diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/LiveActivityManager.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/LiveActivityManager.swift
index e0c137a..4816211 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/LiveActivityManager.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/LiveActivityManager.swift
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ final class LiveActivityManager {
         case .codex, .codexExec: .codex
         case .grok: .grok
         // ACP wrapper agents share the generic "Agent" tag/tint in the Live Activity for now.
-        case .opencode, .hermes, .cursorAgent: .other
+        case .opencode, .openclaw, .hermes, .cursorAgent, .acp: .other
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Models/HostConnection.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Models/HostConnection.swift
index f5da36c..136f7aa 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Models/HostConnection.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Models/HostConnection.swift
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ final class HostConnection {
         var macPairRequested: (WireMacPairRequest) -> Void = { _ in }
         /// The forwarded Mac-pair (by deviceID) was answered/withdrawn — dismiss the prompt.
         var macPairResolved: (String) -> Void = { _ in }
+        /// The outcome of a `createProject` this phone sent (CLOUD_RUNTIME §4.3), correlated by
+        /// requestID — settle the Add Project sheet (the project row rides the dashboard push).
+        var projectCreated: (WireProjectCreated) -> Void = { _ in }
     }
     private let callbacks: Callbacks
 
@@ -640,6 +643,10 @@ final class HostConnection {
         case .macPairResolved(let deviceID, _):
             // Answered on this Mac or another device (or timed out) — dismiss the prompt.
             callbacks.macPairResolved(deviceID)
+        case .projectCreated(let outcome):
+            // The host settled a createProject we sent — hand it up so the Add Project sheet
+            // resolves (success or failure). Correlation by requestID happens in RemoteStore.
+            callbacks.projectCreated(outcome)
         case .intelligenceRequest, .credentialNeeded, .credentialUpdate:
             // Antimatter runner verbs (docs/ANTIMATTER_RUNNER.md §5–6): a runner host delegating
             // intelligence work or asking for / mirroring sealed credentials. Inert here until the
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Models/RemoteStore.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Models/RemoteStore.swift
index e62632e..7841000 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Models/RemoteStore.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Models/RemoteStore.swift
@@ -120,6 +120,22 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
     /// its pairing window.
     private var pairingMintHostID: String?
 
+    /// "Add a project" (Projects tab): the phone asks a connected host advertising
+    /// `canCreateProjects` to clone a git URL and register it (CLOUD_RUNTIME §4.3) — how a
+    /// fresh Antimatter runner gets its first project. The outcome arrives asynchronously as
+    /// `HostMsg.projectCreated`, correlated by the request id below; the project row itself
+    /// rides the dashboard push.
+    enum AddProjectState: Equatable {
+        case idle
+        case creating            // waiting on the host's `projectCreated` reply
+        case created(String)     // success — the new project's display name
+        case failed(String)      // the host's human-readable failure (clone error, bad URL, …)
+    }
+    @Published private(set) var addProject: AddProjectState = .idle
+    /// The in-flight request's id — replies are matched on it, so a late/stale `projectCreated`
+    /// (the user dismissed the sheet and started another) can't settle the wrong request.
+    private var createProjectRequestID: String?
+
     /// A Mac trying to join via a code this phone shared, awaiting the user's allow/deny — the Mac
     /// forwarded its pairing confirm here (`HostMsg.macPairRequested`) so it can be approved from
     /// the phone. The "add a device" sheet renders an allow/deny dialog for it.
@@ -579,6 +595,53 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Handle the host's silent "reconnect" nudge (SYNC_PROTOCOL §3.2): the Mac noticed our LAN link
+    /// drop and is asking us to re-dial over a non-local transport before the connection silently
+    /// goes dark. Called from `PushAppDelegate` on a `content-available` background push, which may
+    /// relaunch the app with no scene, so this does the setup `onAppear` normally would. Re-running
+    /// `reconnect()` walks each host's LAN→tailnet→relay candidate loop — LAN just failed, so it
+    /// lands on tailnet or relay from wherever the phone now is. Holds a background-task assertion
+    /// until a host is live again or the window closes. Best-effort: iOS may deny background runtime
+    /// (budget, force-quit), in which case the reconnect simply happens on the next foreground.
+    func handleReconnectWake(completion: @escaping () -> Void) {
+        guard !demoMode, isPaired else { completion(); return }
+        // A silent wake means we're background (possibly cold-launched with no scene, where
+        // `isForeground`'s default would read stale-true); record that so the reconnect reports
+        // background and the host keeps owning the Live Activity via push-to-start (UX_IOS §5.3).
+        setForegroundState(false)
+        startNetworkingIfNeeded()
+        #if canImport(UIKit)
+        var bgTask: UIBackgroundTaskIdentifier = .invalid
+        var finished = false
+        let finish = {
+            guard !finished else { return }
+            finished = true
+            if bgTask != .invalid {
+                UIApplication.shared.endBackgroundTask(bgTask)
+                bgTask = .invalid
+            }
+            completion()
+        }
+        bgTask = UIApplication.shared.beginBackgroundTask(withName: "nucleic.sync.reconnect") {
+            finish()   // the OS reclaimed the grant before we finished — report what we have
+        }
+        #else
+        let finish = completion
+        #endif
+        pathMonitor.refresh()
+        reconnect()
+        // Poll until at least one host is live again (the dial loop found a working path), or we run
+        // out of background runtime.
+        Task { @MainActor [weak self] in
+            for _ in 0..<50 {   // ~25s at a 0.5s cadence, inside iOS's ~30s background grant
+                guard let self, !self.connections.values.contains(where: { $0.connectivity.isLive })
+                else { break }
+                try? await Task.sleep(for: .milliseconds(500))
+            }
+            finish()
+        }
+    }
+
     private func seedDemo() {
         connectivity = .connected(.lan)
         hostName = "Andrew's Mac"
@@ -887,6 +950,18 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
             self.pendingMacPairRequest = nil
             self.pendingMacPairHostID = nil
         }
+        cb.projectCreated = { [weak self] outcome in
+            guard let self else { return }
+            // Only the reply to the request in flight settles the sheet — a stale one (the user
+            // dismissed and retried, or another device's create) is dropped.
+            guard let pending = self.createProjectRequestID, outcome.requestID == pending else { return }
+            self.createProjectRequestID = nil
+            if let error = outcome.error {
+                self.addProject = .failed(error)
+            } else {
+                self.addProject = .created(outcome.name ?? "Project")
+            }
+        }
         return cb
     }
 
