diff --git a/examples/SampleApp/src/components/MessageInfoBottomSheet.tsx b/examples/SampleApp/src/components/MessageInfoBottomSheet.tsx
index b989c32203..a4ad65728b 100644
--- a/examples/SampleApp/src/components/MessageInfoBottomSheet.tsx
+++ b/examples/SampleApp/src/components/MessageInfoBottomSheet.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,14 @@
 import React, { useMemo } from 'react';
-import BottomSheet, { BottomSheetFlatList } from '@gorhom/bottom-sheet';
-import { BottomSheetView } from '@gorhom/bottom-sheet';
 import {
   Avatar,
+  BottomSheetModal,
   useChatContext,
   useMessageDeliveredData,
   useMessageReadData,
   useTheme,
 } from 'stream-chat-react-native';
 import { LocalMessage, UserResponse } from 'stream-chat';
-import { StyleSheet, Text, View } from 'react-native';
+import { FlatList, StyleSheet, Text, View } from 'react-native';
 
 const renderUserItem = ({ item }: { item: UserResponse }) => (
   <View style={styles.userItem}>
@@ -24,10 +23,12 @@ const renderEmptyText = ({ text }: { text: string }) => (
 
 export const MessageInfoBottomSheet = ({
   message,
-  ref,
+  visible,
+  onClose,
 }: {
   message?: LocalMessage;
-  ref: React.RefObject<BottomSheet | null>;
+  visible: boolean;
+  onClose: () => void;
 }) => {
   const {
     theme: { colors },
@@ -45,10 +46,10 @@ export const MessageInfoBottomSheet = ({
   }, [readStatus, client?.user?.id]);
 
   return (
-    <BottomSheet enablePanDownToClose ref={ref} index={-1} snapPoints={['50%']}>
-      <BottomSheetView style={[styles.container, { backgroundColor: colors.white_smoke }]}>
+    <BottomSheetModal visible={visible} onClose={onClose}>
+      <View style={[styles.container, { backgroundColor: colors.white_smoke }]}>
         <Text style={styles.title}>Read</Text>
-        <BottomSheetFlatList
+        <FlatList
           data={otherReadUsers}
           renderItem={renderUserItem}
           keyExtractor={(item) => item.id}
@@ -56,15 +57,15 @@ export const MessageInfoBottomSheet = ({
           ListEmptyComponent={renderEmptyText({ text: 'No one has read this message.' })}
         />
         <Text style={styles.title}>Delivered</Text>
-        <BottomSheetFlatList
+        <FlatList
           data={otherDeliveredToUsers}
           renderItem={renderUserItem}
           keyExtractor={(item) => item.id}
           style={styles.flatList}
           ListEmptyComponent={renderEmptyText({ text: 'The message was not delivered to anyone.' })}
         />
-      </BottomSheetView>
-    </BottomSheet>
+      </View>
+    </BottomSheetModal>
   );
 };
 
diff --git a/examples/SampleApp/src/screens/ChannelScreen.tsx b/examples/SampleApp/src/screens/ChannelScreen.tsx
index c978ccfe5a..406938e40d 100644
--- a/examples/SampleApp/src/screens/ChannelScreen.tsx
+++ b/examples/SampleApp/src/screens/ChannelScreen.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import React, { useCallback, useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import type { LocalMessage, Channel as StreamChatChannel } from 'stream-chat';
 import { RouteProp, useFocusEffect, useNavigation } from '@react-navigation/native';
 import {
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ import { channelMessageActions } from '../utils/messageActions.tsx';
 import { MessageLocation } from '../components/LocationSharing/MessageLocation.tsx';
 import { useStreamChatContext } from '../context/StreamChatContext.tsx';
 import { CustomAttachmentPickerSelectionBar } from '../components/AttachmentPickerSelectionBar.tsx';
-import BottomSheet from '@gorhom/bottom-sheet';
 import { MessageInfoBottomSheet } from '../components/MessageInfoBottomSheet.tsx';
 
 export type ChannelScreenNavigationProp = NativeStackNavigationProp<
@@ -130,6 +129,7 @@ export const ChannelScreen: React.FC<ChannelScreenProps> = ({
   } = useTheme();
   const { t } = useTranslationContext();
   const { setThread } = useStreamChatContext();
+  const [modalVisible, setModalVisible] = useState(false);
   const [selectedMessage, setSelectedMessage] = useState<LocalMessage | undefined>(undefined);
 
   const [channel, setChannel] = useState<StreamChatChannel | undefined>(channelFromProp);
@@ -186,15 +186,14 @@ export const ChannelScreen: React.FC<ChannelScreenProps> = ({
     [channel, navigation, setThread],
   );
 
