diff --git a/src/app/(dashboard)/inbox/page.tsx b/src/app/(dashboard)/inbox/page.tsx
index 8488883..61968cd 100644
--- a/src/app/(dashboard)/inbox/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(dashboard)/inbox/page.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { ConversationList } from "@/components/inbox/conversation-list";
 import { MessageThread } from "@/components/inbox/message-thread";
 import { ContactSidebar } from "@/components/inbox/contact-sidebar";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
-import { Wifi, WifiOff } from "lucide-react";
+import { WifiOff } from "lucide-react";
 
 export default function InboxPage() {
   const [conversations, setConversations] = useState<Conversation[]>([]);
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ export default function InboxPage() {
 
       if (!user) return;
 
+      // Table is `whatsapp_config` (singular) — the previous "whatsapp_configs"
+      // query always returned no rows, so the banner always showed "not connected".
       const { data } = await supabase
-        .from("whatsapp_configs")
+        .from("whatsapp_config")
         .select("status")
         .eq("user_id", user.id)
-        .single();
+        .maybeSingle();
 
       setWhatsappConnected(data?.status === "connected");
     };
@@ -167,10 +169,11 @@ export default function InboxPage() {
   );
 
   return (
-    <div className="-m-6 flex h-[calc(100vh-3.5rem)] overflow-hidden">
-      {/* WhatsApp connection banner */}
+    <div className="-m-6 flex h-[calc(100vh-3.5rem)] flex-col overflow-hidden">
+      {/* WhatsApp connection banner — in the flex column, not absolute,
+          so it pushes the panels down instead of overlapping them. */}
       {whatsappConnected === false && (
-        <div className="absolute left-60 right-0 top-14 z-10 flex items-center justify-center gap-2 bg-amber-500/10 px-4 py-2">
+        <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center justify-center gap-2 border-b border-amber-500/20 bg-amber-500/10 px-4 py-2">
           <WifiOff className="h-4 w-4 text-amber-400" />
           <p className="text-xs text-amber-400">
             WhatsApp is not connected. Go to Settings to connect your account.
@@ -178,27 +181,29 @@ export default function InboxPage() {
         </div>
       )}
 
-      {/* Left panel: Conversation list */}
-      <ConversationList
-        activeConversationId={activeConversation?.id ?? null}
-        onSelect={handleSelectConversation}
-        conversations={conversations}
-        onConversationsLoaded={handleConversationsLoaded}
-      />
+      <div className="flex flex-1 overflow-hidden">
+        {/* Left panel: Conversation list */}
+        <ConversationList
+          activeConversationId={activeConversation?.id ?? null}
+          onSelect={handleSelectConversation}
+          conversations={conversations}
+          onConversationsLoaded={handleConversationsLoaded}
+        />
 
-      {/* Center panel: Message thread */}
-      <MessageThread
-        conversation={activeConversation}
-        contact={activeContact}
-        messages={messages}
-        onMessagesLoaded={handleMessagesLoaded}
-        onNewMessage={handleNewMessage}
-        onStatusChange={handleStatusChange}
-      />
+        {/* Center panel: Message thread */}
+        <MessageThread
+          conversation={activeConversation}
+          contact={activeContact}
+          messages={messages}
+          onMessagesLoaded={handleMessagesLoaded}
+          onNewMessage={handleNewMessage}
+          onStatusChange={handleStatusChange}
+        />
 
-      {/* Right panel: Contact sidebar (hidden on small screens) */}
-      <div className="hidden lg:block">
-        <ContactSidebar contact={activeContact} />
+        {/* Right panel: Contact sidebar (hidden on small screens) */}
+        <div className="hidden lg:block">
+          <ContactSidebar contact={activeContact} />
+        </div>
       </div>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/src/components/inbox/message-thread.tsx b/src/components/inbox/message-thread.tsx
index 0465200..439b29f 100644
--- a/src/components/inbox/message-thread.tsx
+++ b/src/components/inbox/message-thread.tsx
@@ -101,36 +101,61 @@ export function MessageThread({
     return { expired, remaining };
   }, [messages]);
 
-  const fetchMessages = useCallback(async () => {
-    if (!conversation) return;
-    setLoading(true);
+  // Store latest callback in a ref so fetchMessages doesn't need to
+  // depend on `onMessagesLoaded` — otherwise parent re-renders cause
+  // fetchMessages to change → useEffect re-fires → refetch → realtime
+  // UPDATE on conversations.unread_count → parent re-renders → LOOP.
+  const onMessagesLoadedRef = useRef(onMessagesLoaded);
+  onMessagesLoadedRef.current = onMessagesLoaded;
 
-    const supabase = createClient();
-
-    const { data, error } = await supabase
-      .from("messages")
-      .select("*")
-      .eq("conversation_id", conversation.id)
-      .order("created_at", { ascending: true });
-
-    if (error) {
-      console.error("Failed to fetch messages:", error);
-    } else {
-      onMessagesLoaded(data ?? []);
-    }
-
-    // Reset unread count
-    await supabase
-      .from("conversations")
-      .update({ unread_count: 0 })
-      .eq("id", conversation.id);
-
-    setLoading(false);
-  }, [conversation, onMessagesLoaded]);
+  const conversationId = conversation?.id;
+  const hasUnread = (conversation?.unread_count ?? 0) > 0;
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    fetchMessages();
-  }, [fetchMessages]);
+    if (!conversationId) return;
+
+    const supabase = createClient();
+    let cancelled = false;
+
+    (async () => {
+      setLoading(true);
+
+      const { data, error } = await supabase
+        .from("messages")
+        .select("*")
+        .eq("conversation_id", conversationId)
+        .order("created_at", { ascending: true });
+
+      if (cancelled) return;
+
+      if (error) {
+        console.error("Failed to fetch messages:", error);
+      } else {
+        onMessagesLoadedRef.current(data ?? []);
+      }
+
+      // Only issue the unread_count reset when there's actually something
+      // to reset. Unconditional updates fire a realtime UPDATE event every
+      // time, which — combined with the parent's conversation-event handler
+      // — used to retrigger this effect in a loop.
+      if (hasUnread) {
+        await supabase
+          .from("conversations")
+          .update({ unread_count: 0 })
+          .eq("id", conversationId);
+      }
+
+      if (!cancelled) setLoading(false);
+    })();
+
+    return () => {
+      cancelled = true;
+    };
+    // Re-fetch only when the selected conversation changes. `hasUnread`
+    // is used inside but is a boolean derived from conversation; the
+    // conversationId dep is the real trigger.
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [conversationId]);
 
   // Auto-scroll to bottom on new messages
   useEffect(() => {