diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 64e44823..036d32ed 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "impro",
-  "version": "0.18.27",
+  "version": "0.18.28",
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
     "start": "rm -rf \"${BUILD_DIR:-build}\" && NODE_ENV=development eleventy --serve",
diff --git a/src/js/dataLayer/dataStore.js b/src/js/dataLayer/dataStore.js
index 2be8ba37..3046bc2a 100644
--- a/src/js/dataLayer/dataStore.js
+++ b/src/js/dataLayer/dataStore.js
@@ -64,15 +64,26 @@ export class DataStore extends ReactiveStore {
   }
 
   setPosts(posts) {
-    for (const post of posts) {
-      this.$posts.set(post.uri, post);
-      const quotedPost = getQuotedPost(post);
+    const seenQuotedPostUris = new Set();
+    const setQuotedPost = (quotedPost) => {
       if (
-        quotedPost?.$type === "app.bsky.embed.record#viewRecord" &&
-        this.$posts.get(quotedPost.uri) == null
+        quotedPost?.$type !== "app.bsky.embed.record#viewRecord" ||
+        seenQuotedPostUris.has(quotedPost.uri)
       ) {
-        this.$posts.set(quotedPost.uri, embedViewRecordToPostView(quotedPost));
+        return;
+      }
+      seenQuotedPostUris.add(quotedPost.uri);
+
+      const normalizedQuotedPost = embedViewRecordToPostView(quotedPost);
+      if (this.$posts.get(quotedPost.uri) == null) {
+        this.$posts.set(quotedPost.uri, normalizedQuotedPost);
       }
+      setQuotedPost(getQuotedPost(normalizedQuotedPost));
+    };
+
+    for (const post of posts) {
+      this.$posts.set(post.uri, post);
+      setQuotedPost(getQuotedPost(post));
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/js/dataLayer/mutations.js b/src/js/dataLayer/mutations.js
index cf9c6211..dabd3e88 100644
--- a/src/js/dataLayer/mutations.js
+++ b/src/js/dataLayer/mutations.js
@@ -1000,8 +1000,8 @@ export class Mutations {
       for (const post of hydratedPosts) {
         // NOTE: LEXICON DEVIATION
         post.viewer.priorityReply = true;
-        this.dataStore.$posts.set(post.uri, post);
       }
+      this.dataStore.setPosts(hydratedPosts);
       const rootPost = hydratedPosts[0];
       // If it's a reply, update the reply post thread in the store
       if (replyTo) {
diff --git a/src/js/identityPrecaching.js b/src/js/identityPrecaching.js
index 1d73736b..d6f708ce 100644
--- a/src/js/identityPrecaching.js
+++ b/src/js/identityPrecaching.js
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { getQuotedPost } from "/js/dataHelpers.js";
 import { effect, untrack } from "/js/signals.js";
 
 export function setUpIdentityPrecaching(dataLayer, identityResolver) {
@@ -22,20 +21,6 @@ export function setUpIdentityPrecaching(dataLayer, identityResolver) {
         console.error("error when setting DID from post", post);
         console.error(error);
       }
-      try {
-        const quotedPost = getQuotedPost(post);
-        if (quotedPost) {
-          setDid(quotedPost.author);
-          // TODO - normalize quoted posts?
