diff --git a/ui/colony/src/App.tsx b/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
index 3a22e50..e171469 100644
--- a/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
+++ b/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ export default function App() {
   const [activeChannelId, setActiveChannelId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [messages, setMessages] = useState<Message[]>([]);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
-  const [replyTo, setReplyTo] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [replyTo, setReplyTo] = useState<{ id: string; username: string; content: string } | null>(null);
   const [sheetOpen, setSheetOpen] = useState(false);
   const scrollRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const prevMsgCountRef = useRef(0);
@@ -178,7 +178,12 @@ export default function App() {
                 key={msg.id}
                 message={msg}
                 replyTarget={msg.reply_to ? messagesById.get(msg.reply_to) : undefined}
-                onReply={setReplyTo}
+                onReply={(id) => {
+                  const target = messagesById.get(id);
+                  if (target) {
+                    setReplyTo({ id, username: target.user.display_name, content: target.content });
+                  }
+                }}
               />
             ))
           )}
diff --git a/ui/colony/src/components/ComposeBox.tsx b/ui/colony/src/components/ComposeBox.tsx
index b4ebe6e..0336dce 100644
--- a/ui/colony/src/components/ComposeBox.tsx
+++ b/ui/colony/src/components/ComposeBox.tsx
@@ -4,9 +4,15 @@ import type { User } from "@/types/User";
 import { postMessage, getUsers, getCurrentUsername } from "@/api";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 
+interface ReplyContext {
+  id: string;
+  username: string;
+  content: string;
+}
+
 interface Props {
   channelId: string;
-  replyTo: string | null;
+  replyTo: ReplyContext | null;
   onClearReply: () => void;
   onMessageSent: () => void;
 }
@@ -95,7 +101,7 @@ export function ComposeBox({
       await postMessage(channelId, {
         content: content.trim(),
         type: msgType,
-        reply_to: replyTo ?? undefined,
+        reply_to: replyTo?.id ?? undefined,
       });
       setContent("");
       setMsgType("text");
@@ -122,11 +128,12 @@ export function ComposeBox({
       {replyTo && (
         <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 mb-1.5 text-[10px] font-mono">
           <span className="text-primary">^</span>
-          <span className="text-muted-foreground">#{replyTo.slice(0, 8)}</span>
+          <span className="text-foreground font-bold">{replyTo.username}</span>
+          <span className="text-muted-foreground truncate max-w-48 md:max-w-96">{replyTo.content}</span>
           <button
             type="button"
             onClick={onClearReply}
-            className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-primary ml-1"
+            className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-primary ml-auto flex-shrink-0"
           >
             x
           </button>