diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/WorkStatusPanel.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/WorkStatusPanel.tsx
index 5315a867..260051a2 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/WorkStatusPanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/WorkStatusPanel.tsx
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import { WorkStatusMcpSection } from './WorkStatusMcpSection';
 import { WorkStatusPinnedSection } from './WorkStatusPinnedSection';
 import { WorkStatusContextSection } from './WorkStatusContextSection';
 import { WorkStatusSectionsDialog } from './WorkStatusSectionsDialog';
-import { isWorkStatusSectionVisible } from './sections';
+import { areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden, isWorkStatusSectionVisible } from './sections';
 import { WorkStatusPresenceProvider } from './presence';
 import { Icon } from '@/components/icon/Icon';
 
@@ -82,9 +82,14 @@ export const WorkStatusPanel: React.FC<Props> = ({ sessionId, directory, visible
   // out with something in it rather than emptying first, and its subscriptions
   // stop once it is truly gone.
   const [contentMounted, setContentMounted] = React.useState(visible);
-  // Hidden, mid-collapse, or reporting nothing: in each case the card is not
-  // something the user can act on, so it should not be reachable.
-  const interactive = visible && renderedSections > 0;
+  // Hidden or mid-collapse: the card is not something the user can act on.
+  // When `visible` but all sections are hidden, the panel stays interactive so
+  // the settings button remains reachable — otherwise there is no way to
+  // re-enable sections. The previous `renderedSections > 0` guard is preserved
+  // for the transient "no data yet" state so the panel doesn't flash a bare
+  // bordered card on first mount.
+  const allSectionsHidden = areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden(hiddenSections);
+  const interactive = visible && (renderedSections > 0 || allSectionsHidden);
   React.useEffect(() => {
     if (visible) {
       setContentMounted(true);
@@ -180,9 +185,9 @@ export const WorkStatusPanel: React.FC<Props> = ({ sessionId, directory, visible
           // separates the two without going fully opaque.
           'oc-glass-panel',
         ],
-        // An empty card is a border around a settings icon, which reads as a
-        // fault rather than as "nothing to report".
-        renderedSections === 0 && 'border-transparent bg-transparent shadow-none',
+        // When every section is hidden the card keeps its border and background
+        // so the settings button stays discoverable — going transparent made the
+        // only recovery path unreachable.
         'motion-reduce:transition-none',
         'rounded-xl border border-[var(--interactive-border)]',
         !overlay && 'bg-[var(--surface-muted)]/40',
@@ -246,6 +251,19 @@ export const WorkStatusPanel: React.FC<Props> = ({ sessionId, directory, visible
       </WorkStatusPresenceProvider>
       ) : null}
 
+      {contentMounted && allSectionsHidden ? (
+        <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center px-4 py-8 text-center">
+          <span className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">{t('chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden')}</span>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => setSectionsDialogOpen(true)}
+            className="mt-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground underline underline-offset-2 transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
+          >
+            {t('chat.workStatus.sections.open')}
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
+
       <WorkStatusSectionsDialog open={sectionsDialogOpen} onOpenChange={setSectionsDialogOpen} />
     </aside>
   );
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/WorkStatusSectionsDialog.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/WorkStatusSectionsDialog.tsx
index a2370c02..ad60fd4d 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/WorkStatusSectionsDialog.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/WorkStatusSectionsDialog.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
 import {
   WORK_STATUS_SECTION_IDS,
   WORK_STATUS_SECTION_LABEL_KEYS,
+  areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden,
   isWorkStatusSectionVisible,
 } from './sections';
 
@@ -29,6 +30,12 @@ export const WorkStatusSectionsDialog: React.FC<{
   const { t } = useI18n();
   const hidden = useUIStore((state) => state.workStatusHiddenSections);
   const setSectionVisible = useUIStore((state) => state.setWorkStatusSectionVisible);
+  const setHiddenSections = useUIStore((state) => state.setWorkStatusHiddenSections);
+
+  const allVisible = hidden.length === 0;
+  const noneVisible = areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden(hidden);
+
+  const handleShowAll = () => setHiddenSections([]);
 
