diff --git a/src/app/components/message/layout/Channel.css.ts b/src/app/components/message/layout/Channel.css.ts
index aa197f9c..ce194186 100644
--- a/src/app/components/message/layout/Channel.css.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/message/layout/Channel.css.ts
@@ -169,6 +169,10 @@ globalStyle(
   `${ChannelRow}[data-bubble="true"][data-own="false"] ${ChannelMessageBody}`,
   {
     borderRadius: `${config.radii.R500} ${config.radii.R500} ${config.radii.R500} ${toRem(4)}`,
+    // Peer (not-own) bubble bg — matches Stream layout's `peerBg`
+    // variant. Covers channels main timeline AND thread drawer
+    // (both pass `headerInBubble`, so `data-bubble="true"` fires).
+    backgroundColor: 'var(--vojo-peer-bubble-bg)',
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/src/app/components/message/layout/Stream.tsx b/src/app/components/message/layout/Stream.tsx
index 6da75a66..0a9c8664 100644
--- a/src/app/components/message/layout/Stream.tsx
+++ b/src/app/components/message/layout/Stream.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ export type StreamLayoutProps = {
   dotColor: string;
   dotOpacity: number;
   isOwn?: boolean;
+  // Peer (not-own) bubble bg — caller passes `!isOwn` so every
+  // «чужое» сообщение reshades to `--vojo-peer-bubble-bg`. Applies
+  // in 1-1 DMs, groups, channels alike. No effect for own messages.
+  peerBg?: boolean;
   compact?: boolean;
   header?: ReactNode;
   railStart?: boolean;
@@ -100,6 +104,7 @@ export const StreamLayout = as<'div', StreamLayoutProps>(
       dotColor,
       dotOpacity,
       isOwn,
+      peerBg,
       compact,
       header,
       railStart,
@@ -169,6 +174,7 @@ export const StreamLayout = as<'div', StreamLayoutProps>(
             className={css.StreamBubble({
               own: !!isOwn,
               compact: !!compact,
+              peerBg: !!peerBg,
               mediaMode: !!mediaMode,
             })}
             ref={bubbleRef}
diff --git a/src/app/components/message/layout/layout.css.ts b/src/app/components/message/layout/layout.css.ts
index 9f422639..07b92ea8 100644
--- a/src/app/components/message/layout/layout.css.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/message/layout/layout.css.ts
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ export const StreamRail = style({
   left: '50%',
   transform: 'translateX(-50%)',
   width: StreamRailLineWidth,
-  background: color.Surface.Container,
+  background: 'var(--vojo-timeline-rail)',
   pointerEvents: 'none',
   zIndex: 0,
 });
@@ -452,6 +452,14 @@ export const StreamBubble = recipe({
         paddingRight: toRem(15),
       },
     },
+    // Peer (not-own) bubble bg — differentiation between «я» and
+    // «не я» across every room class. Media rows neutralize this via
+    // the `peerBg + mediaMode` compound below (order-independent).
+    peerBg: {
+      true: {
+        backgroundColor: 'var(--vojo-peer-bubble-bg)',
+      },
+    },
     // Image messages: bubble becomes a transparent shell so the
     // StreamMediaImage child supplies the visible chrome instead.
     // `display: block, width: 100%` (NOT fit-content) so the bubble has a
@@ -471,9 +479,21 @@ export const StreamBubble = recipe({
       },
     },
   },
+  // Compound overrides — emitted after all variant classes, so they
+  // win the cascade regardless of variant declaration order. Keeps
+  // peer image / video bubbles transparent (the StreamMediaImage
+  // child supplies the chrome) even though `peerBg` would otherwise
+  // paint `--vojo-peer-bubble-bg` underneath.
+  compoundVariants: [
+    {
+      variants: { peerBg: true, mediaMode: true },
+      style: { backgroundColor: 'transparent' },
+    },
+  ],
   defaultVariants: {
     own: false,
     compact: false,
+    peerBg: false,
     mediaMode: false,
   },
 });
@@ -631,7 +651,7 @@ export const StreamDayLineWrap = style({
 export const StreamDayLineSegment = style({
   flex: 1,
   height: 1,
-  background: color.Surface.Container,
+  background: 'var(--vojo-timeline-rail)',
   minWidth: toRem(8),
 });
 
diff --git a/src/app/features/room/message/CallMessage.tsx b/src/app/features/room/message/CallMessage.tsx
index 9b72004e..e6eb1c33 100644
--- a/src/app/features/room/message/CallMessage.tsx
+++ b/src/app/features/room/message/CallMessage.tsx
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ export function CallMessage({
 
   const senderId = aggregate.anchorSenderId;
   const isOwnMessage = !!mx.getUserId() && senderId === mx.getUserId();
+  const peerBg = !isOwnMessage;
   const senderName =
     getMemberDisplayName(room, senderId) || getMxIdLocalPart(senderId) || senderId;
 
