ChatListQuery
+
+**Discriminated union type**:
+
+Filters:
+- type: "filters"
+- favorite: bool
+- unread: bool
+
+Search:
+- type: "search"
+- search: string
+
+
 ---
 
 ## ChatPeerType
@@ -2893,6 +2911,31 @@ Failed:
 - reason: string
 
 
+---
+
+## PaginationByTime
+
+**Discriminated union type**:
+
+Last:
+- type: "last"
+- count: int
+
+**Syntax**:
+
+```
+count=<count>
+```
+
+```javascript
+'count=' + count // JavaScript
+```
+
+```python
+'count=' + str(count) # Python
+```
+
+
 ---
 
 ## PendingContactConnection
diff --git a/bots/src/API/Docs/Commands.hs b/bots/src/API/Docs/Commands.hs
index ae8ce7c05b..599ca83258 100644
--- a/bots/src/API/Docs/Commands.hs
+++ b/bots/src/API/Docs/Commands.hs
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ chatCommandsDocsData =
       "Commands to list and delete conversations.",
       [ ("APIListContacts", [], "Get contacts.", ["CRContactsList", "CRChatCmdError"], [], Nothing, "/_contacts " <> Param "userId"),
         ("APIListGroups", [], "Get groups.", ["CRGroupsList", "CRChatCmdError"], [], Nothing, "/_groups " <> Param "userId" <> Optional "" (" @" <> Param "$0") "contactId_" <> Optional "" (" " <> Param "$0") "search"),
+        ("APIGetChats", [], "Get chat previews. Supports time-based pagination — use this instead of APIListContacts / APIListGroups when scanning at scale (those load every record into memory and fail on large databases).", ["CRApiChats", "CRChatCmdError"], [], Nothing, "/_get chats " <> Param "userId" <> OnOffParam "pcc" "pendingConnections" (Just False) <> " " <> Param "pagination" <> " " <> Json "query"),
         ("APIDeleteChat", [], "Delete chat.", ["CRContactDeleted", "CRContactConnectionDeleted", "CRGroupDeletedUser", "CRChatCmdError"], [], Just UNBackground, "/_delete " <> Param "chatRef" <> " " <> Param "chatDeleteMode"),
         ("APISetGroupCustomData", [], "Set group custom data.", ["CRCmdOk", "CRChatCmdError"], [], Nothing, "/_set custom #" <> Param "groupId" <> Optional "" (" " <> Json "$0") "customData"),
         ("APISetContactCustomData", [], "Set contact custom data.", ["CRCmdOk", "CRChatCmdError"], [], Nothing, "/_set custom @" <> Param "contactId" <> Optional "" (" " <> Json "$0") "customData"),
@@ -357,7 +358,6 @@ undocumentedCommands =
     "APIGetChatItemInfo",
     "APIGetChatItems",
     "APIGetChatItemTTL",
-    "APIGetChats",
     "APIGetChatTags",
     "APIGetConnNtfMessages",
     "APIGetContactCode",
diff --git a/bots/src/API/Docs/Responses.hs b/bots/src/API/Docs/Responses.hs
index c3ab85ece6..f3758aa412 100644
--- a/bots/src/API/Docs/Responses.hs
+++ b/bots/src/API/Docs/Responses.hs
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ chatResponsesDocsData =
     ("CRUserDeletedMembers", "Members deleted"),
     ("CRUserProfileUpdated", "User profile updated"),
     ("CRUserProfileNoChange", "User profile was not changed"),
-    ("CRUsersList", "Users")
+    ("CRUsersList", "Users"),
+    ("CRApiChats", "Chat previews (paginated). Use this instead of CRContactsList / CRGroupsList when scanning at scale.")
