diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/DeviceScreen.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/DeviceScreen.h
index 2f9d5b91..7fe5cfc7 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/DeviceScreen.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/DeviceScreen.h
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ void UITask::unlockScreen() {
   _pin_entry[0] = '\0';
   if (_screen == SCR_HOME) refreshHome();
   else if (_screen == SCR_CHATS) refreshChats();   // counts moved on while locked
+  else if (_screen == SCR_THREAD) reopenThreadIfUnread();   // on to what came in meanwhile
 }
 
 bool UITask::locked() const { return devview::s_lock != nullptr; }
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/UITask.cpp
index 89212a34..4baa0194 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/UITask.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/UITask.cpp
@@ -1735,7 +1735,7 @@ void UITask::wake() {
   if (_display) _display->turnOn();   // dark until the frame below is on the panel
   refreshStatusBar();
   if (_screen == SCR_HOME) refreshHome();
-  if (_screen == SCR_THREAD) refreshThread();
+  if (_screen == SCR_THREAD) { if (locked()) refreshThread(); else reopenThreadIfUnread(); }   // locked: on unlocking
   lv_obj_invalidate(lv_screen_active());
   lv_refr_now(NULL);
   lvport::backlightFadeIn();
@@ -1913,12 +1913,13 @@ void UITask::onMessageArrived(const UiEvent& ev) {
   if (_screen == SCR_CHATS && !_nav_overlay) refreshChats();   // new unread counts (not under an open popup)
 }
 
+// On screen: a conversation left open under the lock or a dark display isn't read.
 bool UITask::isViewingChannel(uint8_t channel_idx) {
-  return _screen == SCR_THREAD && _thread_is_channel && _thread_channel == channel_idx;
+  return !_asleep && !locked() && _screen == SCR_THREAD && _thread_is_channel && _thread_channel == channel_idx;
 }
 
 bool UITask::isViewingDM(const uint8_t* pub_key) {
-  return _screen == SCR_THREAD && !_thread_is_channel && memcmp(_thread_key, pub_key, 4) == 0;
+  return !_asleep && !locked() && _screen == SCR_THREAD && !_thread_is_channel && memcmp(_thread_key, pub_key, 4) == 0;
 }
 
 // ── Status bar + toast (top layer, over every screen) ─────────────────────────
@@ -3631,6 +3632,21 @@ void UITask::threadOpenAt(int first) {
   _thread_skip = first < THREAD_MAX_SHOWN ? 0 : first - (THREAD_MAX_SHOWN - 4);
 }
 
+// Back on over a conversation: what came in while asleep opens it again on
+// its first unread (the typed text kept, the keyboard down); else just the
+// fresh content.
+void UITask::reopenThreadIfUnread() {
+  bool unread = _thread_is_channel ? _core->history.chUnread(_thread_channel) > 0 : _core->dmUnread(_thread_key) > 0;
+  if (!unread || _nav_overlay) { refreshThread(); return; }
+  char typed[MSG_TEXT_BUF] = "";
+  if (_compose_ta) snprintf(typed, sizeof(typed), "%s", lv_textarea_get_text(_compose_ta));
+  uint8_t key[PUB_KEY_SIZE];   // openDM() clears _thread_key before reading its argument
+  memcpy(key, _thread_key, sizeof(key));
+  if (_thread_is_channel) openChannel(_thread_channel);
+  else openDM(key);
+  if (_compose_ta && typed[0]) { lv_textarea_set_text(_compose_ta, typed); composeLeftRefresh(_compose_ta); }
+}
+
 void UITask::openChannel(uint8_t channel_idx) {
   _thread_is_channel = true;
   _thread_channel = channel_idx;
@@ -4747,6 +4763,10 @@ extern "C" EMSCRIPTEN_KEEPALIVE void sim_open(const char* name) {
   if (!strcmp(name, "dm")) { s_ui->simDm(); return; }
   if (!strcmp(name, "send")) { s_ui->simSend(); return; }
   if (!strcmp(name, "unread")) { s_ui->simUnread(); return; }
+  if (!strcmp(name, "sleep")) { s_ui->simSleep(true); return; }
+  if (!strcmp(name, "wake")) { s_ui->simSleep(false); return; }
+  if (!strcmp(name, "lock")) { s_ui->simLock(true); return; }
+  if (!strcmp(name, "unlock")) { s_ui->simLock(false); return; }
   if (!strcmp(name, "vector")) { s_ui->setVectorMap(true); return; }
   if (!strcmp(name, "maptools")) { s_ui->navToolsPopup(); return; }
   if (!strcmp(name, "areasel")) { s_ui->areaSelectBegin(); return; }
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/UITask.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/UITask.h
index 178163cb..effdc99e 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/UITask.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-lvgl/UITask.h
@@ -131,6 +131,8 @@ public:
   void simCompose(const char* text);    // the open thread's field: this text, keyboard up
   void simDm();                         // the first chat contact's thread
   void simUnread();                     // read and new messages to open on
+  void simSleep(bool on) { if (on) sleep(); else wake(); }
+  void simLock(bool on) { if (on) lockScreen(); else unlockScreen(); }
   void simSend() { sendFromCompose(); } // the field, sent
   // Navigation map (NavMap.h)
   void navTargetsPopup();
@@ -427,6 +429,7 @@ private:
   void refreshNode();
   void buildThread();
   void threadOpenAt(int first);
+  void reopenThreadIfUnread();
   void refreshThread();
   void refreshThreadAges();
   uint32_t threadSignature() const;
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/MessagesScreen.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/MessagesScreen.h
index 46b15666..a0a8ab5c 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/MessagesScreen.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/MessagesScreen.h
@@ -1063,6 +1063,13 @@ public:
     _dm_hist_scroll = 0;
     _dm_fs.active = false;
   }
+  // The display came back on over a conversation: what was filed while it was
+  // dark is unread -- read on from its first message, as on opening.
+  void onDisplayOn() {
+    if (_ctx_menu.active) return;
+    if (_phase == CHANNEL_HIST && !_fs.active && _history.chUnread(_sel_channel_idx) > 0) beginChannelView(_sel_channel_idx);
+    else if (_phase == DM_HIST && !_dm_fs.active && _task->getDMUnread(_sel_contact.id.pub_key) > 0) beginDmView();
+  }
   void beginChannelView(uint8_t channel_idx) {
     _sel_channel_idx = channel_idx;
     _unread_at_entry = (int)_history.chUnread(channel_idx);
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
index 83fa018e..412f2ca6 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.cpp
@@ -2221,6 +2221,12 @@ void UITask::simUnread(int which) {
   }
 }
 
