diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/assets/agent.css b/hive-ag3nt/assets/agent.css
index 1482419..47882d3 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/assets/agent.css
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/assets/agent.css
@@ -113,6 +113,20 @@ pre.diff {
   word-break: break-all;
   max-height: 30em;
 }
+/* Terminal-ish look for the live panel. Crust as bg (almost-black),
+   slightly inset, mauve phosphor glow. */
+.live.terminal {
+  background: #11111b;
+  border: 1px solid var(--purple-dim);
+  box-shadow: inset 0 0 24px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7);
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  padding: 0.8em 1em;
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  max-height: 32em;
+  font-family: "JetBrains Mono", "Fira Code", "Cascadia Code", "Source Code Pro", monospace;
+  font-size: 0.92em;
+  color: #cdd6f4;
+}
 .live {
   background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.02);
   border: 1px solid var(--purple-dim);
@@ -121,6 +135,43 @@ pre.diff {
   max-height: 32em;
   font-family: inherit;
 }
+.live .unread-badge {
+  color: var(--amber);
+  font-weight: normal;
+  margin-left: 0.6em;
+  font-size: 0.85em;
+  text-shadow: 0 0 6px rgba(250, 179, 135, 0.55);
+}
+details.row {
+  white-space: normal;
+  padding-left: 0.5em;
+}
+details.row > summary {
+  cursor: pointer;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  list-style: none;
+  white-space: pre-wrap;
+  word-break: break-word;
+}
+details.row > summary::before {
+  content: '▸ ';
+  color: var(--muted);
+  display: inline-block;
+  width: 1em;
+}
+details.row[open] > summary::before { content: '▾ '; }
+details.row.tool-result-block > summary { color: var(--muted); }
+details.row > pre.tool-body {
+  margin: 0.3em 0 0.4em 1.2em;
+  padding: 0.4em 0.6em;
+  background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03);
+  border-left: 2px solid var(--purple-dim);
+  color: var(--fg);
+  white-space: pre-wrap;
+  word-break: break-word;
+  max-height: 22em;
+  overflow-y: auto;
+}
 .live .row {
   white-space: pre-wrap;
   word-break: break-word;
diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/assets/app.js b/hive-ag3nt/assets/app.js
index 54b1e83..cc31b13 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/assets/app.js
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/assets/app.js
@@ -225,46 +225,101 @@
       log.scrollTop = log.scrollHeight;
       return e;
     }
+    function details(cls, summary, body) {
+      clearPlaceholder();
+      const d = document.createElement('details');
+      d.className = 'row ' + (cls || '');
+      const s = document.createElement('summary');
+      s.textContent = summary;
+      d.appendChild(s);
+      const pre = document.createElement('pre');
+      pre.className = 'tool-body';
+      pre.textContent = body;
+      d.appendChild(pre);
+      log.appendChild(d);
+      log.scrollTop = log.scrollHeight;
+      return d;
+    }
     function trim(s, n) { return s.length > n ? s.slice(0, n) + '…' : s; }
+    // Pretty-print a tool call: per-known-tool format, fallback to JSON
+    // for unknown tools.
