diff --git a/crates/notedeck/src/imgcache.rs b/crates/notedeck/src/imgcache.rs
index 88e49b0..ab3f5e3 100644
--- a/crates/notedeck/src/imgcache.rs
+++ b/crates/notedeck/src/imgcache.rs
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ impl TexturesCache {
 
         entry.replace_entry_with(|_, v| {
             let TextureStateInternal::Loading(textured) = v else {
-                return None;
+                return Some(v);
             };
 
             Some(TextureStateInternal::Loaded(textured))
diff --git a/crates/notedeck_columns/src/ui/note/post.rs b/crates/notedeck_columns/src/ui/note/post.rs
index 8e15ea9..4d6f23c 100644
--- a/crates/notedeck_columns/src/ui/note/post.rs
+++ b/crates/notedeck_columns/src/ui/note/post.rs
@@ -342,6 +342,13 @@ impl<'a, 'd> PostView<'a, 'd> {
     }
 
     pub fn ui(&mut self, txn: &Transaction, ui: &mut egui::Ui) -> PostResponse {
+        ScrollArea::vertical()
+            .id_salt(PostView::scroll_id())
+            .show(ui, |ui| self.ui_no_scroll(txn, ui))
+            .inner
+    }
+
+    pub fn ui_no_scroll(&mut self, txn: &Transaction, ui: &mut egui::Ui) -> PostResponse {
         while let Some(selected_file) = get_next_selected_file() {
             match selected_file {
                 Ok(selected_media) => {
@@ -358,13 +365,6 @@ impl<'a, 'd> PostView<'a, 'd> {
             }
         }
 
-        ScrollArea::vertical()
-            .id_salt(PostView::scroll_id())
-            .show(ui, |ui| self.ui_no_scroll(txn, ui))
-            .inner
-    }
-
-    pub fn ui_no_scroll(&mut self, txn: &Transaction, ui: &mut egui::Ui) -> PostResponse {
         let focused = self.focused(ui);
         let stroke = if focused {
             ui.visuals().selection.stroke
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ impl<'a, 'd> PostView<'a, 'd> {
                                     self.note_context,
                                     txn,
                                     id.bytes(),
-                                    nostrdb::NoteKey::new(0),
+                                    None,
                                     self.note_options,
                                     self.jobs,
                                 )
diff --git a/crates/notedeck_ui/src/note/contents.rs b/crates/notedeck_ui/src/note/contents.rs
index 7472bcd..e75ac84 100644
--- a/crates/notedeck_ui/src/note/contents.rs
+++ b/crates/notedeck_ui/src/note/contents.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use crate::{
     secondary_label,
 };
 use egui::{Color32, Hyperlink, Label, RichText};
-use nostrdb::{BlockType, Mention, Note, NoteKey, Transaction};
+use nostrdb::{BlockType, Mention, Note, Transaction};
 use notedeck::Localization;
 use notedeck::{
     time_format, update_imeta_blurhashes, IsFollowing, NoteCache, NoteContext, NotedeckTextStyle,
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ pub struct NoteContents<'a, 'd> {
     note_context: &'a mut NoteContext<'d>,
     txn: &'a Transaction,
     note: &'a Note<'a>,
+    parent: Option<&'a Note<'a>>,
     options: NoteOptions,
     pub action: Option<NoteAction>,
     jobs: &'a mut JobsCache,
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ impl<'a, 'd> NoteContents<'a, 'd> {
         note_context: &'a mut NoteContext<'d>,
         txn: &'a Transaction,
         note: &'a Note,
+        parent: Option<&'a Note>,
         options: NoteOptions,
         jobs: &'a mut JobsCache,
     ) -> Self {
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ impl<'a, 'd> NoteContents<'a, 'd> {
             note_context,
             txn,
             note,
+            parent,
             options,
             action: None,
             jobs,
@@ -48,6 +51,7 @@ impl egui::Widget for &mut NoteContents<'_, '_> {
             self.note_context,
             self.txn,
             self.note,
+            self.parent,
             self.options,
             self.jobs,
         );
@@ -83,7 +87,7 @@ pub fn render_note_preview(
     note_context: &mut NoteContext,
     txn: &Transaction,
     id: &[u8; 32],
-    parent: NoteKey,
+    parent: Option<&Note>,
     note_options: NoteOptions,
     jobs: &mut JobsCache,
 ) -> NoteResponse {
@@ -114,10 +118,12 @@ pub fn render_note_preview(
             */
     };
 
-    NoteView::new(note_context, &note, note_options, jobs)
-        .preview_style()
-        .parent(parent)
-        .show(ui)
+    let mut view = NoteView::new(note_context, &note, note_options, jobs).preview_style();
+    if let Some(parent) = parent {
+        view = view.parent(parent);
+    }
+
+    view.show(ui)
 }
 
