diff --git a/bun.lock b/bun.lock
index 98e47d8f..d9713441 100644
--- a/bun.lock
+++ b/bun.lock
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@
         "@dnd-kit/core": "^6.3.1",
         "@dnd-kit/sortable": "^10.0.0",
         "@dnd-kit/utilities": "^3.2.2",
+        "@legendapp/list": "3.2.0",
         "@lezer/highlight": "^1.2.3",
         "@opencode-ai/sdk": "1.18.21",
         "@pierre/diffs": "1.3.0-beta.6",
@@ -917,6 +918,8 @@
 
     "@kwsites/promise-deferred": ["@kwsites/promise-deferred@1.1.1", "", {}, "sha512-GaHYm+c0O9MjZRu0ongGBRbinu8gVAMd2UZjji6jVmqKtZluZnptXGWhz1E8j8D2HJ3f/yMxKAUC0b+57wncIw=="],
 
+    "@legendapp/list": ["@legendapp/list@3.2.0", "", { "dependencies": { "use-sync-external-store": "^1.5.0" }, "peerDependencies": { "react": "*", "react-dom": "*", "react-native": "*" }, "optionalPeers": ["react-dom", "react-native"] }, "sha512-bN+g/oQYjFz+UAyuBN4cmYJAwdJS1TdNcZZOVlh3+VwCQUWrsg0PH46Mvm76gdZSCYMfoFanPY4dKnILcYEzeg=="],
+
     "@levischuck/tiny-cbor": ["@levischuck/tiny-cbor@0.2.11", "", {}, "sha512-llBRm4dT4Z89aRsm6u2oEZ8tfwL/2l6BwpZ7JcyieouniDECM5AqNgr/y08zalEIvW3RSK4upYyybDcmjXqAow=="],
 
     "@lezer/common": ["@lezer/common@1.5.1", "", {}, "sha512-6YRVG9vBkaY7p1IVxL4s44n5nUnaNnGM2/AckNgYOnxTG2kWh1vR8BMxPseWPjRNpb5VtXnMpeYAEAADoRV1Iw=="],
diff --git a/packages/ui/package.json b/packages/ui/package.json
index 14eaf104..dc5e40f1 100644
--- a/packages/ui/package.json
+++ b/packages/ui/package.json
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
     "@dnd-kit/core": "^6.3.1",
     "@dnd-kit/sortable": "^10.0.0",
     "@dnd-kit/utilities": "^3.2.2",
+    "@legendapp/list": "3.2.0",
     "@lezer/highlight": "^1.2.3",
     "@opencode-ai/sdk": "1.18.21",
     "@pierre/diffs": "1.3.0-beta.6",
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx
index a6384531..9174668b 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ import { StatusRowContainer } from './StatusRowContainer';
 import { SessionRecapNote } from '@/components/chat/SessionRecapSpacer';
 import ScrollToBottomButton from './components/ScrollToBottomButton';
 import { PromptNavigatorRail } from './components/PromptNavigatorRail';
-import { ScrollShadow } from '@/components/ui/ScrollShadow';
-import { useChatAutoFollow, type AnimationHandlers, type ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import { useScrollShadow } from '@/components/ui/useScrollShadow';
+import { useChatTimelineScroll, type AnimationHandlers, type ContentChangeReason, type TimelineListHandle } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 import { useChatTimelineController } from './hooks/useChatTimelineController';
 import { TimelineDialog } from './TimelineDialog';
 import { useChatTurnNavigation } from './hooks/useChatTurnNavigation';
@@ -151,10 +151,16 @@ type ChatViewportProps = {
     currentSessionKey: string;
     isDesktopExpandedInput: boolean;
     isMobile: boolean;
-    stickyUserHeader: boolean;
     directory?: string;
     scrollRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
     messageListRef: React.RefObject<MessageListHandle | null>;
+    registerList: (list: TimelineListHandle | null) => void;
+    anchorMessageId: string | null;
+    onAnchorReady: (messageId: string, anchorIndex: number) => void;
+    onAnchorSizeChanged: (messageId: string) => void;
+    composerOverlayHeight: number;
+    onIsAtEndChange: (isAtEnd: boolean) => void;
+    onTimelineDataChange: () => void;
     pendingRevealWork: boolean;
     renderedMessages: SessionMessageRecord[];
     isLoadingOlder: boolean;
@@ -169,7 +175,6 @@ type ChatViewportProps = {
     } | null;
     handleMessageContentChange: (reason?: ContentChangeReason) => void;
     getAnimationHandlers: (messageId: string) => AnimationHandlers;
-    handleHistoryScroll: () => void;
     scrollToBottom: () => void;
     sessionQuestions: QuestionRequest[];
     sessionPermissions: PermissionRequest[];
@@ -190,10 +195,16 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
     currentSessionKey,
     isDesktopExpandedInput,
     isMobile,
-    stickyUserHeader,
     directory,
     scrollRef,
     messageListRef,
+    registerList,
+    anchorMessageId,
+    onAnchorReady,
+    onAnchorSizeChanged,
+    composerOverlayHeight,
+    onIsAtEndChange,
+    onTimelineDataChange,
     pendingRevealWork,
     renderedMessages,
     isLoadingOlder,
@@ -203,7 +214,6 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
     retryOverlay,
     handleMessageContentChange,
     getAnimationHandlers,
-    handleHistoryScroll,
     scrollToBottom,
     sessionQuestions,
     sessionPermissions,
@@ -315,6 +325,60 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
         scrollRef.current?.focus({ preventScroll: true });
     }, [scrollRef]);
 
+    // Everything that used to sit beside the list inside the scroll container
+    // now renders as the list's header/footer, so it keeps scrolling with the
+    // rows exactly as before.
+    const listHeader = React.useMemo(() => (
+        showLoadOlderButton ? (
+            <div className="flex justify-center pt-3 pb-1">
+                <Button
+                    variant="secondary"
+                    size="sm"
+                    onClick={onLoadOlder}
+                    disabled={isLoadingOlder}
+                >
+                    {isLoadingOlder && (
+                        <Icon name="loader-4" className="size-4 animate-spin" />
+                    )}
+                    {t('chat.history.loadOlder')}
+                </Button>
+            </div>
+        ) : null
+    ), [isLoadingOlder, onLoadOlder, showLoadOlderButton, t]);
+
+    const listFooter = React.useMemo(() => (
+        <>
+            {(sessionQuestions.length > 0 || sessionPermissions.length > 0) && (
+                <div>
+                    {sessionQuestions.map((question) => (
+                        <QuestionCard key={question.id} question={question} />
+                    ))}
+                    {sessionPermissions.map((permission) => (
+                        <PermissionCard key={permission.id} permission={permission} />
+                    ))}
+                </div>
+            )}
+
+            <SessionRecapNote sessionId={currentSessionId} directory={directory} isMobile={isMobile} />
+
+            <div className="mb-3">
+                <StatusRowContainer />
+            </div>
+
+            <div className="flex-shrink-0" style={{ height: isMobile ? '40px' : '10vh' }} aria-hidden="true" />
+        </>
+    ), [currentSessionId, directory, isMobile, sessionPermissions, sessionQuestions]);
+
+    const scrollContainerProps = React.useMemo(() => ({
+        className: 'absolute inset-0 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden z-0 chat-scroll overlay-scrollbar-target',
+        style: CHAT_SCROLL_STYLE,
+        tabIndex: 0,
+        onClick: focusScrollContainer,
+        'data-scrollbar': 'chat',
+        'data-scroll-shadow': 'true',
+        'data-orientation': 'vertical',
+    }), [focusScrollContainer]);
+
     return (
         <div
             className={cn(
@@ -326,71 +390,32 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
             aria-hidden={isDesktopExpandedInput}
         >
             <div className="absolute inset-0">
-                <ScrollShadow
-                    className="absolute inset-0 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden z-0 chat-scroll overlay-scrollbar-target"
-                    ref={scrollRef}
-                    style={CHAT_SCROLL_STYLE}
-                    observeMutations={false}
-                    hideTopShadow={isMobile && stickyUserHeader}
-                    tabIndex={0}
-                    onClick={focusScrollContainer}
-                    onScroll={handleHistoryScroll}
-                    data-scroll-shadow="true"
-                    data-scrollbar="chat"
-                >
-                    <div className="relative z-0 min-h-full">
-                        {showLoadOlderButton && (
-                            <div className="flex justify-center pt-3 pb-1">
-                                <Button
-                                    variant="secondary"
-                                    size="sm"
-                                    onClick={onLoadOlder}
-                                    disabled={isLoadingOlder}
-                                >
-                                    {isLoadingOlder && (
-                                        <Icon name="loader-4" className="size-4 animate-spin" />
-                                    )}
-                                    {t('chat.history.loadOlder')}
-                                </Button>
-                            </div>
-                        )}
-                        <MessageList
-                            key={currentSessionKey}
-                            ref={messageListRef}
-                            sessionKey={currentSessionId}
-                            disableStaging={pendingRevealWork}
-                            messages={renderedMessages}
-                            sessionIsWorking={sessionIsWorking}
-                            activeStreamingMessageId={streamingMessageId}
-                            activeStreamingPhase={activeStreamingPhase}
-                            retryOverlay={retryOverlay}
-                            onMessageContentChange={handleMessageContentChange}
-                            getAnimationHandlers={getAnimationHandlers}
-                            isLoadingOlder={isLoadingOlder}
-                            scrollToBottom={scrollToBottom}
-                            scrollRef={scrollRef}
-                            directory={directory}
-                        />
-                        {(sessionQuestions.length > 0 || sessionPermissions.length > 0) && (
-                            <div>
-                                {sessionQuestions.map((question) => (
-                                    <QuestionCard key={question.id} question={question} />
-                                ))}
-                                {sessionPermissions.map((permission) => (
-                                    <PermissionCard key={permission.id} permission={permission} />
-                                ))}
-                            </div>
-                        )}
-
-                        <SessionRecapNote sessionId={currentSessionId} directory={directory} isMobile={isMobile} />
-
-                        <div className="mb-3">
-                            <StatusRowContainer />
-                        </div>
-
-                        <div className="flex-shrink-0" style={{ height: isMobile ? '40px' : '10vh' }} aria-hidden="true" />
-                    </div>
-                </ScrollShadow>
+                <MessageList
+                    key={currentSessionKey}
+                    ref={messageListRef}
+                    sessionKey={currentSessionId}
+                    disableStaging={pendingRevealWork}
+                    messages={renderedMessages}
+                    sessionIsWorking={sessionIsWorking}
+                    activeStreamingMessageId={streamingMessageId}
+                    activeStreamingPhase={activeStreamingPhase}
+                    retryOverlay={retryOverlay}
+                    onMessageContentChange={handleMessageContentChange}
+                    getAnimationHandlers={getAnimationHandlers}
+                    isLoadingOlder={isLoadingOlder}
+                    scrollToBottom={scrollToBottom}
+                    directory={directory}
+                    registerList={registerList}
+                    anchorMessageId={anchorMessageId}
+                    onAnchorReady={onAnchorReady}
+                    onAnchorSizeChanged={onAnchorSizeChanged}
+                    composerOverlayHeight={composerOverlayHeight}
+                    onIsAtEndChange={onIsAtEndChange}
+                    onTimelineDataChange={onTimelineDataChange}
+                    listHeader={listHeader}
+                    listFooter={listFooter}
+                    scrollContainerProps={scrollContainerProps}
+                />
                 <OverlayScrollbar containerRef={scrollRef} suppressVisibility={isProgrammaticFollowActive} userIntentOnly observeMutations={false} />
                 {showPromptNavigator && promptTurnIds.length >= 2 ? (
                     <PromptNavigatorRail
@@ -411,7 +436,6 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
         && prev.currentSessionKey === next.currentSessionKey
         && prev.isDesktopExpandedInput === next.isDesktopExpandedInput
         && prev.isMobile === next.isMobile
-        && prev.stickyUserHeader === next.stickyUserHeader
         && prev.directory === next.directory
         && prev.scrollRef === next.scrollRef
         && prev.messageListRef === next.messageListRef
@@ -424,7 +448,6 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
         && prev.retryOverlay === next.retryOverlay
         && prev.handleMessageContentChange === next.handleMessageContentChange
         && prev.getAnimationHandlers === next.getAnimationHandlers
-        && prev.handleHistoryScroll === next.handleHistoryScroll
         && prev.scrollToBottom === next.scrollToBottom
         && prev.sessionQuestions === next.sessionQuestions
         && prev.sessionPermissions === next.sessionPermissions
@@ -891,23 +914,44 @@ export const ChatContainer: React.FC<ChatContainerProps> = ({
         activeTurnChangeRef.current(turnId);
     }, []);
 
