diff --git a/.github/frontend-architecture-manifest.md b/.github/frontend-architecture-manifest.md
index 0aa52ec58..9c6f4a362 100644
--- a/.github/frontend-architecture-manifest.md
+++ b/.github/frontend-architecture-manifest.md
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ bun run frontend:inventory -- --format markdown --max-rows 120
 | Governance PR | #599 mainline / governance | `dev` | None | Manifest, schema, owner map, warn-only script, baseline report command | boundary created, owner map established, ratchet command added | `bun run frontend:inventory`, `node script/frontend-inventory.mjs --format json`, `bun run frontend:inventory -- --format markdown --max-rows 120` | in progress | PR body only |
 | Contract PR | #638 interface audit | Governance branch or post-merge `dev` | Governance PR | Public contract/import boundary and compatibility checks | public contract stabilized, private import risk surfaced | typecheck plus contract-specific compatibility check | planned | PR body only |
 | Message-flow PR stack | #601 message flow | post-governance `dev` unless stacked | Governance PR, maybe Contract PR if public imports move | Current launch-path message flow files only | owner extracted, LOC reduced, verification added | typecheck, unit/e2e, #600 perf gate, visual smoke | planned | PR body only |
+| [#670](https://github.com/Astro-Han/pawwork/pull/670) | #601 message flow | `dev` | #667, #669 | Extract `createTimelineStaging` from `MessageTimeline` into `session-timeline-staging.ts` with browser-condition staging tests | timeline staging owner isolated; active-session message growth remains staged instead of popping to full render | focused staging/history/scroll tests, typecheck, diff check, PR CI | in review | PR body + manifest |
 | Scroll/perf PR stack | #595/#615 scroll-perf | `dev` or message-flow stack if shared files force it | Governance PR | Scroll owner and perf guard work only | owner extracted, perf verification added | typecheck, targeted unit/e2e, #600 perf gate | planned | PR body only |
 | Settings PR stack | #604 settings | `dev` after checking #642 overlap | Governance PR | Settings page/dialog family only | owner extracted, LOC reduced | typecheck, settings tests/e2e/manual UI check | planned | PR body only |
 
diff --git a/packages/app/src/pages/session/message-timeline.tsx b/packages/app/src/pages/session/message-timeline.tsx
index 0b07c6135..625207e86 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/pages/session/message-timeline.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/pages/session/message-timeline.tsx
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
   type TimelineScrollMetrics,
   type TimelineScrollObservation,
 } from "@/pages/session/session-timeline-scroll-controller"
+import { createTimelineStaging } from "@/pages/session/session-timeline-staging"
 import { taskDescription } from "@/pages/session/task-description"
 import { buildTurnMessagesByUserID, emptyAssistantMessages } from "@/pages/session/session-messages"
 import {
@@ -191,103 +192,6 @@ const shouldMarkLegacyScrollIntent = (intent: ScrollViewScrollIntent) => {
   return intent.type === "scrollbar_drag_start"
 }
 
-type StageConfig = {
-  init: number
-  batch: number
-}
-
-type TimelineStageInput = {
-  sessionKey: () => string
-  turnStart: () => number
-  messages: () => UserMessage[]
-  config: StageConfig
-}
-
-/**
- * Defer-mounts small timeline windows so revealing older turns does not
- * block first paint with a large DOM mount.
- *
- * Once staging completes for a session it never re-stages — backfill and
- * new messages render immediately.
