diff --git a/lib/mastodon/entities/status.js b/lib/mastodon/entities/status.js
index bcd5652..6ce2909 100644
--- a/lib/mastodon/entities/status.js
+++ b/lib/mastodon/entities/status.js
@@ -99,7 +99,17 @@ export function serializeStatus(item, { baseUrl, favouritedIds, rebloggedIds, bo
   }
 
   // Regular status (note, article, question)
-  const content = item.content?.html || item.content?.text || "";
+  let content = item.content?.html || item.content?.text || "";
+
+  // Append permalink for own posts at read time — matches what fediverse
+  // users see via federation (jf2-to-as2 appends the same link).
+  // Done here instead of at write time so it survives backfills and cleanups.
+  const isOwnPost = _localPublicationUrl && item.author?.url === _localPublicationUrl;
+  const postUrl = item.uid || item.url;
+  if (isOwnPost && postUrl && !content.includes(postUrl)) {
+    const escaped = postUrl.replace(/&/g, "&amp;").replace(/</g, "&lt;").replace(/>/g, "&gt;");
+    content += `\n<p>\u{1F517} <a href="${escaped}">${escaped}</a></p>`;
+  }
   const spoilerText = item.summary || "";
   const sensitive = item.sensitive || false;
   const visibility = item.visibility || "public";
diff --git a/lib/syndicator.js b/lib/syndicator.js
index 9946927..6739ccb 100644
--- a/lib/syndicator.js
+++ b/lib/syndicator.js
@@ -225,14 +225,7 @@ export function createSyndicator(plugin) {
         try {
           const profile = await plugin._collections.ap_profile?.findOne({});
           const content = buildTimelineContent(properties);
-
-          // Append permalink to ALL post types so the Mastodon API timeline
-          // matches what fediverse users see via federation (jf2-to-as2 appends it too).
-          if (properties.url) {
-            const esc = (s) => String(s).replace(/&/g, "&amp;").replace(/</g, "&lt;").replace(/>/g, "&gt;").replace(/"/g, "&quot;");
-            content.text = `${content.text}\n\n\u{1F517} ${properties.url}`;
-            content.html = `${content.html}\n<p>\u{1F517} <a href="${esc(properties.url)}">${esc(properties.url)}</a></p>`;
-          }
+          // Permalink is appended at read time by serializeStatus, not here.
 
           const timelineItem = {
             uid: properties.url,
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 527174d..423515b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@rmdes/indiekit-endpoint-activitypub",
-  "version": "3.12.1",
+  "version": "3.12.2",
   "description": "ActivityPub federation endpoint for Indiekit via Fedify. Adds full fediverse support: actor, inbox, outbox, followers, following, syndication, and Mastodon migration.",
   "keywords": [
     "indiekit",