mwolson · Oct 5, 2026
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/features/threads/thread-list-v2-items.test.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/features/threads/thread-list-v2-items.test.tsx
@@ -125,6 +125,27 @@ it.each(["idle", "running", "waiting"] as const)(
     expect(rendered.text).toHaveBeenCalledWith(status === "idle" ? "Waiting" : "Working");
   },
 );
+it("names the work a waiting row waits on", async () => {
+  await render({
+    thread: {
+      ...thread,
+      runtime: {
+        status: "idle",
+        activeRunId: null,
+        providerInstanceId: ProviderInstanceId.make("codex"),
+        providerName: "Codex",
+        lastError: null,
+        updatedAt: "2026-06-02T00:00:00.000Z",
+      },
+      pendingBackgroundTasks: [
+        { taskId: "a", kind: "subagent", description: "Review src/math.ts" },
+        { taskId: "b", kind: "subagent", description: "Write tests" },
+      ],
+    },
+  });
+  expect(rendered.text).toHaveBeenCalledWith("Waiting on 2 subagents");
+  expect(rendered.text).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith("Waiting");
+});
 it("keeps Done, settled timestamps and snoozed wake labels on recycled rows", async () => {
   await render({
     thread: {

diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/features/threads/thread-list-v2-items.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/features/threads/thread-list-v2-items.tsx
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import type {
 import type { EnvironmentThreadSearchMatch } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/thread-search";
 import type { EnvironmentMachineKind } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import { canSnooze, resolveSnoozePresets } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/thread-settled";
+import { presentWaitingRowStatus } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/thread-execution";
 import type { MenuAction } from "@react-native-menu/menu";
 import { memo, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState, type ComponentProps } from "react";
 import { Alert, Pressable, useWindowDimensions, View } from "react-native";
@@ -589,7 +590,11 @@ export const ThreadListV2Row = memo(function ThreadListV2Row(props: {
   // so checking a thread on any device clears it everywhere.
   const isUnread = status === "ready" && threadHasUnseenCompletion(thread);
   const workingLabel = STATUS_LABEL_BY_STATUS[status];
+  // A waiting row names what the task waits on, in the time label's grey.
+  const waitingStatus =
+    status === "waiting" ? presentWaitingRowStatus(thread.pendingBackgroundTasks) : null;
   const statusLabel =
+    (waitingStatus ? { label: waitingStatus.label, className: undefined } : undefined) ??
     // A native /goal keeps the agent going across turns until it is met.
     (status === "working" && workingLabel !== undefined && thread.goal?.status === "active"
       ? { ...workingLabel, label: "Goal" }
@@ -918,6 +923,14 @@ export const ThreadListV2Row = memo(function ThreadListV2Row(props: {
         : null,
     [handleMenuAction, snoozePresetActions, swipeActions.secondary, thread.title],
   );
+  // VoiceOver reads the row as one element, so it carries what a waiting task waits on.
+  const accessibilityLabel = [
+    thread.title,
+    waitingStatus?.label,
+    props.hasQueuedMessages ? "messages queued to send" : undefined,
+  ]
+    .filter(Boolean)
+    .join(", ");
   const swipeAccessibilityHint =
     secondaryAction === null
       ? `Opens the thread. Swipe left to ${primaryAction.label.toLowerCase()}.`
@@ -960,11 +973,13 @@ export const ThreadListV2Row = memo(function ThreadListV2Row(props: {
         <Text
           className={cn(
             "text-xs tabular-nums",
+            waitingStatus !== null && "max-w-48",
             statusLabel?.className ??