@@ -1290,14 +1365,30 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
 
     // MARK: - Intents (UX_IOS §9)
 
-    func open(_ sessionID: SessionID) {
-        openSessionID = sessionID
+    /// Ownership token for the open-session state: `open()` bumps and returns it, and the detail
+    /// view hands its own back to `closeOpen`. Two detail views for the *same* session can be
+    /// mounted at once — a Live Activity deep link onto an already-open chat pushes a duplicate,
+    /// and a tab switch can remount the open session in another tab's stack. `closeOpen`'s
+    /// session-id guard can't tell those copies apart, so without the token the covered copy's
+    /// teardown would wipe the state the copy on screen is using (blank transcript, dead
+    /// subscription, tab bar restored over the chat bar).
+    private var openGeneration = 0
+
+    @discardableResult
+    func open(_ sessionID: SessionID) -> Int {
+        openGeneration += 1
         // Hide the compact shell's floating tab bar the instant a session view opens — from *any*
         // entry point (Sessions, Home, Projects, a notification tap), since every one funnels
         // through here. Tied to the session view opening rather than the Sessions list being
         // navigated away from, so the bar slides out even when the chat wasn't launched from that
         // list. `SessionsView` still clears it early on back-swipe for a responsive re-show.
         compactDetailPresented = true
+        markOpened(sessionID)
+        // A second mount of the already-open session (see `openGeneration`): the transcript,
+        // approvals, and wire subscription are live and already this session's — keep them,
+        // don't wipe and reload. The new mount just takes ownership via the fresh generation.
+        guard openSessionID != sessionID else { return openGeneration }
+        openSessionID = sessionID
         // Record which Mac owns this session (mesh P3) so its connection forwards the transcript and
         // the host-specific projected values follow it.
         openSessionHostID = connection(owningSession: sessionID)?.hostID
@@ -1306,8 +1397,7 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
         openApprovals = []
         openDiff = nil
         diffLoading = false
-        markOpened(sessionID)
-        if demoMode { seedDemoTranscript(sessionID); return }
+        if demoMode { seedDemoTranscript(sessionID); return openGeneration }
         // Seed from the on-device cache so the transcript shows instantly — including fully offline,
         // where the subscribe below is a no-op. Live events merge on top by seq (dedup).
         loadCachedTranscript(sessionID)
@@ -1319,6 +1409,7 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
         // Pull the full history too — the subscribe above only returns a 200-event tail, so without
         // this the transcript would start at the connection point with no events from before it.
         connection(owningSession: sessionID)?.fetchFullTranscript(sessionID)
+        return openGeneration
     }
 
     /// Bind the open session to its owning Mac once that Mac is live — the deferred half of `open()`
@@ -1400,6 +1491,49 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
     /// A stand-in join code for the offline demo so the QR/copy sheet renders without a Mac.
     private static let demoPairingCode = "nucleic://pair?d=demo"
 
+    // MARK: - Add a project (CLOUD_RUNTIME §4.3)
+
+    /// Hosts that can register a project right now (live + advertising `canCreateProjects`) —
+    /// the Add Project sheet's destination picker. Name-sorted for a stable picker.
+    var projectCreationHosts: [(hostID: String, name: String)] {
+        connections.values
+            .filter { $0.connectivity.isLive && $0.capabilities.canCreateProjects }
+            .map { ($0.hostID, $0.hostName) }
+            .sorted { $0.name < $1.name }
+    }
+
+    /// Whether the Add Project affordance should appear: a capable host is reachable (or demo).
+    var canCreateProject: Bool { demoMode || !projectCreationHosts.isEmpty }
+
+    /// Ask `hostID` (or the first capable host) to clone `gitURL` and register it as a project.
+    /// The outcome arrives asynchronously as `.created`/`.failed` via the host connection; the
+    /// new project row follows on the dashboard push.
+    func createProject(gitURL: String, name: String?, branch: String?, onHost hostID: String?) {
+        if demoMode {
+            addProject = .created(name?.isEmpty == false ? name! : "Project")
+            return
+        }
+        let conn = hostID.flatMap { connections[$0] }
+            ?? connections.values.first { $0.connectivity.isLive && $0.capabilities.canCreateProjects }
+        guard let conn, conn.connectivity.isLive, conn.capabilities.canCreateProjects else {
+            addProject = .failed("No connected host can add projects right now.")
+            return
+        }
+        let requestID = UUID().uuidString
+        createProjectRequestID = requestID
+        addProject = .creating
+        conn.send(.createProject(WireCreateProjectRequest(
+            gitURL: gitURL, branch: branch?.isEmpty == false ? branch : nil,
+            name: name?.isEmpty == false ? name : nil, requestID: requestID)))
+    }
+
+    /// The Add Project sheet closed — drop any in-flight correlation (a late reply is ignored)
+    /// and reset the state for the next open.
+    func resetAddProject() {
+        createProjectRequestID = nil
+        addProject = .idle
+    }
+
     /// Record that the user looked at this session now (clears its unseen-completion wash).
     func markOpened(_ sessionID: SessionID) {
         lastOpenedAt[sessionID] = Date()
@@ -1466,8 +1600,22 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
     /// unsubscribe the named session but only tear down the shared open-state when it still
     /// belongs to that session — otherwise we'd wipe B's freshly-loaded transcript. Called with
     /// no argument it closes whatever is currently open (the iPhone push/pop path, unchanged).
-    func closeOpen(_ id: SessionID? = nil) {
+    ///
+    /// `token` is the value the closing view got from its `open()` call. A stale token means
+    /// another detail has since taken ownership — possibly of the *same* session (a Live Activity
+    /// deep link onto the already-open chat mounts a duplicate detail): then even the unsubscribe
+    /// must be skipped, because the wire subscription now belongs to the copy still on screen.
+    func closeOpen(_ id: SessionID? = nil, token: Int? = nil) {
         guard let target = id ?? openSessionID else { return }
+        if let token, token != openGeneration {
+            // Stale mount unmounting after a newer `open()`. Same session: everything belongs to
+            // the current owner — full no-op. Different session (the iPad A→B switch): it still
+            // unsubscribes itself, exactly as before.
+            guard target != openSessionID else { return }
+            send(.unsubscribe(target))
+            markOpened(target)
+            return
+        }
         send(.unsubscribe(target))
         markOpened(target)  // everything up to now has been seen
         guard openSessionID == target else { return }
@@ -1504,10 +1652,12 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
         openApprovals.removeAll { $0.id == approval.id }  // optimistic dismiss; host confirms
     }
 
