fix(desktop): gate messaging session polling

apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller-utils.test.ts

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
 import type { SessionInfo } from '@/hermes'
 
-import { sameCronSignature } from './desktop-controller-utils'
+import { sameCronSignature, shouldPollMessagingSessions } from './desktop-controller-utils'
 
 const session = (id: string, title: string | null): SessionInfo => ({ id, title }) as SessionInfo
 
@@ -29,3 +29,42 @@ describe('sameCronSignature', () => {
     expect(sameCronSignature(a, b)).toBe(false)
   })
 })
+
+describe('shouldPollMessagingSessions', () => {
+  const base = {
+    activeIsMessaging: false,
+    gatewayPlatforms: null,
+    messagingSessionCount: 0,
+    messagingViewOpen: false
+  }
+
+  it('is false when nothing indicates messaging is in use', () => {
+    expect(shouldPollMessagingSessions(base)).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('is true while the messaging view is open', () => {
+    expect(shouldPollMessagingSessions({ ...base, messagingViewOpen: true })).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('is true when a messaging session is already loaded', () => {
+    expect(shouldPollMessagingSessions({ ...base, messagingSessionCount: 1 })).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('is true when the active session is a messaging thread', () => {
+    expect(shouldPollMessagingSessions({ ...base, activeIsMessaging: true })).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('is true when status reports a configured gateway platform', () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldPollMessagingSessions({
+        ...base,
+        gatewayPlatforms: {
+          telegram: {
+            state: 'connected',
+            updated_at: '2026-07-04T00:00:00+00:00'
+          }
+        }
+      })
+    ).toBe(true)
+  })
+})

apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller-utils.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { SessionInfo } from '@/hermes'
+import type { PlatformStatus } from '@/types/hermes'
 
 // Cheap signature compare so a poll only swaps the atom (and re-renders the
 // sidebar) when the visible rows actually changed.
@@ -24,3 +25,21 @@ export function sameCronSignature(a: SessionInfo[], b: SessionInfo[]): boolean {
     )
   })
 }
+
+export function shouldPollMessagingSessions({
+  activeIsMessaging,
+  gatewayPlatforms,
+  messagingSessionCount,
+  messagingViewOpen
+}: {
+  activeIsMessaging: boolean
+  gatewayPlatforms?: null | Record<string, PlatformStatus>
+  messagingSessionCount: number
+  messagingViewOpen: boolean
+}): boolean {
+  if (messagingViewOpen || activeIsMessaging || messagingSessionCount > 0) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  return Object.keys(gatewayPlatforms ?? {}).length > 0
+}

apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx

@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ import {
 } from './chat/right-rail'
 import { ChatSidebar } from './chat/sidebar'
 import { CommandPalette } from './command-palette'
+import { shouldPollMessagingSessions } from './desktop-controller-utils'
 import { useGatewayBoot } from './gateway/hooks/use-gateway-boot'
 import { useGatewayRequest } from './gateway/hooks/use-gateway-request'
 import { useKeybinds } from './hooks/use-keybinds'
@@ -919,11 +920,24 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     }
   }, [gatewayState, refreshCronJobs])
 
+  // Only keep the broad messaging session poll armed when the user has a
+  // messaging surface or the already-polled status endpoint reports a platform.
+  const activeIsMessaging =
+    !!selectedStoredSessionId &&
+    isMessagingSource(messagingSessions.find(s => sessionMatchesStoredId(s, selectedStoredSessionId))?.source)
+
+  const pollMessagingSessions = shouldPollMessagingSessions({
+    activeIsMessaging,
+    gatewayPlatforms: statusSnapshot?.gateway_platforms,
+    messagingSessionCount: messagingSessions.length,
+    messagingViewOpen: currentView === 'messaging'
+  })
+
   // Keep messaging-platform session lists live: inbound Telegram/WeChat/Discord
   // turns are written by the gateway, not the desktop websocket, so they won't
   // appear without polling.
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (gatewayState !== 'open') {
+    if (gatewayState !== 'open' || !pollMessagingSessions) {
       return
     }
 
@@ -940,14 +954,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
       window.clearInterval(intervalId)
       document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', tick)
     }
-  }, [gatewayState, refreshMessagingSessions])
-
-  // Only the open messaging transcript needs a poll — local chats are already
-  // live over the websocket, so arming a timer for them would just no-op every
-  // tick. Gate on the active session actually being a messaging source.
-  const activeIsMessaging =
-    !!selectedStoredSessionId &&
-    isMessagingSource(messagingSessions.find(s => sessionMatchesStoredId(s, selectedStoredSessionId))?.source)
+  }, [gatewayState, pollMessagingSessions, refreshMessagingSessions])
 
   // Keep the currently-viewed messaging transcript live.
   useEffect(() => {