diff --git a/src/index.css b/src/index.css
index 8b7f744..24fb718 100644
--- a/src/index.css
+++ b/src/index.css
@@ -341,32 +341,73 @@ button {
   color: var(--text-h);
 }
 .chan-btn {
+  --xt: #9aa0a6;
+  position: relative;
   width: 100%;
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 6px;
   text-align: left;
   border: none;
-  background: transparent;
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--xt) 9%, transparent);
   border-radius: var(--radius-sm);
-  padding: 8px 10px;
-  margin: 1px 0;
-  color: var(--text-muted);
+  padding: 8px 10px 8px 14px;
+  margin: 2px 0;
+  color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--xt) 55%, var(--text));
   font-size: 15px;
   cursor: pointer;
 }
+.chan-btn::before {
+  content: '';
+  position: absolute;
+  left: 3px;
+  top: 7px;
+  bottom: 7px;
+  width: 3px;
+  border-radius: 3px;
+  background: var(--xt);
+  opacity: 0.7;
+}
 .chan-btn .hash {
-  color: var(--text-faint);
-  font-weight: 600;
+  color: var(--xt);
+  font-weight: 700;
+}
+.chan-btn .chan-tag {
+  color: var(--xt);
+  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--xt) 60%, transparent);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--xt) 14%, transparent);
 }
 .chan-btn:hover {
-  background: var(--hover);
-  color: var(--text);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--xt) 18%, transparent);
+  color: var(--text-h);
 }
 .chan-btn.active {
-  background: var(--active);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--xt) 26%, transparent);
   color: var(--text-h);
 }
+.chan-btn.active::before {
+  opacity: 1;
+}
+
+/* per x_type accent */
+.chan-btn.xt-general {
+  --xt: #9aa0a6;
+}
+.chan-btn.xt-work {
+  --xt: #5865f2;
+}
+.chan-btn.xt-report {
+  --xt: #faa61a;
+}
+.chan-btn.xt-discuss {
+  --xt: #3ba55d;
+}
+.chan-btn.xt-triage {
+  --xt: #ed4245;
+}
+.chan-btn.xt-custom {
+  --xt: #c084fc;
+}
 .chan-tag {
   margin-left: auto;
   font-size: 10px;
@@ -515,6 +556,32 @@ button {
   color: var(--text-faint);
   font-style: italic;
 }
+.meta-badge {
+  font-family: var(--mono);
+  font-size: 10px;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  color: var(--text-faint);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  padding: 0 4px;
+}
+.meta-badge.on {
+  color: #fff;
+  background: var(--online);
+  border-color: var(--online);
+}
+.meta-raw {
+  margin: 4px 0 0;
+  padding: 6px 8px;
+  background: var(--elevated);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  font-family: var(--mono);
+  font-size: 11px;
+  white-space: pre-wrap;
+  word-break: break-all;
+}
 .dc-empty-center {
   margin: auto;
   text-align: center;
diff --git a/src/pages/ChatPage.tsx b/src/pages/ChatPage.tsx
index cd09f72..ad7ab39 100644
--- a/src/pages/ChatPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/ChatPage.tsx
@@ -11,8 +11,13 @@ type MessageItem = {
   isDeleted?: boolean
   authorUserId?: string
   createdAt?: string
+  // per-push metadata (only present on socket-delivered messages); the app is
+  // normally metadata-agnostic — only surfaced in developer mode
+  wakeup?: boolean
 }
 
+const DEV_KEY = 'fabric.debug'
+
 function initials(s: string): string {
   const t = (s || '?').trim()
   return t.slice(0, 2).toUpperCase()
@@ -28,7 +33,7 @@ function timeOf(iso?: string): string {
 const X_TYPES = ['general', 'work', 'report', 'discuss', 'triage', 'custom'] as const
 type XType = (typeof X_TYPES)[number]
 
