diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/__tests__/chat-message-list.test.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/__tests__/chat-message-list.test.tsx
index 1feead076..d538bee34 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/__tests__/chat-message-list.test.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/__tests__/chat-message-list.test.tsx
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ Object.assign(navigator, {
 
 const store = rootState
   .set('me', '1')
-  .set('instance', normalizeInstance({ version: '3.4.1 (compatible; TruthSocial 1.0.0)' }));
+  .set('instance', normalizeInstance({ version: '3.4.1 (compatible; TruthSocial 1.0.0+unreleased)' }));
 
 const renderComponentWithChatContext = () => render(
   <VirtuosoMockContext.Provider value={{ viewportHeight: 300, itemHeight: 100 }}>
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-message.tsx b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-message.tsx
index a64989f5f..597c78ef1 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-message.tsx
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/chats/components/chat-message.tsx
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ const ChatMessage = (props: IChatMessage) => {
           })
         }
       >
-        {!features.chatEmojiReactions ? (
+        {features.chatEmojiReactions && (
           <ChatMessageReactionWrapper
             onOpen={setIsReactionSelectorOpen}
             onSelect={(emoji) => createReaction.mutate({ emoji, messageId: chatMessage.id, chatMessage })}
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ const ChatMessage = (props: IChatMessage) => {
               />
             </button>
           </ChatMessageReactionWrapper>
-        ) : null}
+        )}
 
         {menu.length > 0 && (
           <DropdownMenu
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ const ChatMessage = (props: IChatMessage) => {
           </Stack>
         </HStack>
 
-        {(features.chatEmojiReactions && chatMessage.emoji_reactions) ? (
+        {(chatMessage.emoji_reactions?.size) ? (
           <div
             className={clsx({
               'space-y-1': true,
diff --git a/app/soapbox/normalizers/chat-message.ts b/app/soapbox/normalizers/chat-message.ts
index 58054f969..642ae0bb3 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/normalizers/chat-message.ts
+++ b/app/soapbox/normalizers/chat-message.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export const ChatMessageRecord = ImmutableRecord({
   created_at: '',
   emojis: ImmutableList<Emoji>(),
   expiration: null as number | null,
-  emoji_reactions: ImmutableList<EmojiReaction>(),
+  emoji_reactions: null as ImmutableList<EmojiReaction> | null,
   id: '',
   unread: false,
   deleting: false,
diff --git a/app/soapbox/utils/features.ts b/app/soapbox/utils/features.ts
index 20bbc83fe..69ae78fcd 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/utils/features.ts
+++ b/app/soapbox/utils/features.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ export const GLITCH = 'glitch';
 // NOTE: Rebased is named 'soapbox' for legacy reasons.
 export const REBASED = 'soapbox';
 
+/** Backend name reserved only for tests. */
+export const UNRELEASED = 'unreleased';
+
 /** Parse features for the given instance */
 const getInstanceFeatures = (instance: Instance) => {
   const v = parseVersion(instance.version);
@@ -251,7 +254,7 @@ const getInstanceFeatures = (instance: Instance) => {
     /**
      * Ability to add reactions to chat messages.
      */
-    chatEmojiReactions: false, // v.software === TRUTHSOCIAL,
+    chatEmojiReactions: v.software === TRUTHSOCIAL && v.build === UNRELEASED,
 
     /**
      * Pleroma chats API.