diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ba99631..fb353cd 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "skate-spots",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "1.2.20",
+  "version": "1.2.21",
   "type": "module",
   "homepage": "https://skate-spots.com",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/components/ZapDialog.tsx b/src/components/ZapDialog.tsx
index b0198e3..6dbbc3d 100644
--- a/src/components/ZapDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ZapDialog.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import { useZaps } from '@/hooks/useZaps';
 import { useWallet } from '@/hooks/useWallet';
 import { useIsMobile } from '@/hooks/useIsMobile';
 import { useCashu } from '@/hooks/wallet/useCashu';
-import { useLightningOperations } from '@/hooks/wallet/useLightningOperations';
 import { WalletModal } from '@/components/WalletModal';
 import type { Event } from 'nostr-tools';
 // qrcode imported lazily in async function to avoid canvas crash at module load
@@ -363,27 +362,40 @@ const ZapContent = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, ZapContentProps>(({
           />
         </div>
         <div className="px-4 pb-4 space-y-2">
-          {/* Show insufficient balance warning for Cashu */}
-          {paymentMethod === 'cashu' && cashuBalance !== undefined && (
-            typeof amount === 'number' && amount > cashuBalance ? (
+          {/* Show insufficient balance warning for Cashu. Coerce amount to a
+              number first — the custom-amount input stores it as a string, so a
+              plain `typeof === 'number'` check would let an over-balance custom
+              amount slip past both this warning and the disabled state. */}
+          {(() => {
+            const numericAmount =
+              typeof amount === 'string' ? parseInt(amount, 10) : amount;
+            const overBalance =
+              paymentMethod === 'cashu' &&
+              cashuBalance !== undefined &&
+              Number.isFinite(numericAmount) &&
+              numericAmount > cashuBalance;
+            return overBalance ? (
               <Card className="bg-yellow-950/30 border-yellow-500/30">
                 <CardContent className="p-3">
                   <p className="text-xs text-yellow-200">
-                    ⚠️ Insufficient Cashu balance. You need {(amount - cashuBalance).toLocaleString()} more sats.
+                    ⚠️ Insufficient Cashu balance. You need {(numericAmount - cashuBalance).toLocaleString()} more sats.
                     Switch to Lightning or top up your Cashu wallet.
                   </p>
                 </CardContent>
               </Card>
-            ) : null
-          )}
-          
+            ) : null;
+          })()}
+
           <Button 
             onClick={handleZap} 
             className="w-full" 
-            disabled={
-              isZapping || 
-              (paymentMethod === 'cashu' && typeof amount === 'number' && cashuBalance !== undefined && amount > cashuBalance)
-            } 
+            disabled={(() => {
+              if (isZapping) return true;
+              if (paymentMethod !== 'cashu' || cashuBalance === undefined) return false;
+              const numericAmount =
+                typeof amount === 'string' ? parseInt(amount, 10) : amount;
+              return Number.isFinite(numericAmount) && numericAmount > cashuBalance;
+            })()} 
             size="default"
           >
             {isZapping ? (
@@ -408,7 +420,7 @@ export function ZapDialog({ target, children, className }: ZapDialogProps) {
   const { data: author } = useAuthor(target.pubkey);
   const { toast } = useToast();
   const { webln, activeNWC } = useWallet();
-  const { zap, isZapping, invoice, setInvoice } = useZaps(target, webln, activeNWC, () => setOpen(false));
+  const { zap, generateZapInvoice, isZapping, setIsZapping, invoice, setInvoice } = useZaps(target, webln, activeNWC, () => setOpen(false));
   const [amount, setAmount] = useState<number | string>(100);
   const [comment, setComment] = useState<string>('');
   const [copied, setCopied] = useState(false);
@@ -432,6 +444,19 @@ export function ZapDialog({ target, children, className }: ZapDialogProps) {
     }
   }, [target]);
 