               (selected
                 ? selectedThreadRowColors.foregroundClassName
                 : rowAppearance.tertiaryForegroundClassName),
           )}
+          numberOfLines={1}
         >
           {statusLabel?.label ?? timeLabel}
         </Text>
@@ -1121,9 +1136,7 @@ export const ThreadListV2Row = memo(function ThreadListV2Row(props: {
         interactionOpacity={rowAppearance.interactionOpacity}
         className={rowAppearance.className}
         accessibilityHint={swipeAccessibilityHint}
-        accessibilityLabel={
-          props.hasQueuedMessages ? `${thread.title}, messages queued to send` : thread.title
-        }
+        accessibilityLabel={accessibilityLabel}
         accessibilityRole="button"
         accessibilityState={{ selected }}
         onPress={() => {
@@ -1153,9 +1166,7 @@ export const ThreadListV2Row = memo(function ThreadListV2Row(props: {
         interactionClassName={rowAppearance.interactionClassName}
         interactionOpacity={rowAppearance.interactionOpacity}
         accessibilityHint={swipeAccessibilityHint}
-        accessibilityLabel={
-          props.hasQueuedMessages ? `${thread.title}, messages queued to send` : thread.title
-        }
+        accessibilityLabel={accessibilityLabel}
         accessibilityRole="button"
         accessibilityState={{ selected }}
         className={rowAppearance.className}

diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import {
   threadWokeAt,
 } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/thread-settled";
 import { createInboxReturnTracker } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/thread-inbox";
+import { presentWaitingRowStatus } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/thread-execution";
 import {
   resolveSettledThreadTimestamp,
   sortSettledThreads,
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ import {
   AlarmClockIcon,
   AlarmClockOffIcon,
   ArrowRightLeftIcon,
+  BotIcon,
   CheckIcon,
   CircleAlertIcon,
   CircleCheckIcon,
@@ -1255,6 +1257,8 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
   // Status hues follow the system-wide convention set by sidebar v1 and the
   // mobile Live Activity/widgets (amber approval, indigo input, sky working)
   // so a thread reads the same color everywhere it surfaces.
+  const waitingStatus =
+    status === "waiting" ? presentWaitingRowStatus(thread.pendingBackgroundTasks) : null;
   const topStatus =
     status === "working"
       ? {
@@ -1269,8 +1273,10 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
         ? {
             // Waiting is calm background presence (post-settle background
             // roster), not active progress, so the label keeps full strength.
-            label: "Waiting",
-            icon: null,
+            // It names what the task waits on; the Working shelf already says
+            // the task is underway.
+            label: waitingStatus?.label ?? "Waiting",
+            icon: waitingStatus?.kind ?? null,
             className: "text-muted-foreground",
           }
         : status === "approval"
@@ -1976,9 +1982,12 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
                     className={cn(
                       isWokeStatus
                         ? "pointer-events-auto"
-                        : "pointer-events-none group-has-[:focus-visible]/sidebar-status-slot:absolute group-has-[:focus-visible]/sidebar-status-slot:right-0 group-has-[:focus-visible]/sidebar-status-slot:opacity-0 group-any-hover/sidebar-row:absolute group-any-hover/sidebar-row:right-0 group-any-hover/sidebar-row:opacity-0",
-                      "flex items-center self-center justify-self-end tabular-nums text-secondary-label transition-opacity",
-                      snoozeMenuOpen && "pointer-events-none absolute right-0 opacity-0",
+                        : // While fading out, the label stays inside the slot the actions
+                          // now fill, so a long waiting label cannot sweep over the project name.
+                          "pointer-events-none group-has-[:focus-visible]/sidebar-status-slot:absolute group-has-[:focus-visible]/sidebar-status-slot:inset-x-0 group-has-[:focus-visible]/sidebar-status-slot:overflow-hidden group-has-[:focus-visible]/sidebar-status-slot:opacity-0 group-any-hover/sidebar-row:absolute group-any-hover/sidebar-row:inset-x-0 group-any-hover/sidebar-row:overflow-hidden group-any-hover/sidebar-row:opacity-0",
+                      "flex items-center justify-end self-center tabular-nums text-secondary-label transition-opacity",
+                      snoozeMenuOpen &&
+                        "pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 overflow-hidden opacity-0",
                     )}
                   >
                     {topStatus ? (
@@ -2005,7 +2014,7 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
                       ) : (
                         <span
                           className={cn(
-                            "inline-flex items-center gap-1 font-medium",
+                            "inline-flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1 font-medium",
                             topStatus.className,
