diff --git a/src/conversations/conversations.service.ts b/src/conversations/conversations.service.ts
index 5600679..0171681 100644
--- a/src/conversations/conversations.service.ts
+++ b/src/conversations/conversations.service.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export class ConversationsService {
   async addParticipant(
     convId: string,
     userId: string,
-  ): Promise<ConversationDocument | null> {
+  ): Promise<PopulatedConversation | null> {
     const conv = await this.conversationModel.findById(convId);
     if (!conv) {
       throw new NotFoundException('Conversation not found');
@@ -66,13 +66,13 @@ export class ConversationsService {
         $addToSet: { participants: userId }, // prevent duplicate addition
       },
       { new: true },
-    );
+    ).populate<{ participants: UserDocument[] }>('participants', 'name');
   }
 
   async removeParticipant(
     conversationId: string,
     userId: string,
-  ): Promise<ConversationDocument | null> {
+  ): Promise<PopulatedConversation | null> {
     const convo = await this.conversationModel.findById(conversationId);
 
     if (!convo) throw new NotFoundException('Conversation not found');
@@ -87,6 +87,6 @@ export class ConversationsService {
         $pull: { participants: userId },
       },
       { new: true },
-    );
+    ).populate<{ participants: UserDocument[] }>('participants', 'name');;
   }
 }