+  // Pick the most useful default payment method when the dialog opens: if the
+  // user has Cashu funds but no connected Lightning wallet, default to Cashu so
+  // the one-click built-in payment is pre-selected instead of the manual-invoice
+  // Lightning fallback.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!open) return;
+    if (hasAnyCashuBalance && !hasWallet) {
+      setPaymentMethod('cashu');
+    } else {
+      setPaymentMethod('lightning');
+    }
+  }, [open, hasAnyCashuBalance, hasWallet]);
+
   // Generate QR code
   useEffect(() => {
     let isCancelled = false;
@@ -496,8 +521,10 @@ export function ZapDialog({ target, children, className }: ZapDialogProps) {
       setCopied(false);
       setQrCodeUrl('');
       
-      // Show wallet setup screen if no wallet connected and haven't shown it yet
-      if (!hasWallet && !hasShownSetup) {
+      // Show wallet setup screen only if the user has NO way to pay yet — no
+      // connected Lightning wallet AND no Cashu balance. If they have Cashu
+      // funds, they can zap immediately, so skip the "connect a wallet" nag.
+      if (!hasWallet && !hasAnyCashuBalance && !hasShownSetup) {
         setShowWalletSetup(true);
       } else {
         setShowWalletSetup(false);
@@ -510,42 +537,74 @@ export function ZapDialog({ target, children, className }: ZapDialogProps) {
       setQrCodeUrl('');
       setShowWalletSetup(false);
     }
-  }, [open, setInvoice, hasWallet, hasShownSetup]);
+  }, [open, setInvoice, hasWallet, hasAnyCashuBalance, hasShownSetup]);
 
   const handleZap = async () => {
     const finalAmount = typeof amount === 'string' ? parseInt(amount, 10) : amount;
-    
-    // If Cashu payment method is selected and user has invoice to pay
-    if (paymentMethod === 'cashu' && hasCashu && coco && invoice) {
-      try {
-        // Get first active mint
-        const activeMint = mints.find(m => m.url);
-        if (!activeMint) {
-          throw new Error('No active mint found');
-        }
+    if (!Number.isFinite(finalAmount) || finalAmount <= 0) {
+      toast({
+        variant: 'destructive',
+        title: 'Enter an amount',
+        description: 'Choose a preset or type a valid number of sats.',
+      });
+      return;
+    }
 
-        // Pay the Lightning invoice using Cashu (create and pay melt quote)
-        const meltQuote = await coco.quotes.createMeltQuote(activeMint.url, invoice);
-        await coco.quotes.payMeltQuote(activeMint.url, meltQuote.quote);
-        
+    // ── Cashu (built-in wallet) path ──
+    // Pay in ONE click: fetch the recipient's zap invoice for exactly this
+    // amount, then melt it from the Cashu wallet. Previously this branch only
+    // ran when an `invoice` already existed, so the first click silently fell
+    // through to the Lightning flow and Cashu funds were never used.
+    if (paymentMethod === 'cashu') {
+      if (!hasCashu || !coco) {
         toast({
-          title: 'Zap sent!',
-          description: `Successfully zapped ${finalAmount} sats from your Cashu wallet`,
+          variant: 'destructive',
+          title: 'Cashu wallet unavailable',
+          description: 'Your Cashu wallet is not ready. Switch to Lightning or open your wallet first.',
+        });
+        return;
+      }
+      if (finalAmount > cashuBalance) {
+        toast({
+          variant: 'destructive',
+          title: 'Insufficient Cashu balance',
+          description: `You need ${(finalAmount - cashuBalance).toLocaleString()} more sats. Switch to Lightning or top up.`,
+        });
+        return;
+      }
+
+      setIsZapping(true);
+      try {
+        const activeMint = mints.find((m) => m.url);
+        if (!activeMint) throw new Error('No active Cashu mint found.');
+
+        // Same verified invoice the Lightning rail would use (amount-checked).
+        const zapInvoice = await generateZapInvoice(finalAmount, comment);
+
+        const meltQuote = await coco.quotes.createMeltQuote(activeMint.url, zapInvoice);
+        await coco.quotes.payMeltQuote(activeMint.url, meltQuote.quote);
+
+        toast({
+          title: 'Zap sent! 🥜',
+          description: `Zapped ${finalAmount.toLocaleString()} sats from your Cashu wallet.`,
         });
-        setOpen(false);
         setInvoice(null);
+        setOpen(false);
       } catch (error) {
         console.error('Cashu payment error:', error);
         toast({
           variant: 'destructive',
-          title: 'Payment failed',
-          description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Failed to pay with Cashu wallet',
+          title: 'Cashu payment failed',
+          description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Failed to pay with your Cashu wallet.',
         });
+      } finally {
+        setIsZapping(false);
       }
-    } else {
-      // Use regular Lightning/NWC zap flow
-      zap(finalAmount, comment);
+      return;
     }
+
+    // ── Lightning / NWC / WebLN path ──
+    zap(finalAmount, comment);
   };
 
