diff --git a/frontend/packages/agent/src/agent.css b/frontend/packages/agent/src/agent.css
index 06d37a0a..2b9d7007 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/agent/src/agent.css
+++ b/frontend/packages/agent/src/agent.css
@@ -901,10 +901,10 @@ pre.diff {
    element's own shadow tree) and the styling for the panel's own
    content types, which the shared element's shadow tree can never
    reach (see @hive/shared/side-panel/hive-side-panel.css's header
-   comment). `.side-panel-body` below is the compatibility class
-   app.js's `Panel` wrapper puts directly on its `<hive-side-panel>`
-   instance so these rules keep reaching the slotted content by
-   ordinary light-DOM descendant matching. */
+   comment). The `hive-side-panel .agent-inbox …` rules below use the
+   element's own tag name as the selector root — no compatibility class
+   needed, the tag name already uniquely identifies the light-DOM
+   instance app.js's `sidePanel` creates. */
 body.side-panel-resizing {
   user-select: none;
 }
@@ -913,12 +913,12 @@ body.side-panel-resizing * { cursor: ew-resize !important; }
    legacy <details>-collapsible variant of .agent-inbox is gone, so
    here we strip the inbox-only chrome (background, border-left) and
    let the panel body's own padding own the framing. */
-.side-panel-body .agent-inbox {
+hive-side-panel .agent-inbox {
   margin: 0;
   font-size: inherit;
   color: var(--fg);
 }
-.side-panel-body .agent-inbox ul {
+hive-side-panel .agent-inbox ul {
   background: transparent;
   border-left: 0;
   padding: 0;
diff --git a/frontend/packages/agent/src/app.js b/frontend/packages/agent/src/app.js
index 2af2ab26..729e4b06 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/agent/src/app.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/agent/src/app.js
@@ -38,26 +38,17 @@ window.marked = marked;
   bindAsyncForms(() => refreshState());
 
   // ─── side panel (singleton drawer for inbox + loose-ends flyouts) ──────
-  // Thin wrapper around the shared `<hive-side-panel>` element (see
-  // @hive/shared/side-panel.js) — created once, eagerly, when this
+  // The shared `<hive-side-panel>` element (see @hive/shared/side-panel.js
+  // for the chrome/behavior it owns), created once, eagerly, when this
   // module's IIFE runs (ES modules execute after the document is
-  // parsed, so `document.body` already exists; no per-call lazy-init
-  // guard to remember for any method, present or future). This UI's
-  // `open(name, title, content)` always takes an owner name, so it maps
-  // straight onto the shared element's `openNamed`; `side-panel-body`
-  // is a plain compatibility class this wrapper puts on its own
-  // instance so `agent.css`'s existing `.side-panel-body .agent-inbox
-  // …` rules keep reaching the slotted content by ordinary light-DOM
-  // descendant matching.
-  const panelEl = document.createElement('hive-side-panel');
-  panelEl.classList.add('side-panel-body');
-  document.body.append(panelEl);
-  const Panel = {
-    open: (name, title, content) => panelEl.openNamed(name, title, content),
-    close: () => panelEl.close(),
-    refresh: (name, title, content) => panelEl.refresh(name, title, content),
-    currentOwner: () => panelEl.currentOwner(),
-  };
+  // parsed, so `document.body` already exists). Used directly — this
+  // UI's opens always take an owner name, so call sites use the
+  // element's own `openNamed(name, title, content)` rather than the
+  // untyped `open`. `agent.css` reaches the slotted content via a plain
+  // `hive-side-panel .agent-inbox …` tag-name selector (no compat class
+  // needed — the element's own tag name already identifies it).
+  const sidePanel = document.createElement('hive-side-panel');
+  document.body.append(sidePanel);
 
