diff --git a/damus/Models/Reply.swift b/damus/Models/Reply.swift
index b3bee54a..c627ea4a 100644
--- a/damus/Models/Reply.swift
+++ b/damus/Models/Reply.swift
@@ -12,16 +12,24 @@ struct ReplyDesc {
     let others: Int
 }
 
-func make_reply_description(_ tags: Tags) -> ReplyDesc {
+func make_reply_description(_ event: NostrEvent, replying_to: NostrEvent?) -> ReplyDesc {
     var c = 0
     var ns: [Pubkey] = []
-    var i = tags.count
+    var i = event.tags.count
 
-    for tag in tags {
+    if let replying_to {
+        ns.append(replying_to.pubkey)
+    }
+
+    for tag in event.tags {
         if let pk = Pubkey.from_tag(tag: tag) {
             c += 1
             if ns.count < 2 {
-                ns.append(pk)
+                if let replying_to, pk == replying_to.pubkey {
+                    continue
+                } else {
+                    ns.append(pk)
+                }
             }
         }
         i -= 1
diff --git a/damus/Views/Events/Components/ReplyDescription.swift b/damus/Views/Events/Components/ReplyDescription.swift
index 7687906a..5bc9c89a 100644
--- a/damus/Views/Events/Components/ReplyDescription.swift
+++ b/damus/Views/Events/Components/ReplyDescription.swift
@@ -10,10 +10,11 @@ import SwiftUI
 // jb55 - TODO: this could be a lot better
 struct ReplyDescription: View {
     let event: NostrEvent
+    let replying_to: NostrEvent?
     let profiles: Profiles
     
     var body: some View {
-        Text(verbatim: "\(reply_desc(profiles: profiles, event: event))")
+        Text(verbatim: "\(reply_desc(profiles: profiles, event: event, replying_to: replying_to))")
             .font(.footnote)
             .foregroundColor(.gray)
             .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
@@ -22,12 +23,12 @@ struct ReplyDescription: View {
 
 struct ReplyDescription_Previews: PreviewProvider {
     static var previews: some View {
-        ReplyDescription(event: test_note, profiles: test_damus_state().profiles)
+        ReplyDescription(event: test_note, replying_to: test_note, profiles: test_damus_state().profiles)
     }
 }
 
-func reply_desc(profiles: Profiles, event: NostrEvent, locale: Locale = Locale.current) -> String {
-    let desc = make_reply_description(event.tags)
+func reply_desc(profiles: Profiles, event: NostrEvent, replying_to: NostrEvent?, locale: Locale = Locale.current) -> String {
+    let desc = make_reply_description(event, replying_to: replying_to)
     let pubkeys = desc.pubkeys
     let n = desc.others
 
diff --git a/damus/Views/Events/Components/ReplyPart.swift b/damus/Views/Events/Components/ReplyPart.swift
index 506b3754..3b6dc7b6 100644
--- a/damus/Views/Events/Components/ReplyPart.swift
+++ b/damus/Views/Events/Components/ReplyPart.swift
@@ -8,14 +8,23 @@
 import SwiftUI
 
 struct ReplyPart: View {
+    let events: EventCache
     let event: NostrEvent
     let privkey: Privkey?
     let profiles: Profiles
-    
+
+    var replying_to: NostrEvent? {
+        guard let note_ref = event.event_refs(privkey).first(where: { evref in evref.is_direct_reply != nil })?.is_direct_reply else {
+            return nil
+        }
+
+        return events.lookup(note_ref.note_id)
+    }
+
     var body: some View {
         Group {
             if event_is_reply(event.event_refs(privkey)) {
-                ReplyDescription(event: event, profiles: profiles)
+                ReplyDescription(event: event, replying_to: replying_to, profiles: profiles)
             } else {
                 EmptyView()
             }
@@ -25,6 +34,6 @@ struct ReplyPart: View {
 
 struct ReplyPart_Previews: PreviewProvider {
     static var previews: some View {
-        ReplyPart(event: test_note, privkey: nil, profiles: test_damus_state().profiles)
+        ReplyPart(events: test_damus_state().events, event: test_note, privkey: nil, profiles: test_damus_state().profiles)
     }
 }
diff --git a/damus/Views/Events/EventShell.swift b/damus/Views/Events/EventShell.swift
index fcb7a86a..b9cc53bf 100644
--- a/damus/Views/Events/EventShell.swift
+++ b/damus/Views/Events/EventShell.swift
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ struct EventShell<Content: View>: View {
                 EventTop(state: state, event: event, pubkey: pubkey, is_anon: is_anon)
 
                 if !options.contains(.no_replying_to) {
-                    ReplyPart(event: event, privkey: state.keypair.privkey, profiles: state.profiles)
+                    ReplyPart(events: state.events, event: event, privkey: state.keypair.privkey, profiles: state.profiles)
                 }
                 
                 content
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ struct EventShell<Content: View>: View {
 
                 VStack {
                     EventTop(state: state, event: event, pubkey: pubkey, is_anon: is_anon)
-                    ReplyPart(event: event, privkey: state.keypair.privkey, profiles: state.profiles)
+                    ReplyPart(events: state.events, event: event, privkey: state.keypair.privkey, profiles: state.profiles)
                 }
             }
             .padding(.horizontal)
diff --git a/damus/Views/Events/SelectedEventView.swift b/damus/Views/Events/SelectedEventView.swift
index 8250b21f..4b29e05e 100644
--- a/damus/Views/Events/SelectedEventView.swift
+++ b/damus/Views/Events/SelectedEventView.swift
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ struct SelectedEventView: View {
     }
     
     @StateObject var bar: ActionBarModel
+
+    var replying_to: NostrEvent? {
+        guard let note_ref = event.event_refs(damus.keypair.privkey).first(where: { evref in evref.is_direct_reply != nil })?.is_direct_reply else {
+            return nil
+        }
+
+        return damus.events.lookup(note_ref.note_id)
+    }
     
     init(damus: DamusState, event: NostrEvent, size: EventViewKind) {
         self.damus = damus
@@ -43,7 +51,7 @@ struct SelectedEventView: View {
                 .lineLimit(1)
                 
                 if event_is_reply(event.event_refs(damus.keypair.privkey)) {
-                    ReplyDescription(event: event, profiles: damus.profiles)
+                    ReplyDescription(event: event, replying_to: replying_to, profiles: damus.profiles)
                         .padding(.horizontal)
                 }