diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getProfile.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getProfile.ts
index b7860791507..a14718e394e 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getProfile.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getProfile.ts
@@ -16,14 +16,11 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
   server.app.bsky.actor.getProfile({
     auth: ctx.authVerifier.optionalStandardOrRole,
     handler: async ({ auth, params, req, res }) => {
-      const { viewer, canViewTakedowns } = ctx.authVerifier.parseCreds(auth)
+      const { viewer, includeTakedowns } = ctx.authVerifier.parseCreds(auth)
       const labelers = ctx.reqLabelers(req)
-      const hydrateCtx = { labelers, viewer }
+      const hydrateCtx = { labelers, viewer, includeTakedowns }
 
-      const result = await getProfile(
-        { ...params, hydrateCtx, canViewTakedowns },
-        ctx,
-      )
+      const result = await getProfile({ ...params, hydrateCtx }, ctx)
 
       const repoRev = await ctx.hydrator.actor.getRepoRevSafe(viewer)
       setRepoRev(res, repoRev)
@@ -54,11 +51,7 @@ const hydration = async (input: {
   skeleton: SkeletonState
 }) => {
   const { ctx, params, skeleton } = input
-  return ctx.hydrator.hydrateProfilesDetailed(
-    [skeleton.did],
-    params.hydrateCtx,
-    true,
-  )
+  return ctx.hydrator.hydrateProfilesDetailed([skeleton.did], params.hydrateCtx)
 }
 
 const presentation = (input: {
@@ -72,7 +65,7 @@ const presentation = (input: {
   if (!profile) {
     throw new InvalidRequestError('Profile not found')
   } else if (
-    !params.canViewTakedowns &&
+    !params.hydrateCtx.includeTakedowns &&
     ctx.views.actorIsTakendown(skeleton.did, hydration)
   ) {
     throw new InvalidRequestError(
@@ -90,7 +83,6 @@ type Context = {
 
 type Params = QueryParams & {
   hydrateCtx: HydrateCtx
-  canViewTakedowns: boolean
 }
 
 type SkeletonState = { did: string }
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getSuggestions.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getSuggestions.ts
index db312373ea0..fa2edd2d09e 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getSuggestions.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/actor/getSuggestions.ts
@@ -64,11 +64,7 @@ const hydration = async (input: {
   skeleton: Skeleton
 }) => {
   const { ctx, params, skeleton } = input
-  return ctx.hydrator.hydrateProfilesDetailed(
-    skeleton.dids,
-    params.hydrateCtx,
-    true,
-  )
+  return ctx.hydrator.hydrateProfilesDetailed(skeleton.dids, params.hydrateCtx)
 }
 
 const noBlocksOrMutes = (input: {
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getAuthorFeed.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getAuthorFeed.ts
index a8174b164fc..01fd33272c7 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getAuthorFeed.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/feed/getAuthorFeed.ts
@@ -28,14 +28,11 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
   server.app.bsky.feed.getAuthorFeed({
     auth: ctx.authVerifier.optionalStandardOrRole,
     handler: async ({ params, auth, req, res }) => {
-      const { viewer, canViewTakedowns } = ctx.authVerifier.parseCreds(auth)
+      const { viewer, includeTakedowns } = ctx.authVerifier.parseCreds(auth)
       const labelers = ctx.reqLabelers(req)
-      const hydrateCtx = { labelers, viewer }
+      const hydrateCtx = { labelers, viewer, includeTakedowns }
 
-      const result = await getAuthorFeed(
-        { ...params, hydrateCtx, includeTakedowns: canViewTakedowns },
-        ctx,
-      )
+      const result = await getAuthorFeed({ ...params, hydrateCtx }, ctx)
 
