diff --git a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/agent-chat-panel.test.ts b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/agent-chat-panel.test.ts
index e09f6b2e84..34d436affe 100644
--- a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/agent-chat-panel.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/agent-chat-panel.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING } from '@/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs';
 
 // Agent-chat-panel transitively imports the WXT '#imports' virtual module; stub it so the graph loads under vitest.
 // eslint-disable-next-line vitest/prefer-import-in-mock, jest/no-untyped-mock-factory
@@ -101,6 +102,14 @@ describe('inspectable tab selection resolution', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('transcript empty-state copy', () => {
+  it('uses the shared legacy greeting string as the empty-state hint', () => {
+    // ConversationList renders LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING when items.length === 0;
+    // The constant is the single source for both migration strip and empty UI.
+    expect(LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING).toBe('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.');
+  });
+});
+
 describe('system environment builder', () => {
   it('returns undefined without a selected tab even when memories exist', () => {
     expect(
diff --git a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/agent-chat-panel.tsx b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/agent-chat-panel.tsx
index 1d0896eead..d99a4525a5 100644
--- a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/agent-chat-panel.tsx
+++ b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/agent-chat-panel.tsx
@@ -74,9 +74,7 @@ import { sanitizeTabContextText, sanitizeTabContextUrl } from '@/src/shared/tab-
 const apiBaseUrl = getKiloApiBaseUrl();
 const fetchFromWindow = (input: string, init?: RequestInit): Promise<Response> =>
   fetch(input, init);
-const createDefaultConversationEvents = (): AgentConversationEvent[] => [
-  createAssistantMessage('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.'),
-];
+const emptyDefaultConversationEvents = (): AgentConversationEvent[] => [];
 
 interface ConversationRunState {
   readonly abort: AbortController;
@@ -146,7 +144,7 @@ export const AgentChatPanel = ({
 }): JSX.Element => {
   const store = useStore();
   const [conversationStore, setConversationStore, isConversationStoreLoaded] =
-    useStoredAgentConversations(createDefaultConversationEvents);
+    useStoredAgentConversations(emptyDefaultConversationEvents);
   const { memories } = useAgentMemories();
   const runningConversationIds = useAtomValue(runningConversationIdsAtom);
   const setRunningConversationIds = useSetAtom(runningConversationIdsAtom);
@@ -690,7 +688,7 @@ export const AgentChatPanel = ({
 
     conversationStoreRef.current = createNextStoredConversation(
       conversationStoreRef.current,
-      createDefaultConversationEvents(),
+      emptyDefaultConversationEvents(),
       settings
     );
     setConversationStore(conversationStoreRef.current);
@@ -762,9 +760,36 @@ export const AgentChatPanel = ({
       }
 
       abortConversationRun(conversationId);
-      setConversationStore(currentStore =>
-        closeStoredConversationTab(currentStore, conversationId, createDefaultConversationEvents())
+      const currentStore = conversationStoreRef.current;
+      const closedConversation = currentStore.conversations.find(
+        conversation => conversation.id === conversationId
+      );
+      const wasEmpty =
+        closedConversation !== undefined && isStoredConversationEmpty(closedConversation);
+      const nextStore = closeStoredConversationTab(
+        currentStore,
+        conversationId,
+        emptyDefaultConversationEvents()
       );
+      conversationStoreRef.current = nextStore;
+      setConversationStore(nextStore);
+
+      // Evict outside the state updater (StrictMode may double-invoke updaters).
+      // Empty closed tabs are deleted: always free their atoms, including when ensureOpen
+      // Recreates a fallback with the same id so drafts do not survive onto the fresh tab.
+      // Non-empty closed tabs keep drafts for History reopen.
+      const idsToEvict = new Set<string>();
+      if (wasEmpty) {
+        idsToEvict.add(conversationId);
+      }
+      for (const conversation of currentStore.conversations) {
+        if (!nextStore.conversations.some(next => next.id === conversation.id)) {
+          idsToEvict.add(conversation.id);
+        }
+      }
+      for (const id of idsToEvict) {
+        evictConversationAtoms(id);
+      }
     },
     [abortConversationRun, isConversationStoreLoaded, setConversationStore]
   );
@@ -784,7 +809,7 @@ export const AgentChatPanel = ({
 
       abortConversationRun(conversationId);
       setConversationStore(currentStore =>
-        deleteStoredConversation(currentStore, conversationId, createDefaultConversationEvents())
+        deleteStoredConversation(currentStore, conversationId, emptyDefaultConversationEvents())
       );
       // Free per-conversation atoms; a deleted conversation can never be reopened.
       evictConversationAtoms(conversationId);
diff --git a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/auth-shell.tsx b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/auth-shell.tsx
index 0130149568..e9a1149159 100644
--- a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/auth-shell.tsx
+++ b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/auth-shell.tsx
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ const AnalyticsSettingsRow = ({ userEmail }: { userEmail: string | undefined }):
           aria-label="Share usage analytics"
           className={`relative mt-0.5 h-5 w-9 shrink-0 rounded-full border transition outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-primary-ring ring-offset-2 ring-offset-surface-background disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:bg-surface-selected ${
             state.checked
-              ? 'border-border-strong bg-surface-selected'
+              ? 'border-brand-primary bg-brand-primary'
               : 'border-border bg-surface-overlay'
           }`}
           disabled={!interactive}
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ const AnalyticsSettingsRow = ({ userEmail }: { userEmail: string | undefined }):
           <span
             aria-hidden="true"
             className={`absolute top-0.5 size-3.5 rounded-full transition ${
-              state.checked ? 'left-4 bg-foreground' : 'left-0.5 bg-foreground-muted'
+              state.checked ? 'left-4 bg-brand-primary-foreground' : 'left-0.5 bg-foreground-muted'
             }`}
           />
         </button>
diff --git a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/conversation-list.tsx b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/conversation-list.tsx
index f4b083de0c..5a8f43e0b3 100644
--- a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/conversation-list.tsx
+++ b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/conversation-list.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import type { CSSProperties, JSX } from 'react';
 import { useVirtualizer } from '@tanstack/react-virtual';
 import { getConversationScrollKey } from '@/src/shared/agent-conversation';
 import type { GroupedConversationItem } from '@/src/shared/agent-conversation';
+import { LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING } from '@/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs';
 import { AgentConversationItemView } from './agent-conversation-events';
 
 const getConversationItemKey = (item: GroupedConversationItem): string =>
@@ -280,6 +281,9 @@ export const ConversationList = ({
         className="agent-conversation-scrollbar h-full overflow-y-auto px-4 py-4"
         ref={listRef}
       >
+        {items.length === 0 ? (
+          <p className="type-body text-foreground-muted">{LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING}</p>
+        ) : null}
         <div className="relative w-full" style={getListSpacerStyle(totalSize)}>
           {virtualItems.map(virtualItem => {
             const item = items[virtualItem.index];
diff --git a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/conversation-tabs.tsx b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/conversation-tabs.tsx
index c30afe780b..4a1aa09e2a 100644
--- a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/conversation-tabs.tsx
+++ b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/conversation-tabs.tsx
@@ -24,62 +24,64 @@ export const ConversationTabs = ({
 
   return (
     <div className="border-b border-border bg-surface-raised">
-      <div
-        aria-label="Conversation tabs"
-        className="agent-conversation-scrollbar flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1 overflow-x-auto px-2 py-2"
-        role="tablist"
-      >
-        {conversations.map(conversation => {
-          const title = getStoredConversationTitle(conversation);
-          const isActive = conversation.id === activeConversationId;
-          const isRunning =
-            runningConversationIds.includes(conversation.id) ||
-            compactingConversationIds.includes(conversation.id);
+      <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1 px-2 py-2">
+        <div
+          aria-label="Conversation tabs"
+          className="agent-conversation-scrollbar flex min-w-0 flex-1 items-center gap-1 overflow-x-auto"
+          role="tablist"
+        >
+          {conversations.map(conversation => {
+            const title = getStoredConversationTitle(conversation);
+            const isActive = conversation.id === activeConversationId;
+            const isRunning =
+              runningConversationIds.includes(conversation.id) ||
+              compactingConversationIds.includes(conversation.id);
 
