diff --git a/.release/desktop-candidate.json b/.release/desktop-candidate.json
index e40fce5c3a..cc2c267019 100644
--- a/.release/desktop-candidate.json
+++ b/.release/desktop-candidate.json
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {
   "schema": 1,
   "version": "0.5.5",
-  "base_sha": "4a2305170eef565bf1836e2859247e67c030f8af",
+  "base_sha": "25a9cf1be6d245fbd7373cb1160dbc790baf5bd5",
   "previous_tag": "desktop-v0.5.4",
   "tag": "desktop-v0.5.5",
-  "commit_count": 41
+  "commit_count": 44
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 962b2ce29c..171f260d3e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 
 ### Desktop and shared changes
 
+- feat: paste composer text without formatting ([#4801](https://github.com/block/buzz/pull/4801)) ([`25a9cf1be6d245fbd7373cb1160dbc790baf5bd5`](https://github.com/block/buzz/commit/25a9cf1be6d245fbd7373cb1160dbc790baf5bd5))
+- Revert "chore(release): release Buzz Desktop version 0.5.5" ([#4808](https://github.com/block/buzz/pull/4808)) ([`79c52166cfe6b6d36bdc7686f943595c74e2f578`](https://github.com/block/buzz/commit/79c52166cfe6b6d36bdc7686f943595c74e2f578))
+- chore(release): release Buzz Desktop version 0.5.5 ([#4800](https://github.com/block/buzz/pull/4800)) ([`a0ed13de14ee64dd90c32335790f7d3b4e94330d`](https://github.com/block/buzz/commit/a0ed13de14ee64dd90c32335790f7d3b4e94330d))
 - fix: reauthenticate databricks model discovery ([#4008](https://github.com/block/buzz/pull/4008)) ([`4a2305170eef565bf1836e2859247e67c030f8af`](https://github.com/block/buzz/commit/4a2305170eef565bf1836e2859247e67c030f8af))
 - Revert "chore(release): release Buzz Desktop version 0.5.5" ([#4797](https://github.com/block/buzz/pull/4797)) ([`8faf09f9aedb4989e57c7b6c5bd1052a444a3370`](https://github.com/block/buzz/commit/8faf09f9aedb4989e57c7b6c5bd1052a444a3370))
 - feat: Buzz entity links — rich preview cards + in-app navigation for repos, PRs, and issues ([#4695](https://github.com/block/buzz/pull/4695)) ([`a1d78f2959b41c63f063ff818076d38c31071a47`](https://github.com/block/buzz/commit/a1d78f2959b41c63f063ff818076d38c31071a47))
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/clipboard.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/clipboard.rs
index b4fe072ef8..c904e4a2d9 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/clipboard.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/commands/clipboard.rs
@@ -34,3 +34,22 @@ pub fn with_clipboard<T>(
     operation(stored.as_mut().expect("clipboard initialized"))
         .map_err(|e| format!("clipboard error: {e}"))
 }
+
+/// Read plain text from the system clipboard through the native shell.
+///
+/// Browser clipboard reads are permission-gated or unavailable in embedded
+/// webviews. Arboard provides one consistent path across WKWebView, WebView2,
+/// and WebKitGTK. The operation runs on the main thread for macOS/AppKit safety.
+#[tauri::command]
+pub async fn read_clipboard_text(app: tauri::AppHandle) -> Result<String, String> {
+    let (tx, rx) = std::sync::mpsc::sync_channel::<Result<String, String>>(1);
+    let clipboard_app = app.clone();
+    app.run_on_main_thread(move || {
+        let result = with_clipboard(&clipboard_app, arboard::Clipboard::get_text);
+        let _ = tx.send(result);
+    })
+    .map_err(|e| format!("main thread dispatch failed: {e}"))?;
+
+    rx.recv()
+        .map_err(|_| "clipboard result channel closed unexpectedly".to_string())?
+}
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
index 98720cd2c5..a63514dca1 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/lib.rs
@@ -724,6 +724,7 @@ pub fn run() {
             fetch_media_bytes,
             copy_image_to_clipboard,
             copy_text_to_clipboard,
+            read_clipboard_text,
             fetch_snapshot_bytes,
             relay_requires_membership,
             list_relay_members,
diff --git a/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/storage.rs b/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/storage.rs
index 95225b8df0..1d85941fde 100644
--- a/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/storage.rs
+++ b/desktop/src-tauri/src/managed_agents/storage.rs
@@ -358,15 +358,12 @@ fn hydrate_keys(records: &mut [ManagedAgentRecord]) {
     // Without this guard `load_managed_agents_at` blocks on a macOS Security
     // daemon IPC call (`SecKeychainFindGenericPassword`) which hangs in
     // headless test environments.
-    #[cfg(test)]
-    {
-        let _ = records;
-        return;
+    #[cfg(not(test))]
+    if let Some(store) = agent_secret_store() {
+        hydrate_keys_with(store, records);
     }
-    let Some(store) = agent_secret_store() else {
-        return;
-    };
-    hydrate_keys_with(store, records);
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    let _ = records;
 }
 
