diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
index 71cbce5a755e..89d44b6abf76 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
@@ -3554,7 +3554,7 @@ function LiveActivityRow({
   const showShimmer = animated && shimmer;
   return (
     <div
-      ref={showShimmer ? observeVisibleAnimation : undefined}
+      ref={animated ? observeVisibleAnimation : undefined}
       className="relative min-h-6 w-fit max-w-full min-w-0 overflow-hidden rounded-md text-sm leading-relaxed"
     >
       <LiveActivityContent
@@ -3620,7 +3620,13 @@ function LiveActivityContent({
         ) : null
       }
       label={
-        <span className={cn("block truncate", (highlighted || active) && "text-foreground")}>
+        <span
+          className={cn(
+            "block truncate",
+            highlighted && "text-foreground",
+            active && "live-tool-shine",
+          )}
+        >
           {label}
         </span>
       }
@@ -3756,6 +3762,7 @@ function WorkGroupHeader(props: {
 }) {
   return (
     <WorkLogButton
+      ref={props.active && !props.failed ? observeVisibleAnimation : undefined}
       aria-label={props.failed ? `${props.label}, tool call failed` : props.label}
       aria-expanded={props.expanded}
       onClick={props.onToggle}
@@ -3768,7 +3775,7 @@ function WorkGroupHeader(props: {
         />
       }
       label={
-        <span className={cn("block truncate", props.active && !props.failed && "text-foreground")}>
+        <span className={cn("block truncate", props.active && !props.failed && "live-tool-shine")}>
           {props.label}
         </span>
       }
diff --git a/apps/web/src/index.css b/apps/web/src/index.css
index a4b80193dce2..46b57325a3ff 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/index.css
+++ b/apps/web/src/index.css
@@ -499,6 +499,35 @@ html[data-mobile-composer-route-transition="true"]::view-transition-old(t3-mobil
   }
 }
 
+@keyframes live-tool-shine {
+  from {
+    background-position:
+      -4.5rem 0,
+      0 0;
+  }
+  to {
+    background-position:
+      calc(100% + 4.5rem) 0,
+      0 0;
+  }
+}
+
+@utility live-tool-shine {
+  @media (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference) and (forced-colors: none) {
+    color: transparent;
+    background-image:
+      linear-gradient(to right, transparent, var(--contrast-foreground), transparent),
+      linear-gradient(var(--contrast-secondary-label), var(--contrast-secondary-label));
+    background-size:
+      4.5rem 100%,
+      100% 100%;
+    background-repeat: no-repeat;
+    background-clip: text;
+    animation: live-tool-shine 2.2s steps(30) infinite;
+    animation-play-state: var(--visible-animation-state, paused);
+  }
+}
+
 @utility visible-animate-spin {
   animation: var(--animate-spin);
   animation-play-state: var(--visible-animation-state, paused);