- */
-function createTimelineStaging(input: TimelineStageInput) {
-  const [state, setState] = createStore({
-    activeSession: "",
-    completedSession: "",
-    count: 0,
-  })
-
-  const stagedCount = createMemo(() => {
-    const total = input.messages().length
-    if (input.turnStart() <= 0) return total
-    if (state.completedSession === input.sessionKey()) return total
-    const init = Math.min(total, input.config.init)
-    if (state.count <= init) return init
-    if (state.count >= total) return total
-    return state.count
-  })
-
-  const stagedUserMessages = createMemo(() => {
-    const list = input.messages()
-    const count = stagedCount()
-    if (count >= list.length) return list
-    return list.slice(Math.max(0, list.length - count))
-  })
-
-  let frame: number | undefined
-  const cancel = () => {
-    if (frame === undefined) return
-    cancelAnimationFrame(frame)
-    frame = undefined
-  }
-
-  createEffect(
-    on(
-      () => [input.sessionKey(), input.turnStart() > 0, input.messages().length] as const,
-      ([sessionKey, isWindowed, total]) => {
-        cancel()
-        const shouldStage =
-          isWindowed &&
-          total > input.config.init &&
-          state.completedSession !== sessionKey &&
-          state.activeSession !== sessionKey
-        if (!shouldStage) {
-          setState({ activeSession: "", count: total })
-          return
-        }
-
-        let count = Math.min(total, input.config.init)
-        setState({ activeSession: sessionKey, count })
-
-        const step = () => {
-          if (input.sessionKey() !== sessionKey) {
-            frame = undefined
-            return
-          }
-          const currentTotal = input.messages().length
-          count = Math.min(currentTotal, count + input.config.batch)
-          setState("count", count)
-          if (count >= currentTotal) {
-            setState({ completedSession: sessionKey, activeSession: "" })
-            frame = undefined
-            return
-          }
-          frame = requestAnimationFrame(step)
-        }
-        frame = requestAnimationFrame(step)
-      },
-    ),
-  )
-
-  const isStaging = createMemo(() => {
-    const key = input.sessionKey()
-    return state.activeSession === key && state.completedSession !== key
-  })
-
-  onCleanup(cancel)
-  return { messages: stagedUserMessages, isStaging }
-}
-
 export function MessageTimeline(props: {
   sessionID: string
   sessionKey: string
diff --git a/packages/app/src/pages/session/session-timeline-staging.test.ts b/packages/app/src/pages/session/session-timeline-staging.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..969ea6caf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/pages/session/session-timeline-staging.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test"
+
+const browserCheck = String.raw`
+import { render } from "solid-js/web"
+import { createSignal } from "solid-js"
+import { createTimelineStaging } from "./src/pages/session/session-timeline-staging.ts"
+
+const assert = (condition, message) => {
+  if (!condition) throw new Error(message)
+}
+
+const message = (id) => ({
+  id: "msg_" + id,
+  role: "user",
+  time: { created: id },
+})
+const messages = (count) => Array.from({ length: count }, (_, index) => message(index))
+const ids = (list) => list.map((item) => item.id).join(",")
+
+const installAnimationFrameQueue = () => {
+  let nextID = 1
+  const frames = new Map()
+  const canceled = []
+
+  globalThis.requestAnimationFrame = (callback) => {
+    const id = nextID++
+    frames.set(id, callback)
+    return id
+  }
+
+  globalThis.cancelAnimationFrame = (id) => {
+    canceled.push(id)
+    frames.delete(id)
+  }
+
+  return {
+    canceled,
+    pending: () => frames.size,
+    pendingIDs: () => [...frames.keys()],
+    flushOne: () => {
+      const next = frames.entries().next()
+      if (next.done) return false
+      const [id, callback] = next.value
+      frames.delete(id)
+      callback(performance.now())
+      return true
+    },
+  }
+}
+
+const mount = (factory) => {
+  const root = document.createElement("div")
+  document.body.append(root)
+  const dispose = render(factory, root)
+  return () => {
+    dispose()
+    root.remove()
+  }
+}
+
+{
+  const raf = installAnimationFrameQueue()
+  let staging
+  const dispose = mount(() => {
+    staging = createTimelineStaging({