   const handleContinueWithoutWallet = () => {
diff --git a/src/hooks/useZaps.ts b/src/hooks/useZaps.ts
index c8f9420..3692933 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useZaps.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useZaps.ts
@@ -132,6 +132,78 @@ export function useZaps(
     return { zapCount: count, totalSats: sats, zaps: zapEvents };
   }, [zapEvents, actualTarget]);
 
+  /**
+   * Build + sign a NIP-57 zap request, hit the author's LNURL endpoint, and
+   * return a verified Lightning invoice for `amount` sats WITHOUT paying it.
+   *
+   * Extracted so alternative payment rails (e.g. paying the invoice from the
+   * built-in Cashu wallet via a melt quote) can obtain the very same invoice
+   * the Lightning path would. Throws on any failure (caller handles the toast).
+   */
+  const generateZapInvoice = useCallback(async (amount: number, comment: string): Promise<string> => {
+    if (amount <= 0) throw new Error('Enter an amount greater than zero.');
+    if (!user) throw new Error('You must be logged in to send a zap.');
+    if (!actualTarget) throw new Error('Could not find the event to zap.');
+    if (!author.data?.metadata || !author.data?.event) {
+      throw new Error('Could not find the author of this item.');
+    }
+
+    const { lud06, lud16 } = author.data.metadata;
+    if (!lud06 && !lud16) {
+      throw new Error('The author does not have a lightning address configured.');
+    }
+
+    const zapEndpoint = await nip57.getZapEndpoint(author.data.event);
+    if (!zapEndpoint) {
+      throw new Error('Could not find a zap endpoint for the author.');
+    }
+
+    const zapAmount = amount * 1000; // millisats
+
+    const isAddressable = actualTarget.kind >= 30000 && actualTarget.kind < 40000;
+    const zapTags: string[][] = [
+      ['relays', ...config.relayMetadata.relays.map((r) => r.url)],
+      ['amount', String(zapAmount)],
+      ['p', actualTarget.pubkey],
+    ];
+    if (isAddressable) {
+      const dTag = actualTarget.tags.find(([n]) => n === 'd')?.[1] ?? '';
+      zapTags.push(['a', `${actualTarget.kind}:${actualTarget.pubkey}:${dTag}`]);
+    } else {
+      zapTags.push(['e', actualTarget.id]);
+    }
+
+    const zapRequest = {
+      kind: 9734,
+      content: comment ?? '',
+      tags: zapTags,
+      created_at: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
+    };
+
+    if (!user.signer) throw new Error('No signer available');
+    const signedZapRequest = await user.signer.signEvent(zapRequest);
+
+    const res = await fetch(
+      `${zapEndpoint}?amount=${zapAmount}&nostr=${encodeURI(JSON.stringify(signedZapRequest))}`,
+    );
+    const responseData = await res.json();
+    if (!res.ok) {
+      throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}: ${responseData.reason || 'Unknown error'}`);
+    }
+
+    const newInvoice = responseData.pr;
+    if (!newInvoice || typeof newInvoice !== 'string') {
+      throw new Error('Lightning service did not return a valid invoice');
+    }
+
+    // SECURITY: verify the invoice requests exactly the chosen amount before it
+    // can be auto-paid by ANY rail (NWC, WebLN, or Cashu melt). A malicious LNURL
+    // server could otherwise return an inflated invoice and drain the wallet.
+    assertInvoiceAmount(newInvoice, amount);
+
+    return newInvoice;
+  }, [user, actualTarget, author.data, config.relayMetadata.relays]);
+
   const zap = async (amount: number, comment: string) => {
     if (amount <= 0) {
       return;
@@ -171,83 +243,8 @@ export function useZaps(
         return;
       }
 