+    // The composer sits below the timeline rather than over it, so no part of
+    // the scroll container is occluded. Mobile surfaces that float the composer
+    // pass their measured height here instead.
+    const composerOverlayHeight = 0;
+    const lastUserMessageId = React.useMemo(() => {
+        for (let index = sessionMessages.length - 1; index >= 0; index -= 1) {
+            const message = sessionMessages[index];
+            if (message.info.role === 'user') {
+                return message.info.id;
+            }
+        }
+        return null;
+    }, [sessionMessages]);
+
     const {
         scrollRef,
+        scrollNode,
+        registerList,
+        anchorMessageId,
+        onAnchorReady,
+        onAnchorSizeChanged,
+        onIsAtEndChange,
+        onManualNavigation,
+        onTimelineDataChange,
         notifyContentChange: handleMessageContentChange,
         getAnimationHandlers,
         goToBottom,
         scrollToBottomOnSend,
-        releaseAutoFollow,
         restoreSnapshot,
         isPinned,
         isFollowingProgrammatically,
         showScrollButton,
-    } = useChatAutoFollow({
+    } = useChatTimelineScroll({
         currentSessionId,
         currentSessionKey,
         sessionMessageCount,
-        sessionIsWorking,
-        isMobile,
+        composerOverlayHeight,
+        lastUserMessageId,
         onActiveTurnChange: handleActiveTurnChange,
     });
 
@@ -922,10 +966,28 @@ export const ChatContainer: React.FC<ChatContainerProps> = ({
         messageListRef,
         loadMoreMessages,
         goToBottom,
-        releaseAutoFollow,
+        releaseAutoFollow: onManualNavigation,
         isPinned,
         showScrollButton,
     });
+    // The list owns the scroll element, so the shadows and the load-older
+    // trigger bind to its node rather than to a wrapper we render.
+    const scrollNodeRef = React.useMemo(() => ({ current: scrollNode }), [scrollNode]);
+    useScrollShadow(scrollNodeRef, {
+        observeMutations: false,
+        hideTopShadow: isMobile && stickyUserHeader,
+    });
+
+    const handleHistoryScroll = timelineController.handleHistoryScroll;
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!scrollNode) return;
+        const onScroll = () => handleHistoryScroll();
+        scrollNode.addEventListener('scroll', onScroll, { passive: true });
+        return () => {
+            scrollNode.removeEventListener('scroll', onScroll);
+        };
+    }, [handleHistoryScroll, scrollNode]);
+
     const resumeToLatestInstant = React.useCallback(() => {
         goToBottom('instant');
     }, [goToBottom]);
@@ -1084,7 +1146,7 @@ export const ChatContainer: React.FC<ChatContainerProps> = ({
         lastScrolledSessionKeyRef.current = currentSessionKey;
         if (hasHashTarget) {
             // Hash navigation handler will scroll to target; we just release auto-follow.
-            releaseAutoFollow();
+            onManualNavigation();
             return;
         }
 
@@ -1096,7 +1158,7 @@ export const ChatContainer: React.FC<ChatContainerProps> = ({
         } else {
             window.requestAnimationFrame(run);
         }
-    }, [active, currentSessionId, currentSessionKey, releaseAutoFollow, restoreSnapshot]);
+    }, [active, currentSessionId, currentSessionKey, onManualNavigation, restoreSnapshot]);
 
     React.useEffect(() => {
         if (!messagesEnabled || !currentSessionId) return;
@@ -1265,9 +1327,15 @@ export const ChatContainer: React.FC<ChatContainerProps> = ({
                 currentSessionKey={currentSessionKey ?? currentSessionId ?? ''}
                 isDesktopExpandedInput={isDesktopExpandedInput}
                 isMobile={isMobile}
-                stickyUserHeader={stickyUserHeader}
                 directory={effectiveSessionDirectory}
                 scrollRef={scrollRef}
+                registerList={registerList}
+                anchorMessageId={anchorMessageId}
+                onAnchorReady={onAnchorReady}
+                onAnchorSizeChanged={onAnchorSizeChanged}
+                composerOverlayHeight={composerOverlayHeight}
+                onIsAtEndChange={onIsAtEndChange}
+                onTimelineDataChange={onTimelineDataChange}
                 messageListRef={messageListRef}
                 pendingRevealWork={timelineController.pendingRevealWork}
                 renderedMessages={timelineController.renderedMessages}
@@ -1278,7 +1346,6 @@ export const ChatContainer: React.FC<ChatContainerProps> = ({
                 retryOverlay={retryOverlay}
                 handleMessageContentChange={handleMessageContentChange}
                 getAnimationHandlers={getAnimationHandlers}
-                handleHistoryScroll={timelineController.handleHistoryScroll}
                 scrollToBottom={resumeToLatestInstant}
                 sessionQuestions={sessionQuestions}
                 sessionPermissions={sessionPermissions}
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatMessage.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatMessage.tsx
index 9b39eb34..813b91ee 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatMessage.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatMessage.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { useThemeSystem } from '@/contexts/useThemeSystem';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
 import { useChatSurfaceMode } from './useChatSurfaceMode';
 