-          return (
-            <div
-              className={
-                isActive
-                  ? 'flex h-8 max-w-44 shrink-0 items-center rounded-md border border-border-strong bg-surface-selected text-foreground'
-                  : 'flex h-8 max-w-44 shrink-0 items-center rounded-md border border-border text-foreground-muted hover:border-border-strong hover:text-foreground'
-              }
-              key={conversation.id}
-            >
-              <button
-                aria-selected={isActive}
-                className="flex h-full min-w-0 items-center gap-1.5 px-2 text-left text-xs font-medium outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-primary-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-surface-background disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:text-foreground-subtle"
-                disabled={isDisabled}
-                onClick={() => {
-                  onSelectConversation(conversation.id);
-                }}
-                role="tab"
-                title={title}
-                type="button"
-              >
-                {isRunning ? (
-                  <span
-                    aria-hidden="true"
-                    className="size-2 shrink-0 animate-pulse rounded-full bg-status-blue-400"
-                  />
-                ) : null}
-                <span className="truncate">{title}</span>
-              </button>
-              <button
-                aria-label={`Close ${title}`}
-                className="mr-1 flex size-6 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-sm text-foreground-muted outline-none transition hover:bg-surface-hover hover:text-foreground focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-primary-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-surface-background"
-                disabled={isDisabled}
-                onClick={() => {
-                  onCloseConversation(conversation.id);
-                }}
-                type="button"
+            return (
+              <div
+                className={
+                  isActive
+                    ? 'flex h-8 max-w-44 shrink-0 items-center rounded-md border border-border-strong bg-surface-selected text-foreground'
+                    : 'flex h-8 max-w-44 shrink-0 items-center rounded-md border border-border text-foreground-muted hover:border-border-strong hover:text-foreground'
+                }
+                key={conversation.id}
               >
-                <span aria-hidden="true" className="text-sm leading-none">
-                  x
-                </span>
-              </button>
-            </div>
-          );
-        })}
+                <button
+                  aria-selected={isActive}
+                  className="flex h-full min-w-0 items-center gap-1.5 px-2 text-left text-xs font-medium outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-primary-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-surface-background disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:text-foreground-subtle"
+                  disabled={isDisabled}
+                  onClick={() => {
+                    onSelectConversation(conversation.id);
+                  }}
+                  role="tab"
+                  title={title}
+                  type="button"
+                >
+                  {isRunning ? (
+                    <span
+                      aria-hidden="true"
+                      className="size-2 shrink-0 animate-pulse rounded-full bg-status-blue-400"
+                    />
+                  ) : null}
+                  <span className="truncate">{title}</span>
+                </button>
+                <button
+                  aria-label={`Close ${title}`}
+                  className="mr-1 flex size-6 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-sm text-foreground-muted outline-none transition hover:bg-surface-hover hover:text-foreground focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-primary-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-surface-background"
+                  disabled={isDisabled}
+                  onClick={() => {
+                    onCloseConversation(conversation.id);
+                  }}
+                  type="button"
+                >
+                  <span aria-hidden="true" className="text-sm leading-none">
+                    x
+                  </span>
+                </button>
+              </div>
+            );
+          })}
+        </div>
         <button
           aria-label="New conversation"
           className="flex size-8 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-border bg-surface-overlay text-foreground-on-secondary outline-none transition hover:bg-surface-hover focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-brand-primary-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-2 focus-visible:ring-offset-surface-background disabled:cursor-not-allowed disabled:text-foreground-subtle"
diff --git a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/pending-memory-save-card.tsx b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/pending-memory-save-card.tsx
index d605bce4e2..c4a219d068 100644
--- a/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/pending-memory-save-card.tsx
+++ b/apps/extension/entrypoints/sidepanel/pending-memory-save-card.tsx
@@ -33,10 +33,13 @@ export const PendingMemorySaveCard = (): JSX.Element | null => {
   const [note, setNote] = useState('');
   const [isSaving, setIsSaving] = useState(false);
   const lastDraftKeyRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
+  const noteTextareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null);
+  const focusedDraftKeyRef = useRef<string | null>(null);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (pendingDraft === undefined) {
       lastDraftKeyRef.current = null;
+      focusedDraftKeyRef.current = null;
       return;
     }
 
@@ -63,6 +66,24 @@ export const PendingMemorySaveCard = (): JSX.Element | null => {
     savedConfirmation,
   });
 
+  const showsDraftForm =
+    pendingDraft !== undefined &&
+    (view.kind === 'draft' || view.kind === 'full' || view.kind === 'saveError');
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!showsDraftForm || pendingDraft === undefined) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const draftKey = `${pendingDraft.createdAt}:${pendingDraft.text}`;
+    if (focusedDraftKeyRef.current === draftKey) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    focusedDraftKeyRef.current = draftKey;
+    noteTextareaRef.current?.focus();
+  }, [pendingDraft, showsDraftForm]);
+
   if (view.kind === 'hidden') {
     return null;
   }
@@ -115,11 +136,13 @@ export const PendingMemorySaveCard = (): JSX.Element | null => {
   const noteCount = deriveNoteCharacterCount(note);
 
   return (
-    <section
+    <div
       aria-label="Add to memory"
-      className="shrink-0 border-b border-border bg-surface-background px-3 py-3"
+      aria-modal="true"
+      className="fixed inset-0 z-[25] flex items-center justify-center bg-black/50 p-4"
+      role="dialog"
     >
-      <div className="rounded-xl border border-border bg-surface-raised p-3">
+      <div className="w-full max-w-sm rounded-xl border border-border bg-surface-raised p-3 shadow-lg shadow-black/50">
         {view.kind === 'confirmation' ? (
           <div className="flex flex-col gap-3">
             <p className="type-body text-foreground">{CONFIRMATION_MESSAGE}</p>
@@ -203,6 +226,7 @@ export const PendingMemorySaveCard = (): JSX.Element | null => {
                     onChange={event => {
                       setNote(event.target.value);
                     }}
+                    ref={noteTextareaRef}
                     value={note}
                   />
                   <p className="type-label text-right text-foreground-muted">
@@ -230,6 +254,6 @@ export const PendingMemorySaveCard = (): JSX.Element | null => {
           </div>
         ) : null}
       </div>
-    </section>
+    </div>
   );
 };
diff --git a/apps/extension/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs.test.ts b/apps/extension/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs.test.ts
index 3c42cb8876..5eb6b222c0 100644
--- a/apps/extension/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+/* eslint-disable max-lines */
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import { createAssistantMessage, createUserMessage } from './agent-conversation';
 import {
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   deleteStoredConversation,
   getSortedStoredConversationHistory,
   getStoredConversationTitle,
+  LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING,
   openStoredConversation,
   normalizeStoredConversations,
   updateActiveStoredConversationEvents,
@@ -68,16 +70,36 @@ describe('agent conversation tabs', () => {
     ).toBe('Summarize this article');
   });
 
-  it('closes a conversation tab without deleting it from history', () => {
-    const store = createNextStoredConversation(createDefaultStoredConversations());
+  describe('closeStoredConversationTab empty deletion', () => {
+    it('removes an empty conversation from storage when its tab is closed', () => {
+      const store = createNextStoredConversation(createDefaultStoredConversations());
 
-    const updatedStore = closeStoredConversationTab(store, 'conversation-2');
+      const updatedStore = closeStoredConversationTab(store, 'conversation-2');
 
-    expect(updatedStore.conversations.map(conversation => conversation.id)).toStrictEqual([
-      'conversation-1',
-      'conversation-2',
-    ]);
-    expect(updatedStore.openConversationIds).toStrictEqual(['conversation-1']);
+      expect(updatedStore.conversations.map(conversation => conversation.id)).toStrictEqual([
+        'conversation-1',
+      ]);
+      expect(updatedStore.openConversationIds).toStrictEqual(['conversation-1']);
+    });
+
+    it('keeps a non-empty conversation in history when its tab is closed', () => {
+      const withUserMessage = updateActiveStoredConversationEvents(
+        createDefaultStoredConversations(),
+        [createUserMessage('Keep me in history')]
+      );
+      const store = createNextStoredConversation(withUserMessage);
+      // Conversation-1 has a user message; close it while conversation-2 (empty) stays open.
+      const updatedStore = closeStoredConversationTab(store, 'conversation-1');
+
+      expect(updatedStore.conversations.map(conversation => conversation.id)).toStrictEqual([
+        'conversation-1',
+        'conversation-2',
+      ]);
+      expect(updatedStore.openConversationIds).toStrictEqual(['conversation-2']);
+      expect(
+        getSortedStoredConversationHistory(updatedStore).map(conversation => conversation.id)
+      ).toStrictEqual(['conversation-1']);
+    });
   });
 
   it('deletes a conversation from history', () => {
@@ -91,31 +113,39 @@ describe('agent conversation tabs', () => {
     expect(updatedStore.openConversationIds).toStrictEqual(['conversation-1']);
   });
 
