diff --git a/lib/data/models/restore_response.dart b/lib/data/models/restore_response.dart
index 3fad332b..70cbe0a6 100644
--- a/lib/data/models/restore_response.dart
+++ b/lib/data/models/restore_response.dart
@@ -65,27 +65,45 @@ class RestoredDispute {
   final String orderId;
   final int tradeIndex;
   final String status;
+  final String? initiator;
 
   RestoredDispute({
     required this.disputeId,
     required this.orderId,
     required this.tradeIndex,
     required this.status,
+    this.initiator,
   });
 
   factory RestoredDispute.fromJson(Map<String, dynamic> json) {
+    final rawInitiator = json['initiator'] as String?;
+    final normalizedInitiator = _normalizeInitiator(rawInitiator);
+
     return RestoredDispute(
       disputeId: json['dispute_id'] as String,
       orderId: json['order_id'] as String,
       tradeIndex: json['trade_index'] as int,
       status: json['status'] as String,
+      initiator: normalizedInitiator,
     );
   }
 
+  static String? _normalizeInitiator(String? value) {
+    if (value == null) return null;
+
+    final normalized = value.trim().toLowerCase();
+    if (normalized == 'buyer' || normalized == 'seller') {
+      return normalized;
+    }
+
+    return null;
+  }
+
   Map<String, dynamic> toJson() => {
     'dispute_id': disputeId,
     'order_id': orderId,
     'trade_index': tradeIndex,
     'status': status,
+    if (initiator != null) 'initiator': initiator,
   };
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/lib/features/restore/restore_manager.dart b/lib/features/restore/restore_manager.dart
index 2f859f53..41bcf662 100644
--- a/lib/features/restore/restore_manager.dart
+++ b/lib/features/restore/restore_manager.dart
@@ -400,47 +400,6 @@ class RestoreService {
     }
   }
 
-  /// Determines if the user initiated the dispute with double verification
-  ///
-  /// Security checks:
-  /// 1. Verify session belongs to this order (compare pubkeys based on role)
-  /// 2. Compare trade_index to determine who initiated the dispute
-  ///
-  /// The dispute's trade_index indicates which party initiated it.
-  /// If it matches the user's session trade_index, the user initiated the dispute.
-  bool _determineIfUserInitiatedDispute({
-    required RestoredDispute restoredDispute,
-    required Session session,
-    required Order order,
-  }) {
-    // Security verification: ensure session's trade pubkey matches order's pubkey for the role
-    final sessionPubkey = session.tradeKey.public;
-    final sessionRole = session.role;
-
-    bool sessionMatchesOrder = false;
-    if (sessionRole == Role.buyer && order.buyerTradePubkey == sessionPubkey) {
-      sessionMatchesOrder = true;
-    } else if (sessionRole == Role.seller &&
-        order.sellerTradePubkey == sessionPubkey) {
-      sessionMatchesOrder = true;
-    }
-
-    if (!sessionMatchesOrder) {
-      logger.w('Restore: session pubkey mismatch for order ${order.id} - '
-          'session role: $sessionRole, session pubkey: $sessionPubkey, '
-          'buyer pubkey: ${order.buyerTradePubkey}, seller pubkey: ${order.sellerTradePubkey}');
-      // Default to peer-initiated if we can't verify session belongs to order
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    // Compare trade indexes: if dispute trade_index matches user's session trade_index,
-    // then the user initiated the dispute
-    final userInitiated = restoredDispute.tradeIndex == session.keyIndex;
-
-    //TODO: Improve dispute initiation detection if protocol changes in future
-    return userInitiated;
-  }
-
   /// Maps Status to the appropriate Action for restored orders
   Action _getActionFromStatus(Status status, Role? userRole) {
     switch (status) {
@@ -627,24 +586,14 @@ class RestoreService {
                 .read(sessionNotifierProvider.notifier)
                 .getSessionByOrderId(orderDetail.id);
 
-            // We need the session to compare trade indexes
-            bool userInitiated = false;
-            if (session == null) {
-              logger.w(
-                  'Restore: no session found for disputed order ${orderDetail.id}, defaulting to peer-initiated');
-              action = Action.disputeInitiatedByPeer;
-            } else {
-              // Determine if user initiated with double verification TODO : improve if protocol changes
-              userInitiated = _determineIfUserInitiatedDispute(
-                restoredDispute: restoredDispute,
-                session: session,
-                order: order,
-              );
-
-              action = userInitiated
-                  ? Action.disputeInitiatedByYou
-                  : Action.disputeInitiatedByPeer;
-            }
+            final userInitiated = restoredDispute.initiator != null && session?.role != null
+                ? (session!.role == Role.buyer && restoredDispute.initiator == 'buyer') ||
+                  (session.role == Role.seller && restoredDispute.initiator == 'seller')
+                : false;
+
+            action = userInitiated
+                ? Action.disputeInitiatedByYou
+                : Action.disputeInitiatedByPeer;
 
             // Create Dispute object
             dispute = Dispute(