-          const nestedQuotedPost = getQuotedPost(quotedPost);
-          if (nestedQuotedPost) {
-            setDid(nestedQuotedPost.author);
-          }
-        }
-      } catch (error) {
-        console.error("error when setting DID from quoted post", post);
-        console.error(error);
-      }
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/specs/dataLayer/dataStore.test.js b/tests/unit/specs/dataLayer/dataStore.test.js
index a1705411..3d2d0213 100644
--- a/tests/unit/specs/dataLayer/dataStore.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/specs/dataLayer/dataStore.test.js
@@ -30,6 +30,69 @@ describe("setPosts", () => {
       dataStoreB.$posts.get(post.uri),
     );
   });
+
+  it("should normalize nested quoted posts", () => {
+    const dataStore = new DataStore();
+    const nestedQuotedPost = {
+      $type: "app.bsky.embed.record#viewRecord",
+      uri: "at://did:test/app.bsky.feed.post/nested",
+      cid: "nested-cid",
+      author: { did: "did:test", handle: "nested.test" },
+      value: { text: "nested" },
+      indexedAt: "2026-07-19T00:00:00Z",
+    };
+    const quotedPost = {
+      $type: "app.bsky.embed.record#viewRecord",
+      uri: "at://did:test/app.bsky.feed.post/quoted",
+      cid: "quoted-cid",
+      author: { did: "did:test", handle: "quoted.test" },
+      value: { text: "quoted" },
+      embeds: [
+        {
+          $type: "app.bsky.embed.record#view",
+          record: nestedQuotedPost,
+        },
+      ],
+      indexedAt: "2026-07-19T00:00:00Z",
+    };
+    const post = {
+      uri: "at://did:test/app.bsky.feed.post/root",
+      record: { text: "root" },
+      embed: {
+        $type: "app.bsky.embed.record#view",
+        record: quotedPost,
+      },
+    };
+
+    dataStore.setPosts([post]);
+
+    assert.deepEqual(dataStore.$posts.get(quotedPost.uri), {
+      uri: quotedPost.uri,
+      cid: quotedPost.cid,
+      author: quotedPost.author,
+      record: quotedPost.value,
+      embed: quotedPost.embeds[0],
+      labels: undefined,
+      likeCount: undefined,
+      replyCount: undefined,
+      repostCount: undefined,
+      quoteCount: undefined,
+      indexedAt: quotedPost.indexedAt,
+    });
+    assert.deepEqual(dataStore.$posts.get(nestedQuotedPost.uri), {
+      uri: nestedQuotedPost.uri,
+      cid: nestedQuotedPost.cid,
+      author: nestedQuotedPost.author,
+      record: nestedQuotedPost.value,
+      embed: undefined,
+      labels: undefined,
+      likeCount: undefined,
+      replyCount: undefined,
+      repostCount: undefined,
+      quoteCount: undefined,
+      indexedAt: nestedQuotedPost.indexedAt,
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe("setConvo", () => {
diff --git a/tests/unit/specs/identityPrecaching.test.js b/tests/unit/specs/identityPrecaching.test.js
index 5ae414d2..1faac61b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/specs/identityPrecaching.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/specs/identityPrecaching.test.js
@@ -50,3 +50,46 @@ describe("notifications precaching", () => {
     assert.deepEqual(resolvedHandles.get("carol.test"), "did:plc:carol");
   });
 });
+
+describe("post precaching", () => {
+  it("should cache identities for posts normalized from nested quotes", async () => {
+    const { dataStore, dataLayer, identityResolver, resolvedHandles } = setup();
+    setUpIdentityPrecaching(dataLayer, identityResolver);
+
+    const nestedQuote = {
+      $type: "app.bsky.embed.record#viewRecord",
+      uri: "at://did:plc:nested/app.bsky.feed.post/1",
+      author: { handle: "nested.test", did: "did:plc:nested" },
+      value: { text: "nested quote" },
+    };
+    const quote = {
+      $type: "app.bsky.embed.record#viewRecord",
+      uri: "at://did:plc:quote/app.bsky.feed.post/1",
+      author: { handle: "quote.test", did: "did:plc:quote" },
+      value: { text: "quote" },
+      embeds: [
+        {
+          $type: "app.bsky.embed.record#view",
+          record: nestedQuote,
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+
+    dataStore.setPosts([
+      {
+        uri: "at://did:plc:root/app.bsky.feed.post/1",
+        author: { handle: "root.test", did: "did:plc:root" },
+        record: { text: "root" },
+        embed: {
+          $type: "app.bsky.embed.record#view",
+          record: quote,
+        },
+      },
+    ]);
+    await flushEffects();
+
+    assert.deepEqual(resolvedHandles.get("root.test"), "did:plc:root");
+    assert.deepEqual(resolvedHandles.get("quote.test"), "did:plc:quote");
+    assert.deepEqual(resolvedHandles.get("nested.test"), "did:plc:nested");
+  });
+});