diff --git a/src/mesh/mesh.service.spec.ts b/src/mesh/mesh.service.spec.ts
index 40f08bc..967b694 100644
--- a/src/mesh/mesh.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/mesh/mesh.service.spec.ts
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ describe('MeshService message history', () => {
           id: 1,
           dir: 'rx',
           from: KAMIL_NUM,
+          to: 42, // destination persisted on rx records (broadcast addr for broadcasts)
           text: 'ping',
           channel: 2,
           at: expect.any(Number),
@@ -715,10 +716,9 @@ describe('MeshService opencode notifier', () => {
 
   // MeshService with a mocked OpencodeService wired in (structural cast — only notify() is used)
   function makeSvc(): MeshService {
-    return new MeshService(
-      undefined,
-      { notify: notifyMock } as unknown as OpencodeService,
-    );
+    return new MeshService(undefined, {
+      notify: notifyMock,
+    } as unknown as OpencodeService);
   }
 
   it('notifies via the opencode service when an rx text lands on the notify channel (default 3)', async () => {
@@ -1318,6 +1318,44 @@ describe('MeshService SQLite persistence', () => {
     }
   });
 
+  it('persists the destination (to) of captured rx packets on poller tick', async () => {
+    const bridge = await startBridge();
+    process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
+    process.env.MESH_PORT = String(bridge.port);
+    process.env.MESH_POLL_MS = '50';
+    const db = new DatabaseSync(':memory:');
+    initMessagesTable(db);
+    const svc = new MeshService(db);
+    try {
+      svc.onModuleInit();
+      await waitFor(
+        () => bridge.sockets.length === 1 && svc.status().connected,
+      );
+
+      bridge.sockets[0].write(textPacketFrame(KAMIL_NUM, 42, 'ping', 3));
+
+      // the poller tick must pick it up — no flushHistory() call here
+      await waitFor(
+        () =>
+          (
+            db.prepare('SELECT COUNT(*) AS n FROM messages').get() as {
+              n: number;
+            }
+          ).n === 1,
+      );
+      const row = db
+        .prepare('SELECT * FROM messages WHERE id = ?')
+        .get(1) as Record<string, unknown>;
+      expect(row.dir).toBe('rx');
+      expect(row.from_node).toBe(KAMIL_NUM);
+      expect(row.to_node).toBe(42); // rx rows carry the destination now (no schema change — to_node existed for tx)
+    } finally {
+      delete process.env.MESH_POLL_MS;
+      svc.onModuleDestroy();
+      bridge.close();
+    }
+  });
+
   it('reflects the ACK status update in the database after the next tick', async () => {
     const bridge = await startBridge();
     process.env.MESH_HOST = '127.0.0.1';
diff --git a/src/mesh/mesh.service.ts b/src/mesh/mesh.service.ts
index 17f533e..da3229d 100644
--- a/src/mesh/mesh.service.ts
+++ b/src/mesh/mesh.service.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export interface MessageRecord {
   dir: 'rx' | 'tx';
   /** sender node num — rx only */
   from?: number;
-  /** destination node num (broadcast addr for broadcasts) — tx only */
+  /** destination node num (broadcast addr for broadcasts) — captured rx packets and all tx records */
   to?: number;
   text: string;
   channel: number;
@@ -626,6 +626,7 @@ export class MeshService implements OnModuleInit, OnModuleDestroy {
             id: pkt.id,
             dir: 'rx',
             from: pkt.from,
+            to: pkt.to, // destination (broadcast addr for broadcasts) — lets a later reply tell DM vs broadcast apart
             text,
             channel: pkt.channel ?? 0,
             at: Date.now(),