diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
index d2a176a444369..20f24aff2c295 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
@@ -3436,6 +3436,9 @@ export default function ChatView(props: ChatViewProps) {
                 {...(onOpenWorktreeSetupTerminal ? { onOpenWorktreeSetupTerminal } : {})}
                 isPreparingWorktree={isPreparingWorktree}
                 footer={timelineFooter}
+                footerContinuesMessage={
+                  workNow !== null && pendingGuestMessageCount === 0 && !hasQueuedTurns
+                }
                 listRef={legendListRef}
                 runs={serverProjection?.runs ?? []}
                 latestRun={activeActivityRun}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.logic.ts b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.logic.ts
index 2fe811db4d18f..aecd8a3403c53 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.logic.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.logic.ts
@@ -1217,6 +1217,21 @@ function deriveTurnFolds(input: {
   return foldsByAnchorEntryId;
 }
 
+export function assistantMetaRow(
+  row: Extract<MessagesTimelineRow, { kind: "message" }>,
+  createdAt: string,
+): Extract<MessagesTimelineRow, { kind: "assistant-meta" }> {
+  return {
+    kind: "assistant-meta",
+    id: `assistant-meta:${row.message.id}`,
+    ...(row.projectedItem === undefined ? {} : { projectedItem: row.projectedItem }),
+    createdAt,
+    message: row.message,
+    showAssistantCopyButton: row.showAssistantCopyButton,
+    assistantCopyStreaming: row.assistantCopyStreaming,
+  };
+}
+
 function attachTrailingToolGroupsToAssistant(
   rows: ReadonlyArray<MessagesTimelineRow>,
 ): MessagesTimelineRow[] {
@@ -1284,15 +1299,10 @@ function attachTrailingToolGroupsToAssistant(
     }
 
     messageRowsWithoutMeta.add(row.id);
-    metaRowsAfterIndex.set(lastTrailingWorkIndex, {
-      kind: "assistant-meta",
-      id: `assistant-meta:${row.message.id}`,
-      ...(row.projectedItem === undefined ? {} : { projectedItem: row.projectedItem }),
-      createdAt: rows[lastTrailingWorkIndex]?.createdAt ?? row.message.updatedAt,
-      message: row.message,
-      showAssistantCopyButton: row.showAssistantCopyButton,
-      assistantCopyStreaming: row.assistantCopyStreaming,
-    });
+    metaRowsAfterIndex.set(
+      lastTrailingWorkIndex,
+      assistantMetaRow(row, rows[lastTrailingWorkIndex]?.createdAt ?? row.message.updatedAt),
+    );
   }
 
   const result: MessagesTimelineRow[] = [];
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
index 4c28163766058..f1b0bb85ec8de 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ import { useAssistantCitationTarget } from "./useAssistantCitationTarget";
 import { worktreeSetupAgentStarted } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/worktree-setup";
 import { resolveCitationPhase, type CitedHistory } from "./citationProcedure";
 import {
+  assistantMetaRow,
   resolveTimelineIsAtEnd,
   resolveTimelineMinimapHasPersistentGutter,
   resolveTimelineMinimapCurrentIndex,
@@ -238,6 +239,8 @@ interface MessagesTimelineProps {
   /** Which request is waiting, so a second one of the same kind is announced too. */
   awaitingRequestId?: string | null;
   footer?: ReactNode;
+  /** The footer continues the last message, so that message's actions follow it. */
+  footerContinuesMessage?: boolean;
 
