diff --git a/src/app/globals.css b/src/app/globals.css
index 6c1ffb27c..2a884ad9e 100644
--- a/src/app/globals.css
+++ b/src/app/globals.css
@@ -2085,6 +2085,66 @@ summary::-webkit-details-marker {
   white-space: nowrap;
 }
 
+/* Home history is a quiet convenience rather than a second set of primary
+   actions. Keep the shared chip behaviour and touch target, but use a compact
+   rectangular treatment that takes up less visual and vertical space. */
+.home-recent-searches {
+  gap: calc(var(--spacing-icon-xs) / 2) var(--radius-md);
+  padding-inline: 0;
+}
+
+.home-recent-searches .answer-suggestion-label {
+  color: var(--text-heading);
+  font-size: var(--text-3xs);
+  font-weight: 650;
+  letter-spacing: 0.025em;
+}
+
+.home-recent-searches .answer-suggestion-chips {
+  justify-content: center;
+  gap: calc(var(--spacing-icon-xs) / 2);
+}
+
+.home-recent-searches .answer-suggestion-chip {
+  min-height: calc(var(--spacing-tap) * 7 / 12);
+  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--border) 58%, transparent);
+  border-radius: var(--radius-md);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--surface-inset) 42%, transparent);
+  box-shadow: none;
+  padding-inline: var(--radius-md);
+  color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--text-muted) 90%, transparent);
+  font-size: var(--text-2xs);
+  font-weight: 550;
+}
+
+.home-recent-searches .answer-suggestion-chip-icon {
+  width: var(--text-2xs);
+  height: var(--text-2xs);
+  margin-right: var(--radius-xs);
+}
+
+.home-recent-searches .answer-suggestion-chip:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--clinical-accent-border) 68%, transparent);
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--clinical-accent-soft) 52%, transparent);
+}
+
+@media (pointer: coarse) {
+  .home-recent-searches .answer-suggestion-chip {
+    min-height: var(--spacing-tap);
+  }
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 639px) {
+  .home-recent-searches {
+    align-items: flex-start;
+    flex-direction: column;
+  }
+
+  .home-recent-searches .answer-suggestion-chips {
+    justify-content: flex-start;
+  }
+}
+
 .answer-footer-search-edge .answer-suggestion-row {
   padding-inline: 0.25rem;
 }
diff --git a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/answer-status.tsx b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/answer-status.tsx
index aa08a073b..d9d4e3556 100644
--- a/src/components/clinical-dashboard/answer-status.tsx
+++ b/src/components/clinical-dashboard/answer-status.tsx
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export function SharedHomeEmptyState({
               onPick={(entry) => onSelectRecent?.(entry)}
               label={sharedHomeEmptyState.recentLabel}
               layout="wrap"
-              className="justify-center"
+              className="home-recent-searches justify-center"
               icon={History}
             />
           )}
diff --git a/src/lib/differentials.ts b/src/lib/differentials.ts
index cb7216258..5717f0869 100644
--- a/src/lib/differentials.ts
+++ b/src/lib/differentials.ts
@@ -324,6 +324,13 @@ export function resolveDifferentialCompareHandoff(ids: Iterable<string>, query =
 export function resolveDifferentialCompareLaunchHref(ids: Iterable<string>, query = ""): string {
   const handoff = resolveDifferentialCompareHandoff(ids, query);
   if (handoff.kind === "presentation") return handoff.href;
+  if (handoff.selection.diagnosisIds.length === 1) {
+    return differentialCompareHref(
+      "/differentials/presentations/acute-confusion-encephalopathy",
+      query,
+      handoff.selection.diagnosisIds,
+    );
+  }
   const params = new URLSearchParams();
   const trimmedQuery = query.trim();
   if (trimmedQuery) params.set("q", trimmedQuery);
diff --git a/tests/differentials-navigation.test.ts b/tests/differentials-navigation.test.ts
index c935317e4..f6f4ee0aa 100644
--- a/tests/differentials-navigation.test.ts
+++ b/tests/differentials-navigation.test.ts
@@ -104,6 +104,13 @@ describe("differentials navigation", () => {
     expect(href).toContain("ids=");
   });
 
+  it("launches single-diagnosis compare into the default presentation workflow", () => {
+    const href = resolveDifferentialCompareLaunchHref(["wernicke-encephalopathy"], "Pain");
+    expect(href).toMatch(/^\/differentials\/presentations\//);
+    expect(href).toContain("acute-confusion-encephalopathy");
+    expect(href).toContain("ids=wernicke-encephalopathy");
+  });
+
   it("builds compare queue titles from known diagnosis slugs only", () => {
     const items = differentialCompareQueueItems([
       "delirium",
diff --git a/tests/helpers/style-contracts.ts b/tests/helpers/style-contracts.ts
index d24a23946..62210f00d 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/style-contracts.ts
+++ b/tests/helpers/style-contracts.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import { guestAnswerThreadOwnerId } from "@/lib/answer-thread-storage";
+import { demoRecentQueryOwnerId, recentQueryStorageKey } from "@/lib/recent-query-storage";
+
 /**
  * The cascade-layer inertness registry (ledger #094).
  *
@@ -55,6 +58,13 @@ export type UnlayeredVisualClass = {
   readonly unmediated: boolean;
 };
 
