diff --git a/src/lib/__tests__/identity-cache.test.ts b/src/lib/__tests__/identity-cache.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9bd5010f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/__tests__/identity-cache.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// A composer opened offline showed "Identity unavailable" with Send off, and
+// stayed so once back online until it was closed and opened again.
+import { describe, expect, it, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
+import fs from 'node:fs';
+import path from 'node:path';
+import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
+import type { Identity } from '../../api/types';
+import { loadComposerIdentities, readCachedIdentities } from '../identity-cache';
+
+const me = { id: 'i1', name: 'User A', email: 'usera@example.org', mayDelete: false } as Identity;
+const offline = () => Promise.reject(new Error('Network request failed'));
+
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  await AsyncStorage.clear();
+});
+
+describe('composer identities', () => {
+  it('keeps what the server said for the login', async () => {
+    const result = await loadComposerIdentities('usera@host', async () => [me]);
+    expect(result).toEqual({ identities: [me], fresh: true, error: null });
+    expect(await readCachedIdentities('usera@host')).toEqual([me]);
+    expect(await readCachedIdentities('other@host')).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('uses the kept identities when the server cannot be reached', async () => {
+    await loadComposerIdentities('usera@host', async () => [me]);
+    const result = await loadComposerIdentities('usera@host', offline);
+    expect(result).toEqual({ identities: [me], fresh: false, error: null });
+  });
+
+  it('reports the error only when nothing was kept', async () => {
+    const result = await loadComposerIdentities('usera@host', offline);
+    expect(result.identities).toEqual([]);
+    expect(result.error).toBe('Network request failed');
+  });
+
+  it('is read again by the composer when the connection or the session comes back', () => {
+    const src = fs.readFileSync(path.resolve(__dirname, '../../screens/ComposeScreen.tsx'), 'utf8');
+    expect(src).toMatch(/loadComposerIdentities\(login, \(\) => getIdentities\(\)\)/);
+    expect(src).toMatch(/\}, \[online, sessionUp, identitiesFresh\]\);/);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/identity-cache.ts b/src/lib/identity-cache.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..597c1c55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/identity-cache.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// The composer's sender identities when the server can't be asked. A
+// composer opened offline showed From "Identity unavailable" with Send off,
+// and stayed so after the connection came back until it was closed and
+// opened again. It now starts from the identities last read for the login
+// and reads them again once it can; the Outbox sends the message later.
+
+import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
+import type { Identity } from '../api/types';
+
+const KEY_PREFIX = 'compose:identities:v1:';
+
+function keyFor(localAccountId: string): string {
+  return `${KEY_PREFIX}${localAccountId}`;
+}
+
+/** The identities last read for the login, or [] when none were kept. */
+export async function readCachedIdentities(localAccountId: string | null | undefined): Promise<Identity[]> {
+  if (!localAccountId) return [];
+  try {
+    const raw = await AsyncStorage.getItem(keyFor(localAccountId));
+    const parsed = raw ? (JSON.parse(raw) as unknown) : null;
+    return Array.isArray(parsed)
+      ? parsed.filter((i): i is Identity => !!i && typeof i === 'object' && typeof (i as Identity).id === 'string')
+      : [];
+  } catch {
+    return [];
+  }
+}
+
+/** Keep what the server just said, for the next composer opened offline. */
+export async function writeCachedIdentities(localAccountId: string | null | undefined, identities: Identity[]): Promise<void> {
+  if (!localAccountId) return;
+  try {
+    await AsyncStorage.setItem(keyFor(localAccountId), JSON.stringify(identities));
+  } catch { /* best effort */ }
+}
+
+export interface ComposerIdentities {
+  identities: Identity[];
+  /** The server's answer; false while they are only the kept copy. */
+  fresh: boolean;
+  /** Why neither the server nor a kept copy gave any. */
+  error: string | null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * The server's identities, kept for later; the kept copy when the server
+ * can't be reached. An error only when there is neither.
+ */
+export async function loadComposerIdentities(
+  localAccountId: string | null | undefined,
+  fetchIdentities: () => Promise<Identity[]>,
+): Promise<ComposerIdentities> {
+  try {
+    const identities = await fetchIdentities();
+    if (identities.length > 0) await writeCachedIdentities(localAccountId, identities);
+    return { identities, fresh: true, error: null };
+  } catch (e) {
+    const cached = await readCachedIdentities(localAccountId);
+    if (cached.length > 0) return { identities: cached, fresh: false, error: null };
+    return { identities: [], fresh: false, error: e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Failed to load identities' };
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/screens/ComposeScreen.tsx b/src/screens/ComposeScreen.tsx
index 18a25ae2..737e5c1f 100644
--- a/src/screens/ComposeScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/ComposeScreen.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import { useSendUndoStore } from '../stores/send-undo-store';
 import { toast } from '../stores/toast-store';
 import { type EmailTemplate } from '../stores/templates-store';
 import { getIdentities } from '../api/identity';
+import { loadComposerIdentities, readCachedIdentities } from '../lib/identity-cache';
 import {
   sendEmail, saveDraftVersion, destroyEmails, patchKeywordsForEmails, SendUnconfirmedError,
   type OutgoingAttachment, type OutgoingEmail,
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ import { RecipientPicker } from '../components/compose/RecipientPicker';
 import { isPickerReopenTooSoon, needsRecipientPicker } from '../lib/recipient-picker';
 import { useOutboxStore } from '../stores/outbox-store';
 import { useNetworkStore } from '../stores/network-store';
+import { useAuthStore } from '../stores/auth-store';
 import { isTransientNetworkError } from '../lib/network-error';
 import { classifySendFailure, shouldQueueFailedSend } from '../lib/send-queue';
 import {
@@ -811,20 +813,37 @@ export default function ComposeScreen({ route, navigation }: Props) {
     inputSetterFor(field)('');
   };
 
+  // The identities last read for this login stand in while the server can't
+  // be asked (offline, or the session not up yet), so From and Send work and
+  // the message waits in the Outbox. Read again once back online, or once
+  // the session is up.
+  const online = useNetworkStore((s) => s.online);
+  const sessionUp = useAuthStore((s) => !!s.session);
+  const [identitiesFresh, setIdentitiesFresh] = React.useState(false);
   React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (identitiesFresh) return;
     let cancelled = false;
+    const login = useAccountStore.getState().activeAccountId;
     void (async () => {
-      try {
-        const list = await getIdentities();
-        if (!cancelled) setIdentities(list);
-      } catch (e) {
-        if (!cancelled) {
-          setIdentityError(e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Failed to load identities');
+      if (!online) {
+        const cached = await readCachedIdentities(login);
+        if (!cancelled && cached.length > 0) {
+          setIdentities((prev) => (prev.length > 0 ? prev : cached));
+          setIdentityError(null);
         }
       }
+      const result = await loadComposerIdentities(login, () => getIdentities());
+      if (cancelled) return;
+      if (result.identities.length > 0 || result.fresh) {
+        setIdentities(result.identities);
+        setIdentityError(null);
+      } else if (result.error) {
+        setIdentityError(result.error);
+      }
+      setIdentitiesFresh(result.fresh);
     })();
     return () => { cancelled = true; };
-  }, []);
+  }, [online, sessionUp, identitiesFresh]);
 
   // Once the identities are known, recompute the reply recipients so every
   // own alias is dropped from a reply-all (the initial seed only knew the