diff --git a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget.js b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget.js
index 3317e83..0965050 100644
--- a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget.js
+++ b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget.js
@@ -53027,20 +53027,19 @@ var TOOL_STATUS = {
 function reduceStreamEvent(entry, event) {
   switch (event.type) {
     case "answer_delta":
-      return { ...entry, text: entry.text + (event.content ?? ""), typing: false };
+      return { ...entry, text: entry.text + (event.content ?? "") };
     case "route":
-      return { ...entry, route: event.route ?? entry.route, typing: false };
+      return { ...entry, route: event.route ?? entry.route };
     case "tool_started":
     case "tool_succeeded":
     case "tool_failed":
-      return { ...entry, tools: upsertTool(entry.tools ?? [], toToolRecord(event)), typing: false };
+      return { ...entry, tools: upsertTool(entry.tools ?? [], toToolRecord(event)) };
     case "final":
       return {
         ...entry,
         text: event.content ?? entry.text,
         route: event.route ?? entry.route,
-        tools: event.used_tools ?? entry.tools,
-        typing: false
+        tools: event.used_tools ?? entry.tools
       };
     case "error":
       throw new Error(event.error || "stream failed");
@@ -53072,6 +53071,7 @@ function useConversation(client, endpoint, userId) {
     setStoredConversationId(endpoint, created);
     return created;
   }, [client, endpoint, userId]);
+  const peekId = (0, import_react9.useCallback)(() => getStoredConversationId(endpoint), [endpoint]);
   const ensureId = (0, import_react9.useCallback)(
     async () => getStoredConversationId(endpoint) ?? startConversation(),
     [endpoint, startConversation]
@@ -53131,8 +53131,18 @@ function useConversation(client, endpoint, userId) {
   );
   const startNew = (0, import_react9.useCallback)(() => removeStoredConversationId(endpoint), [endpoint]);
   return (0, import_react9.useMemo)(
-    () => ({ send, stream, loadHistory, loadUsage, listThreads, switchTo, startNew }),
-    [send, stream, loadHistory, loadUsage, listThreads, switchTo, startNew]
+    () => ({
+      peekId,
+      ensureId,
+      send,
+      stream,
+      loadHistory,
+      loadUsage,
+      listThreads,
+      switchTo,
+      startNew
+    }),
+    [peekId, ensureId, send, stream, loadHistory, loadUsage, listThreads, switchTo, startNew]
   );
 }
 