     -- ("CRApiChat", "Chat and messages"),
-    -- ("CRApiChats", "Chats with the most recent messages"),
     -- ("CRChatCleared", ""),
     -- ("CRChatItemInfo", "Message information"),
     -- ("CRChatItems", "The most recent messages"),
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ undocumentedResponses =
     "CRAgentWorkersDetails",
     "CRAgentWorkersSummary",
     "CRApiChat",
-    "CRApiChats",
     "CRAppSettings",
     "CRArchiveExported",
     "CRArchiveImported",
diff --git a/bots/src/API/Docs/Types.hs b/bots/src/API/Docs/Types.hs
index 933858c5cc..be4a55835a 100644
--- a/bots/src/API/Docs/Types.hs
+++ b/bots/src/API/Docs/Types.hs
@@ -374,11 +374,11 @@ chatTypesDocsData =
     (sti @UserPwdHash, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
     (sti @XFTPErrorType, STUnion, "", [], "", ""),
     (sti @XFTPRcvFile, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
-    (sti @XFTPSndFile, STRecord, "", [], "", "")
+    (sti @XFTPSndFile, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
     -- (sti @DatabaseError, STUnion, "DB", [], "", ""),
     -- (sti @ChatItemInfo, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
     -- (sti @ChatItemVersion, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
-    -- (sti @ChatListQuery, STUnion, "CLQ", [], "", ""),
+    (sti @ChatListQuery, STUnion, "CLQ", [], "", ""),
     -- (sti @ChatName, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
     -- (sti @ChatPagination, STRecord, "CP", [], "", ""),
     -- (sti @ConnectionStats, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
@@ -387,7 +387,10 @@ chatTypesDocsData =
     -- (sti @MemberReaction, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
     -- (sti @MsgContentTag, (STEnum' $ dropPfxSfx "MC" '_'), "", ["MCUnknown_"], "", ""),
     -- (sti @NavigationInfo, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
-    -- (sti @PaginationByTime, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
+    -- PTAfter / PTBefore are hidden — bots only need "tail last N chats".
+    -- The wire format is parsed by paginationByTimeP in
+    -- src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs.
+    (sti @PaginationByTime, STUnion1, "PT", ["PTAfter", "PTBefore"], "count=" <> Param "count", "")
     -- (sti @RcvQueueInfo, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
     -- (sti @RcvSwitchStatus, STEnum, "", [], "", ""), -- incorrect
     -- (sti @SendRef, STRecord, "", [], "", ""),
@@ -589,7 +592,7 @@ deriving instance Generic XFTPSndFile
 -- deriving instance Generic DatabaseError
 -- deriving instance Generic ChatItemInfo
 -- deriving instance Generic ChatItemVersion
--- deriving instance Generic ChatListQuery
+deriving instance Generic ChatListQuery
 -- deriving instance Generic ChatName
 -- deriving instance Generic ChatPagination
 -- deriving instance Generic ConnectionStats
@@ -599,7 +602,7 @@ deriving instance Generic XFTPSndFile
 -- deriving instance Generic MemberReaction
 -- deriving instance Generic MsgContentTag
 -- deriving instance Generic NavigationInfo
--- deriving instance Generic PaginationByTime
+deriving instance Generic PaginationByTime
 -- deriving instance Generic RcvQueueInfo
 -- deriving instance Generic RcvSwitchStatus
 -- deriving instance Generic SendRef
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/package.json b/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/package.json
index 329003a6b8..1d5eb5197c 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/package.json
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@simplex-chat/types",
-  "version": "0.5.0",
+  "version": "0.6.0",
   "description": "TypeScript types for SimpleX Chat bot libraries",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/commands.ts b/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/commands.ts
index 9c5c31ceb2..0f53baa4c6 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/commands.ts
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/commands.ts
@@ -575,6 +575,23 @@ export namespace APIListGroups {
   }
 }
 
+// Get chat previews. Supports time-based pagination — use this instead of APIListContacts / APIListGroups when scanning at scale (those load every record into memory and fail on large databases).
+// Network usage: no.
+export interface APIGetChats {
+  userId: number // int64
+  pendingConnections: boolean
+  pagination: T.PaginationByTime
+  query: T.ChatListQuery
+}
+
+export namespace APIGetChats {
+  export type Response = CR.ApiChats | CR.ChatCmdError
+
+  export function cmdString(self: APIGetChats): string {
+    return '/_get chats ' + self.userId + (self.pendingConnections ? ' pcc=on' : '') + ' ' + T.PaginationByTime.cmdString(self.pagination) + ' ' + JSON.stringify(self.query)
+  }
+}
+
 // Delete chat.
