diff --git a/src/app/state/plaintextCaches.test.ts b/src/app/state/plaintextCaches.test.ts
index a4c688e1f..aa0630771 100644
--- a/src/app/state/plaintextCaches.test.ts
+++ b/src/app/state/plaintextCaches.test.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 // hoist above the mock).
 const removed: string[] = [];
 const store = new Map<string, string>();
-(globalThis as { localStorage?: unknown }).localStorage = {
+// A Proxy so `Object.keys(localStorage)` (used by the prefix sweeps) sees the
+// stored keys, like the real Storage object.
+const api = {
   getItem: (k: string) => store.get(k) ?? null,
   setItem: (k: string, v: string) => {
     store.set(k, v);
@@ -16,6 +18,13 @@ const store = new Map<string, string>();
     store.delete(k);
   },
 };
+(globalThis as { localStorage?: unknown }).localStorage = new Proxy(api, {
+  ownKeys: () => Array.from(store.keys()),
+  getOwnPropertyDescriptor: (target, key) =>
+    typeof key === 'string' && store.has(key)
+      ? { value: store.get(key), enumerable: true, configurable: true, writable: true }
+      : Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(target, key),
+});
 
 const { clearPlaintextCaches } = await import('./plaintextCaches');
 
@@ -56,15 +65,19 @@ test('clearPlaintextCaches clears the per-user nav-path store only when given a
   assert.ok(removed.includes('navToActivePath@me:server'), 'nav path cleared with userId');
 });
 
-test('clearPlaintextCaches does NOT touch drafts or session keys', () => {
+test('clearPlaintextCaches wipes drafts (#41) and the status message (#204) but not session keys', () => {
   store.clear();
   store.set('draft-msg-!room:server', '{"body":"unsent"}');
+  store.set('lotus-status-msg-@me:server', 'at the dentist');
+  store.set('lotus-status-expiry-@me:server', '123');
   store.set('cinny_session', '{"accessToken":"x"}');
   removed.length = 0;
 
   clearPlaintextCaches('@me:server');
 
-  assert.ok(!removed.includes('draft-msg-!room:server'), 'draft preserved (N98)');
+  assert.ok(removed.includes('draft-msg-!room:server'), 'draft cleared');
+  assert.ok(removed.includes('lotus-status-msg-@me:server'), 'status message cleared');
+  assert.ok(removed.includes('lotus-status-expiry-@me:server'), 'status expiry cleared');
   assert.ok(!removed.includes('cinny_session'), 'session key not this module’s concern');
-  assert.ok(store.has('draft-msg-!room:server'));
+  assert.ok(store.has('cinny_session'));
 });
diff --git a/src/app/state/plaintextCaches.ts b/src/app/state/plaintextCaches.ts
index ef3893911..45b6e04f3 100644
--- a/src/app/state/plaintextCaches.ts
+++ b/src/app/state/plaintextCaches.ts
@@ -54,12 +54,36 @@ const clearMsgDrafts = (): void => {
  *   bookmarks, user notes, status presets — themselves plaintext) → wiped by
  *   `mx.clearStores()` on both logout paths
  * - the opt-in encrypted-search index (IndexedDB) → `deleteSearchCacheDatabase()`
- * - the presence status message (`lotus-status-msg-*`) is deliberately
- *   preserved across a normal logout; clearing it is a separate product decision
+ * - (the presence status message + expiry, `lotus-status-msg-*` /
+ *   `lotus-status-expiry-*`, used to be preserved; since [Gitea #204] they are
+ *   swept with the rest — the server-side presence status survives, so a
+ *   re-login loses nothing)
  * - low-sensitivity UI/metadata residue (`io.lotus.mute_timers`, collapsed
  *   nav/space categories, `cinny_oidc_dynamic_clients`) is treated as
  *   preferences, not swept here
  */
+/**
+ * [Gitea #204] The local mirror of the user's status message (+ its expiry) is
+ * PII in plaintext; the authoritative copy lives in server presence.
+ */
+const clearStatusMessage = (): void => {
+  let keys: string[];
+  try {
+    keys = Object.keys(localStorage);
+  } catch {
+    return;
+  }
+  keys.forEach((key) => {
+    if (key.startsWith('lotus-status-msg-') || key.startsWith('lotus-status-expiry-')) {
+      try {
+        localStorage.removeItem(key);
+      } catch {
+        // best-effort
+      }
+    }
+  });
+};
+
 export const clearPlaintextCaches = (userId?: string): void => {
   clearTranslationCache();
   clearScheduledMessages();
@@ -68,5 +92,6 @@ export const clearPlaintextCaches = (userId?: string): void => {
   clearRecentGifs();
   clearRecentStickers();
   clearMsgDrafts();
+  clearStatusMessage();
   if (userId) clearNavToActivePathStore(userId);
 };