diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index f42c15bec..38569277f 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ from webapp_utils import getAvatarImageUrl
 from webapp_utils import htmlHashtagBlocked
 from webapp_utils import htmlFollowingList
 from webapp_utils import setBlogAddress
+from webapp_utils import htmlShowShare
 from webapp_calendar import htmlCalendarDeleteConfirm
 from webapp_calendar import htmlCalendar
 from webapp_about import htmlAbout
@@ -11254,6 +11255,37 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
                                   'person options done',
                                   'blog post 2 done')
 
+        # after selecting a shared item from the left column then show it
+        if htmlGET and '?showshare=' in self.path:
+            itemID = self.path.split('?showshare=')[1]
+            usersPath = self.path.split('?showshare=')[0]
+            itemID = urllib.parse.unquote_plus(itemID.strip())
+            msg = \
+                htmlShowShare(self.server.baseDir,
+                              self.server.domain, self.server.nickname,
+                              self.server.httpPrefix, self.server.domainFull,
+                              itemID, self.server.translate,
+                              self.server.sharedItemsFederatedDomains)
+            if not msg:
+                if callingDomain.endswith('.onion') and \
+                   self.server.onionDomain:
+                    actor = 'http://' + self.server.onionDomain + usersPath
+                elif (callingDomain.endswith('.i2p') and
+                      self.server.i2pDomain):
+                    actor = 'http://' + self.server.i2pDomain + usersPath
+                self._redirect_headers(actor + '/tlshares',
+                                       cookie, callingDomain)
+                return
+            msg = msg.encode('utf-8')
+            msglen = len(msg)
+            self._set_headers('text/html', msglen,
+                              cookie, callingDomain)
+            self._write(msg)
+            self._benchmarkGETtimings(GETstartTime, GETtimings,
+                                      'blog post 2 done',
+                                      'htmlShowShare')
+            return
+
         # remove a shared item
         if htmlGET and '?rmshare=' in self.path:
             itemID = self.path.split('?rmshare=')[1]
diff --git a/webapp_column_left.py b/webapp_column_left.py
index f804cfc4e..b13bf03a2 100644
--- a/webapp_column_left.py
+++ b/webapp_column_left.py
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ def _getLeftColumnShares(baseDir: str,
         sharedesc = item['displayName']
         if '<' in sharedesc or '?' in sharedesc:
             continue
-        contactActor = item['actor']
-        shareLink = actor + '?replydm=sharedesc:' + \
-            sharedesc.replace(' ', '_') + '?mention=' + contactActor
+        shareId = item['shareId']
+        # selecting this link calls htmlShowShare
+        shareLink = actor + '?showshare=' + shareId
         linksList.append(sharedesc + ' ' + shareLink)
         ctr += 1
         if ctr >= maxSharesInLeftColumn:
diff --git a/webapp_search.py b/webapp_search.py
index aec4f78ba..31d03f1af 100644
--- a/webapp_search.py
+++ b/webapp_search.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ from utils import firstParagraphFromString
 from utils import searchBoxPosts
 from utils import getAltPath
 from utils import acctDir
-from utils import isfloat
 from skills import noOfActorSkills
 from skills import getSkillsFromList
 from categories import getHashtagCategory
@@ -36,6 +35,7 @@ from webapp_utils import htmlHeaderWithExternalStyle
 from webapp_utils import htmlFooter
 from webapp_utils import getSearchBannerFile
 from webapp_utils import htmlPostSeparator
+from webapp_utils import htmlSearchResultShare
 from webapp_post import individualPostAsHtml
 from webapp_hashtagswarm import htmlHashTagSwarm
 
@@ -120,60 +120,6 @@ def _matchSharedItem(searchStrLowerList: [],
     return False
 
 
-def _htmlSearchResultShare(sharedItem: {}, translate: {},
-                           httpPrefix: str, domainFull: str,
-                           contactNickname: str, name: str,
-                           actor: str) -> str:
-    """Returns the html for an individual shared item