-  it('sorts history by updated time', () => {
-    const store = normalizeStoredConversations({
-      store: {
-        activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
-        conversations: [
-          {
-            events: [],
-            id: 'conversation-1',
-            title: 'Older',
-            updatedAt: '2026-06-24T10:00:00.000Z',
-          },
-          {
-            events: [],
-            id: 'conversation-2',
-            title: 'Newer',
-            updatedAt: '2026-06-24T11:00:00.000Z',
-          },
-        ],
-        openConversationIds: ['conversation-1'],
-      },
-    });
+  describe('sorted stored conversation history', () => {
+    it('returns only conversations with a user message, sorted by updated time', () => {
+      const store = normalizeStoredConversations({
+        store: {
+          activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
+          conversations: [
+            {
+              events: [createUserMessage('Older user message')],
+              id: 'conversation-1',
+              title: 'Older',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T10:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+            {
+              events: [createUserMessage('Newer user message')],
+              id: 'conversation-2',
+              title: 'Newer',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T11:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+            {
+              events: [],
+              id: 'conversation-3',
+              title: 'Empty open',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T12:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+          ],
+          openConversationIds: ['conversation-1', 'conversation-3'],
+        },
+      });
 
-    expect(
-      getSortedStoredConversationHistory(store).map(conversation => conversation.id)
-    ).toStrictEqual(['conversation-2', 'conversation-1']);
+      expect(
+        getSortedStoredConversationHistory(store).map(conversation => conversation.id)
+      ).toStrictEqual(['conversation-2', 'conversation-1']);
+    });
   });
 
   it('reuses an empty active tab when opening a closed history conversation', () => {
@@ -124,7 +154,7 @@ describe('agent conversation tabs', () => {
         activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
         conversations: [
           {
-            events: [createAssistantMessage('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.')],
+            events: [],
             id: 'conversation-1',
             title: 'Conversation 1',
             updatedAt: '2026-06-24T10:00:00.000Z',
@@ -152,4 +182,122 @@ describe('agent conversation tabs', () => {
       'conversation-2',
     ]);
   });
+
+  describe('legacy greeting strip (A2.4)', () => {
+    it('strips a leading legacy greeting from a modern stored conversation', () => {
+      const laterUser = createUserMessage('After greeting');
+      const store = normalizeStoredConversations({
+        store: {
+          activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
+          conversations: [
+            {
+              events: [createAssistantMessage(LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING), laterUser],
+              id: 'conversation-1',
+              title: 'Conversation 1',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T10:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+          ],
+          openConversationIds: ['conversation-1'],
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(store.conversations[0]?.events).toStrictEqual([laterUser]);
+    });
+
+    it('strips a leading legacy greeting from legacyEvents-only input', () => {
+      const laterAssistant = createAssistantMessage('Real reply');
+      const store = normalizeStoredConversations({
+        legacyEvents: [createAssistantMessage(LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING), laterAssistant],
+      });
+
+      expect(store.conversations[0]?.events).toStrictEqual([laterAssistant]);
+    });
+
+    it('never strips a user message with the same greeting text', () => {
+      const userGreeting = createUserMessage(LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING);
+      const store = normalizeStoredConversations({
+        store: {
+          activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
+          conversations: [
+            {
+              events: [userGreeting],
+              id: 'conversation-1',
+              title: 'Conversation 1',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T10:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+          ],
+          openConversationIds: ['conversation-1'],
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(store.conversations[0]?.events).toStrictEqual([userGreeting]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('empty non-open conversation cleanup (A4.6)', () => {
+    it('drops empty conversations that are not open during normalize', () => {
+      const store = normalizeStoredConversations({
+        store: {
+          activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
+          conversations: [
+            {
+              events: [createUserMessage('Keep open')],
+              id: 'conversation-1',
+              title: 'Open',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T10:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+            {
+              events: [],
+              id: 'conversation-2',
+              title: 'Empty closed',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T11:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+            {
+              events: [createAssistantMessage(LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING)],
+              id: 'conversation-3',
+              title: 'Greeting-only closed',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T12:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+          ],
+          openConversationIds: ['conversation-1'],
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(store.conversations.map(conversation => conversation.id)).toStrictEqual([
+        'conversation-1',
+      ]);
+    });
+
+    it('keeps empty conversations that are still open', () => {
+      const store = normalizeStoredConversations({
+        store: {
+          activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
+          conversations: [
+            {
+              events: [],
+              id: 'conversation-1',
+              title: 'Empty open',
+              updatedAt: '2026-06-24T10:00:00.000Z',
+            },
+          ],
+          openConversationIds: ['conversation-1'],
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(store.conversations.map(conversation => conversation.id)).toStrictEqual([
+        'conversation-1',
+      ]);
+      expect(store.conversations[0]?.events).toStrictEqual([]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('creates new conversations with zero events', () => {
+    const store = createDefaultStoredConversations();
+
+    expect(store.conversations[0]?.events).toStrictEqual([]);
+
+    const next = createNextStoredConversation(store);
+
+    expect(next.conversations[1]?.events).toStrictEqual([]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/apps/extension/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs.ts b/apps/extension/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs.ts
index 9553ff3fc7..a8eed86640 100644
--- a/apps/extension/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/src/shared/agent-conversation-tabs.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,31 @@ const conversationIdPrefix = 'conversation-';
 const defaultConversationTitlePrefix = 'Conversation';
 const maxTitleLength = 36;
 
+/** Legacy seeded assistant greeting; stripped on load and reused as the transcript empty-state hint. */
+export const LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING = 'Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.';
+
+const stripLegacyLeadingGreeting = (events: AgentConversationEvent[]): AgentConversationEvent[] => {
+  const [first] = events;
+
+  if (
+    first !== undefined &&
+    first.type === 'message' &&
+    first.role === 'assistant' &&
+    first.text === LEGACY_CONVERSATION_GREETING
+  ) {
+    return events.slice(1);
+  }
+
+  return events;
+};
+
+const withStrippedLegacyGreeting = (
+  conversation: StoredAgentConversation
+): StoredAgentConversation => ({
+  ...conversation,
+  events: stripLegacyLeadingGreeting(conversation.events),
+});
+
 const getConversationNumber = (id: string): number => {
   if (!id.startsWith(conversationIdPrefix)) {
     return 0;
@@ -150,7 +175,9 @@ export const getOpenStoredConversations = (
 export const getSortedStoredConversationHistory = (
   store: StoredAgentConversationStore
 ): StoredAgentConversation[] =>
-  store.conversations.toSorted((first, second) => second.updatedAt.localeCompare(first.updatedAt));
+  store.conversations
+    .filter(conversation => !isStoredConversationEmpty(conversation))
+    .toSorted((first, second) => second.updatedAt.localeCompare(first.updatedAt));
 
 export const isStoredConversationOpen = (
   store: StoredAgentConversationStore,
@@ -259,15 +286,23 @@ export const closeStoredConversationTab = (
     return store;
   }
 
+  const closedConversation = store.conversations.find(
+    conversation => conversation.id === conversationId
+  );
   const openConversationIds = getOpenConversationIds(store).filter(
     currentId => currentId !== conversationId
   );
+  const conversations =
+    closedConversation !== undefined && isStoredConversationEmpty(closedConversation)
+      ? store.conversations.filter(conversation => conversation.id !== conversationId)
+      : store.conversations;
   const nextStore = {
     ...store,
     activeConversationId:
       store.activeConversationId === conversationId
         ? (openConversationIds[0] ?? '')
         : store.activeConversationId,
+    conversations,
     openConversationIds,
   };
 
