diff --git a/src/graphics/draw/NodeListRenderer.cpp b/src/graphics/draw/NodeListRenderer.cpp
index 98d9996a5..bec26be3e 100644
--- a/src/graphics/draw/NodeListRenderer.cpp
+++ b/src/graphics/draw/NodeListRenderer.cpp
@@ -113,35 +113,6 @@ int calculateMaxScroll(int totalEntries, int visibleRows)
     return std::max(0, (totalEntries - 1) / (visibleRows * 2));
 }
 
-void retrieveAndSortNodes(std::vector<NodeEntry> &nodeList)
-{
-    size_t numNodes = nodeDB->getNumMeshNodes();
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < numNodes; i++) {
-        meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *node = nodeDB->getMeshNodeByIndex(i);
-        if (!node || node->num == nodeDB->getNodeNum())
-            continue;
-
-        NodeEntry entry;
-        entry.node = node;
-        entry.sortValue = sinceLastSeen(node);
-
-        nodeList.push_back(entry);
-    }
-
-    // Sort nodes: favorites first, then by last heard (most recent first)
-    std::sort(nodeList.begin(), nodeList.end(), [](const NodeEntry &a, const NodeEntry &b) {
-        bool aFav = a.node->is_favorite;
-        bool bFav = b.node->is_favorite;
-        if (aFav != bFav)
-            return aFav;
-        if (a.sortValue == 0 || a.sortValue == UINT32_MAX)
-            return false;
-        if (b.sortValue == 0 || b.sortValue == UINT32_MAX)
-            return true;
-        return a.sortValue < b.sortValue;
-    });
-}
-
 void drawColumnSeparator(OLEDDisplay *display, int16_t x, int16_t yStart, int16_t yEnd)
 {
     int columnWidth = display->getWidth() / 2;
@@ -440,17 +411,14 @@ void drawNodeListScreen(OLEDDisplay *display, OLEDDisplayUiState *state, int16_t
     // Space below header
     y += COMMON_HEADER_HEIGHT;
 
-    // Fetch and display sorted node list
-    std::vector<NodeEntry> nodeList;
-    retrieveAndSortNodes(nodeList);
-
-    int totalEntries = nodeList.size();
+    int totalEntries = nodeDB->getNumMeshNodes();
     int totalRowsAvailable = (display->getHeight() - y) / rowYOffset;
 
     int visibleNodeRows = totalRowsAvailable;
     int totalColumns = 2;
 
     int startIndex = scrollIndex * visibleNodeRows * totalColumns;
+    startIndex++; // skip own node
     int endIndex = std::min(startIndex + visibleNodeRows * totalColumns, totalEntries);
 
     int yOffset = 0;
@@ -462,10 +430,10 @@ void drawNodeListScreen(OLEDDisplay *display, OLEDDisplayUiState *state, int16_t
     for (int i = startIndex; i < endIndex; ++i) {
         int xPos = x + (col * columnWidth);
         int yPos = y + yOffset;
-        renderer(display, nodeList[i].node, xPos, yPos, columnWidth);
+        renderer(display, nodeDB->getMeshNodeByIndex(i), xPos, yPos, columnWidth);
 
         if (extras) {
-            extras(display, nodeList[i].node, xPos, yPos, columnWidth, heading, lat, lon);
+            extras(display, nodeDB->getMeshNodeByIndex(i), xPos, yPos, columnWidth, heading, lat, lon);
         }
 
         lastNodeY = std::max(lastNodeY, yPos + FONT_HEIGHT_SMALL);
diff --git a/src/graphics/draw/NodeListRenderer.h b/src/graphics/draw/NodeListRenderer.h
index 63f0d1c69..ea8df8bd9 100644
--- a/src/graphics/draw/NodeListRenderer.h
+++ b/src/graphics/draw/NodeListRenderer.h
@@ -23,12 +23,6 @@ namespace NodeListRenderer
 typedef void (*EntryRenderer)(OLEDDisplay *, meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *, int16_t, int16_t, int);
 typedef void (*NodeExtrasRenderer)(OLEDDisplay *, meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *, int16_t, int16_t, int, float, double, double);
 
-// Node entry structure
-struct NodeEntry {
-    meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *node;
-    uint32_t sortValue;
-};
-
 // Node list mode enumeration
 enum NodeListMode { MODE_LAST_HEARD = 0, MODE_HOP_SIGNAL = 1, MODE_DISTANCE = 2, MODE_COUNT = 3 };
 
@@ -57,7 +51,6 @@ void drawNodeListWithCompasses(OLEDDisplay *display, OLEDDisplayUiState *state,
 
 // Utility functions
 const char *getCurrentModeTitle(int screenWidth);
-void retrieveAndSortNodes(std::vector<NodeEntry> &nodeList);
 const char *getSafeNodeName(meshtastic_NodeInfoLite *node);
 void drawColumns(OLEDDisplay *display, int16_t x, int16_t y, const char **fields);
 
diff --git a/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp b/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
index d13864bd9..a30a54e99 100644
--- a/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/NodeDB.cpp
@@ -1337,6 +1337,24 @@ bool NodeDB::saveNodeDatabaseToDisk()
     return saveProto(nodeDatabaseFileName, nodeDatabaseSize, &meshtastic_NodeDatabase_msg, &nodeDatabase, false);
 }
 
+void NodeDB::sortMeshDB()
+{
+    std::sort(meshNodes->begin(), meshNodes->end(), [](const meshtastic_NodeInfoLite a, const meshtastic_NodeInfoLite b) {
+        if (a.num == myNodeInfo.my_node_num) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        bool aFav = a.is_favorite;
+        bool bFav = b.is_favorite;
+        if (aFav != bFav)
+            return aFav;
+        if (a.last_heard == 0 || a.last_heard == UINT32_MAX)
+            return false;
+        if (b.last_heard == 0 || b.last_heard == UINT32_MAX)
+            return true;
+        return a.last_heard > b.last_heard;
+    });
+}
+
 bool NodeDB::saveToDiskNoRetry(int saveWhat)
 {
     bool success = true;
@@ -1558,6 +1576,7 @@ void NodeDB::addFromContact(meshtastic_SharedContact contact)
         // Mark the node's key as manually verified to indicate trustworthiness.
         updateGUIforNode = info;
         // powerFSM.trigger(EVENT_NODEDB_UPDATED); This event has been retired
+        sortMeshDB();
         notifyObservers(true); // Force an update whether or not our node counts have changed
     }
     saveNodeDatabaseToDisk();
@@ -1661,6 +1680,7 @@ void NodeDB::updateFrom(const meshtastic_MeshPacket &mp)
             info->has_hops_away = true;
             info->hops_away = mp.hop_start - mp.hop_limit;
         }
+        sortMeshDB();
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mesh/NodeDB.h b/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
index 90ca5aefd..4d4fb883d 100644
--- a/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
+++ b/src/mesh/NodeDB.h
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ class NodeDB
     bool saveChannelsToDisk();
     bool saveDeviceStateToDisk();
     bool saveNodeDatabaseToDisk();
+    void sortMeshDB();
 };
 
 extern NodeDB *nodeDB;