   return (
     <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={onOpenChange}>
@@ -50,6 +57,21 @@ export const WorkStatusSectionsDialog: React.FC<{
             />
           ))}
         </div>
+
+        {!allVisible ? (
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-between border-t pt-3">
+            {noneVisible ? (
+              <span className="text-xs text-destructive">{t('chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning')}</span>
+            ) : <span />}
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={handleShowAll}
+              className="text-xs text-muted-foreground underline underline-offset-2 transition-colors hover:text-foreground"
+            >
+              {t('chat.workStatus.sections.showAll')}
+            </button>
+          </div>
+        ) : null}
       </DialogContent>
     </Dialog>
   );
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/sections.test.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/sections.test.ts
index 015f79ea..d4aae75c 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/sections.test.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/sections.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test';
 import {
   WORK_STATUS_SECTION_IDS,
   WORK_STATUS_SECTION_LABEL_KEYS,
+  areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden,
   isWorkStatusSectionVisible,
   sanitizeWorkStatusHiddenSections,
 } from './sections';
@@ -30,6 +31,37 @@ describe('isWorkStatusSectionVisible', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden', () => {
+  test('returns false when no sections are hidden', () => {
+    expect(areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden([])).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  test('returns false for null and undefined', () => {
+    expect(areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden(null)).toBe(false);
+    expect(areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden(undefined)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  test('returns false when only some sections are hidden', () => {
+    expect(areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden(['usage', 'tasks'])).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  test('returns true when every known section is hidden', () => {
+    expect(areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden([...WORK_STATUS_SECTION_IDS])).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test('ignores stale ids that are no longer in the section list', () => {
+    // A future section-ID removal should not trick the length check into
+    // reporting all-hidden when real sections are still visible.
+    const withStale = [...WORK_STATUS_SECTION_IDS.slice(0, -1), 'removed_section'];
+    expect(areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden(withStale)).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  test('returns true even with extra stale ids alongside all real ones', () => {
+    const withExtra = [...WORK_STATUS_SECTION_IDS, 'removed_section'];
+    expect(areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden(withExtra)).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
 describe('sanitizeWorkStatusHiddenSections', () => {
   test('keeps known ids and drops everything else', () => {
     expect(sanitizeWorkStatusHiddenSections(['usage', 'nope', 42, null, 'tasks']))
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/sections.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/sections.ts
index 358d4338..d7c6fcaf 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/sections.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/work-status/sections.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,17 @@ export const isWorkStatusSectionVisible = (
   id: WorkStatusSectionId,
 ): boolean => !hidden?.includes(id);
 
