diff --git a/src/components/ChatViewer.tsx b/src/components/ChatViewer.tsx
index ad7c931..cb52b84 100644
--- a/src/components/ChatViewer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ChatViewer.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import Timestamp from "./Timestamp";
 import { ReplyPreview } from "./chat/ReplyPreview";
 import { MembersDropdown } from "./chat/MembersDropdown";
 import { RelaysDropdown } from "./chat/RelaysDropdown";
+import { MessageReactions } from "./chat/MessageReactions";
 import { StatusBadge } from "./live/StatusBadge";
 import { ChatMessageContextMenu } from "./chat/ChatMessageContextMenu";
 import { useGrimoire } from "@/core/state";
@@ -285,7 +286,7 @@ const MessageItem = memo(function MessageItem({
       (CHAT_KINDS as readonly number[]).includes(replyEvent.kind);
 
     return (
-      <div className="pl-2 my-1">
+      <div className="pl-2 my-1 relative">
         <div
           className="p-[1px] rounded"
           style={{
@@ -332,13 +333,18 @@ const MessageItem = memo(function MessageItem({
             )}
           </div>
         </div>
+        {/* Reactions display - lazy loaded per message */}
+        <MessageReactions
+          messageId={message.id}
+          relayUrl={conversation.metadata?.relayUrl}
+        />
       </div>
     );
   }
 
   // Regular user messages - wrap in context menu if event exists
   const messageContent = (
-    <div className="group flex items-start hover:bg-muted/50 px-3">
+    <div className="group relative flex items-start hover:bg-muted/50 px-3">
       <div className="flex-1 min-w-0">
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
           <UserName pubkey={message.author} className="font-semibold text-sm" />
@@ -373,6 +379,11 @@ const MessageItem = memo(function MessageItem({
             </span>
           )}
         </div>
+        {/* Reactions display - lazy loaded per message */}
+        <MessageReactions
+          messageId={message.id}
+          relayUrl={conversation.metadata?.relayUrl}
+        />
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/src/components/chat/MessageReactions.tsx b/src/components/chat/MessageReactions.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0d6f06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/chat/MessageReactions.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+import { useMemo } from "react";
+import { use$ } from "applesauce-react/hooks";
+import eventStore from "@/services/event-store";
+import { EMOJI_SHORTCODE_REGEX } from "@/lib/emoji-helpers";
+import type { NostrEvent } from "@/types/nostr";
+
+interface MessageReactionsProps {
+  messageId: string;
+  /** Relay URL for fetching reactions (NIP-29 group relay) */
+  relayUrl?: string;
+}
+
+interface ReactionSummary {
+  emoji: string;
+  count: number;
+  pubkeys: string[];
+  customEmoji?: {
+    shortcode: string;
+    url: string;
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * MessageReactions - Lazy loads and displays reactions for a single message
+ *
+ * Loads kind 7 (reaction) events that reference the messageId via e-tag.
+ * Aggregates by emoji and displays as tiny inline badges in bottom-right corner.
+ *
+ * Uses EventStore timeline for reactive updates - new reactions appear automatically.
+ */
+export function MessageReactions({
+  messageId,
+  relayUrl,
+}: MessageReactionsProps) {
+  // Load reactions for this message from EventStore
+  // Filter: kind 7, e-tag pointing to messageId
+  const reactions = use$(
+    () =>
+      eventStore.timeline({
+        kinds: [7],
+        "#e": [messageId],
+      }),
+    [messageId],
+  );
+
+  // Aggregate reactions by emoji
+  const aggregated = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!reactions || reactions.length === 0) return [];
+
+    const map = new Map<string, ReactionSummary>();
+
+    for (const reaction of reactions) {
+      const content = reaction.content || "❤️";
+
+      // Check for NIP-30 custom emoji tags
+      const emojiTag = reaction.tags.find((t) => t[0] === "emoji");
+      let customEmoji: { shortcode: string; url: string } | undefined;
+
+      if (emojiTag && emojiTag[1] && emojiTag[2]) {
+        customEmoji = {
+          shortcode: emojiTag[1],
+          url: emojiTag[2],
+        };
+      }
+
+      // Parse content for custom emoji shortcodes
+      const match = content.match(EMOJI_SHORTCODE_REGEX);
+      const emojiKey =
+        match && customEmoji ? `:${customEmoji.shortcode}:` : content;
+
+      const existing = map.get(emojiKey);
+
+      if (existing) {
+        // Deduplicate by pubkey (one reaction per user per emoji)
+        if (!existing.pubkeys.includes(reaction.pubkey)) {
+          existing.count++;
+          existing.pubkeys.push(reaction.pubkey);
+        }
+      } else {
+        map.set(emojiKey, {
+          emoji: content,
+          count: 1,
+          pubkeys: [reaction.pubkey],
+          customEmoji,
+        });
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Sort by count descending, then by emoji alphabetically
+    return Array.from(map.values()).sort((a, b) => {
+      if (b.count !== a.count) return b.count - a.count;
+      return a.emoji.localeCompare(b.emoji);
+    });
+  }, [reactions]);
+
+  // Don't render if no reactions
+  if (aggregated.length === 0) return null;
+
+  return (
+    <div className="absolute bottom-0.5 right-1 flex gap-0.5">
+      {aggregated.map((reaction) => (
+        <span
+          key={reaction.customEmoji?.shortcode || reaction.emoji}
+          className="inline-flex items-center gap-0.5 px-1 rounded bg-muted/80 text-[10px] leading-tight"
+          title={`${reaction.count} reaction${reaction.count > 1 ? "s" : ""}`}
+        >
+          {reaction.customEmoji ? (
+            <img
+              src={reaction.customEmoji.url}
+              alt={`:${reaction.customEmoji.shortcode}:`}
+              className="size-3 inline-block"
+            />
+          ) : (
+            <span className="text-xs">{reaction.emoji}</span>
+          )}
+          <span className="text-muted-foreground">{reaction.count}</span>
+        </span>
+      ))}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/tsconfig.node.tsbuildinfo b/tsconfig.node.tsbuildinfo
index 75ea001..5e39d3d 100644
--- a/tsconfig.node.tsbuildinfo
+++ b/tsconfig.node.tsbuildinfo
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"root":["./vite.config.ts"],"version":"5.6.3"}
\ No newline at end of file
+{"root":["./vite.config.ts"],"errors":true,"version":"5.9.3"}
\ No newline at end of file