diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/components/UserMessage.tsx b/ui/desktop/src/components/UserMessage.tsx
index e9257fc8b2..df963d353b 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/components/UserMessage.tsx
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/components/UserMessage.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@ export default function UserMessage({ message, onMessageUpdate }: UserMessagePro
   // Get current user info from Matrix context
   const { currentUser } = useMatrix();
 
+  // Determine the sender info - use message sender if available, otherwise current user
+  const senderInfo = message.sender || {
+    userId: currentUser?.userId || 'unknown',
+    displayName: currentUser?.displayName || 'You',
+    avatarUrl: currentUser?.avatarUrl,
+  };
+
   // Extract text content from the message
   const textContent = getTextContent(message);
 
@@ -260,8 +267,8 @@ export default function UserMessage({ message, onMessageUpdate }: UserMessagePro
             {/* Avatar on the right side */}
             <div className="flex-shrink-0 mt-1">
               <AvatarImage
-                avatarUrl={currentUser?.avatarUrl}
-                displayName={currentUser?.displayName || 'You'}
+                avatarUrl={senderInfo.avatarUrl}
+                displayName={senderInfo.displayName || senderInfo.userId}
                 size="md"
                 className="ring-2 ring-background-accent ring-offset-2"
               />
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useSessionSharing.ts b/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useSessionSharing.ts
index 3c51ec5b8c..a50d79e1f9 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useSessionSharing.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/hooks/useSessionSharing.ts
@@ -153,13 +153,43 @@ export const useSessionSharing = ({
 
     // Also listen for regular messages that might contain session data
     const handleRegularMessage = (data: any) => {
-      const { content, sender, roomId } = data;
+      const { content, sender, roomId, senderInfo } = data;
       
       // Only process messages from Matrix rooms that are part of our session
       if (state.roomId && roomId === state.roomId && sender !== currentUser?.userId) {
-        console.log('💬 Regular message in session room:', { content, sender, roomId });
+        console.log('💬 Regular message in session room:', { content, sender, roomId, senderInfo });
         
-        // Convert regular Matrix messages to Goose messages
+        // Find sender info from friends or participants
+        let senderData = senderInfo;
+        if (!senderData) {
+          // Try to find sender in friends list
+          const friend = friends.find(f => f.userId === sender);
+          if (friend) {
+            senderData = {
+              userId: friend.userId,
+              displayName: friend.displayName,
+              avatarUrl: friend.avatarUrl,
+            };
+          } else {
+            // Try to find in participants
+            const participant = state.participants.find(p => p.userId === sender);
+            if (participant) {
+              senderData = {
+                userId: participant.userId,
+                displayName: participant.displayName,
+                avatarUrl: participant.avatarUrl,
+              };
+            } else {
+              // Fallback to basic sender info
+              senderData = {
+                userId: sender,
+                displayName: sender.split(':')[0].substring(1), // Extract username from Matrix ID
+              };
+            }
+          }
+        }
+        
+        // Convert regular Matrix messages to Goose messages with sender info
         const message: Message = {
           id: `matrix-${Date.now()}-${Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 9)}`,
           role: 'user',
@@ -168,9 +198,10 @@ export const useSessionSharing = ({
             type: 'text',
             text: content,
           }],
+          sender: senderData,
         };
         
-        console.log('💬 Converting regular Matrix message to Goose message:', message);
+        console.log('💬 Converting regular Matrix message to Goose message with sender:', message);
         onMessageSync?.(message);
       }
     };
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/services/MatrixService.ts b/ui/desktop/src/services/MatrixService.ts
index e0e9080217..8f67942ef3 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/services/MatrixService.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/services/MatrixService.ts
@@ -475,6 +475,16 @@ export class MatrixService extends EventEmitter {
     const sender = event.getSender();
     const isFromSelf = sender === this.config.userId;
     
+    // Get sender information
+    const senderUser = this.client?.getUser(sender);
+    const senderMember = room.getMember(sender);
+    
+    const senderInfo = {
+      userId: sender,
+      displayName: senderMember?.name || senderUser?.displayName || sender.split(':')[0].substring(1),
+      avatarUrl: senderMember?.getMxcAvatarUrl() || senderUser?.avatarUrl || null,
+    };
+    
     const messageData = {
       roomId: room.roomId,
       sender,
@@ -482,6 +492,7 @@ export class MatrixService extends EventEmitter {
       timestamp: new Date(event.getTs()),
       event,
       isFromSelf,
+      senderInfo,
     };
     
     // Check if this is a structured Goose message (new format)
diff --git a/ui/desktop/src/types/message.ts b/ui/desktop/src/types/message.ts
index 578636d9c1..c3cb90f74e 100644
--- a/ui/desktop/src/types/message.ts
+++ b/ui/desktop/src/types/message.ts
@@ -108,6 +108,12 @@ export interface Message {
   role: Role;
   created: number;
   content: MessageContent[];
+  // Optional sender metadata for collaborative sessions
+  sender?: {
+    userId: string;
+    displayName?: string;
+    avatarUrl?: string;
+  };
 }
 
 // Helper functions to create messages