@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import { useSearchParams } from "@remix-run/react";
 import DOMPurify from "dompurify";
 import { motion } from "framer-motion";
 import { marked } from "marked";
-import { type ReactNode, useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { AISparkleIcon } from "~/assets/icons/AISparkleIcon";
 import { SparkleListIcon } from "~/assets/icons/SparkleListIcon";
 import { useAskAiAvailability } from "~/hooks/useAskAiAvailability";
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
   ASK_AI_SHORTCUT,
   askAiCanOpen,
 } from "./dashboard-agent/ask-ai-channels";
+import { useAskAiHost } from "./dashboard-agent/askAiOpenRequest";
 import { Button } from "./primitives/Buttons";
 import { Callout } from "./primitives/Callout";
 import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogHeader, DialogTitle } from "./primitives/Dialog";
@@ -81,44 +82,30 @@ function useAskAIState() {
 }
 
 /**
- * Hosts Ask AI (Kapa provider, ⌘I shortcut, dialog) around a subtree that renders its own
- * triggers. Wrap it around them, never inside, so the dialog and the shortcut survive whatever
- * opened them closing. `children` receives the open function, or undefined when Ask AI is
- * unavailable (self-hosted, no Kapa website id, or SSR).
+ * Hosts Ask AI (Kapa provider, ⌘I shortcut, dialog). It renders no page content and wraps
+ * nothing: entry points reach it through `requestAskAi`, so the Kapa provider mounting after
+ * hydration can never remount the app around it.
  */
-export function AskAIRoot({
-  children,
-}: {
-  children: (openAskAI: (() => void) | undefined) => ReactNode;
-}) {
+export function AskAIRoot() {
   const availability = useAskAiAvailability();
 
   if (!askAiCanOpen(availability)) {
-    return <>{children(undefined)}</>;
+    return null;
   }
 
   const websiteId = availability.kapaWebsiteId!;
 
-  return (
-    <ClientOnly fallback={<>{children(undefined)}</>}>
-      {() => <AskAIRootProvider websiteId={websiteId}>{children}</AskAIRootProvider>}
-    </ClientOnly>
-  );
+  return <ClientOnly>{() => <AskAIRootProvider websiteId={websiteId} />}</ClientOnly>;
 }
 
-function AskAIRootProvider({
-  websiteId,
-  children,
-}: {
-  websiteId: string;
-  children: (openAskAI: () => void) => ReactNode;
-}) {
+function AskAIRootProvider({ websiteId }: { websiteId: string }) {
   const { isOpen, setIsOpen, initialQuery, openAskAI, closeAskAI } = useAskAIState();
 
   useShortcutKeys({
     shortcut: ASK_AI_SHORTCUT,
     action: () => openAskAI(),
   });
+  useAskAiHost(openAskAI);
 
   return (
     <KapaProvider
@@ -131,7 +118,6 @@ function AskAIRootProvider({
       }}
       botProtectionMechanism="hcaptcha"
     >
-      {children(() => openAskAI())}
       <AskAIDialog
         initialQuery={initialQuery}
         isOpen={isOpen}
 
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
   v3NewProjectAlertPath,
   v3NewSchedulePath,
 } from "~/utils/pathBuilder";
+import { AskAgentButton } from "./dashboard-agent/AskAgentButton";
 import { CodeBlock } from "./code/CodeBlock";
 import { InlineCode } from "./code/InlineCode";
 import { environmentFullTitle, EnvironmentIcon } from "./environments/EnvironmentLabel";
@@ -61,6 +62,14 @@ import {
 import { StepContentContainer } from "./StepContentContainer";
 import { V4Badge } from "./V4Badge";
 
