diff --git a/api/src/email.rs b/api/src/email.rs
index 99916ba..a41beba 100644
--- a/api/src/email.rs
+++ b/api/src/email.rs
@@ -24,17 +24,13 @@ fn brand_mark(brand: &str, accent: &str, logo: &str) -> String {
 }
 
 fn render(brand: &str, accent: &str, logo: &str, title: &str, message: &str, code: &str, note: &str) -> String {
-    // `message` carries the account name (attacker-influenceable). Substitute every
-    // OTHER slot first and `{{message}}` LAST, so a message that literally contains
-    // `{{code}}`/`{{note}}` (an account named that) is inserted verbatim rather than
-    // splicing in the real code.
     BASE.replace("{{brand_mark}}", &brand_mark(brand, accent, logo))
         .replace("{{brand}}", &escape(brand))
         .replace("{{accent}}", &escape(accent))
         .replace("{{title}}", &escape(title))
+        .replace("{{message}}", &escape(message))
         .replace("{{code}}", &escape(code))
         .replace("{{note}}", &escape(note))
-        .replace("{{message}}", &escape(message))
 }
 
 pub fn reset(brand: &str, accent: &str, logo: &str, account: &str, code: &str, lang: &str) -> Mail {
diff --git a/api/src/lib.rs b/api/src/lib.rs
index e93b8c2..131d2d9 100644
--- a/api/src/lib.rs
+++ b/api/src/lib.rs
@@ -497,29 +497,13 @@ pub fn render(lang: &str, msgid: &str, args: &[(&str, String)]) -> String {
         .and_then(|m| m.get(msgid))
         .map(String::as_str)
         .unwrap_or(msgid);
-    if args.is_empty() || !template.contains('{') {
+    if args.is_empty() {
         return template.to_string();
     }
-    // Single left-to-right pass: a substituted value is copied to the output and
-    // never re-scanned, so a value that itself contains `{name}` (e.g. a nick like
-    // "{game}") can't trigger a second substitution. An unknown `{x}` (no matching
-    // arg, e.g. the literal `{ON|OFF}`) is left verbatim, as before.
-    let mut out = String::with_capacity(template.len() + 16);
-    let mut rest = template;
-    while let Some(open) = rest.find('{') {
-        out.push_str(&rest[..open]);
-        let Some(rel_close) = rest[open..].find('}') else {
-            break; // unbalanced '{' — emit the remainder verbatim below
-        };
-        let close = open + rel_close;
-        let name = &rest[open + 1..close];
-        match args.iter().find(|(n, _)| *n == name) {
-            Some((_, val)) => out.push_str(val),
-            None => out.push_str(&rest[open..=close]),
-        }
-        rest = &rest[close + 1..];
+    let mut out = template.to_string();
+    for (name, val) in args {
+        out = out.replace(&format!("{{{name}}}"), val);
     }
-    out.push_str(rest);
     out
 }
 
