diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 7378ebb..2f5035a 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ CLAIM_TIMEOUT_HOURS=48
 AUTO_UNCLAIM_ENABLED=false
 AUTO_UNCLAIM_AFTER_HOURS=24
 ALLOW_CLAIM_OVERWRITE=false
+STAFF_EMOJIS=224692549225283584:🍅        # userId:emoji pairs, comma-separated
+CLAIMER_EMOJI_FALLBACK=🎫                 # fallback if claimer has no entry in STAFF_EMOJIS
 
 # --- Thread-style tickets (legacy) ---
 USE_THREADS=false
diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
index eacd3b2..f4822f2 100644
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -134,6 +134,22 @@ const CONFIG = {
     }
     return map;
   })(),
+  STAFF_EMOJIS: (() => {
+    const raw = process.env.STAFF_EMOJIS;
+    const map = new Map();
+    if (!raw || !String(raw).trim()) return map;
+    for (const part of String(raw).split(',')) {
+      const seg = part.trim();
+      if (!seg) continue;
+      const idx = seg.indexOf(':');
+      if (idx === -1) continue;
+      const userId = seg.slice(0, idx).trim();
+      const emoji = seg.slice(idx + 1).trim();
+      if (userId && emoji) map.set(userId, emoji);
+    }
+    return map;
+  })(),
+  CLAIMER_EMOJI_FALLBACK: process.env.CLAIMER_EMOJI_FALLBACK || '🎫',
   STAFF_T1_CATEGORY: process.env.STAFF_T1_CATEGORY || null,
   STAFF_T2_CATEGORY: process.env.STAFF_T2_CATEGORY || null,
   STAFF_T3_CATEGORY: process.env.STAFF_T3_CATEGORY || null,
diff --git a/handlers/buttons.js b/handlers/buttons.js
index 6bb4939..54d88c1 100644
--- a/handlers/buttons.js
+++ b/handlers/buttons.js
@@ -16,12 +16,11 @@ const {
 } = require('discord.js');
 const { mongoose } = require('../db-connection');
 const { CONFIG } = require('../config');
-const { canRename, makeTicketName, minutesFromMs, getOrCreateTicketCategory, cleanupEmptyOverflowCategory, createDiscordTicketAsThread, checkTicketCreationRateLimit } = require('../services/tickets');
+const { canRename, makeTicketName, minutesFromMs, getOrCreateTicketCategory, cleanupEmptyOverflowCategory, createDiscordTicketAsThread, checkTicketCreationRateLimit, getSenderLocal } = require('../services/tickets');
 const { sendTicketClosedEmail } = require('../services/gmail');
 const { getTicketActionRow } = require('../utils/ticketComponents');
 const { setEmailRouting } = require('../services/guildSettings');
-const { enqueueRename, enqueueMove } = require('../services/channelQueue');
-const { createStaffChannel } = require('../services/staffChannel');
+const { enqueueRename } = require('../services/channelQueue');
 const { runEscalation, runDeescalation } = require('./commands');
 const { trackInteraction, trackError } = require('./analytics');
 
@@ -301,12 +300,30 @@ async function handleClaim(interaction, ticket) {
     freshTicket.claimedBy = claimerLabel;
     freshTicket.claimerId = interaction.user.id;
 
+    // Resolve claimerEmoji from STAFF_EMOJIS map (fallback to CLAIMER_EMOJI_FALLBACK)
+    const claimerEmoji = CONFIG.STAFF_EMOJIS.get(interaction.user.id) || CONFIG.CLAIMER_EMOJI_FALLBACK;
+    // Resolve creatorNickname: displayName for Discord tickets, senderLocal for email tickets
+    let creatorNickname;
+    if (freshTicket.gmailThreadId.startsWith('discord-')) {
+      const creatorUserId = freshTicket.gmailThreadId.split('-').pop();
+      try {
+        const creatorMember = await guild.members.fetch(creatorUserId);
+        creatorNickname = creatorMember.displayName;
+      } catch {
+        creatorNickname = freshTicket.senderEmail;
+      }
+    } else {
+      creatorNickname = getSenderLocal(freshTicket.senderEmail);
+    }
+
     const renameInfo = await canRename(freshTicket);
     if (renameInfo.ok) {
       const newName = makeTicketName(
         { escalated: !!freshTicket.escalated, claimed: true },
         freshTicket,
-        guild
+        guild,
+        claimerEmoji,
+        creatorNickname
       );
       try {
         await enqueueRename(interaction.channel, newName);
@@ -321,25 +338,6 @@ async function handleClaim(interaction, ticket) {
       );
     }
 
