diff --git a/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx b/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
index 9be0ad63..552be225 100644
--- a/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
+++ b/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
@@ -494,14 +494,28 @@ export const ModerationQueue = forwardRef<ModerationQueueRef>((props, ref) => {
             break;
           
           case 'replace':
-            // Full refresh: replace entire queue
-            setItems(moderationItems);
+            // Smart refresh: only update if data actually changed
+            const mergeResult = smartMergeArray(itemsRef.current, moderationItems, {
+              compareFields: ['status', 'content', 'reviewed_at', 'reviewed_by', 'reviewer_notes', 'assigned_to', 'locked_until'],
+              preserveOrder: false,
+              addToTop: false,
+            });
+            
+            if (mergeResult.hasChanges) {
+              setItems(mergeResult.items);
+              console.log('🔄 Queue updated (replace mode):', {
+                added: mergeResult.changes.added.length,
+                removed: mergeResult.changes.removed.length,
+                updated: mergeResult.changes.updated.length,
+              });
+            } else {
+              console.log('✅ Queue unchanged (replace mode) - no visual updates needed');
+            }
+            
             if (!currentPreserveInteraction) {
-              // Reset interaction state if not preserving
               setPendingNewItems([]);
               setNewItemsCount(0);
             }
-            console.log('🔄 Queue replaced (replace mode) - full refresh with', moderationItems.length, 'items');
             break;
           
           default:
@@ -821,7 +835,15 @@ export const ModerationQueue = forwardRef<ModerationQueueRef>((props, ref) => {
             if (wasInQueue && !shouldBeInQueue) {
               // Submission moved out of current filter (e.g., pending → approved)
               console.log('❌ Submission moved out of queue:', updatedSubmission.id);
-              setItems(prev => prev.filter(i => i.id !== updatedSubmission.id));
+              setItems(prev => {
+                const exists = prev.some(i => i.id === updatedSubmission.id);
+                if (!exists) {
+                  console.log('✅ Realtime: Item already removed', updatedSubmission.id);
+                  return prev; // Keep existing array reference
+                }
+                console.log('❌ Realtime: Removing item from queue', updatedSubmission.id);
+                return prev.filter(i => i.id !== updatedSubmission.id);
+              });
             } else if (shouldBeInQueue) {
               // Submission should be in queue - update it
               console.log('🔄 Submission updated in queue:', updatedSubmission.id);
@@ -870,10 +892,32 @@ export const ModerationQueue = forwardRef<ModerationQueueRef>((props, ref) => {
                 // Update or add to queue
                 setItems(prev => {
                   const exists = prev.some(i => i.id === fullItem.id);
+                  
                   if (exists) {
+                    // Check if item actually changed before updating
+                    const currentItem = prev.find(i => i.id === fullItem.id);
+                    if (!currentItem) return prev;
+                    
+                    // Deep comparison of critical fields
+                    const hasChanged = 
+                      currentItem.status !== fullItem.status ||
+                      currentItem.reviewed_at !== fullItem.reviewed_at ||
+                      currentItem.reviewed_by !== fullItem.reviewed_by ||
+                      currentItem.reviewer_notes !== fullItem.reviewer_notes ||
+                      currentItem.assigned_to !== fullItem.assigned_to ||
+                      currentItem.locked_until !== fullItem.locked_until ||
+                      JSON.stringify(currentItem.content) !== JSON.stringify(fullItem.content);
+                    
+                    if (!hasChanged) {
+                      console.log('✅ Realtime UPDATE: No changes detected for', fullItem.id);
+                      return prev; // Keep existing array reference
+                    }
+                    
+                    console.log('🔄 Realtime UPDATE: Changes detected for', fullItem.id);
                     return prev.map(i => i.id === fullItem.id ? fullItem : i);
                   } else {
-                    return [fullItem, ...prev]; // Add at top
+                    console.log('🆕 Realtime UPDATE: Adding new item', fullItem.id);
+                    return [fullItem, ...prev];
                   }
                 });
               } catch (error) {
diff --git a/src/components/moderation/QueueItem.tsx b/src/components/moderation/QueueItem.tsx
index dadcd154..3e1dc5dd 100644
--- a/src/components/moderation/QueueItem.tsx
+++ b/src/components/moderation/QueueItem.tsx
@@ -643,16 +643,32 @@ export const QueueItem = memo(({
     </Card>
   );
 }, (prevProps, nextProps) => {
-  // Custom comparison to prevent re-renders
-  return (
-    prevProps.item.id === nextProps.item.id &&
-    prevProps.item.status === nextProps.item.status &&
-    prevProps.actionLoading === nextProps.actionLoading &&
-    prevProps.lockedSubmissions.has(prevProps.item.id) === nextProps.lockedSubmissions.has(nextProps.item.id) &&
-    prevProps.currentLockSubmissionId === nextProps.currentLockSubmissionId &&
-    prevProps.notes[prevProps.item.id] === nextProps.notes[nextProps.item.id] &&
-    prevProps.notes[`reverse-${prevProps.item.id}`] === nextProps.notes[`reverse-${nextProps.item.id}`]
-  );
+  // Quick checks first (cheapest)
+  if (prevProps.item.id !== nextProps.item.id) return false;
+  if (prevProps.item.status !== nextProps.item.status) return false;
+  if (prevProps.actionLoading !== nextProps.actionLoading) return false;
+  if (prevProps.currentLockSubmissionId !== nextProps.currentLockSubmissionId) return false;
+  if (prevProps.notes[prevProps.item.id] !== nextProps.notes[nextProps.item.id]) return false;
+  if (prevProps.notes[`reverse-${prevProps.item.id}`] !== nextProps.notes[`reverse-${nextProps.item.id}`]) return false;
+  
+  // Check lock status
+  const prevLocked = prevProps.lockedSubmissions.has(prevProps.item.id);
+  const nextLocked = nextProps.lockedSubmissions.has(nextProps.item.id);
+  if (prevLocked !== nextLocked) return false;
+  
+  // Deep comparison of content and other fields that affect rendering
+  if (prevProps.item.reviewed_at !== nextProps.item.reviewed_at) return false;
+  if (prevProps.item.reviewed_by !== nextProps.item.reviewed_by) return false;
+  if (prevProps.item.reviewer_notes !== nextProps.item.reviewer_notes) return false;
+  if (prevProps.item.assigned_to !== nextProps.item.assigned_to) return false;
+  if (prevProps.item.locked_until !== nextProps.item.locked_until) return false;
+  if (prevProps.item.escalated !== nextProps.item.escalated) return false;
+  
+  // Content comparison (most expensive, do last)
+  if (JSON.stringify(prevProps.item.content) !== JSON.stringify(nextProps.item.content)) return false;
+  
+  // All checks passed - items are identical
+  return true;
 });
 
 QueueItem.displayName = 'QueueItem';