@@ -368,23 +403,34 @@ export const normalizeStoredConversations = ({
   readonly store?: StoredAgentConversationStore | undefined;
 } = {}): StoredAgentConversationStore => {
   if (store !== undefined && store.conversations.length > 0) {
-    const conversations = store.conversations.map(conversation => ({
-      ...conversation,
-      updatedAt: conversation.updatedAt ?? nowIso(),
-    }));
-    const conversationIds = new Set(conversations.map(conversation => conversation.id));
+    const strippedConversations = store.conversations.map(conversation =>
+      withStrippedLegacyGreeting({
+        ...conversation,
+        updatedAt: conversation.updatedAt ?? nowIso(),
+      })
+    );
+    const conversationIds = new Set(strippedConversations.map(conversation => conversation.id));
     const openConversationIds =
       store.openConversationIds.length === 0
-        ? conversations.map(conversation => conversation.id)
+        ? strippedConversations.map(conversation => conversation.id)
         : store.openConversationIds.filter(conversationId => conversationIds.has(conversationId));
-    const hasActiveConversation = openConversationIds.includes(store.activeConversationId);
+    const openIdSet = new Set(openConversationIds);
+    // Drop empty conversations that are not open (legacy greeting-only rows, closed empties).
+    const conversations = strippedConversations.filter(
+      conversation => openIdSet.has(conversation.id) || !isStoredConversationEmpty(conversation)
+    );
+    const retainedIds = new Set(conversations.map(conversation => conversation.id));
+    const retainedOpenIds = openConversationIds.filter(conversationId =>
+      retainedIds.has(conversationId)
+    );
+    const hasActiveConversation = retainedOpenIds.includes(store.activeConversationId);
 
     return ensureOpenConversation({
       activeConversationId: hasActiveConversation
         ? store.activeConversationId
-        : (openConversationIds[0] ?? conversations[0]?.id ?? ''),
+        : (retainedOpenIds[0] ?? conversations[0]?.id ?? ''),
       conversations,
-      openConversationIds,
+      openConversationIds: retainedOpenIds,
     });
   }
 
@@ -395,7 +441,7 @@ export const normalizeStoredConversations = ({
       activeConversationId: conversationId,
       conversations: [
         {
-          events: legacyEvents,
+          events: stripLegacyLeadingGreeting(legacyEvents),
           id: conversationId,
           title: createConversationTitle(1),
           updatedAt: nowIso(),
@@ -405,7 +451,7 @@ export const normalizeStoredConversations = ({
     };
   }
 
-  return createDefaultStoredConversations(defaultEvents);
+  return createDefaultStoredConversations(stripLegacyLeadingGreeting(defaultEvents));
 };
 
 export const getStoredConversationTitle = (conversation: StoredAgentConversation): string => {
diff --git a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/analytics.test.ts b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/analytics.test.ts
index af5961e2f3..5834fe26f2 100644
--- a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/analytics.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/analytics.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* eslint-disable import/no-nodejs-modules */
+/* eslint-disable import/no-nodejs-modules, jest/no-conditional-in-test, max-lines */
 import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
 import type { BrowserContext, Page } from '@playwright/test';
 import { rm } from 'node:fs/promises';
@@ -23,6 +23,93 @@ const PRODUCT_EVENTS = [
   'conversation_created',
 ] as const;
 
+/** Brand accent track (#f7f586) and knob (#1f1f1f); off track is surface-overlay (#333333). */
+const BRAND_PRIMARY_RGB = { blue: 134, green: 245, red: 247 } as const;
+const BRAND_PRIMARY_FOREGROUND_RGB = { blue: 31, green: 31, red: 31 } as const;
+const SURFACE_OVERLAY_RGB = { blue: 51, green: 51, red: 51 } as const;
+
+interface RgbaChannels {
+  readonly alpha: number;
+  readonly blue: number;
+  readonly green: number;
+  readonly red: number;
+}
+
+// Inline copy of design-tokens.test.ts helpers (A3.2b — do not extract a shared module).
+const parseRgba = (value: string): RgbaChannels => {
+  const commaMatch = value.match(
+    /^rgba?\(\s*([\d.]+)\s*,\s*([\d.]+)\s*,\s*([\d.]+)(?:\s*,\s*([\d.]+))?\s*\)$/u
+  );
+
+  if (commaMatch !== null) {
+    const [, redRaw, greenRaw, blueRaw, alphaRaw] = commaMatch;
+
+    return {
+      alpha: alphaRaw === undefined ? 1 : Number.parseFloat(alphaRaw),
+      blue: Number.parseFloat(blueRaw ?? '0'),
+      green: Number.parseFloat(greenRaw ?? '0'),
+      red: Number.parseFloat(redRaw ?? '0'),
+    };
+  }
+
+  // Modern browsers may serialize as `rgb(r g b / a)`.
+  const slashMatch = value.match(
+    /^rgba?\(\s*([\d.]+)\s+([\d.]+)\s+([\d.]+)(?:\s*\/\s*([\d.]+%?))?\s*\)$/u
+  );
+
+  if (slashMatch === null) {
+    throw new Error(`Could not parse color: ${value}`);
+  }
+
+  const [, redRaw, greenRaw, blueRaw, alphaRaw] = slashMatch;
+  let alpha = 1;
+
+  if (alphaRaw !== undefined) {
+    alpha = alphaRaw.endsWith('%')
+      ? Number.parseFloat(alphaRaw) / 100
+      : Number.parseFloat(alphaRaw);
+  }
+
+  return {
+    alpha,
+    blue: Number.parseFloat(blueRaw ?? '0'),
+    green: Number.parseFloat(greenRaw ?? '0'),
+    red: Number.parseFloat(redRaw ?? '0'),
+  };
+};
+
+const expectRgb = (
+  value: string,
+  expected: { blue: number; green: number; red: number },
+  label: string
+): void => {
+  const parsed = parseRgba(value);
+  expect(parsed.red, `${label} red from ${value}`).toBe(expected.red);
+  expect(parsed.green, `${label} green from ${value}`).toBe(expected.green);
+  expect(parsed.blue, `${label} blue from ${value}`).toBe(expected.blue);
+};
+
+/** Poll until track/knob colour settles past disabled/transition frames (exact channels). */
+const expectRgbEventually = async (
+  readColor: () => Promise<string>,
+  expected: { blue: number; green: number; red: number },
+  label: string
+): Promise<string> => {
+  await expect
+    .poll(
+      async () => {
+        const value = await readColor();
+        const parsed = parseRgba(value);
+        return { alpha: parsed.alpha, blue: parsed.blue, green: parsed.green, red: parsed.red };
+      },
+      { timeout: 5000 }
+    )
+    .toEqual({ alpha: 1, blue: expected.blue, green: expected.green, red: expected.red });
+  const settled = await readColor();
+  expectRgb(settled, expected, label);
+  return settled;
+};
+
 const openSignedInSidePanel = async (
   context: BrowserContext,
   extensionId: string
@@ -82,6 +169,18 @@ const productEventsIn = (events: readonly NormalizedPosthogEvent[]): NormalizedP
 const analyticsSwitch = (sidePanel: Page) =>
   sidePanel.getByRole('switch', { name: 'Share usage analytics' });
 
+const readSwitchTrackBackground = (sidePanel: Page): Promise<string> =>
+  analyticsSwitch(sidePanel).evaluate(element => getComputedStyle(element).backgroundColor);
+
+const readSwitchKnobBackground = (sidePanel: Page): Promise<string> =>
+  analyticsSwitch(sidePanel).evaluate(element => {
+    const knob = element.querySelector('[aria-hidden="true"]');
+    if (!(knob instanceof HTMLElement)) {
+      throw new Error('Analytics switch knob was not found.');
+    }
+    return getComputedStyle(knob).backgroundColor;
+  });
+
 test('analytics identify and sign-in event fire on signed-in session start', async () => {
   const { context, extensionId, posthogFlagsOrDecideHits, posthogRequests, userDataDir } =
     await launchExtensionContext();
@@ -153,6 +252,19 @@ test('analytics opt-out toggle persists across side panel reloads', async () =>
     await sidePanel.getByLabel('Settings').click();
     await expect(analyticsSwitch(sidePanel)).toHaveAttribute('aria-checked', 'true');
 
+    // On state: brand accent track + dark knob (A3.1 / A3.2 / A3.4).
+    // Poll past disabled/transition settle before reading exact channels.
+    const onTrack = await expectRgbEventually(
+      () => readSwitchTrackBackground(sidePanel),
+      BRAND_PRIMARY_RGB,
+      'analytics switch on track'
+    );
+    await expectRgbEventually(
+      () => readSwitchKnobBackground(sidePanel),
+      BRAND_PRIMARY_FOREGROUND_RGB,
+      'analytics switch on knob'
+    );
+
     await analyticsSwitch(sidePanel).click();
     const optOutBaseline = posthogRequests.length;
 
@@ -161,6 +273,35 @@ test('analytics opt-out toggle persists across side panel reloads', async () =>
       .toBe(true);
     expect(productEventsIn(posthogRequests.slice(optOutBaseline))).toHaveLength(0);
 
