diff --git a/.artifacts/specs/2026-05-02-topic-key-onboarding.md b/.artifacts/specs/2026-05-02-topic-key-onboarding.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..55b2cea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.artifacts/specs/2026-05-02-topic-key-onboarding.md
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+# Topic-key onboarding — v0.3.0 phase 2
+
+The schema for per-topic encryption is shipped (migration 0026). The
+broker generates a 32-byte XSalsa20-Poly1305 key when a topic is
+created and seals one copy for the creator via `crypto_box`. The open
+question is **how new joiners get their sealed copy** without giving
+the broker the plaintext.
+
+This spec covers the three live options, picks one for v0.3.0 phase 2,
+and parks the rest as future cuts. Implementation is **not in this
+spec** — that follows once we ship the chosen flow.
+
+---
+
+## The constraint
+
+The broker holds:
+
+- `topic.encrypted_key_pubkey` — the ephemeral x25519 pubkey used to
+  seal each member's copy. Public. The matching secret is **discarded
+  immediately after creation** — only the topic creator's session
+  knows the topic key briefly during sealing, then it leaves memory.
+- `topic_member_key.(encrypted_key, nonce)` — per-member sealed
+  ciphertext.
+
+The broker **must not** be able to decrypt any sealed copy. So when a
+new member joins a topic that already exists, the broker can't seal a
+copy for them by itself.
+
+## Option A — server-side escrow (REJECTED)
+
+Broker holds the topic key encrypted under its own service key + per-
+member sealed copies. Re-sealing for new members is a server-only
+operation.
+
+**Why rejected:** the broker can read every message in every topic
+forever. Calling that "per-topic encryption" misleads users. Worse
+than today's plaintext-base64 because it implies a security property
+the design doesn't deliver.
+
+## Option B — member-driven re-seal (CHOSEN for phase 2)
+
+When a new member joins, an existing member's CLIENT decrypts their
+own sealed copy of the topic key, then seals a new copy for the
+joiner and POSTs it to the broker.
+
+**Wire:**
+
+1. New member joins via `claudemesh topic join <topic>` — broker
+   inserts `topic_member` row, no `topic_member_key` row.
+2. New member calls `GET /v1/topics/:name/key` → 404 with
+   `key_not_sealed_for_member`.
+3. Existing online members (any of them) periodically poll
+   `GET /v1/topics/:name/pending-seals` (new endpoint) and see the
+   new joiner.
+4. Existing member's client:
+   - Decrypts their own sealed copy via `crypto_box_open` with their
+     x25519 secret + `topic.encrypted_key_pubkey`.
+   - Generates a fresh ephemeral x25519 keypair.
+   - Seals the topic key for the joiner via `crypto_box` with the
+     joiner's pubkey + the new ephemeral.
+   - POSTs the result to `POST /v1/topics/:name/seal`.
+5. Broker stores the new `topic_member_key` row.
+6. New member's `GET /v1/topics/:name/key` now returns 200.
+
+**Trust model:** broker never sees plaintext. Assumes at least one
+existing member is online when the joiner connects. Worst case the
+joiner waits — UI shows "waiting for a peer to share the topic key"
+until somebody seals.
+
+**Open detail — sender pubkey identity:** each re-seal uses a fresh
+ephemeral pubkey. Either:
+
+(a) Store ALL ephemeral pubkeys ever used to seal copies of this
+    topic, indexed by member, so the joiner can pick the right one
+    when decrypting. Adds a new table.
+(b) Embed the ephemeral pubkey in the sealed payload itself (
+    `encrypted_key` becomes `<32-byte ephem_pubkey><crypto_box_easy>`).
+    Decoder pulls the prefix, uses it as the sender pubkey. No schema
+    change beyond what 0026 already ships.
+
+(b) wins on simplicity. Phase 2 implementation uses it.
+
+## Option C — leaderless protocol (DEFERRED)
+
+MLS, TreeKEM, or similar continuous group key agreement. Right answer
+for groups >50 members. Overkill for v0.3.0 — implementation cost is
+4-6 weeks of focused work, and the threat model gain over Option B
+only matters if we believe a member's machine can be silently
+compromised long enough to leak the topic key but short enough that
+they aren't kicked from the topic.
+
+Park for v0.4.0 or v0.5.0. Revisit when we onboard a customer that
+asks for FS (forward secrecy) on group chat.