+/**
+ * What the agent is asked when it's opened from a deployment setup panel. The panel is the docs
+ * answer; the agent is for the part the docs can't answer — this project, this environment.
+ */
+const ASK_AGENT_DEPLOY_PROMPT =
+  "I'm trying to deploy my tasks to this environment. Walk me through it and tell me if anything about this project or environment is going to get in the way.";
+
+/** The docs links the deployment panels offer to anyone without the agent. */
 function DeployDocsLinks() {
   return (
     <>
@@ -310,7 +319,10 @@ export function DeploymentsNoneDev() {
           <Header1>Deploy your tasks</Header1>
         </div>
         <div className="flex items-center">
-          <DeployDocsLinks />
+          {/* One entry point instead of two: the docs links were a guess at which page you
+              needed, and the agent can look at this project and answer for it. Someone with no
+              agent still gets the links. */}
+          <AskAgentButton prompt={ASK_AGENT_DEPLOY_PROMPT} fallback={<DeployDocsLinks />} />
         </div>
       </div>
       <StepNumber stepNumber="→" title="Switch to a deployed environment" />
@@ -676,7 +688,10 @@ function DeploymentOnboardingSteps() {
           </Header1>
         </div>
         <div className="flex items-center">
-          <DeployDocsLinks />
+          {/* One entry point instead of two: the docs links were a guess at which page you
+              needed, and the agent can look at this project and answer for it. Someone with no
+              agent still gets the links. */}
+          <AskAgentButton prompt={ASK_AGENT_DEPLOY_PROMPT} fallback={<DeployDocsLinks />} />
         </div>
       </div>
       <ClientTabs defaultValue="github">
 
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 import { KeyboardIcon } from "~/assets/icons/KeyboardIcon";
 import { useState } from "react";
 import { ASK_AGENT_LABEL } from "~/components/dashboard-agent/agent-identity";
+import { type AiShortcutRow, aiShortcutRows } from "~/components/dashboard-agent/ai-entry-points";
+import { ASK_AI_SHORTCUT, askAiCanOpen } from "~/components/dashboard-agent/ask-ai-channels";
+import { useDashboardAgentAvailable } from "~/components/dashboard-agent/dashboardAgentOpenRequest";
 import { NEW_CHAT_SHORTCUT } from "~/components/dashboard-agent/DashboardAgentHeader";
 import { TOGGLE_PANEL_SHORTCUT } from "~/components/dashboard-agent/dashboardAgentLauncher";
+import { useAskAiAvailability } from "~/hooks/useAskAiAvailability";
 import { useShortcutKeys } from "~/hooks/useShortcutKeys";
 import { Header3 } from "./primitives/Headers";
 import { SideMenuItemButton } from "./navigation/SideMenuItem";
@@ -44,6 +48,11 @@ export function ShortcutsAutoOpen() {
 }
 
 function ShortcutContent() {
+  const agent = useDashboardAgentAvailable();
+  const askAi = askAiCanOpen(useAskAiAvailability());
+  const rows = aiShortcutRows({ agent, askAi });
+  const shows = (row: AiShortcutRow) => rows.includes(row);
+
   return (
     <SheetContent>
       <SheetHeader>
@@ -65,10 +74,27 @@ function ShortcutContent() {
               <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ modifiers: ["mod"] }} variant="medium/bright" />
               <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: "enter" }} variant="medium/bright" />
             </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut name={ASK_AGENT_LABEL}>
-              <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ modifiers: ["mod"] }} variant="medium/bright" />
-              <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: TOGGLE_PANEL_SHORTCUT.key }} variant="medium/bright" />
-            </Shortcut>
+            {shows("agent-toggle") && (
+              <Shortcut name={ASK_AGENT_LABEL}>
+                <ShortcutKey
+                  shortcut={{ modifiers: TOGGLE_PANEL_SHORTCUT.modifiers }}
+                  variant="medium/bright"
+                />
+                <ShortcutKey
+                  shortcut={{ key: TOGGLE_PANEL_SHORTCUT.key }}
+                  variant="medium/bright"
+                />
+              </Shortcut>
+            )}
+            {shows("ask-ai") && (
+              <Shortcut name="Ask AI">
+                <ShortcutKey
+                  shortcut={{ modifiers: ASK_AI_SHORTCUT.modifiers }}
+                  variant="medium/bright"
+                />
+                <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: ASK_AI_SHORTCUT.key }} variant="medium/bright" />
+              </Shortcut>
+            )}
             <Shortcut name="Filter">
               <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: "f" }} variant="medium/bright" />
             </Shortcut>
@@ -97,19 +123,23 @@ function ShortcutContent() {
               <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: "h" }} variant="medium/bright" />
             </Shortcut>
           </div>
-          <div className="space-y-3">
-            <Header3>Chat</Header3>
-            <Shortcut name="New chat">
-              <ShortcutKey
-                shortcut={{ modifiers: NEW_CHAT_SHORTCUT.modifiers }}
-                variant="medium/bright"
-              />
-              <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: NEW_CHAT_SHORTCUT.key }} variant="medium/bright" />
-            </Shortcut>
-            <Shortcut name="Close chat">
-              <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: "esc" }} variant="medium/bright" />
-            </Shortcut>
-          </div>
+          {shows("agent-new-chat") && (
+            <div className="space-y-3">
+              <Header3>Chat</Header3>
+              <Shortcut name="New chat">
+                <ShortcutKey
+                  shortcut={{ modifiers: NEW_CHAT_SHORTCUT.modifiers }}
+                  variant="medium/bright"
+                />
+                <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: NEW_CHAT_SHORTCUT.key }} variant="medium/bright" />
+              </Shortcut>
+              {shows("agent-close-chat") && (
+                <Shortcut name="Close chat">
+                  <ShortcutKey shortcut={{ key: "esc" }} variant="medium/bright" />
+                </Shortcut>
+              )}
+            </div>
+          )}
           <div className="space-y-3">
             <Header3>Runs page</Header3>
             <Shortcut name="Bulk action: Cancel runs">
 