-    """
-    sharedItemsForm = '<div class="container">\n'
-    sharedItemsForm += \
-        '<p class="share-title">' + sharedItem['displayName'] + '</p>\n'
-    if sharedItem.get('imageUrl'):
-        sharedItemsForm += \
-            '<a href="' + sharedItem['imageUrl'] + '">\n'
-        sharedItemsForm += \
-            '<img loading="lazy" src="' + sharedItem['imageUrl'] + \
-            '" alt="Item image"></a>\n'
-    sharedItemsForm += '<p>' + sharedItem['summary'] + '</p>\n<p>'
-    if sharedItem.get('itemQty'):
-        if sharedItem['itemQty'] > 1:
-            sharedItemsForm += \
-                '<b>' + translate['Quantity'] + \
-                ':</b> ' + str(sharedItem['itemQty']) + '<br>'
-    sharedItemsForm += \
-        '<b>' + translate['Type'] + ':</b> ' + sharedItem['itemType'] + '<br>'
-    sharedItemsForm += \
-        '<b>' + translate['Category'] + ':</b> ' + \
-        sharedItem['category'] + '<br>'
-    if sharedItem.get('location'):
-        sharedItemsForm += \
-            '<b>' + translate['Location'] + ':</b> ' + \
-            sharedItem['location'] + '<br>'
-    if sharedItem.get('itemPrice') and \
-       sharedItem.get('itemCurrency'):
-        if isfloat(sharedItem['itemPrice']):
-            if float(sharedItem['itemPrice']) > 0:
-                sharedItemsForm += \
-                    ' <b>' + translate['Price'] + \
-                    ':</b> ' + sharedItem['itemPrice'] + \
-                    ' ' + sharedItem['itemCurrency']
-    sharedItemsForm += '</p>\n'
-    contactActor = \
-        httpPrefix + '://' + domainFull + '/users/' + contactNickname
-    sharedItemsForm += \
-        '<p><a href="' + actor + '?replydm=sharedesc:' + \
-        sharedItem['displayName'] + '?mention=' + contactActor + \
-        '"><button class="button">' + translate['Contact'] + '</button></a>\n'
-    if actor.endswith('/users/' + contactNickname):
-        sharedItemsForm += \
-            ' <a href="' + actor + '?rmshare=' + \
-            name + '"><button class="button">' + \
-            translate['Remove'] + '</button></a>\n'
-    sharedItemsForm += '</p></div>\n'
-    return sharedItemsForm
-
-
 def _htmlSearchResultSharePage(actor: str, domainFull: str,
                                callingDomain: str, pageNumber: int,
                                searchStrLower: str, translate: {},
@@ -227,10 +173,10 @@ def _htmlSharesResult(sharesJson: {}, pageNumber: int, resultsPerPage: int,
             if currPage == pageNumber:
                 # show individual search result
                 sharedItemsForm += \
-                    _htmlSearchResultShare(sharedItem, translate,
-                                           httpPrefix, domainFull,
-                                           contactNickname,
-                                           name, actor)
+                    htmlSearchResultShare(sharedItem, translate,
+                                          httpPrefix, domainFull,
+                                          contactNickname,
+                                          name, actor)
                 if not resultsExist and currPage > 1:
                     # show the previous page button
                     sharedItemsForm += \
diff --git a/webapp_utils.py b/webapp_utils.py
index 0f1a2da73..b3457de1f 100644
--- a/webapp_utils.py
+++ b/webapp_utils.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ from utils import loadJson
 from utils import getCachedPostFilename
 from utils import getConfigParam
 from utils import acctDir
+from utils import getNicknameFromActor
+from utils import isfloat
 from cache import storePersonInCache
 from content import addHtmlTags
 from content import replaceEmojiFromTags
@@ -1249,3 +1251,120 @@ def editTextArea(label: str, name: str, value: str = "",
     text += 'spellcheck="' + str(spellcheck).lower() + '">'
     text += value + '</textarea>\n'
     return text
+
+
+def htmlSearchResultShare(sharedItem: {}, translate: {},
+                          httpPrefix: str, domainFull: str,
+                          contactNickname: str, name: str,
+                          actor: str) -> str:
+    """Returns the html for an individual shared item
+    """
+    sharedItemsForm = '<div class="container">\n'
+    sharedItemsForm += \
+        '<p class="share-title">' + sharedItem['displayName'] + '</p>\n'