   // Wire the header pills to open the side panel. Pre-built (vs
   // re-building per-click) so the freshest snapshot already lives
@@ -67,14 +58,14 @@ window.marked = marked;
     const inboxPill = $('inbox-pill');
     if (inboxPill) {
       inboxPill.addEventListener('click', () => {
-        Panel.open('inbox', 'inbox · ' + lastInbox.length,
+        sidePanel.openNamed('inbox', 'inbox · ' + lastInbox.length,
           buildInboxList(lastInbox));
       });
     }
     const todosPill = $('todos-pill');
     if (todosPill) {
       todosPill.addEventListener('click', () => {
-        Panel.open('todos', 'todos · ' + lastTodos.length,
+        sidePanel.openNamed('todos', 'todos · ' + lastTodos.length,
           buildTodosList(lastTodos));
       });
     }
@@ -336,7 +327,7 @@ window.marked = marked;
     else closeOverflowMenu();
   }
   // Wire once on boot. The trigger itself + click-outside + Escape
-  // dismissal pattern matches the side-panel flyout (Panel).
+  // dismissal pattern matches the side-panel flyout (sidePanel).
   (function bindOverflowMenu() {
     const btn = $('overflow-btn');
     if (!btn) return;
@@ -807,7 +798,7 @@ window.marked = marked;
   function buildLooseEndsList(threads) {
     // Returns the <div> the side panel renders. The structural shape
     // mirrors the legacy <details>-collapsible block — same CSS rules
-    // apply via `.side-panel-body .agent-inbox`.
+    // apply via `hive-side-panel .agent-inbox`.
     const wrap = el('div', { class: 'agent-inbox' });
     if (!threads.length) {
       wrap.append(el('p', { class: 'side-panel-empty' },
@@ -907,7 +898,7 @@ window.marked = marked;
     const count = $('todos-count');
     if (count) count.textContent = todos.length;
     if (pill) pill.hidden = todos.length === 0;
-    Panel.refresh('todos', 'todos · ' + todos.length,
+    sidePanel.refresh('todos', 'todos · ' + todos.length,
       buildTodosList(todos));
   }
 
@@ -1073,7 +1064,7 @@ window.marked = marked;
     const count = $('inbox-count');
     if (count) count.textContent = rows.length;
     if (pill) pill.hidden = rows.length === 0;
-    Panel.refresh('inbox', 'inbox · ' + rows.length, buildInboxList(rows));
+    sidePanel.refresh('inbox', 'inbox · ' + rows.length, buildInboxList(rows));
   }
   // Harness reachability badge: derived from the same `s.status` the
   // status block reads. Each status maps to a glyph + label + colour
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/call.js b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/call.js
index 9e8df3a6..34902847 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/call.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/call.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 // live-mutation paths call an injected `onCountsChanged` callback the entry
 // registers once via `initCall`.
 