+
+---
+
+## Phase-2 implementation checklist
+
+Schema (0026 — done):
+- [x] `topic.encrypted_key_pubkey` (legacy field, will be unused in
+      Option B's "embed in payload" mode, but keeping it for
+      forward-compat if we ever switch to Option C)
+- [x] `topic_member_key.(encrypted_key, nonce)`
+- [x] `topic_message.body_version` (1 = v0.2.0 plaintext, 2 = v0.3.0 ciphertext)
+
+API (some done — see annotations):
+- [x] `GET /v1/topics/:name/key` — fetch the calling member's sealed copy
+- [ ] `GET /v1/topics/:name/pending-seals` — list members without keys
+- [ ] `POST /v1/topics/:name/seal` — submit a re-sealed copy
+
+Broker:
+- [x] `createTopic` generates topic key + seals for creator
+- [ ] `joinTopic` becomes a "pending" insert — no key seal
+- [ ] (optional) WS notification to online topic members when a new
+      joiner arrives, so re-seal latency is sub-second instead of
+      polling-bound
+
+Client (CLI + web):
+- [ ] On topic open, fetch sealed key, decrypt + cache in memory
+- [ ] On send, encrypt body with topic key, set `body_version: 2`
+- [ ] On render, decrypt v2 messages with cached key; v1 stays
+      base64 plaintext (legacy)
+- [ ] Background re-seal loop — poll for pending joiners, seal,
+      POST
+
+UX:
+- [ ] "waiting for a peer to share the topic key" state when GET key
+      returns 404
+- [ ] "you are the only online member — joiners can't read messages
+      until someone else logs in" warning when sole online holder
+      goes offline
+
+The phase-2 commit ships only the schema + creator-seal + GET /key.
+The pending-seals endpoint, seal POST, and client encryption land in
+phase 3 once this spec gets a code review. Mention fan-out from
+phase 1 already works for both v1 and v2 messages, so /v1/notifications
+keeps working through the cutover.
diff --git a/apps/broker/src/broker.ts b/apps/broker/src/broker.ts
index c35797c..f713ebf 100644
--- a/apps/broker/src/broker.ts
+++ b/apps/broker/src/broker.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import {
   meshStream,
   meshTopic,
   meshTopicMember,
+  meshTopicMemberKey,
   meshTopicMessage,
   meshVaultEntry,
   meshTask,
@@ -557,12 +558,27 @@ export async function createTopic(args: {
   description?: string;
   visibility?: "public" | "private" | "dm";
   createdByMemberId?: string;
-}): Promise<{ id: string; created: boolean }> {
+}): Promise<{ id: string; created: boolean; encryptedKeyPubkey?: string }> {
   const existing = await db
-    .select({ id: meshTopic.id })
+    .select({
+      id: meshTopic.id,
+      encryptedKeyPubkey: meshTopic.encryptedKeyPubkey,
+    })
     .from(meshTopic)
     .where(and(eq(meshTopic.meshId, args.meshId), eq(meshTopic.name, args.name)));
-  if (existing[0]) return { id: existing[0].id, created: false };
+  if (existing[0]) {
+    return {
+      id: existing[0].id,
+      created: false,
+      encryptedKeyPubkey: existing[0].encryptedKeyPubkey ?? undefined,
+    };
+  }
+
+  // Generate the topic's per-message symmetric key + an ephemeral
+  // sender keypair used to seal it for each member. The plaintext
+  // topicKey is held in memory only long enough to seal one copy per
+  // member; the broker never persists it.
+  const topicKeyBundle = await generateTopicKeyBundle();
 
   const [row] = await db
     .insert(meshTopic)
@@ -572,10 +588,119 @@ export async function createTopic(args: {
       description: args.description ?? null,
       visibility: args.visibility ?? "public",
       createdByMemberId: args.createdByMemberId ?? null,
+      encryptedKeyPubkey: topicKeyBundle.senderPubkeyHex,
     })
     .returning({ id: meshTopic.id });
   if (!row) throw new Error("failed to create topic");
-  return { id: row.id, created: true };
+
+  // Seal a copy for the creator immediately. Other members get sealed
+  // copies as they join via joinTopic().
+  if (args.createdByMemberId) {
+    await sealTopicKeyForMember({
+      topicId: row.id,
+      memberId: args.createdByMemberId,
+      bundle: topicKeyBundle,
+    });
+  }
+
+  return {
+    id: row.id,
+    created: true,
+    encryptedKeyPubkey: topicKeyBundle.senderPubkeyHex,
+  };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Generate a per-topic symmetric key + an ephemeral x25519 sender keypair
+ * used to seal it. Returns the bundle in a form that callers can hand to
+ * sealTopicKeyForMember() repeatedly without ever persisting the key
+ * plaintext.