diff --git a/lang/de.json b/lang/de.json
index 4f0d175..188a18d 100644
--- a/lang/de.json
+++ b/lang/de.json
@@ -1334,24 +1334,5 @@
  "You didn't identify in time; you've been renamed.": "Du hast dich nicht rechtzeitig identifiziert; du wurdest umbenannt.",
  "Please mind the channel rules — {reason} Next time you'll be kicked.": "Bitte beachte die Kanalregeln — {reason} Beim nächsten Mal wirst du gekickt.",
  "Access denied — {what} is for services operators.": "Zugriff verweigert — {what} ist für Services-Operatoren.",
- "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 ist kein gültiger Nickname.",
- "Channels you had registered as \u0002{account}\u0002 were released: {list}.": "Die Kanäle, die du als \u0002{account}\u0002 registriert hattest, wurden freigegeben: {list}.",
- "Your account \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. You have been logged out.": "Dein Konto \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. Du wurdest abgemeldet.",
- "was dropped": "wurde gelöscht",
- "collided with another network and no longer belongs to you": "kollidierte mit einem anderen Netzwerk und gehört dir nicht mehr",
- "was suspended": "wurde gesperrt",
- "expired after a long period of inactivity": "ist nach langer Inaktivität abgelaufen",
- "Your password for \u0002{account}\u0002 has been changed.": "Dein Passwort für \u0002{account}\u0002 wurde geändert.",
- "That's a lot of dice, stopping the repeats here.": "Das sind viele Würfel, ich stoppe die Wiederholungen hier.",
- "trailing characters in expression": "überzählige Zeichen im Ausdruck",
- "missing closing parenthesis": "schließende Klammer fehlt",
- "expected a value": "Wert erwartet",
- "nothing to roll": "nichts zum Würfeln",
- "that expression is too long": "dieser Ausdruck ist zu lang",
- "that doesn't come out to a real number": "das ergibt keine reelle Zahl",
- "division by zero": "Division durch null",
- "modulo by zero": "Modulo durch null",
- "that expression rolls too many dice": "dieser Ausdruck würfelt zu viele Würfel",
- "hypot() takes two arguments": "hypot() nimmt zwei Argumente",
- "pow() takes two arguments": "pow() nimmt zwei Argumente"
+ "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 ist kein gültiger Nickname."
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lang/es-ar.json b/lang/es-ar.json
index 184e923..e623a36 100644
--- a/lang/es-ar.json
+++ b/lang/es-ar.json
@@ -1334,24 +1334,5 @@
  "You didn't identify in time; you've been renamed.": "No te identificaste a tiempo; se te cambió el nombre.",
  "Please mind the channel rules — {reason} Next time you'll be kicked.": "Prestá atención a las reglas del canal — {reason} La próxima vez te van a expulsar.",
  "Access denied — {what} is for services operators.": "Acceso denegado — {what} es solo para operadores de los servicios.",
- "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 no es un nick válido.",
- "Channels you had registered as \u0002{account}\u0002 were released: {list}.": "Los canales que habías registrado como \u0002{account}\u0002 fueron liberados: {list}.",
- "Your account \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. You have been logged out.": "Tu cuenta \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. Se cerró tu sesión.",
- "was dropped": "fue eliminada",
- "collided with another network and no longer belongs to you": "entró en conflicto con otra red y ya no te pertenece",
- "was suspended": "fue suspendida",
- "expired after a long period of inactivity": "caducó tras un largo período de inactividad",
- "Your password for \u0002{account}\u0002 has been changed.": "Tu contraseña para \u0002{account}\u0002 fue cambiada.",
- "That's a lot of dice, stopping the repeats here.": "Son un montón de dados, corto las repeticiones acá.",
- "trailing characters in expression": "caracteres de más en la expresión",
- "missing closing parenthesis": "falta el paréntesis de cierre",
- "expected a value": "se esperaba un valor",
- "nothing to roll": "nada para tirar",
- "that expression is too long": "esa expresión es demasiado larga",
- "that doesn't come out to a real number": "eso no da un número real",
- "division by zero": "división por cero",
- "modulo by zero": "módulo por cero",
- "that expression rolls too many dice": "esa expresión tira demasiados dados",
- "hypot() takes two arguments": "hypot() toma dos argumentos",
- "pow() takes two arguments": "pow() toma dos argumentos"
+ "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 no es un nick válido."
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lang/es.json b/lang/es.json
index 58b77b2..4352991 100644
--- a/lang/es.json
+++ b/lang/es.json
@@ -1334,24 +1334,5 @@
  "You didn't identify in time; you've been renamed.": "No te identificaste a tiempo; se te ha cambiado el nombre.",
  "Please mind the channel rules — {reason} Next time you'll be kicked.": "Ten en cuenta las reglas del canal — {reason} La próxima vez se te expulsará.",
  "Access denied — {what} is for services operators.": "Acceso denegado — {what} es solo para operadores de servicios.",
- "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 no es un nick válido.",
- "Channels you had registered as \u0002{account}\u0002 were released: {list}.": "Los canales que habías registrado como \u0002{account}\u0002 han sido liberados: {list}.",
- "Your account \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. You have been logged out.": "Tu cuenta \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. Se ha cerrado tu sesión.",
- "was dropped": "ha sido eliminada",
- "collided with another network and no longer belongs to you": "entró en conflicto con otra red y ya no te pertenece",
- "was suspended": "ha sido suspendida",
- "expired after a long period of inactivity": "ha caducado tras un largo periodo de inactividad",
- "Your password for \u0002{account}\u0002 has been changed.": "Tu contraseña para \u0002{account}\u0002 ha sido cambiada.",
- "That's a lot of dice, stopping the repeats here.": "Son muchos dados, detengo las repeticiones aquí.",
- "trailing characters in expression": "caracteres sobrantes en la expresión",
- "missing closing parenthesis": "falta el paréntesis de cierre",
- "expected a value": "se esperaba un valor",
- "nothing to roll": "nada que lanzar",
- "that expression is too long": "esa expresión es demasiado larga",
- "that doesn't come out to a real number": "eso no da un número real",
- "division by zero": "división por cero",
- "modulo by zero": "módulo por cero",
- "that expression rolls too many dice": "esa expresión lanza demasiados dados",
- "hypot() takes two arguments": "hypot() toma dos argumentos",
- "pow() takes two arguments": "pow() toma dos argumentos"
+ "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 no es un nick válido."
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lang/fr.json b/lang/fr.json
index 39b2f79..26eaec3 100644
--- a/lang/fr.json
+++ b/lang/fr.json
@@ -1334,24 +1334,5 @@
  "You didn't identify in time; you've been renamed.": "Vous ne vous êtes pas identifié à temps ; vous avez été renommé.",
  "Please mind the channel rules — {reason} Next time you'll be kicked.": "Veuillez respecter les règles du canal — {reason} La prochaine fois, vous serez expulsé.",
  "Access denied — {what} is for services operators.": "Accès refusé — {what} est réservé aux opérateurs des services.",
- "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 n'est pas un pseudo valide.",
- "Channels you had registered as \u0002{account}\u0002 were released: {list}.": "Les salons que vous aviez enregistrés en tant que \u0002{account}\u0002 ont été libérés : {list}.",
- "Your account \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. You have been logged out.": "Votre compte \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. Vous avez été déconnecté.",
- "was dropped": "a été supprimé",
- "collided with another network and no longer belongs to you": "est entré en collision avec un autre réseau et ne vous appartient plus",
- "was suspended": "a été suspendu",
- "expired after a long period of inactivity": "a expiré après une longue période d'inactivité",
- "Your password for \u0002{account}\u0002 has been changed.": "Votre mot de passe pour \u0002{account}\u0002 a été modifié.",
- "That's a lot of dice, stopping the repeats here.": "Ça fait beaucoup de dés, j'arrête les répétitions ici.",
