diff --git a/src/components/views/Board.jsx b/src/components/views/Board.jsx
index 8427ae43..7ea65060 100644
--- a/src/components/views/Board.jsx
+++ b/src/components/views/Board.jsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import React, { useState, useEffect, useRef, Fragment } from 'react';
+import React, { Fragment, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { Helmet } from 'react-helmet-async';
 import InfiniteScroll from 'react-infinite-scroller';
 import { Link, useNavigate, useParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { Tooltip } from 'react-tooltip';
-import { useFeed, usePublishComment } from '@plebbit/plebbit-react-hooks';
+import { useAccount, useAccountComments, useFeed, usePublishComment } from '@plebbit/plebbit-react-hooks';
+import { flattenCommentsPages } from '@plebbit/plebbit-react-hooks/dist/lib/utils'
 import { debounce } from 'lodash';
 import useGeneralStore from '../../hooks/stores/useGeneralStore';
 import { Container, NavBar, Header, Break, PostFormLink, PostFormTable, PostForm, TopBar, BoardForm } from '../styled/Board.styled';
@@ -19,7 +20,6 @@ import getDate from '../../utils/getDate';
 import handleAddressClick from '../../utils/handleAddressClick';
 import handleQuoteClick from '../../utils/handleQuoteClick';
 import handleStyleChange from '../../utils/handleStyleChange';
-import renderComments from '../../utils/renderComments';
 import useClickForm from '../../hooks/useClickForm';
 import useError from '../../hooks/useError';
 import packageJson from '../../../package.json'
@@ -62,6 +62,62 @@ const Board = () => {
   const [errorMessage, setErrorMessage] = useState(null);
   useError(errorMessage, [errorMessage]);
 
+  const account = useAccount();
+
+
+  const flattenedRepliesByThread = useMemo(() => {
+    return selectedFeed.reduce((acc, thread) => {
+      const replies = flattenCommentsPages(thread.replies);
+      acc[thread.cid] = replies;
+      return acc;
+    }, {});
+  }, [selectedFeed]);
+  
+
+  const allParentCids = useMemo(() => {
+    const allRepliesCids = Object.values(flattenedRepliesByThread).flatMap(replies => replies.map(reply => reply.cid));
+    const allThreadCids = selectedFeed.map(thread => thread.cid);
+    return [...allThreadCids, ...allRepliesCids];
+  }, [flattenedRepliesByThread, selectedFeed]);  
+  
+
+  const filter = useMemo(() => ({
+    parentCids: allParentCids
+  }), [allParentCids]);
+  
+
+  const { accountComments } = useAccountComments({ filter });
+  
+
+  const filteredRepliesByThread = useMemo(() => {
+    const maxRepliesPerThread = 5;
+
+    const accountRepliesNotYetInCommentReplies = selectedFeed.reduce((acc, thread) => {
+      const replyCids = new Set(flattenedRepliesByThread[thread.cid].map(reply => reply.cid));
+      acc[thread.cid] = accountComments.filter(accountReply => !replyCids.has(accountReply.cid) && accountReply.parentCid === thread.cid);
+      return acc;
+    }, {});
+
+    return selectedFeed.reduce((acc, thread) => {
+      const combinedReplies = [...flattenedRepliesByThread[thread.cid], ...accountRepliesNotYetInCommentReplies[thread.cid]].sort((a, b) => a.timestamp - b.timestamp);
+      acc[thread.cid] = {
+        displayedReplies: combinedReplies.slice(0, maxRepliesPerThread),
+        omittedCount: Math.max(combinedReplies.length - maxRepliesPerThread, 0),
+      };
+      return acc;
+    }, {});
+  }, [flattenedRepliesByThread, accountComments, selectedFeed]);
+
+
+  const pendingReplyCounts = useMemo(() => {
+    return selectedFeed.reduce((acc, thread) => {
+      const replyCids = new Set(flattenedRepliesByThread[thread.cid].map(reply => reply.cid));
+      acc[thread.cid] = accountComments.filter(accountReply => !replyCids.has(accountReply.cid) && accountReply.parentCid === thread.cid).length;
+      return acc;
+    }, {});
+  }, [flattenedRepliesByThread, accountComments, selectedFeed]);
+  
+
   // temporary title from JSON, gets subplebbitAddress from URL
   useEffect(() => {
     setSelectedAddress(subplebbitAddress);
@@ -396,8 +452,8 @@ const Board = () => {
                 hasMore={hasMore}
               >
                 {selectedFeed.map((thread) => {
-                const { replies: { pages: { topAll: { comments } = {} } = {} } = {} } = thread;
-                const { renderedComments, omittedCount } = renderComments(comments);
+                const { replies: { pages: { topAll: {} = {} } = {} } = {} } = thread;
+                const { displayedReplies, omittedCount } = filteredRepliesByThread[thread.cid] || {};
                 const commentMediaInfo = getCommentMediaInfo(thread);
                 const fallbackImgUrl = "/assets/filedeleted-res.gif";
                 return (
@@ -542,7 +598,7 @@ const Board = () => {
                         </span>
                       </span>) : null}
                     </span>
-                    {renderedComments?.map((reply) => {
+                    {displayedReplies?.map((reply) => {
                       const replyMediaInfo = getCommentMediaInfo(reply);
                       const fallbackImgUrl = "/assets/filedeleted-res.gif";
                       const shortParentCid = findShortParentCid(reply.parentCid, selectedFeed);
@@ -572,9 +628,21 @@ const Board = () => {
                                   onClick={() => handleAddressClick(reply.author.shortAddress)}
                                 >
                                   (u/
-                                    <span key={`mob-ha-${reply.cid}`}>
-                                      {reply.author.shortAddress}
-                                    </span>
+                                    {reply.author?.shortAddress ?