+    await expect(analyticsSwitch(sidePanel)).toHaveAttribute('aria-checked', 'false');
+    const offTrack = await expectRgbEventually(
+      () => readSwitchTrackBackground(sidePanel),
+      SURFACE_OVERLAY_RGB,
+      'analytics switch off track'
+    );
+    // Off knob stays muted; only assert it differs from the on-track accent.
+    await expect
+      .poll(
+        async () => {
+          const offKnobRgb = parseRgba(await readSwitchKnobBackground(sidePanel));
+          return (
+            offKnobRgb.red === BRAND_PRIMARY_RGB.red &&
+            offKnobRgb.green === BRAND_PRIMARY_RGB.green &&
+            offKnobRgb.blue === BRAND_PRIMARY_RGB.blue
+          );
+        },
+        { timeout: 5000 }
+      )
+      .toBe(false);
+    // Track colours must differ measurably between on and off (A3.2).
+    const onTrackRgb = parseRgba(onTrack);
+    const offTrackRgb = parseRgba(offTrack);
+    expect(
+      onTrackRgb.red !== offTrackRgb.red ||
+        onTrackRgb.green !== offTrackRgb.green ||
+        onTrackRgb.blue !== offTrackRgb.blue
+    ).toBe(true);
+
     const afterReloadBaseline = posthogRequests.length;
     await sidePanel.reload();
     await expect(sidePanel.getByLabel('Settings')).toBeVisible();
@@ -170,6 +311,11 @@ test('analytics opt-out toggle persists across side panel reloads', async () =>
       .poll(() => readExtensionSyncStorage(sidePanel, ANALYTICS_OPT_OUT_KEY), { timeout: 5000 })
       .toBe(true);
     expect(productEventsIn(posthogRequests.slice(afterReloadBaseline))).toHaveLength(0);
+    await expectRgbEventually(
+      () => readSwitchTrackBackground(sidePanel),
+      SURFACE_OVERLAY_RGB,
+      'analytics switch off track after reload'
+    );
 
     await sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: 'Sign out' }).click();
     await expect(sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: 'Sign in' })).toBeVisible();
@@ -194,6 +340,17 @@ test('analytics opt-out toggle persists across side panel reloads', async () =>
     const toggleOnBaseline = posthogRequests.length;
     await analyticsSwitch(sidePanel).click();
     await waitForIdentify(posthogRequests, { baseline: toggleOnBaseline, email: SEEDED_EMAIL });
+    await expect(analyticsSwitch(sidePanel)).toHaveAttribute('aria-checked', 'true');
+    await expectRgbEventually(
+      () => readSwitchTrackBackground(sidePanel),
+      BRAND_PRIMARY_RGB,
+      'analytics switch on track after re-enable'
+    );
+    await expectRgbEventually(
+      () => readSwitchKnobBackground(sidePanel),
+      BRAND_PRIMARY_FOREGROUND_RGB,
+      'analytics switch on knob after re-enable'
+    );
   } finally {
     await context.close();
     await rm(userDataDir, { force: true, recursive: true });
diff --git a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/conversation-rendering.test.ts b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/conversation-rendering.test.ts
index 6880f4c7bb..5c7cca4e1c 100644
--- a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/conversation-rendering.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/conversation-rendering.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,49 @@ import {
   requireTwoOptionLabels,
 } from './tab-selection-e2e-helpers';
 
+const safeToolNames = [
+  'get_page_snapshot',
+  'get_element_details',
+  'find_in_page',
+  'search_memories',
+  'get_memory',
+];
+
+test('fresh conversation shows the empty-state hint without a CTA button', async () => {
+  const fixture = await startFixtureServer();
+  const { context, extensionId, userDataDir } = await launchExtensionContext();
+
+  try {
+    await mockKiloApi(context, { toolNames: safeToolNames });
+
+    const page = await context.newPage();
+    await page.goto(fixture.url);
+
+    const sidePanel = await context.newPage();
+    await sidePanel.goto(`chrome-extension://${extensionId}/sidepanel.html`);
+    await seedExtensionAuth(sidePanel);
+    await sidePanel.reload();
+
+    const conversation = sidePanel.getByLabel('Agent conversation');
+    const emptyHint = conversation.getByText('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.');
+    await expect(emptyHint).toBeVisible();
+    const hintBox = await emptyHint.boundingBox();
+    expect(hintBox).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(hintBox?.height ?? 0).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(hintBox?.width ?? 0).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    await expect(conversation.getByRole('button')).toHaveCount(0);
+
+    await sidePanel.getByLabel('Message agent').fill('First user message');
+    await sidePanel.getByLabel('Message agent').press('Enter');
+    await expect(conversation.getByText('First user message')).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(conversation.getByText('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.')).toHaveCount(0);
+  } finally {
+    await context.close();
+    await fixture.close();
+    await rm(userDataDir, { force: true, recursive: true });
+  }
+});
+
 test('new conversation does not inherit the selected target tab', async () => {
   // R3: create samples the active tab fresh; it must not copy conv1's manual pick.
   // Probe (A9) established locator.click() leaves the content tab active.
diff --git a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/conversation-tabs.test.ts b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/conversation-tabs.test.ts
index 38fa8d3c93..64d67235cc 100644
--- a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/conversation-tabs.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/conversation-tabs.test.ts
@@ -121,7 +121,15 @@ const conversationStoreWithTitle = (title: string): unknown => ({
   activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
   conversations: [
     {
-      events: [],
+      // History only lists conversations with at least one user message.
+      events: [
+        {
+          id: `${title}-user`,
+          role: 'user',
+          text: title,
+          type: 'message',
+        },
+      ],
       id: 'conversation-1',
       title,
       updatedAt: '2026-06-24T10:00:00.000Z',
@@ -512,6 +520,34 @@ test('conversation tabs persist across side panel reloads', async () => {
   }
 });
 
+test('closing the sole empty tab discards an unsent draft', async () => {
+  const { context, extensionId, userDataDir } = await launchExtensionContext();
+
+  try {
+    await mockKiloApi(context);
+
+    const sidePanel = await context.newPage();
+    await sidePanel.goto(`chrome-extension://${extensionId}/sidepanel.html`);
+    await seedExtensionAuth(sidePanel);
+    await sidePanel.reload();
+
+    const messageInput = sidePanel.getByLabel('Message agent');
+    await expect(messageInput).toBeVisible();
+    await messageInput.fill('Unsent draft that must not survive close');
+    await expect(messageInput).toHaveValue('Unsent draft that must not survive close');
+
+    await sidePanel.getByLabel('Close Conversation 1').click();
+
+    await expect(sidePanel.getByLabel('Message agent')).toHaveValue('');
+    await expect(
+      sidePanel.getByLabel('Agent conversation').getByText('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.')
+    ).toBeVisible();
+  } finally {
+    await context.close();
+    await rm(userDataDir, { force: true, recursive: true });
+  }
+});
+
 test('closing a conversation removes only that tab', async () => {
   const fixture = await startFixtureServer();
   const { context, extensionId, userDataDir } = await launchExtensionContext();
@@ -710,11 +746,19 @@ test('history virtualizes and pages large stored conversation lists', async () =
         activeConversationId: 'conversation-1',
         conversations: Array.from({ length: 250 }, (_value, index) => {
           const conversationNumber = index + 1;
+          const title = `Seeded conversation ${conversationNumber}`;
 
           return {
-            events: [],
+            events: [
+              {
+                id: `user-${conversationNumber}`,
+                role: 'user',
+                text: title,
+                type: 'message',
+              },
+            ],
             id: `conversation-${conversationNumber}`,
-            title: `Seeded conversation ${conversationNumber}`,
+            title,
             updatedAt: new Date(2026, 0, conversationNumber).toISOString(),
           };
         }),
@@ -849,7 +893,10 @@ test('conversation tab bar scrolls horizontally', async () => {
 
     await clickNewConversationTimes(sidePanel);
 