@@ -53157,7 +53167,9 @@ function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }) {
   const [open, setOpen] = (0, import_react10.useState)(inline);
   const [loaded, setLoaded] = (0, import_react10.useState)(false);
   const [sending, setSending] = (0, import_react10.useState)(false);
-  const [entries, setEntries] = (0, import_react10.useState)([]);
+  const [entriesById, setEntriesById] = (0, import_react10.useState)({});
+  const [activeId, setActiveId] = (0, import_react10.useState)("");
+  const entries = entriesById[activeId] ?? [];
   const [usage, setUsage] = (0, import_react10.useState)(null);
   const [threads, setThreads] = (0, import_react10.useState)([]);
   const [threadsOpen, setThreadsOpen] = (0, import_react10.useState)(false);
@@ -53166,13 +53178,26 @@ function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }) {
   const refreshUsage = (0, import_react10.useCallback)(async () => {
     setUsage(await conversation.loadUsage());
   }, [conversation]);
+  const putEntries = (0, import_react10.useCallback)(
+    (cid, update) => setEntriesById((prev) => ({ ...prev, [cid]: update(prev[cid] ?? []) })),
+    []
+  );
+  const loadThread = (0, import_react10.useCallback)(
+    async (cid) => {
+      const history = await conversation.loadHistory();
+      putEntries(cid, () => history.map(toEntry));
+    },
+    [conversation, putEntries]
+  );
   const loadHistory = (0, import_react10.useCallback)(async () => {
     if (loaded) return;
     setLoaded(true);
-    const history = await conversation.loadHistory();
-    if (history.length) setEntries(history.map(toEntry));
+    const cid = conversation.peekId();
+    if (!cid) return;
+    setActiveId(cid);
+    await loadThread(cid);
     await refreshUsage();
-  }, [conversation, loaded, refreshUsage]);
+  }, [conversation, loaded, loadThread, refreshUsage]);
   (0, import_react10.useEffect)(() => {
     if (inline) void loadHistory();
   }, [inline, loadHistory]);
@@ -53197,28 +53222,29 @@ function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }) {
     async (conversationId) => {
       conversation.switchTo(conversationId);
       setThreadsOpen(false);
-      const history = await conversation.loadHistory();
-      setEntries(history.map(toEntry));
+      setActiveId(conversationId);
+      if (!(conversationId in entriesById)) await loadThread(conversationId);
       await refreshUsage();
       inputRef.current?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
     },
-    [conversation, refreshUsage]
+    [conversation, entriesById, loadThread, refreshUsage]
   );
   const startNewThread = (0, import_react10.useCallback)(() => {
     conversation.startNew();
     setThreadsOpen(false);
-    setEntries([]);
+    setActiveId("");
     setUsage(null);
     inputRef.current?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
   }, [conversation]);
-  const replaceEntry = (0, import_react10.useCallback)((id, entry) => {
-    setEntries((prev) => prev.map((current) => current.id === id ? entry : current));
-  }, []);
+  const replaceEntry = (0, import_react10.useCallback)(
+    (cid, id, entry) => putEntries(cid, (prev) => prev.map((current) => current.id === id ? entry : current)),
+    [putEntries]
+  );
   const sendWithoutStreaming = (0, import_react10.useCallback)(
-    async (text10, entryId) => {
+    async (cid, text10, entryId) => {
       try {
         const answer = await conversation.send(text10);
-        replaceEntry(entryId, {
+        replaceEntry(cid, entryId, {
           id: entryId,
           role: "ai",
           text: answer.answer,
@@ -53227,32 +53253,34 @@ function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }) {
         });
         onAnswer({ visited: answer.visited ?? [], used_tools: answer.used_tools ?? [] });
       } catch {
-        replaceEntry(entryId, { id: entryId, role: "ai", text: GENERIC_ERROR, error: true });
+        replaceEntry(cid, entryId, { id: entryId, role: "ai", text: GENERIC_ERROR, error: true });
       }
     },
     [conversation, onAnswer, replaceEntry]
   );
   const submit = (0, import_react10.useCallback)(
     async (text10) => {
+      const cid = await conversation.ensureId();
+      setActiveId(cid);
       const pending = { id: newId(), role: "ai", text: "", typing: true };
-      setEntries((prev) => [...prev, { id: newId(), role: "user", text: text10 }, pending]);
+      putEntries(cid, (prev) => [...prev, { id: newId(), role: "user", text: text10 }, pending]);
       setSending(true);
       try {
         let entry = pending;
         for await (const event of conversation.stream(text10)) {
           entry = reduceStreamEvent(entry, event);
-          replaceEntry(pending.id, entry);
+          replaceEntry(cid, pending.id, entry);
         }
-        replaceEntry(pending.id, { ...entry, typing: false });
+        replaceEntry(cid, pending.id, { ...entry, typing: false });
         onAnswer({ visited: entry.route ?? [], used_tools: entry.tools ?? [] });
       } catch {
-        await sendWithoutStreaming(text10, pending.id);
+        await sendWithoutStreaming(cid, text10, pending.id);
       } finally {
         setSending(false);
         void refreshUsage();
       }
     },
-    [conversation, onAnswer, refreshUsage, replaceEntry, sendWithoutStreaming]
+    [conversation, onAnswer, putEntries, refreshUsage, replaceEntry, sendWithoutStreaming]
   );
   const toggle = () => void (open ? closeChat() : openChat());
   return /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsxs)(
@@ -53378,19 +53406,26 @@ function Launcher({
 }
 function ChatMessage({ entry }) {
   const from = entry.role === "user" ? "user" : "assistant";
-  if (entry.typing) {
-    return /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(Message, { from, typing: true, children: "..." });
-  }
   if (entry.error) {
     return /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(Message, { from, children: /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)("div", { className: "msg-error", role: "alert", children: entry.text }) });
   }
   if (entry.role === "user") {
     return /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(Message, { from: "user", children: /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(MessageContent, { children: entry.text }) });
   }
-  return /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsxs)(Message, { from: "assistant", children: [
+  const thinking = Boolean(entry.typing) && !entry.text.trim();
+  return /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsxs)(Message, { from: "assistant", typing: thinking, children: [
     /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(AgentActivity, { route: entry.route, tools: entry.tools }),
-    /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(MessageContent, { children: /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(MessageResponse, { children: entry.text }) }),
-    entry.text.trim() ? /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(MessageActions, { text: entry.text }) : null
+    thinking ? /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(ThinkingDots, {}) : /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsxs)(import_jsx_runtime4.Fragment, { children: [
+      /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(MessageContent, { children: /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(MessageResponse, { children: entry.text }) }),
+      entry.text.trim() ? /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)(MessageActions, { text: entry.text }) : null
+    ] })
+  ] });
+}
+function ThinkingDots() {
+  return /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsxs)("span", { className: "thinking", "aria-hidden": true, children: [
+    /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)("span", { className: "thinking-dot" }),
+    /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)("span", { className: "thinking-dot" }),
+    /* @__PURE__ */ (0, import_jsx_runtime4.jsx)("span", { className: "thinking-dot" })
   ] });
 }
 function MessageActions({ text: text10 }) {
@@ -53681,6 +53716,15 @@ function styles(config) {
       color: #b91c1c; border-radius: 8px; padding: 10px 12px; font-size: 13.5px;
       line-height: 1.5; display: -webkit-box; -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
       -webkit-box-orient: vertical; overflow: hidden; }
+    .thinking { display: inline-flex; gap: 4px; color: #a1a1aa; }
+    .thinking-dot { width: 6px; height: 6px; border-radius: 50%; background: currentColor;
+      animation: aui-dot 1.4s ease-in-out infinite; }
+    .thinking-dot:nth-child(2) { animation-delay: .2s; }
+    .thinking-dot:nth-child(3) { animation-delay: .4s; }
+    @keyframes aui-dot {
+      0%, 100% { transform: scale(.8); opacity: .5; }
+      50% { transform: scale(1.2); opacity: 1; }
+    }
     .composer { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr auto; align-items: end; gap: 8px;
       padding: 12px 14px; border-top: 1px solid #f0f0f1; }
     .input-wrap { min-width: 0; display: flex; border-radius: 20px; background: #fff;
@@ -53750,6 +53794,7 @@ function styles(config) {
       .msg-action svg { animation: none; }
       .context-ring-value, .context-bar-fill, .context-popover { transition: none; }
       .thread-drawer { transition: none; }
+      .thinking-dot { animation: none; }
     }
     @media (max-width: 480px) {
       .panel:not(.inline) { width: 100vw; height: 100dvh; max-height: 100dvh;
diff --git a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/AgentChatApp.tsx b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/AgentChatApp.tsx
index 5b71a4c..20043b9 100644
--- a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/AgentChatApp.tsx
+++ b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/AgentChatApp.tsx
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ export function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }: Age
   const [open, setOpen] = useState(inline);
   const [loaded, setLoaded] = useState(false);
   const [sending, setSending] = useState(false);
-  const [entries, setEntries] = useState<MessageEntry[]>([]);
+  const [entriesById, setEntriesById] = useState<Record<string, MessageEntry[]>>({});
+  const [activeId, setActiveId] = useState("");
+  const entries = entriesById[activeId] ?? [];
   const [usage, setUsage] = useState<ContextUsage | null>(null);
   const [threads, setThreads] = useState<ThreadSummary[]>([]);
   const [threadsOpen, setThreadsOpen] = useState(false);
@@ -80,13 +82,29 @@ export function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }: Age
     setUsage(await conversation.loadUsage());
   }, [conversation]);
 
