diff --git a/meshchat.py b/meshchat.py
index cef37bd..4f2f71f 100644
--- a/meshchat.py
+++ b/meshchat.py
@@ -1514,6 +1514,12 @@ def convert_lxmf_state_to_string(self, lxmf_message: LXMF.LXMessage):
 
     # convert database announce to a dictionary
     def convert_db_announce_to_dict(self, announce: database.Announce):
+
+        # get display name for lxmf delivery announce
+        display_name = None
+        if announce.aspect == "lxmf.delivery":
+            display_name = self.parse_lxmf_display_name(announce.app_data)
+
         return {
             "id": announce.id,
             "destination_hash": announce.destination_hash,
@@ -1521,6 +1527,7 @@ def convert_db_announce_to_dict(self, announce: database.Announce):
             "identity_hash": announce.identity_hash,
             "identity_public_key": announce.identity_public_key,
             "app_data": announce.app_data,
+            "display_name": display_name,
             "created_at": announce.created_at,
             "updated_at": announce.updated_at,
         }
@@ -1855,15 +1862,20 @@ def get_lxmf_conversation_name(self, destination_hash):
                          .get_or_none())
 
         # if app data is available in database, it should be base64 encoded text that was announced
-        # we will return this as the conversation name
+        # we will return the parsed lxmf display name as the conversation name
         if lxmf_announce is not None and lxmf_announce.app_data is not None:
-            try:
-                app_data_bytes = base64.b64decode(lxmf_announce.app_data)
-                return LXMF.display_name_from_app_data(app_data_bytes)
-            except:
-                pass
+            return self.parse_lxmf_display_name(app_data_base64=lxmf_announce.app_data)
+
+        # announce did not have app data, so provide a fallback name
+        return "Anonymous Peer"
 
-        return "Unknown"
+    # reads the lxmf display name from the provided base64 app data
+    def parse_lxmf_display_name(self, app_data_base64: str):
+        try:
+            app_data_bytes = base64.b64decode(app_data_base64)
+            return LXMF.display_name_from_app_data(app_data_bytes)
+        except:
+            return "Anonymous Peer"
 
     # returns true if the conversation has messages newer than the last read at timestamp
     def is_lxmf_conversation_unread(self, destination_hash):
diff --git a/src/frontend/components/messages/ConversationViewer.vue b/src/frontend/components/messages/ConversationViewer.vue
index d3aa3f3..8ffb179 100644
--- a/src/frontend/components/messages/ConversationViewer.vue
+++ b/src/frontend/components/messages/ConversationViewer.vue
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
             <!-- peer info -->
             <div>
-                <div class="font-semibold">{{ selectedPeer.name }}</div>
+                <div class="font-semibold">{{ selectedPeer.display_name }}</div>
                 <div class="text-sm"><{{ selectedPeer.destination_hash }}> <span v-if="selectedPeerPath" @click="onDestinationPathClick(selectedPeerPath)" class="cursor-pointer">{{ selectedPeerPath.hops }} {{ selectedPeerPath.hops === 1 ? 'hop' : 'hops' }} away</span></div>
             </div>
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/components/messages/MessagesPage.vue b/src/frontend/components/messages/MessagesPage.vue
index ce48cbe..b72c4b1 100644
--- a/src/frontend/components/messages/MessagesPage.vue
+++ b/src/frontend/components/messages/MessagesPage.vue
@@ -167,20 +167,8 @@ export default {
                 console.log(e);
             }
         },
-        getPeerNameFromAppData: function(appData) {
-            try {
-                // app data should be peer name, and our server provides it base64 encoded
-                return Utils.decodeBase64ToUtf8String(appData);
-            } catch(e){
-                return "Anonymous Peer";
-            }
-        },
         updatePeerFromAnnounce: function(announce) {
-            this.peers[announce.destination_hash] = {
-                ...announce,
-                // helper property for easily grabbing peer name from app data
-                name: this.getPeerNameFromAppData(announce.app_data),
-            };
+            this.peers[announce.destination_hash] = announce;
         },
         onPeerClick: function(peer) {
             this.selectedPeer = peer;
diff --git a/src/frontend/components/messages/MessagesSidebar.vue b/src/frontend/components/messages/MessagesSidebar.vue
index a396cd1..fbdcf51 100644
--- a/src/frontend/components/messages/MessagesSidebar.vue
+++ b/src/frontend/components/messages/MessagesSidebar.vue
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
                             </div>
                         </div>
                         <div>
-                            <div class="text-gray-900">{{ peer.name }}</div>
+                            <div class="text-gray-900">{{ peer.display_name }}</div>
                             <div class="text-gray-500 text-sm">{{ formatTimeAgo(peer.updated_at) }}</div>
                         </div>
                     </div>
@@ -180,9 +180,9 @@ export default {
         searchedPeers() {
             return this.peersOrderedByLatestAnnounce.filter((peer) => {
                 const search = this.peersSearchTerm.toLowerCase();
-                const matchesAppData = peer.name.toLowerCase().includes(search);
+                const matchesDisplayName = peer.display_name.toLowerCase().includes(search);
                 const matchesDestinationHash = peer.destination_hash.toLowerCase().includes(search);
-                return matchesAppData || matchesDestinationHash;
+                return matchesDisplayName || matchesDestinationHash;
             });
         },
     },