       const repoRev = await ctx.hydrator.actor.getRepoRevSafe(viewer)
       setRepoRev(res, repoRev)
@@ -66,7 +63,7 @@ export const skeleton = async (inputs: {
   }
   const actors = await ctx.hydrator.actor.getActors(
     [did],
-    params.includeTakedowns,
+    params.hydrateCtx.includeTakedowns,
   )
   const actor = actors.get(did)
   if (!actor) {
@@ -100,11 +97,7 @@ const hydration = async (inputs: {
 }): Promise<HydrationState> => {
   const { ctx, params, skeleton } = inputs
   const [feedPostState, profileViewerState] = await Promise.all([
-    ctx.hydrator.hydrateFeedItems(
-      skeleton.items,
-      params.hydrateCtx,
-      params.includeTakedowns,
-    ),
+    ctx.hydrator.hydrateFeedItems(skeleton.items, params.hydrateCtx),
     ctx.hydrator.hydrateProfileViewers([skeleton.actor.did], params.hydrateCtx),
   ])
   return mergeStates(feedPostState, profileViewerState)
@@ -160,7 +153,6 @@ type Context = {
 
 type Params = QueryParams & {
   hydrateCtx: HydrateCtx
-  includeTakedowns: boolean
 }
 
 type Skeleton = {
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollowers.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollowers.ts
index b2d3288b4bd..267aad6ec2a 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollowers.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollowers.ts
@@ -29,14 +29,11 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
   server.app.bsky.graph.getFollowers({
     auth: ctx.authVerifier.optionalStandardOrRole,
     handler: async ({ params, auth, req }) => {
-      const { viewer, canViewTakedowns } = ctx.authVerifier.parseCreds(auth)
+      const { viewer, includeTakedowns } = ctx.authVerifier.parseCreds(auth)
       const labelers = ctx.reqLabelers(req)
-      const hydrateCtx = { labelers, viewer }
+      const hydrateCtx = { labelers, viewer, includeTakedowns }
 
-      const result = await getFollowers(
-        { ...params, hydrateCtx, canViewTakedowns },
-        ctx,
-      )
+      const result = await getFollowers({ ...params, hydrateCtx }, ctx)
 
       return {
         encoding: 'application/json',
@@ -84,7 +81,6 @@ const hydration = async (
   const profileState = await ctx.hydrator.hydrateProfiles(
     dids,
     params.hydrateCtx,
-    params.canViewTakedowns,
   )
   return mergeStates(followState, profileState)
 }
@@ -111,13 +107,16 @@ const presentation = (
     ctx.views.actorIsTakendown(did, hydration)
 
   const subject = ctx.views.profile(subjectDid, hydration)
-  if (!subject || (!params.canViewTakedowns && isTakendown(subjectDid))) {
+  if (
+    !subject ||
+    (!params.hydrateCtx.includeTakedowns && isTakendown(subjectDid))
+  ) {
     throw new InvalidRequestError(`Actor not found: ${params.actor}`)
   }
 
   const followers = mapDefined(followUris, (followUri) => {
     const followerDid = didFromUri(followUri)
-    if (!params.canViewTakedowns && isTakendown(followerDid)) {
+    if (!params.hydrateCtx.includeTakedowns && isTakendown(followerDid)) {
       return
     }
     return ctx.views.profile(didFromUri(followUri), hydration)
@@ -133,7 +132,6 @@ type Context = {
 
 type Params = QueryParams & {
   hydrateCtx: HydrateCtx
-  canViewTakedowns: boolean
 }
 
 type SkeletonState = {
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollows.ts b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollows.ts
index d1840f9a19a..f7c35b710ce 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollows.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/api/app/bsky/graph/getFollows.ts
@@ -23,15 +23,12 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
   server.app.bsky.graph.getFollows({
     auth: ctx.authVerifier.optionalStandardOrRole,
     handler: async ({ params, auth, req }) => {
-      const { viewer, canViewTakedowns } = ctx.authVerifier.parseCreds(auth)
+      const { viewer, includeTakedowns } = ctx.authVerifier.parseCreds(auth)
       const labelers = ctx.reqLabelers(req)
-      const hydrateCtx = { labelers, viewer }
+      const hydrateCtx = { labelers, viewer, includeTakedowns }
 