+  const putEntries = useCallback(
+    (cid: string, update: (prev: MessageEntry[]) => MessageEntry[]) =>
+      setEntriesById((prev) => ({ ...prev, [cid]: update(prev[cid] ?? []) })),
+    [],
+  );
+
+  const loadThread = useCallback(
+    async (cid: string) => {
+      const history = await conversation.loadHistory();
+      putEntries(cid, () => history.map(toEntry));
+    },
+    [conversation, putEntries],
+  );
+
   const loadHistory = useCallback(async () => {
     if (loaded) return;
     setLoaded(true);
-    const history = await conversation.loadHistory();
-    if (history.length) setEntries(history.map(toEntry));
+    const cid = conversation.peekId();
+    if (!cid) return;
+    setActiveId(cid);
+    await loadThread(cid);
     await refreshUsage();
-  }, [conversation, loaded, refreshUsage]);
+  }, [conversation, loaded, loadThread, refreshUsage]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (inline) void loadHistory();
@@ -117,31 +135,34 @@ export function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }: Age
     async (conversationId: string) => {
       conversation.switchTo(conversationId);
       setThreadsOpen(false);
-      const history = await conversation.loadHistory();
-      setEntries(history.map(toEntry));
+      setActiveId(conversationId);
+      // ponytail: in-session map owns in-flight streams, so only cold-load a thread we haven't opened yet.
+      if (!(conversationId in entriesById)) await loadThread(conversationId);
       await refreshUsage();
       inputRef.current?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
     },
-    [conversation, refreshUsage],
+    [conversation, entriesById, loadThread, refreshUsage],
   );
 
