diff --git a/backend/src/ingestion/youtubei.ts b/backend/src/ingestion/youtubei.ts
index aa80054..b45a368 100644
--- a/backend/src/ingestion/youtubei.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ingestion/youtubei.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,25 @@ export type ChatEventEmitter = EventEmitter<{
 
 const defaultTimeout = 1500;
 
+function resolveMessageRuns(item: any) {
+  const runs: { text?: string; emojiUrl?: string; emojiAlt?: string }[] = [];
+  const rawRuns = item?.message?.runs;
+  if (Array.isArray(rawRuns)) {
+    for (const run of rawRuns) {
+      if (run?.emoji) {
+        const url = run.emoji?.image?.[0]?.url;
+        runs.push({
+          emojiUrl: url,
+          emojiAlt: run.emoji?.shortcuts?.[0] || run.emoji?.emoji_id || ''
+        });
+      } else if (run?.text) {
+        runs.push({ text: String(run.text) });
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return runs;
+}
+
 export async function bootstrapInnertube(videoId: string): Promise<IngestionContext> {
   if (!videoId) {
     throw new Error('YOUTUBE_LIVE_ID is required to bootstrap Innertube');
@@ -114,7 +133,18 @@ function resolveMessageText(item: any): string {
   }
 
   if (Array.isArray(item.message?.runs)) {
-    return item.message.runs.map((run: any) => run.text ?? '').join('');
+    return item.message.runs.map((run: any) => {
+      // Handle emoji objects - for custom emojis, use the shortcut text
+      if (run.emoji) {
+        // For custom emojis, use the first shortcut (e.g., ":_heçkır:")
+        if (run.emoji.is_custom && run.emoji.shortcuts?.[0]) {
+          return run.emoji.shortcuts[0];
+        }
+        // For standard emojis, use emoji_id (e.g., "❤")
+        return run.emoji.emoji_id || run.text || '';
+      }
+      return run.text ?? '';
+    }).join('');
   }
 
   return '';
@@ -141,15 +171,16 @@ function extractBadges(item: any): Badge[] {
 
   for (const badge of item.author.badges) {
     const label = badge.tooltip ?? badge.label ?? '';
+    const imageUrl = badge.custom_thumbnail?.[0]?.url;
     
     if (label.toLowerCase().includes('moderator')) {
-      badges.push({ type: 'moderator', label });
+      badges.push({ type: 'moderator', label, imageUrl });
     } else if (label.toLowerCase().includes('member')) {
-      badges.push({ type: 'member', label });
+      badges.push({ type: 'member', label, imageUrl });
     } else if (label.toLowerCase().includes('verified')) {
-      badges.push({ type: 'verified', label });
+      badges.push({ type: 'verified', label, imageUrl });
     } else if (label) {
-      badges.push({ type: 'custom', label });
+      badges.push({ type: 'custom', label, imageUrl });
     }
   }
 
@@ -164,17 +195,18 @@ function extractBadgesFromHeader(header: any): Badge[] {
   for (const badge of header.author_badges) {
     const label = badge.tooltip ?? '';
     const iconType = badge.icon_type ?? '';
+    const imageUrl = badge.custom_thumbnail?.[0]?.url;
     
     if (label.toLowerCase().includes('moderator') || iconType === 'MODERATOR') {
-      badges.push({ type: 'moderator', label });
+      badges.push({ type: 'moderator', label, imageUrl });
     } else if (label.toLowerCase().includes('member')) {
-      badges.push({ type: 'member', label });
+      badges.push({ type: 'member', label, imageUrl });
     } else if (label.toLowerCase().includes('verified') || iconType === 'VERIFIED') {
-      badges.push({ type: 'verified', label });
+      badges.push({ type: 'verified', label, imageUrl });
     } else if (iconType === 'OWNER') {
-      badges.push({ type: 'custom', label: label || 'Owner' });
+      badges.push({ type: 'custom', label: label || 'Owner', imageUrl });
     } else if (label) {
-      badges.push({ type: 'custom', label });
+      badges.push({ type: 'custom', label, imageUrl });
     }
   }
 