+    function fmtToolUse(c) {
+      const name = c.name || '';
+      const input = c.input || {};
+      const short = name.startsWith('mcp__hyperhive__')
+        ? name.slice('mcp__hyperhive__'.length) + '*' : name;
+      switch (name) {
+        case 'Read':       return short + ' ' + (input.file_path || '');
+        case 'Write':      return short + ' ' + (input.file_path || '');
+        case 'Edit':       return short + ' ' + (input.file_path || '');
+        case 'Glob':       return short + ' ' + (input.pattern || '');
+        case 'Grep':       return short + ' ' + (input.pattern || '');
+        case 'Bash':       return short + ' $ ' + (input.command || '');
+        case 'TodoWrite':  return short + ' (' + ((input.todos || []).length) + ' items)';
+        case 'mcp__hyperhive__send': return short + ' → ' + (input.to || '?') + ': '
+          + JSON.stringify(input.body || '').slice(0, 80);
+        case 'mcp__hyperhive__recv': return short + '()';
+        case 'mcp__hyperhive__request_spawn': return short + ' ' + (input.name || '');
+        case 'mcp__hyperhive__kill':          return short + ' ' + (input.name || '');
+        case 'mcp__hyperhive__request_apply_commit':
+          return short + ' ' + (input.agent || '') + ' @ ' + (input.commit_ref || '').slice(0, 12);
+        default: return name + ' ' + trim(JSON.stringify(input), 200);
+      }
+    }
+    function renderToolResult(c) {
+      const txt = Array.isArray(c.content)
+        ? c.content.map(p => p.text || '').join('')
+        : (c.content || '');
+      const summary = '←  ' + (() => {
+        const trimmed = txt.replace(/\s+/g, ' ').trim();
+        if (!trimmed) return '(empty)';
+        if (trimmed.length <= 120) return trimmed;
+        const lines = txt.split('\n').filter(l => l.length).length;
+        const headline = trimmed.slice(0, 90) + '…';
+        return `${lines}L · ${headline}`;
+      })();
+      // For empty / short results, render as a flat row (no expand).
+      if (!txt.trim() || txt.length <= 120) {
+        row('tool-result', summary);
+      } else {
+        details('tool-result-block', summary, txt);
+      }
+    }
     function renderStream(v) {
-      if (v.type === 'system' && v.subtype === 'init') {
-        row('sys', '· session init · tools=' + (v.tools||[]).length + ' model=' + (v.model || '?'));
-        return;
-      }
-      if (v.type === 'rate_limit_event') {
-        const u = Math.round((v.rate_limit_info?.utilization || 0) * 100);
-        const s = v.rate_limit_info?.status || '';
-        row('sys', '· rate-limit util=' + u + '% (' + s + ')');
-        return;
-      }
+      // Drop session init, claude's result line, rate-limit — they're
+      // noise. TurnEnd communicates pass/fail; session init data isn't
+      // actionable.
+      if (v.type === 'system' && v.subtype === 'init') return;
+      if (v.type === 'rate_limit_event') return;
+      if (v.type === 'result') return;
       if (v.type === 'assistant' && v.message && v.message.content) {
         for (const c of v.message.content) {
           if (c.type === 'text' && c.text && c.text.trim()) row('text', c.text);
-          else if (c.type === 'thinking') row('thinking', '· thinking …');
-          else if (c.type === 'tool_use') row('tool-use', '→ ' + c.name + ' ' + trim(JSON.stringify(c.input || {}), 240));
+          else if (c.type === 'thinking') {
+            const txt = (c.thinking || c.text || '').trim();
+            row('thinking', txt ? '· ' + txt : '· thinking …');
+          }
+          else if (c.type === 'tool_use') row('tool-use', '→  ' + fmtToolUse(c));
         }
         return;
       }
       if (v.type === 'user' && v.message && v.message.content) {
         for (const c of v.message.content) {
-          if (c.type === 'tool_result') {
-            const txt = Array.isArray(c.content)
-              ? c.content.map(p => p.text || '').join(' ')
-              : (c.content || '');
-            row('tool-result', '← ' + trim(txt, 300));
-          }
+          if (c.type === 'tool_result') renderToolResult(c);
         }
         return;
       }
-      if (v.type === 'result') {
-        row('result', '✓ done · ' + (v.subtype || '') + (v.is_error ? ' [error]' : ''));
-        return;
-      }
       row('sys', '· ' + trim(JSON.stringify(v), 200));
     }
     function handle(ev) {
       if (ev.kind === 'turn_start') {
         const block = row('turn-start', '◆ TURN ← ' + ev.from);
+        if (ev.unread > 0) {
