diff --git a/components/chat/ChatLobby.vue b/components/chat/ChatLobby.vue
index 0d5b2705..2c0c73cc 100644
--- a/components/chat/ChatLobby.vue
+++ b/components/chat/ChatLobby.vue
@@ -353,6 +353,10 @@ export default {
       type: Object as PropType<unknown>,
       required: false,
     },
+    disableAutoFocusOnActivate: {
+      type: Boolean,
+      default: false,
+    },
   },
   data() {
     return {
@@ -604,23 +608,25 @@ export default {
         }
 
         // When activating a tab, always jump to the bottom so the latest
-        // messages are immediately visible.
+        // messages are immediately visible, and optionally focus the input.
         if (active && !this.isMinimized) {
           this.safeScrollToBottom(true);
-          this.$nextTick(() => {
-            const chatInput = this.$refs.chatInputRef as any;
-            if (chatInput) {
-              if (typeof chatInput.focus === "function") {
-                chatInput.focus();
-              } else if (chatInput.$el) {
-                // Fallback: try to focus the first input inside the component root.
-                const el = chatInput.$el.querySelector(
-                  "input, textarea, [tabindex]",
-                ) as HTMLElement | null;
-                el?.focus();
+          if (!this.disableAutoFocusOnActivate) {
+            this.$nextTick(() => {
+              const chatInput = this.$refs.chatInputRef as any;
+              if (chatInput) {
+                if (typeof chatInput.focus === "function") {
+                  chatInput.focus();
+                } else if (chatInput.$el) {
+                  // Fallback: try to focus the first input inside the component root.
+                  const el = chatInput.$el.querySelector(
+                    "input, textarea, [tabindex]",
+                  ) as HTMLElement | null;
+                  el?.focus();
+                }
               }
-            }
-          });
+            });
+          }
         }
       },
     },
diff --git a/components/chat/ChatMessage.vue b/components/chat/ChatMessage.vue
index 6660bf0d..94249666 100644
--- a/components/chat/ChatMessage.vue
+++ b/components/chat/ChatMessage.vue
@@ -4,43 +4,48 @@ import PlayerDisplay from "~/components/PlayerDisplay.vue";
 </script>
 
 <template>
-  <div class="my-1.5 text-[11px] leading-snug">
-    <div class="grid grid-cols-[40px_1fr] gap-x-1.5 items-start">
-      <div class="mt-0.5 mx-2">
-        <PlayerDisplay
-          :player="message.from"
-          size="sm"
-          :compact="true"
-          :align-top="true"
-          :show-online="false"
-          :show-elo="false"
-          :show-steam-id="false"
-          :show-add-friend="false"
-          :tooltip="false"
-          :linkable="false"
-          :show-name="false"
-          :show-flag="false"
-          :show-role="false"
-          v-if="!isSameSender || !isCloseTogether"
-        />
-      </div>
+  <div
+    :class="[
+      'relative pl-12 text-[11px] leading-snug',
+      isSameSender && isCloseTogether ? 'mt-0.5 mb-0.5' : 'my-1.5',
+    ]"
+  >
+    <div
+      v-if="showMeta"
+      class="absolute left-2 top-0"
+    >
+      <PlayerDisplay
+        :player="message.from"
+        size="sm"
+        :compact="true"
+        :align-top="true"
+        :show-online="false"
+        :show-elo="false"
+        :show-steam-id="false"
+        :show-add-friend="false"
+        :tooltip="false"
+        :linkable="false"
+        :show-name="false"
+        :show-flag="false"
+        :show-role="false"
+      />
+    </div>
 
-      <div>
-        <div
-          class="flex items-center space-x-1.5 text-muted-foreground text-[10px]"
-          v-if="!isSameSender || !isCloseTogether"
-        >
-          <h4 class="font-semibold truncate max-w-[140px]">
-            {{ message.from.name }}
-          </h4>
-          <span class="text-[10px] whitespace-nowrap">
-            <time-ago :date="message.timestamp"></time-ago>
-          </span>
-        </div>
-        <p class="text-[11px] leading-snug break-words">
-          {{ message.message }}
-        </p>
+    <div>
+      <div
+        v-if="showMeta"
+        class="flex items-center space-x-1.5 text-muted-foreground text-[10px]"
+      >
+        <h4 class="font-semibold truncate max-w-[140px]">
+          {{ message.from.name }}
+        </h4>
+        <span class="text-[10px] whitespace-nowrap">
+          <time-ago :date="message.timestamp"></time-ago>
+        </span>
       </div>
+      <p class="text-[11px] leading-snug break-words">
+        {{ message.message }}
+      </p>
     </div>
   </div>
 </template>
@@ -75,6 +80,9 @@ export default {
 
       return previousTimestamp > messageTimestamp;
     },
+    showMeta() {
+      return !this.isSameSender || !this.isCloseTogether;
+    },
   },
 };
 </script>
diff --git a/components/hub/ChatPanel.vue b/components/hub/ChatPanel.vue
index 96a1e5f2..e915d262 100644
--- a/components/hub/ChatPanel.vue
+++ b/components/hub/ChatPanel.vue
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { ref, computed, watch } from "vue";
+import { useMediaQuery } from "@vueuse/core";
 import {
   Megaphone,
   Merge,
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ const { tabs, unreadCounts, setActiveTab, resetUnread, incrementUnread } =
   useChatTabs();
 
 const matchLobbyStore = useMatchLobbyStore();
+const isMobile = useMediaQuery("(max-width: 768px)");
 
 const activeChatId = ref<string | null>(null);
 const isOverlayOpen = ref(false);
@@ -470,6 +472,7 @@ function handlePopOut() {
             :frameless="true"
             :is-global-context="true"
             :hide-participants-summary="true"
+            :disable-auto-focus-on-activate="isMobile"
             :is-active-tab="
               tab.id === activeChatId && isSidebarOpen && isTabActive
             "
@@ -567,6 +570,7 @@ function handlePopOut() {
                 :tab-id="tab.id"
                 :frameless="true"
                 :is-global-context="true"
+                :disable-auto-focus-on-activate="isMobile"
                 :is-active-tab="
                   tab.id === activeOverlayTab.id && isSidebarOpen && isTabActive
                 "