-import type { AnimationHandlers, ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { AnimationHandlers, ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 import MessageBody from './message/MessageBody';
 import type { AgentMentionInfo } from './message/types';
 import type { StreamPhase, ToolPopupContent } from './message/types';
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
index d573c1a9..131319cd 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import type { Part } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
-import { elementScroll, useVirtualizer as useTanstackVirtualizer, type ReactVirtualizer, type VirtualItem } from '@tanstack/react-virtual';
+import { LegendList, type LegendListRef } from '@legendapp/list/react';
 
 import ChatMessage from './ChatMessage';
 import { areOptionalRenderRelevantMessagesEqual, areRelevantTurnGroupingContextsEqual, areRenderRelevantMessagesEqual } from './message/renderCompare';
 import TurnItem from './components/TurnItem';
-import type { AnimationHandlers, ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { AnimationHandlers, ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 import type { ChatMessageEntry, TurnRecord, TurnGroupingContext } from './lib/turns/types';
 import { useTurnRecords } from './hooks/useTurnRecords';
 import { applyRetryOverlay } from './lib/turns/applyRetryOverlay';
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ import { streamPerfCount, streamPerfMark, streamPerfMeasure } from '@/stores/uti
 import type { StreamPhase } from './message/types';
 import { useGlobalSessionsStore } from '@/stores/useGlobalSessionsStore';
 import { useSessionParts } from '@/sync/sync-context';
-import { isMobileSurfaceRuntime } from '@/lib/runtimeSurface';
 import type { ReviewTransferDirection } from '@/lib/reviewFlow';
+import { resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace, resolveTimelineIsAtEnd } from './lib/scroll/timelineScrollAnchoring';
 import {
     USER_SHELL_MARKER,
     isUserShellMarkerMessage,
@@ -29,96 +29,52 @@ import {
     type ShellBridgeDetails,
 } from './lib/shellBridge';
 
-const MESSAGE_LIST_VIRTUALIZE_THRESHOLD = 5;
 const EMPTY_STATIC_ENTRY_MESSAGES: ChatMessageEntry[] = [];
 const EMPTY_UNGROUPED_MESSAGE_IDS = new Set<string>();
-const TIMELINE_CACHE_LIMIT = 16;
 
-const sameKeys = (a: readonly string[] | undefined, b: readonly string[] | undefined): boolean => {
-    if (a === b) return true;
-    if (!a || !b) return false;
-    if (a.length !== b.length) return false;
-    return a.every((key, index) => key === b[index]);
-};
+// --- Timeline virtualization (@legendapp/list) -----------------------------
+// The timeline is a single virtualized list on every surface: history turns
+// AND the live streaming tail are rows of the same list, so the list owns one
+// coherent scroll position instead of arbitrating between a virtualizer and a
+// separately-rendered tail.
+//
+// Scroll behavior the list owns natively, which is why none of it exists here
+// any more:
+//   • `maintainScrollAtEnd` keeps the live edge pinned as rows grow.
+//   • `maintainVisibleContentPosition` preserves the read position when older
+//     history is prepended, replacing the manual anchor-hold and the mobile
+//     quiet-window prepend deferral.
+//   • `anchoredEndSpace` reserves the tail space that parks a just-sent
+//     message near the top of the viewport.
+const TIMELINE_ESTIMATED_ENTRY_SIZE = 320;
 
-// --- History virtualization (@tanstack/react-virtual) ----------------------
-// The history list virtualizes with @tanstack/react-virtual on all surfaces:
-// its core has bottom anchoring (anchorTo: 'end'), key-stable prepend
-// preservation, and native iOS touch/momentum deferral for scroll
-// adjustments — the failure modes that historically forced virtua off on
-// mobile and required manual prepend compensation on desktop.
-type TanstackVirtualizerInstance = ReactVirtualizer<HTMLDivElement, HTMLDivElement>;
-type HistoryEngine = 'none' | 'tanstack';
-
-const TANSTACK_ESTIMATED_ENTRY_SIZE = 320;
-const TANSTACK_OVERSCAN = 8;
-// Touch flings cover more distance between paints than desktop wheels; a
-// larger window keeps fast mobile scrolling over mounted rows.
-const TANSTACK_MOBILE_OVERSCAN = 16;
-const resolveTanstackOverscan = (): number => (
-    isMobileSurfaceRuntime() ? TANSTACK_MOBILE_OVERSCAN : TANSTACK_OVERSCAN
-);
-// Post-prepend anchor hold: measurements of freshly
-// prepended rows settle over multiple frames, so a single restore can be
-// invalidated by the next measurement pass. Re-assert the anchor until it
-// holds still for STABLE_FRAMES consecutive frames, giving up at MAX_FRAMES.
+// Anchor hold for an explicit viewport restore (session re-entry): row
+// measurements settle over several frames, so a single restore can be
+// invalidated by the next measurement pass. Re-assert until it holds still for
+// STABLE_FRAMES consecutive frames, giving up at MAX_FRAMES.
 const ANCHOR_HOLD_STABLE_FRAMES = 30;
 const ANCHOR_HOLD_MAX_FRAMES = 180;
-// Adaptive estimate bounds: only trust the session average once a few rows
-// are measured, and keep it inside sane turn-height bounds.
-const TANSTACK_ESTIMATE_MIN_SAMPLES = 5;
-const TANSTACK_ESTIMATE_MIN = 120;
-const TANSTACK_ESTIMATE_MAX = 1200;
-// "At bottom" tolerance for resize-adjustment decisions.
-const TANSTACK_AT_END_THRESHOLD_PX = 80;
 
-// Quiet-window prepend on mobile: while a touch drag or momentum scroll is
-// active, iOS owns the scroll position and ANY geometry change above the
-// viewport races against the native animation — a race that compensation
-// logic can only lose sometimes. So freshly loaded older history is held
-// (data already fetched, store already updated) and inserted into the
-// rendered list only once the gesture goes quiet. Safety valves: flush when
-// the user gets close to the top (a blank top is worse than a small hop) or
-// after MAX_HOLD_MS.
-const HISTORY_PREPEND_QUIET_MS = 160;
-const HISTORY_PREPEND_MAX_HOLD_MS = 1500;
-const HISTORY_PREPEND_NEAR_TOP_VIEWPORTS = 1.5;
-const HISTORY_PREPEND_MONITOR_INTERVAL_MS = 90;
-
-// A commit is a deferable prepend when older entries were inserted strictly
-// above the known content: the previous first key still exists deeper in the
-// list and the tail is unchanged. Anything else renders immediately.
-const isPrependAboveCommit = (previous: RenderEntry[], next: RenderEntry[]): boolean => {
-    if (previous.length === 0 || next.length <= previous.length) return false;
-    if (previous[previous.length - 1]?.key !== next[next.length - 1]?.key) return false;
-    const previousFirstKey = previous[0]?.key;
-    const insertedIndex = next.findIndex((entry) => entry.key === previousFirstKey);
-    return insertedIndex > 0;
+// Reserved tail space that parks an anchored row near the top of the viewport.
+// `onReady` fires once the list has measured the anchor, `onSizeChanged` when
+// the reserved size is recomputed.
+// Presentation-only props forwarded to the scroll container the list renders.
+// Deliberately narrow: the list owns scroll and layout callbacks on that
+// element, so only styling, focus and click-through are caller-controlled.
+type TimelineScrollContainerProps = {
+    className?: string;
+    style?: React.CSSProperties;
+    tabIndex?: number;
+    onClick?: React.MouseEventHandler<HTMLDivElement>;
+    'data-scrollbar'?: string;
+    'data-scroll-shadow'?: string;
 };
 
-const tanstackTimelineCache = new Map<string, { keys: readonly string[]; items: VirtualItem[] }>();
-
-const readTanstackTimelineCache = (sessionKey: string, keys: readonly string[]): VirtualItem[] | undefined => {
-    const entry = tanstackTimelineCache.get(sessionKey);
-    if (!entry) return undefined;
-    if (sameKeys(entry.keys, keys)) return entry.items;
-    tanstackTimelineCache.delete(sessionKey);
-    return undefined;
-};
-
-const writeTanstackTimelineCache = (
-    sessionKey: string,
-    keys: readonly string[],
-    virtualizer: TanstackVirtualizerInstance | null | undefined,
-): void => {
-    if (!virtualizer || keys.length === 0) return;
-    tanstackTimelineCache.delete(sessionKey);
-    tanstackTimelineCache.set(sessionKey, { keys: keys.slice(), items: virtualizer.takeSnapshot() });
-    while (tanstackTimelineCache.size > TIMELINE_CACHE_LIMIT) {
-        const oldest = tanstackTimelineCache.keys().next().value;
-        if (typeof oldest !== 'string') break;
-        tanstackTimelineCache.delete(oldest);
-    }
+type TimelineAnchoredEndSpace = {
+    anchorIndex: number;
+    anchorOffset?: number;
+    onReady?: (info: { anchorIndex: number | undefined; anchorKey: string | undefined; size: number }) => void;
+    onSizeChanged?: (size: number) => void;
 };
 
 const useStableEvent = <TArgs extends unknown[], TResult>(handler: (...args: TArgs) => TResult) => {
@@ -365,8 +321,24 @@ interface MessageListProps {
     getAnimationHandlers: (messageId: string) => AnimationHandlers;
     isLoadingOlder: boolean;
     scrollToBottom?: () => void;
-    scrollRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
     directory?: string;
+    // The list owns its scroll container; the timeline scroll hook drives it
+    // through this ref and observes it through the callbacks below.
+    registerList?: (list: LegendListRef | null) => void;
+    // The anchored row is identified by message id; the index it maps to is a
+    // property of the row model, which only this component knows.
+    anchorMessageId?: string | null;
+    onAnchorReady?: (messageId: string, anchorIndex: number) => void;
+    onAnchorSizeChanged?: (messageId: string) => void;
+    composerOverlayHeight?: number;
+    onIsAtEndChange?: (isAtEnd: boolean) => void;
+    onTimelineDataChange?: () => void;
+    // Content that used to sit as siblings of the list inside the scroll
+    // container. The list owns that container now, so they render as its
+    // header/footer and scroll with the rows exactly as before.
+    listHeader?: React.ReactNode;
+    listFooter?: React.ReactNode;
+    scrollContainerProps?: TimelineScrollContainerProps;
 }
 
 export interface MessageListHandle {
@@ -929,14 +901,10 @@ const MessageListEntry = React.memo(({
 