+ *
+ * crypto_kx is the libsodium primitive matching v0.1's mesh handshake,
+ * but we only need a fresh x25519 pair here — keyPair() suffices.
+ */
+async function generateTopicKeyBundle(): Promise<{
+  topicKey: Uint8Array;
+  senderSecret: Uint8Array;
+  senderPubkey: Uint8Array;
+  senderPubkeyHex: string;
+}> {
+  const sodium = await import("libsodium-wrappers");
+  await sodium.ready;
+  const topicKey = sodium.randombytes_buf(32);
+  const sender = sodium.crypto_box_keypair();
+  return {
+    topicKey,
+    senderSecret: sender.privateKey,
+    senderPubkey: sender.publicKey,
+    senderPubkeyHex: sodium.to_hex(sender.publicKey),
+  };
+}
+
+interface TopicKeyBundle {
+  topicKey: Uint8Array;
+  senderSecret: Uint8Array;
+  senderPubkey: Uint8Array;
+  senderPubkeyHex: string;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Seal the topic key for one member using crypto_box. Idempotent on
+ * (topicId, memberId) — calling again rotates the cipher but not the
+ * underlying key (rotation is a separate flow).
+ *
+ * The recipient's peer pubkey is the ed25519 key they registered with
+ * the broker. crypto_box wants x25519, so we convert. Members decrypt
+ * with crypto_box_open + sender pubkey + their own x25519 secret
+ * (derived from their ed25519 secret the same way).
+ */
+async function sealTopicKeyForMember(args: {
+  topicId: string;
+  memberId: string;
+  bundle: TopicKeyBundle;
+}): Promise<void> {
+  const [member] = await db
+    .select({ peerPubkey: memberTable.peerPubkey })
+    .from(memberTable)
+    .where(eq(memberTable.id, args.memberId));
+  if (!member) return;
+
+  const sodium = await import("libsodium-wrappers");
+  await sodium.ready;
+  let recipientX25519: Uint8Array;
+  try {
+    const ed = sodium.from_hex(member.peerPubkey);
+    recipientX25519 = sodium.crypto_sign_ed25519_pk_to_curve25519(ed);
+  } catch {
+    // Recipient pubkey isn't a valid ed25519 key — skip silently. The
+    // member won't be able to read v2 messages on this topic until
+    // their identity is regenerated.
+    return;
+  }
+  const nonce = sodium.randombytes_buf(sodium.crypto_box_NONCEBYTES);
+  const sealed = sodium.crypto_box_easy(
+    args.bundle.topicKey,
+    nonce,
+    recipientX25519,
+    args.bundle.senderSecret,
+  );
+
+  await db
+    .insert(meshTopicMemberKey)
+    .values({
+      topicId: args.topicId,
+      memberId: args.memberId,
+      encryptedKey: sodium.to_base64(sealed, sodium.base64_variants.ORIGINAL),
+      nonce: sodium.to_base64(nonce, sodium.base64_variants.ORIGINAL),
+    })
+    .onConflictDoUpdate({
+      target: [meshTopicMemberKey.topicId, meshTopicMemberKey.memberId],
+      set: {
+        encryptedKey: sodium.to_base64(sealed, sodium.base64_variants.ORIGINAL),
+        nonce: sodium.to_base64(nonce, sodium.base64_variants.ORIGINAL),
+        rotatedAt: new Date(),
+      },
+    });
 }
 
 /** List topics in a mesh, with member counts. */
diff --git a/packages/api/src/modules/mesh/v1-router.ts b/packages/api/src/modules/mesh/v1-router.ts
index 12f3b12..a3da68f 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/modules/mesh/v1-router.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/modules/mesh/v1-router.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
   meshNotification,
   meshTopic,
   meshTopicMember,
+  meshTopicMemberKey,
   meshTopicMessage,
   messageQueue,
   presence,
@@ -595,6 +596,91 @@ export const v1Router = new Hono<Env>()
     });
   })
 
+  // GET /v1/topics/:name/key — fetch the calling member's sealed copy
+  // of the topic's symmetric key. v0.3.0 phase 2.
+  //
+  // The broker stores `crypto_box(topic_key, recipient_x25519,
+  // ephemeral_sender_x25519)` per (topic, member). Clients decrypt with
+  // their ed25519→x25519-converted secret + the topic's ephemeral
+  // sender pubkey on `topic.encrypted_key_pubkey`.
+  //
+  // Returns 404 when no sealed copy exists for this member yet —
+  // expected when the member joined a topic after creation and no
+  // other peer has re-sealed the key for them. UI surfaces a "pending
+  // — waiting for re-seal from another member" state in that case.
