diff --git a/app/View/Composers/HeaderComposer.php b/app/View/Composers/HeaderComposer.php
index 7bdb43b6..a1b0b4b1 100644
--- a/app/View/Composers/HeaderComposer.php
+++ b/app/View/Composers/HeaderComposer.php
@@ -15,18 +15,25 @@ class HeaderComposer
 
         $userId = auth()->id();
 
-        // Últimas conversaciones con mensajes no leídos
-        $unreadConversations = Message::where('receiver_id', $userId)
-            ->whereNull('read_at')
+        // Conversaciones donde el último mensaje es del otro usuario (pendiente de respuesta)
+        $pendingConversations = Message::where(function ($q) use ($userId) {
+                $q->where('receiver_id', $userId)
+                  ->orWhere('user_id', $userId);
+            })
             ->with('sender')
             ->orderBy('created_at', 'desc')
             ->get()
-            ->unique('user_id')
+            ->groupBy(function ($msg) use ($userId) {
+                return $msg->user_id === $userId ? $msg->receiver_id : $msg->user_id;
+            })
+            ->filter(function ($msgs) use ($userId) {
+                return $msgs->first()->user_id !== $userId;
+            })
+            ->map(fn($msgs) => $msgs->first())
             ->take(5);
 
-        $unreadMessagesCount = Message::where('receiver_id', $userId)
-            ->whereNull('read_at')
-            ->count();
+        $unreadConversations  = $pendingConversations;
+        $unreadMessagesCount  = $pendingConversations->count();
 
         // Notificaciones no leídas
         $unreadNotifications = auth()->user()
diff --git a/resources/views/chat/show.blade.php b/resources/views/chat/show.blade.php
index 3657ca9c..3acec9ad 100644
--- a/resources/views/chat/show.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/chat/show.blade.php
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ document.getElementById('chat-form').addEventListener('submit', function(e) {
         scrollBottom();
         form.reset();
         document.getElementById('attachment-preview').textContent = '';
+        // Notificar al header que esta conversación ya fue respondida
+        window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('chat:replied', { detail: { receiverId } }));
     });
 });
 
diff --git a/resources/views/layouts/_partials/header.blade.php b/resources/views/layouts/_partials/header.blade.php
index 85e1a9be..ab67e4df 100644
--- a/resources/views/layouts/_partials/header.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/layouts/_partials/header.blade.php
@@ -147,10 +147,10 @@
                     data-toggle="dropdown" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false">
                     <span class="mr-2 d-none d-lg-inline text-gray-600 small">{{ Auth::user()->name }}</span>
 
-                    {{-- <img class="img-profile rounded-circle" src="{{ Auth::user()->profile_photo_url }}"> --}}
-                        <img class="img-profile rounded-circle"
+                    <img class="img-profile rounded-circle" src="{{ Auth::user()->profile_photo_url }}">
+                        {{-- <img class="img-profile rounded-circle"
                             src="{{ Auth::user()->profile_photo_url }}"
-                            alt="{{ Auth::user()->name }}">
+                            alt="{{ Auth::user()->name }}"> --}}
                 </a>
                 <div class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-right shadow animated--grow-in"
                     aria-labelledby="userDropdown">
@@ -199,8 +199,6 @@ waitForEcho(() => {
     // Badge + dropdown de mensajes
     window.Echo.channel(`chat.${authId}`)
         .listen('MessageSent', (e) => {
-            updateBadge('msg-badge', 1);
-
             const list = document.querySelector('#messagesDropdown + .dropdown-list');
             if (!list) return;
 
@@ -208,9 +206,14 @@ waitForEcho(() => {
             const empty = list.querySelector('.text-muted.py-3');
             if (empty) empty.remove();
 
-            // Quitar entrada previa del mismo remitente si ya estaba
+            // Si ya había una entrada de este remitente, quitarla (actualizar con el nuevo)
             const existing = list.querySelector(`[data-sender-id="${e.sender.id}"]`);
-            if (existing) existing.remove();
+            if (!existing) {
+                // Solo incrementar badge si es una conversación nueva en el dropdown
+                updateBadge('msg-badge', 1);
+            } else {
+                existing.remove();
+            }
 
             // Insertar nueva entrada al tope (después del header)
             const preview = e.body ? e.body : '📎 Archivo adjunto';
@@ -232,6 +235,26 @@ waitForEcho(() => {
             list.querySelector('.dropdown-header').insertAdjacentElement('afterend', item);
         });
 
+    // Cuando el usuario responde desde el chat, quitar esa conversación del dropdown
+    window.addEventListener('chat:replied', (ev) => {
+        const receiverId = ev.detail.receiverId;
+        const list = document.querySelector('#messagesDropdown + .dropdown-list');
+        if (!list) return;
+        const entry = list.querySelector(`[data-sender-id="${receiverId}"]`);
+        if (entry) {
+            entry.remove();
+            updateBadge('msg-badge', -1);
+            // Si ya no quedan conversaciones, mostrar el mensaje vacío
+            const remaining = list.querySelectorAll('.dropdown-item[data-sender-id]');
+            if (remaining.length === 0) {
+                const empty = document.createElement('div');
+                empty.className = 'dropdown-item text-center text-muted py-3';
+                empty.innerHTML = '<i class="fas fa-check-circle text-success mr-1"></i> Sin mensajes nuevos';
+                list.querySelector('.dropdown-header').insertAdjacentElement('afterend', empty);
+            }
+        }
+    });
+
     // Badge de notificaciones
     window.Echo.channel(`notifications.${authId}`)
         .listen('NewNotification', (e) => {