+          const badge = document.createElement('span');
+          badge.className = 'unread-badge';
+          badge.textContent = '· ' + ev.unread + ' unread';
+          block.appendChild(badge);
+        }
         const body = document.createElement('div');
         body.className = 'turn-body';
         body.textContent = ev.body;
diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/assets/index.html b/hive-ag3nt/assets/index.html
index b65ccd4..bfcdd46 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/assets/index.html
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/assets/index.html
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@
   <h2 id="title">◆ … ◆</h2>
   <div class="divider">══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════</div>
 
+  <h3>live</h3>
+  <div id="live" class="live terminal"><div class="meta">connecting…</div></div>
+
   <div id="status">
     <p class="meta">loading…</p>
   </div>
 
-  <h3>live</h3>
-  <div id="live" class="live"><div class="meta">connecting…</div></div>
-
   <script src="/static/app.js" defer></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/src/bin/hive-ag3nt.rs b/hive-ag3nt/src/bin/hive-ag3nt.rs
index 4d94fab..ecb9bcc 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/src/bin/hive-ag3nt.rs
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/src/bin/hive-ag3nt.rs
@@ -135,11 +135,13 @@ async fn serve(
         match recv {
             Ok(AgentResponse::Message { from, body }) => {
                 tracing::info!(%from, %body, "inbox");
+                let unread = inbox_unread(socket).await;
                 bus.emit(LiveEvent::TurnStart {
                     from: from.clone(),
                     body: body.clone(),
+                    unread,
                 });
-                let prompt = format_wake_prompt(&from, &body);
+                let prompt = format_wake_prompt(&from, &body, unread);
                 let outcome = turn::drive_turn(
                     &prompt,
                     &mcp_config,
@@ -168,9 +170,24 @@ async fn serve(
 
 /// Per-turn user prompt. The role/tools/etc. is in the system prompt
 /// (`prompts/agent.md` → `claude --system-prompt-file`); this is just the
-/// wake signal claude reacts to.
-fn format_wake_prompt(from: &str, body: &str) -> String {
-    format!("Incoming message from `{from}`:\n---\n{body}\n---")
+/// wake signal claude reacts to. `unread` is the count of *other*
+/// messages in the inbox right after this one was popped.
+fn format_wake_prompt(from: &str, body: &str, unread: u64) -> String {
+    let pending = if unread == 0 {
+        String::new()
+    } else {
+        format!("\n\n({unread} more message(s) pending in your inbox — drain via `mcp__hyperhive__recv` if relevant.)")
+    };
+    format!("Incoming message from `{from}`:\n---\n{body}\n---{pending}")
+}
+
+/// Best-effort: ask our own per-agent socket how many messages are still
+/// pending after the wake-up Recv. Returns 0 if anything goes wrong.
+async fn inbox_unread(socket: &Path) -> u64 {
+    match client::request::<_, AgentResponse>(socket, &AgentRequest::Status).await {
+        Ok(AgentResponse::Status { unread }) => unread,
+        _ => 0,
+    }
 }
 
 fn render(resp: &AgentResponse) -> Result<()> {
diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/src/bin/hive-m1nd.rs b/hive-ag3nt/src/bin/hive-m1nd.rs
index e139893..295dd1f 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/src/bin/hive-m1nd.rs
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/src/bin/hive-m1nd.rs
@@ -151,11 +151,13 @@ async fn serve(socket: &Path, interval: Duration, bus: Bus) -> Result<()> {
                     // so the wake prompt can label it as such.
                 }
                 tracing::info!(%from, %body, "manager inbox");
+                let unread = inbox_unread(socket).await;
                 bus.emit(LiveEvent::TurnStart {
                     from: from.clone(),
                     body: body.clone(),
+                    unread,
                 });
-                let prompt = format_wake_prompt(&from, &body);
+                let prompt = format_wake_prompt(&from, &body, unread);
                 let outcome = turn::drive_turn(
                     &prompt,
                     &mcp_config,
@@ -185,7 +187,20 @@ async fn serve(socket: &Path, interval: Duration, bus: Bus) -> Result<()> {
 
 /// Per-turn user prompt. The role/tools/etc. is in the system prompt
 /// (`prompts/manager.md` → `claude --system-prompt-file`); this is just
-/// the wake signal.