+                                      (
+                                        <span key={`mob-ha-${reply.cid}`}>
+                                          {reply.author?.shortAddress}
+                                        </span>
+                                      ) : (
+                                        <span key={`mob-ha-${reply.cid}`}
+                                          data-tooltip-id="tooltip"
+                                          data-tooltip-content={account?.author?.address}
+                                          data-tooltip-place="top"
+                                        >
+                                          {account?.author?.address.slice(0, 10) + "(...)"}
+                                        </span>
+                                      )
+                                    }
                                   )
                                 </span>
                               </span>
@@ -583,14 +651,18 @@ const Board = () => {
                               &nbsp;
                               <span key={`pn-${reply.cid}`} className="post-number post-number-desktop">
                                 <Link to={() => {}} key={`pl1-${reply.cid}`} onClick={() => {}} title="Link to this post">c/</Link>
-                                <Link to={`/p/${selectedAddress}/c/${thread.cid}`} id="reply-button" key={`pl2-${reply.cid}`} 
-                                onClick={(e) => {
-                                  if (e.button === 2) return;
-                                  e.preventDefault();
-                                  setIsReplyOpen(true); 
-                                  setSelectedShortCid(reply.shortCid); 
-                                  setSelectedParentCid(reply.cid);
-                                }} title="Reply to this post">{reply.shortCid}</Link>
+                                {reply.shortCid ? (
+                                  <Link to={`/p/${selectedAddress}/c/${thread.cid}`} id="reply-button" key={`pl2-${reply.cid}`} 
+                                  onClick={(e) => {
+                                    if (e.button === 2) return;
+                                    e.preventDefault();
+                                    setIsReplyOpen(true); 
+                                    setSelectedShortCid(reply.shortCid); 
+                                    setSelectedParentCid(reply.cid);
+                                  }} title="Reply to this post">{reply.shortCid}</Link>
+                                ) : (
+                                  <span key="pending" style={{color: 'red', fontWeight: '700'}}>Pending</span>
+                                )}
                               </span>&nbsp;
                               <button key={`pmb-${reply.cid}`} className="post-menu-button" onClick={() => {}} title="Post menu" style={{ all: 'unset', cursor: 'pointer' }} data-cmd="post-menu">▶</button>
                               <div id="backlink-id" className="backlink">
@@ -797,18 +869,18 @@ const Board = () => {
                       </div>
                       <div key={`mob-pl-${thread.cid}`} className="post-link-mobile">
                         <span key={`mob-info-${thread.cid}`} className="info-mobile">{
-                        thread.replyCount === 0 ?
+                        (thread.replyCount + pendingReplyCounts[thread.cid]) === 0 ?
                         ("No replies")
-                        : thread.replyCount === 1 ?
+                        : (thread.replyCount + pendingReplyCounts[thread.cid]) === 1 ?
                         ("1 reply")
-                        : thread.replyCount > 1 ?
-                        (thread.replyCount + " replies")
+                        : (thread.replyCount + pendingReplyCounts[thread.cid]) > 1 ?
+                        ((thread.replyCount + pendingReplyCounts[thread.cid]) + " replies")
                         : null
                         }</span>
                         <Link key={`rl2-${thread.cid}`} to={`/p/${selectedAddress}/c/${thread.cid}`} onClick={() => setSelectedThread(thread.cid)} className="button-mobile" >View Thread</Link>
                       </div>
                     </div>
-                    {renderedComments?.map((reply) => {
+                    {displayedReplies?.map((reply) => {
                       const replyMediaInfo = getCommentMediaInfo(reply);
                       const shortParentCid = findShortParentCid(reply.parentCid, selectedFeed);
                       return (
@@ -837,9 +909,21 @@ const Board = () => {
                                 onClick={() => handleAddressClick(reply.author.shortAddress)}
                               >
                                 (u/
-                                <span key={`mob-ha-${reply.cid}`} className="highlight-address-mobile">
-                                  {reply.author.shortAddress}
-                                </span>
+                                  {reply.author?.shortAddress ?
