diff --git a/src/components/Message/MessageRepliesCountButton.tsx b/src/components/Message/MessageRepliesCountButton.tsx
index 8fdcda56c..e1019d214 100644
--- a/src/components/Message/MessageRepliesCountButton.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Message/MessageRepliesCountButton.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import type { MouseEventHandler } from 'react';
-import React from 'react';
+import type { UserResponse } from 'stream-chat';
+import React, { useMemo } from 'react';
+
 import { useTranslationContext } from '../../context/TranslationContext';
 import { useChannelStateContext, useComponentContext } from '../../context';
 import { AvatarStack as DefaultAvatarStack } from '../Avatar';
@@ -13,23 +15,39 @@ export type MessageRepliesCountButtonProps = {
   onClick?: MouseEventHandler;
   /* The amount of replies (i.e., threaded messages) on a message */
   reply_count?: number;
+  thread_participants?: UserResponse[];
 };
 
 function UnMemoizedMessageRepliesCountButton(props: MessageRepliesCountButtonProps) {
   const { AvatarStack = DefaultAvatarStack } = useComponentContext(
     MessageRepliesCountButton.name,
   );
-  const { labelPlural, labelSingle, onClick, reply_count = 0 } = props;
+  const {
+    labelPlural,
+    labelSingle,
+    onClick,
+    reply_count: replyCount = 0,
+    thread_participants: threadParticipants = [],
+  } = props;
   const { channelCapabilities } = useChannelStateContext();
 
   const { t } = useTranslationContext('MessageRepliesCountButton');
 
-  if (!reply_count) return null;
+  const avatarStackDisplayInfo = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      threadParticipants.slice(0, 3).map((participant) => ({
+        imageUrl: participant.image,
+        userName: participant.name || participant.id,
+      })),
+    [threadParticipants],
+  );
+
+  if (!replyCount) return null;
 
-  let replyCountText = t('replyCount', { count: reply_count });
+  let replyCountText = t('replyCount', { count: replyCount });
 
-  if (labelPlural && reply_count > 1) {
-    replyCountText = `${reply_count} ${labelPlural}`;
+  if (labelPlural && replyCount > 1) {
+    replyCountText = `${replyCount} ${labelPlural}`;
   } else if (labelSingle) {
     replyCountText = `1 ${labelSingle}`;
   }
@@ -44,21 +62,7 @@ function UnMemoizedMessageRepliesCountButton(props: MessageRepliesCountButtonPro
       >
         {replyCountText}
 
-        <AvatarStack
-          // TODO: figure out place to get this type of data
-          displayInfo={[
-            {
-              id: '0',
-              imageUrl: 'https://getstream.io/random_png?id=mark&name=Mark',
-              userName: 'Mark',
-            },
-            {
-              id: '1',
-              imageUrl: 'https://getstream.io/random_png?id=jane&name=Jane',
-              userName: 'Jane',
-            },
-          ]}
-        />
+        <AvatarStack displayInfo={avatarStackDisplayInfo} />
       </button>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/src/components/Message/MessageSimple.tsx b/src/components/Message/MessageSimple.tsx
index 301ddcd91..950c3cbeb 100644
--- a/src/components/Message/MessageSimple.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Message/MessageSimple.tsx
@@ -212,14 +212,15 @@ const MessageSimpleWithContext = (props: MessageSimpleWithContextProps) => {
               )}
             </div>
             <MessageErrorIcon />
+            {showReplyCountButton && (
+              <MessageRepliesCountButton
+                onClick={handleOpenThread}
+                reply_count={message.reply_count}
+                thread_participants={message.thread_participants}
+              />
+            )}
+            {showIsReplyInChannel && <MessageIsThreadReplyInChannelButtonIndicator />}
           </div>
-          {showReplyCountButton && (
-            <MessageRepliesCountButton
-              onClick={handleOpenThread}
-              reply_count={message.reply_count}
-            />
-          )}
-          {showIsReplyInChannel && <MessageIsThreadReplyInChannelButtonIndicator />}
           {showMetadata && (
             <div className='str-chat__message-metadata'>
               <MessageStatus />
diff --git a/src/components/Message/styling/Message.scss b/src/components/Message/styling/Message.scss
index 5800315b7..c0181d4b7 100644
--- a/src/components/Message/styling/Message.scss
+++ b/src/components/Message/styling/Message.scss
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
   --str-chat__message-reminder-border-inline-end: none;
   --str-chat__message-reminder-box-shadow: none;
   --str-chat__message-reminder-border-radius: 0;
+  --str-chat__message-reactions-host-offset-x: -6px;
 