+/**
+ * True when every known section id appears in the hidden set.
+ *
+ * Uses `.every()` instead of a length comparison so that stale ids left over
+ * from a removed section cannot inflate the count past the current list length.
+ */
+export const areAllWorkStatusSectionsHidden = (
+  hidden: readonly string[] | null | undefined,
+): boolean =>
+  hidden != null && WORK_STATUS_SECTION_IDS.every((id) => hidden.includes(id));
+
 export const sanitizeWorkStatusHiddenSections = (value: unknown): WorkStatusSectionId[] => {
   if (!Array.isArray(value)) return [];
   const seen = new Set<WorkStatusSectionId>();
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/de.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/de.ts
index 507defa2..5e9bf075 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/de.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/de.ts
@@ -3001,6 +3001,9 @@ export const dict = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': 'Abschnitte wählen',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': 'Panel-Abschnitte',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': 'Wähle, was das Arbeitsstatus-Panel zeigt. Ausgeblendete Abschnitte behalten ihre Daten und werden nur nicht angezeigt.',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': 'Keine Abschnitte ausgewählt',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': 'Alle anzeigen',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': 'Das Panel wird leer angezeigt.',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': 'Arbeitsstatus-Panel umschalten',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': 'Arbeitsstatus ausblenden',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': 'Arbeitsstatus anzeigen',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts
index ccbd2ad0..4b445c3f 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/en.ts
@@ -3003,6 +3003,9 @@ export const dict = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': 'Choose sections',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': 'Panel sections',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': 'Choose what the work-status panel shows. Hidden sections keep their data — they are only left out of the panel.',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': 'No sections selected',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': 'Show all',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': 'The panel will appear empty.',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': 'Toggle work-status panel',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': 'Hide work status',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': 'Show work status',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/es.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/es.ts
index f88cfe0c..80f3a3d1 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/es.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/es.ts
@@ -3004,6 +3004,9 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': 'Elegir secciones',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': 'Secciones del panel',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': 'Elige qué muestra el panel de estado. Las secciones ocultas conservan sus datos: solo no aparecen en el panel.',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': 'Ninguna sección seleccionada',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': 'Mostrar todas',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': 'El panel aparecerá vacío.',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': 'Alternar panel de estado',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': 'Ocultar estado del trabajo',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': 'Mostrar estado del trabajo',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/fr.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/fr.ts
index 51f6cd8a..3d772fd3 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/fr.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/fr.ts
@@ -3001,6 +3001,9 @@ export const dict = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': 'Choisir les sections',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': 'Sections du panneau',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': 'Choisis ce qu\'affiche le panneau d\'état. Les sections masquées conservent leurs données, elles sont seulement absentes du panneau.',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': 'Aucune section sélectionnée',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': 'Tout afficher',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': 'Le panneau apparaîtra vide.',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': 'Basculer le panneau d\'état',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': 'Masquer l\'état du travail',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': 'Afficher l\'état du travail',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ja.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ja.ts
index fa41fdd3..c386fe7f 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ja.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ja.ts
@@ -3003,6 +3003,9 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': 'セクションを選択',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': 'パネルのセクション',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': '作業状況パネルに表示する内容を選びます。非表示のセクションもデータは保持され、表示されないだけです。',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': 'セクションが選択されていません',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': 'すべて表示',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': 'パネルが空で表示されます。',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': '作業状況パネルを切り替え',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': '作業状況を非表示',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': '作業状況を表示',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ko.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ko.ts
index 924ae307..43c19e01 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ko.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/ko.ts
@@ -3003,6 +3003,9 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': '섹션 선택',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': '패널 섹션',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': '작업 상태 패널에 표시할 항목을 선택하세요. 숨긴 섹션도 데이터는 유지되며 패널에만 나타나지 않습니다.',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': '선택된 섹션 없음',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': '모두 표시',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': '패널이 비어 보입니다.',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': '작업 상태 패널 전환',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': '작업 상태 숨기기',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': '작업 상태 표시',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pl.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pl.ts
index 079153ef..dd2ebb9c 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pl.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pl.ts
@@ -3020,6 +3020,9 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': 'Wybierz sekcje',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': 'Sekcje panelu',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': 'Wybierz, co pokazuje panel stanu pracy. Ukryte sekcje zachowują swoje dane — po prostu nie są wyświetlane.',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': 'Nie wybrano żadnych sekcji',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': 'Pokaż wszystkie',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': 'Panel będzie wyświetlany jako pusty.',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': 'Przełącz panel stanu pracy',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': 'Ukryj stan pracy',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': 'Pokaż stan pracy',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pt-BR.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pt-BR.ts
index 1a5cc0cf..b7f3ed07 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pt-BR.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/pt-BR.ts
@@ -3004,6 +3004,9 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': 'Escolher seções',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': 'Seções do painel',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': 'Escolha o que o painel de status mostra. Seções ocultas mantêm seus dados — apenas não aparecem no painel.',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': 'Nenhuma seção selecionada',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': 'Mostrar todas',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': 'O painel aparecerá vazio.',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': 'Alternar painel de status',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': 'Ocultar status do trabalho',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': 'Mostrar status do trabalho',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/uk.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/uk.ts
index 9068e465..e83f461b 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/uk.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/uk.ts
@@ -3004,6 +3004,9 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': 'Обрати секції',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': 'Секції панелі',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': 'Обери, що показує панель стану роботи. Приховані секції зберігають свої дані — вони просто не відображаються.',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': 'Жодної секції не вибрано',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': 'Показати всі',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': 'Панель відображатиметься порожньою.',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': 'Перемкнути панель стану роботи',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': 'Сховати стан роботи',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': 'Показати стан роботи',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts
index 79fbe910..04258b79 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-CN.ts
@@ -3004,6 +3004,9 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': '选择板块',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': '面板板块',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': '选择工作状态面板显示的内容。隐藏的板块仍保留数据，只是不再显示。',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': '未选择任何部分',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': '全部显示',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': '面板将显示为空。',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': '切换工作状态面板',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': '隐藏工作状态',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': '显示工作状态',
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts
index bfbb98d0..f56bef7e 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/lib/i18n/messages/zh-TW.ts
@@ -3003,6 +3003,9 @@ export const dict: Record<I18nKey, string> = {
   'chat.workStatus.sections.open': '選擇區塊',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogTitle': '面板區塊',
   'chat.workStatus.sections.dialogDescription': '選擇工作狀態面板顯示的內容。隱藏的區塊仍保留資料，只是不再顯示。',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.allHidden': '未選擇任何部分',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.showAll': '全部顯示',
+  'chat.workStatus.sections.noneWarning': '面板將顯示為空。',
   'header.workStatusPanel.toggleAria': '切換工作狀態面板',
   'header.workStatusPanel.hide': '隱藏工作狀態',
   'header.workStatusPanel.show': '顯示工作狀態',