-type GuildChannel = { id: string; name: string; guildId?: string; xType?: XType }
+type GuildChannel = { id: string; name: string; guildId?: string; xType?: XType; isMember?: boolean }
 type MemberItem = { userId: string; email: string; name: string; status: string }
 
 export default function ChatPage() {
@@ -45,14 +50,23 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
   const [selectedMemberIds, setSelectedMemberIds] = useState<string[]>([])
   const [newChannelPublic, setNewChannelPublic] = useState(false)
   const [newChannelXType, setNewChannelXType] = useState<XType>('general')
+  const [newChannelOnDuty, setNewChannelOnDuty] = useState('')
+  const [newChannelListeners, setNewChannelListeners] = useState<string[]>([])
   const [showCreateChannelModal, setShowCreateChannelModal] = useState(false)
   const [showSettingsModal, setShowSettingsModal] = useState(false)
   const [showAddGuildModal, setShowAddGuildModal] = useState(false)
   const [settingsName, setSettingsName] = useState('')
   const [showMembers, setShowMembers] = useState(true)
+  const [devMode, setDevMode] = useState(() => localStorage.getItem(DEV_KEY) === '1')
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false)
   const [error, setError] = useState('')
 
+  function toggleDevMode(on: boolean) {
+    setDevMode(on)
+    if (on) localStorage.setItem(DEV_KEY, '1')
+    else localStorage.removeItem(DEV_KEY)
+  }
+
   const guilds = session?.guilds ?? []
 
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -170,6 +184,20 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
     setSelectedMemberIds((prev) => (prev.includes(userId) ? prev.filter((x) => x !== userId) : [...prev, userId]))
   }
 
+  function toggleListener(userId: string) {
+    setNewChannelListeners((prev) => (prev.includes(userId) ? prev.filter((x) => x !== userId) : [...prev, userId]))
+  }
+
+  function openCreateChannel() {
+    setNewChannelName('')
+    setSelectedMemberIds([])
+    setNewChannelPublic(false)
+    setNewChannelXType('general')
+    setNewChannelOnDuty(session?.user.id ?? '')
+    setNewChannelListeners([])
+    setShowCreateChannelModal(true)
+  }
+
   async function createChannel() {
     if (!guild || !guildToken || !newChannelName.trim()) return
     const effectiveGuildId = guildDbId || selectedGuildId
@@ -177,6 +205,10 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
       setError('Cannot create channel: no guild selected')
       return
     }
+    if (newChannelXType === 'triage' && !newChannelOnDuty) {
+      setError('Triage channels require an on-duty user')
+      return
+    }
     setError('')
     try {
       const payload = {
@@ -185,6 +217,8 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
         xType: newChannelXType,
         isPublic: newChannelPublic,
         memberUserIds: selectedMemberIds,
+        onDuty: newChannelXType === 'triage' ? newChannelOnDuty : undefined,
+        listeners: newChannelXType === 'custom' ? newChannelListeners : [],
       }
       const res = await guildApi().post('/channels', payload)
       const createdId = res.data?.id as string | undefined
@@ -192,6 +226,8 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
       setSelectedMemberIds([])
       setNewChannelPublic(false)
       setNewChannelXType('general')
+      setNewChannelOnDuty(session?.user.id ?? '')
+      setNewChannelListeners([])
       setShowCreateChannelModal(false)
       await loadChannels()
       if (createdId) setSelectedChannelId(createdId)
@@ -200,6 +236,32 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
     }
   }
 