   /* The maximum allowed width of the message component */
   --str-chat__message-max-width: calc(var(--str-chat__spacing-px) * 480);
@@ -210,7 +211,6 @@
     grid-template-areas:
       '. message-reminder'
       'avatar message'
-      'avatar replies'
       'avatar translation-notice'
       'avatar custom-metadata'
       'avatar metadata';
@@ -220,10 +220,18 @@
 
     .str-chat__message-inner {
       .str-chat__message-reactions-host {
-        justify-content: flex-start;
+        justify-self: flex-start;
 
         &:has(.str-chat__message-reactions--flipped-horizontally) {
-          justify-content: flex-end;
+          justify-self: flex-end;
+        }
+
+        &:has(.str-chat__message-reactions--top) {
+          margin-left: var(--str-chat__message-reactions-host-offset-x);
+
+          &:has(.str-chat__message-reactions--flipped-horizontally) {
+            margin-right: var(--str-chat__message-reactions-host-offset-x);
+          }
         }
       }
     }
@@ -233,7 +241,6 @@
     grid-template-areas:
       'message-reminder .'
       'message avatar'
-      'replies avatar'
       'translation-notice avatar'
       'custom-metadata avatar'
       'metadata avatar';
@@ -243,10 +250,18 @@
 
     .str-chat__message-inner {
       .str-chat__message-reactions-host {
-        justify-content: flex-end;
+        justify-self: flex-end;
 
         &:has(.str-chat__message-reactions--flipped-horizontally) {
-          justify-content: flex-start;
+          justify-self: flex-start;
+        }
+
+        &:has(.str-chat__message-reactions--top) {
+          margin-right: var(--str-chat__message-reactions-host-offset-x);
+
+          &:has(.str-chat__message-reactions--flipped-horizontally) {
+            margin-left: var(--str-chat__message-reactions-host-offset-x);
+          }
         }
       }
     }
@@ -279,7 +294,8 @@
     display: grid;
     grid-template-areas:
       'reactions .'
-      'message-bubble options';
+      'message-bubble options'
+      'replies replies';
     grid-template-columns: auto 1fr;
     column-gap: var(--str-chat__spacing-2);
     position: relative;
@@ -287,7 +303,6 @@
     .str-chat__message-reactions-host {
       display: flex;
       grid-area: reactions;
-      min-width: 100%;
       z-index: 1;
 
       &:has(.str-chat__message-reactions--top) {
@@ -306,6 +321,7 @@
     &:has(.str-chat__message-reactions--bottom) {
       grid-template-areas:
         'message-bubble options'
+        'replies replies'
         'reactions .';
     }
 
@@ -338,7 +354,8 @@
     grid-template-areas:
       'reminder reminder'
       '. reactions'
-      'options message-bubble';
+      'options message-bubble'
+      'replies replies';
     grid-template-columns: 1fr auto;
 
     .str-chat__message-options {
@@ -349,6 +366,7 @@
       grid-template-areas:
         'reminder reminder'
         'options message-bubble'
+        'replies replies'
         '. reactions';
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/components/Message/styling/MessageRepliesCountButton.scss b/src/components/Message/styling/MessageRepliesCountButton.scss
index 1339f7ce9..dfb398e22 100644
--- a/src/components/Message/styling/MessageRepliesCountButton.scss
+++ b/src/components/Message/styling/MessageRepliesCountButton.scss
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@
 // TODO: connector styling should be defined here but applied in Message.scss
 .str-chat__message.str-chat__message--me {
   .str-chat__message-replies-count-button-wrapper {
+    justify-self: flex-end;
+
     .str-chat__message-replies-count-button {
       flex-direction: row;
     }
@@ -70,6 +72,8 @@
 