+void UITask::simDisplay(bool on) {
+  if (!_display) return;
+  if (on) _display->turnOn(); else _display->turnOff();
+  _next_refresh = 0;
+}
+
 void UITask::simCompose(const char* text) {
   gotoMessagesScreen();
   ((MessagesScreen*)messages_screen)->simCompose(text);
@@ -2273,11 +2279,14 @@ void UITask::pickBotRoomTarget() {
 // ── UI Core wiring ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 MyMesh::Listener* UITask::meshListener() { return _core; }
 
+// On screen: a conversation left open under the lock or a dark display isn't read.
 bool UITask::isViewingChannel(uint8_t channel_idx) {
-  return ((MessagesScreen*)messages_screen)->isViewingChannel(channel_idx);
+  return curr == messages_screen && _display && _display->isOn() && !_locked
+      && ((MessagesScreen*)messages_screen)->isViewingChannel(channel_idx);
 }
 bool UITask::isViewingDM(const uint8_t* pub_key) {
-  return ((MessagesScreen*)messages_screen)->isViewingDM(pub_key);
+  return curr == messages_screen && _display && _display->isOn() && !_locked
+      && ((MessagesScreen*)messages_screen)->isViewingDM(pub_key);
 }
 void UITask::onViewedHistoryGrew(bool channel) {
   ((MessagesScreen*)messages_screen)->onViewedHistoryGrew(channel);
@@ -2732,6 +2741,11 @@ extern "C" EMSCRIPTEN_KEEPALIVE void sim_unread(int which) {
   if (g_sim_ui_task_for_js) g_sim_ui_task_for_js->simUnread(which);
 }
 
+// Sim tests: the display off (0) or on (1), as the auto-off and a key press do.
+extern "C" EMSCRIPTEN_KEEPALIVE void sim_display(int on) {
+  if (g_sim_ui_task_for_js) g_sim_ui_task_for_js->simDisplay(on != 0);
+}
+
 // Sim tests: a channel message arrives, alerted in Settings > Message alert's
 // style (0 Normal, 1 Compact, 2 Off).
 extern "C" EMSCRIPTEN_KEEPALIVE void sim_message(const char* text, int style) {
@@ -3155,6 +3169,11 @@ void UITask::loop() {
 #endif
   pollConnection();   // BLE link state -> hasConnection() (see UITaskBase)
   drainCoreEvents();  // react to what the Core filed during mesh processing (alerts, wake, sounds)
+  {  // a conversation in view again (display on, unlocked): on to what came in meanwhile
+    bool on = _display && _display->isOn() && !_locked;
+    if (on && !_display_was_on && curr == messages_screen) ((MessagesScreen*)messages_screen)->onDisplayOn();
+    _display_was_on = on;
+  }
   if (status_screen) ((StatusScreen*)status_screen)->sample();   // Status history lines, once a minute
 #if UI_HAS_JOYSTICK
   uint8_t joy_rot = _node_prefs ? _node_prefs->joystick_rotation : JOYSTICK_ROTATION;
diff --git a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h
index d60a4d43..04a61bff 100644
--- a/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h
+++ b/examples/companion_radio/ui-new/UITask.h
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ class UITask : public UITaskBase, public UiCoreHost {
   GenericVibration vibration;
 #endif
   unsigned long _next_refresh, _auto_off;
+  bool _display_was_on = true;   // loop(): the display back on and unlocked
   NodePrefs* _node_prefs;
   bool _locked;
   bool _tool_from_home = false;
@@ -285,6 +286,7 @@ public:
   void simCompose(const char* text);   // sim tests: a channel post's keyboard holding `text`
   void simMessage(const char* text);   // sim tests: a channel message arrives
   void simUnread(int which);           // sim tests: read and new messages, opened
+  void simDisplay(bool on);            // sim tests: the display off / on
 #endif
   void openContactDM(const ContactInfo& ci);
   void openChannelHistory(uint8_t channel_idx);   // Favourites dial: open a pinned channel