+                                    (
+                                    <span key={`mob-ha-${reply.cid}`} className="highlight-address-mobile">
+                                      {reply.author?.shortAddress}
+                                    </span>
+                                    ) : (
+                                      <span key={`mob-ha-${reply.cid}`} 
+                                        data-tooltip-id="tooltip"
+                                        data-tooltip-content={account?.author?.address}
+                                        data-tooltip-place="top"
+                                          >
+                                        {account?.author?.address.slice(0, 8) + "(...)"}
+                                      </span>
+                                    )
+                                  }
                                 )&nbsp;
                               </span>
                               <br key={`mob-br-${reply.cid}`} />
@@ -847,15 +931,19 @@ const Board = () => {
                             <span key={`mob-dt-${reply.cid}`} className="date-time-mobile post-number-mobile">
                             {getDate(reply.timestamp)}&nbsp;
                               <Link to={() => {}} key={`mob-pl1-${reply.cid}`} onClick={() => {}} title="Link to this post">c/</Link>
-                              <Link to={`/p/${selectedAddress}/c/${thread.cid}`} id="reply-button" key={`mob-pl2-${reply.cid}`} 
-                                onClick={(e) => {
-                                  if (e.button === 2) return;
-                                  e.preventDefault();
-                                  setIsReplyOpen(true); 
-                                  setSelectedShortCid(reply.shortCid); 
-                                  setSelectedParentCid(reply.cid);
-                                }} title="Reply to this post">{reply.shortCid}
-                              </Link>
+                              {reply.shortCid ? (
+                                <Link to={`/p/${selectedAddress}/c/${thread.cid}`} id="reply-button" key={`mob-pl2-${reply.cid}`} 
+                                  onClick={(e) => {
+                                    if (e.button === 2) return;
+                                    e.preventDefault();
+                                    setIsReplyOpen(true); 
+                                    setSelectedShortCid(reply.shortCid); 
+                                    setSelectedParentCid(reply.cid);
+                                  }} title="Reply to this post">{reply.shortCid}
+                                </Link>
+                              ) : (
+                                <span key="pending" style={{color: 'red', fontWeight: '700'}}>Pending</span> 
+                              )}
                             </span>
                           </div>
                           {reply.link ? (
diff --git a/src/components/views/Thread.jsx b/src/components/views/Thread.jsx
index 66649c11..fc3ee46d 100644
--- a/src/components/views/Thread.jsx
+++ b/src/components/views/Thread.jsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-import React, { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 import { Helmet } from 'react-helmet-async';
 import { Link, useNavigate, useParams } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { Tooltip } from 'react-tooltip';
-import { useAccount, useAccountComment, useComment, usePublishComment } from '@plebbit/plebbit-react-hooks';
+import { useAccount, useAccountComments, useComment, usePublishComment } from '@plebbit/plebbit-react-hooks';
+import { flattenCommentsPages } from '@plebbit/plebbit-react-hooks/dist/lib/utils'
 import { debounce } from 'lodash';
 import useGeneralStore from '../../hooks/stores/useGeneralStore';
 import { Container, NavBar, Header, Break, PostForm, PostFormTable } from '../styled/Board.styled';
@@ -19,7 +20,6 @@ import getDate from '../../utils/getDate';
 import handleAddressClick from '../../utils/handleAddressClick';
 import handleQuoteClick from '../../utils/handleQuoteClick';
 import handleStyleChange from '../../utils/handleStyleChange';
-import renderThreadComments from '../../utils/renderThreadComments';
 import useClickForm from '../../hooks/useClickForm';
 import useError from '../../hooks/useError';
 import packageJson from '../../../package.json'
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const Thread = () => {
     isSettingsOpen, setIsSettingsOpen,
     setResolveCaptchaPromise,
     setPendingComment,
-    pendingCommentIndex, setPendingCommentIndex,
+    setPendingCommentIndex,
     selectedAddress, setSelectedAddress,
     setSelectedParentCid,
     setSelectedShortCid,
@@ -65,9 +65,32 @@ const Thread = () => {
   const [errorMessage, setErrorMessage] = useState(null);
   useError(errorMessage, [errorMessage]);
 
-  const pendingComment = useAccountComment({commentIndex: pendingCommentIndex});
 
-  const renderedComments = renderThreadComments(comment, pendingComment);
+  const flattenedReplies = useMemo(() => 
+    flattenCommentsPages(comment.replies), [comment.replies]
+  );
+
+
+  const filter = useMemo(() => ({
+    parentCids: [
+      selectedThread || 'n/a', ...flattenedReplies.map(reply => reply.cid)
+    ]
+  }), [flattenedReplies]);
+
+
+  const { accountComments } = useAccountComments({filter});
+
+
+  const accountRepliesNotYetInCommentReplies = useMemo(() => {
+    const commentReplyCids = new Set(flattenedReplies.map(reply => reply.cid))
+    return accountComments.filter(accountReply => !commentReplyCids.has(accountReply.cid))
+  }, [flattenedReplies, accountComments]);
+
+
+  const sortedReplies = useMemo(() => [
+    ...accountRepliesNotYetInCommentReplies, ...flattenedReplies
+    ].sort((a, b) => a.timestamp - b.timestamp
+  ), [accountRepliesNotYetInCommentReplies, flattenedReplies]);
 
   // temporary title from JSON, gets subplebbitAddress and threadCid from URL
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -522,7 +545,7 @@ const Thread = () => {
                 {comment.state === "fetching-ipns" ? 