   const startNewThread = useCallback(() => {
     conversation.startNew();
     setThreadsOpen(false);
-    setEntries([]);
+    setActiveId("");
     setUsage(null);
     inputRef.current?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
   }, [conversation]);
 
-  const replaceEntry = useCallback((id: string, entry: MessageEntry) => {
-    setEntries((prev) => prev.map((current) => (current.id === id ? entry : current)));
-  }, []);
+  const replaceEntry = useCallback(
+    (cid: string, id: string, entry: MessageEntry) =>
+      putEntries(cid, (prev) => prev.map((current) => (current.id === id ? entry : current))),
+    [putEntries],
+  );
 
   const sendWithoutStreaming = useCallback(
-    async (text: string, entryId: string) => {
+    async (cid: string, text: string, entryId: string) => {
       try {
         const answer = await conversation.send(text);
-        replaceEntry(entryId, {
+        replaceEntry(cid, entryId, {
           id: entryId,
           role: "ai",
           text: answer.answer,
@@ -150,7 +171,7 @@ export function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }: Age
         });
         onAnswer({ visited: answer.visited ?? [], used_tools: answer.used_tools ?? [] });
       } catch {
-        replaceEntry(entryId, { id: entryId, role: "ai", text: GENERIC_ERROR, error: true });
+        replaceEntry(cid, entryId, { id: entryId, role: "ai", text: GENERIC_ERROR, error: true });
       }
     },
     [conversation, onAnswer, replaceEntry],
@@ -158,25 +179,27 @@ export function AgentChatApp({ client, config, onAnswer, panelId, titleId }: Age
 
   const submit = useCallback(
     async (text: string) => {
+      const cid = await conversation.ensureId();
+      setActiveId(cid);
       const pending: MessageEntry = { id: newId(), role: "ai", text: "", typing: true };
-      setEntries((prev) => [...prev, { id: newId(), role: "user", text }, pending]);
+      putEntries(cid, (prev) => [...prev, { id: newId(), role: "user", text }, pending]);
       setSending(true);
       try {
         let entry = pending;
         for await (const event of conversation.stream(text)) {
           entry = reduceStreamEvent(entry, event);
-          replaceEntry(pending.id, entry);
+          replaceEntry(cid, pending.id, entry);
         }
-        replaceEntry(pending.id, { ...entry, typing: false });
+        replaceEntry(cid, pending.id, { ...entry, typing: false });
         onAnswer({ visited: entry.route ?? [], used_tools: entry.tools ?? [] });
       } catch {
-        await sendWithoutStreaming(text, pending.id);
+        await sendWithoutStreaming(cid, text, pending.id);
       } finally {
         setSending(false);
         void refreshUsage();
       }
     },
-    [conversation, onAnswer, refreshUsage, replaceEntry, sendWithoutStreaming],
+    [conversation, onAnswer, putEntries, refreshUsage, replaceEntry, sendWithoutStreaming],
   );
 
   const toggle = () => void (open ? closeChat() : openChat());
@@ -310,14 +333,6 @@ function Launcher({
 function ChatMessage({ entry }: { entry: MessageEntry }) {
   const from = entry.role === "user" ? "user" : "assistant";
 
-  if (entry.typing) {
-    return (
-      <Message from={from} typing>
-        ...
-      </Message>
-    );
-  }
-
   if (entry.error) {
     return (
       <Message from={from}>
@@ -336,17 +351,35 @@ function ChatMessage({ entry }: { entry: MessageEntry }) {
     );
   }
 
