diff --git a/src/components/messageStream/MessageStream.tsx b/src/components/messageStream/MessageStream.tsx
index d8b2215..9a7163f 100644
--- a/src/components/messageStream/MessageStream.tsx
+++ b/src/components/messageStream/MessageStream.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { useLocation, useSearchParams } from "react-router-dom";
 import { postJSON } from "../../api";
 import { useI18n } from "../../i18n";
@@ -104,6 +104,16 @@ export function MessageStream({ scope }: MessageStreamProps) {
     setIsAligningQueryTarget(false);
   }, [queryTargetPostId, targetPostId]);
 
+  // Banner / deep-link arrivals (`?post=<id>`) should always begin the
+  // smooth-scroll positioning from the top of the stream, so the user sees a
+  // clear, satisfying journey to the target post instead of a tiny nudge when
+  // they happen to revisit the page mid-scroll. Run before paint so the user
+  // never briefly sees the previous scrollY before the jump.
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    if (!queryTargetPostId) return;
+    window.scrollTo({ top: 0, left: 0, behavior: "auto" });
+  }, [queryTargetPostId]);
+
   useEffect(() => clearTargetScrollTimers, []);
 
   useEffect(() => {