-    const tabBarState = await sidePanel.getByLabel('Conversation tabs').evaluate(element => ({
+    const tabList = sidePanel.getByLabel('Conversation tabs');
+    const newConversationButton = sidePanel.getByLabel('New conversation');
+
+    const tabBarState = await tabList.evaluate(element => ({
       clientWidth: element.clientWidth,
       overflowX: getComputedStyle(element).overflowX,
       scrollWidth: element.scrollWidth,
@@ -857,7 +904,36 @@ test('conversation tab bar scrolls horizontally', async () => {
 
     expect(tabBarState.overflowX).toBe('auto');
     expect(tabBarState.scrollWidth).toBeGreaterThan(tabBarState.clientWidth);
-    await expect(sidePanel.getByLabel('New conversation')).toBeVisible();
+
+    const assertNewConversationPinned = async (): Promise<void> => {
+      const geometry = await newConversationButton.evaluate(element => {
+        const rect = element.getBoundingClientRect();
+
+        return {
+          bottom: rect.bottom,
+          left: rect.left,
+          right: rect.right,
+          top: rect.top,
+          viewportHeight: window.innerHeight,
+          viewportWidth: window.innerWidth,
+        };
+      });
+
+      expect(geometry.left).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+      expect(geometry.top).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
+      expect(geometry.right).toBeLessThanOrEqual(geometry.viewportWidth);
+      expect(geometry.bottom).toBeLessThanOrEqual(geometry.viewportHeight);
+    };
+
+    await assertNewConversationPinned();
+
+    await tabList.evaluate(element => {
+      element.scrollLeft = element.scrollWidth;
+    });
+    await expect.poll(() => tabList.evaluate(element => element.scrollLeft)).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+
+    await assertNewConversationPinned();
+    await expect(newConversationButton).toBeVisible();
   } finally {
     await context.close();
     await fixture.close();
diff --git a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/firefox-selenium-e2e.ts b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/firefox-selenium-e2e.ts
index 6401571c9c..93afbde73f 100644
--- a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/firefox-selenium-e2e.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/firefox-selenium-e2e.ts
@@ -1978,6 +1978,7 @@ const scenarios: FirefoxScenario[] = [
         await waitForTextMatch(session.driver, /The selected tab HTML length is [0-9]+\./u);
         await clickButtonByLabel(session.driver, 'New conversation');
         await waitForTextGone(session.driver, 'eval completed');
+        // Empty transcript state (not a seeded assistant message).
         await waitForText(session.driver, 'Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.');
       }),
   },
@@ -2428,6 +2429,7 @@ const scenarios: FirefoxScenario[] = [
             await sendMessage(session.driver, 'Original tab');
             await waitForText(session.driver, 'Stop');
             await clickButtonByLabel(session.driver, 'New conversation');
+            // Empty transcript state on the new conversation tab.
             await waitForText(session.driver, 'Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.');
             await clickButtonByText(session.driver, 'Original tab');
             await waitForText(session.driver, 'Stop');
diff --git a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/header-overlays.test.ts b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/header-overlays.test.ts
index a4d0e2fc78..fa54fed067 100644
--- a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/header-overlays.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/header-overlays.test.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,16 @@
-/* eslint-disable import/no-nodejs-modules */
+/* eslint-disable import/no-nodejs-modules, jest/no-conditional-in-test */
 import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
 import { rm } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { mockKiloApi } from './kilo-api-fixture';
 import {
   launchExtensionContext,
   seedExtensionAuth,
+  setExtensionStorage,
   startFixtureServer,
 } from './extension-context-fixture';
 
+const PENDING_DRAFT_KEY = 'kiloPendingAgentMemoryDraft';
+
 test('header panels fill the side panel and enabled controls use pointer cursor', async () => {
   const fixture = await startFixtureServer();
   const { context, extensionId, userDataDir } = await launchExtensionContext();
@@ -54,3 +57,92 @@ test('header panels fill the side panel and enabled controls use pointer cursor'
     await rm(userDataDir, { force: true, recursive: true });
   }
 });
+
+test('add-to-memory overlay stacks above the open context-usage popover', async () => {
+  const fixture = await startFixtureServer();
+  const { context, extensionId, userDataDir } = await launchExtensionContext();
+
+  try {
+    await mockKiloApi(context);
+
+    const page = await context.newPage();
+    await page.goto(fixture.url);
+
+    const sidePanel = await context.newPage();
+    await sidePanel.setViewportSize({ height: 520, width: 320 });
+    await sidePanel.goto(`chrome-extension://${extensionId}/sidepanel.html`);
+    await seedExtensionAuth(sidePanel);
+    await sidePanel.reload();
+
+    await expect(sidePanel.getByLabel('Target tab')).toContainText('Kilo extension fixture');
+
+    // Open the context-donut popover (z-20) before the memory card appears.
+    const contextDonut = sidePanel.getByLabel(/^Context usage:/u);
+    await expect(contextDonut).toBeVisible();
+    await contextDonut.click();
+    await expect(sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: 'Compact now' })).toBeVisible();
+
+    await setExtensionStorage(sidePanel, {
+      [PENDING_DRAFT_KEY]: {
+        createdAt: 1_700_000_000_000,
+        pageTitle: 'Docs page',
+        pageUrl: 'https://docs.example.com/guide',
+        text: 'Stacking check draft for memory overlay.',
+      },
+    });
+
+    const card = sidePanel.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Add to memory' });
+    await expect(card).toBeVisible();
+
+    // Card (z-[25]) must be the topmost interactive layer above the z-20 popover.
+    const stacking = await sidePanel.evaluate(() => {
+      const memoryCard = document.querySelector('[aria-label="Add to memory"]');
+      const compactButton = [...document.querySelectorAll('button')].find(
+        button => button.textContent?.trim() === 'Compact now'
+      );
+      if (!(memoryCard instanceof HTMLElement) || !(compactButton instanceof HTMLElement)) {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      const cardZ = Number.parseFloat(getComputedStyle(memoryCard).zIndex);
+      // Walk up from the compact button to the elevated popover surface.
+      let popover: HTMLElement | null = compactButton;
+      let popoverZ = Number.NaN;
+      while (popover !== null) {
+        const zIndex = Number.parseFloat(getComputedStyle(popover).zIndex);
+        if (Number.isFinite(zIndex) && zIndex > 0) {
+          popoverZ = zIndex;
+          break;
+        }
+        popover = popover.parentElement;
+      }
+
+      const cardBox = memoryCard.getBoundingClientRect();
+      const sampleX = cardBox.left + cardBox.width / 2;
+      const sampleY = cardBox.top + cardBox.height / 2;
+      const topElement = document.elementFromPoint(sampleX, sampleY);
+      const cardIsTopmost =
+        topElement !== null && (memoryCard === topElement || memoryCard.contains(topElement));
+
+      return {
+        cardIsTopmost,
+        cardZ,
+        cardZAbovePopover: Number.isFinite(popoverZ) ? cardZ > popoverZ : false,
+        popoverZ,
+      };
+    });
+
+    expect(stacking).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(stacking?.cardZAbovePopover).toBe(true);
+    expect(stacking?.cardIsTopmost).toBe(true);
+
+    // Card remains interactive above the popover.
+    await expect(card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Cancel' })).toBeVisible();
+    await card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Cancel' }).click();
+    await expect(card).toBeHidden();
+  } finally {
+    await context.close();
+    await fixture.close();
+    await rm(userDataDir, { force: true, recursive: true });
+  }
+});
diff --git a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/memories.test.ts b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/memories.test.ts
index ccca6514f5..b8c1db3f5c 100644
--- a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/memories.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/memories.test.ts
@@ -300,11 +300,17 @@ test('memories can be saved from a pending draft and listed in settings', async
 
     await setExtensionStorage(sidePanel, { [PENDING_DRAFT_KEY]: draft });
 
-    const card = sidePanel.getByRole('region', { name: 'Add to memory' });
+    const card = sidePanel.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Add to memory' });
     await expect(card).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(card).toHaveAttribute('aria-modal', 'true');
     await expect(card.getByText(draft.text)).toBeVisible();
 
-    await card.getByLabel('Memory note (optional)').fill('Ops note');
+    const noteField = card.getByLabel('Memory note (optional)');
+    await expect
+      .poll(() => noteField.evaluate(element => document.activeElement === element))
+      .toBe(true);
+
+    await noteField.fill('Ops note');
     await card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save memory' }).click();
     await expect(card.getByText(CONFIRMATION_MESSAGE)).toBeVisible();
     await card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Done' }).click();
@@ -344,7 +350,7 @@ test('memories save card cancel discards the draft', async () => {
 
     await setExtensionStorage(sidePanel, { [PENDING_DRAFT_KEY]: draft });
 
-    const card = sidePanel.getByRole('region', { name: 'Add to memory' });
+    const card = sidePanel.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Add to memory' });
     await expect(card).toBeVisible();
     await card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Cancel' }).click();
     await expect(card).toBeHidden();
@@ -565,22 +571,42 @@ test('memory full state blocks saving, recovers after delete', async () => {
       [PENDING_DRAFT_KEY]: draft,
     });
 
-    const card = sidePanel.getByRole('region', { name: 'Add to memory' });
+    const card = sidePanel.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Add to memory' });
     await expect(card.getByText(FULL_MESSAGE)).toBeVisible();
     await expect(card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Manage memories' })).toBeVisible();
     await expect(card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Retry' })).toHaveCount(0);
 