   listRef: React.RefObject<LegendListRef | null>;
   timelineEntries: ReadonlyArray<TimelineEntry>;
@@ -341,6 +344,7 @@ const ConversationTimeline = memo(function ConversationTimeline({
   activeTurnStartedAt = null,
   worktreeSetup = null,
   footer = null,
+  footerContinuesMessage = false,
   onCancelWorktreeSetup,
   retryableWorkspacePreparationRunIds = EMPTY_RUN_IDS,
   onRetryWorkspacePreparation,
@@ -693,6 +697,26 @@ const ConversationTimeline = memo(function ConversationTimeline({
     worktreeSetup,
   });
   const rows = useStableRows(rawRows, listIdentityKey);
+  const lastRow = rows.at(-1);
+  // A message reserves an invisible hover row for its actions, which would hold the footer away.
+  const messageBeforeFooter =
+    footerContinuesMessage &&
+    lastRow?.kind === "message" &&
+    lastRow.message.role === "assistant" &&
+    lastRow.showAssistantMeta
+      ? lastRow
+      : null;
+  const messageBeforeFooterRow = messageBeforeFooter && {
+    ...messageBeforeFooter,
+    showAssistantMeta: false,
+    showAssistantCopyButton: false,
+  };
+  const metaAfterFooter =
+    footerContinuesMessage && lastRow?.kind === "assistant-meta"
+      ? lastRow
+      : messageBeforeFooter
+        ? assistantMetaRow(messageBeforeFooter, messageBeforeFooter.message.updatedAt)
+        : null;
   const matchedApprovalRequestIds = new Set<string>();
   for (const row of pendingApprovalRequestIds.size > 0 ? rows : []) {
     const entries =
@@ -1244,19 +1268,36 @@ const ConversationTimeline = memo(function ConversationTimeline({
           data-timeline-root="true"
         >
           <AudioPreviewUnmountContext value={onAudioUnmount}>
-            <TimelineRowContent row={item} />
+            {item.kind === "assistant-meta" && item.id === metaAfterFooter?.id ? null : (
+              <TimelineRowContent
+                row={item.id === messageBeforeFooterRow?.id ? messageBeforeFooterRow : item}
+              />
+            )}
           </AudioPreviewUnmountContext>
         </div>
       </div>
     </TimelineRowCtx>
   );
-  const listExtraData = { identity: listIdentityKey, rowCount: rows.length, sharedState };
+  const listExtraData = {
+    identity: listIdentityKey,
+    rowCount: rows.length,
+    sharedState,
+    messageBeforeFooterRow,
+    metaAfterFooter,
+  };
   const timelineListFooter = (
     <TimelineListFooter
       composerInset={anchoredEndSpace ? 0 : contentInsetEndAdjustment}
       onGrow={onFooterGrow}
     >
       {footer}
+      {metaAfterFooter ? (
+        <TimelineRowCtx value={sharedState}>
+          <div className="chat-content-lane">
+            <AssistantMetaTimelineRow row={metaAfterFooter} />
+          </div>
+        </TimelineRowCtx>
+      ) : null}
       {unmatchedPendingApprovals.length > 0 ? (
         <TimelineRowCtx value={sharedState}>
           <div className="messages-timeline-row-frame">
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/ThreadActivityBanners.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/ThreadActivityBanners.tsx
index 5342bd09b3ca9..f29cd31a5aea5 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/chat/ThreadActivityBanners.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/ThreadActivityBanners.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   presentProviderGoal,
   type RunStopPresentation,
 } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/thread-execution";
+import { commandDisplayText } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/work-log/command-label";
 import { childThreadInputsTitle } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/threads";
 import { formatDuration } from "@t3tools/shared/orchestrationTiming";
 import * as DateTime from "effect/DateTime";
@@ -24,7 +25,6 @@ import {
 } from "lucide-react";
 import { Fragment } from "react";
 import { tickTextContent } from "~/lib/tickTextContent";
-import { cn } from "~/lib/utils";
 import { Button, InlineButton } from "../ui/button";
 import { Tooltip, TooltipPopup, TooltipTrigger } from "../ui/tooltip";
 import type { ComposerBannerStackItem } from "./ComposerBannerStack";
@@ -172,6 +172,9 @@ export function backgroundWorkNowItem(input: {
     const subagent = item?.type === "subagent" ? item : undefined;
     return {
       task,
+      // Claude labels a command with a prose description; only the command itself is code.
+      isRawCommand:
+        item?.type === "command_execution" && commandDisplayText(item.input.trim()) === task.label,
       activity: subagent?.progress?.replace(/\s+/gu, " ").trim() || null,
       startedAtMs: item?.startedAt ? DateTime.toEpochMillis(item.startedAt) : null,
       updatedAtMs: subagent ? DateTime.toEpochMillis(subagent.updatedAt) : 0,
@@ -182,53 +185,65 @@ export function backgroundWorkNowItem(input: {
   const newest = rows
     .filter((row) => row.activity)
     .toSorted((left, right) => right.updatedAtMs - left.updatedAtMs)[0];
-  const isCommand = (row: (typeof rows)[number]) => row.task.kind !== "subagent";
-  const verb = presentation.waiting ? "Waiting on" : "Running";
+  const label = (row: (typeof rows)[number]) =>
+    row.isRawCommand ? (
+      <span className="font-mono in-data-[slot=popover-popup]:whitespace-pre-wrap">
+        {row.task.label}
+      </span>
+    ) : (
+      row.task.label
+    );
   const onlyThreadId = only?.childThreadId;
   const startedAtMs = only?.startedAtMs ?? null;
   return {
     id: `background-work:${input.threadId}`,
-    icon: rows.every(isCommand) ? <TerminalIcon /> : <CircleDashedIcon />,
-    title: only ? (
+    icon: rows.every((row) => row.task.kind !== "subagent") ? (
+      <TerminalIcon />
+    ) : (
+      <CircleDashedIcon />
+    ),
+    title: (
       <>
-        {verb}{" "}
-        <span
-          className={cn(
-            isCommand(only) && "font-mono in-data-[slot=popover-popup]:whitespace-pre-wrap",
-          )}
-        >
-          {only.task.label}
+        {presentation.waiting ? "Waiting on " : "Running in background "}
+        <span className="text-foreground/80">
+          {only?.task.named === true ? label(only) : presentation.subject}
         </span>
       </>
-    ) : (
-      presentation.title
-    ),
-    description: only ? (
-      only.activity
-    ) : newest ? (
-      `${newest.task.label}: ${newest.activity}`
-    ) : rows.every(isCommand) ? (
-      <span className="font-mono">{rows.map((row) => row.task.label).join(", ")}</span>
-    ) : (
-      rows.map((row) => row.task.label).join(", ")
     ),
+    description: only
+      ? only.activity
+      : newest
+        ? `${newest.task.label}: ${newest.activity}`
+        : rows.map((row, index) => (
+            <Fragment key={row.task.taskId}>
+              {index > 0 ? ", " : null}
+              {label(row)}
+            </Fragment>
+          )),
     actions: (
       <>
         {startedAtMs === null ? null : (
-          <span
-            ref={tickTextContent(
-              (nowMs) => formatDuration(Math.max(1_000, nowMs - startedAtMs)),
-              true,
-            )}
-            className="tabular-nums"
-          />
+          <>
+            <span
+              ref={tickTextContent(
+                (nowMs) => formatDuration(Math.max(1_000, nowMs - startedAtMs)),
+                true,
+              )}
+              className="tabular-nums"
+            />
+            <span aria-hidden>·</span>
+          </>
         )}
         {onlyThreadId === undefined ? null : (
           <InlineButton tone="muted" onClick={() => onOpenThread(onlyThreadId)}>
             Open
           </InlineButton>
         )}
-        <InlineButton disabled={input.stopDisabled} onClick={() => void input.onStop()}>
+        <InlineButton
+          tone="muted"
+          disabled={input.stopDisabled}
+          onClick={() => void input.onStop()}
+        >
           {input.stopping ? "Stopping..." : "Stop"}
         </InlineButton>
       </>
diff --git a/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadExecution.ts b/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadExecution.ts
index 711f813a3b8ef..9b9efacb2011a 100644
--- a/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadExecution.ts
+++ b/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadExecution.ts
@@ -348,11 +348,15 @@ export interface PendingBackgroundWorkItem {
   readonly taskId: string;
   readonly kind: BackgroundWorkKind;
   readonly label: string;
+  /** False when the label is only the kind's noun, such as "command". */
+  readonly named: boolean;
   readonly childThreadId: ThreadId | undefined;
 }
 