                           )}
                         >
@@ -2019,11 +2028,24 @@ const SidebarThreadRow = memo(function SidebarThreadRow(props: {
                             <CircleAlertIcon aria-hidden className="size-4 shrink-0" />
                           ) : topStatus.icon === "done" ? (
                             <CircleCheckIcon aria-hidden className="size-4 shrink-0" />
+                          ) : topStatus.icon === "subagent" ? (
+                            <BotIcon aria-hidden className="size-4 shrink-0" />
+                          ) : topStatus.icon === "command" ? (
+                            <TerminalIcon aria-hidden className="size-4 shrink-0" />
+                          ) : topStatus.icon === "monitor" ? (
+                            <EyeIcon aria-hidden className="size-4 shrink-0" />
+                          ) : topStatus.icon === "background_task" ? (
+                            <ClockIcon aria-hidden className="size-4 shrink-0" />
                           ) : null}
                           {/* The label alone is the live region: a role="status"
                             wrapper around the ticking duration would make
                             screen readers announce every second. */}
-                          <span role="status">{topStatus.label}</span>
+                          <span
+                            role="status"
+                            className={cn(waitingStatus !== null && "max-w-40 truncate")}
+                          >
+                            {topStatus.label}
+                          </span>
                           {status === "working" ? (
                             <span aria-hidden>
                               <WorkingDuration startedAt={resolveWorkingStartedAt(thread)} />

diff --git a/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadExecution.test.ts b/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadExecution.test.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import { v2Projection } from "./orchestrationV2TestFixtures.ts";
 import {
   presentPendingBackgroundWork,
   presentProviderGoal,
+  presentWaitingRowStatus,
   deriveReportedModelSelection,
   deriveLatestThreadRun,
   deriveProviderSubagentStatus,
@@ -825,3 +826,41 @@ describe("presentProviderGoal", () => {
     ).toBe("Goal set");
   });
 });
+
+describe("presentWaitingRowStatus", () => {
+  it("names the one piece of work the agent waits on", () => {
+    expect(
+      presentWaitingRowStatus([
+        { taskId: "a", kind: "subagent", description: "Review src/math.ts" },
+      ]),
+    ).toEqual({ label: "Waiting on Review src/math.ts", kind: "subagent" });
+    expect(presentWaitingRowStatus([{ taskId: "a", kind: "monitor" }])).toEqual({
+      label: "Waiting on monitor",
+      kind: "monitor",
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("counts several pieces of work, led by subagents", () => {
+    expect(
+      presentWaitingRowStatus([
+        { taskId: "m", kind: "monitor", description: "Watch PR checks" },
+        { taskId: "a", kind: "subagent", description: "Review src/math.ts" },
+        { taskId: "b", kind: "subagent", description: "Write tests" },
+      ]),
+    ).toEqual({ label: "Waiting on 2 subagents and 1 monitor", kind: "subagent" });
+  });
+
+  // A dev server left running is not what the task waits on.
+  it("leaves out commands the agent left running", () => {
+    expect(
+      presentWaitingRowStatus([
+        { taskId: "dev", kind: "command", description: "vp run dev" },
+        { taskId: "m", kind: "monitor", description: "Watch PR checks" },
+      ]),
+    ).toEqual({ label: "Waiting on Watch PR checks", kind: "monitor" });
+    expect(
+      presentWaitingRowStatus([{ taskId: "dev", kind: "command", description: "vp run dev" }]),
+    ).toBeNull();
+    expect(presentWaitingRowStatus([])).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadExecution.ts b/packages/client-runtime/src/state/threadExecution.ts
@@ -438,6 +438,31 @@ export function presentProviderGoal(
   };
 }
 
+export interface WaitingRowStatus {
+  /** "Waiting on Review src/math.ts" or "Waiting on 2 subagents and 1 monitor". */
+  readonly label: string;
+  /** The kind that leads the label, for the row's icon. */
+  readonly kind: BackgroundWorkKind;
+}
+
+/**
+ * What a waiting thread's list row says it waits on. Only work that wakes the
+ * agent counts; a dev server it left running is not why the task is underway.
+ */
+export function presentWaitingRowStatus(
+  tasks: ReadonlyArray<OrchestrationV2PendingBackgroundTask>,
+): WaitingRowStatus | null {
+  const presentation = presentPendingBackgroundWork(
+    tasks.filter((task) => backgroundWorkHoldsCompletion([task])),
+  );
+  const [first] = presentation?.items ?? [];
+  if (presentation === null || first === undefined) return null;
+  return {
+    label: presentation.items.length === 1 ? `Waiting on ${first.label}` : presentation.title,
+    kind: first.kind,
+  };
+}
+
 /** The thread a notification row opens: that of the one subagent or delegated task it reports. */
 export function notificationChildThreadId(
   source: OrchestrationV2NotificationSource,