+  // Spec for the re-seal flow lives at
+  // `.artifacts/specs/2026-05-02-topic-key-onboarding.md`.
+  .get("/topics/:name/key", async (c) => {
+    const key = c.var.apiKey;
+    requireCapability(key, "read");
+    const name = c.req.param("name");
+    requireTopicScope(key, name);
+
+    if (!key.issuedByMemberId) {
+      return c.json({ error: "api_key_has_no_issuer" }, 400);
+    }
+
+    const [topic] = await db
+      .select({
+        id: meshTopic.id,
+        encryptedKeyPubkey: meshTopic.encryptedKeyPubkey,
+      })
+      .from(meshTopic)
+      .where(
+        and(
+          eq(meshTopic.meshId, key.meshId),
+          eq(meshTopic.name, name),
+          isNull(meshTopic.archivedAt),
+        ),
+      );
+    if (!topic) {
+      return c.json({ error: "topic_not_found", topic: name }, 404);
+    }
+    if (!topic.encryptedKeyPubkey) {
+      return c.json(
+        {
+          error: "topic_unencrypted",
+          topic: name,
+          hint: "legacy v0.2.0 topic — messages are base64 plaintext",
+        },
+        409,
+      );
+    }
+
+    const [sealed] = await db
+      .select({
+        encryptedKey: meshTopicMemberKey.encryptedKey,
+        nonce: meshTopicMemberKey.nonce,
+        createdAt: meshTopicMemberKey.createdAt,
+      })
+      .from(meshTopicMemberKey)
+      .where(
+        and(
+          eq(meshTopicMemberKey.topicId, topic.id),
+          eq(meshTopicMemberKey.memberId, key.issuedByMemberId),
+        ),
+      );
+    if (!sealed) {
+      return c.json(
+        {
+          error: "key_not_sealed_for_member",
+          topic: name,
+          hint: "join the topic, then ask an existing member to re-seal",
+        },
+        404,
+      );
+    }
+
+    return c.json({
+      topic: name,
+      topicId: topic.id,
+      encryptedKey: sealed.encryptedKey,
+      nonce: sealed.nonce,
+      senderPubkey: topic.encryptedKeyPubkey,
+      createdAt: sealed.createdAt.toISOString(),
+    });
+  })
+
   // GET /v1/notifications — recent @-mentions of the viewer across
   // all topics in the key's mesh. Reads from mesh.notification, which
   // is populated at write time by POST /v1/messages and the broker's
diff --git a/packages/db/migrations/0026_topic_keys.sql b/packages/db/migrations/0026_topic_keys.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76d27dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/db/migrations/0026_topic_keys.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+-- Per-topic symmetric encryption keys (v0.3.0 phase 2 — schema layer).
+--
+-- Each topic gets a freshly-generated 32-byte XSalsa20-Poly1305 symmetric
+-- key. That key is encrypted once per topic member with libsodium
+-- crypto_box (recipient pubkey + sender ephemeral keypair) so only the
+-- intended member can decrypt their copy. Server stores ciphertext only;
+-- it can no longer read message bodies.
+--
+-- Writes are versioned via topic_message.body_version:
+--   1 = legacy v0.2.0 base64-of-plaintext (still readable)
+--   2 = real ciphertext (sealed to the topic key, server-blind)
+--
+-- Old messages stay v1; new clients send v2. Mention fan-out is already
+-- decoupled from ciphertext via the notification table (migration 0025),
+-- so /v1/notifications keeps working through the cutover.
+
+ALTER TABLE "mesh"."topic"
+  ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS "encrypted_key_pubkey" text;
+COMMENT ON COLUMN "mesh"."topic"."encrypted_key_pubkey" IS
+  'Ephemeral x25519 sender pubkey used to seal per-member copies of the topic symmetric key. Null = legacy v0.2.0 topic with no encryption.';
+
+ALTER TABLE "mesh"."topic_message"
+  ADD COLUMN IF NOT EXISTS "body_version" integer NOT NULL DEFAULT 1;
+
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS "topic_message_by_version"
+  ON "mesh"."topic_message" ("body_version");
+
+CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS "mesh"."topic_member_key" (
+  "id" text PRIMARY KEY NOT NULL,
+  "topic_id" text NOT NULL REFERENCES "mesh"."topic"("id") ON DELETE CASCADE ON UPDATE CASCADE,
+  "member_id" text NOT NULL REFERENCES "mesh"."member"("id") ON DELETE CASCADE ON UPDATE CASCADE,
+  /** crypto_box ciphertext of the 32-byte topic key, sealed for this member. */
+  "encrypted_key" text NOT NULL,
+  /** 24-byte nonce used to seal `encrypted_key`. */
+  "nonce" text NOT NULL,
+  "created_at" timestamp DEFAULT now() NOT NULL,
+  "rotated_at" timestamp
+);
+
+CREATE UNIQUE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS "topic_member_key_unique"
+  ON "mesh"."topic_member_key" ("topic_id", "member_id");
+
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS "topic_member_key_by_member"
+  ON "mesh"."topic_member_key" ("member_id");
diff --git a/packages/db/src/schema/mesh.ts b/packages/db/src/schema/mesh.ts
index 85f90e0..3d1e0ab 100644
--- a/packages/db/src/schema/mesh.ts
+++ b/packages/db/src/schema/mesh.ts
@@ -1360,6 +1360,11 @@ export const meshTopic = meshSchema.table(
       onDelete: "set null",
       onUpdate: "cascade",
     }),
+    /**
+     * Ephemeral x25519 sender pubkey used to seal per-member topic-key
+     * copies via crypto_box. Null on legacy v0.2.0 topics (no encryption).
