diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ff2223b489..b0cb2f0561 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@
     "patch-package": "^6.5.1",
     "postinstall-postinstall": "^2.1.0",
     "psl": "^1.9.0",
+    "punycode": "2.3.1",
     "react": "18.2.0",
     "react-compiler-runtime": "19.0.0-beta-a7bf2bd-20241110",
     "react-dom": "^18.2.0",
diff --git a/src/components/FeedCard.tsx b/src/components/FeedCard.tsx
index de94d7e196..b37474990b 100644
--- a/src/components/FeedCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/FeedCard.tsx
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export function TitleAndByline({
         <Text
           style={[a.leading_snug, t.atoms.text_contrast_medium]}
           numberOfLines={1}>
-          <Trans>Feed by {sanitizeHandle(creator.handle, '@')}</Trans>
+          <Trans>Feed by {sanitizeHandle(creator.handle, '@', false)}</Trans>
         </Text>
       )}
     </View>
@@ -174,14 +174,16 @@ export function Description({
   description,
   ...rest
 }: {description?: string} & Partial<RichTextProps>) {
-  const rt = React.useMemo(() => {
+  const rtMemo = React.useMemo(() => {
     if (!description) return
     const rt = new RichTextApi({text: description || ''})
     rt.detectFacetsWithoutResolution()
     return rt
   }, [description])
-  if (!rt) return null
-  return <RichText value={rt} style={[a.leading_snug]} disableLinks {...rest} />
+  if (!rtMemo) return null
+  return (
+    <RichText value={rtMemo} style={[a.leading_snug]} disableLinks {...rest} />
+  )
 }
 
 export function DescriptionPlaceholder() {
diff --git a/src/components/Layout/Header/index.tsx b/src/components/Layout/Header/index.tsx
index 16b484cea9..3461d788d3 100644
--- a/src/components/Layout/Header/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Layout/Header/index.tsx
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ export function SubtitleText({children}: {children: React.ReactNode}) {
   const align = useContext(AlignmentContext)
   return (
     <Text
+      emoji
       style={[
         a.text_sm,
         a.leading_snug,
diff --git a/src/components/StarterPack/Wizard/WizardListCard.tsx b/src/components/StarterPack/Wizard/WizardListCard.tsx
index 75d2bff60e..39512262a9 100644
--- a/src/components/StarterPack/Wizard/WizardListCard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/StarterPack/Wizard/WizardListCard.tsx
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ export function WizardProfileCard({
   const moderationUi = moderateProfile(profile, moderationOpts).ui('avatar')
   const displayName = profile.displayName
     ? sanitizeDisplayName(profile.displayName)
-    : `@${sanitizeHandle(profile.handle)}`
+    : sanitizeHandle(profile.handle, '@', false)
 
   const onPress = () => {
     if (disabled) return
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ export function WizardProfileCard({
       type="user"
       btnType={btnType}
       displayName={displayName}
-      subtitle={`@${sanitizeHandle(profile.handle)}`}
+      subtitle={sanitizeHandle(profile.handle, '@', false)}
       onPress={onPress}
       avatar={profile.avatar}
       included={included}
@@ -201,7 +201,11 @@ export function WizardFeedCard({
       type="algo"
       btnType={btnType}
       displayName={sanitizeDisplayName(generator.displayName)}
-      subtitle={`Feed by @${sanitizeHandle(generator.creator.handle)}`}
+      subtitle={`Feed by ${sanitizeHandle(
+        generator.creator.handle,
+        '@',
+        false,
+      )}`}
       onPress={onPress}
       avatar={generator.avatar}
       included={included}
diff --git a/src/components/moderation/LabelsOnMeDialog.tsx b/src/components/moderation/LabelsOnMeDialog.tsx
index 7d1e7d0326..ec9ee67378 100644
--- a/src/components/moderation/LabelsOnMeDialog.tsx
+++ b/src/components/moderation/LabelsOnMeDialog.tsx
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ function Label({
   const {_} = useLingui()
   const {labeler, strings} = useLabelInfo(label)
   const sourceName = labeler
-    ? sanitizeHandle(labeler.creator.handle, '@')
+    ? sanitizeHandle(labeler.creator.handle, '@', false)
     : label.src
   return (
     <View
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ function AppealForm({
   const isAccountReport = 'did' in subject
   const agent = useAgent()
   const sourceName = labeler
-    ? sanitizeHandle(labeler.creator.handle, '@')
+    ? sanitizeHandle(labeler.creator.handle, '@', false)
     : label.src
 