-    try {
-      const staffCategoryId = CONFIG.STAFF_CATEGORIES.get(interaction.user.id);
-      if (staffCategoryId) await enqueueMove(interaction.channel, staffCategoryId);
-      const staffChan = await createStaffChannel(
-        interaction.guild,
-        freshTicket,
-        interaction.user.id,
-        interaction.channel.name
-      );
-      if (staffChan) {
-        await Ticket.updateOne(
-          { gmailThreadId: freshTicket.gmailThreadId },
-          { $set: { staffChannelId: staffChan.id } }
-        );
-      }
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.error('Staff channel / category (claim):', e);
-    }
-
     const baseLabel = `Unclaim (${claimerLabel})`;
     const label = renameInfo.ok
       ? baseLabel
@@ -371,15 +369,6 @@ async function handleClaim(interaction, ticket) {
     await interaction.followUp({ embeds: [claimEmbed] });
   } else {
     // Unclaim
-    try {
-      if (freshTicket.staffChannelId) {
-        const { deleteStaffChannel } = require('../services/staffChannel');
-        await deleteStaffChannel(interaction.guild, freshTicket.staffChannelId);
-      }
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.error('Delete staff channel (unclaim):', e);
-    }
-
     await Ticket.updateOne(
       { gmailThreadId: freshTicket.gmailThreadId },
       { $set: { claimedBy: null, claimerId: null, staffChannelId: null } }
@@ -390,17 +379,11 @@ async function handleClaim(interaction, ticket) {
 
     const renameInfo = await canRename(freshTicket);
     if (renameInfo.ok) {
-      const currentName = interaction.channel.name.replace(/^[🟢🟡🔴]/, '');
       try {
-        await enqueueRename(interaction.channel, `🟢${currentName}`);
+        await enqueueRename(interaction.channel, `ticket-${freshTicket.ticketNumber}`);
       } catch (e) {
         console.error('Rename error (unclaim):', e);
       }
-      try {
-        if (CONFIG.STAFF_T1_CATEGORY) await enqueueMove(interaction.channel, CONFIG.STAFF_T1_CATEGORY);
-      } catch (e) {
-        console.error('Move error (unclaim):', e);
-      }
     } else {
       const unlockAtMs = Date.now() + renameInfo.waitMs;
       const unlockAtUnix = Math.floor(unlockAtMs / 1000);
diff --git a/services/tickets.js b/services/tickets.js
index f7a6d20..313c0cd 100644
--- a/services/tickets.js
+++ b/services/tickets.js
@@ -33,14 +33,29 @@ function getSenderLocal(senderEmail) {
   return (senderEmail || 'unknown').split('@')[0].toLowerCase();
 }
 
-function makeTicketName({ escalated, claimed }, ticket, guild) {
+function toDiscordSafeName(str) {
+  return str
+    .toLowerCase()
+    .replace(/\s+/g, '-')
+    .replace(/[^\p{L}\p{N}\p{Emoji_Presentation}-]/gu, '')
+    .replace(/-{2,}/g, '-')
+    .replace(/^-+|-+$/g, '')
+    .slice(0, 100);
+}
+
+// claimerEmoji and creatorNickname are only used in the claimed branch.
+// Callers that do not pass them (e.g. escalation rename) get the unclaimed name as before.
+function makeTicketName({ escalated, claimed }, ticket, guild, claimerEmoji, creatorNickname) {
   const senderLocal = getSenderLocal(ticket.senderEmail);
   const num = ticket.ticketNumber || 1;
   if (escalated) {
-    return claimed
-      ? `e-ticket-${senderLocal}-${num}`
+    return (claimed && claimerEmoji && creatorNickname)
+      ? toDiscordSafeName(`e-${claimerEmoji}-${creatorNickname}-${num}`)
       : `escalated-ticket-${senderLocal}-${num}`;
   }
+  if (claimed && claimerEmoji && creatorNickname) {
+    return toDiscordSafeName(`${claimerEmoji}-${creatorNickname}-${num}`);
+  }
   return `ticket-${senderLocal}-${num}`;
 }