diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index 68bbcda..1c168e0 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "jama-backend",
-  "version": "0.11.19",
+  "version": "0.11.20",
   "description": "TeamChat backend server",
   "main": "src/index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index cbb52f6..15c8ddb 100644
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 set -euo pipefail
 
-VERSION="${1:-0.11.19}"
+VERSION="${1:-0.11.20}"
 ACTION="${2:-}"
 REGISTRY="${REGISTRY:-}"
 IMAGE_NAME="jama"
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/frontend/package.json
index ef9253c..4f13189 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/frontend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "jama-frontend",
-  "version": "0.11.19",
+  "version": "0.11.20",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ChatWindow.jsx b/frontend/src/components/ChatWindow.jsx
index ea947b1..340ca0d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ChatWindow.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ChatWindow.jsx
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@ import { useSocket } from '../contexts/SocketContext.jsx';
 import './ChatWindow.css';
 import GroupInfoModal from './GroupInfoModal.jsx';
 
+// Must match Avatar.jsx and Sidebar.jsx exactly so header colours are consistent with message avatars
+const AVATAR_COLORS = ['#1a73e8','#ea4335','#34a853','#fa7b17','#a142f4','#00897b','#e91e8c','#0097a7'];
+function nameToColor(name) {
+  return AVATAR_COLORS[(name || '').charCodeAt(0) % AVATAR_COLORS.length];
+}
+
 export default function ChatWindow({ group, onBack, onGroupUpdated, onDirectMessage, onMessageDeleted, onlineUserIds = new Set() }) {
   const { user: currentUser } = useAuth();
   const { socket } = useSocket();
@@ -237,13 +243,21 @@ export default function ChatWindow({ group, onBack, onGroupUpdated, onDirectMess
             <img src={group.peer_avatar} alt={group.name} className="group-icon-sm" style={{ objectFit: 'cover', padding: 0 }} />
             {isOnline && <span className="online-dot" style={{ position: 'absolute', bottom: 1, right: 1 }} />}
           </div>
+        ) : isDirect && !group.is_managed ? (
+          // No custom avatar — use same per-user colour as Avatar.jsx and Sidebar.jsx
+          <div style={{ position: 'relative', flexShrink: 0 }}>
+            <div className="group-icon-sm" style={{ background: nameToColor(group.peer_real_name || group.name), flexShrink: 0 }}>
+              {(group.peer_real_name || group.name)[0]?.toUpperCase()}
+            </div>
+            {isOnline && <span className="online-dot" style={{ position: 'absolute', bottom: 1, right: 1 }} />}
+          </div>
         ) : group.is_managed ? (
           <div className="group-icon-sm" style={{ background: avatarColors.dm, borderRadius: 8, flexShrink: 0, fontSize: 11, fontWeight: 700 }}>
             {group.is_multi_group ? 'MG' : 'UG'}
           </div>
         ) : (
           <div className="group-icon-sm" style={{ background: group.type === 'public' ? avatarColors.public : avatarColors.dm, flexShrink: 0 }}>
-            {group.type === 'public' ? '#' : isDirect ? (group.peer_real_name || group.name)[0]?.toUpperCase() : group.name[0]?.toUpperCase()}
+            {group.type === 'public' ? '#' : group.name[0]?.toUpperCase()}
           </div>
         )}
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Sidebar.jsx b/frontend/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
index 6ed950b..fd88aea 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Sidebar.jsx
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ export default function Sidebar({ groups, activeGroupId, onSelectGroup, notifica
   return (
     <div className="sidebar">
       <div className="sidebar-newchat-bar">
-        {!isMobile && !groupMessagesMode && (
+        {!isMobile && (
           <button className="newchat-btn" onClick={onNewChat}>
             <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" strokeWidth={1.5} stroke="currentColor" width="18" height="18">
               <path strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" d="M7.5 8.25h9m-9 3H12m-9.75 1.51c0 1.6 1.123 2.994 2.707 3.227 1.129.166 2.27.293 3.423.379.35.026.67.21.865.501L12 21l2.755-4.133a1.14 1.14 0 0 1 .865-.501 48.172 48.172 0 0 0 3.423-.379c1.584-.233 2.707-1.626 2.707-3.228V6.741c0-1.602-1.123-2.995-2.707-3.228A48.394 48.394 0 0 0 12 3c-2.392 0-4.744.175-7.043.513C3.373 3.746 2.25 5.14 2.25 6.741v6.018Z" />
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ export default function Sidebar({ groups, activeGroupId, onSelectGroup, notifica
         )}
       </div>
 
-      {isMobile && !groupMessagesMode && (
+      {isMobile && (
         <button className="newchat-fab" onClick={onNewChat} title="New Chat">
           <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" strokeWidth={1.5} stroke="currentColor" width="24" height="24">
             <path strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" d="M7.5 8.25h9m-9 3H12m-9.75 1.51c0 1.6 1.123 2.994 2.707 3.227 1.129.166 2.27.293 3.423.379.35.026.67.21.865.501L12 21l2.755-4.133a1.14 1.14 0 0 1 .865-.501 48.172 48.172 0 0 0 3.423-.379c1.584-.233 2.707-1.626 2.707-3.228V6.741c0-1.602-1.123-2.995-2.707-3.228A48.394 48.394 0 0 0 12 3c-2.392 0-4.744.175-7.043.513C3.373 3.746 2.25 5.14 2.25 6.741v6.018Z" />
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/Chat.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/Chat.jsx
index 5fc8352..b0c15dc 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/Chat.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/Chat.jsx
@@ -433,6 +433,7 @@ export default function Chat() {
               onSelectGroup={selectGroup}
               notifications={notifications}
               unreadGroups={unreadGroups}
+              onNewChat={() => setModal('newchat')}
               onProfile={() => setModal('profile')}
               onUsers={() => setPage('users')}
               onSettings={() => setModal('settings')}
@@ -472,6 +473,7 @@ export default function Chat() {
         {modal === 'branding' && <BrandingModal onClose={() => setModal(null)} />}
         {modal === 'help'     && <HelpModal onClose={() => setModal(null)} dismissed={helpDismissed} />}
         {modal === 'about'    && <AboutModal onClose={() => setModal(null)} />}
+        {modal === 'newchat'  && <NewChatModal onClose={() => setModal(null)} onCreated={(g) => { loadGroups(); setModal(null); setActiveGroupId(g.id); setPage('chat'); }} />}
       </div>
     );
   }