       // @TODO ensure canViewTakedowns gets threaded through and applied properly
-      const result = await getFollows(
-        { ...params, hydrateCtx, canViewTakedowns },
-        ctx,
-      )
+      const result = await getFollows({ ...params, hydrateCtx }, ctx)
 
       return {
         encoding: 'application/json',
@@ -79,7 +76,6 @@ const hydration = async (
   const profileState = await ctx.hydrator.hydrateProfiles(
     dids,
     params.hydrateCtx,
-    params.canViewTakedowns,
   )
   return mergeStates(followState, profileState)
 }
@@ -108,14 +104,17 @@ const presentation = (
     ctx.views.actorIsTakendown(did, hydration)
 
   const subject = ctx.views.profile(subjectDid, hydration)
-  if (!subject || (!params.canViewTakedowns && isTakendown(subjectDid))) {
+  if (
+    !subject ||
+    (!params.hydrateCtx.includeTakedowns && isTakendown(subjectDid))
+  ) {
     throw new InvalidRequestError(`Actor not found: ${params.actor}`)
   }
 
   const follows = mapDefined(followUris, (followUri) => {
     const followDid = hydration.follows?.get(followUri)?.record.subject
     if (!followDid) return
-    if (!params.canViewTakedowns && isTakendown(followDid)) {
+    if (!params.hydrateCtx.includeTakedowns && isTakendown(followDid)) {
       return
     }
     return ctx.views.profile(followDid, hydration)
@@ -131,7 +130,6 @@ type Context = {
 
 type Params = QueryParams & {
   hydrateCtx: HydrateCtx
-  canViewTakedowns: boolean
 }
 
 type SkeletonState = {
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/auth-verifier.ts b/packages/bsky/src/auth-verifier.ts
index 2936b1cd28b..44bde797932 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/auth-verifier.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/auth-verifier.ts
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ export class AuthVerifier {
   ) {
     const viewer =
       creds.credentials.type === 'standard' ? creds.credentials.iss : null
-    const canViewTakedowns =
+    const includeTakedowns =
       (creds.credentials.type === 'role' && creds.credentials.admin) ||
       creds.credentials.type === 'mod_service' ||
       (creds.credentials.type === 'standard' &&
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ export class AuthVerifier {
 
     return {
       viewer,
-      canViewTakedowns,
+      includeTakedowns,
       canPerformTakedown,
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/hydration/hydrator.ts b/packages/bsky/src/hydration/hydrator.ts
index d3012814eb1..f7b68ef17ea 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/hydration/hydrator.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/hydration/hydrator.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import {
 export type HydrateCtx = {
   labelers: string[]
   viewer: string | null
+  includeTakedowns?: boolean
 }
 
 export type HydrationState = {
@@ -132,14 +133,13 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydrateProfiles(
     dids: string[],
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
     const [actors, labels, profileViewersState] = await Promise.all([
-      this.actor.getActors(dids, includeTakedowns),
+      this.actor.getActors(dids, ctx.includeTakedowns),
       this.label.getLabelsForSubjects(labelSubjectsForDid(dids), ctx.labelers),
       this.hydrateProfileViewers(dids, ctx),
     ])
-    if (!includeTakedowns) {
+    if (!ctx.includeTakedowns) {
       actionTakedownLabels(dids, actors, labels)
     }
     return mergeStates(profileViewersState ?? {}, {
@@ -156,9 +156,8 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydrateProfilesBasic(
     dids: string[],
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
-    return this.hydrateProfiles(dids, ctx, includeTakedowns)
+    return this.hydrateProfiles(dids, ctx)
   }
 
   // app.bsky.actor.defs#profileViewDetailed
@@ -168,10 +167,9 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydrateProfilesDetailed(
     dids: string[],
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
     const [state, profileAggs] = await Promise.all([
-      this.hydrateProfiles(dids, ctx, includeTakedowns),
+      this.hydrateProfiles(dids, ctx),
       this.actor.getProfileAggregates(dids),
     ])
     return {
@@ -183,18 +181,10 @@ export class Hydrator {
   // app.bsky.graph.defs#listView
   // - list
   //   - profile basic
-  async hydrateLists(
-    uris: string[],
-    ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
-  ): Promise<HydrationState> {
+  async hydrateLists(uris: string[], ctx: HydrateCtx): Promise<HydrationState> {
     const [listsState, profilesState] = await Promise.all([
-      await this.hydrateListsBasic(uris, ctx, includeTakedowns),
-      await this.hydrateProfilesBasic(
-        uris.map(didFromUri),
-        ctx,
-        includeTakedowns,
-      ),
+      await this.hydrateListsBasic(uris, ctx),
+      await this.hydrateProfilesBasic(uris.map(didFromUri), ctx),
     ])
 
     return mergeStates(listsState, profilesState)
@@ -205,7 +195,6 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydrateListsBasic(
     uris: string[],
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
     const [lists, listViewers, labels] = await Promise.all([
       this.graph.getLists(uris),
@@ -213,7 +202,7 @@ export class Hydrator {
       this.label.getLabelsForSubjects(uris, ctx.labelers),
     ])
 
