diff --git a/app/components/zap-photo-modal.gjs b/app/components/zap-photo-modal.gjs
index 60ee74c..4d3df46 100644
--- a/app/components/zap-photo-modal.gjs
+++ b/app/components/zap-photo-modal.gjs
@@ -47,10 +47,17 @@ export default class ZapPhotoModal extends Component {
   @tracked lnurlEndpoint = null;
   @tracked lnurlLoading = false;
   @tracked lnurlError = null;
+  @tracked paymentNotDetected = false;
 
   sliderSteps = SLIDER_STEPS;
   sliderTicks = ['10', '100', '1k', '10k', '100k'];
 
+  _receiptSub = null;
+  _receiptTimeout = null;
+  _zapRequest = null;
+
+  RECEIPT_TIMEOUT_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
+
   constructor() {
     super(...arguments);
     this._loadLightningInfo();
@@ -162,9 +169,11 @@ export default class ZapPhotoModal extends Component {
 
   @action
   resetAndClose() {
+    this._cleanupReceiptSub();
     this.step = 'select-amount';
     this.error = null;
     this.invoice = null;
+    this.paymentNotDetected = false;
     this.handleClose();
   }
 
@@ -206,6 +215,36 @@ export default class ZapPhotoModal extends Component {
     e.stopPropagation();
   }
 
+  _startReceiptSubscription(zapRequest) {
+    this._cleanupReceiptSub();
+    this._zapRequest = zapRequest;
+    this.paymentNotDetected = false;
+
+    this._receiptSub = this.nostrZap.subscribeForZapReceipt(
+      zapRequest,
+      this.photo,
+      () => {
+        this.step = 'success';
+        this._cleanupReceiptSub();
+      }
+    );
+
+    this._receiptTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
+      this.paymentNotDetected = true;
+    }, this.RECEIPT_TIMEOUT_MS);
+  }
+
+  _cleanupReceiptSub() {
+    if (this._receiptSub) {
+      this._receiptSub.unsubscribe();
+      this._receiptSub = null;
+    }
+    if (this._receiptTimeout) {
+      clearTimeout(this._receiptTimeout);
+      this._receiptTimeout = null;
+    }
+  }
+
   zapTask = task(async () => {
     if (!this.canZap) return;
 
@@ -213,13 +252,14 @@ export default class ZapPhotoModal extends Component {
     this.error = null;
 
     try {
-      const { invoice } = await this.nostrZap.zap(
+      const { invoice, zapRequest } = await this.nostrZap.zap(
         this.photo,
         this.amountMsats,
         this.message
       );
       this.invoice = invoice;
       this.step = 'awaiting-payment';
+      this._startReceiptSubscription(zapRequest);
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('Zap failed:', err);
       this.error = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to create zap';
@@ -235,6 +275,7 @@ export default class ZapPhotoModal extends Component {
 
     try {
       await this.nostrZap.payWithWebln(this.invoice);
+      this._cleanupReceiptSub();
       this.step = 'success';
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('WebLN pay failed:', err);
@@ -244,6 +285,11 @@ export default class ZapPhotoModal extends Component {
     }
   });
 
+  willDestroy() {
+    this._cleanupReceiptSub();
+    super.willDestroy(...arguments);
+  }
+
   <template>
     {{! template-lint-disable no-invalid-interactive }}
     <div
@@ -396,6 +442,13 @@ export default class ZapPhotoModal extends Component {
               </button>
             </div>
 
+            {{#if this.paymentNotDetected}}
+              <p class="zap-modal-hint">
+                Payment not detected yet. Keep the QR code open and try paying
+                again, or use a different Lightning wallet.
+              </p>
+            {{/if}}
+
             <div class="zap-modal-actions">
               <button
                 type="button"
diff --git a/app/services/nostr-zap.js b/app/services/nostr-zap.js
index a56a769..a10b7ce 100644
--- a/app/services/nostr-zap.js
+++ b/app/services/nostr-zap.js
@@ -165,6 +165,39 @@ export default class NostrZapService extends Service {
     return parseBolt11(invoice);
   }
 
