diff --git a/internal/app/channels/participants_cache.go b/internal/app/channels/participants_cache.go
index 6a7fc820..629963c8 100644
--- a/internal/app/channels/participants_cache.go
+++ b/internal/app/channels/participants_cache.go
@@ -64,9 +64,6 @@ func (c *participantsReadModelCache) invalidateChannel(channelID int64) {
 
 func (s *Service) cachedParticipants(ctx context.Context, userID, channelID int64, filter domain.ChannelParticipantsFilter, offset, limit int) (domain.ChannelParticipantList, error) {
 	filter, offset, limit = normalizeParticipantsRequest(filter, offset, limit)
-	if s.participantCache == nil || s.versions == nil {
-		return s.loadParticipants(ctx, userID, channelID, filter, offset, limit)
-	}
 	key := participantsCacheKey{
 		userID:    userID,
 		channelID: channelID,
@@ -75,15 +72,23 @@ func (s *Service) cachedParticipants(ctx context.Context, userID, channelID int6
 		offset:    offset,
 		limit:     limit,
 	}
+	if s.participantCache == nil || s.versions == nil {
+		return s.loadParticipantsWithContentHash(ctx, userID, channelID, filter, key)
+	}
 	hash, err := s.channelParticipantsHash(ctx, userID, channelID, key)
 	if err != nil {
 		return domain.ChannelParticipantList{}, err
 	}
 	if hash == 0 {
-		return s.loadParticipants(ctx, userID, channelID, filter, offset, limit)
+		// The read-model version hash is unavailable (e.g. a channel whose
+		// read_model_versions rows were never seeded). Fall back to a stable
+		// content hash so the RPC layer can still answer
+		// channels.channelParticipantsNotModified. Without a non-zero, stable
+		// Hash a client that polls the member list re-fetches it forever.
+		return s.loadParticipantsWithContentHash(ctx, userID, channelID, filter, key)
 	}
 	return s.participantCache.getOrLoad(ctx, key, hash, func() (domain.ChannelParticipantList, error) {
-		list, err := s.loadParticipants(ctx, userID, channelID, filter, offset, limit)
+		list, err := s.loadParticipants(ctx, userID, channelID, filter, key.offset, key.limit)
 		if err != nil {
 			return domain.ChannelParticipantList{}, err
 		}
@@ -92,6 +97,54 @@ func (s *Service) cachedParticipants(ctx context.Context, userID, channelID int6
 	})
 }
 
+// loadParticipantsWithContentHash loads a participants page and, when nothing has
+// assigned an opaque version hash, derives a deterministic one from the page's
+// own contents so identical results keep producing an identical Hash.
+func (s *Service) loadParticipantsWithContentHash(ctx context.Context, userID, channelID int64, filter domain.ChannelParticipantsFilter, key participantsCacheKey) (domain.ChannelParticipantList, error) {
+	list, err := s.loadParticipants(ctx, userID, channelID, filter, key.offset, key.limit)
+	if err != nil {
+		return domain.ChannelParticipantList{}, err
+	}
+	if list.Hash == 0 {
+		list.Hash = participantsContentHash(channelID, key, list)
+	}
+	return list, nil
+}
+
+// participantsContentHash is a stable fingerprint of a participants page: the
+// channel, the page key and every returned member's client-visible identity
+// (id, role, rank, status). Any change a client would render (a new member, a
+// promotion, a rank edit, a kick) changes the hash; an unchanged page does not.
+func participantsContentHash(channelID int64, key participantsCacheKey, list domain.ChannelParticipantList) int64 {
+	h := fnv.New64a()
+	var buf [8]byte
+	writeUint := func(v uint64) {
+		binary.LittleEndian.PutUint64(buf[:], v)
+		_, _ = h.Write(buf[:])
+	}
+	writeStr := func(s string) {
+		_, _ = h.Write([]byte(s))
+		_, _ = h.Write([]byte{0})
+	}
+	writeUint(uint64(channelID))
+	writeStr(string(key.kind))
+	writeStr(key.query)
+	writeUint(uint64(key.offset))
+	writeUint(uint64(key.limit))
+	writeUint(uint64(int64(list.Count)))
+	for _, p := range list.Participants {
+		writeUint(uint64(p.UserID))
+		writeStr(string(p.Role))
+		writeStr(string(p.Status))
+		writeStr(p.Rank)
+	}
+	sum := int64(h.Sum64() & 0x7fffffffffffffff)
+	if sum == 0 {
+		return 1
+	}
+	return sum
+}
+
 func (s *Service) loadParticipants(ctx context.Context, userID, channelID int64, filter domain.ChannelParticipantsFilter, offset, limit int) (domain.ChannelParticipantList, error) {
 	if filter.Kind == domain.ChannelParticipantsBots && s.bots != nil {
 		return s.getBotParticipants(ctx, userID, channelID, offset, limit)
diff --git a/internal/app/channels/service_test.go b/internal/app/channels/service_test.go
index 67529051..5e5d4b6a 100644
--- a/internal/app/channels/service_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/channels/service_test.go
@@ -867,6 +867,51 @@ func TestGetParticipantsCacheInvalidatesAfterAdminMutation(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestGetParticipantsFallsBackToContentHashWithoutReadModelVersions(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	const ownerID int64 = 1001
+	base := &countingChannelStore{ChannelStore: memory.NewChannelStore()}
+	// No WithReadModelVersions: channelParticipantsHash can never build an opaque
+	// version hash, so the service must derive a stable one from the page itself.
+	service := NewService(base)
+	created, err := service.CreateChannel(ctx, ownerID, domain.CreateChannelRequest{
+		Title:         "Fallback Hash",
+		Megagroup:     true,
+		MemberUserIDs: []int64{1002},
+		Date:          1700004105,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("CreateChannel: %v", err)
+	}
+	filter := domain.ChannelParticipantsFilter{Kind: domain.ChannelParticipantsRecent}
+
+	first, err := service.GetParticipants(ctx, ownerID, created.Channel.ID, filter, 0, 20)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("first participants: %v", err)
+	}
+	if first.Hash == 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("first participants hash = 0, want stable non-zero fallback")
+	}
+	second, err := service.GetParticipants(ctx, ownerID, created.Channel.ID, filter, 0, 20)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second participants: %v", err)
+	}
+	if second.Hash != first.Hash {
+		t.Fatalf("second hash = %d, want stable %d", second.Hash, first.Hash)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := service.InviteToChannel(ctx, ownerID, created.Channel.ID, []int64{1003}, 1700004106); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("InviteToChannel: %v", err)
+	}
+	third, err := service.GetParticipants(ctx, ownerID, created.Channel.ID, filter, 0, 20)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("third participants: %v", err)
+	}
+	if third.Hash == first.Hash {
+		t.Fatalf("third hash = %d, want changed after a new member joined", third.Hash)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestFullMegagroupAdminGrantFillsManageRanks(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	service := NewService(memory.NewChannelStore())