diff --git a/src/ui/attachments.test.tsx b/src/ui/attachments.test.tsx
index 3a06d54..4ee76dc 100644
--- a/src/ui/attachments.test.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/attachments.test.tsx
@@ -134,9 +134,7 @@ describe("Attachments", () => {
     unmount();
   });
 
-  // React 18 hands a function component no `ref` unless it is wrapped in
-  // `forwardRef`; React 19, which these tests run on, hands it either way.
-  test("the list, an attachment and its preview take refs on React 18 too", () => {
+  test("the list, an attachment and its preview take refs", () => {
     for (const part of [Attachments, Attachment, AttachmentPreview]) {
       expect(part.$$typeof).toBe(Symbol.for("react.forward_ref"));
     }
diff --git a/src/ui/conversation.test.tsx b/src/ui/conversation.test.tsx
index acb1aa0..ccc0f24 100644
--- a/src/ui/conversation.test.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/conversation.test.tsx
@@ -308,47 +308,6 @@ describe("ConversationItem registry", () => {
     unsubscribe();
     mounted.unmount();
   });
-
-  test("a null ref drops the item, which is how React 18 detaches", async () => {
-    let api: ConversationContextValue | null = null;
-    function Probe() {
-      api = useConversation();
-      return null;
-    }
-    const mounted = render(
-      <Conversation>
-        <ConversationContent>
-          <ConversationItem itemId="a">a</ConversationItem>
-        </ConversationContent>
-        <Probe />
-      </Conversation>,
-    );
-    const element =
-      mounted.container.querySelector<HTMLElement>("[data-item-id='a']");
-    const fiberKey = Object.keys(element ?? {}).find((key) =>
-      key.startsWith("__reactFiber$"),
-    );
-    const fiber =
-      element === null || fiberKey === undefined
-        ? undefined
-        : (element as HTMLElement & Record<string, { ref?: unknown }>)[
-            fiberKey
-          ];
-    const ref = fiber?.ref;
-    if (typeof ref !== "function") throw new Error("expected the item ref");
-    const items = () => {
-      if (api === null) throw new Error("expected the conversation API");
-      return api.items;
-    };
-
-    act(() => {
-      ref(null);
-    });
-    await act(() => Promise.resolve());
-    expect(items().get("a")).toBeUndefined();
-    expect(items().ids()).toEqual([]);
-    mounted.unmount();
-  });
 });
 
 describe("ConversationScrollButton", () => {
@@ -455,8 +414,6 @@ describe("ConversationContent", () => {
   });
 
   test("the log, an item and the scroll button forward a host ref", async () => {
-    // React 18 drops `ref` from a function component's props: only a
-    // forwardRef component receives it there.
     for (const part of [
       ConversationContent,
       ConversationItem,
diff --git a/src/ui/conversation.tsx b/src/ui/conversation.tsx
index a5db319..e75bbee 100644
--- a/src/ui/conversation.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/conversation.tsx
@@ -966,17 +966,10 @@ export const ConversationItem = forwardRef<
   ConversationItemProps
 >(function ConversationItem({ itemId, ...props }, ref) {
   const engine = useEngine("ConversationItem");
-  // React 19 runs the cleanup `register` returns. React 18 ignores that
-  // return and detaches by calling the ref with null, so release there too.
-  const release = useRef<(() => void) | null>(null);
   const register = useCallback(
     (element: HTMLDivElement | null) => {
-      release.current?.();
-      release.current = null;
       if (element === null) return;
-      const cleanup = engine.registry.register(itemId, element);
-      release.current = cleanup;
-      return cleanup;
+      return engine.registry.register(itemId, element);
     },
     [engine, itemId],
   );
diff --git a/src/ui/message.test.tsx b/src/ui/message.test.tsx
index 8e0a202..c78f24e 100644
--- a/src/ui/message.test.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/message.test.tsx
@@ -554,8 +554,6 @@ describe("MessageActions", () => {
   });
 
   test("the overflow menu mounts its items only while open", () => {
-    // React 18 drops `ref` from a function component's props: only a
-    // forwardRef component receives it there.
     expect(MessageAction.$$typeof).toBe(Symbol.for("react.forward_ref"));
     const onPin = mock(() => {});
     const mounted = render(
diff --git a/src/ui/panel.tsx b/src/ui/panel.tsx
index fe6c460..7f13807 100644
--- a/src/ui/panel.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/panel.tsx
@@ -27,12 +27,6 @@ const isProduction =
 const DEFAULT_MIN_WIDTH_PX = 320;
 const DEFAULT_MAIN_MIN_WIDTH_PX = 440;
 
-// React 18 does not know `inert` and drops a boolean for it, while React 19
-// reads it as a boolean. A non-empty string other than "true" or "false"
-// reaches the DOM on both without a warning; the record type is wider than
-// React 19's boolean-only `inert` to allow it.
-const HIDDEN_PANE_PROPS: Record<string, string> = { inert: "inert" };
-
 type PanelContextValue = {
   readonly panelId: string;
   readonly handleProps: ResizableHandleProps;
@@ -420,7 +414,7 @@ export function PanelPane({ value, className, ...props }: PanelPaneProps) {
     <div
       data-slot="panel-pane"
       data-state={shown ? "active" : "inactive"}
-      {...(shown ? null : HIDDEN_PANE_PROPS)}
+      inert={!shown}
       className={cn(
         "col-start-1 row-start-1 min-h-0 min-w-0 overflow-y-auto",
         !shown && "invisible",
diff --git a/src/ui/prompt-input.test.tsx b/src/ui/prompt-input.test.tsx
index 24d9c27..683d1a6 100644
--- a/src/ui/prompt-input.test.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/prompt-input.test.tsx
@@ -130,8 +130,6 @@ describe("PromptInput", () => {
   });
 
   test("the textarea forwards a host ref", () => {
-    // React 18 drops `ref` from a function component's props: only a
-    // forwardRef component receives it there.
     expect(PromptInputTextarea.$$typeof).toBe(Symbol.for("react.forward_ref"));
     const ref = createRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>();
     const container = document.createElement("div");