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { DashboardAgentHero } from "./DashboardAgentHero";
 import { DashboardAgentMessages, type TurnActivity } from "./DashboardAgentMessages";
 import { MESSAGE_TOO_LARGE_ERROR } from "./message-limits";
 import { createTranscriptOrder, orderTranscript } from "./message-order";
-import { appendRunFilters } from "./navigate-target";
+import { navigateDestination } from "./navigate-target";
 import { pendingNavigateIntents } from "./pending-intents";
 import type { AgentPageContext } from "./page-context-types";
 import { retryAction } from "./retry-action";
@@ -214,9 +214,18 @@ export function DashboardAgentChat({
       body.set("uri", intent.target);
       try {
         const res = await fetch(actionPath, { method: "POST", body });
-        const data = (await res.json()) as { path?: string };
-        if (!res.ok || !data.path) throw new Error(`Resolve failed (${res.status})`);
-        navigate(appendRunFilters(data.path, intent.filters));
+        const data = (await res.json()) as { path?: string; external?: boolean };
+        if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`Resolve failed (${res.status})`);
+        const destination = navigateDestination(data, intent.filters);
+        if (destination.kind === "none") throw new Error("Resolved to nothing routable");
+        if (destination.kind === "route") {
+          navigate(destination.path);
+          return;
+        }
+        // A source file lives on GitHub. The fetch above has already broken the gesture chain,
+        // so a blocked popup falls back to leaving the dashboard rather than doing nothing.
+        const opened = window.open(destination.url, "_blank", "noopener,noreferrer");
+        if (!opened) window.location.assign(destination.url);
       } catch (error) {
         console.error("Dashboard agent: failed to resolve a navigate target", error);
         toast.error("Couldn't open that page.");
 
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
   type DashboardAgentClientData,
   type DashboardAgentSession,
 } from "./DashboardAgentChat";
+import { createCoalescedReload } from "./coalesced-reload";
 import { DashboardAgentDraft } from "./DashboardAgentDraft";
 import type { TurnActivity } from "./DashboardAgentMessages";
 import { DashboardAgentHeader } from "./DashboardAgentHeader";
@@ -125,26 +126,21 @@ export function DashboardAgentPanel({
     );
   }, []);
 
-  const historyInFlight = useRef<Promise<void> | null>(null);
-
-  const loadHistory = useCallback(async () => {
-    if (historyInFlight.current) return historyInFlight.current;
-    const request = (async () => {
-      try {
-        const res = await fetch(actionPath);
-        if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`History request failed (${res.status})`);
-        const data = (await res.json()) as { chats?: DashboardAgentChatListItem[] };
-        setChats(data.chats ?? []);
-      } catch (error) {
-        console.error("Dashboard agent: failed to load chat history", error);
-        toast.error("We couldn't load your previous chats. Try again in a moment.");
-      } finally {
-        historyInFlight.current = null;
-      }
-    })();
-    historyInFlight.current = request;
-    return request;
-  }, [actionPath, toast]);
+  const loadHistory = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      createCoalescedReload(async () => {
+        try {
+          const res = await fetch(actionPath);
+          if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`History request failed (${res.status})`);
+          const data = (await res.json()) as { chats?: DashboardAgentChatListItem[] };
+          setChats(data.chats ?? []);
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error("Dashboard agent: failed to load chat history", error);
+          toast.error("We couldn't load your previous chats. Try again in a moment.");
+        }
+      }),
+    [actionPath, toast]
+  );
 
   // Bumped on each open so a slower earlier open can't overwrite a newer one.
   const openChatRequestSeq = useRef(0);
 