+      sessionKey: () => "ses_1",
+      turnStart: () => 0,
+      messages: () => messages(14),
+      config: { init: 10, batch: 3 },
+    })
+    return null
+  })
+
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(14)), "non-windowed timeline should render all messages")
+  assert(staging.isStaging() === false, "non-windowed timeline should not stage")
+  assert(raf.pending() === 0, "non-windowed timeline should not schedule frames")
+  dispose()
+}
+
+{
+  const raf = installAnimationFrameQueue()
+  let staging
+  const dispose = mount(() => {
+    staging = createTimelineStaging({
+      sessionKey: () => "ses_1",
+      turnStart: () => 6,
+      messages: () => messages(16),
+      config: { init: 10, batch: 3 },
+    })
+    return null
+  })
+
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(16).slice(6)), "history window should start at init size")
+  assert(staging.isStaging() === true, "history window should report active staging")
+  assert(raf.pending() === 1, "history window should schedule one frame")
+  assert(raf.flushOne() === true, "first staging frame should run")
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(16).slice(3)), "first frame should add one batch")
+  assert(staging.isStaging() === true, "staging should remain active before completion")
+  assert(raf.flushOne() === true, "second staging frame should run")
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(16)), "second frame should complete staging")
+  assert(staging.isStaging() === false, "completed staging should clear active state")
+  assert(raf.pending() === 0, "completed staging should not leave pending frames")
+  dispose()
+}
+
+{
+  const raf = installAnimationFrameQueue()
+  let staging
+  let setCount
+  const dispose = mount(() => {
+    const [count, nextCount] = createSignal(16)
+    setCount = nextCount
+    staging = createTimelineStaging({
+      sessionKey: () => "ses_1",
+      turnStart: () => 6,
+      messages: () => messages(count()),
+      config: { init: 10, batch: 3 },
+    })
+    return null
+  })
+
+  const firstFrame = raf.pendingIDs()[0]
+  assert(firstFrame !== undefined, "active staging should schedule a frame")
+  setCount(18)
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(18).slice(8)), "active staging should not pop to all messages")
+  assert(staging.isStaging() === true, "message growth should keep staging active")
+  assert(raf.pendingIDs().includes(firstFrame), "message growth should keep the existing staging frame")
+  assert(raf.flushOne() === true, "existing staging frame should continue after growth")
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(18).slice(5)), "continued staging should add one batch after growth")
+  dispose()
+}
+
+{
+  const raf = installAnimationFrameQueue()
+  let staging
+  let setCount
+  const dispose = mount(() => {
+    const [count, nextCount] = createSignal(13)
+    setCount = nextCount
+    staging = createTimelineStaging({
+      sessionKey: () => "ses_1",
+      turnStart: () => 3,
+      messages: () => messages(count()),
+      config: { init: 10, batch: 3 },
+    })
+    return null
+  })
+
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(13).slice(3)), "completed-session case should start windowed")
+  assert(raf.flushOne() === true, "completion frame should run")
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(13)), "completion frame should reveal all")
+  assert(staging.isStaging() === false, "completion should clear active state")
+  setCount(16)
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(16)), "completed session backfill should render immediately")
+  assert(staging.isStaging() === false, "completed session backfill should not restage")
+  assert(raf.pending() === 0, "completed session backfill should not schedule frames")
+  dispose()
+}
+
+{
+  const raf = installAnimationFrameQueue()
+  let staging
+  let setSessionKey
+  const dispose = mount(() => {
+    const [sessionKey, nextSessionKey] = createSignal("ses_1")
+    setSessionKey = nextSessionKey
+    staging = createTimelineStaging({
+      sessionKey,
+      turnStart: () => 6,
+      messages: () => messages(16),
+      config: { init: 10, batch: 3 },
+    })
+    return null
+  })
+
+  const firstFrame = raf.pendingIDs()[0]
+  assert(firstFrame !== undefined, "initial history staging should schedule a frame")
+  setSessionKey("ses_2")