-    if (!includeTakedowns) {
+    if (!ctx.includeTakedowns) {
       actionTakedownLabels(uris, lists, labels)
     }
 
@@ -255,13 +244,12 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydratePosts(
     refs: ItemRef[],
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
     state: HydrationState = {},
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
     const uris = refs.map((ref) => ref.uri)
     const postsLayer0 = await this.feed.getPosts(
       uris,
-      includeTakedowns,
+      ctx.includeTakedowns,
       state.posts,
     )
     // first level embeds plus thread roots we haven't fetched yet
@@ -271,7 +259,7 @@ export class Hydrator {
     const postUrisLayer1 = urisLayer1ByCollection.get(ids.AppBskyFeedPost) ?? []
     const postsLayer1 = await this.feed.getPosts(
       [...postUrisLayer1, ...additionalRootUris],
-      includeTakedowns,
+      ctx.includeTakedowns,
     )
     // second level embeds, ignoring any additional root uris we mixed-in to the previous layer
     const urisLayer2 = nestedRecordUrisFromPosts(postsLayer1, postUrisLayer1)
@@ -284,7 +272,7 @@ export class Hydrator {
       }
     }
     const [postsLayer2, threadgates] = await Promise.all([
-      this.feed.getPosts(postUrisLayer2, includeTakedowns),
+      this.feed.getPosts(postUrisLayer2, ctx.includeTakedowns),
       this.feed.getThreadgatesForPosts([...threadRootUris.values()]),
     ])
     // collect list/feedgen embeds, lists in threadgates, post record hydration
@@ -318,16 +306,12 @@ export class Hydrator {
       ctx.viewer ? this.feed.getPostViewerStates(refs, ctx.viewer) : undefined,
       this.label.getLabelsForSubjects(allPostUris, ctx.labelers),
       this.hydratePostBlocks(posts),
-      this.hydrateProfiles(allPostUris.map(didFromUri), ctx, includeTakedowns),
-      this.hydrateLists(
-        [...nestedListUris, ...gateListUris],
-        ctx,
-        includeTakedowns,
-      ),
-      this.hydrateFeedGens(nestedFeedGenUris, ctx, includeTakedowns),
-      this.hydrateLabelers(nestedLabelerDids, ctx, includeTakedowns),
+      this.hydrateProfiles(allPostUris.map(didFromUri), ctx),
+      this.hydrateLists([...nestedListUris, ...gateListUris], ctx),
+      this.hydrateFeedGens(nestedFeedGenUris, ctx),
+      this.hydrateLabelers(nestedLabelerDids, ctx),
     ])
-    if (!includeTakedowns) {
+    if (!ctx.includeTakedowns) {
       actionTakedownLabels(allPostUris, posts, labels)
     }
     // combine all hydration state
@@ -402,14 +386,13 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydrateFeedItems(
     items: FeedItem[],
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
     const postUris = items.map((item) => item.post.uri)
     const repostUris = mapDefined(items, (item) => item.repost?.uri)
     const [posts, reposts, repostProfileState] = await Promise.all([
-      this.feed.getPosts(postUris, includeTakedowns),
-      this.feed.getReposts(repostUris, includeTakedowns),
-      this.hydrateProfiles(repostUris.map(didFromUri), ctx, includeTakedowns),
+      this.feed.getPosts(postUris, ctx.includeTakedowns),
+      this.feed.getReposts(repostUris, ctx.includeTakedowns),
+      this.hydrateProfiles(repostUris.map(didFromUri), ctx),
     ])
     const postAndReplyRefs: ItemRef[] = []
     posts.forEach((post, uri) => {
@@ -419,12 +402,7 @@ export class Hydrator {
         postAndReplyRefs.push(post.record.reply.root, post.record.reply.parent)
       }
     })
-    const postState = await this.hydratePosts(
-      postAndReplyRefs,
-      ctx,
-      includeTakedowns,
-      { posts },
-    )
+    const postState = await this.hydratePosts(postAndReplyRefs, ctx, { posts })
     return mergeManyStates(postState, repostProfileState, {
       reposts,
       ctx,
@@ -444,9 +422,8 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydrateThreadPosts(
     refs: ItemRef[],
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
-    return this.hydratePosts(refs, ctx, includeTakedowns)
+    return this.hydratePosts(refs, ctx)
   }
 
