diff --git a/neode-ui/src/components/federation/PeerRequestModal.vue b/neode-ui/src/components/federation/PeerRequestModal.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e063dcdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/neode-ui/src/components/federation/PeerRequestModal.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+<template>
+  <BaseModal
+    :show="show"
+    title="Request to Peer"
+    max-width="max-w-md"
+    :z-index="'z-[3200]'"
+    @close="$emit('cancel')"
+  >
+    <p class="text-white/70 text-sm mb-1">
+      Send a connection request to
+      <span class="text-white font-medium">{{ targetLabel }}</span>
+    </p>
+    <p class="text-white/45 text-xs mb-4">
+      They'll see your request and approve or decline it. Approved peers connect
+      at the Peer level — never trusted automatically.
+    </p>
+
+    <label class="block text-xs text-white/60 mb-1">Message (optional)</label>
+    <textarea
+      v-model="message"
+      rows="3"
+      maxlength="280"
+      placeholder="Hey — mind if we peer?"
+      class="w-full rounded-lg bg-white/[0.06] border border-white/10 text-white px-3 py-2 text-sm focus:outline-none focus:border-orange-400/60 resize-none"
+    ></textarea>
+    <p class="text-[11px] text-white/30 text-right mt-1">{{ message.length }}/280</p>
+
+    <div class="flex gap-2 mt-4">
+      <button class="flex-1 glass-button px-4 py-2 rounded-lg text-sm" @click="$emit('cancel')">
+        Cancel
+      </button>
+      <button
+        class="flex-1 glass-button glass-button-warning px-4 py-2 rounded-lg text-sm font-medium disabled:opacity-50"
+        :disabled="sending"
+        @click="$emit('send', message.trim() || undefined)"
+      >
+        {{ sending ? 'Sending…' : 'Send Request' }}
+      </button>
+    </div>
+  </BaseModal>
+</template>
+
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import { ref, watch } from 'vue'
+import BaseModal from '@/components/BaseModal.vue'
+
+const props = defineProps<{
+  show: boolean
+  targetLabel: string
+  sending?: boolean
+}>()
+
+defineEmits<{
+  send: [message: string | undefined]
+  cancel: []
+}>()
+
+const message = ref('')
+
+watch(
+  () => props.show,
+  (visible) => {
+    if (visible) message.value = ''
+  },
+)
+</script>
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/federation/DiscoverModal.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/federation/DiscoverModal.vue
index 807b6480..703bceaa 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/federation/DiscoverModal.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/federation/DiscoverModal.vue
@@ -100,12 +100,21 @@
         </div>
       </div>
     </Transition>
+
+    <PeerRequestModal
+      :show="requestTarget !== null"
+      :target-label="requestTarget?.label ?? ''"
+      :sending="sendingTo !== null && sendingTo === requestTarget?.target"
+      @send="confirmRequest"
+      @cancel="requestTarget = null"
+    />
   </Teleport>
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { ref, watch } from 'vue'
 import { rpcClient, type PendingPeerRequest } from '@/api/rpc-client'
+import PeerRequestModal from '@/components/federation/PeerRequestModal.vue'
 
 interface DiscoverableNode {
   nostr_pubkey: string
@@ -156,22 +165,33 @@ async function refresh() {
   }
 }
 
-async function sendTo(node: DiscoverableNode) {
-  await sendInternal(node.nostr_pubkey)
+// Request confirmation modal: peer requests always offer an optional
+// message before anything is sent (Request/Cancel).
+const requestTarget = ref<{ target: string; label: string; clearManual: boolean } | null>(null)
+
+function sendTo(node: DiscoverableNode) {
+  requestTarget.value = { target: node.nostr_pubkey, label: shortNpub(node.nostr_npub), clearManual: false }
 }
 
-async function sendDirect() {
+function sendDirect() {
   const v = manualNpub.value.trim()
   if (!v) return
-  await sendInternal(v)
-  manualNpub.value = ''
+  requestTarget.value = { target: v, label: v.length > 21 ? `${v.slice(0, 12)}…${v.slice(-6)}` : v, clearManual: true }
 }
 
-async function sendInternal(target: string) {
+async function confirmRequest(message: string | undefined) {
+  const req = requestTarget.value
+  if (!req) return
+  await sendInternal(req.target, message)
+  if (req.clearManual) manualNpub.value = ''
+  requestTarget.value = null
+}
+
+async function sendInternal(target: string, message?: string) {
   sendingTo.value = target
   error.value = ''
   try {
-    await rpcClient.handshakeConnect(target)
+    await rpcClient.handshakeConnect(target, message)
     emit('sent')
   } catch (e: unknown) {
     error.value = e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Send failed'
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5NodeVisibility.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5NodeVisibility.vue
index b2f848af..0574e5e9 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5NodeVisibility.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5NodeVisibility.vue
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
           <button
             class="px-3 py-1.5 glass-button glass-button-sm rounded text-xs text-white/90 hover:text-white disabled:opacity-50 shrink-0"
             :disabled="requestingPeer === node.nostr_pubkey || requestedPeers.has(node.nostr_pubkey)"
-            @click="requestToPeer(node)"
+            @click="requestModalTarget = node"
           >
             {{ requestedPeers.has(node.nostr_pubkey) ? 'Requested' : requestingPeer === node.nostr_pubkey ? 'Sending…' : 'Request to Peer' }}
           </button>
@@ -99,6 +99,14 @@
     <p v-if="discoverEnabled" class="mt-3 text-xs text-amber-400/80">
       {{ t('web5.discoverableWarning') }}
     </p>
+
+    <PeerRequestModal
+      :show="requestModalTarget !== null"
+      :target-label="requestModalTarget ? shortNpub(requestModalTarget.nostr_npub) : ''"
+      :sending="requestingPeer !== null"
+      @send="confirmPeerRequest"
+      @cancel="requestModalTarget = null"
+    />
   </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -107,6 +115,7 @@ import { ref } from 'vue'
 import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n'
 import { rpcClient } from '@/api/rpc-client'
 import ToggleSwitch from '@/components/ToggleSwitch.vue'
+import PeerRequestModal from '@/components/federation/PeerRequestModal.vue'
 import { safeClipboardWrite } from './utils'
 import type { VisibilityLevel } from './types'
 
@@ -203,13 +212,22 @@ async function discoverNodes() {
   }
 }
 
-async function requestToPeer(node: DiscoverableNode) {
+const requestModalTarget = ref<DiscoverableNode | null>(null)
+
+async function confirmPeerRequest(message: string | undefined) {
+  const node = requestModalTarget.value
+  if (!node) return
+  await requestToPeer(node, message)
+  requestModalTarget.value = null
+}
+
+async function requestToPeer(node: DiscoverableNode, message?: string) {
   if (requestingPeer.value) return
   requestingPeer.value = node.nostr_pubkey
   try {
     // Connection requests always land as Peer (observer) on approval —
     // never trusted — so a mistaken request can't hand over fleet access.
-    await rpcClient.handshakeConnect(node.nostr_pubkey)
+    await rpcClient.handshakeConnect(node.nostr_pubkey, message)
     requestedPeers.value.add(node.nostr_pubkey)
     requestedPeers.value = new Set(requestedPeers.value)
     emit('toast', 'Peer request sent — awaiting their approval')