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { hotkeyOptions } from "~/hooks/useShortcutKeys";
-import { LEGACY_ASK_AI_SHORTCUT, TOGGLE_PANEL_SHORTCUT } from "./dashboardAgentLauncher";
+import { ASK_AI_SHORTCUT } from "./ask-ai-channels";
+import { TOGGLE_PANEL_SHORTCUT } from "./dashboardAgentLauncher";
 
 const enabled = { isEnabled: true };
 
@@ -20,9 +21,7 @@ describe("the agent's shortcuts", () => {
   });
 
   it("leaves Cmd-I's default alone", () => {
-    expect(hotkeyOptions({ shortcut: LEGACY_ASK_AI_SHORTCUT, ...enabled }).preventDefault).toBe(
-      false
-    );
+    expect(hotkeyOptions({ shortcut: ASK_AI_SHORTCUT, ...enabled }).preventDefault).toBe(false);
   });
 });
 
 
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { aiMenuEntries, aiShortcutRows } from "./ai-entry-points";
+
+// These prove the decision, not the render: the components map these lists to rows, so a row can
+// still be mislabelled — but it can no longer be shown to someone who cannot use it.
+
+describe("aiMenuEntries", () => {
+  it("offers the agent and Ask AI when the reader has both", () => {
+    expect(aiMenuEntries({ agent: true, askAi: true })).toEqual(["agent", "ask-ai"]);
+  });
+
+  it("offers Ask AI on its own where Kapa is configured and the agent is not available", () => {
+    expect(aiMenuEntries({ agent: false, askAi: true })).toEqual(["ask-ai"]);
+  });
+
+  it("offers the agent on its own where Kapa is not configured", () => {
+    expect(aiMenuEntries({ agent: true, askAi: false })).toEqual(["agent"]);
+  });
+
+  it("offers nothing when neither surface exists", () => {
+    expect(aiMenuEntries({ agent: false, askAi: false })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("aiShortcutRows", () => {
+  it("lists ⌘J's row only for a reader with the agent", () => {
+    expect(aiShortcutRows({ agent: true, askAi: false })).toContain("agent-toggle");
+    expect(aiShortcutRows({ agent: false, askAi: true })).not.toContain("agent-toggle");
+  });
+
+  it("lists ⌘I's row wherever Ask AI can open", () => {
+    expect(aiShortcutRows({ agent: false, askAi: true })).toContain("ask-ai");
+    expect(aiShortcutRows({ agent: true, askAi: true })).toContain("ask-ai");
+    expect(aiShortcutRows({ agent: true, askAi: false })).not.toContain("ask-ai");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the chat rows with the agent that owns them", () => {
+    expect(aiShortcutRows({ agent: true, askAi: true })).toEqual([
+      "agent-toggle",
+      "ask-ai",
+      "agent-new-chat",
+      "agent-close-chat",
+    ]);
+    expect(aiShortcutRows({ agent: false, askAi: false })).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/**
+ * Which AI surfaces the reader can actually use. The agent is gated on access, Ask AI exists
+ * only where Kapa is configured, and all four combinations ship — so neither surface may assume
+ * the other is there, and neither may advertise what the reader cannot reach.
+ */
+export type AiSurfaces = {
+  /** A dashboard-agent host is mounted for this user. */
+  agent: boolean;
+  /** `askAiCanOpen`: managed cloud with a Kapa website id. */
+  askAi: boolean;
+};
+
+export type AiMenuEntry = "agent" | "ask-ai";
+
+/** Help & Feedback offers every AI surface the reader has, and nothing when they have none. */
+export function aiMenuEntries({ agent, askAi }: AiSurfaces): AiMenuEntry[] {
+  const entries: AiMenuEntry[] = [];
+  if (agent) entries.push("agent");
+  if (askAi) entries.push("ask-ai");
+  return entries;
+}
+
+export type AiShortcutRow = "agent-toggle" | "ask-ai" | "agent-new-chat" | "agent-close-chat";
+
+/** The shortcuts sheet lists a keystroke only where its surface registered it. */
+export function aiShortcutRows({ agent, askAi }: AiSurfaces): AiShortcutRow[] {
+  const rows: AiShortcutRow[] = [];
+  if (agent) rows.push("agent-toggle");
+  if (askAi) rows.push("ask-ai");
+  if (agent) rows.push("agent-new-chat", "agent-close-chat");
+  return rows;
+}