   // app.bsky.feed.defs#generatorView
@@ -456,11 +433,10 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydrateFeedGens(
     uris: string[], // @TODO any way to get refs here?
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
     const [feedgens, feedgenAggs, feedgenViewers, profileState, labels] =
       await Promise.all([
-        this.feed.getFeedGens(uris),
+        this.feed.getFeedGens(uris, ctx.includeTakedowns),
         this.feed.getFeedGenAggregates(uris.map((uri) => ({ uri }))),
         ctx.viewer
           ? this.feed.getFeedGenViewerStates(uris, ctx.viewer)
@@ -468,7 +444,7 @@ export class Hydrator {
         this.hydrateProfiles(uris.map(didFromUri), ctx),
         this.label.getLabelsForSubjects(uris, ctx.labelers),
       ])
-    if (!includeTakedowns) {
+    if (!ctx.includeTakedowns) {
       actionTakedownLabels(uris, feedgens, labels)
     }
     return mergeStates(profileState, {
@@ -569,16 +545,15 @@ export class Hydrator {
   async hydrateLabelers(
     dids: string[],
     ctx: HydrateCtx,
-    includeTakedowns = false,
   ): Promise<HydrationState> {
     const [labelers, labelerAggs, labelerViewers, profileState] =
       await Promise.all([
-        this.label.getLabelers(dids, includeTakedowns),
+        this.label.getLabelers(dids),
         this.label.getLabelerAggregates(dids),
         ctx.viewer
           ? this.label.getLabelerViewerStates(dids, ctx.viewer)
           : undefined,
-        this.hydrateProfiles(dids.map(didFromUri), ctx, includeTakedowns),
+        this.hydrateProfiles(dids.map(didFromUri), ctx),
       ])
     return mergeStates(profileState, {
       labelers,
diff --git a/packages/bsky/src/views/index.ts b/packages/bsky/src/views/index.ts
index 4c573d6ace6..67a9bee51ef 100644
--- a/packages/bsky/src/views/index.ts
+++ b/packages/bsky/src/views/index.ts
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ export class Views {
       'self',
     ).toString()
     const labels = [
-      ...(state.labels?.get(did) ?? []),
-      ...(state.labels?.get(profileUri) ?? []),
+      ...(state.labels?.get(did)?.labels ?? []),
+      ...(state.labels?.get(profileUri)?.labels ?? []),
       ...this.selfLabels({
         uri: profileUri,
         cid: actor.profileCid?.toString(),
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ export class Views {
 
     const uri = AtUri.make(did, ids.AppBskyLabelerService, 'self').toString()
     const labels = [
-      ...(state.labels?.get(uri) ?? []),
+      ...(state.labels?.get(uri)?.labels ?? []),
       ...this.selfLabels({
         uri,
         cid: labeler.cid.toString(),
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ export class Views {
       parsedUri.rkey,
     ).toString()
     const labels = [
-      ...(state.labels?.get(uri) ?? []),
+      ...(state.labels?.get(uri)?.labels ?? []),
       ...this.selfLabels({
         uri,
         cid: post.cid,
@@ -880,7 +880,7 @@ export class Views {
       recordInfo = state.follows?.get(notif.uri)
     }
     if (!recordInfo) return
-    const labels = state.labels?.get(notif.uri) ?? []
+    const labels = state.labels?.get(notif.uri)?.labels ?? []
     const selfLabels = this.selfLabels({
       uri: notif.uri,
       cid: recordInfo.cid,