                 (null) : 
                 (comment.replyCount === undefined ? (<PostLoader />) : (null))}
-                {renderedComments.map((reply, index) => {
+                {sortedReplies.map((reply, index) => {
                     const replyMediaInfo = getCommentMediaInfo(reply);
                     const fallbackImgUrl = "/assets/filedeleted-res.gif";
                     const shortParentCid = findShortParentCid(reply.parentCid, comment);
@@ -758,7 +781,7 @@ const Thread = () => {
                     </div>
                   </div>
                   {comment.replyCount === undefined ? <PostLoader /> : null}
-                  {renderedComments.map((reply, index) => {
+                  {sortedReplies.map((reply, index) => {
                     const replyMediaInfo = getCommentMediaInfo(reply);
                     const shortParentCid = findShortParentCid(reply.parentCid, comment);
                     return (
@@ -798,7 +821,7 @@ const Thread = () => {
                                       data-tooltip-content={account?.author?.address}
                                       data-tooltip-place="top"
                                         >
-                                      {account?.author?.address.slice(0, 6) + "(...)"}
+                                      {account?.author?.address.slice(0, 8) + "(...)"}
                                     </span>
                                   )
                                 }
diff --git a/src/utils/renderComments.js b/src/utils/renderComments.js
deleted file mode 100644
index d47827fb..00000000
--- a/src/utils/renderComments.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-function renderComments(comments) {
-  let displayedCount = 0;
-  let omittedCount = 0;
-
-  const renderComment = (comment) => {
-    const { replyCount, replies: { pages: { topAll: { comments: nestedComments = [] } = {} } = {} } = {} } = comment;
-    let renderedNestedComments = [];
-
-    if (replyCount > 0 && nestedComments.length > 0) {
-      const result = renderComments(nestedComments);
-      renderedNestedComments = result.renderedComments;
-      omittedCount += result.omittedCount;
-    }
-
-    const allComments = [comment, ...renderedNestedComments];
-    const displayedComments = allComments.slice(0, 5 - displayedCount);
-
-    displayedCount += displayedComments.length;
-    omittedCount += allComments.length - displayedComments.length;
-
-    return displayedComments;
-  };
-
-  const renderedComments = comments?.flatMap(renderComment);
-  renderedComments?.sort((a, b) => a.timestamp - b.timestamp);
-
-  return { renderedComments, omittedCount };
-}
-
-export default renderComments;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/utils/renderThreadComments.js b/src/utils/renderThreadComments.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 0579f381..00000000
--- a/src/utils/renderThreadComments.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-function renderThreadComments(comment, pendingComment = null) {
-  const nestedComments = comment?.replies?.pages?.topAll?.comments || {};
-  const commentKeys = Object.keys(nestedComments);
-
-  const renderedComments = commentKeys.map(key => {
-    const comment = nestedComments[key];
-    const { replies: { pages: { topAll: { comments: childNestedComments = [] } = {} } = {} } = {} } = comment;
-    if (comment.replyCount > 0 && childNestedComments) {
-      const renderedNestedComments = renderThreadComments(comment);
-      return [comment, ...renderedNestedComments];
-    }
-    return [comment];
-  }).flat();
-
-  const sortedComments = renderedComments.sort((a, b) => a.timestamp - b.timestamp);
-
-  if (pendingComment?.parentCid === comment?.cid) {
-    sortedComments.push(pendingComment);
-  }
-
-  return sortedComments;
-}
-
-export default renderThreadComments;
\ No newline at end of file