diff --git a/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts b/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
index 634904c0..df52f548 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ export type MeshMessageTypeLabel =
   | 'tx_confirmation'
   | 'lightning_relay'
   | 'lightning_relay_response'
+  | 'content_ref'
 
 export interface MeshMessage {
   id: number
@@ -375,6 +376,38 @@ export const useMeshStore = defineStore('mesh', () => {
     }
   }
 
+  async function sendContent(contactId: number, cid: string, caption?: string) {
+    try {
+      sending.value = true
+      error.value = null
+      const res = await rpcClient.call<{ sent: boolean; message_id: number; cid: string; size: number }>({
+        method: 'mesh.send-content',
+        params: { contact_id: contactId, cid, caption },
+      })
+      if (res.sent) await fetchMessages()
+      return res
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      error.value = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to send content'
+      throw err
+    } finally {
+      sending.value = false
+    }
+  }
+
+  async function fetchContent(params: {
+    cid: string
+    sender_onion: string
+    cap_token: string
+    cap_exp: number
+    mime?: string
+    filename?: string
+  }) {
+    return rpcClient.call<{ fetched: boolean; cached: boolean; cid: string; size?: number; mime?: string }>({
+      method: 'mesh.fetch-content',
+      params,
+    })
+  }
+
   async function getSessionStatus(contactId: number): Promise<SessionStatus> {
     return rpcClient.call<SessionStatus>({
       method: 'mesh.session-status',
@@ -495,6 +528,8 @@ export const useMeshStore = defineStore('mesh', () => {
     sendInvoice,
     sendCoordinate,
     sendAlert,
+    sendContent,
+    fetchContent,
     getSessionStatus,
     rotatePrekeys,
     getNodePositions,
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
index a97073bf..64b544f7 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
@@ -424,6 +424,86 @@ async function handleBlobUpload(ev: Event) {
   }
 }
 
