diff --git a/bot/chorus_bot/backend_client.py b/bot/chorus_bot/backend_client.py
index 96bc6d8..6932136 100644
--- a/bot/chorus_bot/backend_client.py
+++ b/bot/chorus_bot/backend_client.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class BackendClient:
         captured_at: datetime,
         discord_message_id: str | None,
         sender_id: str | None = None,
+        direction: str = "inbound",
     ) -> dict:
         payload = {
             "modality": modality,
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ class BackendClient:
             "captured_at": captured_at.isoformat(),
             "discord_message_id": discord_message_id,
             "sender_id": sender_id,
+            "direction": direction,
         }
         async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
             resp = await client.post(f"{self._base_url}/items", json=payload, timeout=10)
diff --git a/bot/chorus_bot/cogs/manual_share.py b/bot/chorus_bot/cogs/manual_share.py
index 8741d2a..f5e9c90 100644
--- a/bot/chorus_bot/cogs/manual_share.py
+++ b/bot/chorus_bot/cogs/manual_share.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import discord
 from discord.ext import commands
-from chorus_bot.modality_map import modality_for_channel
+from chorus_bot.modality_map import modality_for_channel, direction_for_modality
 from chorus_bot.ping import build_ping_embed
 
 
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class ManualShareCog(commands.Cog):
             snippet=snippet,
             raw_content=raw_content,
             captured_at=message.created_at,
+            direction=direction_for_modality(modality),
         )
 
         inbox = self.bot.get_channel(self.config.inbox_channel_id)
diff --git a/bot/chorus_bot/cogs/thread_ingest.py b/bot/chorus_bot/cogs/thread_ingest.py
index 717c608..6278618 100644
--- a/bot/chorus_bot/cogs/thread_ingest.py
+++ b/bot/chorus_bot/cogs/thread_ingest.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class ThreadIngestCog(commands.Cog):
             captured_at=parsed["captured_at"],
             discord_message_id=str(thread.id),
             sender_id=parsed["sender_id"],
+            direction=parsed["direction"],
         )
         await thread.send(
             "Logged in Chorus - open the app to fill in details and track this one."
diff --git a/bot/tests/test_manual_share.py b/bot/tests/test_manual_share.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ca7747
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/tests/test_manual_share.py
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+import pytest
+import discord
+from chorus_bot.cogs.manual_share import ManualShareCog
+from chorus_bot.ping import parse_ping_embed
+
+
+class _FakeConfig:
+    inbox_channel_id = 111
+    triage_role_id = 222
+
+
+def _make_message(*, channel_name, content="hello", author_bot=False, channel_id=999):
+    message = MagicMock(spec=discord.Message)
+    message.author.bot = author_bot
+    message.channel.id = channel_id
+    message.channel.name = channel_name
+    message.content = content
+    message.created_at = __import__("datetime").datetime(2026, 7, 13, 7, 0, 0)
+    return message
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_leads_found_channel_forwards_with_outbound_direction():
+    bot = MagicMock()
+    inbox = AsyncMock()
+    bot.get_channel.return_value = inbox
+    cog = ManualShareCog(bot, _FakeConfig())
+
+    message = _make_message(channel_name="leads-found", content="Neighbor posting about book giveaway")
+    await cog.on_message(message)
+
+    sent_embed = inbox.send.call_args.kwargs["embed"]
+    parsed = parse_ping_embed(sent_embed)
+    assert parsed["direction"] == "outbound"
+    assert parsed["modality"] == "lead_found"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_existing_modality_channel_still_forwards_with_inbound_direction():
+    bot = MagicMock()
+    inbox = AsyncMock()
+    bot.get_channel.return_value = inbox
+    cog = ManualShareCog(bot, _FakeConfig())
+
+    message = _make_message(channel_name="voice", content="call about donation")
+    await cog.on_message(message)
+
+    sent_embed = inbox.send.call_args.kwargs["embed"]
+    parsed = parse_ping_embed(sent_embed)
+    assert parsed["direction"] == "inbound"
diff --git a/bot/tests/test_thread_ingest.py b/bot/tests/test_thread_ingest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..05b439d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/tests/test_thread_ingest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock
+import pytest
+import discord
+from chorus_bot.cogs.thread_ingest import ThreadIngestCog
+from chorus_bot.ping import build_ping_embed
+
+
+class _FakeConfig:
+    inbox_channel_id = 111
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_thread_create_passes_direction_to_backend_client():
+    bot = MagicMock()
+    backend_client = AsyncMock()
+    cog = ThreadIngestCog(bot, _FakeConfig(), backend_client)
+
+    embed = build_ping_embed(
+        modality="lead_found", sender_id=None, snippet="found post",
+        raw_content="Someone posting about book donation",
+        captured_at=__import__("datetime").datetime(2026, 7, 13, 7, 0, 0,
+                                                      tzinfo=__import__("datetime").timezone.utc),
+        direction="outbound",
+    )
+    parent_message = MagicMock()
+    parent_message.embeds = [embed]
+
+    thread = MagicMock(spec=discord.Thread)
+    thread.id = 555
+    thread.parent_id = 111
+    thread.parent.fetch_message = AsyncMock(return_value=parent_message)
+    thread.send = AsyncMock()
+
+    await cog.on_thread_create(thread)
+
+    backend_client.create_item.assert_awaited_once()
+    assert backend_client.create_item.call_args.kwargs["direction"] == "outbound"