-    func sendInput(_ text: String, to sessionID: SessionID) {
+    func sendInput(_ text: String, attachments: [WireAttachment] = [], to sessionID: SessionID) {
         let trimmed = text.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines)
-        guard !trimmed.isEmpty else { return }
-        send(.sendInput(sessionID, AgentInput(text: trimmed)))
+        // An attachment-only follow-up (files, no typed text) is a valid turn — the host folds the
+        // file references in as the message body.
+        guard !trimmed.isEmpty || !attachments.isEmpty else { return }
+        send(.sendInput(sessionID, AgentInput(text: trimmed, attachments: attachments)))
     }
 
     func refreshSessions() { send(.listSessions); send(.listDashboard) }
@@ -1516,12 +1666,15 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
 
     func startChat(in projectID: ProjectID, message: String, model: String? = nil,
                    effort: String? = nil, baseBranch: String? = nil,
-                   useWorktree: Bool = true, auto: Bool? = nil) {
+                   useWorktree: Bool = true, auto: Bool? = nil,
+                   attachments: [WireAttachment] = []) {
         let text = message.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines)
-        guard !text.isEmpty else { return }
+        // An attachment-only opening message is allowed — the host materializes the files into the
+        // new working tree and uses their references as the first prompt.
+        guard !text.isEmpty || !attachments.isEmpty else { return }
         send(.startChat(StartChatRequest(
             projectID: projectID, message: text, model: model, effort: effort,
-            baseBranch: baseBranch, useWorktree: useWorktree, auto: auto)))
+            baseBranch: baseBranch, useWorktree: useWorktree, auto: auto, attachments: attachments)))
     }
 
     func captureTodo(_ text: String, projectID: ProjectID?) {
@@ -1674,11 +1827,13 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
         // `requestPairingCode()`/`cancelPairingCode()`, not through this owner-routing switch.
         // The runner verbs (intelligence results, credential mesh — ANTIMATTER_RUNNER §5–6) will
         // ride their own executor/vault loops when the phone side lands; nothing routes them here.
+        // `createProject` (CLOUD_RUNTIME §4.3) will go straight to a user-chosen host when the
+        // phone grows that UI — a brand-new project has no owner to route by.
         case .hello, .ping, .listPeers, .addressUpdate, .meshRoster,
              .registerLiveActivity, .endLiveActivity, .registerPushToStartToken, .setForeground,
              .transferOffer, .transferChunk, .transferCommit, .transferCancel, .fetchTranscript,
              .requestPairingCode, .cancelPairingCode, .respondMacPair,
-             .intelligenceResult, .credentialManifest, .credentialProvision:
+             .intelligenceResult, .credentialManifest, .credentialProvision, .createProject:
             break
         }
     }
@@ -1867,7 +2022,9 @@ final class RemoteStore: ObservableObject {
              // the demo path short-circuits in `requestPairingCode()` with a stand-in code.
              .requestPairingCode, .cancelPairingCode, .respondMacPair,
              // Antimatter runner verbs (ANTIMATTER_RUNNER §5–6) — demo has no runner host.
-             .intelligenceResult, .credentialManifest, .credentialProvision:
+             .intelligenceResult, .credentialManifest, .credentialProvision,
+             // Remote project creation (CLOUD_RUNTIME §4.3) — demo has no host to clone on.
+             .createProject:
             break  // passive / already handled by the seeded fixtures (demo has no mesh peers)
         }
     }
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/PushRegistrar.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/PushRegistrar.swift
index 1e9e16a..7381eb8 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/PushRegistrar.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/PushRegistrar.swift
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ final class PushAppDelegate: NSObject, UIApplicationDelegate {
         // Best-effort: no token → the phone still works on LAN, just no remote wake.
     }
 
-    /// Silent pushes (content-available). Two kinds route here:
+    /// Silent pushes (content-available). Three kinds route here:
     /// - `clear`: recall the "waiting for your approval" tickle once the approval is resolved on
     ///   another device — wake briefly to withdraw the stale notification.
     /// - `adopt`: a Mac push-started a Live Activity while the app was closed; come online long
@@ -54,6 +54,9 @@ final class PushAppDelegate: NSObject, UIApplicationDelegate {
     ///   resume without the user opening the app (UX_IOS §5.3). This one holds the completion handler
     ///   until the token is registered (or the background window closes), so the process isn't
     ///   suspended mid-connect.
+    /// - `reconnect`: the Mac noticed our LAN link drop and is nudging us to re-dial over a non-local
+    ///   transport (tailnet/relay). Come online long enough to re-run the candidate loop so the
+    ///   connection follows the phone off-LAN without the user opening the app (SYNC_PROTOCOL §3.2).
     /// Other pushes (e.g. the approval wake tickle, which is an alert) don't route here.
     func application(
         _ application: UIApplication,
@@ -68,6 +71,14 @@ final class PushAppDelegate: NSObject, UIApplicationDelegate {
             }
             return
         }
+        if userInfo["reconnect"] != nil {
+            // The store holds its own background-task assertion while it re-dials; report .newData
+            // once a link is back up (or the background window closed).
+            Task { @MainActor in
+                RemoteStore.shared.handleReconnectWake { completionHandler(.newData) }
+            }
+            return
+        }
         if userInfo["clear"] != nil {
             // Fire-and-forget on the main actor (NotificationRouter is @MainActor); the removal is a
             // quick UNUserNotificationCenter call, so we can report .noData right away.
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Composer.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Composer.swift
index 843dbef..aae3fcd 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Composer.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Composer.swift
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
     @State private var showOptions = false
     @State private var baseBranch = ""
     @State private var useWorktree = true
+    // Files/images attached to the opening message (see `ComposerAttachments`) — shipped as bytes
+    // and materialized into the new session's working tree host-side.
+    @State private var attachments: [StagedAttachment] = []
+    @State private var attachmentsOverflowed = false
 