 MessageListEntry.displayName = 'MessageListEntry';
 
-// Inner component that renders staged turn entries.
-type StaticHistoryListProps = {
-    entries: RenderEntry[];
-    engine: HistoryEngine;
-    contentRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
-    scrollRef?: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
-    registerTanstackVirtualizer?: (virtualizer: TanstackVirtualizerInstance | null) => void;
-    virtualizerKey: string;
+// Shared row state. Passed through context rather than closed over by
+// `renderItem` so the render callback keeps a stable identity — a changing
+// `renderItem` makes the list re-render every mounted row on every commit.
+type TimelineRowContextValue = {
     onMessageContentChange: (reason?: ContentChangeReason) => void;
     getAnimationHandlers: (messageId: string) => AnimationHandlers;
     scrollToBottom?: () => void;
@@ -945,242 +913,176 @@ type StaticHistoryListProps = {
     turnUiStates: Map<string, TurnUiState>;
     onToggleTurnGroup: (turnId: string) => void;
     chatRenderMode: 'sorted' | 'live';
+    showTurnChangedFiles: boolean;
     shouldAnimateUserMessage: (message: ChatMessageEntry) => boolean;
     onUserAnimationConsumed: (messageId: string) => void;
     reviewTransferDirection?: ReviewTransferDirection | null;
+    // The live tail row renders through StreamingTailContent, which subscribes
+    // to streaming parts; every other row renders statically.
+    streamingTailKey: string | null;
+    directory?: string;
+    sessionIsWorking: boolean;
+    activeStreamingMessageId: string | null;
+    activeStreamingPhase: StreamPhase | null;
 };
 
-const StaticHistoryList = React.memo(({ entries, engine, contentRef, scrollRef, registerTanstackVirtualizer, virtualizerKey, onMessageContentChange, getAnimationHandlers, scrollToBottom, stickyUserHeader, defaultActivityExpanded, turnUiStates, onToggleTurnGroup, chatRenderMode, shouldAnimateUserMessage, onUserAnimationConsumed, reviewTransferDirection }: StaticHistoryListProps) => {
-    const isTanstack = engine === 'tanstack';
+const TimelineRowContext = React.createContext<TimelineRowContextValue | null>(null);
 
-    // --- Quiet-window prepend (mobile) --------------------------------------
-    // Gesture tracking for the deferred-prepend decision. Refs only: reading
-    // them never re-renders, and the render-phase reconcile below needs them.
-    const touchActiveRef = React.useRef(false);
-    const lastScrollAtRef = React.useRef(0);
-    const holdSinceRef = React.useRef<number | null>(null);
-    const deferPrepends = isTanstack && isMobileSurfaceRuntime();
+const TimelineRow = React.memo(({ entry }: { entry: RenderEntry }) => {
+    const context = React.useContext(TimelineRowContext);
+    if (!context) return null;
 
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        if (!deferPrepends) return;
-        const element = scrollRef?.current;
-        if (!element) return;
-        const onTouchStart = () => { touchActiveRef.current = true; };
-        const onTouchEnd = () => { touchActiveRef.current = false; };
-        const onScroll = () => { lastScrollAtRef.current = performance.now(); };
-        element.addEventListener('touchstart', onTouchStart, { passive: true });
-        element.addEventListener('touchend', onTouchEnd, { passive: true });
-        element.addEventListener('touchcancel', onTouchEnd, { passive: true });
-        element.addEventListener('scroll', onScroll, { passive: true });
-        return () => {
-            element.removeEventListener('touchstart', onTouchStart);
-            element.removeEventListener('touchend', onTouchEnd);
-            element.removeEventListener('touchcancel', onTouchEnd);
-            element.removeEventListener('scroll', onScroll);
-        };
-    }, [deferPrepends, scrollRef]);
-
-    const isGestureActive = React.useCallback(() => (
-        touchActiveRef.current
-        || performance.now() - lastScrollAtRef.current < HISTORY_PREPEND_QUIET_MS
-    ), []);
-
-    const isNearTop = React.useCallback(() => {
-        const element = scrollRef?.current;
-        if (!element) return true;
-        return element.scrollTop < element.clientHeight * HISTORY_PREPEND_NEAR_TOP_VIEWPORTS;
-    }, [scrollRef]);
-
-    const [displayEntries, setDisplayEntries] = React.useState(entries);
-    // Render-phase reconcile (official derived-state pattern): adopt the new
-    // entries immediately unless this commit is a pure prepend-above landing
-    // in the middle of an active touch gesture — those wait for quiet.
-    let renderEntries = displayEntries;
-    if (entries !== displayEntries) {
-        const shouldHold = deferPrepends
-            && isPrependAboveCommit(displayEntries, entries)
-            && isGestureActive()
-            && !isNearTop()
-            && (holdSinceRef.current === null
-                || performance.now() - holdSinceRef.current < HISTORY_PREPEND_MAX_HOLD_MS);
-        if (shouldHold) {
-            if (holdSinceRef.current === null) holdSinceRef.current = performance.now();
-        } else {
-            holdSinceRef.current = null;
-            setDisplayEntries(entries);
-            renderEntries = entries;
-        }
-    } else if (holdSinceRef.current !== null) {
-        holdSinceRef.current = null;
-    }
-
-    // While a prepend is held, poll for the quiet window (touch/momentum have
-    // no completion event we can await) and flush by re-rendering.
-    const [, forceFlushTick] = React.useReducer((tick: number) => tick + 1, 0);
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        if (!deferPrepends) return;
-        const timer = window.setInterval(() => {
-            if (holdSinceRef.current === null) return;
-            const expired = performance.now() - holdSinceRef.current >= HISTORY_PREPEND_MAX_HOLD_MS;
-            if (!isGestureActive() || isNearTop() || expired) {
-                forceFlushTick();
-            }
-        }, HISTORY_PREPEND_MONITOR_INTERVAL_MS);
-        return () => window.clearInterval(timer);
-    }, [deferPrepends, isGestureActive, isNearTop]);
-
-    const entriesRef = React.useRef(renderEntries);
-    entriesRef.current = renderEntries;
-    // Initial-only read: measurement cache restore is a mount-time concern;
-    // afterwards the live virtualizer owns measurements.
-    const [initialMeasurements] = React.useState(() => (
-        isTanstack
-            ? readTanstackTimelineCache(virtualizerKey, entries.map((entry) => entry.key))
-            : undefined
-    ));
-
-    const sizeContainerRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
-    // Adaptive estimate: rows this session has actually measured are a far
-    // better predictor for the still-unmeasured ones than a fixed constant.
-    // Smaller estimate error → smaller anchor corrections when prepended rows
-    // measure in → less visible drift. The ref keeps estimateSize's identity
-    // stable so updating the average never triggers a global remeasure.
-    const estimatedEntrySizeRef = React.useRef(TANSTACK_ESTIMATED_ENTRY_SIZE);
-    const tanstackVirtualizer = useTanstackVirtualizer<HTMLDivElement, HTMLDivElement>({
-        count: renderEntries.length,
-        enabled: isTanstack,
-        getScrollElement: () => scrollRef?.current ?? null,
-        estimateSize: () => estimatedEntrySizeRef.current,
-        overscan: resolveTanstackOverscan(),
-        scrollToFn: (offset, options, instance) => {
-            // Expose the new total height before core writes an anchor
-            // correction so the browser does not clamp the offset to the old
-            // height.
-            const sizeElement = sizeContainerRef.current;
-            if (sizeElement) sizeElement.style.height = `${instance.getTotalSize()}px`;
-            elementScroll(offset, options, instance);
-        },
-        getItemKey: (index) => entriesRef.current[index]?.key ?? `index:${index}`,
-        // Bottom-anchored chat semantics: prepending older entries above the
-        // viewport must not move what the user is reading, and iOS-specific
-        // touch/momentum deferral for those adjustments lives in the core.
-        anchorTo: 'end',
-        initialOffset: () => Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER,
-        initialMeasurementsCache: initialMeasurements,
-    });
-    // Only compensate scroll for rows growing ABOVE the viewport (history
-    // remeasures, prepended pages). A row growing inside the viewport —
-    // expanding a tool call or thinking block — must grow DOWNWARD naturally;
-    // the end-anchored default made it expand upward. At the bottom,
-    // app-level auto-follow owns pinning, so skip there too instead of
-    // double-writing. (This is an instance field, not a constructor option.)
-    tanstackVirtualizer.shouldAdjustScrollPositionOnItemSizeChange = (item, _delta, instance) => {
-        if (instance.isAtEnd(TANSTACK_AT_END_THRESHOLD_PX)) return false;
-        const firstVisibleIndex = instance.range?.startIndex;
-        return firstVisibleIndex !== undefined && item.index < firstVisibleIndex;
-    };
-
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        if (!isTanstack) return;
-        const sizes = tanstackVirtualizer.itemSizeCache;
-        if (sizes.size >= TANSTACK_ESTIMATE_MIN_SAMPLES) {
-            let total = 0;
-            for (const size of sizes.values()) total += size;
-            estimatedEntrySizeRef.current = Math.min(
-                TANSTACK_ESTIMATE_MAX,
-                Math.max(TANSTACK_ESTIMATE_MIN, Math.round(total / sizes.size)),
-            );
-        }
-    });
-
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        if (!isTanstack) return;
-        registerTanstackVirtualizer?.(tanstackVirtualizer);
-        return () => {
-            writeTanstackTimelineCache(
-                virtualizerKey,
-                entriesRef.current.map((entry) => entry.key),
-                tanstackVirtualizer,
-            );
-            registerTanstackVirtualizer?.(null);
-        };
-    }, [isTanstack, registerTanstackVirtualizer, tanstackVirtualizer, virtualizerKey]);
-
-    const renderEntry = React.useCallback((entry: RenderEntry) => {
+    if (context.streamingTailKey === entry.key) {
         return (
-            <MessageListEntry
-                key={entry.key}
+            <StreamingTailContent
                 entry={entry}
-                onMessageContentChange={onMessageContentChange}
-                getAnimationHandlers={getAnimationHandlers}
-                scrollToBottom={scrollToBottom}
-                stickyUserHeader={stickyUserHeader}
-                sessionIsWorking={false}
-                defaultActivityExpanded={defaultActivityExpanded}
-                turnUiStates={turnUiStates}
-                onToggleTurnGroup={onToggleTurnGroup}
-                chatRenderMode={chatRenderMode}
-                shouldAnimateUserMessage={shouldAnimateUserMessage}
-                onUserAnimationConsumed={onUserAnimationConsumed}
-                activeStreamingMessageId={null}
-                activeStreamingPhase={null}
-                reviewTransferDirection={reviewTransferDirection}
+                directory={context.directory}
+                onMessageContentChange={context.onMessageContentChange}
+                getAnimationHandlers={context.getAnimationHandlers}
+                scrollToBottom={context.scrollToBottom}
+                stickyUserHeader={context.stickyUserHeader}
+                sessionIsWorking={context.sessionIsWorking}
+                defaultActivityExpanded={context.defaultActivityExpanded}
+                turnUiStates={context.turnUiStates}
+                onToggleTurnGroup={context.onToggleTurnGroup}
+                chatRenderMode={context.chatRenderMode}
+                showTurnChangedFiles={context.showTurnChangedFiles}
+                shouldAnimateUserMessage={context.shouldAnimateUserMessage}
+                onUserAnimationConsumed={context.onUserAnimationConsumed}
+                activeStreamingMessageId={context.activeStreamingMessageId}
+                activeStreamingPhase={context.activeStreamingPhase}
+                reviewTransferDirection={context.reviewTransferDirection}
             />
         );
-    }, [chatRenderMode, defaultActivityExpanded, getAnimationHandlers, onMessageContentChange, onToggleTurnGroup, onUserAnimationConsumed, reviewTransferDirection, scrollToBottom, shouldAnimateUserMessage, stickyUserHeader, turnUiStates]);
-
-    if (engine === 'none') {
-        return (
-            <div ref={contentRef} className="relative w-full">
-                {renderEntries.map((entry) => (
-                    <div
-                        key={entry.key}
-                        data-turn-entry={entry.key}
-                    >
-                        {renderEntry(entry)}
-                    </div>
-                ))}
-            </div>
-        );
     }
 
