diff --git a/src/components/ChatPanel.tsx b/src/components/ChatPanel.tsx
index cef9bdb..7fefde4 100644
--- a/src/components/ChatPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ChatPanel.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import {
   ChatMessage,
   getProjectChat,
   getChatMessages,
-  sendChatMessage,
 } from "@/lib/api";
 import { wsClient } from "@/lib/ws";
 
@@ -20,7 +19,6 @@ export default function ChatPanel({ projectId }: ChatPanelProps) {
   const [input, setInput] = useState("");
   const [expanded, setExpanded] = useState(false);
   const [collapsed, setCollapsed] = useState(false);
-  const [sending, setSending] = useState(false);
   const messagesEndRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
 
@@ -72,27 +70,20 @@ export default function ChatPanel({ projectId }: ChatPanelProps) {
     messagesEndRef.current?.scrollIntoView({ behavior: "smooth" });
   }, [messages]);
 
-  const handleSend = async () => {
-    if (!chat || !input.trim() || sending) return;
+  const handleSend = () => {
+    if (!chat || !input.trim()) return;
     const text = input.trim();
     setInput("");
-    setSending(true);
 
-    try {
-      // Send via REST (gets saved + we get it back via WS broadcast)
-      const msg = await sendChatMessage(chat.id, text);
-      // Add immediately (WS might duplicate — deduplicate by id)
-      setMessages((prev) => {
-        if (prev.find((m) => m.id === msg.id)) return prev;
-        return [...prev, msg];
-      });
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.error("Failed to send message:", e);
-      setInput(text); // restore on failure
-    } finally {
-      setSending(false);
-      inputRef.current?.focus();
-    }
+    // Send via WebSocket — message will come back via chat.message event
+    wsClient.send("chat.send", {
+      chat_id: chat.id,
+      content: text,
+      sender_type: "human",
+      sender_name: "admin",
+    });
+
+    inputRef.current?.focus();
   };
 
   const handleKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
@@ -180,11 +171,11 @@ export default function ChatPanel({ projectId }: ChatPanelProps) {
           onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
           placeholder="Написать сообщение..."
           className="flex-1 bg-[var(--bg)] border border-[var(--border)] rounded px-3 py-1.5 text-sm outline-none focus:border-[var(--accent)]"
-          disabled={!chat || sending}
+          disabled={!chat}
         />
         <button
           onClick={handleSend}
-          disabled={!chat || !input.trim() || sending}
+          disabled={!chat || !input.trim()}
           className="bg-[var(--accent)] text-white px-4 py-1.5 rounded text-sm hover:opacity-90 disabled:opacity-50"
         >
           →