diff --git a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelPane.tsx b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelPane.tsx
index 8e32d5c7da..5296707ac2 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelPane.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/ChannelPane.tsx
@@ -285,9 +285,7 @@ export const ChannelPane = React.memo(function ChannelPane({
     [activeChannel, agentPubkeys, currentPubkey],
   );
   const huddleMemberPubkeysPending =
-    agentPubkeysPending &&
-    huddleMemberPubkeys.length === 0 &&
-    hasOtherDmParticipant(activeChannel, currentPubkey);
+    agentPubkeysPending && hasOtherDmParticipant(activeChannel, currentPubkey);
   const isActiveWelcomeChannel =
     activeChannel !== null && isWelcomeChannel(activeChannel);
   useComposerHeightPadding(
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/SystemMessageRow.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/SystemMessageRow.tsx
index 4be6dd1e8d..df4dafe451 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/SystemMessageRow.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/SystemMessageRow.tsx
@@ -67,6 +67,24 @@ function resolveDisplayLabel(
   return resolveLabel(pubkey, currentPubkey, profiles);
 }
 
+function isKnownAgentPubkey(
+  pubkey: string | undefined,
+  profiles: UserProfileLookup | undefined,
+  personaLookup?: Map<string, string>,
+  agentPubkeys?: ReadonlySet<string>,
+) {
+  if (!pubkey) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const normalizedPubkey = normalizePubkey(pubkey);
+  return (
+    agentPubkeys?.has(normalizedPubkey) === true ||
+    profiles?.[normalizedPubkey]?.isAgent === true ||
+    personaLookup?.has(normalizedPubkey) === true
+  );
+}
+
 function ProfileName({
   children,
   highlight = false,
@@ -118,12 +136,16 @@ function ProfileName({
 
 function SystemMessageAvatar({
   actorPubkey,
+  agentPubkeys,
   currentPubkey,
+  personaLookup,
   profiles,
   targetPubkey,
 }: {
   actorPubkey: string | undefined;
+  agentPubkeys?: ReadonlySet<string>;
   currentPubkey: string | undefined;
+  personaLookup?: Map<string, string>;
   profiles: UserProfileLookup | undefined;
   targetPubkey: string | undefined;
 }) {
@@ -141,6 +163,12 @@ function SystemMessageAvatar({
   const singlePubkey = actorPubkey ?? targetPubkey;
 
   if (!hasActorAndTarget) {
+    const isSingleAgent = isKnownAgentPubkey(
+      singlePubkey,
+      profiles,
+      personaLookup,
+      agentPubkeys,
+    );
     const avatar = (
       <UserAvatar
         avatarUrl={resolveAvatarUrl(singlePubkey, profiles)}
@@ -152,9 +180,14 @@ function SystemMessageAvatar({
 
     if (singlePubkey) {
       return (
-        <UserProfilePopover pubkey={singlePubkey}>
+        <UserProfilePopover
+          botIdenticonValue={isSingleAgent ? actorLabel : undefined}
+          pubkey={singlePubkey}
+          role={isSingleAgent ? "bot" : undefined}
+        >
           <button
             className="shrink-0 rounded-full focus-visible:outline-hidden focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring"
+            data-testid="system-message-avatar"
             type="button"
           >
             {avatar}
@@ -166,6 +199,12 @@ function SystemMessageAvatar({
     return avatar;
   }
 
+  const isActorAgent = isKnownAgentPubkey(
+    actorPubkey,
+    profiles,
+    personaLookup,
+    agentPubkeys,
+  );
   const targetLabel = resolveUserLabel({
     pubkey: targetPubkey,
     currentPubkey,
@@ -192,7 +231,11 @@ function SystemMessageAvatar({
   );
 
   return (
-    <UserProfilePopover pubkey={actorPubkey}>
+    <UserProfilePopover
+      botIdenticonValue={isActorAgent ? actorLabel : undefined}
+      pubkey={actorPubkey}
+      role={isActorAgent ? "bot" : undefined}
+    >
       <button
         className="shrink-0 rounded-full focus-visible:outline-hidden focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring"
         type="button"
@@ -210,11 +253,12 @@ function describeSystemEvent(
   personaLookup?: Map<string, string>,
   agentPubkeys?: ReadonlySet<string>,
 ): SystemMessageDescription | null {
-  const isTargetAgent =
-    payload.target !== undefined &&
-    (agentPubkeys?.has(normalizePubkey(payload.target)) === true ||
-      profiles?.[normalizePubkey(payload.target)]?.isAgent === true ||
-      personaLookup?.has(normalizePubkey(payload.target)) === true);
+  const isTargetAgent = isKnownAgentPubkey(
+    payload.target,
+    profiles,
+    personaLookup,
+    agentPubkeys,
+  );
   const actorLabel = resolveDisplayLabel(
     payload.actor,
     currentPubkey,
@@ -350,7 +394,9 @@ export const SystemMessageRow = React.memo(function SystemMessageRow({
       <div className="flex items-start gap-2.5">
         <SystemMessageAvatar
           actorPubkey={payload.actor}
+          agentPubkeys={agentPubkeys}
           currentPubkey={currentPubkey}
+          personaLookup={personaLookup}
           profiles={profiles}
           targetPubkey={payload.target}
         />
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/mentions.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/mentions.spec.ts
index b03af72648..16f98d4332 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/mentions.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/mentions.spec.ts
@@ -967,6 +967,52 @@ test("system agent profile huddle passes profile-only bot pubkey", async ({
     .toEqual(expect.arrayContaining([PROFILE_ONLY_AGENT_PUBKEY]));
 });
 
+test("system agent avatar huddle passes profile-only bot pubkey", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await page.getByTestId("channel-general").click();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("chat-title")).toHaveText("general");
+  await waitForMockLiveSubscription(page, "general", SYSTEM_MESSAGE_KIND);
+
+  await page.evaluate(
+    ({ kind, targetPubkey }) => {
+      window.__BUZZ_E2E_EMIT_MOCK_MESSAGE__?.({
+        channelName: "general",
+        content: JSON.stringify({
+          type: "member_joined",
+          actor: targetPubkey,
+          target: targetPubkey,
+        }),
+        kind,
+      });
+    },
+    {
+      kind: SYSTEM_MESSAGE_KIND,
+      targetPubkey: PROFILE_ONLY_AGENT_PUBKEY,
+    },
+  );
+  await waitForTimelineSettled(page);
+
+  const joinedRow = page
+    .getByTestId("system-message-row")
+    .filter({ hasText: "mira" })
+    .filter({ hasText: "joined the channel" });
+  await joinedRow.getByTestId("system-message-avatar").hover();
+
+  const profilePopover = page.locator(
+    '[data-testid="user-profile-popover"][data-state="open"]',
+  );
+  await expect(profilePopover).toBeVisible();
+  await profilePopover
+    .getByTestId(`user-profile-popover-huddle-${PROFILE_ONLY_AGENT_PUBKEY}`)
+    .click();
+
+  await expect
+    .poll(() => readStartHuddleMemberPubkeys(page))
+    .toEqual(expect.arrayContaining([PROFILE_ONLY_AGENT_PUBKEY]));
+});
+
 test("system member-joined rows render the joined person as a mention chip", async ({
   page,
 }) => {