diff --git a/crates/colony/src/main.rs b/crates/colony/src/main.rs
index 2588d15..fb540e4 100644
--- a/crates/colony/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/colony/src/main.rs
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ async fn main() {
             "/api/channels/{channel_id}/messages/{msg_id}",
             axum::routing::delete(routes::delete_message),
         )
+        .route(
+            "/api/channels/{channel_id}/messages/{msg_id}/restore",
+            axum::routing::post(routes::restore_message),
+        )
         .route("/ws/{channel_id}", get(ws::ws_handler))
         .fallback_service(
             ServeDir::new("static").fallback(ServeFile::new("static/index.html")),
diff --git a/crates/colony/src/routes.rs b/crates/colony/src/routes.rs
index 8649372..675958e 100644
--- a/crates/colony/src/routes.rs
+++ b/crates/colony/src/routes.rs
@@ -319,6 +319,41 @@ pub async fn delete_message(
     Ok(StatusCode::NO_CONTENT)
 }
 
+pub async fn restore_message(
+    State(state): State<AppState>,
+    Path((channel_id, msg_id)): Path<(String, String)>,
+) -> Result<impl IntoResponse> {
+    // Restore soft-deleted message (any user can restore)
+    let result = sqlx::query(
+        "UPDATE messages SET deleted_at = NULL WHERE id = ? AND channel_id = ? AND deleted_at IS NOT NULL",
+    )
+    .bind(&msg_id)
+    .bind(&channel_id)
+    .execute(&state.db)
+    .await?;
+
+    if result.rows_affected() == 0 {
+        return Err(AppError::NotFound("Message not found or not deleted".into()));
+    }
+
+    // Fetch restored message
+    let row = sqlx::query_as::<_, MessageWithUserRow>(
+        "SELECT m.*, u.id as u_id, u.username, u.display_name, u.role, u.created_at as u_created_at \
+         FROM messages m JOIN users u ON m.user_id = u.id WHERE m.id = ?",
+    )
+    .bind(&msg_id)
+    .fetch_one(&state.db)
+    .await?;
+
+    let message = row.to_api_message();
+
+    // Broadcast as new message (restored)
+    let tx = state.get_sender(&channel_id).await;
+    let _ = tx.send(WsEvent::Message(message.clone()));
+
+    Ok(Json(message))
+}
+
 // ── Joined row type for message + user ──
 
 #[derive(Debug, sqlx::FromRow)]
diff --git a/ui/colony/src/App.tsx b/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
index 8a1685b..731a4f3 100644
--- a/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
+++ b/ui/colony/src/App.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import type { Channel } from "@/types/Channel";
 import type { Message } from "@/types/Message";
-import { getChannels, getMessages, getCurrentUsername, deleteMessage } from "@/api";
+import { getChannels, getMessages, getCurrentUsername, deleteMessage, restoreMessage } from "@/api";
 import { ChannelSidebar } from "@/components/ChannelSidebar";
 import { MessageItem } from "@/components/MessageItem";
 import { ComposeBox } from "@/components/ComposeBox";
@@ -251,6 +251,14 @@ export default function App() {
                         // ignore
                       }
                     }}
+                    onRestore={async (chId, msgId) => {
+                      try {
+                        await restoreMessage(chId, msgId);
+                        loadMessages();
+                      } catch {
+                        // ignore
+                      }
+                    }}
                   />
                 </div>
               );
diff --git a/ui/colony/src/api.ts b/ui/colony/src/api.ts
index e59ef4f..fd94aa7 100644
--- a/ui/colony/src/api.ts
+++ b/ui/colony/src/api.ts
@@ -85,3 +85,14 @@ export async function deleteMessage(
   );
   if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${res.status}: ${await res.text()}`);
 }
+
+export async function restoreMessage(
+  channelId: string,
+  msgId: string,
+): Promise<Message> {
+  return json(
+    await fetch(`${BASE}/channels/${channelId}/messages/${msgId}/restore`, {
+      method: "POST",
+    }),
+  );
+}
diff --git a/ui/colony/src/components/MessageItem.tsx b/ui/colony/src/components/MessageItem.tsx
index f34e5b1..3468d97 100644
--- a/ui/colony/src/components/MessageItem.tsx
+++ b/ui/colony/src/components/MessageItem.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ interface Props {
   replyTarget?: Message;
   onSelect: (id: string) => void;
   onDelete: (channelId: string, msgId: string) => void;
+  onRestore: (channelId: string, msgId: string) => void;
   currentUsername: string;
   selected: boolean;
 }
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ function userHue(username: string): number {
   return Math.abs(hash) % 360;
 }
 
-export function MessageItem({ message, compact, replyTarget, onSelect, onDelete, currentUsername, selected }: Props) {
+export function MessageItem({ message, compact, replyTarget, onSelect, onDelete, onRestore, currentUsername, selected }: Props) {
   const [metaOpen, setMetaOpen] = useState(false);
   const isAgent = message.user.role === "agent";
   const isDeleted = !!message.deleted_at;
@@ -193,6 +194,16 @@ export function MessageItem({ message, compact, replyTarget, onSelect, onDelete,
               ×
             </button>
           )}
+          {isDeleted && (
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={(e) => { e.stopPropagation(); onRestore(message.channel_id, message.id); }}
+              className="px-2.5 py-1.5 text-[10px] font-mono text-muted-foreground hover:text-primary hover:bg-muted/50 transition-colors border-l-2 border-border"
+              title="Restore deleted message"
+            >
+              undo
+            </button>
+          )}
         </div>
 
         {/* Content */}