   const {mutate, isPending} = useMutation({
@@ -263,7 +263,9 @@ function AppealForm({
           label={_(msg`Text input field`)}
           placeholder={_(
             msg`Please explain why you think this label was incorrectly applied by ${
-              labeler ? sanitizeHandle(labeler.creator.handle, '@') : label.src
+              labeler
+                ? sanitizeHandle(labeler.creator.handle, '@', false)
+                : label.src
             }`,
           )}
           value={details}
diff --git a/src/lib/generate-starterpack.ts b/src/lib/generate-starterpack.ts
index 3be338ac8a..7f67bf0ae3 100644
--- a/src/lib/generate-starterpack.ts
+++ b/src/lib/generate-starterpack.ts
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export function useGenerateStarterPackMutation({
       const displayName = enforceLen(
         profile.displayName
           ? sanitizeDisplayName(profile.displayName)
-          : `@${sanitizeHandle(profile.handle)}`,
+          : sanitizeHandle(profile.handle, '@'),
         25,
         true,
       )
diff --git a/src/lib/strings/handles.ts b/src/lib/strings/handles.ts
index 90786ac3f6..dac1e7bea2 100644
--- a/src/lib/strings/handles.ts
+++ b/src/lib/strings/handles.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 // Regex from the go implementation
 // https://github.com/bluesky-social/indigo/blob/main/atproto/syntax/handle.go#L10
+import {decode} from 'punycode'
+
 import {forceLTR} from '#/lib/strings/bidi'
 
 const VALIDATE_REGEX =
@@ -23,10 +25,124 @@ export function isInvalidHandle(handle: string): boolean {
   return handle === 'handle.invalid'
 }
 
-export function sanitizeHandle(handle: string, prefix = ''): string {
-  return isInvalidHandle(handle)
-    ? '⚠Invalid Handle'
-    : forceLTR(`${prefix}${handle}`)
+export function sanitizeHandle(
+  asciiHandle: string,
+  prefix = '',
+  allowUnicode = true,
+): string {
+  if (isInvalidHandle(asciiHandle)) {
+    return '⚠Invalid Handle'
+  }
+  const handle = allowUnicode
+    ? toSanitizedUnicodeHandle(asciiHandle)
+    : asciiHandle
+  return forceLTR(`${prefix}${handle}`)
+}
+
+export function toSanitizedUnicodeHandle(asciiHandle: string): string {
+  return asciiHandle
+    .split('.')
+    .map((label: string) => {
+      if (!label.startsWith('xn--')) {
+        return label // it's not an IDN label
+      }
+      const unicodeLabel = decode(label.slice(4))
+      if (isPossibleHomographAttack(unicodeLabel)) {
+        return label
+      }
+      return unicodeLabel
+    })
+    .join('.')
+}
+
+/// Checks if the given unicode domain label may be subject to an
+/// homograph attack (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IDN_homograph_attack)
+function isPossibleHomographAttack(unicodeLabel: string): boolean {
+  let hasNonRFC2181Characters = false
+  // We check for characters belonging to any script that has problematic homographs,
+  // and only allow using __at most__ one of them.
+  // Detection is based on the observation that legitimate domains in the wild do not mix those scripts.
+  // Note: you can use https://symbl.cc/en/unicode-table/ as reference
+  let hasLatin = false
+  let hasIPA = false
+  let hasGreekOrCoptic = false
+  let hasCyrillic = false
+  let hasArmenian = false
+  let hasNKo = false
+
+  const iterator = unicodeLabel[Symbol.iterator]()
+  let next = iterator.next()
+  while (!next.done) {
+    const codePoint = next.value.codePointAt(0) as number
+
+    if (codePoint <= 0x007f) {
+      // Basic Latin
+      const isLowercase = codePoint >= 0x0061 && codePoint <= 0x007a
+      if (isLowercase) {
+        hasLatin = true
+      } else {
+        const isUppercase = codePoint >= 0x0041 && codePoint <= 0x005a
+        if (isUppercase) {
+          if (codePoint === 0x0049 /* 'I' */) {
+            return true // this is confusable with 'l' in many fonts
+          }
+          hasNonRFC2181Characters = true
+          hasLatin = true
+        } else {
+          const isNumeric = codePoint >= 0x0030 && codePoint <= 0x0039
+          if (!isNumeric && codePoint !== 0x002d /* '-' */) {
+            hasNonRFC2181Characters = true
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    } else {
+      hasNonRFC2181Characters = true
+
+      if (codePoint <= 0x024f) {
+        // Latin-1 Suppl., Latin Extended-A, Latin Extended-B
+        hasLatin = true
+      } else if (codePoint <= 0x02ff) {
+        // IPA Extensions, Spacing Modifier Letters
+        hasIPA = true
+      } else if (codePoint <= 0x036f) {
+        // Combining Diacritical Marks (i.e. accents)
+        // do nothing
+      } else if (codePoint <= 0x03ff) {
+        // Greek and Coptic
+        hasGreekOrCoptic = true
+      } else if (codePoint <= 0x052f) {
+        // Cyrillic, Cyrillic Suppl.
+        hasCyrillic = true
+      } else if (codePoint <= 0x058f) {
+        // Armenian
+        hasArmenian = true
+      } else if (codePoint >= 0x070c && codePoint <= 0x07ff) {
+        // NKo
+        hasNKo = true
+      } else if (codePoint >= 0xd800 && codePoint <= 0xffff) {
+        // Surrogates, Combining and other high abuse potential codepoints.
+        // These are basically never legitimate parts of a label.
+        return true
+      }
+    }
+    next = iterator.next()
+  }
+
+  if (!hasNonRFC2181Characters) {
+    // The label contains only characters in [-a-z0-9] and may be a valid domain label,
+    // therefore it did not need to be using punycode.
+    // It should be regarded as a possible attack.
+    return true
+  }
+
+  const scripts =
+    Number(hasLatin) +
+    Number(hasIPA) +
+    Number(hasGreekOrCoptic) +
+    Number(hasCyrillic) +
+    Number(hasArmenian) +
+    Number(hasNKo)
+  return scripts > 1 // The label uses more than one confusable script
 }
 
