diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/FullscreenMsgView.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/FullscreenMsgView.h
index 99582f12..ae32a24a 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/FullscreenMsgView.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/FullscreenMsgView.h
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #include <helpers/ui/DisplayDriver.h>
 #include <Arduino.h>
 
-static const int FS_CHARS   = 21;
+static const int FS_CHARS   = 20;
 static const int FS_LINE_H  = 8;
 static const int FS_START_Y = 12;
 static const int FS_VISIBLE = (64 - FS_START_Y) / FS_LINE_H;
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ struct FullscreenMsgView {
     // detect @recipient at start of message
     char to_nick[32] = "";
     const char* body = text;
-    if (text[0] == '@') {
-      const char* sp = strchr(text, ' ');
-      if (sp && sp[1]) {
-        int len = (int)(sp - text) - 1;
+    if (text[0] == '@' && text[1] == '[') {
+      const char* close = strchr(text + 2, ']');
+      if (close && close[1] == ' ' && close[2]) {
+        int len = (int)(close - text) - 2;
         if (len >= (int)sizeof(to_nick)) len = sizeof(to_nick) - 1;
-        memcpy(to_nick, text + 1, len);
+        memcpy(to_nick, text + 2, len);
         to_nick[len] = '\0';
-        body = sp + 1;
+        body = close + 2;
       }
     }
 
@@ -66,8 +66,9 @@ struct FullscreenMsgView {
     display.setColor(DisplayDriver::DARK);
     display.drawTextEllipsized(2, 1, display.width() - 4, sender);
     if (to_nick[0]) {
-      char to_label[36];
-      snprintf(to_label, sizeof(to_label), "To: %s", to_nick);
+      char trans_nick[32], to_label[36];
+      display.translateUTF8ToBlocks(trans_nick, to_nick, sizeof(trans_nick));
+      snprintf(to_label, sizeof(to_label), "To: %s", trans_nick);
       display.drawTextEllipsized(2, 11, display.width() - 4, to_label);
     }
     display.setColor(DisplayDriver::LIGHT);
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/QuickMsgScreen.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/QuickMsgScreen.h
index f2b61aa2..13632482 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/QuickMsgScreen.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/QuickMsgScreen.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class QuickMsgScreen : public UIScreen {
   bool      _ctx_dirty;
   char      _ctx_notif_item[22];
   char      _ctx_melody_item[20];
-  char      _reply_prefix[36];   // "@nick " built when reply is triggered
+  char      _reply_prefix[36];   // "@[nick] " built when reply is triggered
   bool      _reply_mode;         // true while composing a reply (prefix is prepended)
 
   struct ChHistEntry { uint8_t ch_idx; char text[140]; };
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ class QuickMsgScreen : public UIScreen {
     int slen = (int)(sep - text);
     if (slen == 2 && strncmp(text, "Me", 2) == 0) return false;
     if (slen > 32) slen = 32;
-    snprintf(_reply_prefix, sizeof(_reply_prefix), "@%.*s ", slen, text);
+    if (slen > 31) slen = 31;
+    snprintf(_reply_prefix, sizeof(_reply_prefix), "@[%.*s] ", slen, text);
     return true;
   }
 
@@ -780,7 +781,13 @@ public:
     } else { // MSG_PICK
       char title[24];
       if (_reply_mode) {
-        snprintf(title, sizeof(title), "RE:%.20s", _reply_prefix + 1); // skip '@'
+        int rlen = (int)strlen(_reply_prefix) - 4; // exclude "@[" and "] "
+        if (rlen < 0) rlen = 0;
+        if (rlen > 20) rlen = 20;
+        char nick_raw[32], nick_trans[32];
+        snprintf(nick_raw, sizeof(nick_raw), "%.*s", rlen, _reply_prefix + 2);
+        display.translateUTF8ToBlocks(nick_trans, nick_raw, sizeof(nick_trans));
+        snprintf(title, sizeof(title), "RE:%s", nick_trans);
       } else if (_sending_to_channel) {
         ChannelDetails ch;
         the_mesh.getChannel(_sel_channel_idx, ch);
@@ -988,7 +995,7 @@ public:
         } else if (res == FullscreenMsgView::REPLY) {
           int ring_pos = dmHistEntryForContact(_sel_contact.id.pub_key, _dm_hist_sel);
           if (ring_pos >= 0 && !_dm_hist[ring_pos].outgoing) {
-            snprintf(_reply_prefix, sizeof(_reply_prefix), "@%.32s ", _sel_contact.name);
+            snprintf(_reply_prefix, sizeof(_reply_prefix), "@[%.31s] ", _sel_contact.name);
             _ctx_menu.begin("Options", 1);
             _ctx_menu.addItem("Reply");
           }
@@ -1036,7 +1043,7 @@ public:
       if (c == KEY_CONTEXT_MENU && _dm_hist_sel >= 0) {
         int ring_pos = dmHistEntryForContact(_sel_contact.id.pub_key, _dm_hist_sel);
         if (ring_pos >= 0 && !_dm_hist[ring_pos].outgoing) {
-          snprintf(_reply_prefix, sizeof(_reply_prefix), "@%.32s ", _sel_contact.name);
+          snprintf(_reply_prefix, sizeof(_reply_prefix), "@[%.31s] ", _sel_contact.name);
           _ctx_menu.begin("Options", 1);
           _ctx_menu.addItem("Reply");
         }