+  assert(raf.canceled.includes(firstFrame), "session switch should cancel the previous frame")
+  assert(raf.pending() === 1, "session switch should leave one new frame for the new session")
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(16).slice(6)), "new session should restart at init size")
+  assert(raf.flushOne() === true, "new session frame should run")
+  assert(ids(staging.messages()) === ids(messages(16).slice(3)), "new session frame should add one batch")
+  dispose()
+}
+`
+
+describe("createTimelineStaging", () => {
+  test("preserves browser staging behavior", () => {
+    const result = Bun.spawnSync({
+      cmd: [process.execPath, "--conditions=browser", "--preload", "./happydom.ts", "-e", browserCheck],
+      cwd: new URL("../../..", import.meta.url).pathname,
+      stdout: "pipe",
+      stderr: "pipe",
+    })
+
+    const output = `${new TextDecoder().decode(result.stdout)}${new TextDecoder().decode(result.stderr)}`
+    expect(output).toBe("")
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/app/src/pages/session/session-timeline-staging.ts b/packages/app/src/pages/session/session-timeline-staging.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..14abcb607
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/pages/session/session-timeline-staging.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+import type { UserMessage } from "@opencode-ai/sdk/v2"
+import { createEffect, createMemo, on, onCleanup } from "solid-js"
+import { createStore } from "solid-js/store"
+
+export type TimelineStageConfig = {
+  init: number
+  batch: number
+}
+
+export type TimelineStageInput = {
+  sessionKey: () => string
+  turnStart: () => number
+  messages: () => UserMessage[]
+  config: TimelineStageConfig
+}
+
+/**
+ * Defer-mounts small timeline windows so revealing older turns does not
+ * block first paint with a large DOM mount.
+ *
+ * Once staging completes for a session it never re-stages. Backfill and
+ * new messages render immediately.
+ */
+export function createTimelineStaging(input: TimelineStageInput) {
+  const [state, setState] = createStore({
+    activeSession: "",
+    completedSession: "",
+    count: 0,
+  })
+
+  const stagedCount = createMemo(() => {
+    const total = input.messages().length
+    if (input.turnStart() <= 0) return total
+    if (state.completedSession === input.sessionKey()) return total
+    const init = Math.min(total, input.config.init)
+    if (state.count <= init) return init
+    if (state.count >= total) return total
+    return state.count
+  })
+
+  const stagedUserMessages = createMemo(() => {
+    const list = input.messages()
+    const count = stagedCount()
+    if (count >= list.length) return list
+    return list.slice(Math.max(0, list.length - count))
+  })
+
+  let frame: number | undefined
+  const cancel = () => {
+    if (frame === undefined) return
+    cancelAnimationFrame(frame)
+    frame = undefined
+  }
+
+  createEffect(
+    on(
+      () => [input.sessionKey(), input.turnStart() > 0, input.messages().length] as const,
+      ([sessionKey, isWindowed, total]) => {
+        const shouldStage =
+          isWindowed &&
+          total > input.config.init &&
+          state.completedSession !== sessionKey
+        if (!shouldStage) {
+          cancel()
+          setState({ activeSession: "", count: total })
+          return
+        }
+
+        if (state.activeSession === sessionKey) return
+
+        cancel()
+        let count = Math.min(total, input.config.init)
+        setState({ activeSession: sessionKey, count })
+
+        const step = () => {
+          if (input.sessionKey() !== sessionKey) {
+            frame = undefined
+            return
+          }
+          const currentTotal = input.messages().length
+          count = Math.min(currentTotal, count + input.config.batch)
+          setState("count", count)
+          if (count >= currentTotal) {
+            setState({ completedSession: sessionKey, activeSession: "" })
+            frame = undefined
+            return
+          }
+          frame = requestAnimationFrame(step)
+        }
+        frame = requestAnimationFrame(step)
+      },
+    ),
+  )
+
+  const isStaging = createMemo(() => {
+    const key = input.sessionKey()
+    return state.activeSession === key && state.completedSession !== key
+  })
+
+  onCleanup(cancel)
+  return { messages: stagedUserMessages, isStaging }
+}