diff --git a/fragments/comments.js b/fragments/comments.js
index 43658c6a..3cbc7cc9 100644
--- a/fragments/comments.js
+++ b/fragments/comments.js
@@ -61,6 +61,52 @@ export const COMMENT_FIELDS = gql`
   }
 `
 
+export const COMMENT_FIELDS_NO_CHILD_COMMENTS = gql`
+  ${STREAK_FIELDS}
+  fragment CommentFieldsNoChildComments on Item {
+    id
+    position
+    parentId
+    createdAt
+    invoicePaidAt
+    deletedAt
+    text
+    user {
+      id
+      name
+      meMute
+      ...StreakFields
+    }
+    sats
+    credits
+    meAnonSats @client
+    upvotes
+    freedFreebie
+    boost
+    meSats
+    meCredits
+    meDontLikeSats
+    meBookmark
+    meSubscription
+    outlawed
+    freebie
+    path
+    commentSats
+    commentCredits
+    mine
+    otsHash
+    imgproxyUrls
+    rel
+    apiKey
+    invoice {
+      id
+      actionState
+      confirmedAt
+    }
+    cost
+  }
+`
+
 export const COMMENTS_ITEM_EXT_FIELDS = gql`
   ${STREAK_FIELDS}
   fragment CommentItemExtFields on Item {
diff --git a/fragments/paidAction.js b/fragments/paidAction.js
index f5ccdea3..94c319fc 100644
--- a/fragments/paidAction.js
+++ b/fragments/paidAction.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import gql from 'graphql-tag'
-import { COMMENTS } from './comments'
+import { COMMENTS, COMMENT_FIELDS_NO_CHILD_COMMENTS } from './comments'
 import { SUB_FULL_FIELDS } from './subs'
 import { INVOICE_FIELDS } from './invoice'
 
@@ -33,13 +33,13 @@ const ITEM_PAID_ACTION_FIELDS = gql`
   }`
 
 const ITEM_PAID_ACTION_FIELDS_NO_CHILD_COMMENTS = gql`
-  ${COMMENTS}
+  ${COMMENT_FIELDS_NO_CHILD_COMMENTS}
   fragment ItemPaidActionFieldsNoChildComments on ItemPaidAction {
     result {
       id
       deleteScheduledAt
       reminderScheduledAt
-      ...CommentFields
+      ...CommentFieldsNoChildComments
     }
   }
 `
diff --git a/lib/apollo.js b/lib/apollo.js
index 7cc81f6a..14d06f5e 100644
--- a/lib/apollo.js
+++ b/lib/apollo.js
@@ -323,24 +323,6 @@ function getClient (uri) {
                 }
               }
             },
-            nDirectComments: {
-              merge (existing, incoming, { variables, readField, toReference }) {
-                // if the item has new comments, don't merge the nDirectComments field
-                // preventing new comments not yet injected from being counted, thus causing bottomedOut
-                if (variables?.id && existing !== undefined) {
-                  const item = toReference({
-                    __typename: 'Item',
-                    id: variables.id
-                  })
-                  const newComments = readField('newComments', item)
-                  if (newComments?.length > 0) {
-                    return existing
-                  }
-                }
-
-                return incoming
-              }
-            },
             newComments: {
               read (newComments) {
                 return newComments || []