diff --git a/src/components/post-form/__tests__/post-form.test.tsx b/src/components/post-form/__tests__/post-form.test.tsx
index b49ee26e..df75db77 100644
--- a/src/components/post-form/__tests__/post-form.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/post-form/__tests__/post-form.test.tsx
@@ -936,9 +936,6 @@ describe('PostForm', () => {
 
     expect(testState.publishPostMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       content: 'memeflag post',
-      challengeRequest: {
-        challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:pol:AC'],
-      },
       flairs: [{ type: 'pol', code: 'AC', text: 'flag:pol:AC' }],
     });
   });
diff --git a/src/components/reply-modal/__tests__/reply-modal.test.tsx b/src/components/reply-modal/__tests__/reply-modal.test.tsx
index 3024d254..35e9dc8d 100644
--- a/src/components/reply-modal/__tests__/reply-modal.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/reply-modal/__tests__/reply-modal.test.tsx
@@ -601,9 +601,6 @@ describe('ReplyModal', () => {
 
     expect(testState.publishReplyMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       content: 'reply body',
-      challengeRequest: {
-        challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:pol:AC'],
-      },
       flairs: [{ type: 'pol', code: 'AC', text: 'flag:pol:AC' }],
     });
   });
diff --git a/src/hooks/__tests__/use-publish-reply.test.tsx b/src/hooks/__tests__/use-publish-reply.test.tsx
index d0547f8a..03ff194b 100644
--- a/src/hooks/__tests__/use-publish-reply.test.tsx
+++ b/src/hooks/__tests__/use-publish-reply.test.tsx
@@ -231,9 +231,9 @@ describe('usePublishReply', () => {
       latestValue.setPublishReplyOptions({
         content: 'Flag reply',
         challengeRequest: {
-          challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:pol:AC'],
+          challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:country:auto'],
         },
-        flairs: [{ text: 'flag:pol:AC', type: 'pol', code: 'AC' }],
+        flairs: [{ text: 'flag:country:auto', type: 'country', code: 'auto' }],
       } as never);
     });
 
diff --git a/src/lib/__tests__/comment-flag-selection.test.ts b/src/lib/__tests__/comment-flag-selection.test.ts
index 3d49eb9b..5bd13b9a 100644
--- a/src/lib/__tests__/comment-flag-selection.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/__tests__/comment-flag-selection.test.ts
@@ -126,17 +126,18 @@ describe('comment-flag-selection', () => {
     expect(getCommentFlagRequestFromSelection('none')).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
-  it('publishes selected flags as signed comment flairs and challenge answers', () => {
+  it('publishes geographic flags as challenge-backed comment flairs', () => {
     expect(getCommentFlagPublishOptionsFromSelection('country:auto')).toEqual({
       challengeRequest: {
         challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:country:auto'],
       },
       flairs: [{ type: 'country', code: 'auto', text: 'flag:country:auto' }],
     });
+  });
+
+  it('publishes board-choice flags as regular comment flairs without a challenge request', () => {
     expect(getCommentFlagPublishOptionsFromSelection('pony:AJ')).toEqual({
-      challengeRequest: {
-        challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:pony:AJ'],
-      },
+      challengeRequest: undefined,
       flairs: [{ type: 'pony', code: 'AJ', text: 'flag:pony:AJ' }],
     });
   });
diff --git a/src/lib/comment-flag-selection.ts b/src/lib/comment-flag-selection.ts
index 2ba3d15d..0736e445 100644
--- a/src/lib/comment-flag-selection.ts
+++ b/src/lib/comment-flag-selection.ts
@@ -133,9 +133,12 @@ export const getCommentFlagPublishOptionsFromSelection = (value: string | undefi
   const flag = getCommentFlagRequestFromSelection(value);
   return flag
     ? {
-        challengeRequest: {
-          challengeAnswers: [`${FLAG_CHALLENGE_ANSWER_PREFIX}${flag.text}`],
-        },
+        challengeRequest:
+          flag.type === 'country'
+            ? {
+                challengeAnswers: [`${FLAG_CHALLENGE_ANSWER_PREFIX}${flag.text}`],
+              }
+            : undefined,
         flairs: [flag],
       }
     : {
diff --git a/src/stores/__tests__/publish-stores.test.ts b/src/stores/__tests__/publish-stores.test.ts
index 2456dfde..0d57de45 100644
--- a/src/stores/__tests__/publish-stores.test.ts
+++ b/src/stores/__tests__/publish-stores.test.ts
@@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ describe('publish stores', () => {
       spoiler: false,
       communityAddress: 'music-posting.eth',
       challengeRequest: {
-        challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:pol:AC'],
+        challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:country:auto'],
       },
-      flairs: [{ text: 'flag:pol:AC', type: 'pol', code: 'AC' }],
+      flairs: [{ text: 'flag:country:auto', type: 'country', code: 'auto' }],
     };
 
     usePublishReplyStore.getState().setPublishReplyStore(comment);
@@ -111,9 +111,9 @@ describe('publish stores', () => {
     expect(state.publishCommentOptions['parent-1']?.parentCid).toBe('parent-1');
     expect(state.publishCommentOptions['parent-1']?.postCid).toBe('parent-1');
     expect(state.publishCommentOptions['parent-1']?.challengeRequest).toEqual({
-      challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:pol:AC'],
+      challengeAnswers: ['bitsocial-flags:5chan:flag:country:auto'],
     });
-    expect(state.publishCommentOptions['parent-1']?.flairs).toEqual([{ text: 'flag:pol:AC', type: 'pol', code: 'AC' }]);
+    expect(state.publishCommentOptions['parent-1']?.flairs).toEqual([{ text: 'flag:country:auto', type: 'country', code: 'auto' }]);
 
     state.publishCommentOptions['parent-1']?.onChallengeVerification?.({ token: 'challenge' } as never, comment);
     expect(testState.alertChallengeVerificationFailedMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ token: 'challenge' }, comment);