diff --git a/bitchat/App/ConversationStore.swift b/bitchat/App/ConversationStore.swift
index 4a201c90..df467075 100644
--- a/bitchat/App/ConversationStore.swift
+++ b/bitchat/App/ConversationStore.swift
@@ -417,6 +417,14 @@ final class ConversationStore: ObservableObject {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Erases the persisted last-active conversation. Called from the panic
+    /// wipe so a restored DM/channel pointer cannot survive an emergency clear.
+    /// The store owns its injected `storage`, so the key is removed through it
+    /// (never by reaching into `.standard`), and `lastActiveKey` stays private.
+    func clearPersistedLastActive() {
+        storage.removeObject(forKey: lastActiveKey)
+    }
+
     /// Decides what to present at launch from the value persisted last
     /// session. Pure aside from reading the init snapshot: performs no
     /// selection mutation and never writes `activeChannel`, so it cannot race
diff --git a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
index 49f38560..15088037 100644
--- a/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
+++ b/bitchat/ViewModels/ChatViewModel.swift
@@ -1177,6 +1177,9 @@ final class ChatViewModel: ObservableObject, BitchatDelegate, TransportEventDele
         // single-writer ConversationStore; the derived `messages` view and
         // the legacy mirror empty with it)
         conversations.clearAll()
+        // Also erase the persisted last-active pointer (#1064) so a wiped
+        // DM/channel cannot be restored on the next launch.
+        conversations.clearPersistedLastActive()
         pendingGeohashSystemMessages.removeAll()
 
         // Delete all keychain data (including Noise and Nostr keys)
diff --git a/bitchatTests/ConversationStoreLastActiveTests.swift b/bitchatTests/ConversationStoreLastActiveTests.swift
index cd57869b..faf5adc4 100644
--- a/bitchatTests/ConversationStoreLastActiveTests.swift
+++ b/bitchatTests/ConversationStoreLastActiveTests.swift
@@ -87,6 +87,31 @@ final class ConversationStoreLastActiveTests: XCTestCase {
         )
     }
 
+    func test_clearPersistedLastActiveErasesRestoreRecord() {
+        // #1064 panic wipe: clearing the persisted last-active pointer means a
+        // wiped DM/channel cannot be restored on the next launch.
+        let storage = makeStorage()
+
+        // A DM is persisted and would otherwise restore.
+        let session = ConversationStore(storage: storage)
+        session.setSelectedPrivatePeer(peerID)
+        XCTAssertEqual(
+            ConversationStore(storage: storage)
+                .restoreLastActiveConversation(isPeerResolvable: { _ in true }),
+            .restoredDirectChat(peerID)
+        )
+
+        // The panic path erases the pointer through the store's own storage.
+        session.clearPersistedLastActive()
+
+        // The next launch has nothing to restore and falls back to the list.
+        XCTAssertEqual(
+            ConversationStore(storage: storage)
+                .restoreLastActiveConversation(isPeerResolvable: { _ in true }),
+            .conversationList
+        )
+    }
+
     func test_firstLaunchPresentsConversationList() {
         let storage = makeStorage()