-      const { lud06, lud16 } = author.data.metadata;
-      if (!lud06 && !lud16) {
-        toast({
-          title: 'Lightning address not found',
-          description: 'The author does not have a lightning address configured.',
-          variant: 'destructive',
-        });
-        setIsZapping(false);
-        return;
-      }
-
-      // Get zap endpoint using the old reliable method
-      const zapEndpoint = await nip57.getZapEndpoint(author.data.event);
-      if (!zapEndpoint) {
-        toast({
-          title: 'Zap endpoint not found',
-          description: 'Could not find a zap endpoint for the author.',
-          variant: 'destructive',
-        });
-        setIsZapping(false);
-        return;
-      }
-
-      const zapAmount = amount * 1000; // convert to millisats
-
-      // Build the NIP-57 zap request event directly. We construct it by hand
-      // (rather than nip57.makeZapRequest) so we're not coupled to that helper's
-      // changing type signature across nostr-tools versions, and so we can emit
-      // the correct target tag:
-      //   - addressable events (30000-39999) → 'a' tag (kind:pubkey:dTag)
-      //   - all other events                 → 'e' tag (event id)
-      const isAddressable =
-        actualTarget.kind >= 30000 && actualTarget.kind < 40000;
-
-      const zapTags: string[][] = [
-        ['relays', ...config.relayMetadata.relays.map(r => r.url)],
-        ['amount', String(zapAmount)],
-        ['p', actualTarget.pubkey],
-      ];
-      if (isAddressable) {
-        const dTag = actualTarget.tags.find(([n]) => n === 'd')?.[1] ?? '';
-        zapTags.push(['a', `${actualTarget.kind}:${actualTarget.pubkey}:${dTag}`]);
-      } else {
-        zapTags.push(['e', actualTarget.id]);
-      }
-
-      const zapRequest = {
-        kind: 9734,
-        content: comment ?? '',
-        tags: zapTags,
-        created_at: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000),
-      };
-
-      // Sign the zap request (but don't publish to relays - only send to LNURL endpoint)
-      if (!user.signer) {
-        throw new Error('No signer available');
-      }
-      const signedZapRequest = await user.signer.signEvent(zapRequest);
-
       try {
-        const res = await fetch(`${zapEndpoint}?amount=${zapAmount}&nostr=${encodeURI(JSON.stringify(signedZapRequest))}`);
-            const responseData = await res.json();
-
-            if (!res.ok) {
-              throw new Error(`HTTP ${res.status}: ${responseData.reason || 'Unknown error'}`);
-            }
-
-            const newInvoice = responseData.pr;
-            if (!newInvoice || typeof newInvoice !== 'string') {
-              throw new Error('Lightning service did not return a valid invoice');
-            }
-
-            // SECURITY: verify the invoice actually requests the amount the user
-            // chose BEFORE any auto-pay. A malicious LNURL server could otherwise
-            // return an inflated invoice and drain the wallet. If this throws we
-            // fall into the catch below and surface the error instead of paying.
-            assertInvoiceAmount(newInvoice, amount);
+            const newInvoice = await generateZapInvoice(amount, comment);
 
             // Get the current active NWC connection dynamically
             const currentNWCConnection = getActiveConnection();
@@ -363,7 +360,9 @@ export function useZaps(
     totalSats,
     ...query,
     zap,
+    generateZapInvoice,
     isZapping,
+    setIsZapping,
     invoice,
     setInvoice,
     resetInvoice,