diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
index 92ea927125..9e9a181c71 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
@@ -316,6 +316,8 @@ export const MessageRow = React.memo(
           className={cn(
             "group/message relative rounded-2xl px-2 py-1 transition-colors",
             "flex items-start gap-2.5",
+            isThreadReplyLayout &&
+              "hover:ring-1 hover:ring-border/70 focus-within:ring-1 focus-within:ring-border/70",
             highlighted
               ? "-mx-4 rounded-none px-6 before:absolute before:-inset-y-1.5 before:inset-x-0 before:animate-[route-target-highlight-fade_2s_ease-out_forwards] before:bg-primary/10 before:content-[''] motion-reduce:before:animate-none sm:-mx-6 sm:px-8"
               : "",
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageThreadSummaryRow.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageThreadSummaryRow.tsx
index 193b5ad568..4e44edb434 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageThreadSummaryRow.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageThreadSummaryRow.tsx
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ export function MessageThreadSummaryRow({
       ) : null}
 
       <button
-        className="group inline-flex w-fit max-w-full cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 text-left text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground transition-[color,opacity] hover:text-foreground hover:opacity-90 focus-visible:outline-hidden focus-visible:ring-1 focus-visible:ring-ring"
+        className="group relative inline-flex w-fit max-w-full cursor-pointer items-center gap-1 rounded-full text-left text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground transition-[color,opacity] before:pointer-events-none before:absolute before:-inset-y-0.5 before:-left-0.5 before:-right-1.5 before:rounded-full before:content-[''] before:transition-shadow hover:text-foreground hover:opacity-90 hover:before:ring-1 hover:before:ring-border/70 focus-visible:outline-hidden focus-visible:before:ring-1 focus-visible:before:ring-ring"
         data-thread-head-id={message.id}
         data-testid="message-thread-summary"
         onClick={() => onOpenThread(message)}