+  const thinking = Boolean(entry.typing) && !entry.text.trim();
+
   return (
-    <Message from="assistant">
+    <Message from="assistant" typing={thinking}>
       <AgentActivity route={entry.route} tools={entry.tools} />
-      <MessageContent>
-        <MessageResponse>{entry.text}</MessageResponse>
-      </MessageContent>
-      {entry.text.trim() ? <MessageActions text={entry.text} /> : null}
+      {thinking ? (
+        <ThinkingDots />
+      ) : (
+        <>
+          <MessageContent>
+            <MessageResponse>{entry.text}</MessageResponse>
+          </MessageContent>
+          {entry.text.trim() ? <MessageActions text={entry.text} /> : null}
+        </>
+      )}
     </Message>
   );
 }
 
+function ThinkingDots() {
+  return (
+    <span className="thinking" aria-hidden>
+      <span className="thinking-dot" />
+      <span className="thinking-dot" />
+      <span className="thinking-dot" />
+    </span>
+  );
+}
+
 function MessageActions({ text }: { text: string }) {
   return (
     <div className="msg-actions">
diff --git a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/streamReducer.ts b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/streamReducer.ts
index adc0f82..7c798fd 100644
--- a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/streamReducer.ts
+++ b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/streamReducer.ts
@@ -9,20 +9,19 @@ const TOOL_STATUS: Record<string, string> = {
 export function reduceStreamEvent(entry: MessageEntry, event: StreamEvent): MessageEntry {
   switch (event.type) {
     case "answer_delta":
-      return { ...entry, text: entry.text + (event.content ?? ""), typing: false };
+      return { ...entry, text: entry.text + (event.content ?? "") };
     case "route":
-      return { ...entry, route: event.route ?? entry.route, typing: false };
+      return { ...entry, route: event.route ?? entry.route };
     case "tool_started":
     case "tool_succeeded":
     case "tool_failed":
-      return { ...entry, tools: upsertTool(entry.tools ?? [], toToolRecord(event)), typing: false };
+      return { ...entry, tools: upsertTool(entry.tools ?? [], toToolRecord(event)) };
     case "final":
       return {
         ...entry,
         text: event.content ?? entry.text,
         route: event.route ?? entry.route,
         tools: event.used_tools ?? entry.tools,
-        typing: false,
       };
     case "error":
       throw new Error(event.error || "stream failed");
diff --git a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/useConversation.ts b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/useConversation.ts
index a5a5f56..d4bec6e 100644
--- a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/useConversation.ts
+++ b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/react/useConversation.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ import type {
 } from "../types";
 
 export interface Conversation {
+  peekId(): string | null;
+  ensureId(): Promise<string>;
   send(text: string): Promise<SendMessageResponse>;
   stream(text: string): AsyncGenerator<StreamEvent>;
   loadHistory(): Promise<ChatMessage[]>;
@@ -38,6 +40,8 @@ export function useConversation(
     return created;
   }, [client, endpoint, userId]);
 
+  const peekId = useCallback(() => getStoredConversationId(endpoint), [endpoint]);
+
   const ensureId = useCallback(
     async () => getStoredConversationId(endpoint) ?? startConversation(),
     [endpoint, startConversation],
@@ -106,7 +110,17 @@ export function useConversation(
   const startNew = useCallback(() => removeStoredConversationId(endpoint), [endpoint]);
 