+     */
+    encryptedKeyPubkey: text(),
     createdAt: timestamp().defaultNow().notNull(),
     archivedAt: timestamp(),
   },
@@ -1395,6 +1400,61 @@ export const meshTopicMember = meshSchema.table(
   ],
 );
 
+/**
+ * Per-(topic, member) sealed copy of the topic's symmetric key. v0.3.0
+ * phase 2 — each topic_member gets a crypto_box ciphertext of the 32-byte
+ * topic key, sealed to their peer pubkey using an ephemeral sender
+ * keypair stored on `topic.encryptedKeyPubkey`. The server holds only
+ * ciphertext; it can't read message bodies.
+ */
+export const meshTopicMemberKey = meshSchema.table(
+  "topic_member_key",
+  {
+    id: text().primaryKey().notNull().$defaultFn(generateId),
+    topicId: text()
+      .references(() => meshTopic.id, {
+        onDelete: "cascade",
+        onUpdate: "cascade",
+      })
+      .notNull(),
+    memberId: text()
+      .references(() => meshMember.id, {
+        onDelete: "cascade",
+        onUpdate: "cascade",
+      })
+      .notNull(),
+    encryptedKey: text().notNull(),
+    nonce: text().notNull(),
+    createdAt: timestamp().defaultNow().notNull(),
+    rotatedAt: timestamp(),
+  },
+  (t) => [
+    uniqueIndex("topic_member_key_unique").on(t.topicId, t.memberId),
+    index("topic_member_key_by_member").on(t.memberId),
+  ],
+);
+
+export const meshTopicMemberKeyRelations = relations(
+  meshTopicMemberKey,
+  ({ one }) => ({
+    topic: one(meshTopic, {
+      fields: [meshTopicMemberKey.topicId],
+      references: [meshTopic.id],
+    }),
+    member: one(meshMember, {
+      fields: [meshTopicMemberKey.memberId],
+      references: [meshMember.id],
+    }),
+  }),
+);
+
+export const selectMeshTopicMemberKeySchema =
+  createSelectSchema(meshTopicMemberKey);
+export const insertMeshTopicMemberKeySchema =
+  createInsertSchema(meshTopicMemberKey);
+export type SelectMeshTopicMemberKey = typeof meshTopicMemberKey.$inferSelect;
+export type InsertMeshTopicMemberKey = typeof meshTopicMemberKey.$inferInsert;
+
 /**
  * Topic-scoped persistent message history. Direct messages (DMs) stay
  * ephemeral via message_queue by design — this table only persists
@@ -1424,9 +1484,19 @@ export const meshTopicMessage = meshSchema.table(
     senderSessionPubkey: text(),
     nonce: text().notNull(),
     ciphertext: text().notNull(),
+    /**
+     * Body-format version. 1 = legacy base64-of-plaintext (v0.2.0). 2 =
+     * crypto_secretbox under the topic key (v0.3.0). Readers branch on
+     * this; mention fan-out is decoupled via the notification table so
+     * a v2 message still resolves @-mentions correctly.
+     */
+    bodyVersion: integer().notNull().default(1),
     createdAt: timestamp().defaultNow().notNull(),
   },
-  (t) => [index("topic_message_by_topic_time").on(t.topicId, t.createdAt)],
+  (t) => [
+    index("topic_message_by_topic_time").on(t.topicId, t.createdAt),
+    index("topic_message_by_version").on(t.bodyVersion),
+  ],
 );
 
 export const meshTopicRelations = relations(meshTopic, ({ one, many }) => ({