diff --git a/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/meshRowModel.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/meshRowModel.test.mjs
index caa1fec6f8..3ae26897bd 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/meshRowModel.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/meshRowModel.test.mjs
@@ -223,16 +223,18 @@ test("an empty mesh offers the action instead of sitting inert", () => {
   assert.match(model.tooltip, /share this computer to start the mesh/);
 });
 
-test("the cold state drops the Buzz qualifier to make room", () => {
-  // "Buzz MeshLLM" plus "Share your compute" does not fit 256px. The name is
-  // the part that can afford to lose a word.
-  assert.equal(derive({ snapshot: snapshot() }).label, "MeshLLM");
-  assert.equal(
-    derive({
-      snapshot: snapshot({ sharingDeviceCount: 1, sharedCapacityGb: 36 }),
-    }).label,
-    "Buzz MeshLLM",
-  );
+test("the label is the same in every state", () => {
+  // Two name variants was the source of drift: one surface kept saying "Buzz
+  // MeshLLM" after the other had dropped it.
+  for (const input of [
+    { snapshot: null },
+    { snapshot: snapshot() },
+    { snapshot: snapshot({ sharingDeviceCount: 1, sharedCapacityGb: 36 }) },
+    { toggle: SHARING, view: view() },
+    { toggle: CONSUMING },
+  ]) {
+    assert.equal(derive(input).label, "MeshLLM");
+  }
 });
 
 test("only the cold state invites; every other state reports", () => {
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/meshRowModel.ts b/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/meshRowModel.ts
index a587e4d45a..99e9bb5028 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/meshRowModel.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/meshRowModel.ts
@@ -64,10 +64,7 @@ export type MeshRowPulse = "none" | "activity" | "invite";
 
 export type MeshRowModel = {
   tone: MeshRowTone;
-  /**
-   * Row label. Drops the "Buzz" qualifier in the cold state, where a call to
-   * action shares the same 256px and every character costs.
-   */
+  /** Row label. */
   label: string;
   /** Accessible state sentence, used as the row tooltip. */
   tooltip: string;
@@ -99,8 +96,9 @@ export type MeshRowModel = {
   pulse: MeshRowPulse;
 };
 
-/** Full name. Used everywhere except the cold state, which needs the room. */
-const LABEL = "Buzz MeshLLM";
+/** One name in every state. Two variants was the source of drift, and "Buzz"
+ * adds nothing inside Buzz. */
+const LABEL = "MeshLLM";
 
 /** Live pool capacity: this machine plus every peer that reports a figure. */
 function liveCapacityGb(view: MeshLiveView | null): number {
@@ -234,8 +232,7 @@ export function deriveMeshRowModel({
     // annoyance. The invite throb stays reserved for capacity that exists.
     return {
       tone: "unknown",
-      // "Buzz" is dropped here so the invitation fits beside it.
-      label: "MeshLLM",
+      label: LABEL,
       tooltip: "No shared compute yet — share this computer to start the mesh",
       badge: null,
       callToAction: "Share your compute",
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/ui/MeshComputePopover.tsx b/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/ui/MeshComputePopover.tsx
index c78a75d1e2..28a471417b 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/ui/MeshComputePopover.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/ui/MeshComputePopover.tsx
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ export function MeshComputePopover({
           <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-2">
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
               <p className="truncate text-sm font-semibold leading-tight">
-                {model.capacityLabel ?? "Buzz MeshLLM"}
+                {model.capacityLabel ?? "MeshLLM"}
               </p>
               <p
                 className="mt-0.5 text-2xs text-muted-foreground"
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/ui/SidebarMeshComputeRow.tsx b/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/ui/SidebarMeshComputeRow.tsx
index ff2a42f795..fc2cbe75d6 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/ui/SidebarMeshComputeRow.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/mesh-compute/ui/SidebarMeshComputeRow.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import type { MeshRowPulse, MeshRowTone } from "../meshRowModel";
 import { MeshComputePopover } from "./MeshComputePopover";
 
 /**
- * The sidebar Buzz MeshLLM row.
+ * The sidebar MeshLLM row.
  *
  * Replaces the ~120px footer card with one menu line beside Inbox and Agents,
  * because front-page sidebar space is premium. The row carries a single signal
@@ -84,34 +84,29 @@ export function SidebarMeshComputeRow({
             className="flex h-4 w-4 shrink-0 items-center justify-center"
           >
             {/*
-              In the cold state a status dot has nothing to say — there is no
-              capacity to report and nothing running — so the slot carries a
-              Share2 glyph, which names the action instead. Every other state has
-              a real status, and the dot is the more honest signal there.
+              The dot is in every state, without exception. It is the row's
+              reason to exist: hollow when nothing is known, slate when there is
+              capacity to join, green while sharing, blue while consuming. An
+              earlier revision swapped it for a Share2 glyph in the cold state,
+              which threw away the signal and made the row read as a network
+              widget rather than a status line.
             */}
-            {row.callToAction ? (
-              <Share2
-                className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground"
-                data-testid="mesh-row-share-icon"
-              />
-            ) : (
-              <span className="relative flex h-2 w-2 items-center justify-center">
-                {row.pulse === "none" ? null : (
-                  <span
-                    className={cn(
-                      "absolute h-2 w-2 rounded-full opacity-75 motion-reduce:animate-none",
-                      PULSE_CLASS[row.pulse],
-                      TONE_PING[row.tone],
-                    )}
-                    data-mesh-pulse={row.pulse}
-                  />
-                )}
+            <span className="relative flex h-2 w-2 items-center justify-center">
+              {row.pulse === "none" ? null : (
                 <span
-                  className={cn("h-2 w-2 rounded-full", TONE_DOT[row.tone])}
-                  data-testid="mesh-row-dot"
+                  className={cn(
+                    "absolute h-2 w-2 rounded-full opacity-75 motion-reduce:animate-none",
+                    PULSE_CLASS[row.pulse],
+                    TONE_PING[row.tone],
+                  )}
+                  data-mesh-pulse={row.pulse}
                 />
-              </span>
-            )}
+              )}
+              <span
+                className={cn("h-2 w-2 rounded-full", TONE_DOT[row.tone])}
+                data-testid="mesh-row-dot"
+              />
+            </span>
           </span>
           <SidebarMenuLabel className="opacity-80">
             {row.label}
@@ -134,9 +129,10 @@ export function SidebarMeshComputeRow({
       */}
       {row.callToAction ? (
         <span
-          className="pointer-events-none absolute right-2 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 text-2xs font-medium text-muted-foreground group-data-[collapsible=icon]:hidden"
+          className="pointer-events-none absolute right-2 top-1/2 flex -translate-y-1/2 items-center gap-1 text-2xs font-medium text-muted-foreground group-data-[collapsible=icon]:hidden"
           data-testid="mesh-row-cta"
         >
+          <Share2 aria-hidden className="h-3 w-3" />
           {row.callToAction}
         </span>
       ) : row.badge ? (