diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 0870ca6..e989cb2 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -616,9 +616,17 @@ session with **no other memory of this project**. So:
   Cordn's phone app (an nprofile, not a URL) was un-enterable — `CrewForm` now
   uses the shared `parseCrewCoordinatorInput` / `crewCoordinatorInputValue`
   (`lib/coordinator.ts`) and has a **"Use my coordinator"** button that prefills
-  from Settings → Coordinator. **Still future:** real MLS
-  (`ts-mls`) instead of group-key crypto. **Lesson: grep `src` for the feature
-  before building it — this was nearly duplicated.**
+  from Settings → Coordinator. ⚠️ **Transport reality (do not overclaim):** a
+  crew's **`wss://` coordinator URL is used AS A RELAY** (`resolveCordnEndpoint`
+  → `relayUrl`); an `https://` one falls back to the **public**
+  `wss://relay.contextvm.org`. The app publishes sealed kind-4497 events and
+  queries them back — it does **not** call Cordn's coordinator RPC
+  (`FetchGroupMessages`/`SubscribeGroupMessages`), so a real Cordn coordinator is
+  not yet engaged, and an `https://` coordinator puts ciphertext + metadata
+  (crew coord, timing) on a public relay. `CrewCoordinatorCard` + `CrewForm` now
+  say this honestly (2026-09-29). **Still future:** real MLS
+  (`ts-mls`) instead of group-key crypto, plus Cordn RPC interop. **Lesson: grep
+  `src` for the feature before building it — this was nearly duplicated.**
 - **Empty-map nudge (2026-09-28):** `MapPage` distinguishes the two empties — the
   existing "No spots match" card is for *filters* (`filteredSpots.length === 0 &&
   allLocations.length > 0`) and a new "No spots mapped yet — be the first" card
diff --git a/src/components/CrewForm.tsx b/src/components/CrewForm.tsx
index 1fa000e..00a6031 100644
--- a/src/components/CrewForm.tsx
+++ b/src/components/CrewForm.tsx
@@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ export function CrewForm({ existing }: CrewFormProps) {
   const coordinatorBlock = (
           <div className="space-y-2 rounded-lg border border-gray-700 bg-gray-900/60 p-4">
             <Label htmlFor="crew-coordinator" className="flex items-center gap-2 text-gray-300">
-              <Server className="h-4 w-4" /> Custom Chat Coordinator <span className="font-normal text-gray-500">· experimental · self-host</span>
+              <Server className="h-4 w-4" /> Custom Chat Coordinator <span className="font-normal text-gray-500">· experimental · your own relay</span>
             </Label>
             <p className="text-xs text-gray-500">
               <span className="font-semibold text-gray-300">You don't need this.</span> Your crew already has private,
@@ -1101,7 +1101,10 @@ export function CrewForm({ existing }: CrewFormProps) {
                 Cordn coordinator
               </a>{' '}
               — even on an old phone. Paste its <span className="font-mono">nprofile</span>, a cordn.net link, or an
-              endpoint URL. Leave blank to use the built-in chat.
+              endpoint URL. A <span className="font-mono">wss://</span> endpoint is used as the crew's own chat relay
+              (point it at a private one to keep even the metadata off public relays); an{' '}
+              <span className="font-mono">https://</span> coordinator is addressed by its pubkey over the shared
+              ContextVM relay. Leave blank to use the built-in chat.
             </p>
             <Input
               id="crew-coordinator"
diff --git a/src/components/crew/CrewCoordinatorCard.tsx b/src/components/crew/CrewCoordinatorCard.tsx
index 9b753f9..b6bc521 100644
--- a/src/components/crew/CrewCoordinatorCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/crew/CrewCoordinatorCard.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, AvatarImage } from '@/components/ui/avatar';
 import { useAuthor } from '@/hooks/useAuthor';
 import { genUserName } from '@/lib/genUserName';
 import { sanitizeUrl, urlDomain } from '@/lib/sanitizeUrl';
+import { resolveCordnEndpoint } from '@/lib/cordn/endpoint';
+import { CORDN_RELAY_URL } from '@/lib/coordinator';
 import type { CrewCoordinator, SkateCrew } from '@/lib/types';
 import { nip19 } from 'nostr-tools';
 
@@ -30,6 +32,12 @@ export function CrewCoordinatorCard({
 }) {
   const { coordinator } = crew;
 
+  // Which relay the messages actually travel over — a `wss://` coordinator URL
+  // IS the relay; an `https://` one is addressed by pubkey over the shared
+  // ContextVM relay (public). The copy below must not overclaim either way.
+  const endpoint = resolveCordnEndpoint(crew);
+  const overPublicRelay = endpoint?.relayUrl === CORDN_RELAY_URL;
+
   if (!coordinator) {
     // Default state: private chat is ALREADY on for every crew (built-in NIP-17
     // giftwrap group chat, no setup). We say so plainly rather than implying a
@@ -92,15 +100,25 @@ export function CrewCoordinatorCard({
 
         {coordinator.operator && <CoordinatorOperator pubkey={coordinator.operator} />}
 
+        {endpoint && (
+          <p className="text-[11px] leading-relaxed text-gray-500">
+            Delivered over{' '}
+            <span className="font-mono text-gray-400">{urlDomain(endpoint.relayUrl) || endpoint.relayUrl}</span>
+            {overPublicRelay ? ' — the shared ContextVM relay.' : " — your crew's own relay."}
+          </p>
+        )}
+
         <div className="rounded-xl border border-emerald-500/15 bg-emerald-500/[0.04] p-3">
           <p className="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-xs font-bold text-emerald-300">
             <Lock className="h-3.5 w-3.5" /> Private chat is live
           </p>
           <p className="mt-1 text-[11px] leading-relaxed text-gray-500">
-            The <span className="font-semibold text-gray-300">Chat</span> tab runs through this
-            coordinator: messages are end-to-end encrypted (NIP-44, sealed to each member) and routed
-            over ContextVM, so the coordinator only ever handles sealed traffic and nothing
-            crew-specific hits a public relay.
+            The <span className="font-semibold text-gray-300">Chat</span> tab routes through this
+            coordinator: messages are end-to-end encrypted (NIP-44, sealed to each member), so it only
+            ever handles sealed traffic.{' '}
+            {overPublicRelay
+              ? 'Heads up: it is addressed over the shared ContextVM relay, so the ciphertext and its metadata (which crew, and when) are publicly visible — just not readable. Point the crew at a private wss:// relay to keep even that private.'
+              : "Nothing crew-specific leaves your crew's own relay."}
           </p>
         </div>