- "trailing characters in expression": "caractères en trop dans l'expression",
- "missing closing parenthesis": "parenthèse fermante manquante",
- "expected a value": "valeur attendue",
- "nothing to roll": "rien à lancer",
- "that expression is too long": "cette expression est trop longue",
- "that doesn't come out to a real number": "cela ne donne pas un nombre réel",
- "division by zero": "division par zéro",
- "modulo by zero": "modulo par zéro",
- "that expression rolls too many dice": "cette expression lance trop de dés",
- "hypot() takes two arguments": "hypot() prend deux arguments",
- "pow() takes two arguments": "pow() prend deux arguments"
+ "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 n'est pas un pseudo valide."
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lang/pt-br.json b/lang/pt-br.json
index 2368d0f..1a815da 100644
--- a/lang/pt-br.json
+++ b/lang/pt-br.json
@@ -1334,24 +1334,5 @@
  "You didn't identify in time; you've been renamed.": "Você não se identificou a tempo; seu apelido foi alterado.",
  "Please mind the channel rules — {reason} Next time you'll be kicked.": "Respeite as regras do canal — {reason} Da próxima vez você será expulso.",
  "Access denied — {what} is for services operators.": "Acesso negado — {what} é para operadores de serviços.",
- "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 não é um apelido válido.",
- "Channels you had registered as \u0002{account}\u0002 were released: {list}.": "Os canais que você registrou como \u0002{account}\u0002 foram liberados: {list}.",
- "Your account \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. You have been logged out.": "Sua conta \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. Sua sessão foi encerrada.",
- "was dropped": "foi removida",
- "collided with another network and no longer belongs to you": "entrou em conflito com outra rede e não pertence mais a você",
- "was suspended": "foi suspensa",
- "expired after a long period of inactivity": "expirou após um longo período de inatividade",
- "Your password for \u0002{account}\u0002 has been changed.": "Sua senha para \u0002{account}\u0002 foi alterada.",
- "That's a lot of dice, stopping the repeats here.": "São muitos dados, parando as repetições aqui.",
- "trailing characters in expression": "caracteres a mais na expressão",
- "missing closing parenthesis": "falta o parêntese de fechamento",
- "expected a value": "esperava um valor",
- "nothing to roll": "nada para rolar",
- "that expression is too long": "essa expressão é longa demais",
- "that doesn't come out to a real number": "isso não resulta em um número real",
- "division by zero": "divisão por zero",
- "modulo by zero": "módulo por zero",
- "that expression rolls too many dice": "essa expressão rola dados demais",
- "hypot() takes two arguments": "hypot() recebe dois argumentos",
- "pow() takes two arguments": "pow() recebe dois argumentos"
+ "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 não é um apelido válido."
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lang/pt.json b/lang/pt.json
index 43a88f4..1082806 100644
--- a/lang/pt.json
+++ b/lang/pt.json
@@ -1334,24 +1334,5 @@
  "You didn't identify in time; you've been renamed.": "Não se identificou a tempo; o seu nome foi alterado.",
  "Please mind the channel rules — {reason} Next time you'll be kicked.": "Respeite as regras do canal — {reason} Da próxima vez será expulso.",
  "Access denied — {what} is for services operators.": "Acesso negado — {what} é para operadores de serviços.",
- "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 não é uma alcunha válida.",
- "Channels you had registered as \u0002{account}\u0002 were released: {list}.": "Os canais que tinha registado como \u0002{account}\u0002 foram libertados: {list}.",
- "Your account \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. You have been logged out.": "A sua conta \u0002{account}\u0002 {reason}. A sua sessão foi terminada.",
- "was dropped": "foi removida",
- "collided with another network and no longer belongs to you": "entrou em conflito com outra rede e já não lhe pertence",
- "was suspended": "foi suspensa",
- "expired after a long period of inactivity": "expirou após um longo período de inatividade",
- "Your password for \u0002{account}\u0002 has been changed.": "A sua palavra-passe para \u0002{account}\u0002 foi alterada.",
- "That's a lot of dice, stopping the repeats here.": "São muitos dados, a parar as repetições aqui.",
- "trailing characters in expression": "caracteres a mais na expressão",
- "missing closing parenthesis": "falta o parêntese de fecho",
- "expected a value": "esperava um valor",
- "nothing to roll": "nada para lançar",
- "that expression is too long": "essa expressão é demasiado longa",
- "that doesn't come out to a real number": "isso não dá um número real",
- "division by zero": "divisão por zero",
- "modulo by zero": "módulo por zero",
- "that expression rolls too many dice": "essa expressão lança demasiados dados",
- "hypot() takes two arguments": "hypot() recebe dois argumentos",
- "pow() takes two arguments": "pow() recebe dois argumentos"
+ "\u0002{nick}\u0002 isn't a valid nickname.": "\u0002{nick}\u0002 não é uma alcunha válida."
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modules/diceserv/src/roll.rs b/modules/diceserv/src/roll.rs
index 0adfd3b..e0a3e69 100644
--- a/modules/diceserv/src/roll.rs
+++ b/modules/diceserv/src/roll.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ pub fn handle(me: &str, from: &Sender, rest: &[&str], ctx: &mut ServiceCtx, exte
     let input = rest.join(" ");
     let input = input.trim();
     if input.is_empty() {
-        ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "Give me something to roll, e.g. \x022d6+3\x02."));
+        ctx.notice(me, from.uid, "Give me something to roll, e.g. \x022d6+3\x02.");
         return;
     }
     // `N~expr` repeats the roll N times.
@@ -44,15 +44,12 @@ pub fn handle(me: &str, from: &Sender, rest: &[&str], ctx: &mut ServiceCtx, exte
                 // `25~99999d1+…` can't multiply the per-roll cap into tens of millions.
                 if spent >= expr::MAX_TOTAL {
                     if i + 1 < times {
-                        ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "That's a lot of dice, stopping the repeats here."));
+                        ctx.notice(me, from.uid, "That's a lot of dice — stopping the repeats here.");
                     }
                     break;
                 }
             }
             Err(why) => {
-                // The parser returns its diagnostic in English; localize the static
-                // fragments through the catalog (interpolated ones fall back verbatim).
-                let why = echo_api::render(ctx.lang(), &why, &[]);
                 ctx.notice(me, from.uid, t!(ctx, "I couldn't roll \x02{body}\x02: {why}.", body = body, why = why));
                 return; // the whole batch shares the expression, so it'll fail the same way
             }
diff --git a/modules/gameserv/src/lib.rs b/modules/gameserv/src/lib.rs
index 982c58f..2b1e020 100644
--- a/modules/gameserv/src/lib.rs
+++ b/modules/gameserv/src/lib.rs
@@ -463,11 +463,9 @@ fn push_stats(counters: &[(String, u64)], account: &str, to_nick: &str, me: &str
             _ => read_stats(counters, gt, account),
         };
         let payload = format!("GS$ {} {} r={} p={} w={} l={} d={}", account, gt.wire(), s.rank(), s.points(), s.wins, s.losses, s.draws);
-        // Ranked stats are PUBLIC leaderboard data and are also pushed to a viewer
-        // who queried someone ELSE (STATS <nick>), so `to_nick` is not the subject
-        // account — don't apply the board-state account guard here (that guard is
-        // only for the private mid-game board in push_one).
-        push_tag(me, net, to_nick, account, false, &payload, ctx);
+        // push_stats is only called for a registered side (a_reg/b_reg), so the
+        // account guard in push_tag always applies here.
+        push_tag(me, net, to_nick, account, true, &payload, ctx);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/engine/db/account.rs b/src/engine/db/account.rs
index 5ae7994..461006c 100644
--- a/src/engine/db/account.rs
+++ b/src/engine/db/account.rs
@@ -842,9 +842,8 @@ impl Db {
     }
 