-  const messageInfoBottomSheetRef = useRef<BottomSheet>(null);
+  const handleMessageInfo = useCallback((message: LocalMessage) => {
+    setSelectedMessage(message);
+    setModalVisible(true);
+  }, []);
 
-  const handleMessageInfo = useCallback(
-    (message: LocalMessage) => {
-      setSelectedMessage(message);
-      messageInfoBottomSheetRef.current?.snapToIndex(1);
-    },
-    [messageInfoBottomSheetRef],
-  );
+  const handleMessageInfoClose = useCallback(() => {
+    setModalVisible(false);
+  }, []);
 
   const messageActions = useCallback(
     (params: MessageActionsParams) => {
@@ -249,7 +248,13 @@ export const ChannelScreen: React.FC<ChannelScreenProps> = ({
         )}
         <AITypingIndicatorView channel={channel} />
         <MessageInput />
-        <MessageInfoBottomSheet message={selectedMessage} ref={messageInfoBottomSheetRef} />
+        {modalVisible && (
+          <MessageInfoBottomSheet
+            visible={modalVisible}
+            message={selectedMessage}
+            onClose={handleMessageInfoClose}
+          />
+        )}
       </Channel>
     </View>
   );
diff --git a/package/src/components/Channel/Channel.tsx b/package/src/components/Channel/Channel.tsx
index b2674cdd79..a731acd6a4 100644
--- a/package/src/components/Channel/Channel.tsx
+++ b/package/src/components/Channel/Channel.tsx
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ import {
   isImagePickerAvailable,
   NativeHandlers,
 } from '../../native';
-import * as dbApi from '../../store/apis';
 import { ChannelUnreadState, FileTypes } from '../../types/types';
 import { addReactionToLocalState } from '../../utils/addReactionToLocalState';
 import { compressedImageURI } from '../../utils/compressImage';
@@ -433,6 +432,20 @@ export type ChannelPropsWithContext = Pick<ChannelContextValue, 'channel'> &
       messageData: StreamMessage,
       options?: SendMessageOptions,
     ) => Promise<SendMessageAPIResponse>;
+
+    /**
+     * A method invoked just after the first optimistic update of a new message,
+     * but before any other HTTP requests happen. Can be used to do extra work
+     * (such as creating a channel, or editing a message) before the local message
+     * is sent.
+     * @param channelId
+     * @param messageData Message object
+     */
+    preSendMessageRequest?: (options: {
+      localMessage: LocalMessage;
+      message: StreamMessage;
+      options?: SendMessageOptions;
+    }) => Promise<SendMessageAPIResponse>;
     /**
      * Overrides the Stream default update message request (Advanced usage only)
      * @param channelId
@@ -492,10 +505,24 @@ export type ChannelPropsWithContext = Pick<ChannelContextValue, 'channel'> &
      * Tells if channel is rendering a thread list
      */
     threadList?: boolean;
+    /**
+     * A boolean signifying whether the Channel component should run channel.watch()
+     * whenever it mounts up a new channel. If set to `false`, it is the integrator's
+     * responsibility to run channel.watch() if they wish to receive WebSocket events
+     * for that channel.
+     *
+     * Can be particularly useful whenever we are viewing channels in a read-only mode
+     * or perhaps want them in an ephemeral state (i.e not created until the first message
+     * is sent).
+     */
+    initializeOnMount?: boolean;
   } & Partial<
     Pick<
       InputMessageInputContextValue,
-      'openPollCreationDialog' | 'CreatePollContent' | 'StopMessageStreamingButton'
+      | 'openPollCreationDialog'
+      | 'CreatePollContent'
+      | 'StopMessageStreamingButton'
+      | 'allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload'
     >
   >;
 
