diff --git a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/answers/AnswerRevealScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/answers/AnswerRevealScreen.kt
index b0143b4c..f02ff5af 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/answers/AnswerRevealScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/answers/AnswerRevealScreen.kt
@@ -55,7 +55,13 @@ fun AnswerRevealScreen(
         questionId = questionId,
         onReveal = viewModel::revealAnswer,
         onAnswerQuestion = {
-            onNavigate(AppRoute.questionThread("couple", questionId))
+            val coupleId = state.coupleId
+            if (coupleId != null) {
+                onNavigate(AppRoute.questionThread(coupleId, questionId))
+            } else {
+                // Discussing requires a paired partner; send unpaired users to invite one.
+                onNavigate(AppRoute.CREATE_INVITE)
+            }
         },
         onHistory = { onNavigate(AppRoute.ANSWER_HISTORY) },
         onHome = { onNavigate(AppRoute.HOME) }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/answers/AnswerRevealViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/answers/AnswerRevealViewModel.kt
index 583c0526..8399b118 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/answers/AnswerRevealViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/answers/AnswerRevealViewModel.kt
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModel
 import androidx.lifecycle.viewModelScope
 import app.closer.domain.model.LocalAnswer
 import app.closer.domain.model.Question
+import app.closer.domain.repository.AuthRepository
+import app.closer.domain.repository.CoupleRepository
 import app.closer.domain.repository.LocalAnswerRepository
 import app.closer.domain.repository.QuestionRepository
 import dagger.hilt.android.lifecycle.HiltViewModel
@@ -19,13 +21,16 @@ data class AnswerRevealUiState(
     val isLoading: Boolean = true,
     val error: String? = null,
     val question: Question? = null,
-    val answer: LocalAnswer? = null
+    val answer: LocalAnswer? = null,
+    val coupleId: String? = null
 )
 
 @HiltViewModel
 class AnswerRevealViewModel @Inject constructor(
     private val questionRepository: QuestionRepository,
     private val localAnswerRepository: LocalAnswerRepository,
+    private val authRepository: AuthRepository,
+    private val coupleRepository: CoupleRepository,
     savedStateHandle: SavedStateHandle
 ) : ViewModel() {
 
@@ -43,10 +48,14 @@ class AnswerRevealViewModel @Inject constructor(
         viewModelScope.launch {
             _uiState.value = AnswerRevealUiState(isLoading = true)
             try {
+                val coupleId = authRepository.currentUserId?.let { uid ->
+                    runCatching { coupleRepository.getCoupleForUser(uid)?.id }.getOrNull()
+                }
                 _uiState.value = AnswerRevealUiState(
                     isLoading = false,
                     question = questionRepository.getQuestionById(questionId),
-                    answer = localAnswerRepository.getAnswer(questionId)
+                    answer = localAnswerRepository.getAnswer(questionId),
+                    coupleId = coupleId
                 )
             } catch (e: Exception) {
                 _uiState.value = AnswerRevealUiState(
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/DailyQuestionScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/DailyQuestionScreen.kt
index 662f8b18..7e167a14 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/DailyQuestionScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/DailyQuestionScreen.kt
@@ -21,7 +21,13 @@ fun DailyQuestionScreen(
         subtitle = "Answer privately first, then choose whether to reveal it or keep the conversation going.",
         primaryRouteLabel = "Discuss",
         onPrimaryRoute = { question ->
-            onNavigate(AppRoute.questionThread(state.coupleId ?: "couple", question.id))
+            val coupleId = state.coupleId
+            if (coupleId != null) {
+                onNavigate(AppRoute.questionThread(coupleId, question.id))
+            } else {
+                // Discussing requires a paired partner; send unpaired users to invite one.
+                onNavigate(AppRoute.CREATE_INVITE)
+            }
         },
         onSecondaryRoute = state.question?.let {
             { onNavigate(AppRoute.answerReveal(it.id)) }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/QuestionCategoryScreen.kt b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/QuestionCategoryScreen.kt
index 852ca972..6deeb937 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/QuestionCategoryScreen.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/QuestionCategoryScreen.kt
@@ -55,7 +55,13 @@ fun QuestionCategoryScreen(
         categoryId = categoryId,
         state = state,
         onQuestionSelected = { question ->
-            onNavigate(AppRoute.questionThread("couple", question.id))
+            val coupleId = state.coupleId
+            if (coupleId != null) {
+                onNavigate(AppRoute.questionThread(coupleId, question.id))
+            } else {
+                // Discussing requires a paired partner; send unpaired users to invite one.
+                onNavigate(AppRoute.CREATE_INVITE)
+            }
         }
     )
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/QuestionCategoryViewModel.kt b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/QuestionCategoryViewModel.kt
index 73da66bf..7a0426f7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/QuestionCategoryViewModel.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/ui/questions/QuestionCategoryViewModel.kt
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModel
 import androidx.lifecycle.viewModelScope
 import app.closer.domain.model.Question
 import app.closer.domain.model.QuestionCategory
+import app.closer.domain.repository.AuthRepository
+import app.closer.domain.repository.CoupleRepository
 import app.closer.domain.repository.QuestionRepository
 import dagger.hilt.android.lifecycle.HiltViewModel
 import javax.inject.Inject
@@ -17,12 +19,15 @@ data class QuestionCategoryUiState(
     val isLoading: Boolean = true,
     val error: String? = null,
     val category: QuestionCategory? = null,
-    val questions: List<Question> = emptyList()
+    val questions: List<Question> = emptyList(),
+    val coupleId: String? = null
 )
 
 @HiltViewModel
 class QuestionCategoryViewModel @Inject constructor(
     private val repository: QuestionRepository,
+    private val authRepository: AuthRepository,
+    private val coupleRepository: CoupleRepository,
     savedStateHandle: SavedStateHandle
 ) : ViewModel() {
 
@@ -41,10 +46,14 @@ class QuestionCategoryViewModel @Inject constructor(
             try {
                 val category = repository.getCategoryById(categoryId)
                 val questions = repository.getQuestionsByCategory(categoryId)
+                val coupleId = authRepository.currentUserId?.let { uid ->
+                    runCatching { coupleRepository.getCoupleForUser(uid)?.id }.getOrNull()
+                }
                 _uiState.value = QuestionCategoryUiState(
                     isLoading = false,
                     category = category,
-                    questions = questions
+                    questions = questions,
+                    coupleId = coupleId
                 )
             } catch (e: Exception) {
                 _uiState.value = QuestionCategoryUiState(