 // Network usage: background.
 export interface APIDeleteChat {
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/responses.ts b/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/responses.ts
index 02aa29444b..62300e8126 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/responses.ts
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/responses.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export type ChatResponse =
   | CR.UserProfileUpdated
   | CR.UserProfileNoChange
   | CR.UsersList
+  | CR.ApiChats
 
 export namespace CR {
   export type Tag = 
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ export namespace CR {
     | "userProfileUpdated"
     | "userProfileNoChange"
     | "usersList"
+    | "apiChats"
 
   interface Interface {
     type: Tag
@@ -443,4 +445,10 @@ export namespace CR {
     type: "usersList"
     users: T.UserInfo[]
   }
+
+  export interface ApiChats extends Interface {
+    type: "apiChats"
+    user: T.User
+    chats: T.AChat[]
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/types.ts b/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/types.ts
index eed9d5edc1..3c391766a7 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/types.ts
@@ -1577,6 +1577,27 @@ export interface ChatItemDeletion {
   toChatItem?: AChatItem
 }
 
+export type ChatListQuery = ChatListQuery.Filters | ChatListQuery.Search
+
+export namespace ChatListQuery {
+  export type Tag = "filters" | "search"
+
+  interface Interface {
+    type: Tag
+  }
+
+  export interface Filters extends Interface {
+    type: "filters"
+    favorite: boolean
+    unread: boolean
+  }
+
+  export interface Search extends Interface {
+    type: "search"
+    search: string
+  }
+}
+
 export enum ChatPeerType {
   Human = "human",
   Bot = "bot",
@@ -3190,6 +3211,25 @@ export namespace OwnerVerification {
   }
 }
 
+export type PaginationByTime = PaginationByTime.Last
+
+export namespace PaginationByTime {
+  export type Tag = "last"
+
+  interface Interface {
+    type: Tag
+  }
+
+  export interface Last extends Interface {
+    type: "last"
+    count: number // int
+  }
+
+  export function cmdString(self: PaginationByTime): string {
+    return 'count=' + self.count
+  }
+}
+
 export interface PendingContactConnection {
   pccConnId: number // int64
   pccAgentConnId: string
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/README.md b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/README.md
index 2132c47a79..739b41b34e 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/README.md
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/README.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Please share your use cases and implementations.
 ## Quick start: a simple bot
 
 ```
-npm i simplex-chat@6.5.0-beta.10
+npm i simplex-chat@6.5.1
 ```
 
 Simple bot that replies with squares of numbers you send to it:
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/package.json b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/package.json
index 05f9c0e7d7..c5cc255722 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/package.json
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "simplex-chat",
-  "version": "6.5.0",
+  "version": "6.5.1",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "types": "dist/index.d.ts",
   "files": [
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     "docs": "typedoc"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@simplex-chat/types": "^0.5.0",
+    "@simplex-chat/types": "^0.6.0",
     "extract-zip": "^2.0.1",
     "fast-deep-equal": "^3.1.3",
     "node-addon-api": "^8.5.0"
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts
index f1337e6753..0d3339df9a 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts
@@ -764,6 +764,25 @@ export class ChatApi {
     throw new ChatCommandError("error listing groups", r)
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Get chat previews (paginated).
+   * Network usage: no.
+   *
+   * Prefer this over apiListContacts / apiListGroups for any scan: those
+   * methods load every record into memory in a single response and will fail
+   * on large databases.
+   */
+  async apiGetChats(
+    userId: number,
+    pagination: T.PaginationByTime,
+    query: T.ChatListQuery = {type: "filters", favorite: false, unread: false},
+    pendingConnections = false,
+  ): Promise<T.AChat[]> {
+    const r = await this.sendChatCmd(CC.APIGetChats.cmdString({userId, pendingConnections, pagination, query}))
+    if (r.type === "apiChats") return r.chats
+    throw new ChatCommandError("error getting chats", r)
+  }
+
   /**
    * Delete chat.
    * Network usage: background.
diff --git a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/download-libs.js b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/download-libs.js
index 25d6cc8a85..5c1b70cda0 100644
--- a/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/download-libs.js
+++ b/packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/download-libs.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ const path = require('path');
 const extract = require('extract-zip');
 
 const GITHUB_REPO = 'simplex-chat/simplex-chat-libs';
-const RELEASE_TAG = 'v6.5.0';
+const RELEASE_TAG = 'v6.5.1';
 const BACKEND = (process.env.SIMPLEX_BACKEND || process.env.npm_config_simplex_backend || 'sqlite').toLowerCase();
 
 if (BACKEND !== 'sqlite' && BACKEND !== 'postgres') {
diff --git a/plans/2026-05-01-support-bot-list-api-pagination.md b/plans/2026-05-01-support-bot-list-api-pagination.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..44cfde7971
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plans/2026-05-01-support-bot-list-api-pagination.md
@@ -0,0 +1,377 @@
+# Plan: Fix support-bot crash on large databases — use pagination and direct lookup
+
+## Context
+
+The simplex-support-bot crashes during startup against large production
+databases:
+
+```
+[2026-04-30T15:52:53.498Z] Grok contact from state: ID=142676
+[2026-04-30T15:52:53.498Z] Resolving team group...
