diff --git a/spec/04-payload-ack.md b/spec/04-payload-ack.md
index e0bc4a8..bf635a4 100644
--- a/spec/04-payload-ack.md
+++ b/spec/04-payload-ack.md
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 
 The ACK (acknowledgment) payload is the simplest payload type. It consists of a
 single 4-byte CRC value used to confirm receipt of a previously sent message.
-The CRC is computed by the sender from the original message's timestamp, text,
-and sender public key.
+The CRC is a truncated SHA-256 over the original TXT_MSG plaintext prefix
+concatenated with the sender's public key.
 
 ### Payload Type
 
@@ -29,9 +29,47 @@ Header payload type field: `0x03` (ACK)
 |-------|--------|------|------|-------------|
 | ack_crc | 0 | 4 bytes | uint32_le | CRC identifying the acknowledged message |
 
+### ACK CRC Computation
+
+The 4-byte ACK CRC is computed as the first 4 bytes of a SHA-256 digest over
+the acknowledged TXT_MSG's plaintext prefix followed by the **sender's**
+Ed25519 public key:
+
+```
+ack_crc = SHA-256( plaintext_prefix || sender_pub_key )[0..3]
+```
+
+Where `plaintext_prefix` is the TXT_MSG plaintext up to and including the
+message text, **excluding any trailing NUL terminator**:
+
+```
+plaintext_prefix = timestamp_le(4) || txt_type_attempt(1) || text
+```
+
+- `timestamp_le` and `txt_type_attempt` are defined in
+  [Section 6](06-payload-encrypted.md#plaintext-format-txt_msg).
+- `text` is the raw UTF-8 message bytes with no NUL terminator.
+- `sender_pub_key` is the full 32-byte Ed25519 public key of the node that
+  originated the TXT_MSG (i.e., the node expecting this ACK back).
+
+For TXT_TYPE_SIGNED_PLAIN messages, the 4-byte signature prefix is included:
+
+```
+plaintext_prefix = timestamp_le(4) || txt_type_attempt(1) || signature(4) || text
+ack_crc = SHA-256( plaintext_prefix || receiver_pub_key )[0..3]
+```
+
+Note the SIGNED_PLAIN variant hashes against the **receiver's** public key;
+see `BaseChatMesh::onPeerDataRecv()`.
+
+Because `txt_type_attempt` includes the 2-bit `attempt` counter, each retry
+with an incremented `attempt` produces a different ACK CRC. This lets the
+sender attribute each received ACK to a specific transmission attempt. See
+[Section 6: Reliable DM Delivery](06-payload-encrypted.md#reliable-dm-delivery).
+
 ### Encoding
 
-1. Compute the 4-byte CRC value for the message being acknowledged.
+1. Compute the 4-byte CRC value for the message being acknowledged (above).
 2. Write the CRC as a little-endian 32-bit unsigned integer.
 3. Set payload_len to 4.
 
@@ -53,5 +91,9 @@ Header payload type field: `0x03` (ACK)
 
 ### Reference Implementation
 
-- `Mesh::createAck()` in `src/Mesh.cpp`
+- `Mesh::createAck()` in `src/Mesh.cpp` — Packet construction
+- `BaseChatMesh::composeMsgPacket()` in `src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp` —
+  Sender-side expected-ACK computation (`expected_ack`)
+- `BaseChatMesh::onPeerDataRecv()` in `src/helpers/BaseChatMesh.cpp` —
+  Receiver-side ACK CRC computation (`ack_hash`)
 - ACK reception in `Mesh::onRecvPacket()`, case `PAYLOAD_TYPE_ACK`