diff --git a/src/components/comment-content/comment-content.tsx b/src/components/comment-content/comment-content.tsx
index d8c00dd5..ac412b59 100644
--- a/src/components/comment-content/comment-content.tsx
+++ b/src/components/comment-content/comment-content.tsx
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@ import styles from '../../views/post/post.module.css';
 import capitalize from 'lodash/capitalize';
 
 const QuotedCidLink = ({ cid, postCid }: { cid: string; postCid: string }) => {
+  const quotedNumber = usePostNumberStore((state) => state.cidToNumber[cid]);
   const commentFromStore = useSubplebbitsPagesStore((state) => state.comments[cid]);
   const commentFromHook = useComment({ commentCid: cid, onlyIfCached: true });
   // Prefer hook version to ensure 'number' property is populated for deeper nested replies in Virtuoso
   const quotedComment = commentFromHook?.number !== undefined ? commentFromHook : commentFromStore;
   const isOP = cid === postCid;
-  return <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={quotedComment} isOP={isOP} />;
+  const isUnavailable = !quotedComment || quotedComment.deleted || quotedComment.removed;
+
+  return <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={quotedComment} quotelinkNumber={quotedNumber} isQuotelinkUnavailable={isUnavailable} isOP={isOP} />;
 };
 
 const useScopedCidToNumber = (cids: string[]) => {
diff --git a/src/components/markdown/markdown.tsx b/src/components/markdown/markdown.tsx
index 0beac50a..20f551f4 100644
--- a/src/components/markdown/markdown.tsx
+++ b/src/components/markdown/markdown.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import styles from './markdown.module.css';
 import { Link, useLocation, useParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { canEmbed } from '../embed';
 import { is5chanLink, transform5chanLinkToInternal, isValidCrossboardPattern } from '../../lib/utils/url-utils';
+import { isUnavailableQuoteTarget } from '../../lib/utils/quote-link-utils';
 import usePostNumberStore from '../../stores/use-post-number-store';
 import useSubplebbitsPagesStore from '@bitsocialhq/bitsocial-react-hooks/dist/stores/subplebbits-pages';
 import { useComment } from '@bitsocialhq/bitsocial-react-hooks';
@@ -276,8 +277,10 @@ const NumberQuoteLink = ({ number, threadPostCid, subplebbitAddress }: { number:
   const comment = commentFromHook?.number !== undefined ? commentFromHook : commentFromStore;
   const isOP = Boolean(threadPostCid && cid === threadPostCid);
 
-  if (!comment) {
-    return <span>{`>>${number}`}</span>;
+  if (!comment || isUnavailableQuoteTarget(comment)) {
+    return (
+      <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={comment} quotelinkNumber={number} isQuotelinkUnavailable={true} isOP={isOP} showTrailingBreak={false} />
+    );
   }
 
   return <ReplyQuotePreview isQuotelinkReply={true} quotelinkReply={comment} isOP={isOP} showTrailingBreak={false} />;
diff --git a/src/components/reply-quote-preview/reply-quote-preview.tsx b/src/components/reply-quote-preview/reply-quote-preview.tsx
index 534d2a39..5d7c4f96 100644
--- a/src/components/reply-quote-preview/reply-quote-preview.tsx
+++ b/src/components/reply-quote-preview/reply-quote-preview.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { Comment, useAccount } from '@bitsocialhq/bitsocial-react-hooks';
 import { useFloating, offset, shift, size, autoUpdate, Placement } from '@floating-ui/react';
 import { useDirectories } from '../../hooks/use-directories';
 import { getBoardPath } from '../../lib/utils/route-utils';
+import { formatQuoteNumber, isUnavailableQuoteTarget, shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview } from '../../lib/utils/quote-link-utils';
 import useIsMobile from '../../hooks/use-is-mobile';
 import styles from '../../views/post/post.module.css';
 import { Post } from '../../views/post';
@@ -14,6 +15,8 @@ interface ReplyQuotePreviewProps {
   backlinkReply?: Comment;
   isQuotelinkReply?: boolean;
   quotelinkReply?: Comment;
+  quotelinkNumber?: number;
+  isQuotelinkUnavailable?: boolean;
   isOP?: boolean;
   showTrailingBreak?: boolean;
 }
@@ -80,7 +83,16 @@ const scrollToReplyOnPage = (cid: string) => {
   return true;
 };
 
