diff --git a/zebra-report/index.html b/zebra-report/index.html
index 9bd4811..c1ce370 100644
--- a/zebra-report/index.html
+++ b/zebra-report/index.html
@@ -1680,27 +1680,29 @@ async function sendCurrentMsg() {
   if (!msg) return;
   if (!carrierOn) { logLine('err', 'start carrier first'); return; }
   const mode = currentMode();
+  if (mode === 'passphrase' && !groupKey) { logLine('err', 'no room key'); return; }
+  if (mode === 'pubkey' && !Array.from(peers.values()).some(p => p.sharedKey)) {
+    logLine('err', 'no pubkey peers ready'); return;
+  }
   /* must match the inbound decoder, which stays at ZEBRA_BAUD_HANDSHAKE for the
    * life of the link — data sent at any other baud won't decode on the far side. */
   const baud = ZEBRA_BAUD_HANDSHAKE;
+  const handle = handleIn.value.trim() || 'me';
+  /* echo immediately so the sender sees the message without waiting for the
+   * (slow, multi-second at low baud) transmit to finish */
+  logLine('me', `<span class="from">${escapeHtml(handle)}:</span> ${escapeHtml(msg)}`);
+  $('msg-in').value = '';
   try {
     if (mode === 'passphrase') {
-      if (!groupKey) { logLine('err', 'no room key'); return; }
       const ct = await aesEncrypt(groupKey, msg);
       await txFrame(await buildDataFrame(ct), baud);
     } else {
-      let sent = 0;
       for (const p of peers.values()) {
         if (!p.sharedKey) continue;
         const ct = await aesEncrypt(p.sharedKey, msg);
         await txFrame(await buildDataFrame(ct), baud);
-        sent++;
       }
-      if (sent === 0) { logLine('err', 'no pubkey peers ready'); return; }
     }
-    const handle = handleIn.value.trim() || 'me';
-    logLine('me', `<span class="from">${escapeHtml(handle)}:</span> ${escapeHtml(msg)}`);
-    $('msg-in').value = '';
   } catch (e) {
     logLine('err', 'send failed: ' + e.message);
   }