+<anonymous_script>:0
+[Error: Unknown failure]
+```
+
+The crash happens inside `chat.apiListGroups(mainUser.userId)` at
+`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/index.ts:215`. The native binding marshals the
+Haskell core's response to a JS string at
+`packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/cpp/simplex.cc:255` (`chat_send_cmd`) →
+`HandleCResult` (line 157) → `Napi::String::New` in `OnOK`. When the response
+exceeds V8's max string length (~512 MB on 64-bit), N-API string allocation
+fails. The literal string `"Unknown failure"` does **not** appear anywhere in
+this repo — confirmed by full-tree search — so the message originates from V8
+or N-API internals rather than the binding's own error path (which would say
+`chat_send_cmd failed`). Hypothesis: oversized string allocation throws a JS
+exception that propagates up unannotated.
+
+Two distinct misuse patterns drive the payload size:
+
+**A. List-then-find by ID** (most call sites). The bot pulls every contact /
+every group with `apiListContacts` / `apiListGroups`, then calls `find(...)`
+to locate one record by a known ID. This is gratuitous — there is already
+`apiGetChat(chatType, chatId, count=0)` (`packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts:819`)
+that returns one `AChat` whose `chatInfo` carries the full `GroupInfo` /
+`Contact` (with `customData`) and zero items. The Haskell parser accepts
+`count=0` (`src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs:5210`), and
+`getDirectChatLast_` / `getGroupChatLast_` return empty `chatItems` with full
+`chatInfo`.
+
+**B. Genuine multi-record scan** (one site).
+`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts:131` (`refreshAllCards`) enumerates
+groups where `customData.cardItemId && !complete` to refresh in-flight cards
+on restart. The Haskell side already supports paginated scans via
+`APIGetChats` (`/_get chats {userId} pcc=on|off count=N`,
+`src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs:4868`). It is currently in
+`undocumentedCommands` (`bots/src/API/Docs/Commands.hs:360`), so the codegen
+does not emit it for the TypeScript bot library. Confirmed: the chat preview
+returned by `getChatPreviews` carries `customData` on `GroupInfo`
+(`src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Shared.hs:685`, `toGroupInfo`).
+
+Active card state is already tracked on each group via `customData.cardItemId`
+and `customData.complete` (written through `apiSetGroupCustomData` at
+`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts:103,231`). No `state.json` schema
+change is needed — phase 3 reads exactly the same `customData` it already
+writes, just via paginated `APIGetChats` instead of a full `apiListGroups`.
+
+Per the constraint, `apiListContacts` / `apiListGroups` stay in the nodejs
+library unchanged for other consumers. Audit confirmed no callers outside
+support-bot use them today.
+
+## Phase 1 — Plumb `APIGetChats` through the bot library
+
+The codegen pipeline is test-driven: `tests/APIDocs.hs:41–44` invokes
+`testGenerate` against the functions in
+`bots/src/API/Docs/Generate/TypeScript.hs`, which writes to:
+
+- `packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/commands.ts`
+- `packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/responses.ts`
+- `packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/types.ts`
+
+Run via `cabal test`. The published `@simplex-chat/types` npm package is
+built from this TypeScript source; the copy under
+`packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/node_modules/@simplex-chat/types/dist/` is a
+downstream build artifact and is **not** edited directly.
+
+Currently missing from generated TS:
+`T.PaginationByTime`, `T.ChatListQuery`, `CC.APIGetChats`, and the
+`apiChats` response tag on `ChatResponse`.
+
+### 1.1 `bots/src/API/Docs/Commands.hs`
+
+- **Remove** `"APIGetChats",` from `undocumentedCommands` (line 360).