+type StyleContractSessionBootstrap = {
+  readonly sessionStorage?: ReadonlyArray<{
+    readonly key: string;
+    readonly value: readonly string[];
+  }>;
+};
+
 /**
  * Class rules in `css` that sit outside every `@layer` block and set a visual
  * property.
@@ -164,6 +174,7 @@ export type StyleEffectContract = {
   readonly route: string;
   /** Playwright selector for an element carrying `className`. */
   readonly selector: string;
+  readonly bootstrap?: StyleContractSessionBootstrap;
   /** Computed values that must match exactly. */
   readonly computed: Readonly<Record<string, string>>;
   /** A computed colour that must resolve to the named CSS custom-property token. */
@@ -180,6 +191,15 @@ export type StyleEffectContract = {
   readonly nonInert?: readonly string[];
 };
 
+const HOME_RECENT_QUERIES = ["clozapine monitoring schedule"] as const;
+const HOME_RECENT_QUERY_STORAGE_KEYS = [
+  `${recentQueryStorageKey}:${guestAnswerThreadOwnerId}`,
+  `${recentQueryStorageKey}:${demoRecentQueryOwnerId}`,
+] as const;
+const homeRecentQueriesContractBootstrap: StyleContractSessionBootstrap = {
+  sessionStorage: HOME_RECENT_QUERY_STORAGE_KEYS.map((key) => ({ key, value: HOME_RECENT_QUERIES })),
+};
+
 /**
  * Rendered-effect contracts, asserted in Chromium by `tests/ui-style-contract.spec.ts`.
  *
@@ -260,6 +280,28 @@ export const STYLE_EFFECT_CONTRACTS: readonly StyleEffectContract[] = [
     nonInert: ["color"],
     colorToken: { property: "color", token: "--text-heading" },
   },
+  {
+    className: "home-recent-searches",
+    description: "home recent-searches surface keeps compact desktop gap and phone-first mobile column flow",
+    route: "/",
+    selector: '[data-testid="shared-home-recent-queries"]',
+    bootstrap: homeRecentQueriesContractBootstrap,
+    computed: {
+      rowGap: "6px",
+      columnGap: "10px",
+      display: "flex",
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    className: "answer-suggestion-label",
+    description: "home recent-search labels use readable text contrast when nested under compact rail",
+    route: "/",
+    selector: '[data-testid="shared-home-recent-queries"] .answer-suggestion-label',
+    bootstrap: homeRecentQueriesContractBootstrap,
+    computed: {},
+    nonInert: ["color"],
+    colorToken: { property: "color", token: "--text-heading" },
+  },
 ];
 
 /**
@@ -305,7 +347,6 @@ export const STYLE_CONTRACT_EXEMPTIONS: Readonly<Record<string, string>> = {
   // Answer suggestions and smart search.
   "answer-suggestion-chip": "answer suggestion rail — no effect contract yet (#094)",
   "answer-suggestion-chip-icon": "answer suggestion rail — no effect contract yet (#094)",
-  "answer-suggestion-label": "answer suggestion rail — no effect contract yet (#094)",
   "smart-search-rotating-query": "rotating placeholder — reduced-motion behaviour covered by ui-accessibility",
   "smart-search-rotating-text": "rotating placeholder — reduced-motion behaviour covered by ui-accessibility",
   "smart-search-phone-ticker": "smart-search ticker title line — no contract yet (#094)",
diff --git a/tests/ui-smoke.spec.ts b/tests/ui-smoke.spec.ts
index 928bca9b6..16a5d8a4c 100644
--- a/tests/ui-smoke.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/ui-smoke.spec.ts
@@ -2617,6 +2617,22 @@ test.describe("Clinical KB UI smoke coverage", () => {
     await expect(page.getByTestId("plain-answer-response")).toBeVisible();
     expect(answerRequests).toContain(recent);
     await expectNoPageHorizontalOverflow(page);
+
+    await page.setViewportSize({ width: 390, height: 844 });
+    const newChat = page.getByRole("button", { name: /new chat|new comparison/i });
+    await expect(newChat).toBeVisible();
+    await newChat.click();
+    await waitForDemoDashboardReady(page);
+
+    const homeRecentSearches = page.getByTestId("shared-home-recent-queries");
+    await homeRecentSearches.scrollIntoViewIfNeeded();
+    await expect(homeRecentSearches).toBeVisible();
+    const homeRecentDirection = await homeRecentSearches.evaluate((node) => getComputedStyle(node).flexDirection);
+    expect(homeRecentDirection, "home recent-searches should stack on phone width").toBe("column");
+
+    const chipsGroup = homeRecentSearches.locator(".answer-suggestion-chips");
+    const mobileJustify = await chipsGroup.evaluate((node) => getComputedStyle(node).justifyContent);
+    expect(mobileJustify, "phone home recent-search chips should align to flex-start").toBe("flex-start");
   });
 
   test("legacy unscoped recent-query storage is purged and never displayed @critical", async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/tests/ui-style-contract.spec.ts b/tests/ui-style-contract.spec.ts
index 6e8dd973f..a09281802 100644
--- a/tests/ui-style-contract.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/ui-style-contract.spec.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,17 @@ test.describe("unlayered style rules render their effect", () => {
 
   for (const contract of STYLE_EFFECT_CONTRACTS) {
     test(contract.description, async ({ page }) => {
+      if (contract.bootstrap?.sessionStorage?.length) {
+        await page.addInitScript(
+          ({ sessionStorage }) => {
+            for (const item of sessionStorage ?? []) {
+              window.sessionStorage.setItem(item.key, JSON.stringify(item.value));
+            }
+          },
+          { sessionStorage: contract.bootstrap?.sessionStorage },
+        );
+      }
+
       await page.goto(contract.route, { waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
 
       const target = page.locator(contract.selector).first();