diff --git a/lib/pages/chat/chat.dart b/lib/pages/chat/chat.dart
index 2dd0ae476..c44796e47 100644
--- a/lib/pages/chat/chat.dart
+++ b/lib/pages/chat/chat.dart
@@ -1251,7 +1251,14 @@ class ChatController extends State<ChatPageWithRoom>
     )) {
       return;
     }
-    return sendEmojiAction(emoji.emoji);
+    // #Pangea
+    // return sendEmojiAction(emoji.emoji);
+    sendEmojiAction(emoji.emoji);
+
+    // don't need to clear these when sending while in select mode,
+    // but do need to clear these when reacting from the large emoji picker
+    setState(() => selectedEvents.clear());
+    // Pangea#
   }
 
   void typeEmoji(Emoji? emoji) {
@@ -1298,16 +1305,16 @@ class ChatController extends State<ChatPageWithRoom>
 
   void sendEmojiAction(String? emoji) async {
     final events = List<Event>.from(selectedEvents);
-    setState(() => selectedEvents.clear());
+    // #Pangea
+    // keep this event selected in case the user wants to send another emoji
+    // setState(() => selectedEvents.clear());
+    // Pangea#
     for (final event in events) {
       await room.sendReaction(
         event.eventId,
         emoji!,
       );
     }
-    // #Pangea
-    clearSelectedEvents();
-    // Pangea#
   }
 
   // #Pangea
diff --git a/lib/pangea/widgets/chat/message_selection_overlay.dart b/lib/pangea/widgets/chat/message_selection_overlay.dart
index 57f6bbcd9..428d36e79 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/widgets/chat/message_selection_overlay.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/widgets/chat/message_selection_overlay.dart
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:developer';
 
 import 'package:fluffychat/config/app_config.dart';
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ class MessageSelectionOverlay extends StatefulWidget {
 class MessageOverlayController extends State<MessageSelectionOverlay>
     with SingleTickerProviderStateMixin {
   late AnimationController _animationController;
+  StreamSubscription? _reactionSubscription;
   Animation<double>? _overlayPositionAnimation;
 
   MessageMode toolbarMode = MessageMode.translation;
@@ -73,6 +75,26 @@ class MessageOverlayController extends State<MessageSelectionOverlay>
     activitiesLeftToComplete = activitiesLeftToComplete -
         widget._pangeaMessageEvent.numberOfActivitiesCompleted;
 
+    _reactionSubscription =
+        widget.chatController.room.client.onSync.stream.where(
+      (update) {
+        // check if this sync update has a reaction event or a
+        // redaction (of a reaction event). If so, rebuild the overlay
+        final room = widget.chatController.room;
+        final timelineEvents = update.rooms?.join?[room.id]?.timeline?.events;
+        if (timelineEvents == null) return false;
+
+        final eventID = widget._pangeaMessageEvent.event.eventId;
+        return timelineEvents.any(
+          (e) =>
+              e.type == EventTypes.Redaction ||
+              (e.type == EventTypes.Reaction &&
+                  Event.fromMatrixEvent(e, room).relationshipEventId ==
+                      eventID),
+        );
+      },
+    ).listen((_) => setState(() {}));
+
     setInitialToolbarMode();
   }
 
@@ -315,6 +337,7 @@ class MessageOverlayController extends State<MessageSelectionOverlay>
   @override
   void dispose() {
     _animationController.dispose();
+    _reactionSubscription?.cancel();
     super.dispose();
   }