     private var projects: [WireProject] { store.dashboard.projects }
     /// The picker defaults to "No project" (nil) rather than auto-selecting the first project, so a
@@ -106,7 +110,18 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
                 }
                 .transition(.move(edge: .top).combined(with: .opacity))
             }
+            // Staged attachments ride above the field, matching the in-session composer.
+            if !attachments.isEmpty {
+                StagedAttachmentBar(attachments: $attachments)
+            }
+            if attachmentsOverflowed {
+                Text("Some files were too large to attach.")
+                    .font(.caption2).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                    .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+            }
             HStack(alignment: .bottom, spacing: 8) {
+                // Attach photos/files to the opening message.
+                AttachMenuButton(attachments: $attachments, overflowed: $attachmentsOverflowed)
                 // Plain, borderless field — matching the open session's chat bar rather than a
                 // boxed form control.
                 TextField("Describe a task…", text: $draft, axis: .vertical)
@@ -121,14 +136,18 @@ struct StartChatComposer: View {
                         store.startChat(
                             in: project.id, message: draft, model: model, effort: effort,
                             baseBranch: branch.isEmpty ? nil : branch,
-                            useWorktree: useWorktree, auto: effectiveAuto)
+                            useWorktree: useWorktree, auto: effectiveAuto,
+                            attachments: attachments.wireAttachments)
                         draft = ""
+                        attachments = []
+                        attachmentsOverflowed = false
                         onStart?()
                     }
                 } label: {
                     Image(systemName: "arrow.up.circle.fill").font(.title)
                 }
-                .disabled(selected == nil || draft.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces).isEmpty || !store.canControl)
+                // An attachment-only opening message is allowed (a project must still be chosen).
+                .disabled(selected == nil || (draft.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces).isEmpty && attachments.isEmpty) || !store.canControl)
                 .keyboardShortcut(.return, modifiers: .command)
             }
             if !store.canControl {
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/ComposerAttachments.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/ComposerAttachments.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4a50880
--- /dev/null
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/ComposerAttachments.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,213 @@
+import SwiftUI
+import PhotosUI
+import UniformTypeIdentifiers
+import NucleicProtocol
+
+/// A file or image the user has staged in a composer but not yet sent. Holds the (already
+/// compressed, for images) bytes plus a display name and, when it's an image, a small preview for
+/// the chip. Converted to a `WireAttachment` at send time and shipped to the host, which
+/// materializes it into the session's working tree (see `AttachmentMaterializer`). The phone can't
+/// reach the host's tree, so it carries the bytes itself.
+struct StagedAttachment: Identifiable, Equatable {
+    let id = UUID()
+    var filename: String
+    var data: Data
+    /// A downscaled preview for the chip; `nil` for non-image files (they show a doc glyph).
+    var thumbnail: UIImage?
+
+    var wire: WireAttachment { WireAttachment(filename: filename, data: data) }
+
+    static func == (lhs: StagedAttachment, rhs: StagedAttachment) -> Bool { lhs.id == rhs.id }
+}
+
+extension Array where Element == StagedAttachment {
+    /// The wire form to hand to `RemoteStore.sendInput` / `startChat`.
+    var wireAttachments: [WireAttachment] { map(\.wire) }
+    var totalBytes: Int { reduce(0) { $0 + $1.data.count } }
+}
+
+/// Staging helpers: turn picked photos / documents into `StagedAttachment`s, compressing images so
+/// a phone photo (often 5–15 MB) rides the wire comfortably under the 16 MB frame cap.
+enum ComposerAttachmentLoader {
+    /// Longest edge an attached image is scaled down to before sending — keeps big camera-roll
+    /// shots small while staying legible when the agent reads them.
+    static let maxImageDimension: CGFloat = 2048
+    /// A soft ceiling on the combined size of one message's attachments, leaving headroom under the
+    /// wire frame limit (`WireFraming.maxFrameSize`, 16 MB) for the rest of the envelope.
+    static let maxTotalBytes = 12 * 1024 * 1024
+
+    /// Load and compress picked photo-library items into staged image attachments. Runs off the main
+    /// actor (decoding/encoding is heavy); returns in pick order, skipping any that fail to load.
+    static func stage(photoItems items: [PhotosPickerItem]) async -> [StagedAttachment] {
+        var staged: [StagedAttachment] = []
+        for (index, item) in items.enumerated() {
+            guard let data = try? await item.loadTransferable(type: Data.self),
+                  let attachment = stageImageData(data, index: index) else { continue }
+            staged.append(attachment)
+        }
+        return staged
+    }
+
+    /// Load picked documents into staged attachments (images are compressed like photos; other file
+    /// types pass through verbatim). Reads each URL under its security scope.
+    static func stage(fileURLs urls: [URL]) -> [StagedAttachment] {
+        var staged: [StagedAttachment] = []
+        for (index, url) in urls.enumerated() {
+            let scoped = url.startAccessingSecurityScopedResource()
+            defer { if scoped { url.stopAccessingSecurityScopedResource() } }
+            guard let data = try? Data(contentsOf: url) else { continue }
+            let name = url.lastPathComponent
+            if let image = stageImageData(data, index: index, preferredName: name) {
+                staged.append(image)
+            } else {
+                staged.append(StagedAttachment(filename: name, data: data, thumbnail: nil))
+            }
+        }
+        return staged
+    }
+
+    /// Compress image bytes (downscale to `maxImageDimension`, re-encode as JPEG) into a staged
+    /// attachment with a thumbnail. Returns `nil` if the bytes aren't a decodable image, so callers
+    /// can fall back to shipping the file verbatim.
+    private static func stageImageData(
+        _ data: Data, index: Int, preferredName: String? = nil
+    ) -> StagedAttachment? {
+        guard let image = UIImage(data: data) else { return nil }
+        let scaled = downscale(image, maxDimension: maxImageDimension)
+        guard let jpeg = scaled.jpegData(compressionQuality: 0.8) else { return nil }
+        // Keep the picked file's name when we have one (retargeted to .jpg since we re-encoded);
+        // photo-library items carry no filename, so synthesize a stable, unique one.
+        let base = preferredName.map { ($0 as NSString).deletingPathExtension } ?? "image-\(shortToken())"
+        return StagedAttachment(filename: "\(base).jpg", data: jpeg, thumbnail: scaled)
+    }
+
+    /// Scale `image` down so its longest edge is at most `maxDimension`, preserving aspect ratio.
+    /// Returns the image untouched if it's already small enough.
+    private static func downscale(_ image: UIImage, maxDimension: CGFloat) -> UIImage {
+        let longest = max(image.size.width, image.size.height)
+        guard longest > maxDimension, longest > 0 else { return image }
+        let scale = maxDimension / longest
+        let target = CGSize(width: image.size.width * scale, height: image.size.height * scale)
+        let format = UIGraphicsImageRendererFormat.default()
+        format.scale = 1  // target is already in pixels; don't multiply by screen scale
+        let renderer = UIGraphicsImageRenderer(size: target, format: format)
+        return renderer.image { _ in image.draw(in: CGRect(origin: .zero, size: target)) }
+    }
+
+    private static func shortToken() -> String { String(UUID().uuidString.prefix(8)).lowercased() }
+}
+
+/// The paperclip button: a menu offering Photos (PhotosPicker) or Files (document picker), each
+/// appending compressed/verbatim attachments to `attachments`. Shows a spinner while staging.
+struct AttachMenuButton: View {
+    @Binding var attachments: [StagedAttachment]
+    /// Surfaced to the parent so it can show a note when an add is refused for exceeding the cap.
+    @Binding var overflowed: Bool
+    var tint: Color = Palette.accent
+
+    @State private var photoItems: [PhotosPickerItem] = []
+    @State private var showPhotos = false
+    @State private var showFiles = false
+    @State private var staging = false
+
+    var body: some View {
+        Menu {
+            Button { showPhotos = true } label: { Label("Photos", systemImage: "photo") }
+            Button { showFiles = true } label: { Label("Files", systemImage: "folder") }
+        } label: {
+            if staging {
+                ProgressView().controlSize(.small).frame(width: 24, height: 24)
+            } else {
+                Image(systemName: "paperclip")
+                    .font(.title3)
+                    .foregroundStyle(tint)
+                    .frame(width: 24, height: 24)
+            }
+        }
+        .disabled(staging)
+        .accessibilityLabel("Attach")
+        .photosPicker(
+            isPresented: $showPhotos, selection: $photoItems,
+            maxSelectionCount: 10, matching: .images)
+        .fileImporter(
+            isPresented: $showFiles, allowedContentTypes: [.item], allowsMultipleSelection: true
+        ) { result in
+            guard case .success(let urls) = result else { return }
+            append(ComposerAttachmentLoader.stage(fileURLs: urls))
+        }
+        .onChange(of: photoItems) { _, items in
+            guard !items.isEmpty else { return }
+            staging = true
+            Task {
+                let staged = await ComposerAttachmentLoader.stage(photoItems: items)
+                await MainActor.run {
+                    append(staged)
+                    photoItems = []
+                    staging = false
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Append newly staged items, dropping any that would push the message over the total-size cap
+    /// (and flagging `overflowed` so the composer can say so).
+    private func append(_ staged: [StagedAttachment]) {
+        var running = attachments.totalBytes
+        for item in staged {
+            if running + item.data.count > ComposerAttachmentLoader.maxTotalBytes {
+                overflowed = true
+                continue
+            }
+            running += item.data.count
+            attachments.append(item)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// The horizontal strip of staged-attachment chips shown above a composer's text field. Image
+/// attachments show a thumbnail; other files show a doc glyph. Each chip has a remove button.
+struct StagedAttachmentBar: View {
+    @Binding var attachments: [StagedAttachment]
+
+    var body: some View {
+        ScrollView(.horizontal, showsIndicators: false) {
+            HStack(spacing: 8) {
+                ForEach(attachments) { attachment in
+                    chip(attachment)
+                }
+            }
+            .padding(.vertical, 2)
+        }
+    }
+
+    @ViewBuilder
+    private func chip(_ attachment: StagedAttachment) -> some View {
+        HStack(spacing: 6) {
+            if let thumbnail = attachment.thumbnail {
+                Image(uiImage: thumbnail)
+                    .resizable()
+                    .aspectRatio(contentMode: .fill)
+                    .frame(width: 28, height: 28)
+                    .clipShape(.rect(cornerRadius: 5))
+            } else {
+                Image(systemName: "doc")
+                    .font(.footnote)
+                    .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                    .frame(width: 28, height: 28)
+            }
+            Text(attachment.filename)
+                .font(.caption2)
+                .lineLimit(1)
+                .truncationMode(.middle)
+                .frame(maxWidth: 120)
+            Button {
+                attachments.removeAll { $0.id == attachment.id }
+            } label: {
+                Image(systemName: "xmark.circle.fill").foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+            }
+            .buttonStyle(.plain)
+        }
+        .padding(.leading, 4).padding(.trailing, 6).padding(.vertical, 4)
+        .background(.quaternary.opacity(0.5), in: .capsule)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/ProjectsView.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/ProjectsView.swift
index 23f85e9..49b6983 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/ProjectsView.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/ProjectsView.swift
@@ -5,13 +5,23 @@ import NucleicProtocol
 /// counts; tap through to that project's sessions + a scoped composer.
 struct ProjectsView: View {
     @EnvironmentObject var store: RemoteStore
+    @State private var showAddProject = false
 