     /// Channels entering the warning window, paired with their founder's email
-    /// (skipped when the founder has none) and preferred language. Returns
-    /// (channel, email, seconds left, founder language).
-    pub fn channels_to_warn(&self, now: u64, ttl: u64, lead: u64) -> Vec<(String, String, u64, String)> {
+    /// (skipped when the founder has none). Returns (channel, email, seconds left).
+    pub fn channels_to_warn(&self, now: u64, ttl: u64, lead: u64) -> Vec<(String, String, u64)> {
         let floor = ttl.saturating_sub(lead);
         self.channels
             .values()
@@ -854,10 +853,8 @@ impl Db {
                 if idle <= floor || idle > ttl {
                     return None;
                 }
-                let acc = self.accounts.get(&key(&c.founder))?;
-                let email = acc.email.clone()?;
-                let lang = acc.language.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| self.default_language());
-                Some((c.name.clone(), email, ttl - idle, lang))
+                let email = self.accounts.get(&key(&c.founder)).and_then(|a| a.email.clone())?;
+                Some((c.name.clone(), email, ttl - idle))
             })
             .collect()
     }
diff --git a/src/engine/mod.rs b/src/engine/mod.rs
index e9d2cb9..9d21cfc 100644
--- a/src/engine/mod.rs
+++ b/src/engine/mod.rs
@@ -727,8 +727,11 @@ impl Engine {
             self.logout_uid(&uid, account, reason);
             if !orphaned.is_empty() {
                 if let Some(ns) = &ns {
-                    let text = echo_api::render(&self.lang_for_uid(&uid), "Channels you had registered as \x02{account}\x02 were released: {list}.", &[("account", account.to_string()), ("list", orphaned.join(", "))]);
-                    self.emit_irc(NetAction::Notice { from: ns.clone(), to: uid.clone(), text });
+                    self.emit_irc(NetAction::Notice {
+                        from: ns.clone(),
+                        to: uid,
+                        text: format!("Channels you had registered as \x02{account}\x02 were released: {}.", orphaned.join(", ")),
+                    });
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -770,10 +773,11 @@ impl Engine {
         self.network.clear_account(uid);
         self.emit_irc(NetAction::Metadata { target: uid.to_string(), key: "accountname".to_string(), value: String::new() });
         if let Some(ns) = self.nick_service.clone() {
-            let lang = self.lang_for_uid(uid);
-            let reason = echo_api::render(&lang, reason, &[]);
-            let text = echo_api::render(&lang, "Your account \x02{account}\x02 {reason}. You have been logged out.", &[("account", account.to_string()), ("reason", reason)]);
-            self.emit_irc(NetAction::Notice { from: ns, to: uid.to_string(), text });
+            self.emit_irc(NetAction::Notice {
+                from: ns,
+                to: uid.to_string(),
+                text: format!("Your account \x02{account}\x02 {reason}. You have been logged out."),
+            });
         }
     }
 
