diff --git a/backend/src/db/index.ts b/backend/src/db/index.ts
index ba9eb77..19cb33e 100644
--- a/backend/src/db/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/db/index.ts
@@ -788,14 +788,16 @@ export async function getRecentPackets(
     `WITH recent_packets AS (
       SELECT DISTINCT ON (p.packet_hash)
              p.time, p.packet_hash,
-             meshcore_canonical_node_id(p.rx_node_id) AS rx_node_id,
-             meshcore_canonical_node_id(p.src_node_id) AS src_node_id, p.topic,
+             COALESCE(pa_rx.canonical_node_id, upper(btrim(p.rx_node_id))) AS rx_node_id,
+             COALESCE(pa_src.canonical_node_id, upper(btrim(p.src_node_id))) AS src_node_id, p.topic,
              p.topic_prefix, p.iata, p.packet_type, p.route_type, p.hop_count, p.rssi, p.snr,
              COALESCE(p.payload->>'_summary', pd.summary) AS summary,
              p.advert_count, p.path_hashes, p.path_hash_size_bytes,
              p.network, p.transport_codes, p.region_scope
       FROM packets p
       LEFT JOIN packet_decryptions pd ON pd.packet_hash = p.packet_hash
+      LEFT JOIN node_identity_aliases pa_rx ON pa_rx.source_node_id = upper(btrim(p.rx_node_id))
+      LEFT JOIN node_identity_aliases pa_src ON pa_src.source_node_id = upper(btrim(p.src_node_id))
       WHERE p.time > ${fiveMinAgo}
         ${buildPacketScopeClause(scope, 'p', network)}
         ${buildPublicPacketPrivacyClause('p')}
@@ -809,13 +811,14 @@ export async function getRecentPackets(
     packet_stats AS (
       SELECT 
         packet_hash,
-        ARRAY_AGG(DISTINCT meshcore_canonical_node_id(rx_node_id)
-                  ORDER BY meshcore_canonical_node_id(rx_node_id))
-          FILTER (WHERE rx_node_id IS NOT NULL) AS observer_node_ids,
+        ARRAY_AGG(DISTINCT COALESCE(pa2.canonical_node_id, upper(btrim(packets.rx_node_id)))
+                  ORDER BY COALESCE(pa2.canonical_node_id, upper(btrim(packets.rx_node_id))))
+          FILTER (WHERE packets.rx_node_id IS NOT NULL) AS observer_node_ids,
         ARRAY_AGG(DISTINCT iata ORDER BY iata) FILTER (WHERE NULLIF(TRIM(iata), '') IS NOT NULL) AS observer_iatas,
         COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE COALESCE(payload->>'direction', 'rx') <> 'tx')::int AS rx_count,
         COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE COALESCE(payload->>'direction', 'rx') = 'tx')::int AS tx_count
       FROM packets
+      LEFT JOIN node_identity_aliases pa2 ON pa2.source_node_id = upper(btrim(packets.rx_node_id))
       WHERE packet_hash = ANY(SELECT packet_hash FROM recent_packets)
         AND time > ${fiveMinAgo}
         ${buildPacketScopeClause(scope, '', network)}
@@ -856,8 +859,8 @@ export async function getRecentMessages(
     `WITH recent_msgs AS (
       SELECT DISTINCT ON (p.packet_hash)
              p.time, p.packet_hash,
-             meshcore_canonical_node_id(p.rx_node_id) AS rx_node_id,
-             meshcore_canonical_node_id(p.src_node_id) AS src_node_id, p.topic,
+             COALESCE(pa_rx.canonical_node_id, upper(btrim(p.rx_node_id))) AS rx_node_id,
+             COALESCE(pa_src.canonical_node_id, upper(btrim(p.src_node_id))) AS src_node_id, p.topic,
              p.iata,
              p.packet_type, p.hop_count, p.rssi, p.snr, p.payload,
              COALESCE(p.payload->>'_summary', pd.summary) AS summary,
@@ -865,6 +868,8 @@ export async function getRecentMessages(
              p.network
       FROM packets p
       LEFT JOIN packet_decryptions pd ON pd.packet_hash = p.packet_hash
+      LEFT JOIN node_identity_aliases pa_rx ON pa_rx.source_node_id = upper(btrim(p.rx_node_id))
+      LEFT JOIN node_identity_aliases pa_src ON pa_src.source_node_id = upper(btrim(p.src_node_id))
       WHERE p.packet_type = 5
         AND p.time > NOW() - INTERVAL '24 hours'
         ${buildPacketScopeClause(scope, 'p', network)}
@@ -876,13 +881,14 @@ export async function getRecentMessages(
     msg_stats AS (
       SELECT
         packet_hash,
-        ARRAY_AGG(DISTINCT meshcore_canonical_node_id(rx_node_id)
-                  ORDER BY meshcore_canonical_node_id(rx_node_id))
-          FILTER (WHERE rx_node_id IS NOT NULL) AS observer_node_ids,
+        ARRAY_AGG(DISTINCT COALESCE(pa2.canonical_node_id, upper(btrim(packets.rx_node_id)))
+                  ORDER BY COALESCE(pa2.canonical_node_id, upper(btrim(packets.rx_node_id))))
+          FILTER (WHERE packets.rx_node_id IS NOT NULL) AS observer_node_ids,
         ARRAY_AGG(DISTINCT iata ORDER BY iata) FILTER (WHERE NULLIF(TRIM(iata), '') IS NOT NULL) AS observer_iatas,
         COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE COALESCE(payload->>'direction', 'rx') <> 'tx')::int AS rx_count,
         COUNT(*) FILTER (WHERE COALESCE(payload->>'direction', 'rx') = 'tx')::int AS tx_count
       FROM packets
+      LEFT JOIN node_identity_aliases pa2 ON pa2.source_node_id = upper(btrim(packets.rx_node_id))
       WHERE packet_hash = ANY(SELECT packet_hash FROM recent_msgs)
         AND time > NOW() - INTERVAL '24 hours'
         ${buildPacketScopeClause(scope, '', network)}
diff --git a/backend/src/ws/server.ts b/backend/src/ws/server.ts
index fb40874..db1fb82 100644
--- a/backend/src/ws/server.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ws/server.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ const WS_MAX_PENDING_HANDSHAKES = boundedEnvInteger('WS_MAX_PENDING_HANDSHAKES',
 const WS_INITIAL_STATE_CONCURRENCY = boundedEnvInteger('WS_INITIAL_STATE_CONCURRENCY', 8, 1, 128);
 const WS_INITIAL_STATE_QUEUE_MAX = boundedEnvInteger('WS_INITIAL_STATE_QUEUE_MAX', 64, 0, 1_000);
 const WS_INITIAL_STATE_MAX_BYTES = boundedEnvInteger('WS_INITIAL_STATE_MAX_BYTES', 4 * 1_048_576, 16 * 1024, 32 * 1_048_576);
-const WS_INITIAL_STATE_DB_TIMEOUT_MS = boundedEnvInteger('WS_INITIAL_STATE_DB_TIMEOUT_MS', 8_000, 1_000, 9_000);
+const WS_INITIAL_STATE_DB_TIMEOUT_MS = boundedEnvInteger('WS_INITIAL_STATE_DB_TIMEOUT_MS', 8_000, 1_000, 60_000);
 const WS_HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_MS = boundedEnvInteger('WS_HEARTBEAT_INTERVAL_MS', 30_000, 5_000, 120_000);
 
 type InitialStateRow = Record<string, unknown>;