-const DesktopQuotePreview = ({ backlinkReply, quotelinkReply, isBacklinkReply, isQuotelinkReply, isOP, showTrailingBreak = true }: ReplyQuotePreviewProps) => {
+const DesktopQuotePreview = ({
+  backlinkReply,
+  quotelinkReply,
+  quotelinkNumber,
+  isBacklinkReply,
+  isQuotelinkReply,
+  isQuotelinkUnavailable,
+  isOP,
+  showTrailingBreak = true,
+}: ReplyQuotePreviewProps) => {
   const [hoveredCid, setHoveredCid] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [outOfViewCid, setOutOfViewCid] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [placement, setPlacement] = useState<Placement>('right');
@@ -194,26 +206,45 @@ const DesktopQuotePreview = ({ backlinkReply, quotelinkReply, isBacklinkReply, i
 
   const account = useAccount();
 
+  const resolvedQuotelinkNumber = quotelinkReply?.number ?? quotelinkNumber;
+  const resolvedQuotelinkCid = quotelinkReply?.cid;
+  const resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress = quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress;
+  const quotelinkUnavailable = Boolean(isQuotelinkUnavailable || isUnavailableQuoteTarget(quotelinkReply));
+  const quotelinkClassName = quotelinkUnavailable ? `${styles.quoteLink} ${styles.quoteLinkUnavailable}` : styles.quoteLink;
   const quotelinkBoardPath = quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress ? getBoardPath(quotelinkReply.subplebbitAddress, directories) : undefined;
   const quotelinkRoute = quotelinkReply?.cid ? (quotelinkBoardPath ? `/${quotelinkBoardPath}/thread/${quotelinkReply.cid}` : `/thread/${quotelinkReply.cid}`) : '#';
+  const shouldShowQuotelinkPreview = shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview({
+    hoveredCid,
+    outOfViewCid,
+    quoteCid: resolvedQuotelinkCid,
+    isUnavailable: quotelinkUnavailable,
+  });
+  const quotelinkLabel = (
+    <>
+      {formatQuoteNumber(resolvedQuotelinkNumber)}
+      {isOP && ' (OP)'}
+      {quotelinkReply?.author?.address === account?.author?.address && ' (You)'}
+    </>
+  );
 
   const replyQuotelink = (
     <>
-      <Link
-        to={quotelinkRoute}
-        ref={refs.setReference}
-        className={styles.quoteLink}
-        onMouseOver={() => handleMouseOver(quotelinkReply?.cid)}
-        onMouseLeave={() => handleMouseLeave(quotelinkReply?.cid)}
-        onClick={(e) => handleClick(e, quotelinkReply?.cid, quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress, !!isOP)}
-      >
-        {`>>${quotelinkReply?.number ?? '?'}`}
-        {isOP && ' (OP)'}
-        {quotelinkReply?.author?.address === account?.author?.address && ' (You)'}
-      </Link>
+      {quotelinkUnavailable ? (
+        <span className={quotelinkClassName}>{quotelinkLabel}</span>
+      ) : (
+        <Link
+          to={quotelinkRoute}
+          ref={refs.setReference}
+          className={quotelinkClassName}
+          onMouseOver={() => handleMouseOver(resolvedQuotelinkCid)}
+          onMouseLeave={() => handleMouseLeave(resolvedQuotelinkCid)}
+          onClick={(e) => handleClick(e, resolvedQuotelinkCid, resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress, !!isOP)}
+        >
+          {quotelinkLabel}
+        </Link>
+      )}
       {showTrailingBreak && <br />}
-      {hoveredCid === quotelinkReply?.cid &&
-        outOfViewCid === quotelinkReply?.cid &&
+      {shouldShowQuotelinkPreview &&
         createPortal(
           <div className={styles.replyQuotePreview} ref={refs.setFloating} style={floatingStyles}>
             <Post post={quotelinkReply} showReplies={false} />
@@ -226,7 +257,16 @@ const DesktopQuotePreview = ({ backlinkReply, quotelinkReply, isBacklinkReply, i
   return isBacklinkReply ? replyBacklink : isQuotelinkReply && replyQuotelink;
 };
 
