diff --git a/src/nostr/client.rs b/src/nostr/client.rs
index 3a3ec39a..7de639d5 100644
--- a/src/nostr/client.rs
+++ b/src/nostr/client.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,11 @@ pub struct NostrService {
 
 	/// SDK client, present while the service loop runs.
 	client: RwLock<Option<Client>>,
+	/// Handle to the service's tokio runtime. One-shot fetches (e.g. profile
+	/// lookups) from worker threads MUST run here, not on a throwaway runtime:
+	/// the relay connections (incl. the custom Nym mixnet transport) are driven
+	/// by this runtime, and a foreign runtime can't reach them.
+	rt_handle: RwLock<Option<tokio::runtime::Handle>>,
 	/// Service thread started flag.
 	started: AtomicBool,
 	/// Shutdown request flag.
@@ -124,6 +129,7 @@ impl NostrService {
 			store: Arc::new(store),
 			nostr_dir,
 			client: RwLock::new(None),
+			rt_handle: RwLock::new(None),
 			started: AtomicBool::new(false),
 			shutdown: AtomicBool::new(false),
 			connected: AtomicBool::new(false),
@@ -185,15 +191,25 @@ impl NostrService {
 		let client = self.client.read().clone()?;
 		let pk = PublicKey::from_hex(hex).ok()?;
 		let hints: Vec<String> = hints.to_vec();
-		let rt = tokio::runtime::Builder::new_current_thread()
-			.enable_all()
-			.build()
-			.ok()?;
-		rt.block_on(async {
-			// Dial the target's own relays so their kind-0 is reachable even when
-			// it isn't mirrored to any relay we already hold.
-			if !hints.is_empty() {
-				connect_relays(&client, &hints).await;
+		// Run on the SERVICE runtime — the relay connections (and the custom Nym
+		// mixnet transport) live there. A throwaway current-thread runtime can't
+		// drive them, which is why bare-npub profile lookups silently returned
+		// nothing even though the relay serves the kind-0 fine.
+		let handle = self.rt_handle.read().clone()?;
+		let own_relays = self.relays();
+		handle.block_on(async {
+			// Dial the target's own relays (hints) AND our own relay set so the
+			// kind-0 is reachable whether it lives on their relays or ours (most
+			// Goblin users share relay.goblin.st). Without this, a bare-npub scan
+			// only queried whatever happened to be connected and often saw nothing.
+			let mut dial: Vec<String> = hints.clone();
+			for r in &own_relays {
+				if !dial.contains(r) {
+					dial.push(r.clone());
+				}
+			}
+			if !dial.is_empty() {
+				connect_relays(&client, &dial).await;
 			}
 			let filter = Filter::new().kind(Kind::Metadata).author(pk).limit(1);
 			let events = client
@@ -660,6 +676,9 @@ impl NostrService {
 
 /// Main service loop: connect, publish identity, catch up, listen.
 async fn run_service(svc: Arc<NostrService>, wallet: Wallet) {
+	// Publish the service runtime handle so worker-thread one-shots (profile
+	// lookups) can run their fetches here, where the relay I/O actually lives.
+	*svc.rt_handle.write() = Some(tokio::runtime::Handle::current());
 	let relays = svc.relays();
 	info!(
 		"nostr: starting service for {} with relays {:?}",