     var body: some View {
         NavigationStack {
             Group {
                 if store.dashboard.projects.isEmpty {
-                    ContentUnavailableView("No projects", systemImage: "folder",
-                        description: Text("Add a project on the Mac to see it here."))
+                    ContentUnavailableView {
+                        Label("No projects", systemImage: "folder")
+                    } description: {
+                        Text(store.canCreateProject
+                            ? "Add a project here, or on the Mac."
+                            : "Add a project on the Mac to see it here.")
+                    } actions: {
+                        if store.canCreateProject {
+                            Button("Add Project") { showAddProject = true }
+                        }
+                    }
                 } else {
                     List(store.dashboard.projects) { project in
                         NavigationLink {
@@ -40,10 +50,107 @@ struct ProjectsView: View {
             }
             .navigationTitle("Projects")
             .refreshable { store.refreshSessions() }
+            .toolbar {
+                // "Add a project" (CLOUD_RUNTIME §4.3): clone a git URL on a connected host —
+                // how a fresh Antimatter runner gets its first project. Hidden when no live
+                // host advertises `canCreateProjects` (an older Mac would reject the verb).
+                if store.canCreateProject {
+                    ToolbarItem(placement: .primaryAction) {
+                        Button { showAddProject = true } label: {
+                            Label("Add Project", systemImage: "plus")
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            .sheet(isPresented: $showAddProject) {
+                AddProjectSheet()
+            }
         }
     }
 }
 