 .str-chat__message.str-chat__message--other {
   .str-chat__message-replies-count-button-wrapper {
+    justify-self: flex-start;
+
     .str-chat__message-replies-count-button {
       flex-direction: row-reverse;
     }
diff --git a/src/components/Reactions/ReactionsList.tsx b/src/components/Reactions/ReactionsList.tsx
index 9944e6d5f..54d401755 100644
--- a/src/components/Reactions/ReactionsList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Reactions/ReactionsList.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React, { useState } from 'react';
+import React, { type ComponentPropsWithoutRef, useState } from 'react';
 import clsx from 'clsx';
 
 import type { ReactionsListModalProps } from './ReactionsListModal';
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ export type ReactionsListProps = Partial<
   visualStyle?: 'clustered' | 'segmented' | null;
 };
 
+const FragmentOrButton = ({
+  buttonIf: renderButton = false,
+  children,
+  ...props
+}: ComponentPropsWithoutRef<'button'> & { buttonIf?: boolean }) => {
+  if (renderButton) {
+    return <button {...props}>{children}</button>;
+  }
+
+  return <>{children}</>;
+};
+
 const UnMemoizedReactionsList = (props: ReactionsListProps) => {
   const {
     flipHorizontalPosition = false,
@@ -96,36 +108,48 @@ const UnMemoizedReactionsList = (props: ReactionsListProps) => {
         })}
         role='figure'
       >
-        <ul className='str-chat__message-reactions__list'>
-          {existingReactions.map(
-            ({ EmojiComponent, reactionCount, reactionType }) =>
-              EmojiComponent && (
-                <li className='str-chat__message-reactions__list-item' key={reactionType}>
-                  <button
-                    className='str-chat__message-reactions__list-item-button'
-                    onClick={() => handleReactionButtonClick(reactionType)}
+        <FragmentOrButton
+          buttonIf={visualStyle === 'clustered'}
+          className='str-chat__message-reactions__list-button'
+          onClick={() =>
+            setSelectedReactionType(existingReactions[0]?.reactionType ?? null)
+          }
+        >
+          <ul className='str-chat__message-reactions__list'>
+            {existingReactions.map(
+              ({ EmojiComponent, reactionCount, reactionType }) =>
+                EmojiComponent && (
+                  <li
+                    className='str-chat__message-reactions__list-item'
+                    key={reactionType}
                   >
-                    <span className='str-chat__message-reactions__item-icon'>
-                      <EmojiComponent />
-                    </span>
-                    {visualStyle === 'segmented' && (
-                      <span
-                        className='str-chat__message-reactions__item-count'
-                        data-testclass='message-reactions-item-count'
-                      >
-                        {reactionCount}
+                    <FragmentOrButton
+                      buttonIf={visualStyle === 'segmented'}
+                      className='str-chat__message-reactions__list-item-button'
+                      onClick={() => handleReactionButtonClick(reactionType)}
+                    >
+                      <span className='str-chat__message-reactions__item-icon'>
+                        <EmojiComponent />
                       </span>
-                    )}
-                  </button>
-                </li>
-              ),
+                      {visualStyle === 'segmented' && (
+                        <span
+                          className='str-chat__message-reactions__item-count'
+                          data-testclass='message-reactions-item-count'
+                        >
+                          {reactionCount}
+                        </span>
+                      )}
+                    </FragmentOrButton>
+                  </li>
+                ),
+            )}
+          </ul>
+          {visualStyle === 'clustered' && (
+            <span className='str-chat__message-reactions__total-count'>
+              {totalReactionCount}
+            </span>
           )}
-        </ul>
-        {visualStyle === 'clustered' && (
-          <span className='str-chat__message-reactions__total-count'>
-            {totalReactionCount}
-          </span>
-        )}
+        </FragmentOrButton>
       </div>
       {selectedReactionType !== null && (
         <ReactionsListModal
diff --git a/src/components/Reactions/styling/ReactionList.scss b/src/components/Reactions/styling/ReactionList.scss
index c4b82ca92..2cf032e0c 100644
--- a/src/components/Reactions/styling/ReactionList.scss
+++ b/src/components/Reactions/styling/ReactionList.scss
@@ -16,63 +16,82 @@
   .str-chat__message-reactions__list {
     list-style: none;
     margin: 0;
+    padding: 0;
     display: flex;
     align-items: center;
     gap: var(--spacing-xxs);
-    padding: 0;
 