 export interface IsValidHandle {
diff --git a/src/screens/List/ListHiddenScreen.tsx b/src/screens/List/ListHiddenScreen.tsx
index a694cbb837..e4b061a305 100644
--- a/src/screens/List/ListHiddenScreen.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/List/ListHiddenScreen.tsx
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ export function ListHiddenScreen({
             ]}>
             <Trans>
               This list - created by{' '}
-              <Text style={[a.text_md, !isOwner && a.font_bold]}>
+              <Text emoji style={[a.text_md, !isOwner && a.font_bold]}>
                 {isOwner
                   ? _(msg`you`)
                   : sanitizeHandle(list.creator.handle, '@')}
diff --git a/src/screens/Profile/Header/Handle.tsx b/src/screens/Profile/Header/Handle.tsx
index 27b73da70c..128d7ff3b6 100644
--- a/src/screens/Profile/Header/Handle.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Profile/Header/Handle.tsx
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {AppBskyActorDefs} from '@atproto/api'
 import {msg, Trans} from '@lingui/macro'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 
-import {isInvalidHandle} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
+import {isInvalidHandle, toSanitizedUnicodeHandle} from '#/lib/strings/handles'
 import {isIOS} from '#/platform/detection'
 import {Shadow} from '#/state/cache/types'
 import {atoms as a, useTheme, web} from '#/alf'
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@ export function ProfileHeaderHandle({
             : [a.text_md, a.leading_snug, t.atoms.text_contrast_medium],
           web({wordBreak: 'break-all'}),
         ]}>
-        {invalidHandle ? _(msg`⚠Invalid Handle`) : `@${profile.handle}`}
+        {invalidHandle
+          ? _(msg`⚠Invalid Handle`)
+          : `@${toSanitizedUnicodeHandle(profile.handle)}`}
       </Text>
     </View>
   )
diff --git a/src/view/com/composer/text-input/mobile/Autocomplete.tsx b/src/view/com/composer/text-input/mobile/Autocomplete.tsx
index 0fda6843b4..cfd90f8431 100644
--- a/src/view/com/composer/text-input/mobile/Autocomplete.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/composer/text-input/mobile/Autocomplete.tsx
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ export function Autocomplete({
                       a.text_right,
                       {maxWidth: '50%'},
                     ]}
+                    emoji
                     numberOfLines={1}>
                     {sanitizeHandle(item.handle, '@')}
                   </Text>
diff --git a/src/view/com/composer/text-input/web/Autocomplete.tsx b/src/view/com/composer/text-input/web/Autocomplete.tsx
index f40c2ee8d9..fa3fdf07c3 100644
--- a/src/view/com/composer/text-input/web/Autocomplete.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/composer/text-input/web/Autocomplete.tsx
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ const MentionList = forwardRef<MentionListRef, SuggestionProps>(
                       {displayName}
                     </Text>
                   </View>
-                  <Text type="xs" style={pal.textLight} numberOfLines={1}>
+                  <Text type="xs" style={pal.textLight} emoji numberOfLines={1}>
                     {sanitizeHandle(item.handle, '@')}
                   </Text>
                 </Pressable>
diff --git a/src/view/com/feeds/FeedSourceCard.tsx b/src/view/com/feeds/FeedSourceCard.tsx
index a591488891..dbf930aa96 100644
--- a/src/view/com/feeds/FeedSourceCard.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/feeds/FeedSourceCard.tsx
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ export function FeedSourceCardLoaded({
             <Text emoji style={[pal.text, s.bold]} numberOfLines={1}>
               {feed.displayName}
             </Text>
-            <Text style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
+            <Text emoji style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
               {feed.type === 'feed' ? (
                 <Trans>Feed by {sanitizeHandle(feed.creatorHandle, '@')}</Trans>
               ) : (
diff --git a/src/view/com/modals/ListAddRemoveUsers.tsx b/src/view/com/modals/ListAddRemoveUsers.tsx
index 5285d4a157..0c14102620 100644
--- a/src/view/com/modals/ListAddRemoveUsers.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/modals/ListAddRemoveUsers.tsx
@@ -248,13 +248,14 @@ function UserResult({