@@ -567,10 +594,12 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
     doFileUploadRequest,
     doMarkReadRequest,
     doSendMessageRequest,
+    preSendMessageRequest,
     doUpdateMessageRequest,
     EmptyStateIndicator = EmptyStateIndicatorDefault,
     enableMessageGroupingByUser = true,
     enableOfflineSupport,
+    allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload = enableOfflineSupport,
     enableSwipeToReply = true,
     enforceUniqueReaction = false,
     FileAttachment = FileAttachmentDefault,
@@ -715,6 +744,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
     VideoThumbnail = VideoThumbnailDefault,
     isOnline,
     maximumMessageLimit,
+    initializeOnMount = true,
   } = props;
 
   const { thread: threadProps, threadInstance } = threadFromProps;
@@ -881,7 +911,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
       }
 
       // only update channel state if the events are not the previously subscribed useEffect's subscription events
-      if (channel && channel.initialized) {
+      if (channel) {
         // we skip the new message events if we've already done an optimistic update for the new message
         if (event.type === 'message.new' || event.type === 'notification.message_new') {
           const messageId = event.message?.id ?? '';
@@ -915,13 +945,14 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
       }
       let errored = false;
 
-      if (!channel.initialized || !channel.state.isUpToDate) {
+      if ((!channel.initialized || !channel.state.isUpToDate) && initializeOnMount) {
         try {
           await channel?.watch();
         } catch (err) {
           console.warn('Channel watch request failed with error:', err);
           setError(true);
           errored = true;
+          channel.offlineMode = true;
         }
       }
 
@@ -1078,7 +1109,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
   });
 
   const resyncChannel = useStableCallback(async () => {
-    if (!channel || syncingChannelRef.current) {
+    if (!channel || syncingChannelRef.current || (!channel.initialized && !channel.offlineMode)) {
       return;
     }
     syncingChannelRef.current = true;
@@ -1099,6 +1130,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
             limit: channelMessagesState.messages.length + 30,
           },
         });
+        channel.offlineMode = false;
       }
 
       if (!thread) {
@@ -1300,9 +1332,13 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
           attachment.image_url = uploadResponse.file;
           delete attachment.originalFile;
 
-          await dbApi.updateMessage({
-            message: { ...updatedMessage, cid: channel.cid },
-          });
+          client.offlineDb?.executeQuerySafely(
+            (db) =>
+              db.updateMessage({
+                message: { ...updatedMessage, cid: channel.cid },
+              }),
+            { method: 'updateMessage' },
+          );
         }
 
         if (attachment.type !== FileTypes.Image && file?.uri) {
@@ -1321,9 +1357,13 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
           }
 
           delete attachment.originalFile;
-          await dbApi.updateMessage({
-            message: { ...updatedMessage, cid: channel.cid },
-          });
+          client.offlineDb?.executeQuerySafely(
+            (db) =>
+              db.updateMessage({
+                message: { ...updatedMessage, cid: channel.cid },
+              }),
+            { method: 'updateMessage' },
+          );
         }
       }
     }
@@ -1344,7 +1384,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
       retrying?: boolean;
     }) => {
       let failedMessageUpdated = false;
-      const handleFailedMessage = async () => {
+      const handleFailedMessage = () => {
         if (!failedMessageUpdated) {
           const updatedMessage = {
             ...localMessage,
@@ -1355,11 +1395,13 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
           threadInstance?.upsertReplyLocally?.({ message: updatedMessage });
           optimisticallyUpdatedNewMessages.delete(localMessage.id);
 
-          if (enableOfflineSupport) {
-            await dbApi.updateMessage({
-              message: updatedMessage,
-            });
-          }
+          client.offlineDb?.executeQuerySafely(
+            (db) =>
+              db.updateMessage({
+                message: updatedMessage,
+              }),
+            { method: 'updateMessage' },
+          );
 
           failedMessageUpdated = true;
         }
@@ -1397,11 +1439,14 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
             status: MessageStatusTypes.RECEIVED,
           };
 