-const MobileQuotePreview = ({ backlinkReply, quotelinkReply, isBacklinkReply, isQuotelinkReply, isOP, showTrailingBreak = true }: ReplyQuotePreviewProps) => {
+const MobileQuotePreview = ({
+  backlinkReply,
+  quotelinkReply,
+  quotelinkNumber,
+  isBacklinkReply,
+  isQuotelinkReply,
+  isQuotelinkUnavailable,
+  isOP,
+  showTrailingBreak = true,
+}: ReplyQuotePreviewProps) => {
   const [hoveredCid, setHoveredCid] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [outOfViewCid, setOutOfViewCid] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const directories = useDirectories();
@@ -320,37 +360,48 @@ const MobileQuotePreview = ({ backlinkReply, quotelinkReply, isBacklinkReply, is
   );
 
   const account = useAccount();
+  const resolvedQuotelinkNumber = quotelinkReply?.number ?? quotelinkNumber;
+  const resolvedQuotelinkCid = quotelinkReply?.cid;
+  const resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress = quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress;
+  const quotelinkUnavailable = Boolean(isQuotelinkUnavailable || isUnavailableQuoteTarget(quotelinkReply));
+  const quotelinkClassName = quotelinkUnavailable ? `${styles.quoteLink} ${styles.quoteLinkUnavailable}` : styles.quoteLink;
+  const shouldShowQuotelinkPreview = shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview({
+    hoveredCid,
+    outOfViewCid,
+    quoteCid: resolvedQuotelinkCid,
+    isUnavailable: quotelinkUnavailable,
+  });
 
   const replyQuotelink = (
     <>
       <span
-        ref={refs.setReference}
-        className={styles.quoteLink}
-        onMouseOver={() => handleMouseOver(quotelinkReply?.cid)}
-        onMouseLeave={() => handleMouseLeave(quotelinkReply?.cid)}
+        ref={quotelinkUnavailable ? undefined : refs.setReference}
+        className={quotelinkClassName}
+        onMouseOver={quotelinkUnavailable ? undefined : () => handleMouseOver(resolvedQuotelinkCid)}
+        onMouseLeave={quotelinkUnavailable ? undefined : () => handleMouseLeave(resolvedQuotelinkCid)}
       >
-        {`>>${quotelinkReply?.number ?? '?'}`}
+        {formatQuoteNumber(resolvedQuotelinkNumber)}
         {isOP && ' (OP)'}
         {quotelinkReply?.author?.address === account?.author?.address && ' (You)'}
       </span>
-      {quotelinkReply?.number &&
+      {!quotelinkUnavailable &&
+        resolvedQuotelinkNumber &&
         (() => {
-          const quotelinkBoardPath = quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress ? getBoardPath(quotelinkReply.subplebbitAddress, directories) : undefined;
-          const quotelinkRoute = quotelinkReply?.cid
+          const quotelinkBoardPath = resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress ? getBoardPath(resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress, directories) : undefined;
+          const quotelinkRoute = resolvedQuotelinkCid
             ? quotelinkBoardPath
-              ? `/${quotelinkBoardPath}/thread/${quotelinkReply.cid}`
-              : `/thread/${quotelinkReply.cid}`
+              ? `/${quotelinkBoardPath}/thread/${resolvedQuotelinkCid}`
+              : `/thread/${resolvedQuotelinkCid}`
             : '#';
           return (
-            <Link className={styles.quoteLink} to={quotelinkRoute} onClick={(e) => handleClick(e, quotelinkReply?.cid, quotelinkReply?.subplebbitAddress, !!isOP)}>
+            <Link className={quotelinkClassName} to={quotelinkRoute} onClick={(e) => handleClick(e, resolvedQuotelinkCid, resolvedQuotelinkSubplebbitAddress, !!isOP)}>
               {' '}
               #
             </Link>
           );
         })()}
       {showTrailingBreak && <br />}
-      {hoveredCid === quotelinkReply?.cid &&
-        outOfViewCid === quotelinkReply?.cid &&
+      {shouldShowQuotelinkPreview &&
         createPortal(
           <div className={styles.replyQuotePreview} ref={refs.setFloating} style={floatingStyles}>
             <Post post={quotelinkReply} showReplies={false} />
@@ -363,15 +414,26 @@ const MobileQuotePreview = ({ backlinkReply, quotelinkReply, isBacklinkReply, is
   return isBacklinkReply ? replyBacklink : isQuotelinkReply && replyQuotelink;
 };
 