+/// Clone-and-register a project on a connected host: git URL (+ optional name/branch) and,
+/// with more than one capable host, a destination picker. The request settles asynchronously
+/// (`RemoteStore.addProject`); the sheet shows progress, the failure message, or dismisses on
+/// success — the new project row arrives via the dashboard push.
+private struct AddProjectSheet: View {
+    @EnvironmentObject var store: RemoteStore
+    @Environment(\.dismiss) private var dismiss
+    @State private var gitURL = ""
+    @State private var name = ""
+    @State private var branch = ""
+    @State private var hostID: String?
+
+    private var hosts: [(hostID: String, name: String)] { store.projectCreationHosts }
+    private var creating: Bool { store.addProject == .creating }
+    private var canSubmit: Bool {
+        !gitURL.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines).isEmpty && !creating
+    }
+
+    var body: some View {
+        NavigationStack {
+            Form {
+                Section {
+                    TextField("Git URL", text: $gitURL, prompt: Text("https://github.com/you/repo"))
+                        .textContentType(.URL)
+                        .keyboardType(.URL)
+                        .textInputAutocapitalization(.never)
+                        .autocorrectionDisabled()
+                } footer: {
+                    Text("The host clones this repository and manages the checkout itself.")
+                }
+                Section("Options") {
+                    TextField("Name (optional)", text: $name)
+                    TextField("Branch (optional)", text: $branch)
+                        .textInputAutocapitalization(.never)
+                        .autocorrectionDisabled()
+                }
+                if hosts.count > 1 {
+                    Section("Create on") {
+                        Picker("Host", selection: $hostID) {
+                            ForEach(hosts, id: \.hostID) { host in
+                                Text(host.name).tag(Optional(host.hostID))
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+                if case .failed(let message) = store.addProject {
+                    Section {
+                        Label(message, systemImage: "exclamationmark.triangle")
+                            .foregroundStyle(.red)
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            .navigationTitle("Add Project")
+            .navigationBarTitleDisplayMode(.inline)
+            .interactiveDismissDisabled(creating)
+            .toolbar {
+                ToolbarItem(placement: .cancellationAction) {
+                    Button("Cancel") { dismiss() }.disabled(creating)
+                }
+                ToolbarItem(placement: .confirmationAction) {
+                    if creating {
+                        ProgressView()
+                    } else {
+                        Button("Create") {
+                            store.createProject(
+                                gitURL: gitURL.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines),
+                                name: name, branch: branch, onHost: hostID)
+                        }
+                        .disabled(!canSubmit)
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            .onAppear { if hostID == nil { hostID = hosts.first?.hostID } }
+            .onChange(of: store.addProject) { _, state in
+                if case .created = state { dismiss() }
+            }
+            .onDisappear { store.resetAddProject() }
+        }
+        .presentationDetents([.medium])
+    }
+}
+
 struct ProjectDetailView: View {
     @EnvironmentObject var store: RemoteStore
     @Environment(\.horizontalSizeClass) private var sizeClass
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/SessionDetailView.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/SessionDetailView.swift
index ea3f2e1..81e6278 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/SessionDetailView.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/SessionDetailView.swift
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ struct SessionDetailView: View {
     // matching NUCLEIC_TAB / NUCLEIC_DEMO_SESSION.
     @State private var showDiff = ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["NUCLEIC_DETAIL_TAB"] == "1"
     @State private var draft = ""
+    // Files/images staged for the next follow-up (see `ComposerAttachments`); shipped as bytes and
+    // materialized into the session's working tree host-side. `attachmentsOverflowed` flags a pick
+    // refused for exceeding the per-message size cap.
+    @State private var attachments: [StagedAttachment] = []
+    @State private var attachmentsOverflowed = false
     @State private var showRename = false
     @State private var renameDraft = ""
     @State private var showIntegrate = false
@@ -25,6 +30,11 @@ struct SessionDetailView: View {
     // itself to the screen: a long host command or a long list of options must never grow the card
     // past the screen edge and push its Allow/Deny (or Submit) buttons out of reach.
     @State private var availableHeight: CGFloat = 0
+    // This mount's claim on the store's open-session state (`RemoteStore.openGeneration`). Two
+    // details for the same session can be mounted at once (a Live Activity deep link onto the
+    // already-open chat); the token lets `closeOpen` ignore the covered copy's teardown instead
+    // of wiping the transcript the visible copy is showing.
+    @State private var openToken = 0
 