-fn format_wake_prompt(from: &str, body: &str) -> String {
-    format!("Incoming message from `{from}`:\n---\n{body}\n---")
+/// the wake signal. `unread` is the inbox depth after this message was
+/// popped.
+fn format_wake_prompt(from: &str, body: &str, unread: u64) -> String {
+    let pending = if unread == 0 {
+        String::new()
+    } else {
+        format!("\n\n({unread} more message(s) pending in your inbox — drain via `mcp__hyperhive__recv` if relevant.)")
+    };
+    format!("Incoming message from `{from}`:\n---\n{body}\n---{pending}")
+}
+
+async fn inbox_unread(socket: &Path) -> u64 {
+    match client::request::<_, ManagerResponse>(socket, &ManagerRequest::Status).await {
+        Ok(ManagerResponse::Status { unread }) => unread,
+        _ => 0,
+    }
 }
diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/src/events.rs b/hive-ag3nt/src/events.rs
index 1449af2..54e5888 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/src/events.rs
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/src/events.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,13 @@ const CHANNEL_CAPACITY: usize = 256;
 #[serde(tag = "kind", rename_all = "snake_case")]
 pub enum LiveEvent {
     /// Harness popped a wake-up message and is about to invoke claude.
-    TurnStart { from: String, body: String },
+    /// `unread` is the count of *other* messages still in the inbox at
+    /// that moment — surfaced as a badge in the live panel header.
+    TurnStart {
+        from: String,
+        body: String,
+        unread: u64,
+    },
     /// One line of claude's `--output-format stream-json` stdout, parsed as
     /// a generic JSON value (so we don't have to track every claude-code
     /// event variant). The frontend pretty-prints by `type` field.
diff --git a/hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs b/hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs
index bd16814..c2c7485 100644
--- a/hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs
+++ b/hive-ag3nt/src/mcp.rs
@@ -87,34 +87,18 @@ pub fn format_recv(resp: Result<SocketReply, anyhow::Error>) -> String {
     }
 }
 
-/// Format helper for the status peek used in the status line.
-pub fn format_status(resp: Result<SocketReply, anyhow::Error>) -> String {
-    match resp {
-        Ok(SocketReply::Status(unread)) => format!("{unread} unread message(s) in inbox"),
-        Ok(other) => format!("status: unexpected response {other:?}"),
-        Err(e) => format!("status: transport error: {e:#}"),
-    }
-}
-
-/// Common envelope around every MCP tool handler: pre-log → run → append
-/// a status line → post-log. Free function so both `AgentServer` and
-/// `ManagerServer` use the same shape; the per-server `status_line`
-/// closure is what differs (different `Status` wire types).
-pub async fn run_tool_envelope<F, S>(tool: &'static str, args: String, status: S, body: F) -> String
+/// Common envelope around every MCP tool handler: pre-log → run →
+/// post-log. The inbox-status hint used to be appended to every tool
+/// result; that lives in the wake prompt + UI header now, so tool
+/// results stay clean.
+pub async fn run_tool_envelope<F>(tool: &'static str, args: String, body: F) -> String
 where
     F: Future<Output = String>,
-    S: Future<Output = String>,
 {
     tracing::info!(tool, %args, "tool: request");
     let result = body.await;
-    let status_text = status.await;
-    let full = if status_text.is_empty() {
-        result
-    } else {
-        format!("{result}\n\n[status] {status_text}")
-    };
-    tracing::info!(tool, result = %full, "tool: result");
-    full
+    tracing::info!(tool, result = %result, "tool: result");
+    result
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, serde::Deserialize, schemars::JsonSchema)]
@@ -141,19 +125,6 @@ impl AgentServer {
     pub fn new(socket: PathBuf) -> Self {
         Self { socket }
     }
-
-    /// Non-mutating peek used in the status line. Falls back to a vague
-    /// note rather than failing the whole tool call when the socket
-    /// hiccups.