 /// Testable core of [`hydrate_keys`], generic over the [`KeyStore`] seam.
@@ -544,16 +541,12 @@ fn persist_agent_keys(records: &mut [ManagedAgentRecord]) {
     // empty `private_key_nsec` where the keyring write is a no-op anyway.
     // Without this guard `save_managed_agents_at` blocks on a macOS Security
     // daemon IPC write call in headless test environments.
-    #[cfg(test)]
-    {
-        let _ = records;
-        return;
+    #[cfg(not(test))]
+    if let Some(store) = agent_secret_store() {
+        persist_agent_keys_with(store, records);
     }
-    let Some(store) = agent_secret_store() else {
-        // No keyring backend: keys stay inline.
-        return;
-    };
-    persist_agent_keys_with(store, records);
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    let _ = records;
 }
 
 /// Testable core of [`persist_agent_keys`], generic over the [`KeyStore`] seam.
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/useRichTextEditor.ts b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/useRichTextEditor.ts
index 4fee2db46f..c761081cc3 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/useRichTextEditor.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/useRichTextEditor.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { Extension, type KeyboardShortcutCommand } from "@tiptap/core";
 import { Plugin, Selection, TextSelection } from "@tiptap/pm/state";
 import type { ResolvedPos } from "@tiptap/pm/model";
 
+import { readTextFromSystemClipboard } from "@/shared/api/tauriMedia";
 import {
   hasPrimaryShortcutModifier,
   isMacPlatform,
@@ -532,6 +533,39 @@ export function useRichTextEditor({
             return true;
           }
 
+          // Cmd+Shift+V / Ctrl+Shift+V → paste the clipboard's plain-text
+          // representation. Embedded webviews permission-gate the browser
+          // clipboard API differently across operating systems, so packaged
+          // builds read through the native arboard command. Browser builds use
+          // navigator.clipboard as a fallback. Feed the result through
+          // ProseMirror's paste pipeline with clipboardData populated so its
+          // plain-text observers keep normal paste behavior.
+          if (
+            event.key.toLowerCase() === "v" &&
+            hasPrimaryShortcutModifier(event) &&
+            event.shiftKey &&
+            !event.altKey &&
+            !event.repeat &&
+            !event.isComposing
+          ) {
+            event.preventDefault();
+            void readTextFromSystemClipboard()
+              .then((text) => {
+                const clipboardData = new DataTransfer();
+                clipboardData.setData("text/plain", text);
+                view.pasteText(
+                  text,
+                  new ClipboardEvent("paste", { clipboardData }),
+                );
+              })
+              .catch(() => {
+                // The key is already consumed. Letting a delayed native paste
+                // race the asynchronous read could duplicate or unexpectedly
+                // format content.
+              });
+            return true;
+          }
+
           // ⌘K / Ctrl+K → link editor. The formatting toolbar has always
           // advertised this shortcut on its link button; bind it here so it
           // actually works. Kept alongside the ArrowUp handling below rather
diff --git a/desktop/src/shared/api/tauriMedia.ts b/desktop/src/shared/api/tauriMedia.ts
index 60205a45fe..daedebde5c 100644
--- a/desktop/src/shared/api/tauriMedia.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/shared/api/tauriMedia.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { invoke as invokeTauriRaw } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
+import { invoke as invokeTauriRaw, isTauri } from "@tauri-apps/api/core";
 import { type BlobDescriptor, invokeTauri } from "./tauri";
 
 function encodeRawIpcHeader(value: string): string {
@@ -66,6 +66,23 @@ export async function fetchMediaBytes(
   return new Uint8Array(bytes);
 }
 