@@ -300,13 +332,25 @@ function normalizeAction(action: any): ChatMessage | null {
     const isMember = badges.some(b => b.type === 'member');
     const isVerified = badges.some(b => b.type === 'verified');
     
-    // Extract membership level for new members and milestones
+    // Extract membership level for new members, upgrades, and milestones
     let membershipLevel: string | undefined;
     if (isMembership) {
-      // For membership items, header_primary_text contains milestone info like "Member for 9 months"
-      membershipLevel = item.header_primary_text?.text || 
-                       item.header_primary_text?.toString() || 
-                       'New member';
+      const subtext: string = item.header_subtext?.text || '';
+      const primaryText: string = item.header_primary_text?.text || '';
+
+      // Try to capture level name from common phrases
+      // e.g., "Welcome to User!" => "User"
+      // e.g., "Upgraded membership to Superuser!" => "Superuser"
+      let levelFromSub: string | undefined;
+      const welcomeMatch = subtext.match(/Welcome to\s+(.+?)!/i);
+      const upgradeMatch = subtext.match(/Upgraded membership to\s+(.+?)!/i);
+      if (welcomeMatch?.[1]) {
+        levelFromSub = welcomeMatch[1].trim();
+      } else if (upgradeMatch?.[1]) {
+        levelFromSub = upgradeMatch[1].trim();
+      }
+
+      membershipLevel = levelFromSub || primaryText || 'New member';
     } else if (isGiftPurchase) {
       // For gift purchases, we don't need membership level
       membershipLevel = undefined;
@@ -339,12 +383,19 @@ function normalizeAction(action: any): ChatMessage | null {
       ? item.header?.author_photo?.[0]?.url
       : item.author?.thumbnails?.[0]?.url;
     
+    // Build text with fallback: if no user message, show header subtext/primary for membership events
+    const resolvedText = resolveMessageText(item);
+    const membershipFallbackText = isMembership
+      ? (item.header_subtext?.text || item.header_primary_text?.text || '')
+      : '';
+
     return {
       id: String(item.id ?? item.timestamp_usec ?? Date.now()),
       author: authorName,
       authorPhoto,
       authorChannelId: authorChannelId ? String(authorChannelId) : undefined,
-      text: resolveMessageText(item),
+      text: resolvedText || membershipFallbackText,
+      runs: (() => { const r = resolveMessageRuns(item); return r.length ? r : undefined; })(),
       publishedAt: resolveTimestamp(item.timestamp ?? item.timestamp_usec),
       badges: badges.length > 0 ? badges : undefined,
       isModerator,
diff --git a/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx b/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
index 44eecbe..0c728e4 100644
--- a/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
+++ b/client/app/dashboard/page.tsx
@@ -414,10 +414,14 @@ function ChatListPanel({ messages, renderItem, emptyState }: ChatListPanelProps)
   useEffect(() => {
     const node = scrollRef.current;
     if (node && wasAtBottomRef.current) {
-      // Use requestAnimationFrame to ensure DOM has updated
-      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-        node.scrollTop = node.scrollHeight;
-      });
+      // Use setTimeout with requestAnimationFrame for more reliable scrolling
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+          if (node && wasAtBottomRef.current) {
+            node.scrollTop = node.scrollHeight;
+          }
+        });
+      }, 0);
     }
   }, [messages]);
 
