diff --git a/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageFlashList.tsx b/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageFlashList.tsx
index 7c6d75a341..46c99b714e 100644
--- a/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageFlashList.tsx
+++ b/package/src/components/MessageList/MessageFlashList.tsx
@@ -55,9 +55,11 @@ import { mergeThemes, useTheme } from '../../contexts/themeContext/ThemeContext'
 import { ThreadContextValue, useThreadContext } from '../../contexts/threadContext/ThreadContext';
 
 import { useStableCallback, useStateStore } from '../../hooks';
+import { isVideoPlayerAvailable } from '../../native';
 import { bumpOverlayLayoutRevision, useHasActiveId } from '../../state-store';
 import { MessageInputHeightState } from '../../state-store/message-input-height-store';
 import { primitives } from '../../theme';
+import { FileTypes } from '../../types/types';
 import { transitions } from '../../utils/animations/transitions';
 import { MessageWrapper } from '../Message/MessageItemView/MessageWrapper';
 import { excludeCanceledUploadNotifications } from '../Notifications/notificationFilters';
@@ -222,10 +224,61 @@ type MessageFlashListPropsWithContext = Pick<
 
 const WAIT_FOR_SCROLL_TIMEOUT = 0;
 
+// Classify an attachment bearing message by its primary shape so FlashList only
+// recycles same shaped cells (means less work to rerender). Gallery/media is the
+// heaviest subtree to mount, so we short circuit to it as soon as we see one gallery
+// image/video nad this keeps gallery cells recycling only with other gallery cells,
+// so the Gallery subtree reconciles on rebind instead of unmount & remount. Mirrors
+// the attachment categorization in Message.
+const getAttachmentItemType = (message: LocalMessage) => {
+  const attachments = message.attachments ?? [];
+  let hasGiphy = false;
+  let hasAudio = false;
+  let hasFile = false;
+  let hasCard = false;
+  for (const attachment of attachments) {
+    const isGalleryImage =
+      attachment.type === FileTypes.Image &&
+      !attachment.og_scrape_url &&
+      !attachment.title_link &&
+      (!!attachment.image_url || !!attachment.thumb_url);
+    const isGalleryVideo =
+      attachment.type === FileTypes.Video && !attachment.og_scrape_url && isVideoPlayerAvailable();
+    if (isGalleryImage || isGalleryVideo) {
+      return 'message-with-gallery';
+    }
+    if (attachment.type === FileTypes.Giphy) {
+      hasGiphy = true;
+    } else if (
+      attachment.type === FileTypes.Audio ||
+      attachment.type === FileTypes.VoiceRecording
+    ) {
+      hasAudio = true;
+    } else if (attachment.type === FileTypes.File) {
+      hasFile = true;
+    } else if (attachment.og_scrape_url || attachment.title_link) {
+      hasCard = true;
+    }
+  }
+  if (hasGiphy) {
+    return 'message-with-giphy';
+  }
+  if (hasAudio) {
+    return 'message-with-audio';
+  }
+  if (hasFile) {
+    return 'message-with-file';
+  }
+  if (hasCard) {
+    return 'message-with-card';
+  }
+  return 'message-with-attachments';
+};
+
 const getItemTypeInternal = (message: LocalMessage) => {
   if (message.type === 'regular') {
     if ((message.attachments?.length ?? 0) > 0) {
-      return 'message-with-attachments';
+      return getAttachmentItemType(message);
     }
 
     if (message.poll_id) {
@@ -1079,7 +1132,7 @@ const MessageFlashListWithContext = (props: MessageFlashListPropsWithContext) =>
           <FlashList
             contentContainerStyle={flatListContentContainerStyle}
             data={processedMessageList}
-            drawDistance={800}
+            drawDistance={250}
             getItemType={getItemTypeInternal}
             keyboardShouldPersistTaps='handled'
             keyExtractor={keyExtractor}