+- **Add** an entry under "Chat commands" (next to `APIListContacts` /
+  `APIListGroups` at lines 145–146). Match the Haskell parser at
+  `src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs:4868`:
+
+  ```haskell
+  ( "APIGetChats",
+    [],
+    "Get chat previews. Supports time-based pagination — use this " <>
+    "instead of APIListContacts / APIListGroups when scanning at scale.",
+    ["CRApiChats", "CRChatCmdError"],
+    [],
+    Nothing,
+    "/_get chats " <> Param "userId"
+      <> OnOffParam "pcc" "pendingConnections" (Just False)
+      <> Optional "" (" " <> Param "$0") "pagination"
+      <> Optional "" (" " <> Json "$0") "query"
+  )
+  ```
+
+  Note: the `query` segment uses `" " <> Json "$0"` (no `"json "` prefix) —
+  the parser accepts `A.space *> jsonP` directly.
+
+### 1.2 `bots/src/API/Docs/Types.hs`
+
+The type universe already references `PaginationByTime` and `ChatListQuery`
+in commented form (lines 381, 390 and 592, 602). Uncomment all four lines.
+Confirm the constructor-prefix encoding (`STRecord`/`STUnion`, prefix
+`""`/`"CLQ"`) matches the existing definitions in
+`src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs:992,998` and the JSON deriving at line 1661
+(`sumTypeJSON $ dropPrefix "CLQ"`).
+
+### 1.3 `bots/src/API/Docs/Responses.hs`
+
+- Uncomment `("CRApiChats", "...")` at line 100.
+- Remove `"CRApiChats",` from `undocumentedResponses` at line 123.
+
+### 1.4 Regenerate TypeScript types
+
+Run `cabal test` (the `APIDocs` test suite drives generation). Inspect the
+diffs in `packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/src/{commands,responses,types}.ts`.
+Verify:
+
+- `T.PaginationByTime` (sum type with `PTLast`/`PTAfter`/`PTBefore`) exists
+  with a generated `cmdString`. Compare wire format against the Haskell
+  `paginationByTimeP` at `src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs:5216`:
+  `count=N` | `after=TS count=N` | `before=TS count=N`.
+- `T.ChatListQuery` exists with `CLQFilters` / `CLQSearch` JSON-encoded
+  variants.
+- `CC.APIGetChats.cmdString({userId, pendingConnections, pagination, query})`
+  exists and emits the expected wire format.
+- `r.type === "apiChats"` with `r.chats: T.AChat[]` exists in the response
+  union (drops `CR` prefix per `sumTypeJSON`,
+  `src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs:1743`).
+
+Bump `@simplex-chat/types` version and re-link / re-build the
+`simplex-chat-nodejs` package so the new symbols are available.
+
+### 1.5 `packages/simplex-chat-nodejs/src/api.ts`
+
+Add a single method next to `apiListGroups` (line 761):
+
+```ts
+/**
+ * Get chat previews (paginated).
+ * Network usage: no.
+ *
+ * Prefer this over apiListContacts / apiListGroups for any scan: those
+ * methods load the entire history into memory and will fail on large DBs.
+ */
+async apiGetChats(
+  userId: number,
+  pagination: T.PaginationByTime,
+  query: T.ChatListQuery = {type: "filters", favorite: false, unread: false},
+  pendingConnections = false,
+): Promise<T.AChat[]> {
+  const r = await this.sendChatCmd(
+    CC.APIGetChats.cmdString({userId, pendingConnections, pagination, query})
+  )
+  if (r.type === "apiChats") return r.chats
+  throw new ChatCommandError("error getting chats", r)
+}
+```
+
+(Exact `T.PaginationByTime` / `T.ChatListQuery` shapes come from the codegen
+output of phase 1.4 — verify the discriminator field names before locking
+this signature.)
+
+## Phase 2 — Replace list-then-find with direct lookup
+
+For every site below, replace `apiList…().find(…)` with
+`apiGetChat(ChatType.X, id, 0)`. Treat "not found" — the chat was deleted —
+as a clean missing-record case (log + skip). The wire format
+`/_get chat #{id} count=0` is already supported.
+
+### 2.1 Error matcher
+
+The Haskell `SEContactNotFound` / `SEGroupNotFound` (in
+`src/Simplex/Chat/Store/Shared.hs:863` and elsewhere) surface to TS as:
+
+```ts
+err.chatError?.type === "errorStore"
+  && err.chatError.storeError.type === "groupNotFound" // or "contactNotFound"
+```
+
+Both discriminators are already present in the generated types
+(`types.d.ts:2825` and `:2788`). Add a small helper in
+`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/util.ts`:
+
+```ts
+export function isChatNotFound(err: unknown, kind: "group" | "contact"): boolean {
+  if (!(err instanceof core.ChatAPIError)) return false
+  if (err.chatError?.type !== "errorStore") return false
+  const seType = err.chatError.storeError.type
+  return kind === "group" ? seType === "groupNotFound" : seType === "contactNotFound"
+}
+```
+
+(Strict — does not swallow other `errorStore` variants.)