 export interface PendingBackgroundWorkPresentation {
   readonly title: string;
+  /** What is running or waited on: a label, "a command", or "2 commands". */
+  readonly subject: string;
   readonly items: ReadonlyArray<PendingBackgroundWorkItem>;
   readonly waiting: boolean;
 }
@@ -378,13 +382,12 @@ export function presentPendingBackgroundWork(
             : task.kind === "command" || task.kind === "monitor"
               ? commandDisplayText(description)
               : description;
+      const named = label !== undefined && label.length > 0;
       return {
         taskId: task.taskId,
         kind: task.kind,
-        label:
-          label === undefined || label.length === 0
-            ? BACKGROUND_WORK_KINDS[task.kind].singular
-            : label,
+        label: named ? label : BACKGROUND_WORK_KINDS[task.kind].singular,
+        named,
         childThreadId: task.kind === "subagent" ? task.childThreadId : undefined,
       };
     })
@@ -396,15 +399,14 @@ export function presentPendingBackgroundWork(
   const [only] = items;
   if (items.length === 1 && only !== undefined) {
     const noun = BACKGROUND_WORK_KINDS[only.kind].singular;
-    const named = only.label !== noun;
+    const { named } = only;
+    const subject = named ? only.label : `a ${noun}`;
     const title = waiting
       ? named
         ? `${only.kind === "monitor" ? "" : `Waiting on ${noun} `}${only.label}`
-        : `Waiting on a ${noun}`
-      : named
-        ? `Running: ${only.label}`
-        : `Running a ${noun}`;
-    return { title, items, waiting };
+        : `Waiting on ${subject}`
+      : `Running in background: ${subject}`;
+    return { title, subject, items, waiting };
   }
   const counts = new Map<BackgroundWorkKind, number>();
   for (const item of items) counts.set(item.kind, (counts.get(item.kind) ?? 0) + 1);
@@ -412,7 +414,13 @@ export function presentPendingBackgroundWork(
     const { singular, plural } = BACKGROUND_WORK_KINDS[kind];
     return `${count} ${count === 1 ? singular : plural}`;
   });
-  return { title: `${waiting ? "Waiting on" : "Running"} ${joinWithAnd(groups)}`, items, waiting };
+  const groupsText = joinWithAnd(groups);
+  return {
+    title: waiting ? `Waiting on ${groupsText}` : `Running in background: ${groupsText}`,
+    subject: groupsText,
+    items,
+    waiting,
+  };
 }
 
 export interface ProviderGoalPresentation {