diff --git a/lib/models/user_profile.dart b/lib/models/user_profile.dart
index bef2a91..bb1072d 100644
--- a/lib/models/user_profile.dart
+++ b/lib/models/user_profile.dart
@@ -277,8 +277,11 @@ class ProfileViewerState {
   });
 
   factory ProfileViewerState.fromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) {
-    final blocked = json['blocked'] as bool? ?? false;
-    final blockUri = json['blockUri'] as String?;
+    // The backend serializes the viewer's block as `blocking` — the block
+    // record URI (see users/user.go ProfileViewerState). Accept the older
+    // `blocked`/`blockUri` shape too.
+    final blockUri = (json['blockUri'] ?? json['blocking']) as String?;
+    final blocked = json['blocked'] as bool? ?? (blockUri != null);
 
     return ProfileViewerState._(
       // If blocked but no blockUri, treat as not blocked (defensive)
diff --git a/lib/providers/block_provider.dart b/lib/providers/block_provider.dart
index 893fc4b..9541c8d 100644
--- a/lib/providers/block_provider.dart
+++ b/lib/providers/block_provider.dart
@@ -140,12 +140,22 @@ class BlockProvider with ChangeNotifier {
     }
   }
 
-  /// Initialize user block state from profile data
+  /// Initialize user block state from server data (e.g. profile
+  /// viewer.blocking).
+  ///
+  /// Seed-only: never clobbers existing local state — an optimistic
+  /// toggle already in memory (or in flight) is fresher than a possibly
+  /// cached server response.
   void setInitialUserBlockState({
     required String userDid,
     required bool isBlocked,
   }) {
+    if (_userBlocks.containsKey(userDid) ||
+        (_pendingUserBlocks[userDid] ?? false)) {
+      return;
+    }
     _userBlocks[userDid] = isBlocked;
+    notifyListeners();
   }
 
   /// Initialize community block state from community data
diff --git a/lib/screens/home/profile_screen.dart b/lib/screens/home/profile_screen.dart
index 47ae8d9..4f5a59d 100644
--- a/lib/screens/home/profile_screen.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/home/profile_screen.dart
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import '../../utils/responsive_utils.dart';
 import '../../models/comment.dart';
 import '../../models/user_profile.dart';
 import '../../providers/auth_provider.dart';
+import '../../providers/block_provider.dart';
 import '../../providers/user_profile_provider.dart';
 import '../../widgets/comment_card.dart';
 import '../../widgets/loading_error_states.dart';
@@ -85,6 +86,17 @@ class _ProfileScreenState extends State<ProfileScreen> {
     // Check mounted after async gap (CLAUDE.md requirement)
     if (!mounted) return;
 
+    // Seed block state from the profile's viewer data so block/unblock
+    // menus reflect the server-side block after an app restart (the
+    // seed never clobbers fresher in-session optimistic state).
+    final profile = profileProvider.profile;
+    if (profile != null && profile.did != authProvider.did) {
+      context.read<BlockProvider>().setInitialUserBlockState(
+        userDid: profile.did,
+        isBlocked: profile.viewer?.blocked ?? false,
+      );
+    }
+
     // Only load posts if profile loaded successfully (no error)
     if (profileProvider.profileError == null) {
       await profileProvider.loadPosts(refresh: true);
diff --git a/test/models/user_profile_test.dart b/test/models/user_profile_test.dart
index 6af0cba..95b218b 100644
--- a/test/models/user_profile_test.dart
+++ b/test/models/user_profile_test.dart
@@ -51,4 +51,38 @@ void main() {
       );
     });
   });
+
+  group('ProfileViewerState.fromJson', () {
+    const uri = 'at://did:plc:viewer/social.coves.actor.block/3abc';
+
+    test('parses backend "blocking" record-URI shape as blocked', () {
+      final viewer = ProfileViewerState.fromJson(const {'blocking': uri});
+
+      expect(viewer.blocked, isTrue);
+      expect(viewer.blockUri, uri);
+    });
+
+    test('parses legacy blocked/blockUri shape', () {
+      final viewer = ProfileViewerState.fromJson(const {
+        'blocked': true,
+        'blockUri': uri,
+      });
+
+      expect(viewer.blocked, isTrue);
+      expect(viewer.blockUri, uri);
+    });
+
+    test('not blocked when no block keys present', () {
+      final viewer = ProfileViewerState.fromJson(const {'blockedBy': false});
+
+      expect(viewer.blocked, isFalse);
+      expect(viewer.blockUri, isNull);
+    });
+
+    test('blocked without any URI is treated as not blocked (defensive)', () {
+      final viewer = ProfileViewerState.fromJson(const {'blocked': true});
+
+      expect(viewer.blocked, isFalse);
+    });
+  });
 }