+// ── ContentRef attach + fetch (Phase 3b) ──────────────────────────────────
+const attaching = ref(false)
+const attachError = ref<string | null>(null)
+const fetchingCids = ref<Set<string>>(new Set())
+const fetchedUrls = ref<Map<string, string>>(new Map())
+
+async function handleAttachFile(ev: Event) {
+  const input = ev.target as HTMLInputElement
+  const file = input.files?.[0]
+  if (!file) return
+  if (!activeChatPeer.value) {
+    attachError.value = 'Pick a peer first'
+    if (input) input.value = ''
+    return
+  }
+  attaching.value = true
+  attachError.value = null
+  try {
+    const buf = await file.arrayBuffer()
+    const up = await fetch('/api/blob', {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: {
+        'X-Blob-Mime': file.type || 'application/octet-stream',
+        'X-Blob-Filename': file.name,
+        'Content-Type': 'application/octet-stream',
+      },
+      credentials: 'include',
+      body: buf,
+    })
+    if (!up.ok) {
+      attachError.value = `upload failed: ${up.status}`
+      return
+    }
+    const { cid } = (await up.json()) as { cid: string }
+    await mesh.sendContent(activeChatPeer.value.contact_id, cid, messageText.value.trim() || undefined)
+    messageText.value = ''
+    nextTick(() => scrollChatToBottom())
+  } catch (e) {
+    attachError.value = e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'attach failed'
+  } finally {
+    attaching.value = false
+    if (input) input.value = ''
+  }
+}
+
+async function handleFetchContent(payload: {
+  cid: string
+  sender_onion: string
+  cap_token: string
+  cap_exp: number
+  mime?: string
+  filename?: string | null
+}) {
+  if (fetchingCids.value.has(payload.cid)) return
+  fetchingCids.value.add(payload.cid)
+  try {
+    const res = await mesh.fetchContent({
+      cid: payload.cid,
+      sender_onion: payload.sender_onion,
+      cap_token: payload.cap_token,
+      cap_exp: payload.cap_exp,
+      mime: payload.mime,
+      filename: payload.filename ?? undefined,
+    })
+    const r = res as { local_url?: string }
+    if (r.local_url) {
+      fetchedUrls.value.set(payload.cid, r.local_url)
+      fetchedUrls.value = new Map(fetchedUrls.value)
+    }
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error('fetch-content failed', e)
+  } finally {
+    fetchingCids.value.delete(payload.cid)
+  }
+}
+
+function isImageMime(mime?: string): boolean {
+  return !!mime && mime.startsWith('image/')
+}
+
 async function verifyBlobRoundTrip() {
   if (!blobResult.value) return
   blobVerifyStatus.value = 'fetching...'
@@ -761,6 +841,35 @@ async function verifyBlobRoundTrip() {
                     <div v-if="msg.typed_payload.preimage" class="mesh-typed-invoice-bolt11">preimage: {{ String(msg.typed_payload.preimage).substring(0, 20) }}…</div>
                     <div v-if="msg.typed_payload.error" class="mesh-typed-invoice-memo">{{ msg.typed_payload.error }}</div>
                   </div>
+                  <div v-else-if="msg.message_type === 'content_ref' && msg.typed_payload" class="mesh-typed-content">
+                    <div class="mesh-typed-content-meta">
+                      <span class="mesh-typed-icon">📎</span>
+                      <span class="mesh-typed-label">{{ msg.typed_payload.filename || msg.typed_payload.mime }}</span>
+                      <span class="mesh-typed-content-size">{{ msg.typed_payload.size }} B</span>
+                    </div>
+                    <div v-if="msg.typed_payload.caption" class="mesh-typed-content-caption">{{ msg.typed_payload.caption }}</div>
+                    <template v-if="fetchedUrls.get(msg.typed_payload.cid)">
+                      <img
+                        v-if="isImageMime(msg.typed_payload.mime)"
+                        :src="fetchedUrls.get(msg.typed_payload.cid)"
+                        class="mesh-typed-content-preview"
+                        alt="attachment"
+                      />
+                      <a v-else :href="fetchedUrls.get(msg.typed_payload.cid)" target="_blank" class="btn">Open</a>
+                    </template>
+                    <template v-else-if="msg.direction === 'sent'">
+                      <span class="mesh-typed-content-hint">(shared from this node)</span>
+                    </template>
+                    <template v-else>
+                      <button
+                        class="btn"
+                        :disabled="fetchingCids.has(msg.typed_payload.cid)"
+                        @click="handleFetchContent(msg.typed_payload as any)"
+                      >
+                        {{ fetchingCids.has(msg.typed_payload.cid) ? 'Fetching…' : 'Download' }}
+                      </button>
+                    </template>
+                  </div>
                   <!-- Default: plain text -->
                   <div v-else class="mesh-chat-bubble-text">{{ msg.plaintext }}</div>
                   <div class="mesh-chat-bubble-meta">
@@ -773,11 +882,20 @@ async function verifyBlobRoundTrip() {
             </div>
             <div class="mesh-chat-compose">
               <div v-if="sendError" class="mesh-chat-send-error">{{ sendError }}</div>
+              <div v-if="attachError" class="mesh-chat-send-error">{{ attachError }}</div>
               <div class="mesh-chat-compose-row">
+                <label
+                  v-if="activeChatPeer"
+                  class="glass-button mesh-chat-attach-btn"
+                  :title="attaching ? 'uploading…' : 'Attach file'"
+                >
+                  <input type="file" @change="handleAttachFile" style="display:none;" :disabled="attaching" />
+                  {{ attaching ? '…' : '📎' }}
+                </label>
                 <input
                   v-model="messageText"
                   class="mesh-chat-input"
-                  placeholder="Type a message..."
+                  :placeholder="activeChatPeer ? 'Type a message or pick a file…' : 'Type a message...'"
                   maxlength="160"
                   @keydown.enter.exact.prevent="handleSendMessage"
                 />