+/** Read plain text without depending on embedded-webview clipboard grants. */
+export async function readTextFromSystemClipboard(): Promise<string> {
+  // E2E installs Tauri's mocked IPC surface in a browser page, where the SDK's
+  // `isTauri()` marker remains false. Exercise the packaged-app command path in
+  // that build so tests detect accidental regressions to permission-gated DOM
+  // clipboard reads.
+  if (isTauri() || import.meta.env.MODE === "e2e") {
+    return invokeTauri<string>("read_clipboard_text");
+  }
+
+  const clipboard = navigator.clipboard;
+  if (!clipboard?.readText) {
+    throw new Error("Clipboard text reading is unavailable");
+  }
+  return clipboard.readText();
+}
+
 /** Write text through the native clipboard after an asynchronous workflow. */
 export async function copyTextToSystemClipboard(
   text: string,
diff --git a/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts b/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
index e6660a7297..128413f7b3 100644
--- a/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/testing/e2eBridge.ts
@@ -12531,6 +12531,8 @@ export function maybeInstallE2eTauriMocks() {
       case "copy_text_to_clipboard":
         await navigator.clipboard.writeText((payload as { text: string }).text);
         return;
+      case "read_clipboard_text":
+        return navigator.clipboard.readText();
       case "get_event":
         return handleGetEvent(
           payload as Parameters<typeof handleGetEvent>[0],
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/composer-selection-formatting.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/composer-selection-formatting.spec.ts
index b8ab46503d..202ec96869 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/composer-selection-formatting.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/composer-selection-formatting.spec.ts
@@ -177,6 +177,68 @@ async function applyCaretFormat(
   await page.getByRole("button", { name: label, exact: true }).click();
 }
 
+for (const platform of [
+  { name: "macOS", navigatorPlatform: "MacIntel", shortcut: "Meta+Shift+V" },
+  {
+    name: "Windows/Linux",
+    navigatorPlatform: "Win32",
+    shortcut: "Control+Shift+V",
+  },
+]) {
+  test(`pastes rich clipboard content without formatting on ${platform.name}`, async ({
+    page,
+  }) => {
+    await page.addInitScript((navigatorPlatform) => {
+      Object.defineProperty(navigator, "platform", {
+        configurable: true,
+        value: navigatorPlatform,
+      });
+    }, platform.navigatorPlatform);
+    await page
+      .context()
+      .grantPermissions(["clipboard-read", "clipboard-write"], {
+        origin: "http://127.0.0.1:4173",
+      });
+    await openGeneral(page);
+
+    await page.evaluate(async () => {
+      await navigator.clipboard.write([
+        new ClipboardItem({
+          "text/html": new Blob(
+            [
+              '<p><strong>Bold</strong> and <a href="https://example.com">linked</a></p><ul><li>list item</li></ul>',
+            ],
+            { type: "text/html" },
+          ),
+          "text/plain": new Blob(["Bold and linked\nlist item"], {
+            type: "text/plain",
+          }),
+        }),
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    const input = page.getByTestId("message-input");
+    await input.click();
+    await page.keyboard.press(platform.shortcut);
+
+    await expect
+      .poll(() =>
+        page.evaluate(
+          () =>
+            (window as Window & { __BUZZ_E2E_COMMANDS__?: string[] })
+              .__BUZZ_E2E_COMMANDS__ ?? [],
+        ),
+      )
+      .toContain("read_clipboard_text");
+    await expect(input).toHaveText("Bold and linkedlist item");
+    await expect(input.locator("strong, a, ul, li")).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(input.locator(":scope > p")).toHaveText([
+      "Bold and linked",
+      "list item",
+    ]);
+  });
+}
+
 for (const format of [
   { label: "Code block", selector: "pre" },
   { label: "Bullet list", selector: "ul" },