+    // Settings (z-30) must open visibly above the floating card (z-[25]).
     await card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Manage memories' }).click();
+    const settingsPanel = sidePanel.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Settings panel' });
+    await expect(settingsPanel).toBeVisible();
     const memoriesRegion = sidePanel.getByRole('region', { name: 'Memories' });
     await expect(memoriesRegion).toBeVisible();
 
+    const stacking = await sidePanel.evaluate(() => {
+      const settings = document.querySelector('[aria-label="Settings panel"]');
+      const memoryCard = document.querySelector('[aria-label="Add to memory"]');
+      if (!(settings instanceof HTMLElement) || !(memoryCard instanceof HTMLElement)) {
+        return null;
+      }
+
+      const settingsZ = Number.parseFloat(getComputedStyle(settings).zIndex);
+      const cardZ = Number.parseFloat(getComputedStyle(memoryCard).zIndex);
+      return { cardZ, settingsAboveCard: settingsZ > cardZ, settingsZ };
+    });
+    expect(stacking).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(stacking?.settingsAboveCard).toBe(true);
+
     const deletePreview = memoryListPreview('Full seed mem 199');
     const deleteLabel = `Delete memory "${deletePreview}"`;
     await sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: deleteLabel }).click();
     await expect(sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: deleteLabel })).toHaveCount(0);
     await closeSettings(sidePanel);
 
+    // Pending draft remains intact after Settings closes.
+    await expect(card).toBeVisible();
     await expect(card.getByText(FULL_MESSAGE)).toBeHidden();
+    await expect(card.getByText(draft.text)).toBeVisible();
     await card.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save memory' }).click();
     await expect(card.getByText(CONFIRMATION_MESSAGE)).toBeVisible();
   } finally {
@@ -590,6 +616,71 @@ test('memory full state blocks saving, recovers after delete', async () => {
   }
 });
 
+test('add-to-memory card floats over the conversation without shifting layout', async () => {
+  const fixture = await startFixtureServer();
+  const { context, extensionId, userDataDir } = await launchExtensionContext();
+
+  try {
+    await mockKiloApi(context);
+    const sidePanel = await openAuthenticatedSidePanel(context, extensionId);
+    await sidePanel.setViewportSize({ height: 520, width: 320 });
+
+    const conversation = sidePanel.getByLabel('Agent conversation');
+    await expect(conversation).toBeVisible();
+
+    const before = await conversation.evaluate(element => {
+      const box = element.getBoundingClientRect();
+      return { height: box.height, top: box.top };
+    });
+
+    const draft = makeDraft({ text: 'Overlay layout should not shrink conversation.' });
+    await setExtensionStorage(sidePanel, { [PENDING_DRAFT_KEY]: draft });
+
+    const card = sidePanel.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Add to memory' });
+    await expect(card).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(card).toHaveAttribute('aria-modal', 'true');
+
+    const after = await conversation.evaluate(element => {
+      const box = element.getBoundingClientRect();
+      return { height: box.height, top: box.top };
+    });
+
+    expect(Math.abs(after.top - before.top)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+    expect(Math.abs(after.height - before.height)).toBeLessThanOrEqual(1);
+
+    const intersects = await sidePanel.evaluate(() => {
+      const cardEl = document.querySelector('[aria-label="Add to memory"]');
+      const conversationEl = document.querySelector('[aria-label="Agent conversation"]');
+      if (!(cardEl instanceof HTMLElement) || !(conversationEl instanceof HTMLElement)) {
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      // Prefer the inner raised card if present; otherwise the dialog root.
+      const surface =
+        cardEl.querySelector('.rounded-xl') instanceof HTMLElement
+          ? cardEl.querySelector('.rounded-xl')
+          : cardEl;
+      if (!(surface instanceof HTMLElement)) {
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      const cardBox = surface.getBoundingClientRect();
+      const conversationBox = conversationEl.getBoundingClientRect();
+      return !(
+        cardBox.right < conversationBox.left ||
+        cardBox.left > conversationBox.right ||
+        cardBox.bottom < conversationBox.top ||
+        cardBox.top > conversationBox.bottom
+      );
+    });
+    expect(intersects).toBe(true);
+  } finally {
+    await context.close();
+    await fixture.close();
+    await rm(userDataDir, { force: true, recursive: true });
+  }
+});
+
 test('settings memories list supports delete and shows the empty state', async () => {
   const fixture = await startFixtureServer();
   const { context, extensionId, userDataDir } = await launchExtensionContext();
diff --git a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/run-abort.test.ts b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/run-abort.test.ts
index 14ed0a0901..faa7dd4df0 100644
--- a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/run-abort.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/run-abort.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* eslint-disable import/no-nodejs-modules */
+/* eslint-disable import/no-nodejs-modules, jest/no-conditional-in-test */
 import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
 import { rm } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import {
@@ -45,7 +45,13 @@ test('new conversation keeps the running request in its original tab', async ()
     await expect(sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: 'Stop' })).toBeVisible();
     await sidePanel.getByLabel('New conversation').click();
 
-    await expect(sidePanel.getByText('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.')).toBeVisible();
+    const emptyHint = sidePanel
+      .getByLabel('Agent conversation')
+      .getByText('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.');
+    await expect(emptyHint).toBeVisible();
+    const hintBox = await emptyHint.boundingBox();
+    expect(hintBox).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(hintBox?.height ?? 0).toBeGreaterThan(0);
     await expect.poll(() => wasChatCompletionAborted(sidePanel)).toBe(false);
     await sidePanel.getByRole('tab', { name: /Original tab/u }).click();
     await expect(sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: 'Stop' })).toBeVisible();
diff --git a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/sidebar.test.ts b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/sidebar.test.ts
index a5d0a316dc..65b32b8122 100644
--- a/apps/extension/tests/e2e/sidebar.test.ts
+++ b/apps/extension/tests/e2e/sidebar.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* eslint-disable import/no-nodejs-modules */
+/* eslint-disable import/no-nodejs-modules, jest/no-conditional-in-test, max-lines */
 import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test';
 import type { Locator } from '@playwright/test';
 import { readFile, rm } from 'node:fs/promises';
@@ -101,9 +101,10 @@ test('native side panel is outside the page DOM', async () => {
 test('dangerous mode conversation can eval against a normal tab', async () => {
   const fixture = await startFixtureServer();
   const { context, extensionId, userDataDir } = await launchExtensionContext();
+  const seenChatBodies: { messages?: { role?: string }[] }[] = [];
 
   try {
-    await mockKiloApi(context);
+    await mockKiloApi(context, { seenChatBodies });
 
     const page = await context.newPage();
     await page.goto(fixture.url);
@@ -120,6 +121,15 @@ test('dangerous mode conversation can eval against a normal tab', async () => {
     await sidePanel.getByLabel('Close settings').click();
     await expect(sidePanel.getByLabel('Target tab')).toContainText('Kilo extension fixture');
 
+    const conversation = sidePanel.getByLabel('Agent conversation');
+    const emptyHint = conversation.getByText('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.');
+    await expect(emptyHint).toBeVisible();
+    const hintBox = await emptyHint.boundingBox();
+    expect(hintBox).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(hintBox?.height ?? 0).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    expect(hintBox?.width ?? 0).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    await expect(conversation.getByRole('button')).toHaveCount(0);
+
     await sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: /Safe mode/u }).click();
     await sidePanel.getByRole('button', { name: 'Dangerous' }).click();
     const messageInput = sidePanel.getByLabel('Message agent');
@@ -141,9 +151,21 @@ test('dangerous mode conversation can eval against a normal tab', async () => {
     await expect(sidePanel.getByText('Code')).toBeVisible();
     await expectEvalToolBoxNoHorizontalOverflow(sidePanel);
 
