diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionToolItem/CompactMessageSummary.tsx b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionToolItem/CompactMessageSummary.tsx
index 4b5ed0c59f..33fd1e4416 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionToolItem/CompactMessageSummary.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionToolItem/CompactMessageSummary.tsx
@@ -52,10 +52,13 @@ export function CompactMessageSummary({
   const { goChannel } = useAppNavigation();
   const { openProfilePanel } = useProfilePanel();
   const isCompactPreview = variant === "compactPreview";
-  const shouldClampBubble = !isCompactPreview;
+  const isConversation = variant === "conversation";
+  // Focus mode is a reading view, so sent messages remain fully visible there.
+  // The default activity surface keeps the compact clamp.
+  const shouldClampBubble = !isCompactPreview && !isConversation;
   const [bubbleRef, hasBubbleOverflow] =
     useTranscriptBubbleOverflow(shouldClampBubble);
-  const canOpenMessage = shouldClampBubble && messageLink !== null;
+  const canOpenMessage = !isCompactPreview && messageLink !== null;
   const mutedTone = compactSummaryTone();
   const avatarClassName = cn(
     "mr-2 mt-1 shrink-0",
@@ -135,7 +138,12 @@ export function CompactMessageSummary({
             testId="transcript-agent-sent-avatar"
           />
         )}
-        <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col items-start gap-1">
+        <div
+          className={cn(
+            "flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col items-start gap-1",
+            isConversation && "pr-9",
+          )}
+        >
           <div
             className={cn(
               "w-full min-w-0 rounded-2xl border px-3 py-2",
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionTranscriptList.conversation.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionTranscriptList.conversation.test.mjs
index a43b16cdb7..f5a4511d67 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionTranscriptList.conversation.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionTranscriptList.conversation.test.mjs
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ test("conversation renders the prompt as a filled right-aligned bubble with an a
   const bubble = row.querySelector(".rounded-2xl");
   assert.ok(bubble, "the prompt should match Buzz's chat-bubble radius");
   assert.match(bubble.className, /bg-muted\/60/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(
+    bubble.className,
+    /(?<!\/)bg-muted(?!\/)/,
+    "sender prompts use the lighter muted tint rather than the agent-send surface",
+  );
   assert.match(bubble.className, /px-4/);
   assert.match(bubble.className, /py-2(?!\.)/);
   assert.match(
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionWorkBlock.orphaned.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionWorkBlock.orphaned.test.mjs
index 19c049babb..891844db5f 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionWorkBlock.orphaned.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/AgentSessionWorkBlock.orphaned.test.mjs
@@ -391,12 +391,28 @@ test("the same relay post outside a work block keeps its message bubble", async
   await router.load();
   const view = render(createElement(RouterProvider, { router }));
 
+  const bubble = view.container.querySelector(
+    '[data-testid="transcript-tool-message-preview"]',
+  );
   assert.ok(
-    view.container.querySelector(
-      '[data-testid="transcript-tool-message-preview"]',
-    ),
+    bubble,
     "outside a block a posted message is a destination the reader can open — the bubble stays",
   );
+  assert.doesNotMatch(
+    bubble.className,
+    /max-h-36/,
+    "focus mode shows the full sent message rather than clamping it",
+  );
+  assert.match(
+    bubble.parentElement.className,
+    /pr-9/,
+    "the left-side bubble keeps exterior space mirroring the sender avatar gutter",
+  );
+  assert.match(
+    bubble.className,
+    /(?<!\/)bg-muted(?!\/)/,
+    "agent sends use the stronger muted surface to distinguish them from sender prompts",
+  );
 });
 
 test("the rail glyph is chosen by kind, and prose kinds share the speech bubble", async () => {
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/UserMessageBubble.tsx b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/UserMessageBubble.tsx
index fcac60b1de..02b7da614d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/UserMessageBubble.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/ui/activityRenderClasses/UserMessageBubble.tsx
@@ -206,7 +206,11 @@ export function UserMessageBubble({
           {hasBubbleOverflow ? (
             <span className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 bottom-0 h-8 rounded-b-2xl bg-linear-to-b from-transparent to-background" />
           ) : null}
-          {messageLink ? <MessageLinkHoverCue /> : null}
+          {messageLink ? (
+            <MessageLinkHoverCue
+              className={isConversation ? "top-3" : undefined}
+            />
+          ) : null}
         </div>
         {isConversation && footer ? (
           // Timestamp/context row is chrome, not content: focus mode keeps it