+    if sharedItem.get('imageUrl'):
+        sharedItemsForm += \
+            '<a href="' + sharedItem['imageUrl'] + '">\n'
+        sharedItemsForm += \
+            '<img loading="lazy" src="' + sharedItem['imageUrl'] + \
+            '" alt="Item image"></a>\n'
+    sharedItemsForm += '<p>' + sharedItem['summary'] + '</p>\n<p>'
+    if sharedItem.get('itemQty'):
+        if sharedItem['itemQty'] > 1:
+            sharedItemsForm += \
+                '<b>' + translate['Quantity'] + \
+                ':</b> ' + str(sharedItem['itemQty']) + '<br>'
+    sharedItemsForm += \
+        '<b>' + translate['Type'] + ':</b> ' + sharedItem['itemType'] + '<br>'
+    sharedItemsForm += \
+        '<b>' + translate['Category'] + ':</b> ' + \
+        sharedItem['category'] + '<br>'
+    if sharedItem.get('location'):
+        sharedItemsForm += \
+            '<b>' + translate['Location'] + ':</b> ' + \
+            sharedItem['location'] + '<br>'
+    if sharedItem.get('itemPrice') and \
+       sharedItem.get('itemCurrency'):
+        if isfloat(sharedItem['itemPrice']):
+            if float(sharedItem['itemPrice']) > 0:
+                sharedItemsForm += \
+                    ' <b>' + translate['Price'] + \
+                    ':</b> ' + sharedItem['itemPrice'] + \
+                    ' ' + sharedItem['itemCurrency']
+    sharedItemsForm += '</p>\n'
+    contactActor = \
+        httpPrefix + '://' + domainFull + '/users/' + contactNickname
+    sharedItemsForm += \
+        '<p><a href="' + actor + '?replydm=sharedesc:' + \
+        sharedItem['displayName'] + '?mention=' + contactActor + \
+        '"><button class="button">' + translate['Contact'] + '</button></a>\n'
+    if actor.endswith('/users/' + contactNickname):
+        sharedItemsForm += \
+            ' <a href="' + actor + '?rmshare=' + \
+            name + '"><button class="button">' + \
+            translate['Remove'] + '</button></a>\n'
+    sharedItemsForm += '</p></div>\n'
+    return sharedItemsForm
+
+
+def htmlShowShare(baseDir: str, domain: str, nickname: str,
+                  httpPrefix: str, domainFull: str,
+                  itemID: str, translate: {},
+                  sharedItemsFederatedDomains: []) -> str:
+    """Shows an individual shared item after selecting it from the left column
+    """
+    sharesJson = None
+
+    shareUrl = itemID.replace('___', '://').replace('--', '/')
+    contactNickname = getNicknameFromActor(shareUrl)
+    if not contactNickname:
+        return None
+
+    if '://' + domainFull + '/' in shareUrl:
+        # shared item on this instance
+        sharesFilename = \
+            acctDir(baseDir, contactNickname, domain) + '/shares.json'
+        if not os.path.isfile(sharesFilename):
+            return None
+        sharesJson = loadJson(sharesFilename)
+    else:
+        # federated shared item
+        catalogsDir = baseDir + '/cache/catalogs'
+        if not os.path.isdir(catalogsDir):
+            return None
+        for subdir, dirs, files in os.walk(catalogsDir):
+            for f in files:
+                if '#' in f:
+                    continue
+                if not f.endswith('.shares.json'):
+                    continue
+                federatedDomain = f.split('.')[0]
+                if federatedDomain not in sharedItemsFederatedDomains:
+                    continue
+                sharesFilename = catalogsDir + '/' + f
+                sharesJson = loadJson(sharesFilename)
+                if not sharesJson:
+                    continue
+                if sharesJson.get(itemID):
+                    break
+            break
+
+    if not sharesJson:
+        return None
+    if not sharesJson.get(itemID):
+        return None
+    sharedItem = sharesJson[itemID]
+    actor = httpPrefix + '://' + domainFull + '/users/' + nickname
+    shareStr = \
+        htmlSearchResultShare(sharedItem, translate, httpPrefix,
+                              domainFull, contactNickname, itemID,
+                              actor)
+
+    cssFilename = baseDir + '/epicyon-profile.css'
+    if os.path.isfile(baseDir + '/epicyon.css'):
+        cssFilename = baseDir + '/epicyon.css'
+    instanceTitle = \
+        getConfigParam(baseDir, 'instanceTitle')
+
+    return htmlHeaderWithExternalStyle(cssFilename, instanceTitle) + \
+        shareStr + htmlFooter()