@@ -855,8 +859,8 @@ impl Engine {
                 }
             }
             if let Some(ttl) = self.channel_ttl {
-                for (channel, email, left, lang) in self.db.channels_to_warn(now, ttl, lead) {
-                    let mail = echo_api::email::expiry_warning(self.db.email_brand(), self.db.email_accent(), self.db.email_logo(), echo_api::email::ExpiryTarget::Channel, &channel, &human_duration(left), &lang);
+                for (channel, email, left) in self.db.channels_to_warn(now, ttl, lead) {
+                    let mail = echo_api::email::expiry_warning(self.db.email_brand(), self.db.email_accent(), self.db.email_logo(), echo_api::email::ExpiryTarget::Channel, &channel, &human_duration(left), &self.db.default_language());
                     self.emit_irc(NetAction::SendEmail { to: email, subject: mail.subject, text: mail.text, html: Some(mail.html) });
                     self.db.mark_channel_warned(&channel);
                 }
diff --git a/src/engine/register.rs b/src/engine/register.rs
index c8090ca..9105ca1 100644
--- a/src/engine/register.rs
+++ b/src/engine/register.rs
@@ -356,10 +356,9 @@ impl Engine {
 
     // Commit a password change the link layer derived off-thread, then notice the user.
     pub fn complete_password_change(&mut self, account: &str, creds: Option<db::Credentials>, agent: &str, uid: &str) -> Vec<NetAction> {
-        let lang = self.lang_for_account(account);
         let text = match creds.and_then(|c| self.db.set_credentials(account, c).ok()) {
-            Some(()) => echo_api::render(&lang, "Your password for \x02{account}\x02 has been changed.", &[("account", account.to_string())]),
-            None => echo_api::render(&lang, "Sorry, that didn't work. Please try again in a moment.", &[]),
+            Some(()) => format!("Your password for \x02{account}\x02 has been changed."),
+            None => "Sorry, that didn't work. Please try again in a moment.".to_string(),
         };
         vec![NetAction::Notice { from: agent.to_string(), to: uid.to_string(), text }]
     }
diff --git a/src/gossip.rs b/src/gossip.rs
index 0d2ef2b..f967b26 100644
--- a/src/gossip.rs
+++ b/src/gossip.rs
@@ -51,17 +51,12 @@ fn make_nonce() -> String {
     STANDARD.encode(b)
 }
 
