diff --git a/src/chat/chat_outgoing.cpp b/src/chat/chat_outgoing.cpp
index 3350d0c..e535642 100644
--- a/src/chat/chat_outgoing.cpp
+++ b/src/chat/chat_outgoing.cpp
@@ -17,16 +17,18 @@ std::string buildHeaderMemo(const std::string& replyZaddr,
                             const char* type,
                             const std::string& streamHeaderHex,
                             const std::string& publicKeyHex,
-                            std::int64_t sentAt)
+                            std::int64_t sentAt,
+                            const std::string& op = "")
 {
     nlohmann::json header;
     header["h"] = 1;                          // header number (>= 1)
     header["v"] = kHushChatSupportedVersion;  // 0
     header["z"] = replyZaddr;                 // where the peer should reply (my address)
     header["cid"] = conversationId;
-    header["t"] = type;                       // "Memo" or "Cont"
-    header["e"] = streamHeaderHex;            // 48-hex secretstream header (Memo) / "" (Cont)
+    header["t"] = type;                       // "Memo" / "Cont" / "Ctrl"
+    header["e"] = streamHeaderHex;            // 48-hex secretstream header (Memo) / "" (Cont, Ctrl)
     header["p"] = publicKeyHex;               // my 64-hex crypto_kx public key
+    if (!op.empty()) header["op"] = op;       // Control only; alphabetically sorts to cid,e,h,op,p,t,v,z
     if (sentAt > 0) header["ts"] = sentAt;    // optional sender compose time (Unix s) — receiver shows this
     return header.dump();
 }
@@ -109,4 +111,33 @@ ChatComposeStatus buildOutgoingContactRequest(const std::string& myPublicKeyHex,
     return ChatComposeStatus::Ok;
 }
 
+ChatComposeStatus buildOutgoingControl(const std::string& myPublicKeyHex,
+                                       const std::string& selfZaddr,
+                                       const std::string& conversationId,
+                                       const std::string& op,
+                                       const std::string& label,
+                                       OutgoingChatMemos& out)
+{
+    // A control signal is addressed to SELF: only this wallet (any device holding the seed) harvests
+    // it, and it never reaches the peer. op carries the action; the label is a plaintext hint (peer
+    // address / display name) so a fresh import can show the conversation it refers to.
+    if (label.empty()) return ChatComposeStatus::EmptyBody;
+    if (label.front() == '{') return ChatComposeStatus::BadRequestText;  // would parse as a header
+    if (!present(op) || !present(myPublicKeyHex) || !present(selfZaddr) || !present(conversationId)) {
+        return ChatComposeStatus::MissingField;
+    }
+
+    OutgoingChatMemos memos;
+    memos.recipientZaddr = selfZaddr;
+    memos.headerMemo = buildHeaderMemo(selfZaddr, conversationId, "Ctrl", "", myPublicKeyHex,
+                                       static_cast<std::int64_t>(std::time(nullptr)), op);
+    memos.payloadMemo = label;
+    if (memos.headerMemo.size() > kHushChatMemoByteLimit ||
+        memos.payloadMemo.size() > kHushChatMemoByteLimit) {
+        return ChatComposeStatus::TooLong;
+    }
+    out = std::move(memos);
+    return ChatComposeStatus::Ok;
+}
+
 } // namespace dragonx::chat
diff --git a/src/chat/chat_outgoing.h b/src/chat/chat_outgoing.h
index 42644ae..3af039c 100644
--- a/src/chat/chat_outgoing.h
+++ b/src/chat/chat_outgoing.h
@@ -63,4 +63,15 @@ ChatComposeStatus buildOutgoingContactRequest(const std::string& myPublicKeyHex,
                                               const std::string& requestText,
                                               OutgoingChatMemos& out);
 
+// Build a self-addressed control signal (delete / restore / mark-sensitive). It is sent to your OWN
+// z-address, so only this wallet's seed can harvest it and it never reaches the peer. `op` is the
+// action ("del"/"res"/...); `label` is a plaintext hint (peer address or name) carried as the payload
+// so a fresh seed import can name the conversation the signal refers to.
+ChatComposeStatus buildOutgoingControl(const std::string& myPublicKeyHex,
+                                       const std::string& selfZaddr,
+                                       const std::string& conversationId,
+                                       const std::string& op,
+                                       const std::string& label,
+                                       OutgoingChatMemos& out);
+
 } // namespace dragonx::chat
diff --git a/tests/test_phase4.cpp b/tests/test_phase4.cpp
index 7a50302..2719c90 100644
--- a/tests/test_phase4.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_phase4.cpp
@@ -15049,6 +15049,30 @@ void testHushChatControlMemo()
     tx3.outputs.push_back(HushChatMemoOutput{0, unknown});
     tx3.outputs.push_back(HushChatMemoOutput{1, "x"});
     EXPECT_EQ((int)extractHushChatTransactionMetadata(tx3, true).metadata.size(), 0);
+
+    // Compose round-trip: buildOutgoingControl -> extract yields the same op/cid/label, self-addressed.
+    OutgoingChatMemos cm;
+    EXPECT_TRUE(buildOutgoingControl(r.public_key_hex, "zs-self", "conv-42", "del", "Bob", cm)
+                == ChatComposeStatus::Ok);
+    EXPECT_EQ(cm.recipientZaddr, std::string("zs-self"));
+    HushChatTransactionInput rt; rt.txid = "txid-ctrl-rt";
+    rt.outputs.push_back({0, cm.headerMemo});
+    rt.outputs.push_back({1, cm.payloadMemo});
+    auto rx = extractHushChatTransactionMetadata(rt, true);
+    EXPECT_EQ((int)rx.metadata.size(), 1);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(rx.metadata[0].type == HushChatHeaderType::Control);
+    EXPECT_EQ(rx.metadata[0].op, std::string("del"));
+    EXPECT_EQ(rx.metadata[0].conversation_id, std::string("conv-42"));
+    EXPECT_EQ(rx.metadata[0].payload_memo, std::string("Bob"));
+
+    // Compose guards: empty op -> MissingField, empty label -> EmptyBody, '{' label -> BadRequestText.
+    OutgoingChatMemos dummy;
+    EXPECT_TRUE(buildOutgoingControl(r.public_key_hex, "zs-self", "c", "", "Bob", dummy)
+                == ChatComposeStatus::MissingField);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(buildOutgoingControl(r.public_key_hex, "zs-self", "c", "del", "", dummy)
+                == ChatComposeStatus::EmptyBody);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(buildOutgoingControl(r.public_key_hex, "zs-self", "c", "del", "{x", dummy)
+                == ChatComposeStatus::BadRequestText);
 }
 
 // ChatService: metadata batch -> decrypt -> threaded, deduped in-memory store.