-          if (enableOfflineSupport) {
-            await dbApi.updateMessage({
-              message: { ...newMessageResponse, cid: channel.cid },
-            });
-          }
+          client.offlineDb?.executeQuerySafely(
+            (db) =>
+              db.updateMessage({
+                message: { ...newMessageResponse, cid: channel.cid },
+              }),
+            { method: 'updateMessage' },
+          );
+
           if (retrying) {
             replaceMessage(localMessage, newMessageResponse);
           } else {
@@ -1425,16 +1470,22 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
       threadInstance?.upsertReplyLocally?.({ message: localMessage });
       optimisticallyUpdatedNewMessages.add(localMessage.id);
 
-      if (enableOfflineSupport) {
-        // While sending a message, we add the message to local db with failed status, so that
-        // if app gets closed before message gets sent and next time user opens the app
-        // then user can see that message in failed state and can retry.
-        // If succesfull, it will be updated with received status.
-        await dbApi.upsertMessages({
-          messages: [{ ...localMessage, cid: channel.cid, status: MessageStatusTypes.FAILED }],
-        });
-      }
+      // While sending a message, we add the message to local db with failed status, so that
+      // if app gets closed before message gets sent and next time user opens the app
+      // then user can see that message in failed state and can retry.
+      // If succesfull, it will be updated with received status.
+      client.offlineDb?.executeQuerySafely(
+        (db) =>
+          db.upsertMessages({
+            // @ts-ignore
+            messages: [{ ...localMessage, cid: channel.cid, status: MessageStatusTypes.FAILED }],
+          }),
+        { method: 'upsertMessages' },
+      );
 
+      if (preSendMessageRequest) {
+        await preSendMessageRequest({ localMessage, message, options });
+      }
       await sendMessageRequest({ localMessage, message, options });
     },
   );
@@ -1756,6 +1807,7 @@ const ChannelWithContext = (props: PropsWithChildren<ChannelPropsWithContext>) =
 
   const inputMessageInputContext = useCreateInputMessageInputContext({
     additionalTextInputProps,
+    allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload,
     asyncMessagesLockDistance,
     asyncMessagesMinimumPressDuration,
     asyncMessagesMultiSendEnabled,
diff --git a/package/src/components/Channel/hooks/useCreateChannelContext.ts b/package/src/components/Channel/hooks/useCreateChannelContext.ts
index 2abb66883e..b58b0dad60 100644
--- a/package/src/components/Channel/hooks/useCreateChannelContext.ts
+++ b/package/src/components/Channel/hooks/useCreateChannelContext.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ export const useCreateChannelContext = ({
 
   const readUsers = Object.values(read);
   const readUsersLength = readUsers.length;
-  const readUsersLastReads = readUsers.map(({ last_read }) => last_read.toISOString()).join();
+  const readUsersLastReads = readUsers
+    .map(({ last_read }) => last_read?.toISOString() ?? '')
+    .join();
   const stringifiedChannelUnreadState = JSON.stringify(channelUnreadState);
 
   const channelContext: ChannelContextValue = useMemo(
diff --git a/package/src/components/Channel/hooks/useCreateInputMessageInputContext.ts b/package/src/components/Channel/hooks/useCreateInputMessageInputContext.ts
index 247117f34a..5c5d4a0607 100644
--- a/package/src/components/Channel/hooks/useCreateInputMessageInputContext.ts
+++ b/package/src/components/Channel/hooks/useCreateInputMessageInputContext.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { InputMessageInputContextValue } from '../../../contexts/messageInp
 
 export const useCreateInputMessageInputContext = ({
   additionalTextInputProps,
+  allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload,
   asyncMessagesLockDistance,
   asyncMessagesMinimumPressDuration,
   asyncMessagesMultiSendEnabled,
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ export const useCreateInputMessageInputContext = ({
   const inputMessageInputContext: InputMessageInputContextValue = useMemo(
     () => ({
       additionalTextInputProps,
+      allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload,
       asyncMessagesLockDistance,
       asyncMessagesMinimumPressDuration,
       asyncMessagesMultiSendEnabled,
@@ -128,7 +130,13 @@ export const useCreateInputMessageInputContext = ({
       VideoRecorderSelectorIcon,
     }),
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-    [compressImageQuality, channelId, CreatePollContent, showPollCreationDialog],
+    [
+      compressImageQuality,
+      channelId,
+      CreatePollContent,
+      showPollCreationDialog,
+      allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload,
+    ],
   );
 