-    if (engine === 'tanstack') {
-        const virtualItems = tanstackVirtualizer.getVirtualItems();
-        const startOffset = virtualItems[0]?.start ?? 0;
-        // Rendered rows stay in normal flow inside a single offset wrapper (not
-        // per-row absolute positioning) so per-turn sticky user headers keep
-        // working against the scroll container. The offset MUST be padding, not
-        // transform: a transformed ancestor becomes the sticky containing block,
-        // so headers would stick to the wrapper's (arbitrary, overscan-dependent)
-        // top edge mid-list and float over the previous turn. Padding only
-        // changes when the virtual window shifts — not per scroll frame — so the
-        // layout cost is negligible.
-        return (
-            <div ref={sizeContainerRef} className="relative w-full" style={{ height: tanstackVirtualizer.getTotalSize() }}>
-                <div style={{ paddingTop: `${startOffset}px` }}>
-                    {virtualItems.map((item) => {
-                        const entry = renderEntries[item.index];
-                        if (!entry) return null;
-                        return (
-                            <div
-                                key={entry.key}
-                                data-index={item.index}
-                                ref={tanstackVirtualizer.measureElement}
-                                data-turn-entry={entry.key}
-                            >
-                                {renderEntry(entry)}
-                            </div>
-                        );
-                    })}
-                </div>
-            </div>
-        );
-    }
-
-    return null;
+    return (
+        <MessageListEntry
+            entry={entry}
+            onMessageContentChange={context.onMessageContentChange}
+            getAnimationHandlers={context.getAnimationHandlers}
+            scrollToBottom={context.scrollToBottom}
+            stickyUserHeader={context.stickyUserHeader}
+            sessionIsWorking={false}
+            defaultActivityExpanded={context.defaultActivityExpanded}
+            turnUiStates={context.turnUiStates}
+            onToggleTurnGroup={context.onToggleTurnGroup}
+            chatRenderMode={context.chatRenderMode}
+            shouldAnimateUserMessage={context.shouldAnimateUserMessage}
+            onUserAnimationConsumed={context.onUserAnimationConsumed}
+            activeStreamingMessageId={null}
+            activeStreamingPhase={null}
+            reviewTransferDirection={context.reviewTransferDirection}
+        />
+    );
 });
 
-StaticHistoryList.displayName = 'StaticHistoryList';
+TimelineRow.displayName = 'TimelineRow';
+
+const timelineKeyExtractor = (item: RenderEntry): string => item.key;
+
+// Row type drives container reuse. Turn blocks and ungrouped messages have very
+// different shapes, so keeping them in separate pools avoids re-measuring a
+// container every time one replaces the other.
+const timelineItemType = (item: RenderEntry): string => item.kind;
+
+const renderTimelineItem = ({ item }: { item: RenderEntry }) => <TimelineRow entry={item} />;
+
+type TimelineListProps = {
+    entries: RenderEntry[];
+    streamingTailKey: string | null;
+    registerList: (list: LegendListRef | null) => void;
+    anchoredEndSpace?: {
+        anchorIndex: number;
+        anchorOffset?: number;
+        onReady?: (info: { anchorIndex: number | undefined; anchorKey: string | undefined; size: number }) => void;
+        onSizeChanged?: (size: number) => void;
+    };
+    composerOverlayHeight: number;
+    onIsAtEndChange: (isAtEnd: boolean) => void;
+    onTimelineDataChange: () => void;
+    listHeader?: React.ReactNode;
+    listFooter?: React.ReactNode;
+    scrollContainerProps?: TimelineScrollContainerProps;
+    rowContext: TimelineRowContextValue;
+};
+
+const TimelineList = React.memo(({
+    entries,
+    registerList,
+    anchoredEndSpace,
+    composerOverlayHeight,
+    onIsAtEndChange,
+    onTimelineDataChange,
+    listHeader,
+    listFooter,
+    scrollContainerProps,
+    rowContext,
+}: TimelineListProps) => {
+    const listRef = React.useRef<LegendListRef | null>(null);
+    const isAtEndRef = React.useRef(true);
+
+    const setListRef = React.useCallback((list: LegendListRef | null) => {
+        listRef.current = list;
+        registerList(list);
+    }, [registerList]);
+
+    // The list reports scroll continuously; only end-crossings are interesting,
+    // so the edge is debounced to a state transition here rather than pushing a
+    // callback on every frame.
+    const handleScroll = React.useCallback(() => {
+        const state = listRef.current?.getState();
+        if (!state) return;
+        const isAtEnd = resolveTimelineIsAtEnd(state);
+        if (typeof isAtEnd !== 'boolean' || isAtEnd === isAtEndRef.current) return;
+        isAtEndRef.current = isAtEnd;
+        onIsAtEndChange(isAtEnd);
+    }, [onIsAtEndChange]);
+
+    // Data changes are the only moment an automatic correction can be needed;
+    // the owning hook decides whether one actually applies.
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        onTimelineDataChange();
+    }, [entries, onTimelineDataChange]);
+
+    const header = React.useMemo(() => (listHeader ? <>{listHeader}</> : undefined), [listHeader]);
+    const footer = React.useMemo(() => (listFooter ? <>{listFooter}</> : undefined), [listFooter]);
+
+    return (
+        <TimelineRowContext.Provider value={rowContext}>
+            <LegendList<RenderEntry>
+                ref={setListRef}
+                data={entries}
+                keyExtractor={timelineKeyExtractor}
+                getItemType={timelineItemType}
+                renderItem={renderTimelineItem}
+                estimatedItemSize={TIMELINE_ESTIMATED_ENTRY_SIZE}
+                initialScrollAtEnd
+                // Chat rows own internal state (expanded tool calls, reveal
+                // animations); recycling a container into a different row would
+                // carry that state across.
+                recycleItems={false}
+                {...(anchoredEndSpace ? { anchoredEndSpace } : {})}
+                contentInsetEndAdjustment={composerOverlayHeight}
+                // While a turn is anchored, the reserved end space — not the
+                // live edge — defines where the viewport rests.
+                maintainScrollAtEnd={anchoredEndSpace
+                    ? false
+                    : { animated: false, on: { dataChange: true, itemLayout: true, layout: true } }}
+                // Prepending older history must not move what the user is
+                // reading. Size restoration stays off: rows growing in place
+                // (a tool result expanding) must grow downward.
+                maintainVisibleContentPosition={{ data: true, size: false }}
+                onScroll={handleScroll}
+                ListHeaderComponent={header}
+                ListFooterComponent={footer}
+                {...scrollContainerProps}
+            />
+        </TimelineRowContext.Provider>
+    );
+});
+
+TimelineList.displayName = 'TimelineList';
 