     private var summary: WireSessionSummary? {
         store.sessions.first { $0.sessionID == sessionID }
@@ -78,10 +88,11 @@ struct SessionDetailView: View {
                     Button("Discard", role: .destructive) { store.discard(sessionID) }
                     Button("Cancel", role: .cancel) {}
                 }
-                .onAppear { store.open(sessionID) }
-                // Pass our own id so an iPad split-view A→B switch (which may mount B before A
-                // disappears) unsubscribes A without tearing down B's just-opened state.
-                .onDisappear { store.closeOpen(sessionID) }
+                .onAppear { openToken = store.open(sessionID) }
+                // Pass our own id + token so an iPad split-view A→B switch (which may mount B
+                // before A disappears) unsubscribes A without tearing down B's just-opened state —
+                // and so a covered duplicate of the *same* session tears down nothing at all.
+                .onDisappear { store.closeOpen(sessionID, token: openToken) }
                 .background { interruptShortcut }
                 // Publish the parent-determined height to the cards. `initial: true` seeds it on the
                 // first layout; it refreshes if the container resizes (rotation, keyboard, iPad split
@@ -398,7 +409,24 @@ struct SessionDetailView: View {
                         }
                         if store.canControl, let summary { controlRow(summary) }
                         if canCompose {
+                            // Staged attachments ride above the field, matching the queued-message
+                            // chips and the Mac composer.
+                            if !attachments.isEmpty {
+                                StagedAttachmentBar(attachments: $attachments)
+                            }
+                            if attachmentsOverflowed {
+                                Text("Some files were too large to attach.")
+                                    .font(.caption2).foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                                    .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+                            }
                             HStack(alignment: .bottom, spacing: 8) {
+                                // Attach photos/files to the next turn (control scope only — a
+                                // view-only device can't send).
+                                if store.canControl {
+                                    AttachMenuButton(
+                                        attachments: $attachments, overflowed: $attachmentsOverflowed)
+                                        .disabled(!store.connectivity.isLive)
+                                }
                                 // No keyboard-accessory Done button here (it floats awkwardly
                                 // over the glass bar on iOS 26) — a drag on the transcript
                                 // dismisses the keyboard instead (`scrollDismissesKeyboard`).
@@ -420,14 +448,18 @@ struct SessionDetailView: View {
                                     .accessibilityLabel("Stop")
                                 }
                                 Button {
-                                    store.sendInput(draft, to: sessionID)
+                                    store.sendInput(draft, attachments: attachments.wireAttachments,
+                                                    to: sessionID)
                                     draft = ""
+                                    attachments = []
+                                    attachmentsOverflowed = false
                                     scrollToBottomRequest += 1
                                 } label: {
-                                    Image(systemName: running ? "clock.arrow.circlepath" : "arrow.up.circle.fill")
+                                    Image(systemName: "arrow.up.circle.fill")
                                         .font(.title2)
                                 }
-                                .disabled(draft.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces).isEmpty || !store.connectivity.isLive)
+                                // An attachment-only follow-up (files, no typed text) is sendable.
+                                .disabled((draft.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces).isEmpty && attachments.isEmpty) || !store.connectivity.isLive)
                                 // Hardware-keyboard send (Magic Keyboard on iPad), mirroring the
                                 // Mac — plain Return stays newline in the multiline field.
                                 .keyboardShortcut(.return, modifiers: .command)
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/SessionsView.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/SessionsView.swift
index 9b6ef9d..ad9694a 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/SessionsView.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/SessionsView.swift
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 import SwiftUI
 import NucleicProtocol
 
-/// Attention-first home (UX_IOS §3): NEEDS YOU pinned at top, then RUNNING, then DONE. Archived
-/// chats are hidden (matching the Mac sidebar); disposition splits "needs you" from "done".
+/// Attention-first home (UX_IOS §3): NEEDS YOU pinned at top, then RUNNING, then DONE, then a
+/// collapsible ARCHIVED group at the bottom (mirrors the Mac sidebar); disposition splits "needs
+/// you" from "done".
 struct SessionsView: View {
     @EnvironmentObject var store: RemoteStore
-    @State private var showArchived = false
-    @State private var path = NavigationPath()
+    @State private var archivedExpanded = false
+    // Typed (not `NavigationPath`) so `consumeRoute` can see what's already pushed — a deep link
+    // to the session on top must land on it, not stack a duplicate detail over it.
+    @State private var path: [SessionID] = []
 
     private var grouped: [(title: String, rows: [WireSessionSummary])] {
-        let pool = (showArchived ? store.sessions : store.liveSessions)
+        let pool = store.liveSessions
             .sorted(by: StatusStyle.attentionThenRecency)
         // One pass, first bucket wins — the old `done = pool.filter { !needs.contains($0) … }`
         // ran O(rows²) full-summary equality scans on every body evaluation.
@@ -23,10 +26,17 @@ struct SessionsView: View {
         return [("Needs you", needs), ("Running", running), ("Done", done)].filter { !$0.rows.isEmpty }
     }
 
+    /// Archived chats, shown in their own collapsible section below "Done". These are excluded
+    /// from `liveSessions` (and therefore from `grouped`), so they can only appear here.
+    private var archivedSessions: [WireSessionSummary] {
+        store.sessions.filter { $0.archived }
+            .sorted(by: StatusStyle.attentionThenRecency)
+    }
+
     var body: some View {
         NavigationStack(path: $path) {
             Group {
-                if store.liveSessions.isEmpty && !showArchived {
+                if store.liveSessions.isEmpty && archivedSessions.isEmpty {
                     ContentUnavailableView(
                         "No sessions", systemImage: "square.stack.3d.up",
                         description: Text(store.connectivity.isLive
@@ -54,29 +64,33 @@ struct SessionsView: View {
                         ForEach(grouped, id: \.title) { group in
                             Section(group.title.uppercased()) {
                                 ForEach(group.rows, id: \.sessionID) { summary in
-                                    NavigationLink(value: summary.sessionID) {
-                                        SessionRow(summary: summary)
-                                    }
-                                    .listRowBackground(SessionRowWash(summary: summary))
-                                    .swipeActions(edge: .leading) {
-                                        Button {
-                                            store.setFavorite(summary.sessionID, !summary.favorite)
-                                        } label: {
-                                            Label("Favorite", systemImage: summary.favorite ? "star.slash" : "star.fill")
-                                        }.tint(.yellow)
-                                    }
-                                    .swipeActions(edge: .trailing) {
-                                        Button(role: .destructive) {
-                                            store.deleteSession(summary.sessionID)
-                                        } label: { Label("Delete", systemImage: "trash") }
-                                        Button {
-                                            store.setArchived(summary.sessionID, !summary.archived)
-                                        } label: {
-                                            Label(summary.archived ? "Unarchive" : "Archive",
-                                                  systemImage: summary.archived ? "tray.and.arrow.up" : "archivebox")
-                                        }.tint(.gray)
+                                    sessionRow(summary)
+                                }
+                            }
+                        }
+                        // Archived chats live in their own collapsible section, pinned below
+                        // "Done" (mirrors the Mac sidebar's "Archived Projects" group).
+                        if !archivedSessions.isEmpty {
+                            Section {
+                                if archivedExpanded {
+                                    ForEach(archivedSessions, id: \.sessionID) { summary in
+                                        sessionRow(summary)
                                     }
                                 }
+                            } header: {
+                                Button {
+                                    withAnimation(.easeInOut(duration: 0.22)) { archivedExpanded.toggle() }
+                                } label: {
+                                    HStack(spacing: 6) {
+                                        Text("Archived (\(archivedSessions.count))")
+                                        Spacer(minLength: 0)
+                                        Image(systemName: "chevron.right")
+                                            .font(.caption2.weight(.semibold))
+                                            .rotationEffect(.degrees(archivedExpanded ? 90 : 0))
+                                    }
+                                    .contentShape(Rectangle())
+                                }
+                                .buttonStyle(.plain)
                             }
                         }
                     }
@@ -113,10 +127,42 @@ struct SessionsView: View {
         }
     }
 