+
+### 2.2 Ergonomic wrappers
+
+Add two thin helpers in `apps/simplex-support-bot/src/util.ts` (the constraint
+forbids touching `apiListContacts` / `apiListGroups` in the nodejs library;
+keeping these helpers in the support-bot util keeps the library surface
+unchanged):
+
+```ts
+export async function getGroupInfo(chat: api.ChatApi, groupId: number): Promise<T.GroupInfo | null> {
+  try {
+    const c = await chat.apiGetChat(T.ChatType.Group, groupId, 0)
+    return c.chatInfo.type === "group" ? c.chatInfo.groupInfo : null
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (isChatNotFound(err, "group")) return null
+    throw err
+  }
+}
+
+export async function getContact(chat: api.ChatApi, contactId: number): Promise<T.Contact | null> {
+  try {
+    const c = await chat.apiGetChat(T.ChatType.Direct, contactId, 0)
+    return c.chatInfo.type === "direct" ? c.chatInfo.contact : null
+  } catch (err) {
+    if (isChatNotFound(err, "contact")) return null
+    throw err
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### 2.3 Call-site changes
+
+All sites must keep their existing `withMainProfile` / `profileMutex`
+wrapping where present.
+
+- **`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/index.ts:165–180`** (Grok contact
+  resolution). Drop the `apiListContacts(mainUser.userId)` call entirely. If
+  `state.grokContactId` is set, call `getContact(chat, state.grokContactId)`
+  inside `profileMutex.runExclusive`. Preserve the existing log lines.
+- **`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/index.ts:306–320`** (team member
+  validation). Loop and `getContact(chat, member.id)` per member. Compare
+  `displayName` as before. Team rosters are small; N round-trips are fine.
+- **`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/index.ts:213–227`** (team group
+  resolution). Replace `apiListGroups` + `find` with
+  `getGroupInfo(chat, state.teamGroupId)`. Preserve the "create new group"
+  fallback when the lookup returns `null`.
+- **`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/bot.ts:796–805`** (`handleJoinCommand`).
+  Replace with `getGroupInfo(chat, targetGroupId)`; same `businessChat`
+  validation.
+- **`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts:120`** (`flushOne`). Direct
+  `getGroupInfo(chat, groupId)` (still inside `withMainProfile`).
+- **`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts:213`** (`getRawCustomData`).
+  Direct lookup. **Hot path** — called on every `mergeCustomData` /
+  `clearCustomData`. Largest single win.
+- **`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts:251`** (`updateCard`). Direct
+  lookup. The "Read customData and groupInfo in one apiListGroups call"
+  comment goes away.
+
+After phase 2 the bot can boot and operate steadily on a large DB; phase 3
+is purely about startup reconciliation.
+
+## Phase 3 — Paginate `refreshAllCards`
+
+`apps/simplex-support-bot/src/cards.ts:131` is the only legitimate
+multi-record scan. Convert it to a single bounded `apiGetChats` call:
+
+```ts
+async refreshAllCards(): Promise<void> {
+  // Scan the most recently active 1000 chats. Active cards live on
+  // recently-active customer chats by definition — a card stays open while
+  // the conversation is in flight. If the bot has been offline long enough
+  // that an active card has fallen outside the recent-1000 window, that
+  // card refreshes lazily on the next customer message (which moves the
+  // chat back into the recent window).
+  const chats = await this.withMainProfile(() =>
+    this.chat.apiGetChats(
+      this.mainUserId,
+      {type: "last", count: 1000},
+    )
+  )
+  const activeCards: {groupId: number; cardItemId: number}[] = []
+  for (const c of chats) {
+    if (c.chatInfo.type !== "group") continue
+    const customData = c.chatInfo.groupInfo.customData as Record<string, unknown> | undefined
+    if (customData
+      && typeof customData.cardItemId === "number"
+      && !customData.complete) {
+      activeCards.push({
+        groupId: c.chatInfo.groupInfo.groupId,
+        cardItemId: customData.cardItemId,
+      })
+    }
+  }
+  // (sort and refresh loop unchanged)
+}
+```
+
+`count = 1000` per the constraint. No `state.json` schema change. Card
+status remains entirely on the group's `customData` (`cardItemId`,
+`complete`), which is what the bot already reads and writes.