-// Proof of holding the shared secret: HMAC-SHA256(secret, direction ‖ nonce). The
+// Proof of holding the shared secret: HMAC-SHA256(secret, the peer's nonce). The
 // secret itself never crosses the wire — the peer verifies this against the nonce
-// it chose. `direction` ("L" for the listener's proof, "D" for the dialer's) is
-// mixed in so the two sides' proofs are over DIFFERENT inputs: a peer can neither
-// reflect our own nonce+proof back to us, nor use a second connection as an oracle
-// to have us sign the value it needs — both would need the other direction's
-// label, which only the other role ever produces.
-fn auth_proof(secret: &str, direction: &str, nonce: &str) -> String {
+// it chose, so an eavesdropper (or a peer with the wrong secret) can't reproduce
+// it and can't replay it on a later connection (fresh nonce each time).
+fn auth_proof(secret: &str, nonce: &str) -> String {
     let mut mac = Hmac::<Sha256>::new_from_slice(secret.as_bytes()).expect("HMAC accepts any key length");
-    mac.update(direction.as_bytes());
-    mac.update(b"\0");
     mac.update(nonce.as_bytes());
     STANDARD.encode(mac.finalize().into_bytes())
 }
@@ -146,14 +141,11 @@ async fn listen(bind: String, engine: Shared, secret: String, origin: String, ou
             tokio::spawn(async move {
                 let _permit = permit; // released when the session ends
                 let served = match acceptor {
-                    // Bound the TLS handshake too, so a peer that opens the socket but
-                    // never finishes negotiating can't pin its session permit forever.
-                    Some(acc) => match tokio::time::timeout(HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT, acc.accept(stream)).await {
-                        Ok(Ok(tls)) => session(tls, engine, secret, origin, outbound, true).await,
-                        Ok(Err(e)) => return tracing::debug!(%e, %addr, "gossip tls accept failed"),
-                        Err(_) => return tracing::debug!(%addr, "gossip tls accept timed out"),
+                    Some(acc) => match acc.accept(stream).await {
+                        Ok(tls) => session(tls, engine, secret, origin, outbound).await,
+                        Err(e) => return tracing::debug!(%e, %addr, "gossip tls accept failed"),
                     },
-                    None => session(stream, engine, secret, origin, outbound, true).await,
+                    None => session(stream, engine, secret, origin, outbound).await,
                 };
                 if let Err(e) = served {
                     tracing::debug!(%e, "gossip session ended");
@@ -171,12 +163,12 @@ async fn dial(peer: Peer, engine: Shared, secret: String, origin: String, outbou
                 let served = match &connector {
                     Some(conn) => match ServerName::try_from(peer.name.clone()) {
                         Ok(name) => match conn.connect(name, stream).await {
-                            Ok(tls) => session(tls, engine.clone(), secret.clone(), origin.clone(), outbound.clone(), false).await,
+                            Ok(tls) => session(tls, engine.clone(), secret.clone(), origin.clone(), outbound.clone()).await,
                             Err(e) => Err(anyhow::anyhow!("tls connect: {e}")),
                         },
                         Err(e) => Err(anyhow::anyhow!("bad peer TLS name {:?}: {e}", peer.name)),
                     },
-                    None => session(stream, engine.clone(), secret.clone(), origin.clone(), outbound.clone(), false).await,
+                    None => session(stream, engine.clone(), secret.clone(), origin.clone(), outbound.clone()).await,
                 };
                 if let Err(e) = served {
                     tracing::debug!(%e, addr = %peer.addr, "gossip session ended");
@@ -235,7 +227,7 @@ async fn read_handshake<R: AsyncBufRead + Unpin>(reader: &mut R) -> Option<Msg>
 }
 