+    /// One tappable session row with its favorite / delete / archive swipe actions. Shared by
+    /// the live sections (Needs you / Running / Done) and the collapsible Archived section.
+    @ViewBuilder
+    private func sessionRow(_ summary: WireSessionSummary) -> some View {
+        NavigationLink(value: summary.sessionID) {
+            SessionRow(summary: summary)
+        }
+        .listRowBackground(SessionRowWash(summary: summary))
+        .swipeActions(edge: .leading) {
+            Button {
+                store.setFavorite(summary.sessionID, !summary.favorite)
+            } label: {
+                Label("Favorite", systemImage: summary.favorite ? "star.slash" : "star.fill")
+            }.tint(.yellow)
+        }
+        .swipeActions(edge: .trailing) {
+            Button(role: .destructive) {
+                store.deleteSession(summary.sessionID)
+            } label: { Label("Delete", systemImage: "trash") }
+            Button {
+                store.setArchived(summary.sessionID, !summary.archived)
+            } label: {
+                Label(summary.archived ? "Unarchive" : "Archive",
+                      systemImage: summary.archived ? "tray.and.arrow.up" : "archivebox")
+            }.tint(.gray)
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Push the session a notification tap asked for, then clear the request.
     private func consumeRoute() {
         guard let route = store.pendingRoute else { return }
         store.pendingRoute = nil
+        // Already showing this session (the app was backgrounded with the chat open and a Live
+        // Activity tap deep-linked back to it): pushing again would mount a duplicate detail whose
+        // eventual teardown races the visible one's state. The open chat is the destination.
+        guard path.last != route else { return }
         path.append(route)
     }
 }
diff --git a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Transcript/TranscriptProjection.swift b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Transcript/TranscriptProjection.swift
index 2b60f2e..71f7be0 100644
--- a/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Transcript/TranscriptProjection.swift
+++ b/NucleicRemote/NucleicRemote/Views/Transcript/TranscriptProjection.swift
@@ -42,15 +42,27 @@ struct TranscriptItem: Identifiable, Equatable {
     }
 
     /// A row that draws nothing visible — an empty/redacted `.thinking` block (the agent streams
-    /// a finalized empty thinking item whenever the reasoning itself is redacted). Held aside
-    /// during tool-run coalescing so it doesn't split an otherwise-contiguous run of calls into
-    /// two cards with a gap. Mirrors the desktop projection's `rendersNothing`.
-    var rendersNothing: Bool {
+    /// a finalized empty thinking item whenever the reasoning itself is redacted). `ThinkingRow`
+    /// renders no content for it, so `flatItems` drops it outright rather than carrying a phantom
+    /// row into the transcript.
+    ///
+    /// It has to be dropped, not merely rendered as an empty view: the transcript is a
+    /// `VStack(spacing: 14)` over `TranscriptRow`s, and a row whose body resolves to nothing is
+    /// still a *child* of that stack — SwiftUI can't elide an opaque `View` struct the way it
+    /// elides a literal `EmptyView`, so it still claims its 14pt inter-row gap. A long tool run
+    /// interleaved with redacted thinking (one empty block per call) held them all aside and
+    /// re-emitted them after the block, stacking one gap each into a large band of blank space
+    /// between the card and the next row. Mirrors the desktop projection's `isEmptyThinking`.
+    var isEmptyThinking: Bool {
         if case .thinking(let text) = kind {
             return text.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines).isEmpty
         }
         return false
     }
+
+    /// Items that draw no visible row. They must not break a run of tool calls when coalescing:
+    /// an invisible row sitting between two calls would otherwise split them into two cards.
+    var rendersNothing: Bool { isEmptyThinking }
 }
 
 /// One tool call's coalesced lifecycle: start → input deltas → complete → result → file changes.
@@ -409,10 +421,13 @@ enum TranscriptProjection {
 
     /// Collapses maximal runs of adjacent `.tool` items (length ≥2) into one `.toolBlock`.
     ///
-    /// Items that draw nothing (empty `.thinking` blocks — see `rendersNothing`) never break a
-    /// run: an invisible row landing between two tool calls must not split them into two cards
-    /// with a gap. Such items are held aside and re-emitted right after the block, so they still
-    /// render in place while the calls stay one contiguous block. Mirrors the desktop projection.
+    /// Items that draw nothing (see `rendersNothing`) never break a run: an invisible row landing
+    /// between two tool calls must not split them into two cards with a gap. Such items are held
+    /// aside and re-emitted right after the block, so the calls stay one contiguous block.
+    /// Mirrors the desktop projection.
+    ///
+    /// `flatItems` already drops the only kind the phone has (empty redacted thinking), so the
+    /// hold path is a guard for a caller passing unfiltered items — not a live case.
     static func coalesceToolRuns(_ flat: [TranscriptItem]) -> [TranscriptItem] {
         var out: [TranscriptItem] = []
         var run: [TranscriptItem] = []          // consecutive `.tool` items
@@ -510,7 +525,12 @@ enum TranscriptProjection {
                                    kind: .raw(type: event.nativeType ?? "raw", body: raw.native.compactSummary)))
             }
         }
-        return items
+        // A redacted (empty) thinking block draws no row but would still cost one inter-row gap
+        // in the transcript's spaced VStack — see `isEmptyThinking`. Drop it here, after the
+        // coalescing upserts, so a *streaming* thinking item is judged on its accumulated text
+        // rather than on the empty first delta. A thinking message never straddles a segment
+        // seam (`buildSegment`'s precondition), so this stays fold-equivalent per segment.
+        return items.filter { !$0.isEmptyThinking }
     }
 
     // MARK: - Coalescing helpers