 /// Render note contents and surrounding info (client name, full date timestamp)
@@ -126,10 +132,12 @@ fn render_note_contents(
     note_context: &mut NoteContext,
     txn: &Transaction,
     note: &Note,
+    parent: Option<&Note>,
     options: NoteOptions,
     jobs: &mut JobsCache,
 ) -> NoteResponse {
-    let response = render_undecorated_note_contents(ui, note_context, txn, note, options, jobs);
+    let response =
+        render_undecorated_note_contents(ui, note_context, txn, note, parent, options, jobs);
 
     ui.horizontal_wrapped(|ui| {
         note_bottom_metadata_ui(
@@ -170,6 +178,7 @@ fn render_undecorated_note_contents<'a>(
     note_context: &mut NoteContext,
     txn: &Transaction,
     note: &'a Note,
+    parent: Option<&'a Note>,
     options: NoteOptions,
     jobs: &mut JobsCache,
 ) -> NoteResponse {
@@ -357,7 +366,7 @@ fn render_undecorated_note_contents<'a>(
     });
 
     let preview_note_action = inline_note.and_then(|(id, _)| {
-        render_note_preview(ui, note_context, txn, id, note_key, options, jobs)
+        render_note_preview(ui, note_context, txn, id, Some(note), options, jobs)
             .action
             .map(|a| match a {
                 NoteAction::Note { note_id, .. } => NoteAction::Note {
@@ -382,12 +391,19 @@ fn render_undecorated_note_contents<'a>(
                 .pubkey
                 .bytes();
 
-        let trusted_media = is_self
-            || note_context
-                .accounts
-                .get_selected_account()
-                .is_following(note.pubkey())
-                == IsFollowing::Yes;
+        let trusted_media = {
+            let is_followed = |pk| {
+                matches!(
+                    note_context
+                        .accounts
+                        .get_selected_account()
+                        .is_following(pk),
+                    IsFollowing::Yes
+                )
+            };
+
+            is_self || is_followed(note.pubkey()) || parent.is_some_and(|p| is_followed(p.pubkey()))
+        };
 
         media_action = image_carousel(
             ui,
diff --git a/crates/notedeck_ui/src/note/mod.rs b/crates/notedeck_ui/src/note/mod.rs
index 7c85e86..81537dd 100644
--- a/crates/notedeck_ui/src/note/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/notedeck_ui/src/note/mod.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ use notedeck::{
 
 pub struct NoteView<'a, 'd> {
     note_context: &'a mut NoteContext<'d>,
-    parent: Option<NoteKey>,
+    parent: Option<&'a Note<'a>>,
     note: &'a nostrdb::Note<'a>,
     flags: NoteOptions,
     jobs: &'a mut JobsCache,
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ impl<'a, 'd> NoteView<'a, 'd> {
         flags: NoteOptions,
         jobs: &'a mut JobsCache,
     ) -> Self {
-        let parent: Option<NoteKey> = None;
+        let parent: Option<&Note> = None;
 
         Self {
             note_context,
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ impl<'a, 'd> NoteView<'a, 'd> {
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    pub fn parent(mut self, parent: NoteKey) -> Self {
+    pub fn parent(mut self, parent: &'a Note<'a>) -> Self {
         self.parent = Some(parent);
         self
     }
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@ impl<'a, 'd> NoteView<'a, 'd> {
                 self.note_context,
                 txn,
                 self.note,
+                self.parent,
                 self.flags,
                 self.jobs,
             ));
@@ -425,8 +426,14 @@ impl<'a, 'd> NoteView<'a, 'd> {
                 });
             }
 
-            let mut contents =
-                NoteContents::new(self.note_context, txn, self.note, self.flags, self.jobs);
+            let mut contents = NoteContents::new(
+                self.note_context,
+                txn,
+                self.note,
+                self.parent,
+                self.flags,
+                self.jobs,
+            );
 
             ui.add(&mut contents);
 
@@ -519,8 +526,14 @@ impl<'a, 'd> NoteView<'a, 'd> {
                     });
                 }
 
-                let mut contents =
-                    NoteContents::new(self.note_context, txn, self.note, self.flags, self.jobs);
+                let mut contents = NoteContents::new(
+                    self.note_context,
+                    txn,
+                    self.note,
+                    self.parent,
+                    self.flags,
+                    self.jobs,
+                );
                 ui.add(&mut contents);
 
                 note_action = contents.action.or(note_action);
@@ -564,7 +577,12 @@ impl<'a, 'd> NoteView<'a, 'd> {
             .ndb
             .get_profile_by_pubkey(txn, self.note.pubkey());
 
-        let hitbox_id = note_hitbox_id(note_key, self.options(), self.parent);
+        let hitbox_id = note_hitbox_id(
+            note_key,
+            self.options(),
+            self.parent
+                .map(|n| n.key().expect("todo: support non-db notes")),
+        );
         let maybe_hitbox = maybe_note_hitbox(ui, hitbox_id);
 
         // wide design