diff --git a/src/pages/ContactsPage.tsx b/src/pages/ContactsPage.tsx
index 4e2bb6f..f4ec28f 100644
--- a/src/pages/ContactsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/ContactsPage.tsx
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ function ContactRow({
 
       <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1">
         {zapTarget && <ZapButton target={zapTarget} className="text-xs" showCount={false} />}
-        <Link to="/messages" title="Message">
+        <Link to={`/messages/${npub}`} title="Message">
           <Button variant="ghost" size="icon" className="h-8 w-8 text-gray-400 hover:text-teal-400">
             <MessageCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
           </Button>
diff --git a/src/pages/ConversationPage.tsx b/src/pages/ConversationPage.tsx
index b50e29c..0709198 100644
--- a/src/pages/ConversationPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/ConversationPage.tsx
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ import { useParams, Link, useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useSeoMeta } from '@unhead/react';
 import { nip19 } from 'nostr-tools';
 import { Layout } from '@/components/Layout';
+import { LoginArea } from '@/components/auth/LoginArea';
 import { Card, CardContent } from '@/components/ui/card';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
 import { Avatar, AvatarImage, AvatarFallback } from '@/components/ui/avatar';
 import { Skeleton } from '@/components/ui/skeleton';
 import { useCurrentUser } from '@/hooks/useCurrentUser';
+import { useToast } from '@/hooks/useToast';
 import { useNostrLogin } from '@nostrify/react/login';
 import { hasNip44 as checkNip44 } from '@/lib/signerCapabilities';
 import { useConversation, useSendDirectMessage, type DirectMessage } from '@/hooks/useDirectMessages';
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ export default function ConversationPage() {
   const { npub } = useParams<{ npub: string }>();
   const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
   const { user } = useCurrentUser();
+  const { toast } = useToast();
   const { logins } = useNostrLogin();
   const messagesEndRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   
@@ -132,6 +135,15 @@ export default function ConversationPage() {
         onSuccess: () => {
           setNewMessage('');
         },
+        onError: (error) => {
+          // Without this a failed send is silent (common with interactive
+          // signers / relay hiccups) and the draft just sits there.
+          toast({
+            title: 'Message failed to send',
+            description: error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Please try again in a moment.',
+            variant: 'destructive',
+          });
+        },
       }
     );
   };
@@ -157,6 +169,9 @@ export default function ConversationPage() {
             <CardContent className="py-16 text-center">
               <Lock className="h-16 w-16 mx-auto mb-4 text-gray-600" />
               <h2 className="text-xl font-bold mb-2">Log in to view messages</h2>
+              <div className="mt-6 flex justify-center">
+                <LoginArea className="max-w-60" />
+              </div>
             </CardContent>
           </Card>
         </div>
diff --git a/src/pages/DirectMessagesPage.tsx b/src/pages/DirectMessagesPage.tsx
index 909ab63..4075160 100644
--- a/src/pages/DirectMessagesPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/DirectMessagesPage.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { useSeoMeta } from '@unhead/react';
 import { nip19 } from 'nostr-tools';
 import { Layout } from '@/components/Layout';
+import { LoginArea } from '@/components/auth/LoginArea';
 import { Card, CardContent } from '@/components/ui/card';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Avatar, AvatarImage, AvatarFallback } from '@/components/ui/avatar';
@@ -179,6 +180,9 @@ export default function DirectMessagesPage() {
               <p className="text-gray-400">
                 Private, encrypted messaging with skaters in the community
               </p>
+              <div className="mt-6 flex justify-center">
+                <LoginArea className="max-w-60" />
+              </div>
             </CardContent>
           </Card>
         </div>
diff --git a/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx b/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
index 070fc5a..5c0e56b 100644
--- a/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
@@ -1156,7 +1156,15 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
   const [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
 
   // Allow deep-linking into a specific section via ?section=profile etc.
-  const initialSection = (searchParams.get('section') as Section) ?? null;
+  // Only sections that actually render are accepted; anything else (e.g. a
+  // stale bookmark to ?section=language) falls back to the menu rather than a
+  // blank screen with no way back.
+  const RENDERABLE_SECTIONS: Section[] = [
+    'profile', 'security', 'nip05', 'mydata', 'relays', 'crewnetwork', 'appearance', 'wallet', 'advanced',
+  ];
+  const requestedSection = searchParams.get('section') as Section;
+  const initialSection =
+    requestedSection && RENDERABLE_SECTIONS.includes(requestedSection) ? requestedSection : null;
   const [section, setSection] = useState<Section>(initialSection);
 
   const handleNavigate = (s: Section) => setSection(s);
diff --git a/src/pages/SpotDetailPage.tsx b/src/pages/SpotDetailPage.tsx
index 3be657e..ab96d29 100644
--- a/src/pages/SpotDetailPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/SpotDetailPage.tsx
@@ -510,18 +510,25 @@ export default function SpotDetailPage() {
                           If you own or manage this shop, you can claim it to verify ownership and manage the listing.
                         </p>
                         {hasNip05 ? (
-                          <Button className="gap-2 bg-[#ccff00] text-black hover:bg-[#ccff00]/90 font-bold uppercase w-full">
-                            <Shield className="h-4 w-4" />
-                            Claim This Shop
-                          </Button>
+                          <div>
+                            <p className="text-xs text-gray-400 mb-3">
+                              To claim this shop, add a NIP-05 identifier that matches the shop's website domain.
+                            </p>
+                            <Link to="/settings">
+                              <Button className="gap-2 bg-[#ccff00] text-black hover:bg-[#ccff00]/90 font-bold uppercase w-full">
+                                <Shield className="h-4 w-4" />
+                                Manage NIP-05 to Claim
+                              </Button>
+                            </Link>
+                          </div>
                         ) : (
                           <div>
                             <p className="text-xs text-yellow-400 mb-2">⚠️ NIP-05 verification required to claim shops</p>
-                            <a href="/settings">
+                            <Link to="/settings">
                               <Button variant="outline" size="sm" className="border-yellow-500/50 hover:bg-yellow-500/10 text-yellow-400 font-bold">
                                 Add NIP-05 in Settings
                               </Button>
-                            </a>
+                            </Link>
                           </div>
                         )}
                       </div>
diff --git a/src/pages/TourDetailPage.tsx b/src/pages/TourDetailPage.tsx
index 4abac3b..9c24a4e 100644
--- a/src/pages/TourDetailPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/TourDetailPage.tsx
@@ -54,9 +54,10 @@ export default function TourDetailPage() {
 
   const handleBookTour = () => {
     if (!tour) return;
-    // Navigate to messages/DM with the guide
-    // For now, navigate to messages page - in future can open DM composer
-    navigate(`/messages?to=${tour.pubkey}`);
+    // Open a DM with the guide. Must use the same /messages/:npub route every
+    // other entry point uses — the old `/messages?to=` param was ignored, so
+    // the CTA silently opened an empty inbox.
+    navigate(`/messages/${nip19.npubEncode(tour.pubkey)}`);
   };
 
   const handleShare = async () => {