-import { $, form, Panel, appendLinkified } from './common.js';
+import { $, form, appendLinkified } from './common.js';
 import { el } from '@hive/shared/dom.js';
 import { themedToast } from '@hive/shared/modal.js';
 import { epochSec, fmtAgo, fmtDuration } from './util.js';
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/common.css b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/common.css
index 7d82770d..d8746d73 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/common.css
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/common.css
@@ -376,49 +376,49 @@ code {
    not just the shared element's own shadow tree) and the styling for
    the panel's own content types, which the shared element's shadow tree
    can never reach (see @hive/shared/side-panel/hive-side-panel.css's
-   header comment). `.side-panel-body` below is the compatibility class
-   common.js's `Panel` wrapper puts directly on its `<hive-side-panel>`
-   instance so these rules keep reaching the slotted content by ordinary
-   light-DOM descendant matching. */
+   header comment). The `hive-side-panel .md …` rules below use the
+   element's own tag name as the selector root — no compatibility class
+   needed, the tag name already uniquely identifies the light-DOM
+   instance `common.js`'s `sidePanel` creates. */
 body.side-panel-resizing {
   user-select: none;
 }
 body.side-panel-resizing * { cursor: ew-resize !important; }
-.side-panel-body .md { color: var(--fg); line-height: 1.5; }
-.side-panel-body .md > :first-child { margin-top: 0; }
-.side-panel-body .md > :last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }
-.side-panel-body .md p { margin: 0.5em 0; }
-.side-panel-body .md h1,
-.side-panel-body .md h2,
-.side-panel-body .md h3,
-.side-panel-body .md h4 { color: var(--purple); margin: 0.9em 0 0.4em; }
-.side-panel-body .md code {
+hive-side-panel .md { color: var(--fg); line-height: 1.5; }
+hive-side-panel .md > :first-child { margin-top: 0; }
+hive-side-panel .md > :last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }
+hive-side-panel .md p { margin: 0.5em 0; }
+hive-side-panel .md h1,
+hive-side-panel .md h2,
+hive-side-panel .md h3,
+hive-side-panel .md h4 { color: var(--purple); margin: 0.9em 0 0.4em; }
+hive-side-panel .md code {
   background: var(--bg);
   border: 1px solid var(--border);
   border-radius: 2px;
   padding: 0.1em 0.3em;
   font-size: 0.9em;
 }
-.side-panel-body .md pre {
+hive-side-panel .md pre {
   background: var(--crust);
   border: 1px solid var(--border);
   padding: 0.5em 0.7em;
   overflow-x: auto;
   margin: 0.5em 0;
 }
-.side-panel-body .md pre code { background: none; border: none; padding: 0; }
-.side-panel-body .md a { color: var(--cyan); }
-.side-panel-body .md ul,
-.side-panel-body .md ol { margin: 0.4em 0; padding-left: 1.5em; }
-.side-panel-body .md blockquote {
+hive-side-panel .md pre code { background: none; border: none; padding: 0; }
+hive-side-panel .md a { color: var(--cyan); }
+hive-side-panel .md ul,
+hive-side-panel .md ol { margin: 0.4em 0; padding-left: 1.5em; }
+hive-side-panel .md blockquote {
   border-left: 3px solid var(--purple-dim);
   padding-left: 0.8em;
   margin: 0.4em 0;
   color: var(--muted);
 }
-.side-panel-body .md table { border-collapse: collapse; margin: 0.5em 0; }
-.side-panel-body .md th,
-.side-panel-body .md td {
+hive-side-panel .md table { border-collapse: collapse; margin: 0.5em 0; }
+hive-side-panel .md th,
+hive-side-panel .md td {
   border: 1px solid var(--border);
   padding: 0.2em 0.5em;
 }
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/common.js b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/common.js
index 5acc6518..6d34c7a7 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/common.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/common.js
@@ -281,30 +281,21 @@ export function openBuildLogStream(id, pre, { onDone, onError } = {}) {
 // ─── side panel ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 // Singleton drawer that swipes in from the right. Long content
 // (file previews, approval diffs, journald logs, applied config)
-// opens here via `Panel.open(title, node)` instead of expanding
+// opens here via `sidePanel.open(title, node)` instead of expanding
 // inline. Body is swapped on each open; closing just slides out so
 // the content stays visible through the transition.
 //
-// Thin wrapper around the shared `<hive-side-panel>` element (see
-// @hive/shared/side-panel.js for the chrome/behavior it owns, including
-// drag-to-resize). The instance is created once, eagerly, at module
-// evaluation time — ES modules run after the document is parsed (same
-// timing `defer` scripts get), so `document.body` already exists here;
-// no per-call lazy-init guard needed, and no easy-to-forget step for
-// any new method added later. `side-panel-body` is a plain compatibility
-// class this wrapper puts on its own instance so `common.css`'s
-// existing `.side-panel-body .md …` rules keep reaching the slotted
-// content by ordinary light-DOM descendant matching — the shared
-// element itself has no idea that class name means anything.
-const panelEl = document.createElement('hive-side-panel');
-panelEl.classList.add('side-panel-body');
-document.body.append(panelEl);
-export const Panel = {
-  open: (title, content) => panelEl.open(title, content),
-  openNamed: (name, title, content) => panelEl.openNamed(name, title, content),
-  refresh: (name, title, content) => panelEl.refresh(name, title, content),
-  close: () => panelEl.close(),
-};
+// The instance is created once, eagerly, at module evaluation time — ES
+// modules run after the document is parsed (same timing `defer` scripts
+// get), so `document.body` already exists here. Exported directly (not
+// wrapped in a forwarding object) — callers use the element's own
+// `open`/`openNamed`/`refresh`/`close`/`currentOwner` methods, see
+// @hive/shared/side-panel.js for what they do. `common.css` reaches the
+// slotted content via a plain `hive-side-panel .md …` tag-name selector
+// (no compatibility class needed — the element's own tag name already
+// uniquely identifies it in the light DOM).
+export const sidePanel = document.createElement('hive-side-panel');
+document.body.append(sidePanel);
 