@@ -445,11 +449,15 @@ function ChatItem({ message, isSelected, onSelect }: ChatItemProps) {
             )}
             <span className="chatItem__author">{message.author}</span>
             {message.badges && message.badges.map((badge, i) => (
-              <span key={i} className={`badge badge--${badge.type}`} title={badge.label}>
-                {badge.type === 'moderator' && '🛡️'}
-                {badge.type === 'member' && '⭐'}
-                {badge.type === 'verified' && '✓'}
-              </span>
+              badge.imageUrl ? (
+                <img key={i} src={badge.imageUrl} alt={badge.label} className="badge badge--image" title={badge.label} />
+              ) : (
+                <span key={i} className={`badge badge--${badge.type}`} title={badge.label}>
+                  {badge.type === 'moderator' && '🛡️'}
+                  {badge.type === 'member' && '⭐'}
+                  {badge.type === 'verified' && '✓'}
+                </span>
+              )
             ))}
             {message.superChat && (
               <span className="chatItem__superchat-inline" style={{ backgroundColor: message.superChat.color }}>
@@ -460,7 +468,17 @@ function ChatItem({ message, isSelected, onSelect }: ChatItemProps) {
           <time className="chatItem__time">{new Date(message.publishedAt).toLocaleTimeString()}</time>
         </div>
       </div>
-      <p className="chatItem__text">{message.text}</p>
+      {message.runs?.length ? (
+        <p className="chatItem__text">
+          {message.runs.map((r, i) =>
+            r.emojiUrl ? (
+              <img key={i} src={r.emojiUrl} alt={r.emojiAlt || 'emoji'} className="chatItem__emoji" />
+            ) : (
+              <span key={i}>{r.text}</span>
+            )
+          )}
+        </p>
+      ) : message.text && <p className="chatItem__text">{message.text}</p>}
     </button>
   );
 }
@@ -485,7 +503,17 @@ function MemberItem({ message, isSelected, onSelect }: ChatItemProps) {
           <time className="memberItem__time">{new Date(message.publishedAt).toLocaleTimeString()}</time>
         </div>
       </div>
-      {message.text && <p className="memberItem__text">{message.text}</p>}
+      {message.runs?.length ? (
+        <p className="memberItem__text">
+          {message.runs.map((r, i) =>
+            r.emojiUrl ? (
+              <img key={i} src={r.emojiUrl} alt={r.emojiAlt || 'emoji'} className="memberItem__emoji" />
+            ) : (
+              <span key={i}>{r.text}</span>
+            )
+          )}
+        </p>
+      ) : message.text && <p className="memberItem__text">{message.text}</p>}
     </button>
   );
 }
diff --git a/client/app/globals.css b/client/app/globals.css
index 4de4bf8..2ee0f0b 100644
--- a/client/app/globals.css
+++ b/client/app/globals.css
@@ -729,11 +729,19 @@ main {
   font-size: 0.85rem;
   padding: 0.15rem 0.4rem;
   border-radius: 4px;
+  font-weight: 600;
   display: inline-flex;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 0.25rem;
 }
 
+.badge--image {
+  width: 16px;
+  height: 16px;
+  padding: 0;
+  border-radius: 2px;
+}
+
 .badge--moderator {
   background: rgba(239, 68, 68, 0.2);
   color: #fca5a5;
@@ -964,6 +972,30 @@ main {
   font-size: 0.9rem;
 }
 
