diff --git a/handlers/commands/index.js b/handlers/commands/index.js
index 5546932..de7fe2e 100644
--- a/handlers/commands/index.js
+++ b/handlers/commands/index.js
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ const { EmbedBuilder, MessageFlags } = require('discord.js');
 const { mongoose } = require('../../db-connection');
 const { CONFIG } = require('../../config');
 const { setNotifyDm } = require('../../services/staffSettings');
-const { enqueueMove, enqueueOverwrite, enqueueTopic, enqueueSend } = require('../../services/channelQueue');
-const { logTicketEvent } = require('../../services/debugLog');
+const { makeTicketName, resolveCreatorNickname } = require('../../services/tickets');
+const { enqueueRename, enqueueMove, enqueueOverwrite, enqueueTopic, enqueueSend } = require('../../services/channelQueue');
+const { logError, logTicketEvent } = require('../../services/debugLog');
 const { findTicketForChannel } = require('../sharedHelpers');
 
 const { requireStaffRole, fetchLoggingChannel } = require('./helpers');
@@ -54,16 +55,20 @@ async function handleAdd(interaction) {
   const ticket = await findTicketForChannel(interaction);
   if (!ticket) return;
 
+  // Defer up front: enqueueOverwrite serializes behind any pending rename/move
+  // on this channel and can exceed Discord's 3s interaction-token window.
+  await interaction.deferReply();
+
   try {
     await enqueueOverwrite(interaction.channel, user.id, {
       ViewChannel: true,
       SendMessages: true,
       ReadMessageHistory: true
     });
-    await interaction.reply({ content: `Added ${user} to this ticket.`, allowedMentions: { parse: ['users'] } });
+    await interaction.editReply({ content: `Added ${user} to this ticket.`, allowedMentions: { parse: ['users'] } });
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('Add user error:', err);
-    await interaction.reply({ content: 'Failed to add user.', flags: MessageFlags.Ephemeral });
+    await interaction.editReply({ content: 'Failed to add user.' }).catch(() => {});
   }
 }
 
@@ -72,12 +77,15 @@ async function handleRemove(interaction) {
   const ticket = await findTicketForChannel(interaction);
   if (!ticket) return;
 
+  // Defer up front — same reason as handleAdd.
+  await interaction.deferReply();
+
   try {
     await enqueueOverwrite(interaction.channel, user.id, null, 'delete');
-    await interaction.reply({ content: `Removed ${user} from this ticket.`, allowedMentions: { parse: ['users'] } });
+    await interaction.editReply({ content: `Removed ${user} from this ticket.`, allowedMentions: { parse: ['users'] } });
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('Remove user error:', err);
-    await interaction.reply({ content: 'Failed to remove user.', flags: MessageFlags.Ephemeral });
+    await interaction.editReply({ content: 'Failed to remove user.' }).catch(() => {});
   }
 }
 
@@ -94,16 +102,32 @@ async function handleTransfer(interaction) {
     return interaction.reply({ content: 'The target member must have the staff role.', flags: MessageFlags.Ephemeral });
   }
 
+  // Defer before the DB write + rename so the interaction token survives.
+  await interaction.deferReply();
+
   try {
     const claimerLabel = guildMember.displayName || guildMember.user.username;
 
     await Ticket.updateOne(
       { gmailThreadId: ticket.gmailThreadId },
-      { $set: { claimedBy: claimerLabel } }
+      { $set: { claimedBy: claimerLabel, claimerId: guildMember.id } }
     );
+    ticket.claimedBy = claimerLabel;
+    ticket.claimerId = guildMember.id;
+
+    // Rename the channel to reflect the new claimer — mirrors the /claim
+    // button flow (applyClaim in handlers/buttons.js). Picks the new
+    // claimer's emoji from STAFF_EMOJIS and uses the escalated-claimed
+    // variant when tier >= 1.
+    const claimerEmoji = CONFIG.STAFF_EMOJIS[guildMember.id] || CONFIG.CLAIMER_EMOJI_FALLBACK;
+    const creatorNickname = await resolveCreatorNickname(interaction.guild, ticket);
+    const tier = ticket.escalationTier ?? (ticket.escalated ? 1 : 0);
+    const state = tier >= 1 ? 'escalated-claimed' : 'claimed';
+    enqueueRename(interaction.channel, makeTicketName(state, ticket, creatorNickname, claimerEmoji))
+      .catch(err => logError('rename', err).catch(() => {}));
 
     // `reason` is staff-supplied freeform text; gate to user pings so @everyone in it can't mass-ping.
-    await interaction.reply({
+    await interaction.editReply({
       content: `Ticket transferred to ${member} by ${interaction.user}.\nReason: ${reason}`,
       allowedMentions: { parse: ['users'] }
     });
@@ -117,7 +141,7 @@ async function handleTransfer(interaction) {
     }
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('Transfer error:', err);
-    await interaction.reply({ content: 'Failed to transfer ticket.', flags: MessageFlags.Ephemeral });
+    await interaction.editReply({ content: 'Failed to transfer ticket.' }).catch(() => {});
   }
 }
 
@@ -126,9 +150,13 @@ async function handleMove(interaction) {
   const ticket = await findTicketForChannel(interaction);
   if (!ticket) return;
 
+  // Defer up front — enqueueMove serializes behind any pending rename and
+  // setParent itself can take a moment on busy channels.
+  await interaction.deferReply();
+
   try {
     await enqueueMove(interaction.channel, category.id);
-    await interaction.reply(`Moved ticket to **${category.name}**.`);
+    await interaction.editReply(`Moved ticket to **${category.name}**.`);
 
     const logChan = await fetchLoggingChannel(interaction.client);
     if (logChan) {
@@ -138,7 +166,7 @@ async function handleMove(interaction) {
     }
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('Move error:', err);
-    await interaction.reply({ content: 'Failed to move ticket.', flags: MessageFlags.Ephemeral });
+    await interaction.editReply({ content: 'Failed to move ticket.' }).catch(() => {});
   }
 }
 
@@ -147,12 +175,15 @@ async function handleTopic(interaction) {
   const ticket = await findTicketForChannel(interaction);
   if (!ticket) return;
 
+  // Defer up front — enqueueTopic serializes behind any pending rename/move.
+  await interaction.deferReply();
+
   try {
     await enqueueTopic(interaction.channel, text);
-    await interaction.reply('Topic updated successfully.');
+    await interaction.editReply('Topic updated successfully.');
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('Topic error:', err);
-    await interaction.reply({ content: 'Failed to update topic.', flags: MessageFlags.Ephemeral });
+    await interaction.editReply({ content: 'Failed to update topic.' }).catch(() => {});
   }
 }