 const StreamingTailContent: React.FC<{
     entry: RenderEntry;
@@ -1262,8 +1164,17 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
     onMessageContentChange,
     getAnimationHandlers,
     scrollToBottom,
-    scrollRef,
     directory,
+    registerList,
+    anchorMessageId = null,
+    onAnchorReady,
+    onAnchorSizeChanged,
+    composerOverlayHeight = 0,
+    onIsAtEndChange,
+    onTimelineDataChange,
+    listHeader,
+    listFooter,
+    scrollContainerProps,
 }, ref) => {
     streamPerfMark('react.message_list_render');
     streamPerfCount('ui.message_list.render');
@@ -1357,16 +1268,18 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
         return output;
     }), [messages]);
 
-    const historyContentRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
-    const resolveScrollContainer = React.useCallback((): HTMLDivElement | null => {
-        if (scrollRef?.current) {
-            return scrollRef.current;
+    // The list owns the scroll container. The DOM fallback covers the window
+    // between mount and the list handing us its node.
+    const resolveScrollContainer = React.useCallback((): HTMLElement | null => {
+        const listNode = listRef.current?.getScrollableNode();
+        if (listNode) {
+            return listNode;
         }
         if (typeof document === 'undefined') {
             return null;
         }
         return document.querySelector<HTMLDivElement>('[data-scrollbar="chat"]');
-    }, [scrollRef]);
+    }, []);
 
     const displayMessages = React.useMemo(() => streamPerfMeasure('ui.message_list.retry_overlay_ms', () => {
         return applyRetryOverlay(baseDisplayMessages, {
@@ -1483,19 +1396,14 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
             return { ...entry, nextEntryFirstMessage };
         });
     }, [staticRenderEntries, trailingEntryFirstMessage]);
-    // Mobile always starts with the same virtualized engine it will use after
-    // pagination. Switching a short list from normal DOM to TanStack during a
-    // prepend remounts the history subtree, and the newly enabled end-anchored
-    // virtualizer initializes at the bottom before it has prior keyed state.
-    // Desktop keeps the small-list threshold where that transition is not tied
-    // to the explicit mobile load-older interaction.
-    const shouldVirtualizeHistory = isMobileSurfaceRuntime()
-        || historyEntries.length >= MESSAGE_LIST_VIRTUALIZE_THRESHOLD;
-    const historyEngine: HistoryEngine = shouldVirtualizeHistory ? 'tanstack' : 'none';
-    const tanstackVirtualizerRef = React.useRef<TanstackVirtualizerInstance | null>(null);
-    const registerTanstackVirtualizer = React.useCallback((virtualizer: TanstackVirtualizerInstance | null) => {
-        tanstackVirtualizerRef.current = virtualizer;
-    }, []);
+    // Every surface uses the same virtualized list for the whole timeline —
+    // there is no small-list DOM path to transition out of, which is what used
+    // to remount the history subtree mid-prepend.
+    const listRef = React.useRef<LegendListRef | null>(null);
+    const handleRegisterList = React.useCallback((list: LegendListRef | null) => {
+        listRef.current = list;
+        registerList?.(list);
+    }, [registerList]);
 
     const allEntries = React.useMemo(() => {
         return trailingStreamingEntry ? [...historyEntries, trailingStreamingEntry] : historyEntries;
@@ -1505,8 +1413,14 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
         onMessageContentChange(reason);
     });
 
-    const stableTailContentChange = useStableEvent((reason?: ContentChangeReason) => {
-        onMessageContentChange(reason);
+    // Stable identities: these reach the list, where a changing callback would
+    // re-render every mounted row.
+    const stableIsAtEndChange = useStableEvent((isAtEnd: boolean) => {
+        onIsAtEndChange?.(isAtEnd);
+    });
+
+    const stableTimelineDataChange = useStableEvent(() => {
+        onTimelineDataChange?.();
     });
 
     const currentUserOrder = React.useMemo(() => {
@@ -1596,22 +1510,18 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
             return false;
         }
 
-        if (!shouldVirtualizeHistory) {
+        const list = listRef.current;
+        if (!list) {
             return false;
         }
 
-        const virtualizer = tanstackVirtualizerRef.current;
-        if (!virtualizer) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        // Smooth scrolling can stop at a stale offset while unmounted,
-        // variable-height rows replace estimates with real measurements. Use
-        // exact auto-reconciliation; mounted targets still take the smooth DOM
-        // path below.
-        virtualizer.scrollToIndex(index, { align: 'start', behavior: 'auto' });
+        // Unanimated: an unmounted target's position is still an estimate, and
+        // a smooth scroll would end at that stale offset once the real
+        // measurement replaces it. Mounted targets still take the smooth DOM
+        // path in scrollMessageElementIntoView.
+        void list.scrollToIndex({ index, animated: false, viewPosition: 0 });
         return true;
-    }, [historyEntries.length, shouldVirtualizeHistory]);
+    }, [historyEntries.length]);
 
     const scrollMessageElementIntoView = React.useCallback((messageId: string, behavior: ScrollBehavior = 'auto') => {
         const container = resolveScrollContainer();
@@ -1718,7 +1628,9 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
                 window.requestAnimationFrame(step);
             },
 
-            isHistoryVirtualized: () => shouldVirtualizeHistory,
+            // The timeline is always virtualized now; the flag stays so callers
+            // that branch on it keep compiling and take the virtualized path.
+            isHistoryVirtualized: () => true,
 
             captureViewportAnchor: () => {
                 const container = resolveScrollContainer();
@@ -1790,14 +1702,15 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
             },
 
             scrollToBottom: () => {
-                if (shouldVirtualizeHistory && historyEntries.length > 0 && tanstackVirtualizerRef.current) {
-                    tanstackVirtualizerRef.current.scrollToEnd();
+                const list = listRef.current;
+                if (list) {
+                    void list.scrollToEnd({ animated: false });
                     return;
                 }
                 const container = resolveScrollContainer();
                 if (!container) return;
                 // Overshoot so the browser clamps to the exact fractional
-                // maximum (scrollHeight is integer-rounded) — see useChatAutoFollow.
+                // maximum (scrollHeight is integer-rounded).
                 container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight + 4096;
             },
         };
@@ -1814,65 +1727,88 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
         return () => {
             objectRef.current = null;
         };
-    }, [findMessageElement, historyEntries.length, messageIndexMap, resolveScrollContainer, scrollHistoryIndexIntoView, scrollMessageElementIntoView, shouldVirtualizeHistory, trailingStreamingEntry, turnIndexMap, ref]);
+    }, [findMessageElement, historyEntries.length, messageIndexMap, resolveScrollContainer, scrollHistoryIndexIntoView, scrollMessageElementIntoView, trailingStreamingEntry, turnIndexMap, ref]);
 