+  subscribeForZapReceipt(zapRequest, photo, onReceipt) {
+    const eventId = photo.eventId;
+    const relays = this.getZapRelays();
+    const since = Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) - 10;
+
+    return this.nostrRelay.pool
+      .subscription(relays, {
+        kinds: [9735],
+        '#e': [eventId],
+        since,
+      })
+      .subscribe({
+        next: (event) => {
+          this.nostrData.store.add(event);
+
+          const descTag = event.tags.find((t) => t[0] === 'description');
+          if (!descTag) return;
+
+          try {
+            const req = JSON.parse(descTag[1]);
+            if (req.id === zapRequest.id) {
+              onReceipt(event);
+            }
+          } catch {
+            // Invalid JSON in description tag
+          }
+        },
+        error: (err) => {
+          console.error('[nostr-zap] Receipt subscription error:', err);
+        },
+      });
+  }
+
   hasWebLN() {
     return typeof window !== 'undefined' && typeof window.webln !== 'undefined';
   }
diff --git a/tests/helpers/mock-nostr.js b/tests/helpers/mock-nostr.js
index 4066d02..56cdf21 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/mock-nostr.js
+++ b/tests/helpers/mock-nostr.js
@@ -37,9 +37,20 @@ export class MockNostrDataService extends Service {
   @tracked blossomServers = [];
   @tracked placePhotos = [];
   @tracked profiles = {};
+  @tracked zapReceipts = {};
 
   store = {
     add: () => {},
+    timeline: () => ({
+      subscribe: () => ({
+        unsubscribe: () => {},
+      }),
+    }),
+    replaceable: () => ({
+      subscribe: () => ({
+        unsubscribe: () => {},
+      }),
+    }),
   };
 
   getProfile(pubkey) {
@@ -152,6 +163,17 @@ export class MockNostrZapService extends Service {
     return this._webLNAvailable;
   }
 
+  subscribeForZapReceipt(zapRequest, photo, onReceipt) {
+    this._receiptCallback = onReceipt;
+    this._receiptZapRequest = zapRequest;
+    return {
+      unsubscribe: () => {
+        this._receiptCallback = null;
+        this._receiptZapRequest = null;
+      },
+    };
+  }
+
   async zap() {
     return this._zapResult;
   }
diff --git a/tests/integration/components/zap-photo-modal-test.gjs b/tests/integration/components/zap-photo-modal-test.gjs
index 8b0f16d..4c58aae 100644
--- a/tests/integration/components/zap-photo-modal-test.gjs
+++ b/tests/integration/components/zap-photo-modal-test.gjs
@@ -185,6 +185,35 @@ module('Integration | Component | zap-photo-modal', function (hooks) {
     assert.dom('.zap-success h4').hasText('Zap Sent!', 'success title');
   });
 
+  test('it shows success when a matching zap receipt is received', async function (assert) {
+    await render(
+      <template>
+        <div id="modal-portal"></div>
+        <ZapPhotoModal @photo={{this.photo}} />
+      </template>
+    );
+
+    await click('.zap-modal-actions .btn-primary');
+    await waitFor('.zap-qr-container');
+
+    assert.dom('.zap-qr-container').exists('QR code is shown');
+
+    assert.ok(
+      this.nostrZap._receiptCallback,
+      'receipt subscription was started'
+    );
+
+    this.nostrZap._receiptCallback();
+
+    await waitFor('.zap-success');
+
+    assert.dom('.zap-success').exists('success state is shown after receipt');
+    assert.notOk(
+      this.nostrZap._receiptCallback,
+      'receipt subscription was cleaned up'
+    );
+  });
+
   test('it calls onClose when close button is clicked', async function (assert) {
     let closed = false;
     this.handleClose = () => {