   return useMemo(
-    () => ({ send, stream, loadHistory, loadUsage, listThreads, switchTo, startNew }),
-    [send, stream, loadHistory, loadUsage, listThreads, switchTo, startNew],
+    () => ({
+      peekId,
+      ensureId,
+      send,
+      stream,
+      loadHistory,
+      loadUsage,
+      listThreads,
+      switchTo,
+      startNew,
+    }),
+    [peekId, ensureId, send, stream, loadHistory, loadUsage, listThreads, switchTo, startNew],
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/styles/styles.ts b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/styles/styles.ts
index 70843c7..86389d1 100644
--- a/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/styles/styles.ts
+++ b/src/agent_manager/api/static/widget/styles/styles.ts
@@ -142,6 +142,15 @@ export function styles(config: AgentChatConfig): string {
       color: #b91c1c; border-radius: 8px; padding: 10px 12px; font-size: 13.5px;
       line-height: 1.5; display: -webkit-box; -webkit-line-clamp: 2;
       -webkit-box-orient: vertical; overflow: hidden; }
+    .thinking { display: inline-flex; gap: 4px; color: #a1a1aa; }
+    .thinking-dot { width: 6px; height: 6px; border-radius: 50%; background: currentColor;
+      animation: aui-dot 1.4s ease-in-out infinite; }
+    .thinking-dot:nth-child(2) { animation-delay: .2s; }
+    .thinking-dot:nth-child(3) { animation-delay: .4s; }
+    @keyframes aui-dot {
+      0%, 100% { transform: scale(.8); opacity: .5; }
+      50% { transform: scale(1.2); opacity: 1; }
+    }
     .composer { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr auto; align-items: end; gap: 8px;
       padding: 12px 14px; border-top: 1px solid #f0f0f1; }
     .input-wrap { min-width: 0; display: flex; border-radius: 20px; background: #fff;
@@ -211,6 +220,7 @@ export function styles(config: AgentChatConfig): string {
       .msg-action svg { animation: none; }
       .context-ring-value, .context-bar-fill, .context-popover { transition: none; }
       .thread-drawer { transition: none; }
+      .thinking-dot { animation: none; }
     }
     @media (max-width: 480px) {
       .panel:not(.inline) { width: 100vw; height: 100dvh; max-height: 100dvh;
diff --git a/tests/e2e/widget.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/widget.spec.ts
index 85b2ef2..58d28ef 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/widget.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/widget.spec.ts
@@ -256,6 +256,17 @@ async function shadowClick(page: Page, selector: string, index = 0) {
   }, selector);
 }
 
+async function shadowClickText(page: Page, selector: string, text: string, index = 0) {
+  const handle = await widget(page, index);
+  await handle.evaluate(
+    (element, { selector, text }) => {
+      const targets = Array.from(element.shadowRoot?.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(selector) ?? []);
+      targets.find((node) => node.textContent?.includes(text))?.click();
+    },
+    { selector, text },
+  );
+}
+
 async function shadowFocus(page: Page, selector: string, index = 0) {
   const handle = await widget(page, index);
   await handle.evaluate((element, selector) => {
@@ -524,6 +535,57 @@ test("thread drawer lists conversations, switches to one, and starts a new chat"
   await expect.poll(() => shadowText(page, ".messages")).toContain("How can I help you today?");
 });
 
+test("thinking dots persist when switching away from an in-flight thread and back", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  let release!: () => void;
+  const pending = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+    release = resolve;
+  });
+
+  await mockConversationApi(page, {
+    threads: [
+      { conversation_id: "conv-other", title: "Other chat", last_message_at: "2026-06-01T00:00:00Z" },
+      { conversation_id: "conv-smoke", title: "Current chat", last_message_at: "2026-06-28T00:00:00Z" },
+    ],
+  });
+  await page.route("**/conversations/conv-other/messages", async (route: Route) => {
+    if (route.request().method() !== "GET") return route.fallback();
+    await route.fulfill({ status: 200, contentType: "application/json", body: "[]" });
+  });
+  await page.route("**/conversations/conv-smoke/messages/stream", async (route: Route) => {
+    await pending;
+    await route.fulfill({
+      status: 200,
+      contentType: "text/event-stream",
+      body: [
+        `event: final\ndata: ${JSON.stringify({ type: "final", content: "done", route: [], used_tools: [] })}`,
+        "event: done\ndata: [DONE]",
+        "",
+      ].join("\n\n"),
+    });
+  });
+
+  await page.goto("/widget-demo.html");
+  await shadowClick(page, ".launcher");
+  await shadowFill(page, ".input", "hello");
+  await shadowClick(page, ".send");
+
+  await expect.poll(() => shadowExists(page, ".thinking")).toBe(true);
+
+  await shadowClick(page, '.header-btn[aria-label="Conversations"]');
+  await shadowClickText(page, ".thread-item", "Other chat");
+  await expect.poll(() => shadowExists(page, ".thinking")).toBe(false);
+
+  await shadowClick(page, '.header-btn[aria-label="Conversations"]');
+  await shadowClickText(page, ".thread-item", "Current chat");
+  await expect.poll(() => shadowExists(page, ".thinking")).toBe(true);
+
+  release();
+  await expect.poll(() => shadowText(page, ".messages")).toContain("done");
+  await expect.poll(() => shadowExists(page, ".thinking")).toBe(false);
+});
+
 test("stale stored conversation is replaced before sending to the agent", async ({ page }) => {
   const calls = await mockConversationApiWithStaleConversation(page);
   await page.goto("/widget-demo.html");