-    const disableFadeIn = false;
+    const anchoredEndSpace = React.useMemo<TimelineAnchoredEndSpace | undefined>(() => {
+        const resolved = resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace(
+            allEntries,
+            anchorMessageId,
+            (entry) => (entry.kind === 'turn' ? entry.turn.userMessage.info.id : entry.message.info.id),
+        );
+        if (!resolved || !anchorMessageId) {
+            return undefined;
+        }
+        return {
+            ...resolved,
+            onReady: (info) => {
+                if (info.anchorIndex === undefined) return;
+                onAnchorReady?.(anchorMessageId, info.anchorIndex);
+            },
+            onSizeChanged: () => {
+                onAnchorSizeChanged?.(anchorMessageId);
+            },
+        };
+    }, [allEntries, anchorMessageId, onAnchorReady, onAnchorSizeChanged]);
+
+    const rowContext = React.useMemo(() => ({
+        onMessageContentChange: stableHistoryContentChange,
+        getAnimationHandlers: stableGetAnimationHandlers,
+        scrollToBottom: stableScrollToBottom,
+        stickyUserHeader,
+        defaultActivityExpanded,
+        turnUiStates,
+        onToggleTurnGroup: toggleTurnGroup,
+        chatRenderMode,
+        showTurnChangedFiles,
+        shouldAnimateUserMessage,
+        onUserAnimationConsumed,
+        reviewTransferDirection,
+        streamingTailKey: trailingStreamingEntry?.key ?? null,
+        directory,
+        sessionIsWorking,
+        activeStreamingMessageId,
+        activeStreamingPhase,
+    }), [
+        activeStreamingMessageId,
+        activeStreamingPhase,
+        chatRenderMode,
+        defaultActivityExpanded,
+        directory,
+        onUserAnimationConsumed,
+        reviewTransferDirection,
+        sessionIsWorking,
+        shouldAnimateUserMessage,
+        showTurnChangedFiles,
+        stableGetAnimationHandlers,
+        stableHistoryContentChange,
+        stableScrollToBottom,
+        stickyUserHeader,
+        toggleTurnGroup,
+        trailingStreamingEntry?.key,
+        turnUiStates,
+    ]);
 