@@ -220,6 +221,7 @@ export function CallMessage({
           dotColor={dot.color}
           dotOpacity={dot.opacity}
           isOwn={isOwnMessage}
+          peerBg={peerBg}
           compact={isMobile}
           railStart={streamRailStart}
           railEnd={streamRailEnd}
diff --git a/src/app/features/room/message/Message.tsx b/src/app/features/room/message/Message.tsx
index f312ba04..14df89cb 100644
--- a/src/app/features/room/message/Message.tsx
+++ b/src/app/features/room/message/Message.tsx
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ export const Message = as<'div', MessageProps>(
     const [menuAnchor, setMenuAnchor] = useState<RectCords>();
     const [emojiBoardAnchor, setEmojiBoardAnchor] = useState<RectCords>();
 
-    const isOwnMessage = senderId === mx.getUserId();
+    const isOwnMessage = !!mx.getUserId() && senderId === mx.getUserId();
     const senderDisplayName =
       getMemberDisplayName(room, senderId) ?? getMxIdLocalPart(senderId) ?? senderId;
 
@@ -774,6 +774,7 @@ export const Message = as<'div', MessageProps>(
     const dot = useDotColor(room, mEvent, true, hideReadReceipts);
     const screenSize = useScreenSizeContext();
     const isMobile = screenSize === ScreenSize.Mobile;
+    const peerBg = !isOwnMessage;
 
     // msgType comes from the parent — RoomTimeline reads
     // `mEvent.getContent().msgtype` synchronously and re-evaluates inside
@@ -1200,6 +1201,7 @@ export const Message = as<'div', MessageProps>(
             dotColor={dot.color}
             dotOpacity={dot.opacity}
             isOwn={isOwnMessage}
+            peerBg={peerBg}
             compact={isMobile}
             railStart={streamRailStart}
             railEnd={streamRailEnd}
diff --git a/src/app/features/room/message/SyslineMessage.tsx b/src/app/features/room/message/SyslineMessage.tsx
index d60620a7..fc073f3b 100644
--- a/src/app/features/room/message/SyslineMessage.tsx
+++ b/src/app/features/room/message/SyslineMessage.tsx
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export function SyslineMessage({
 
   const senderId = mEvent.getSender() ?? '';
   const isOwnMessage = !!mx.getUserId() && senderId === mx.getUserId();
+  const peerBg = !isOwnMessage;
   const senderName =
     getMemberDisplayName(room, senderId) || getMxIdLocalPart(senderId) || senderId;
 
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ export function SyslineMessage({
           dotColor={dot.color}
           dotOpacity={dot.opacity}
           isOwn={isOwnMessage}
+          peerBg={peerBg}
           compact={isMobile}
           railStart={streamRailStart}
           railEnd={streamRailEnd}
diff --git a/src/index.css b/src/index.css
index 550614f9..4a37bea6 100644
--- a/src/index.css
+++ b/src/index.css
@@ -21,6 +21,15 @@
      default is the light-theme value; `.dark-theme` overrides below. */
   --vojo-horseshoe-void: #d6d6e3;
 
+  /* Peer (not-own) bubble bg — every «чужое» message reshades to
+     this, in 1-1 DMs, groups, channels alike. Light: slight off-white
+     step from #ffffff. Dark override below. */
+  --vojo-peer-bubble-bg: #f5f5fa;
+  /* Stream timeline rail (vertical line through dots) + day-divider
+     horizontal segments. Light: hairline cool-grey; dark overrides
+     below. */
+  --vojo-timeline-rail: #e8e8f2;
+
   --font-emoji: 'Twemoji_DISABLED';
   --font-secondary: 'InterVariable', var(--font-emoji), sans-serif;
 }
@@ -39,6 +48,9 @@
 
   --vojo-horseshoe-void: #090909;
 
+  --vojo-peer-bubble-bg: #090909;
+  --vojo-timeline-rail: #000000;
+
   --font-secondary: 'InterVariable', var(--font-emoji), sans-serif;
 }