         <Text
           type="lg"
           style={[s.bold, pal.text]}
+          emoji
           numberOfLines={1}
           lineHeight={1.2}>
           {sanitizeDisplayName(
             profile.displayName || sanitizeHandle(profile.handle),
           )}
         </Text>
-        <Text type="md" style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
+        <Text type="md" emoji style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
           {sanitizeHandle(profile.handle, '@')}
         </Text>
         {!!profile.viewer?.followedBy && <View style={s.flexRow} />}
diff --git a/src/view/com/modals/UserAddRemoveLists.tsx b/src/view/com/modals/UserAddRemoveLists.tsx
index b0b76644f0..dbed317639 100644
--- a/src/view/com/modals/UserAddRemoveLists.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/modals/UserAddRemoveLists.tsx
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ function ListItem({
           lineHeight={1.2}>
           {sanitizeDisplayName(list.name)}
         </Text>
-        <Text type="md" style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
+        <Text type="md" emoji style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
           {list.purpose === 'app.bsky.graph.defs#curatelist' &&
             (list.creator.did === currentAccount?.did ? (
               <Trans>User list by you</Trans>
diff --git a/src/view/com/notifications/NotificationFeedItem.tsx b/src/view/com/notifications/NotificationFeedItem.tsx
index 1267ce0894..ed2363f767 100644
--- a/src/view/com/notifications/NotificationFeedItem.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/notifications/NotificationFeedItem.tsx
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ function ExpandedAuthorsList({
                     author.profile.displayName || author.profile.handle,
                   )}
                 </Text>{' '}
-                <Text style={[pal.textLight]} lineHeight={1.2}>
+                <Text emoji style={[pal.textLight]} lineHeight={1.2}>
                   {sanitizeHandle(author.profile.handle, '@')}
                 </Text>
               </Text>
diff --git a/src/view/com/profile/ProfileSubpageHeader.tsx b/src/view/com/profile/ProfileSubpageHeader.tsx
index b0cf4d10e4..c19233f446 100644
--- a/src/view/com/profile/ProfileSubpageHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/view/com/profile/ProfileSubpageHeader.tsx
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ export function ProfileSubpageHeader({
           {isLoading || !creator ? (
             <LoadingPlaceholder width={50} height={8} />
           ) : (
-            <Text type="lg" style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
+            <Text type="lg" emoji style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
               {purpose === 'app.bsky.graph.defs#curatelist' ? (
                 isOwner ? (
                   <Trans>List by you</Trans>
diff --git a/src/view/shell/desktop/Search.tsx b/src/view/shell/desktop/Search.tsx
index de3ccad39b..322a054edc 100644
--- a/src/view/shell/desktop/Search.tsx
+++ b/src/view/shell/desktop/Search.tsx
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ let SearchProfileCard = ({
               moderation.ui('displayName'),
             )}
           </Text>
-          <Text type="md" style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
+          <Text emoji type="md" style={[pal.textLight]} numberOfLines={1}>
             {sanitizeHandle(profile.handle, '@')}
           </Text>
         </View>
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 61ed0f66c7..10fee56012 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -15720,6 +15720,11 @@ punycode.js@^2.3.1:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/punycode.js/-/punycode.js-2.3.1.tgz#6b53e56ad75588234e79f4affa90972c7dd8cdb7"
   integrity sha512-uxFIHU0YlHYhDQtV4R9J6a52SLx28BCjT+4ieh7IGbgwVJWO+km431c4yRlREUAsAmt/uMjQUyQHNEPf0M39CA==
 
+punycode@2.3.1:
+  version "2.3.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/punycode/-/punycode-2.3.1.tgz#027422e2faec0b25e1549c3e1bd8309b9133b6e5"
+  integrity sha512-vYt7UD1U9Wg6138shLtLOvdAu+8DsC/ilFtEVHcH+wydcSpNE20AfSOduf6MkRFahL5FY7X1oU7nKVZFtfq8Fg==
+
 punycode@^2.1.0, punycode@^2.1.1:
   version "2.3.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/punycode/-/punycode-2.3.0.tgz#f67fa67c94da8f4d0cfff981aee4118064199b8f"