+  async function joinChannel(c: GuildChannel) {
+    if (!guild || !guildToken) return
+    try {
+      await guildApi().post(`/channels/${c.id}/join`)
+      await loadChannels()
+      await loadMembers()
+    } catch {
+      setError('Failed to join channel')
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function leaveChannel(c: GuildChannel) {
+    if (!guild || !guildToken) return
+    try {
+      await guildApi().post(`/channels/${c.id}/leave`)
+      if (selectedChannelId === c.id) {
+        setSelectedChannelId('')
+        setMessages([])
+      }
+      await loadChannels()
+      await loadMembers()
+    } catch {
+      setError('Failed to leave channel')
+    }
+  }
+
   async function saveName() {
     const trimmed = settingsName.trim()
     if (!trimmed) {
@@ -280,7 +342,7 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
         <div className="dc-sidebar-scroll">
           <div className="dc-section-label">
             <span>Channels</span>
-            <button title="Create channel" onClick={() => setShowCreateChannelModal(true)}>
+            <button title="Create channel" onClick={openCreateChannel}>
               +
             </button>
           </div>
@@ -288,7 +350,7 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
             channels.map((c) => (
               <button
                 key={c.id}
-                className={`chan-btn ${selectedChannelId === c.id ? 'active' : ''}`}
+                className={`chan-btn xt-${c.xType ?? 'general'} ${selectedChannelId === c.id ? 'active' : ''}`}
                 onClick={() => setSelectedChannelId(c.id)}
               >
                 <span className="hash">#</span>
@@ -333,6 +395,17 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
             <span className="title muted">Select a channel</span>
           )}
           <span className="spacer" />
+          {currentChannel ? (
+            currentChannel.isMember ? (
+              <button className="btn btn-secondary" onClick={() => leaveChannel(currentChannel)}>
+                Leave
+              </button>
+            ) : (
+              <button className="btn" onClick={() => joinChannel(currentChannel)}>
+                Join
+              </button>
+            )
+          ) : null}
           <button
             className="icon-btn"
             title={showMembers ? 'Hide members' : 'Show members'}
@@ -349,15 +422,36 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
               {currentChannel ? `This is the start of #${currentChannel.name}` : 'No channel selected'}
             </div>
           ) : null}
-          {messages.map((m) => (
+          {messages
+            .filter((m) => devMode || m.authorUserId !== 'guild')
+            .map((m) => (
             <div key={m.messageId} className={`msg ${m.isDeleted ? 'deleted' : ''}`}>
               <div className="avatar">{initials(authorLabel(m.authorUserId))}</div>
               <div className="body">
                 <div className="meta">
                   <span className="author">{authorLabel(m.authorUserId)}</span>
                   <span className="time">{timeOf(m.createdAt)} · #{m.seq}</span>
+                  {devMode && m.wakeup !== undefined ? (
+                    <span className={`meta-badge ${m.wakeup ? 'on' : ''}`}>wakeup={String(m.wakeup)}</span>
+                  ) : null}
                 </div>
                 <div className="text">{m.content}</div>
+                {devMode ? (
+                  <pre className="meta-raw">
+{JSON.stringify(
+  {
+    messageId: m.messageId,
+    seq: m.seq,
+    authorUserId: m.authorUserId,
+    createdAt: m.createdAt,
+    isDeleted: m.isDeleted ?? false,
+    wakeup: m.wakeup,
+  },
+  null,
+  0,
+)}
+                  </pre>
+                ) : null}
               </div>
             </div>
           ))}
@@ -443,6 +537,52 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
                 ))}
               </select>
             </div>
+
+            {newChannelXType === 'triage' ? (
+              <div className="field" style={{ marginTop: 10 }}>
+                <label>On-duty (required)</label>
+                <select
+                  className="input"
+                  value={newChannelOnDuty}
+                  onChange={(e) => setNewChannelOnDuty(e.target.value)}
+                >
+                  {members.map((m) => (
+                    <option key={m.userId} value={m.userId}>
+                      {(m.name || m.email) + (m.userId === session?.user.id ? ' (you)' : '')}
+                    </option>
+                  ))}
+                </select>
+                <p className="muted" style={{ fontSize: 12 }}>
+                  Added to the channel automatically and put into wake_mapping.
+                </p>
+              </div>
+            ) : null}
+
+            {newChannelXType === 'custom' ? (
+              <div className="field" style={{ marginTop: 10 }}>
+                <label>Listeners (optional)</label>
+                <div className="modal-list">
+                  {members.map((m) => (
+                    <label key={m.userId} className="check-row">
+                      <input
+                        type="checkbox"
+                        checked={newChannelListeners.includes(m.userId)}
+                        onChange={() => toggleListener(m.userId)}
+                      />
+                      <span>
+                        {m.name || m.email}
+                        {m.userId === session?.user.id ? ' (you)' : ''}
+                      </span>
+                    </label>
+                  ))}
+                  {members.length === 0 ? <div className="dc-empty">No members in this guild.</div> : null}
+                </div>
+                <p className="muted" style={{ fontSize: 12 }}>
+                  Each selected user gets a wake_mapping record for this channel.
+                </p>
+              </div>
+            ) : null}
+
             <label className="check-row" style={{ marginTop: 10 }}>
               <input type="checkbox" checked={newChannelPublic} onChange={(e) => setNewChannelPublic(e.target.checked)} />
               <span>Public — visible to all guild members</span>
@@ -492,6 +632,14 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
                 placeholder="Your name"
               />
             </div>
+            <label className="check-row" style={{ marginTop: 4 }}>
+              <input
+                type="checkbox"
+                checked={devMode}
+                onChange={(e) => toggleDevMode(e.target.checked)}
+              />
+              <span>Developer mode — show guild /ack &amp; message metadata</span>
+            </label>
             <div className="modal-actions">
               <button className="btn" onClick={saveName}>Save</button>
               <button className="btn btn-secondary" onClick={() => setShowSettingsModal(false)}>Cancel</button>