diff --git a/core/chanora_core/src/lib.rs b/core/chanora_core/src/lib.rs
index 77ed1fc..883aaf6 100644
--- a/core/chanora_core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/core/chanora_core/src/lib.rs
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ fn normalize_channel_password(password: Option<String>) -> Option<String> {
         .filter(|p| !p.is_empty())
 }
 
+fn should_dispatch_text_message(message: &str, target: &MessageTarget) -> bool {
+    !message.trim().is_empty() || matches!(target, MessageTarget::Poke(_))
+}
+
 /// The top-level Chanora session. Owns at most one active server
 /// connection (DEC-006).
 #[derive(Clone)]
@@ -673,7 +677,7 @@ impl ChanoraSession {
         message: String,
         target: MessageTarget,
     ) -> Result<(), CoreError> {
-        if message.trim().is_empty() {
+        if !should_dispatch_text_message(&message, &target) {
             return Ok(());
         }
         let guard = self.inner.lock().await;
@@ -2535,6 +2539,38 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_poke_messages_are_dispatchable() {
+        assert!(super::should_dispatch_text_message(
+            "",
+            &MessageTarget::Poke(42)
+        ));
+        assert!(super::should_dispatch_text_message(
+            "  \t  ",
+            &MessageTarget::Poke(42)
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_non_poke_messages_remain_suppressed() {
+        assert!(!super::should_dispatch_text_message(
+            "",
+            &MessageTarget::Server
+        ));
+        assert!(!super::should_dispatch_text_message(
+            "  ",
+            &MessageTarget::Channel
+        ));
+        assert!(!super::should_dispatch_text_message(
+            "",
+            &MessageTarget::Client(42)
+        ));
+        assert!(super::should_dispatch_text_message(
+            "hello",
+            &MessageTarget::Channel
+        ));
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn empty_address_is_rejected() {
         let s = ChanoraSession::new();