   return inputMessageInputContext;
diff --git a/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageFlashList.tsx b/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageFlashList.tsx
index a5cdce21bc..efd775cd99 100644
--- a/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageFlashList.tsx
+++ b/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageFlashList.tsx
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ const MessageFlashListWithContext = (props: MessageFlashListPropsWithContext) =>
 
   const renderItem = useCallback(
     ({ index, item: message }: { index: number; item: LocalMessage }) => {
-      if (!channel || channel.disconnected || (!channel.initialized && !channel.offlineMode)) {
+      if (!channel || channel.disconnected) {
         return null;
       }
 
diff --git a/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageList.tsx b/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageList.tsx
index ddc300cdb1..d6ed5a9285 100644
--- a/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageList.tsx
+++ b/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageList.tsx
@@ -781,7 +781,7 @@ const MessageListWithContext = (props: MessageListPropsWithContext) => {
 
   const renderItem = useCallback(
     ({ index, item: message }: { index: number; item: LocalMessage }) => {
-      if (!channel || channel.disconnected || (!channel.initialized && !channel.offlineMode)) {
+      if (!channel || channel.disconnected) {
         return null;
       }
 
diff --git a/package/src/contexts/messageInputContext/MessageInputContext.tsx b/package/src/contexts/messageInputContext/MessageInputContext.tsx
index 64414cfa8e..9a59b95bda 100644
--- a/package/src/contexts/messageInputContext/MessageInputContext.tsx
+++ b/package/src/contexts/messageInputContext/MessageInputContext.tsx
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ export type InputMessageInputContextValue = {
    * @see See https://reactnative.dev/docs/textinput#reference
    */
   additionalTextInputProps?: TextInputProps;
+  allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload?: boolean;
   closePollCreationDialog?: () => void;
   /**
    * Compress image with quality (from 0 to 1, where 1 is best quality).
@@ -411,7 +412,7 @@ export const MessageInputProvider = ({
 }>) => {
   const { closePicker, openPicker, selectedPicker, setSelectedPicker } =
     useAttachmentPickerContext();
-  const { client, enableOfflineSupport } = useChatContext();
+  const { client } = useChatContext();
   const channelCapabilities = useOwnCapabilitiesContext();
 
   const { uploadAbortControllerRef } = useChannelContext();
@@ -425,7 +426,10 @@ export const MessageInputProvider = ({
   const defaultOpenPollCreationDialog = useCallback(() => setShowPollCreationDialog(true), []);
   const closePollCreationDialog = useCallback(() => setShowPollCreationDialog(false), []);
 
-  const { openPollCreationDialog: openPollCreationDialogFromContext } = value;
+  const {
+    openPollCreationDialog: openPollCreationDialogFromContext,
+    allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload,
+  } = value;
 
   const { endsAt: cooldownEndsAt, start: startCooldown } = useCooldown();
 
@@ -443,7 +447,7 @@ export const MessageInputProvider = ({
       attachmentManager.setCustomUploadFn(value.doFileUploadRequest);
     }
 
-    if (enableOfflineSupport) {
+    if (allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload) {
       messageComposer.compositionMiddlewareExecutor.replace([
         createAttachmentsCompositionMiddleware(messageComposer),
       ]);
@@ -452,7 +456,12 @@ export const MessageInputProvider = ({
         createDraftAttachmentsCompositionMiddleware(messageComposer),
       ]);
     }
-  }, [value.doFileUploadRequest, enableOfflineSupport, messageComposer, attachmentManager]);
+  }, [
+    value.doFileUploadRequest,
+    allowSendBeforeAttachmentsUpload,
+    messageComposer,
+    attachmentManager,
+  ]);
 
   /**
    * Function for capturing a photo and uploading it
diff --git a/package/src/store/SqliteClient.ts b/package/src/store/SqliteClient.ts
index 103eaa25e0..d59f27e76d 100644
--- a/package/src/store/SqliteClient.ts
+++ b/package/src/store/SqliteClient.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ export class SqliteClient {
       });
       await this.db.executeBatch(finalQueries);
     } catch (e) {
-      this.db?.execute('ROLLBACK');
       this.logger?.('error', 'SqlBatch queries failed', {
         error: e,
         queries,