+
+## Phase 4 — Verification
+
+### 4.1 Stress test
+
+Existing tests use `MockChatApi` (`apps/simplex-support-bot/bot.test.ts:24`),
+which is in-memory and won't exercise the native binding. A meaningful
+stress test needs a real `ChatApi.init` against Postgres.
+
+Add a new test file (e.g.
+`apps/simplex-support-bot/test/stress.test.ts`) that:
+
+1. Starts an ephemeral Postgres or uses an existing test DB.
+2. Calls `ChatApi.init` and seeds N synthetic groups + contacts via the
+   chat API. (No existing seeding helper — write one.) Reasonable N: 20k
+   each, large enough to expose the marshaling cliff but not so large that
+   the test takes minutes.
+3. Boots the support-bot main flow against this DB and asserts: startup
+   completes within a wall-clock budget; resident memory stays bounded;
+   no native error.
+
+This is new infrastructure — keep scope tight. If standing up Postgres in
+CI is too heavy, run as a manual stress harness rather than a CI test.
+
+### 4.2 Production replay
+
+Replay against (a copy of) the affected production DB. Confirm the bot
+starts and the team group / Grok contact / team members all resolve.
+
+### 4.3 Smoke tests
+
+Existing functional flows via `bot.test.ts` continue to pass after the
+phase-2 changes. Manually exercise:
+
+- Business-request acceptance.
+- `/join` validation (the changed `bot.ts:799` path).
+- Card create/update/complete cycle (`cards.ts` hot path).
+- Restart-time card refresh (`refreshAllCards`).
+
+## Risks and footguns
+
+- **`/_get chats` parser default is `PTLast 5000`**
+  (`src/Simplex/Chat/Library/Commands.hs:4872`). Even 5000 previews can be
+  heavy. Support-bot now always passes an explicit `count=1000`, but the
+  default itself remains a footgun for other callers — flag for follow-up;
+  not changed here.
+- **`apiListMembers` is per-group, not per-DB.** Used at `bot.ts:629,825`
+  and `cards.ts:165`. Bounded by group membership, not history size, so
+  out of scope for this fix. Flag if customer groups grow huge (>1000
+  members) — would warrant a paginated members API at that point.
+- **Codegen output sanity.** Phase 1.4 must be inspected by hand — the
+  generated `cmdString` for `T.PaginationByTime` and the `r.type` /
+  `r.chats` shape on the response side are the integration points the rest
+  of the plan depends on. Do not skip eyeballing the diff.
+- **`apiGetChat(..., 0)` semantics on a non-existent chatId.** Verified:
+  the error tag is `chatError.type === "errorStore"` with
+  `storeError.type === "groupNotFound"` or `"contactNotFound"`. Both
+  discriminators already exist in the generated types
+  (`types.d.ts:2825,2788`). `isChatNotFound` matches them precisely; do
+  not loosen it.
+- **Native binding crash hypothesis is unverified.** The literal "Unknown
+  failure" string is not in this tree. Most likely V8/N-API surfacing a
+  string-allocation or JSON-parse failure. The fix in this plan addresses
+  the proximate cause (oversized response payload) regardless of the exact
+  surfacing path; if the same error reappears after the fix, dig into the
+  binding's `OnOK` handler to add explicit size-check / better diagnostics.
+- **`@simplex-chat/types` package version bump.** Phase 1.4 produces
+  TypeScript changes in `packages/simplex-chat-client/types/typescript/`.
+  Bumping the version and re-publishing (or rebuilding locally) is required
+  before phase 1.5 lands. Coordinate the release sequence.
+
+## Out of scope
+
+- Deprecating or paginating `apiListContacts` / `apiListGroups` in the
+  nodejs library. They stay as-is; only support-bot stops calling them.
+- Lowering the `/_get chats` parser default from `PTLast 5000`.
+- Adding a paginated members API.
+- Native binding diagnostics for oversized responses.
diff --git a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
index cfb60c360a..aea6d620af 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Chat/Controller.hs
@@ -993,7 +993,7 @@ data ChatPagination
   deriving (Show)
 
 data PaginationByTime
-  = PTLast Int
+  = PTLast {count :: Int}
   | PTAfter UTCTime Int
   | PTBefore UTCTime Int
   deriving (Show)