+    await expect.poll(() => seenChatBodies.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    const [firstBody] = seenChatBodies;
+    const roles = (firstBody?.messages ?? []).map(message => message.role);
+    expect(roles.filter(role => role === 'user')).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(roles.filter(role => role === 'assistant')).toHaveLength(0);
+
     await sidePanel.getByLabel('New conversation').click();
     await expect(sidePanel.getByText('eval completed')).toBeHidden();
-    await expect(sidePanel.getByText('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.')).toBeVisible();
+    const newConversation = sidePanel.getByLabel('Agent conversation');
+    const newEmptyHint = newConversation.getByText('Pick a tab and ask Kilo to inspect it.');
+    await expect(newEmptyHint).toBeVisible();
+    const newHintBox = await newEmptyHint.boundingBox();
+    expect(newHintBox).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(newHintBox?.height ?? 0).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+    await expect(newConversation.getByRole('button')).toHaveCount(0);
   } finally {
     await context.close();
     await fixture.close();
diff --git a/apps/mobile/.kilo/WORKFLOW_LEARNINGS.md b/apps/mobile/.kilo/WORKFLOW_LEARNINGS.md
index 7df3d1bba9..fa1bc6b76d 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/.kilo/WORKFLOW_LEARNINGS.md
+++ b/apps/mobile/.kilo/WORKFLOW_LEARNINGS.md
@@ -4,6 +4,31 @@ Environment blockers and their fixes, recorded by the planner or orchestrator fo
 
 ## Planner
 
+### Role agents apply the mobile-simulator setup to browser-extension runs
+
+- Symptom: dispatched for work whose product surface is `apps/extension` (the browser extension), a role agent starts by reading `apps/mobile/e2e/AGENTS.md`, claiming an iOS simulator, acquiring an `e2e-slot`, or trying to start Metro and the backend — none of which the extension needs. Steps are burned before any real work, and a device claim can block another run.
+- Cause: the four role definitions in `.kilo/agent/` hard-code the mobile device workflow (`mobile-e2e-verifier` in particular instructs `pnpm dev:mobile:simulator claim` and Maestro). This workflow governs "mobile the product", which includes the extension, but the role text assumes a simulator.
+- Fix: open every handoff for an extension run with an explicit scope-override block: product is `apps/extension` (WXT + React, Chrome MV3 + Firefox MV3); do NOT read `apps/mobile/e2e/AGENTS.md`; do NOT claim a device, run `e2e-slot.sh`, Maestro, `login.sh`, Metro, or any backend service; DO read `apps/extension/AGENTS.md`. Give the gate explicitly: `pnpm --filter kilo-extension verify | build | build:firefox | e2e:chrome | e2e:firefox`, plus `pnpm format` from the repo root. E2E is Playwright against a locally built extension using `apps/extension/tests/e2e/extension-context-fixture.ts` (`launchExtensionContext`, `seedExtensionAuth`, `setExtensionStorage`) and `kilo-api-fixture.ts`. Only the live-backend round (`pnpm --filter kilo-extension e2e:local`, `tests/e2e/local-backend-live.test.ts`) needs the shared local stack on `http://localhost:3000` — that round is the only one that warrants an `e2e-slot`.
+- Verified 2026-07-27: with this override the repro-gate verifier reproduced five extension defects in one pass without touching a simulator.
+
+### The documented orchestrator launch fails if its output is piped
+
+- Symptom: the `tmux new-window … kilo run … --interactive …` launch exits immediately with `Error: --interactive requires a TTY stdout` and `EXITCODE=0`, so the window dies and nothing runs.
+- Cause: wrapping the command in a launcher that pipes kilo through `tee`/`>` (a useful pattern for non-interactive role agents, where the log file is the authoritative progress signal) removes the TTY that `--interactive` requires.
+- Fix: for the `--interactive` orchestrator, run `kilo` directly in the tmux pane with no pipe or redirection (`exec kilo run …` inside the launcher script is fine), and monitor it with `tmux capture-pane -p -t <session>:<window>` instead of a log tail. Keep the pipe-and-log pattern for the non-interactive role agents, where it works and is more reliable than pane scraping.
+
+### The `--interactive` orchestrator wedges early; run it headless under a supervisor
+
+- Symptom: an orchestrator launched exactly as the workflow documents (`kilo run … --interactive`) stops making progress a few minutes in. Signature: the pane's elapsed timer freezes at a fixed value (e.g. `▣ Build · … · 3m 5s` unchanged across repeated captures), token/cost counters stop moving, the process stays alive at ~0.5% CPU, and it cannot be interrupted. Distinguish a real wedge from a long thinking block by double-capturing the pane a few seconds apart: a working session's elapsed timer advances, a wedged one's does not.
+- Cause: provider stream stalls in long autonomous runs. `--interactive` cannot recover from them and cannot be driven back to life from outside.
+- Fix: kill the window and relaunch **headless** (`--auto`, no `--interactive`) under a bash supervisor loop in tmux that relaunches the same handoff on every exit with exponential backoff (30 → 300s), and stops on `gh pr view --json state,mergeable` reporting `OPEN MERGEABLE` (or merged), on N consecutive attempts with no new commits, or at an attempt cap. Headless exits cleanly on a stall, so relaunching works; write per-attempt logs plus one concise status log the planner can monitor. Two handoff changes are required for this to be safe: tell the orchestrator it will be relaunched and must self-assess real git state on every start (never trust a progress narrative, never redo a committed slice, front-load the smallest green commit), and tell it **not** to delete the handoff file — a relaunch needs it, so the planner deletes it at the end instead.
+
+### Extension E2E: the kilo gateway fixture rejects safe-mode tool lists
+
+- Symptom: a Playwright spec driving a fresh conversation fails inside `tests/e2e/kilo-api-fixture.ts` on a tool-list assertion, even though the UI behaved correctly.
+- Cause: the fixture's default expected tool list includes `eval`, but a fresh conversation defaults to safe mode, which sends read-only tools only.
+- Fix: pass the safe-mode tool names to the fixture (`toolNames: safeToolNames`) when the spec does not switch the conversation to dangerous mode.
+
 ### Role-agent round exits 0 with no verdict (kilo stream stall)
 
 Symptom: a dispatched role agent's `kilo run` exits with `EXITCODE=0` after some tool calls, but
@@ -70,6 +95,29 @@ Then wait event-driven with an `until grep -q EXITCODE= "$LOG"` loop that also b
 
 ## Orchestrator
 
+### Extension E2E: analytics specs need VITE_POSTHOG_API_KEY at build time
+
+- Symptom: every analytics e2e spec fails waiting on posthog identify/capture events after `pnpm --filter kilo-extension build`, even with `VITE_POSTHOG_API_KEY=e2e-test-key` on the playwright invocation.
+- Cause: the key is inlined at build time; without it the build logs "VITE_POSTHOG_API_KEY is not set; extension analytics will be disabled in this build" and analytics is compiled out.
+- Fix: set the key on the build — `VITE_POSTHOG_API_KEY=e2e-test-key pnpm --filter kilo-extension build` — before running targeted playwright specs. The `e2e:chrome` script already does this; only manual targeted runs forget it. Verified 2026-07-27.
+
+### Nested `kilo run` fails with "Session not found" inside a harness worker
+
+- Symptom: `kilo run` dispatched from inside a running Kilo harness session exits immediately with "Session not found".
+- Cause: harness identity env vars (`KILO_RUN_ID`, `KILO_SERVER_PASSWORD`, `KILO_PROCESS_ROLE`, `KILO_PID`, `KILO`, `KILOCODE_FEATURE`, `KILOCODE_VERSION`) leak into the nested CLI, which tries to attach to the parent session.
+- Fix: dispatch role agents with the identity vars stripped, e.g. `env -u KILO_RUN_ID -u KILO_SERVER_PASSWORD -u KILO_PROCESS_ROLE -u KILO_PID -u KILO -u KILOCODE_FEATURE -u KILOCODE_VERSION kilo run ...`. Verified 2026-07-27 across every role-agent dispatch of the extension side-panel run.
+
+### Pass role-agent handoffs with `--file`, never shell substitution
+
+- Symptom: a handoff embedded via `"$(cat file)"` corrupts the prompt — markdown backticks inside double quotes are still executed by the shell.
+- Fix: write the handoff to a temp file outside every repository and attach it with `--file <path>` (repeatable). Put the short positional message BEFORE the flags: `--file` accepts multiple values and would consume a trailing message as another file path, failing with "File not found".
+
+### Firefox Selenium e2e: `UnsupportedOperationError: newSession` under machine load
+
+- Symptom: `e2e:firefox` dies mid-run with `UnsupportedOperationError: newSession` after a varying number of passing scenarios (17, then 9), never on a product assertion.
+- Cause: geckodriver cannot spawn the next per-scenario Firefox instance while the machine is under heavy load (several parallel agent runs; load average >10). Sessions are created and quit per scenario, so the failure point moves with system pressure.
+- Fix: retry the command; do not patch product code or the harness for this. A green full run (33/33) followed on the third attempt once load dipped. Verified 2026-07-27.
+
 ### PR-review E2E env traps (stub token path)
 
 - **Symptom:** `githubApps.devSeedUserGithubToken` fails or the app shows