     .str-chat__message-reactions__list-item {
       display: flex;
-
-      .str-chat__message-reactions__list-item-button {
-        @include utils.unset-button;
-        display: flex;
-        cursor: pointer;
-        font-weight: inherit;
-
-        .str-chat__message-reactions__item-icon {
-          // FIXME: ridiculous hack so that the emoji block is in a square container (1/1 ratio)
-          font-size: 13px;
-          line-height: 16px;
-          font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
-          font-style: normal;
-          letter-spacing: 0;
-          display: flex;
-        }
-      }
     }
   }
 
-  &.str-chat__message-reactions--clustered {
-    padding: var(--spacing-xxs) var(--spacing-xs);
+  .str-chat__message-reactions__list-button,
+  .str-chat__message-reactions__list-item-button {
+    @include utils.unset-button;
     display: flex;
+    cursor: pointer;
+    position: relative;
+    font-weight: inherit;
+    display: flex;
+    padding: var(--spacing-xxs) var(--spacing-xs);
     align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
     border-radius: var(--radius-max);
     border: 1px solid var(--reaction-border);
     background: var(--reaction-bg);
     box-shadow: 0 4px 12px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.16);
-    gap: var(--spacing-xs);
 
-    .str-chat__message-reactions__total-count {
+    .str-chat__message-reactions__item-icon {
+      // FIXME: ridiculous hack so that the emoji block is in a square container (1/1 ratio)
+      font-size: 13px;
+      line-height: 16px;
+      font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
+      font-style: normal;
+      letter-spacing: 0;
       display: flex;
-      align-items: center;
+    }
+
+    &:not(:disabled) {
+      &:hover,
+      &:active,
+      &[aria-pressed='true'] {
+        &::before {
+          content: '';
+          position: absolute;
+          inset: 0;
+          border-radius: inherit;
+          width: 100%;
+          height: 100%;
+        }
+      }
+
+      &:hover::before {
+        background: var(--background-core-hover);
+      }
+      &:active::before {
+        background: var(--background-core-pressed);
+      }
+      &[aria-pressed='true']::before {
+        background: var(--background-core-selected);
+      }
     }
   }
 
-  &.str-chat__message-reactions--segmented {
-    .str-chat__message-reactions__list {
-      display: flex;
-      .str-chat__message-reactions__list-item-button {
+  &.str-chat__message-reactions--clustered {
+    .str-chat__message-reactions__list-button {
+      gap: var(--spacing-xxs);
+
+      .str-chat__message-reactions__total-count {
         display: flex;
-        padding: var(--spacing-xxs) var(--spacing-xs);
-        justify-content: center;
         align-items: center;
-        border-radius: var(--radius-max);
-        border: 1px solid var(--reaction-border);
-        background: var(--reaction-bg);
-        box-shadow: 0 4px 12px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.16);
-        gap: var(--spacing-xxs);
       }
     }
   }
+
+  &.str-chat__message-reactions--segmented {
+    .str-chat__message-reactions__list-item-button {
+      gap: var(--spacing-xxs);
+    }
+  }
 }