 // ─── path linkification ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 // Agents constantly drop pointer strings into messages + question
@@ -395,14 +386,14 @@ async function openFilePanel(path) {
         '(could not load image — it may be missing or over the preview size cap)'));
     });
     img.src = '/api/state-file?path=' + encodeURIComponent(path);
-    Panel.open('↳ ' + path, img);
+    sidePanel.open('↳ ' + path, img);
     return;
   }
   const isMd = /\.(md|markdown)$/i.test(path);
   const isSvg = /\.svg$/i.test(path);
   const view = el('div');
   view.textContent = '(fetching…)';
-  Panel.open('↳ ' + path, view);
+  sidePanel.open('↳ ' + path, view);
   try {
     const text = await fetchStateFile(path);
     if (isSvg) {
diff --git a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
index fc0ee0e1..9b2af49c 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/dashboard/src/tabs.js
@@ -276,8 +276,8 @@ window.marked = marked;
   // NOTIF.bind() (the enable/mute/unmute toggle UI) moved to /settings.html
   // with the S3TT1NGS page. The dashboard keeps NOTIF.show() for approval/
   // question notifications — it reads the browser permission + localStorage
-  // mute flag the settings page sets, so no bind() is needed here. Panel
-  // (backed by <hive-side-panel>) wires its own internals in
+  // mute flag the settings page sets, so no bind() is needed here. The
+  // side panel (<hive-side-panel>) wires its own internals in
   // connectedCallback — no bind() step needed either.
 
   // ─── live updates: dashboard event stream ──────────────────────────────
diff --git a/frontend/packages/shared/src/side-panel/hive-side-panel.css b/frontend/packages/shared/src/side-panel/hive-side-panel.css
index 552c4706..51048616 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/shared/src/side-panel/hive-side-panel.css
+++ b/frontend/packages/shared/src/side-panel/hive-side-panel.css
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@
    it is slotted, so this file needs zero `::slotted()`. The one slotted
    node (the caller's opaque content, passed to open()/openNamed()/
    refresh()) is intentionally un-styled from in here: each package's own
-   content-type-specific rules (`.side-panel-body .md` in the dashboard,
-   `.side-panel-body .agent-inbox` in the agent UI) live in that package's
-   own global stylesheet and reach the slotted content via a light-DOM
-   class its own wrapper puts directly on its `<hive-side-panel>` instance
-   — same architecture floor as `<hive-menu>`'s item-row styling, not a
+   content-type-specific rules (`hive-side-panel .md` in the dashboard,
+   `hive-side-panel .agent-inbox` in the agent UI) live in that package's
+   own global stylesheet and reach the slotted content via the element's
+   own tag name as the selector root — no compatibility class needed,
+   same architecture floor as `<hive-menu>`'s item-row styling, not a
    scope choice.
 
    `:host(.open)`/`:host(.resizing)` respond to the two state classes the
diff --git a/frontend/packages/shared/src/side-panel/hive-side-panel.js b/frontend/packages/shared/src/side-panel/hive-side-panel.js
index a767c66b..01306719 100644
--- a/frontend/packages/shared/src/side-panel/hive-side-panel.js
+++ b/frontend/packages/shared/src/side-panel/hive-side-panel.js
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 // hive-side-panel.js — <hive-side-panel>, the generic slide-in drawer
 // shadow-DOM custom element behind the dashboard's and the per-agent UI's
 // side panel (file previews, diffs, logs, inbox/todo lists — anything too
-// long to expand inline). One singleton instance per page, created +
-// appended lazily by each package's own thin wrapper
-// (dashboard/src/common.js's `Panel`, agent/src/app.js's `Panel`) — same
-// lazy-creation pattern `themedToast` uses for its toast-stack container.
+// long to expand inline). One singleton instance per page, created once,
+// eagerly, by each package's own module (dashboard/src/common.js's
+// `sidePanel`, agent/src/app.js's `sidePanel`) and used directly — no
+// wrapper object, no per-call lazy-init guard.
 //
 // Builds all structural chrome itself in `connectedCallback` (backdrop,
 // drawer, resize handle, header, title, close button) — shadow-owned,
@@ -12,8 +12,9 @@
 // caller-built DOM, appended as a light-DOM child and picked up by the
 // shadow tree's single default `<slot>`, exactly like `<hive-menu>`'s
 // `content` (see that file's header for why). Each package's own global
-// stylesheet reaches that content the same way it always did, via a
-// light-DOM class its own wrapper puts on the instance it owns.
+// stylesheet reaches that content via the element's own tag name as the
+// selector root (`hive-side-panel .md`, `hive-side-panel .agent-inbox`)
+// — no compatibility class needed.
 //
 // Public API is instance methods: `open(title, content)`,
 // `openNamed(name, title, content)`, `refresh(name, title, content)`,