diff --git a/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js b/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
--- a/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/message-list-container.react.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
   useExistingThreadInfoFinder,
 } from 'lib/shared/thread-utils.js';
 import type { ThreadInfo } from 'lib/types/minimally-encoded-thread-permissions-types.js';
+import { threadTypeIsThick } from 'lib/types/thread-types-enum.js';
 import type { AccountUserInfo, UserListItem } from 'lib/types/user-types.js';
 import { pinnedMessageCountText } from 'lib/utils/message-pinning-utils.js';
 
@@ -160,10 +161,23 @@
     let searchComponent = null;
     if (searching) {
       const { userInfoInputArray, genesisThreadInfo } = this.props;
+      const childThreadType = pendingThreadType(
+        userInfoInputArray.length,
+        true,
+      );
       // It's technically possible for the client to be missing the Genesis
       // ThreadInfo when it first opens up (before the server delivers it)
       let parentThreadHeader;
-      if (genesisThreadInfo) {
+      if (threadTypeIsThick(childThreadType)) {
+        parentThreadHeader = (
+          <ParentThreadHeader
+            childThreadType={pendingThreadType(
+              userInfoInputArray.length,
+              false,
+            )}
+          />
+        );
+      } else if (genesisThreadInfo) {
         parentThreadHeader = (
           <ParentThreadHeader
             parentThreadInfo={genesisThreadInfo}
diff --git a/native/chat/parent-thread-header.react.js b/native/chat/parent-thread-header.react.js
--- a/native/chat/parent-thread-header.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/parent-thread-header.react.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 import { useColors, useStyles } from '../themes/colors.js';
 
 type Props = {
-  +parentThreadInfo: ThreadInfo,
+  +parentThreadInfo?: ThreadInfo,
   +childThreadType: ThreadType,
 };
 function ParentThreadHeader(props: Props): React.Node {
@@ -26,9 +26,24 @@
 
   const navigateToThread = useNavigateToThread();
   const onPressParentThread = React.useCallback(() => {
+    if (!parentThreadInfo) {
+      return;
+    }
     navigateToThread({ threadInfo: parentThreadInfo });
   }, [parentThreadInfo, navigateToThread]);
 
+  let parentThreadButton;
+  if (parentThreadInfo) {
+    parentThreadButton = (
+      <>
+        <Text style={styles.within}>within</Text>
+        <Button onPress={onPressParentThread}>
+          <CommunityPill community={parentThreadInfo} />
+        </Button>
+      </>
+    );
+  }
+
   return (
     <View style={styles.container}>
       <ScrollView
@@ -40,10 +55,7 @@
           threadType={childThreadType}
           color={threadVisibilityColor}
         />
-        <Text style={styles.within}>within</Text>
-        <Button onPress={onPressParentThread}>
-          <CommunityPill community={parentThreadInfo} />
-        </Button>
+        {parentThreadButton}
       </ScrollView>
     </View>
   );