diff --git a/src/components/PageComponents/Messages/MessageInput.tsx b/src/components/PageComponents/Messages/MessageInput.tsx
index 2e7954c9..d1cbc5ee 100644
--- a/src/components/PageComponents/Messages/MessageInput.tsx
+++ b/src/components/PageComponents/Messages/MessageInput.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,13 @@ import { Input } from "@components/UI/Input.tsx";
 import { useDevice } from "@core/stores/deviceStore.ts";
 import type { Types } from "@meshtastic/js";
 import { SendIcon } from "lucide-react";
-import { type JSX, useCallback, useMemo, useState } from "react";
+import {
+  type JSX,
+  startTransition,
+  useCallback,
+  useMemo,
+  useState,
+} from "react";
 
 export interface MessageInputProps {
   to: Types.Destination;
@@ -63,11 +69,11 @@ export const MessageInput = ({
 
   const handleInputChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     const newValue = e.target.value;
-    const byteLength = new Blob([newValue]).size;
-    if (byteLength <= maxBytes) {
+    const messageLength = newValue.length;
+    if (messageLength <= maxBytes) {
       setLocalDraft(newValue);
       debouncedSetMessageDraft(newValue);
-      setMessageBytes(maxBytes - byteLength);
+      setMessageBytes(maxBytes - messageLength);
     }
   };
 
@@ -75,11 +81,15 @@ export const MessageInput = ({
     <div className="flex gap-2">
       <form
         className="w-full"
-        onSubmit={(e) => {
-          e.preventDefault();
-          sendText(localDraft);
-          setLocalDraft("");
-          setMessageDraft("");
+        action={async (formData: FormData) => {
+          // prevent user from sending blank/empty message
+          if (localDraft === "") return;
+          const message = formData.get("messageInput") as string;
+          startTransition(() => {
+            sendText(message);
+            setLocalDraft("");
+            setMessageDraft("");
+          });
         }}
       >
         <div className="flex flex-grow gap-2">
@@ -87,6 +97,7 @@ export const MessageInput = ({
             <Input
               autoFocus={true}
               minLength={1}
+              name="messageInput"
               placeholder="Enter Message"
               value={localDraft}
               onChange={handleInputChange}