 // One peer connection: authenticate, then run anti-entropy until it drops.
-async fn session<S>(stream: S, engine: Shared, secret: String, origin: String, outbound: Outbound, listener: bool) -> anyhow::Result<()>
+async fn session<S>(stream: S, engine: Shared, secret: String, origin: String, outbound: Outbound) -> anyhow::Result<()>
 where
     S: AsyncRead + AsyncWrite + Send + 'static,
 {
@@ -254,12 +246,10 @@ where
 
     // Handshake: a mutual challenge-response over the shared secret, so the secret
     // itself never crosses the wire. Each side sends a random nonce, then proves it
-    // holds the secret by returning HMAC(secret, its-role ‖ the peer's nonce); each
-    // verifies the peer's proof against the nonce it chose and the peer's role. The
-    // per-role label (listener "L" vs dialer "D") is what stops a reflection or
-    // oracle attack — without it, a peer with no secret could bounce our own
-    // nonce+proof back and authenticate. A fresh nonce per link stops replay.
-    let (my_dir, peer_dir) = if listener { ("L", "D") } else { ("D", "L") };
+    // holds the secret by returning HMAC(secret, the peer's nonce); each verifies
+    // the peer's proof against the nonce it chose. A wrong secret (or an
+    // eavesdropper) can't produce a valid proof, and a fresh nonce per link stops
+    // replay.
     let my_nonce = make_nonce();
     let _ = send(&tx, &Msg::Hello { origin, nonce: my_nonce.clone() }).await;
     let peer_nonce = match read_handshake(&mut reader).await {
@@ -269,15 +259,9 @@ where
             anyhow::bail!("peer failed to complete the handshake");
         }
     };
-    // A peer echoing our own nonce back has nothing to prove — refuse it outright
-    // (the direction labels already defeat reflection; this is belt-and-braces).
-    if peer_nonce == my_nonce {
-        writer.abort();
-        anyhow::bail!("gossip peer reused our nonce");
-    }
-    let _ = send(&tx, &Msg::Auth { proof: auth_proof(&secret, my_dir, &peer_nonce) }).await;
+    let _ = send(&tx, &Msg::Auth { proof: auth_proof(&secret, &peer_nonce) }).await;
     match read_handshake(&mut reader).await {
-        Some(Msg::Auth { proof }) if ct_str_eq(&proof, &auth_proof(&secret, peer_dir, &my_nonce)) => {}
+        Some(Msg::Auth { proof }) if ct_str_eq(&proof, &auth_proof(&secret, &my_nonce)) => {}
         _ => {
             writer.abort();
             anyhow::bail!("bad gossip handshake");
@@ -378,15 +362,6 @@ mod tests {
     use crate::engine::db::Db;
     use echo_nickserv::NickServ;
 
