diff --git a/FlipcashAPI/Package.swift b/FlipcashAPI/Package.swift
index a9f19a4e9..d2cecb5da 100644
--- a/FlipcashAPI/Package.swift
+++ b/FlipcashAPI/Package.swift
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ enum ContractPackage: String, CaseIterable {
     var version: Version {
         switch self {
         case .ocp: return "0.4.0"
-        case .flipcash2: return "0.7.0"
+        case .flipcash2: return "0.8.0"
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/FlipcashCore/Sources/FlipcashCore/Clients/Flip API/FlipClient+Chat.swift b/FlipcashCore/Sources/FlipcashCore/Clients/Flip API/FlipClient+Chat.swift
index f140af3e7..90fe4cdde 100644
--- a/FlipcashCore/Sources/FlipcashCore/Clients/Flip API/FlipClient+Chat.swift	
+++ b/FlipcashCore/Sources/FlipcashCore/Clients/Flip API/FlipClient+Chat.swift	
@@ -55,9 +55,13 @@ extension FlipClient {
 
     /// Starts a new group chat and returns its metadata on success. `rules` gates who may read/join
     /// and who may send; `nil` leaves the chat unrestricted.
-    public func startChat(owner: KeyPair, title: String, pictureBlobID: BlobID?, rules: ConversationRules?) async throws -> Conversation {
+    ///
+    /// `idempotencyKey` must be minted by the caller where the user's intent to create the chat
+    /// originates (not here) and reused for every retry of that same attempt — see
+    /// `ChatService.startChat`. A retry with the same key returns the original chat.
+    public func startChat(owner: KeyPair, title: String, pictureBlobID: BlobID?, rules: ConversationRules?, idempotencyKey: UUID) async throws -> Conversation {
         try await withCheckedThrowingContinuation { c in
-            chatService.startChat(owner: owner, title: title, pictureBlobID: pictureBlobID, rules: rules) { c.resume(with: $0) }
+            chatService.startChat(owner: owner, title: title, pictureBlobID: pictureBlobID, rules: rules, idempotencyKey: idempotencyKey) { c.resume(with: $0) }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/FlipcashCore/Sources/FlipcashCore/Clients/Flip API/Services/ChatService.swift b/FlipcashCore/Sources/FlipcashCore/Clients/Flip API/Services/ChatService.swift
index 48733a932..af8414162 100644
--- a/FlipcashCore/Sources/FlipcashCore/Clients/Flip API/Services/ChatService.swift	
+++ b/FlipcashCore/Sources/FlipcashCore/Clients/Flip API/Services/ChatService.swift	
@@ -128,7 +128,13 @@ final class ChatService: Sendable {
     /// restrictions. On `.titleModerated` the server also reports which category flagged the
     /// title; `ErrorStartChat.titleModerated` carries it through so callers can say why, not just
     /// that the title was rejected.
-    func startChat(owner: KeyPair, title: String, pictureBlobID: BlobID?, rules: ConversationRules?, completion: @Sendable @escaping (Result<Conversation, ErrorStartChat>) -> Void) {
+    ///
+    /// `idempotencyKey` is required by the server: caller and key together identify the chat being
+    /// created, so a retry with the same key returns the original chat (result `.ok`) rather than
+    /// creating a duplicate, even if `title`/`pictureBlobID`/`rules` differ on the retry. Mint it once
+    /// where the user's intent to create the chat originates and reuse it for every retry of that same
+    /// attempt — never generate a fresh key per call, or retries lose their idempotency.
+    func startChat(owner: KeyPair, title: String, pictureBlobID: BlobID?, rules: ConversationRules?, idempotencyKey: UUID, completion: @Sendable @escaping (Result<Conversation, ErrorStartChat>) -> Void) {
         let request = Flipcash_Chat_V1_StartChatRequest.with {
             $0.group = .with {
                 $0.title = title
@@ -139,6 +145,7 @@ final class ChatService: Sendable {
                     $0.rules = rules.proto
                 }
             }
+            $0.idempotencyKey = .with { $0.value = idempotencyKey.data }
             $0.auth = owner.authFor(message: $0)
         }