-const ReplyQuotePreview = ({ backlinkReply, quotelinkReply, isBacklinkReply, isQuotelinkReply, isOP, showTrailingBreak }: ReplyQuotePreviewProps) => {
+const ReplyQuotePreview = ({
+  backlinkReply,
+  quotelinkReply,
+  quotelinkNumber,
+  isBacklinkReply,
+  isQuotelinkReply,
+  isQuotelinkUnavailable,
+  isOP,
+  showTrailingBreak,
+}: ReplyQuotePreviewProps) => {
   const isMobile = useIsMobile();
 
   return isMobile ? (
     <MobileQuotePreview
       backlinkReply={backlinkReply}
       quotelinkReply={quotelinkReply}
+      quotelinkNumber={quotelinkNumber}
       isBacklinkReply={isBacklinkReply}
       isQuotelinkReply={isQuotelinkReply}
+      isQuotelinkUnavailable={isQuotelinkUnavailable}
       isOP={isOP}
       showTrailingBreak={showTrailingBreak}
     />
@@ -379,8 +441,10 @@ const ReplyQuotePreview = ({ backlinkReply, quotelinkReply, isBacklinkReply, isQ
     <DesktopQuotePreview
       backlinkReply={backlinkReply}
       quotelinkReply={quotelinkReply}
+      quotelinkNumber={quotelinkNumber}
       isBacklinkReply={isBacklinkReply}
       isQuotelinkReply={isQuotelinkReply}
+      isQuotelinkUnavailable={isQuotelinkUnavailable}
       isOP={isOP}
       showTrailingBreak={showTrailingBreak}
     />
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/__tests__/quote-link-utils.test.ts b/src/lib/utils/__tests__/quote-link-utils.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1642f81f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/utils/__tests__/quote-link-utils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { formatQuoteNumber, isUnavailableQuoteTarget, shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview } from '../quote-link-utils';
+
+describe('quote-link-utils', () => {
+  it('formats quote numbers with the expected prefix', () => {
+    expect(formatQuoteNumber(123)).toBe('>>123');
+    expect(formatQuoteNumber()).toBe('>>?');
+  });
+
+  it('marks deleted and removed comments as unavailable quote targets', () => {
+    expect(isUnavailableQuoteTarget(undefined)).toBe(false);
+    expect(isUnavailableQuoteTarget({ deleted: true, removed: false })).toBe(true);
+    expect(isUnavailableQuoteTarget({ deleted: false, removed: true })).toBe(true);
+    expect(isUnavailableQuoteTarget({ deleted: false, removed: false })).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('only shows floating previews for available targets that are hovered out of view', () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview({
+        hoveredCid: 'cid-1',
+        outOfViewCid: 'cid-1',
+        quoteCid: 'cid-1',
+        isUnavailable: false,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(true);
+
+    expect(
+      shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview({
+        hoveredCid: 'cid-1',
+        outOfViewCid: 'cid-1',
+        quoteCid: 'cid-1',
+        isUnavailable: true,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(false);
+
+    expect(
+      shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview({
+        hoveredCid: 'cid-1',
+        outOfViewCid: 'cid-2',
+        quoteCid: 'cid-1',
+        isUnavailable: false,
+      }),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/quote-link-utils.ts b/src/lib/utils/quote-link-utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..83a4593c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/utils/quote-link-utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import type { Comment } from '@bitsocialhq/bitsocial-react-hooks';
+
+export const formatQuoteNumber = (number?: number) => `>>${number ?? '?'}`;
+
+export const isUnavailableQuoteTarget = (comment?: Partial<Pick<Comment, 'deleted' | 'removed'>> | null) => Boolean(comment?.deleted || comment?.removed);
+
+export const shouldShowFloatingQuotePreview = ({
+  hoveredCid,
+  outOfViewCid,
+  quoteCid,
+  isUnavailable,
+}: {
+  hoveredCid: string | null;
+  outOfViewCid: string | null;
+  quoteCid?: string;
+  isUnavailable?: boolean;
+}) => Boolean(quoteCid && !isUnavailable && hoveredCid === quoteCid && outOfViewCid === quoteCid);
diff --git a/src/views/post/post.module.css b/src/views/post/post.module.css
index 1a9b8bc0..0298b931 100644
--- a/src/views/post/post.module.css
+++ b/src/views/post/post.module.css
@@ -490,6 +490,13 @@
   cursor: pointer;
 }
 
+.quoteLinkUnavailable,
+.quoteLinkUnavailable:hover {
+  color: var(--post-quotelink-text-color);
+  text-decoration: line-through;
+  cursor: default;
+}
+
 .replyMobile {
   padding-top: 7px;
   content-visibility: auto;