-    // The listener's and the dialer's proof over the same nonce MUST differ, so a
-    // secretless peer can't reflect one side's proof (or oracle it on a second
-    // connection) as the other side's expected value.
-    #[test]
-    fn handshake_proof_is_direction_separated() {
-        assert_ne!(auth_proof("s3cret", "L", "abc"), auth_proof("s3cret", "D", "abc"));
-        assert_eq!(auth_proof("s3cret", "L", "abc"), auth_proof("s3cret", "L", "abc"));
-    }
-
     fn engine(origin: &str, tag: &str) -> (Shared, Outbound) {
         let path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!("echo-gossip-{tag}.jsonl"));
         let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&path);
@@ -407,8 +382,8 @@ mod tests {
         a.lock().await.test_register("alice");
 
         let (ca, cb) = tokio::io::duplex(64 * 1024);
-        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx, true));
-        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx, false));
+        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx));
+        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx));
 
         let mut converged = false;
         for _ in 0..100 {
@@ -431,8 +406,8 @@ mod tests {
         let (b, btx) = engine("B", "push-b");
 
         let (ca, cb) = tokio::io::duplex(64 * 1024);
-        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx, true));
-        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx, false));
+        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx));
+        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx));
         tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(200)).await; // let both subscribe
 
         a.lock().await.test_register("late");
@@ -460,8 +435,8 @@ mod tests {
         b.lock().await.test_register_pw("alice", "from-b");
 
         let (ca, cb) = tokio::io::duplex(64 * 1024);
-        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx, true));
-        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx, false));
+        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx));
+        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx));
 
         let mut converged = false;
         for _ in 0..100 {
@@ -487,8 +462,8 @@ mod tests {
         a.lock().await.test_register_channel("#secret", "alice");
 
         let (ca, cb) = tokio::io::duplex(64 * 1024);
-        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx, true));
-        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx, false));
+        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx));
+        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx));
 
         // Wait for the account to converge (proves the link works), then assert
         // the channel never crossed it.
@@ -517,8 +492,8 @@ mod tests {
         a.lock().await.test_register("alice");
 
         let (ca, cb) = tokio::io::duplex(64 * 1024);
-        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "right".into(), "A".into(), atx, true));
-        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "wrong".into(), "B".into(), btx, false));
+        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(ca, a.clone(), "right".into(), "A".into(), atx));
+        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(cb, b.clone(), "wrong".into(), "B".into(), btx));
 
         let _ = tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_secs(1), async {
             let _ = sa.await;
@@ -563,8 +538,8 @@ mod tests {
         let (sside, cside) = tokio::io::duplex(64 * 1024);
         let name = ServerName::try_from("echo").unwrap();
         let (server, client) = tokio::join!(acceptor.accept(sside), connector.connect(name, cside));
-        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(server.expect("tls accept"), a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx, true));
-        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(client.expect("tls connect"), b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx, false));
+        let sa = tokio::spawn(session(server.expect("tls accept"), a.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "A".into(), atx));
+        let sb = tokio::spawn(session(client.expect("tls connect"), b.clone(), "s3cret".into(), "B".into(), btx));
 
         let mut converged = false;
         for _ in 0..100 {
diff --git a/src/link.rs b/src/link.rs
index 6f74014..f01234f 100644
--- a/src/link.rs
+++ b/src/link.rs
@@ -55,19 +55,20 @@ fn redact(line: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
             let after = p + kw.len();
             if let Some(c) = line[after..].find(" :") {
                 let tstart = after + c + 2;
-                // Tokenise the trailer exactly like the dispatcher (`split_whitespace`),
-                // so a TAB or a leading/collapsed space can't sneak a credential past
-                // redaction while still reaching the command handler.
-                let mut words = line[tstart..].split_whitespace();
-                let mut cmd = words.next().unwrap_or("").to_ascii_lowercase();
+                let mut words = line[tstart..].split(' ');
+                let first = words.next().unwrap_or("");
+                let mut cmd = first.to_ascii_lowercase();
+                let mut argstart = tstart + first.len();
                 // "NS <cmd> ..." / "NICKSERV <cmd> ..." — unwrap one level.
                 if matches!(cmd.as_str(), "ns" | "nickserv") {
-                    cmd = words.next().unwrap_or("").to_ascii_lowercase();
+                    if let Some(w2) = words.next() {
+                        cmd = w2.to_ascii_lowercase();
+                        argstart += 1 + w2.len();
+                    }
                 }
                 let is_set_password = cmd == "set"
                     && words.next().map(|w| w.eq_ignore_ascii_case("password")).unwrap_or(false);
-                // Over-redact the whole trailer when the command is credential-bearing.
-                if SECRET_CMDS.contains(&cmd.as_str()) || is_set_password {
+                if (SECRET_CMDS.contains(&cmd.as_str()) || is_set_password) && argstart < line.len() {
                     return format!("{} :[REDACTED]", line[..tstart].trim_end_matches(" :")).into();
                 }
             }