-    async fn status_line(&self) -> String {
-        let resp = client::request::<_, hive_sh4re::AgentResponse>(
-            &self.socket,
-            &hive_sh4re::AgentRequest::Status,
-        )
-        .await
-        .map(SocketReply::from);
-        format_status(resp)
-    }
 }
 
 #[tool_router]
@@ -165,7 +136,7 @@ impl AgentServer {
     async fn send(&self, Parameters(args): Parameters<SendArgs>) -> String {
         let log = format!("{args:?}");
         let to = args.to.clone();
-        run_tool_envelope("send", log, self.status_line(), async move {
+        run_tool_envelope("send", log, async move {
             let resp = client::request::<_, hive_sh4re::AgentResponse>(
                 &self.socket,
                 &hive_sh4re::AgentRequest::Send {
@@ -185,7 +156,7 @@ impl AgentServer {
             or an empty marker if nothing is waiting."
     )]
     async fn recv(&self, Parameters(_args): Parameters<RecvArgs>) -> String {
-        run_tool_envelope("recv", String::new(), self.status_line(), async move {
+        run_tool_envelope("recv", String::new(), async move {
             let resp = client::request::<_, hive_sh4re::AgentResponse>(
                 &self.socket,
                 &hive_sh4re::AgentRequest::Recv,
@@ -258,16 +229,6 @@ impl ManagerServer {
         Self { socket }
     }
 
-    async fn status_line(&self) -> String {
-        let resp = client::request::<_, hive_sh4re::ManagerResponse>(
-            &self.socket,
-            &hive_sh4re::ManagerRequest::Status,
-        )
-        .await
-        .map(SocketReply::from);
-        format_status(resp)
-    }
-
     /// Helper: issue any `ManagerRequest`, convert the reply through
     /// `SocketReply`. Manager tools that just need an `Ok` ack share this.
     async fn dispatch(
@@ -289,7 +250,7 @@ impl ManagerServer {
     async fn send(&self, Parameters(args): Parameters<SendArgs>) -> String {
         let log = format!("{args:?}");
         let to = args.to.clone();
-        run_tool_envelope("send", log, self.status_line(), async move {
+        run_tool_envelope("send", log, async move {
             let resp = self
                 .dispatch(hive_sh4re::ManagerRequest::Send {
                     to: args.to,
@@ -306,7 +267,7 @@ impl ManagerServer {
         empty."
     )]
     async fn recv(&self, Parameters(_args): Parameters<RecvArgs>) -> String {
-        run_tool_envelope("recv", String::new(), self.status_line(), async move {
+        run_tool_envelope("recv", String::new(), async move {
             let resp = self.dispatch(hive_sh4re::ManagerRequest::Recv).await;
             format_recv(resp)
         })
@@ -320,7 +281,7 @@ impl ManagerServer {
     async fn request_spawn(&self, Parameters(args): Parameters<RequestSpawnArgs>) -> String {
         let log = format!("{args:?}");
         let name = args.name.clone();
-        run_tool_envelope("request_spawn", log, self.status_line(), async move {
+        run_tool_envelope("request_spawn", log, async move {
             let resp = self
                 .dispatch(hive_sh4re::ManagerRequest::RequestSpawn { name: args.name })
                 .await;
@@ -340,7 +301,7 @@ impl ManagerServer {
     async fn kill(&self, Parameters(args): Parameters<KillArgs>) -> String {
         let log = format!("{args:?}");
         let name = args.name.clone();
-        run_tool_envelope("kill", log, self.status_line(), async move {
+        run_tool_envelope("kill", log, async move {
             let resp = self
                 .dispatch(hive_sh4re::ManagerRequest::Kill { name: args.name })
                 .await;
@@ -364,7 +325,6 @@ impl ManagerServer {
         run_tool_envelope(
             "request_apply_commit",
             log,
-            self.status_line(),
             async move {
                 let resp = self
                     .dispatch(hive_sh4re::ManagerRequest::RequestApplyCommit {