diff --git a/assets/shaders/character.frag.spv b/assets/shaders/character.frag.spv
index f970ac7c..43789272 100644
Binary files a/assets/shaders/character.frag.spv and b/assets/shaders/character.frag.spv differ
diff --git a/include/game/game_handler.hpp b/include/game/game_handler.hpp
index a121d440..8aceba15 100644
--- a/include/game/game_handler.hpp
+++ b/include/game/game_handler.hpp
@@ -606,7 +606,16 @@ public:
     bool isAfk() const { return afkStatus_; }
     bool isDnd() const { return dndStatus_; }
     void replyToLastWhisper(const std::string& message);
-    std::string getLastWhisperSender() const { return lastWhisperSender_; }
+    std::string getLastWhisperSender() const {
+        if (!lastWhisperSender_.empty()) return lastWhisperSender_;
+        // Name may not have been cached when whisper arrived — resolve from GUID
+        if (lastWhisperSenderGuid_ != 0) {
+            const auto& cache = getPlayerNameCache();
+            auto it = cache.find(lastWhisperSenderGuid_);
+            if (it != cache.end()) return it->second;
+        }
+        return "";
+    }
     void setLastWhisperSender(const std::string& name) { lastWhisperSender_ = name; }
 
     // Party/Raid management
@@ -2436,6 +2445,7 @@ private:
     std::string afkMessage_;
     std::string dndMessage_;
     std::string lastWhisperSender_;
+    uint64_t lastWhisperSenderGuid_ = 0;
 
     // ---- Online item tracking ----
     struct OnlineItemInfo {
diff --git a/src/game/chat_handler.cpp b/src/game/chat_handler.cpp
index ec9d6e46..0c3dcd83 100644
--- a/src/game/chat_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/chat_handler.cpp
@@ -255,15 +255,22 @@ void ChatHandler::handleMessageChat(network::Packet& packet) {
     }
 
     // Track whisper sender for /r command
-    if (data.type == ChatType::WHISPER && !data.senderName.empty()) {
-        owner_.lastWhisperSender_ = data.senderName;
+    if (data.type == ChatType::WHISPER) {
+        // Always store GUID so getLastWhisperSender() can resolve the name
+        // from the player name cache even if name wasn't available yet
+        if (data.senderGuid != 0)
+            owner_.lastWhisperSenderGuid_ = data.senderGuid;
+        if (!data.senderName.empty())
+            owner_.lastWhisperSender_ = data.senderName;
 
-        if (owner_.afkStatus_ && !data.senderName.empty()) {
-            std::string reply = owner_.afkMessage_.empty() ? "Away from Keyboard" : owner_.afkMessage_;
-            sendChatMessage(ChatType::WHISPER, "<AFK> " + reply, data.senderName);
-        } else if (owner_.dndStatus_ && !data.senderName.empty()) {
-            std::string reply = owner_.dndMessage_.empty() ? "Do Not Disturb" : owner_.dndMessage_;
-            sendChatMessage(ChatType::WHISPER, "<DND> " + reply, data.senderName);
+        if (!data.senderName.empty()) {
+            if (owner_.afkStatus_) {
+                std::string reply = owner_.afkMessage_.empty() ? "Away from Keyboard" : owner_.afkMessage_;
+                sendChatMessage(ChatType::WHISPER, "<AFK> " + reply, data.senderName);
+            } else if (owner_.dndStatus_) {
+                std::string reply = owner_.dndMessage_.empty() ? "Do Not Disturb" : owner_.dndMessage_;
+                sendChatMessage(ChatType::WHISPER, "<DND> " + reply, data.senderName);
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/game/entity_controller.cpp b/src/game/entity_controller.cpp
index 6a9cc826..f788fca3 100644
--- a/src/game/entity_controller.cpp
+++ b/src/game/entity_controller.cpp
@@ -1988,6 +1988,11 @@ void EntityController::handleNameQueryResponse(network::Packet& packet) {
             }
         }
 
+        // Backfill whisper reply target if the name arrived after the whisper.
+        if (owner_.lastWhisperSenderGuid_ == data.guid && owner_.lastWhisperSender_.empty()) {
+            owner_.lastWhisperSender_ = data.name;
+        }
+
         // Backfill mail inbox sender names
         for (auto& mail : owner_.mailInbox_) {
             if (mail.messageType == 0 && mail.senderGuid == data.guid) {