+.overlay__badge--image {
+  width: 20px;
+  height: 20px;
+  border-radius: 2px;
+}
+
+/* Inline emoji images */
+.overlay__emoji {
+  width: 1.2em;
+  height: 1.2em;
+  vertical-align: -0.2em;
+  margin: 0 0.08em;
+  display: inline-block;
+}
+
+.chatItem__emoji,
+.memberItem__emoji {
+  width: 1.1em;
+  height: 1.1em;
+  vertical-align: -0.2em;
+  margin: 0 0.06em;
+  display: inline-block;
+}
+
 .overlay__superchat,
 .overlay__membership {
   padding: 0.6rem 1rem;
diff --git a/client/app/overlay/page.tsx b/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
index 0854ba4..9db5c1c 100644
--- a/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
+++ b/client/app/overlay/page.tsx
@@ -79,7 +79,17 @@ export default function OverlayPage() {
                   {message.superChat.currency}{message.superChat.currency ? ' ' : ''}{message.superChat.amount}
                 </span>
               </div>
-              {message.text && (
+              {message.runs?.length ? (
+                <p className="overlay__superchat-text">
+                  {message.runs.map((r, i) =>
+                    r.emojiUrl ? (
+                      <img key={i} src={r.emojiUrl} alt={r.emojiAlt || 'emoji'} className="overlay__emoji" />
+                    ) : (
+                      <span key={i}>{r.text}</span>
+                    )
+                  )}
+                </p>
+              ) : message.text && (
                 <p className="overlay__superchat-text">{message.text}</p>
               )}
             </>
@@ -99,7 +109,17 @@ export default function OverlayPage() {
                   </span>
                 </div>
               </div>
-              {message.text && (
+              {message.runs?.length ? (
+                <p className="overlay__membership-text">
+                  {message.runs.map((r, i) =>
+                    r.emojiUrl ? (
+                      <img key={i} src={r.emojiUrl} alt={r.emojiAlt || 'emoji'} className="overlay__emoji" />
+                    ) : (
+                      <span key={i}>{r.text}</span>
+                    )
+                  )}
+                </p>
+              ) : message.text && (
                 <p className="overlay__membership-text">{message.text}</p>
               )}
             </>
@@ -113,16 +133,30 @@ export default function OverlayPage() {
                   <div className="overlay__authorLine">
                     <span className="overlay__author">{message.author}</span>
                     {message.badges && message.badges.map((badge, i) => (
-                      <span key={i} className={`overlay__badge overlay__badge--${badge.type}`} title={badge.label}>
-                        {badge.type === 'moderator' && '🛡️'}
-                        {badge.type === 'member' && '⭐'}
-                        {badge.type === 'verified' && '✓'}
-                      </span>
+                      badge.imageUrl ? (
+                        <img key={i} src={badge.imageUrl} alt={badge.label} className="overlay__badge overlay__badge--image" title={badge.label} />
+                      ) : (
+                        <span key={i} className={`overlay__badge overlay__badge--${badge.type}`} title={badge.label}>
+                          {badge.type === 'moderator' && '🛡️'}
+                          {badge.type === 'member' && '⭐'}
+                          {badge.type === 'verified' && '✓'}
+                        </span>
+                      )
                     ))}
                   </div>
                 </div>
               </div>
-              {message.text && (
+              {message.runs?.length ? (
+                <p className="overlay__text">
+                  {message.runs.map((r, i) =>
+                    r.emojiUrl ? (
+                      <img key={i} src={r.emojiUrl} alt={r.emojiAlt || 'emoji'} className="overlay__emoji" />
+                    ) : (
+                      <span key={i}>{r.text}</span>
+                    )
+                  )}
+                </p>
+              ) : message.text && (
                 <p className="overlay__text">{message.text}</p>
               )}
             </>
diff --git a/shared/chat.ts b/shared/chat.ts
index 597e692..519033a 100644
--- a/shared/chat.ts
+++ b/shared/chat.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ export type Badge = {
   type: 'moderator' | 'member' | 'verified' | 'custom';
   label?: string;
   icon?: string;
+  imageUrl?: string; // For custom membership badges
 };
 
 export type SuperChatInfo = {
@@ -10,12 +11,19 @@ export type SuperChatInfo = {
   color: string;
 };
 
+export type MessageRun = {
+  text?: string;
+  emojiUrl?: string;
+  emojiAlt?: string;
+};
+
 export type ChatMessage = {
   id: string;
   author: string;
   authorPhoto?: string;
   authorChannelId?: string;
   text: string;
+  runs?: MessageRun[]; // structured runs for emojis
   publishedAt: string;
   badges?: Badge[];
   isModerator?: boolean;