     return (
-        <div>
-                <FadeInDisabledProvider disabled={disableFadeIn}>
-                    <div className="relative w-full">
-                        {/* Virtualized history rows unmount/remount during scroll;
-                            re-running the reveal fade on every remount reads as
-                            blinking. History content is never "new", so fade-in
-                            is disabled there — the streaming tail keeps it. */}
-                        <FadeInDisabledProvider disabled={shouldVirtualizeHistory}>
-                            <StaticHistoryList
-                                key={sessionKey}
-                                entries={historyEntries}
-                                engine={historyEngine}
-                                contentRef={historyContentRef}
-                                scrollRef={scrollRef}
-                                registerTanstackVirtualizer={registerTanstackVirtualizer}
-                                virtualizerKey={sessionKey}
-                                onMessageContentChange={stableHistoryContentChange}
-                                getAnimationHandlers={stableGetAnimationHandlers}
-                                scrollToBottom={stableScrollToBottom}
-                                stickyUserHeader={stickyUserHeader}
-                                defaultActivityExpanded={defaultActivityExpanded}
-                                turnUiStates={turnUiStates}
-                                onToggleTurnGroup={toggleTurnGroup}
-                                chatRenderMode={chatRenderMode}
-                                shouldAnimateUserMessage={shouldAnimateUserMessage}
-                                onUserAnimationConsumed={onUserAnimationConsumed}
-                                reviewTransferDirection={reviewTransferDirection}
-                            />
-                        </FadeInDisabledProvider>
-                        {trailingStreamingEntry ? (
-                            <StreamingTailContent
-                                entry={trailingStreamingEntry}
-                                directory={directory}
-                                onMessageContentChange={stableTailContentChange}
-                                getAnimationHandlers={stableGetAnimationHandlers}
-                                scrollToBottom={stableScrollToBottom}
-                                stickyUserHeader={stickyUserHeader}
-                                sessionIsWorking={sessionIsWorking}
-                                defaultActivityExpanded={defaultActivityExpanded}
-                                turnUiStates={turnUiStates}
-                                onToggleTurnGroup={toggleTurnGroup}
-                                chatRenderMode={chatRenderMode}
-                                showTurnChangedFiles={showTurnChangedFiles}
-                                shouldAnimateUserMessage={shouldAnimateUserMessage}
-                                onUserAnimationConsumed={onUserAnimationConsumed}
-                                activeStreamingMessageId={activeStreamingMessageId}
-                                activeStreamingPhase={activeStreamingPhase}
-                                reviewTransferDirection={reviewTransferDirection}
-                            />
-                        ) : null}
-                    </div>
-                </FadeInDisabledProvider>
-
-        </div>
+        // Virtualized rows unmount/remount during scroll; re-running the reveal
+        // fade on every remount reads as blinking. Rows are never "new" from the
+        // list's point of view, so fade-in is disabled for them — content
+        // arriving inside the streaming tail keeps its own animations.
+        <FadeInDisabledProvider disabled>
+            <TimelineList
+                key={sessionKey}
+                entries={allEntries}
+                streamingTailKey={trailingStreamingEntry?.key ?? null}
+                registerList={handleRegisterList}
+                anchoredEndSpace={anchoredEndSpace}
+                composerOverlayHeight={composerOverlayHeight}
+                onIsAtEndChange={stableIsAtEndChange}
+                onTimelineDataChange={stableTimelineDataChange}
+                listHeader={listHeader}
+                listFooter={listFooter}
+                scrollContainerProps={scrollContainerProps}
+                rowContext={rowContext}
+            />
+        </FadeInDisabledProvider>
     );
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/components/TurnActivity.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/components/TurnActivity.tsx
index 4fa46392..f9fac0b6 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/components/TurnActivity.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/components/TurnActivity.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import ProgressiveGroup from '../message/parts/ProgressiveGroup';
 import type { TurnActivityRecord } from '../lib/turns/types';
 import type { ToolPopupContent } from '../message/types';
 import type { StreamPhase } from '../message/types';
-import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 
 interface DiffStats {
     additions: number;
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/lib/scroll/timelineScrollAnchoring.test.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/lib/scroll/timelineScrollAnchoring.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0a1acde3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/lib/scroll/timelineScrollAnchoring.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,225 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test';
+
+import {
+    CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET,
+    getAnchoredTurnMetrics,
+    getRowBottom,
+    resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace,
+    resolveTimelineIsAtEnd,
+    type TimelineListMeasurementState,
+} from './timelineScrollAnchoring';
+
+const buildState = ({
+    positions,
+    sizes,
+    scroll = 0,
+    scrollLength = 700,
+}: {
+    readonly positions: readonly number[];
+    readonly sizes: readonly number[];
+    readonly scroll?: number;
+    readonly scrollLength?: number;
+}): TimelineListMeasurementState => ({
+    data: positions.map((_, index) => index),
+    scroll,
+    scrollLength,
+    positionAtIndex: (index) => positions[index],
+    sizeAtIndex: (index) => sizes[index],
+});
+
+describe('getRowBottom', () => {
+    test('measures row bottoms from list row position and size', () => {
+        const state = buildState({ positions: [0, 120], sizes: [80, 40] });
+
+        expect(getRowBottom(state, 1)).toBe(160);
+    });
+
+    test('returns null for unmeasured rows', () => {
+        const state = buildState({ positions: [0], sizes: [80] });
+
+        expect(getRowBottom(state, 5)).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    test('treats a zero-height row as one pixel tall', () => {
+        const state = buildState({ positions: [0, 120], sizes: [120, 0] });
+
+        expect(getRowBottom(state, 1)).toBe(121);
+    });
+});
+
+describe('getAnchoredTurnMetrics', () => {
+    test('returns null for an empty timeline', () => {
+        const state = buildState({ positions: [], sizes: [] });
+
+        expect(getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+            state,
+            anchorIndex: 0,
+            composerOverlayHeight: 180,
+            anchorOffset: CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET,
+        })).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    test('treats the active turn as fitting when it fits above the composer', () => {
+        const state = buildState({
+            positions: [0, 300, 460],
+            sizes: [240, 80, 140],
+            scrollLength: 760,
+        });
+
+        const metrics = getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+            state,
+            anchorIndex: 1,
+            composerOverlayHeight: 180,
+            anchorOffset: 16,
+        });
+
+        expect(metrics?.turnHeight).toBe(300);
+        expect(metrics?.usableViewportHeight).toBe(564);
+        expect(metrics?.overflowsUsableViewport).toBe(false);
+        expect(metrics?.targetScrollToRevealEnd).toBe(36);
+        expect(metrics?.scrollDeltaToRevealEnd).toBe(36);
+    });
+
+    test('targets the real row end instead of any temporary reserved tail', () => {
+        const state = buildState({
+            positions: [0, 1720, 1880],
+            sizes: [1600, 80, 120],
+            scroll: 1900,
+            scrollLength: 760,
+        });
+
+        const metrics = getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+            state,
+            anchorIndex: 1,
+            composerOverlayHeight: 180,
+            anchorOffset: 16,
+        });
+
+        expect(metrics?.lastBottom).toBe(2000);
+        expect(metrics?.targetScrollToRevealEnd).toBe(1436);
+        expect(metrics?.scrollDeltaToRevealEnd).toBe(0);
+    });
+
+    test('reports overflow only for the current anchored turn', () => {
+        const state = buildState({
+            positions: [0, 900, 1180],
+            sizes: [800, 220, 300],
+            scroll: 900,
+            scrollLength: 760,
+        });
+
+        const metrics = getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+            state,
+            anchorIndex: 1,
+            composerOverlayHeight: 180,
+            anchorOffset: 16,
+        });
+
+        expect(metrics?.turnHeight).toBe(580);
+        expect(metrics?.usableViewportHeight).toBe(564);
+        expect(metrics?.overflowsUsableViewport).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test('returns the minimal positive scroll delta needed to reveal the turn end', () => {
+        const state = buildState({
+            positions: [0, 900, 1180],
+            sizes: [800, 220, 360],
+            scroll: 900,
+            scrollLength: 760,
+        });
+
+        const metrics = getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+            state,
+            anchorIndex: 1,
+            composerOverlayHeight: 180,
+            anchorOffset: 16,
+        });
+
+        expect(metrics?.lastBottom).toBe(1540);
+        expect(metrics?.visibleUsableBottom).toBe(1464);
+        expect(metrics?.scrollDeltaToRevealEnd).toBe(76);
+    });
+
+    test('subtracts composer height from usable viewport height', () => {
+        const state = buildState({
+            positions: [0, 300],
+            sizes: [120, 470],
+            scrollLength: 700,
+        });
+
+        const withoutComposer = getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+            state,
+            anchorIndex: 1,
+            composerOverlayHeight: 0,
+            anchorOffset: 16,
+        });
+        const withComposer = getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+            state,
+            anchorIndex: 1,
+            composerOverlayHeight: 220,
+            anchorOffset: 16,
+        });
+
+        expect(withoutComposer?.overflowsUsableViewport).toBe(false);
+        expect(withComposer?.overflowsUsableViewport).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test('clamps an out-of-range anchor index to the last row', () => {
+        const state = buildState({
+            positions: [0, 300],
+            sizes: [240, 80],
+            scrollLength: 760,
+        });
+
+        const metrics = getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+            state,
+            anchorIndex: 99,
+            composerOverlayHeight: 0,
+            anchorOffset: 16,
+        });
+
+        expect(metrics?.anchorTop).toBe(300);
+        expect(metrics?.turnHeight).toBe(80);
+    });
+});
+
+describe('resolveTimelineIsAtEnd', () => {
+    test('prefers the near-end threshold over the exact content bottom', () => {
+        expect(resolveTimelineIsAtEnd({ isNearEnd: true, isAtEnd: false })).toBe(true);
+        expect(resolveTimelineIsAtEnd({ isNearEnd: false, isAtEnd: true })).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    test('falls back to the exact end when near-end is unavailable', () => {
+        expect(resolveTimelineIsAtEnd({ isAtEnd: true })).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    test('reports nothing without a state', () => {
+        expect(resolveTimelineIsAtEnd(undefined)).toBe(undefined);
+    });
+});
+
+describe('resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace', () => {
+    const rows = [{ id: 'a' }, { id: 'b' }, { id: 'a' }];
+
+    test('returns nothing when no anchor is set', () => {
+        expect(resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace(rows, null, (row) => row.id)).toBe(undefined);
+    });
+
+    test('returns nothing when the anchor is not in the list', () => {
+        expect(resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace(rows, 'z', (row) => row.id)).toBe(undefined);
+    });
+
+    test('resolves the last occurrence so a resent message anchors to its live row', () => {
+        expect(resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace(rows, 'a', (row) => row.id)).toEqual({
+            anchorIndex: 2,
+            anchorOffset: CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET,
+        });
+    });
+
+    test('honours an explicit anchor offset', () => {
+        expect(resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace(rows, 'b', (row) => row.id, { anchorOffset: 40 })).toEqual({
+            anchorIndex: 1,
+            anchorOffset: 40,
+        });
+    });
+});
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/lib/scroll/timelineScrollAnchoring.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/lib/scroll/timelineScrollAnchoring.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2344f0f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/lib/scroll/timelineScrollAnchoring.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+// Anchored-turn scroll geometry for the chat timeline.
+//
+// The timeline has three mutually exclusive scroll modes:
+//
+//   • `following-end`      — stay pinned to the live edge as content grows.
+//   • `anchoring-new-turn` — the just-sent user message is parked near the TOP
+//     of the viewport and the reply streams into reserved space below it. The
+//     viewport does NOT move until the turn outgrows the usable viewport.
+//   • `free-scrolling`     — the user took over; nothing moves the scroll
+//     position until they opt back in.
+//
+// This module is pure geometry: it reads measurements from the virtualized
+// list and answers "how far, if at all, must we scroll to reveal the end of
+// the anchored turn". Keeping it free of DOM and React makes the mode machine
+// testable without a renderer.
+//
+// "Usable viewport" is the visible height minus the composer overlay (the
+// composer floats over the list) minus the anchor offset, so a turn is only
+// considered overflowing when it genuinely cannot be read.
+
+export type TimelineScrollMode = 'following-end' | 'anchoring-new-turn' | 'free-scrolling';
+
+// Distance from the top of the viewport at which an anchored user message
+// parks. Small enough to read as "at the top", large enough not to collide
+// with the timeline's top fade.
+export const CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET = 16;
+
+export interface TimelineListMeasurementState {
+    readonly data: readonly unknown[];
+    readonly scroll: number;
+    readonly scrollLength: number;
+    readonly positionAtIndex: (index: number) => number | undefined;
+    readonly sizeAtIndex: (index: number) => number | undefined;
+}
+
+export interface AnchoredTurnMetrics {
+    readonly anchorTop: number;
+    readonly lastBottom: number;
+    readonly turnHeight: number;
+    readonly usableViewportHeight: number;
+    readonly visibleUsableBottom: number;
+    readonly overflowsUsableViewport: boolean;
+    readonly targetScrollToRevealEnd: number;
+    readonly scrollDeltaToRevealEnd: number;
+}
+
+export const getRowBottom = (
+    state: TimelineListMeasurementState,
+    index: number,
+): number | null => {
+    const top = state.positionAtIndex(index);
+    const height = state.sizeAtIndex(index);
+    if (
+        typeof top !== 'number'
+        || typeof height !== 'number'
+        || !Number.isFinite(top)
+        || !Number.isFinite(height)
+    ) {
+        return null;
+    }
+    // Rows measured at zero height would make an anchored turn look empty and
+    // suppress the reveal scroll; treat them as one pixel tall instead.
+    return top + Math.max(1, height);
+};
+
+export const getAnchoredTurnMetrics = ({
+    state,
+    anchorIndex,
+    composerOverlayHeight,
+    anchorOffset,
+}: {
+    readonly state: TimelineListMeasurementState;
+    readonly anchorIndex: number;
+    readonly composerOverlayHeight: number;
+    readonly anchorOffset: number;
+}): AnchoredTurnMetrics | null => {
+    if (state.data.length === 0) return null;
+
+    const boundedAnchorIndex = Math.max(0, Math.min(anchorIndex, state.data.length - 1));
+    const anchorTop = state.positionAtIndex(boundedAnchorIndex);
+    // The LAST row bottom, not the content length: the reserved anchored end
+    // space lives past it, and targeting that reserved tail would scroll the
+    // real content off the top.
+    const lastBottom = getRowBottom(state, state.data.length - 1);
+    if (typeof anchorTop !== 'number' || !Number.isFinite(anchorTop) || lastBottom === null) {
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    const usableViewportHeight = Math.max(
+        0,
+        state.scrollLength - composerOverlayHeight - anchorOffset,
+    );
+    const turnHeight = Math.max(0, lastBottom - anchorTop);
+    const visibleUsableBottom = state.scroll + usableViewportHeight;
+    const targetScrollToRevealEnd = Math.max(0, lastBottom - usableViewportHeight);
+    // Never negative: revealing the end must not scroll the timeline backwards.
+    const scrollDeltaToRevealEnd = Math.max(0, targetScrollToRevealEnd - state.scroll);
+
+    return {
+        anchorTop,
+        lastBottom,
+        turnHeight,
+        usableViewportHeight,
+        visibleUsableBottom,
+        overflowsUsableViewport: turnHeight > usableViewportHeight,
+        targetScrollToRevealEnd,
+        scrollDeltaToRevealEnd,
+    };
+};
+
+// "At the end" for follow purposes is the NEAR-end threshold, not the exact
+// content bottom: the timeline's footer (status row plus bottom spacer) sits
+// below the last row, so requiring the exact bottom would drop out of follow —
+// and pop the scroll-to-bottom pill — while the user is still looking at the
+// live edge. `isAtEnd` is only the fallback for states that predate the
+// near-end signal.
+export const resolveTimelineIsAtEnd = (
+    state: { readonly isNearEnd?: boolean; readonly isAtEnd?: boolean } | undefined,
+): boolean | undefined => state?.isNearEnd ?? state?.isAtEnd;
+
+export interface ChatListAnchoredEndSpace {
+    readonly anchorIndex: number;
+    readonly anchorOffset: number;
+}
+
+// Finds the anchored row from the BACK of the list: a retried or re-sent
+// message id can appear more than once, and the live one is always the last.
+export const resolveChatListAnchoredEndSpace = <Item, AnchorId>(
+    items: readonly Item[],
+    anchorId: AnchorId | null,
+    getAnchorId: (item: Item) => AnchorId | null,
+    options: { readonly anchorOffset?: number } = {},
+): ChatListAnchoredEndSpace | undefined => {
+    if (anchorId === null) return undefined;
+
+    for (let index = items.length - 1; index >= 0; index -= 1) {
+        const item = items[index];
+        if (item !== undefined && getAnchorId(item) === anchorId) {
+            return {
+                anchorIndex: index,
+                anchorOffset: options.anchorOffset ?? CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET,
+            };
+        }
+    }
+
+    return undefined;
+};
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/MessageBody.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/MessageBody.tsx
index 3623d30e..73f2a6a1 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/MessageBody.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/MessageBody.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import { SaveProjectPlanDialog } from '@/components/session/SaveProjectPlanDialo
 import { ForkSessionDialog, type ForkSessionExecution } from '@/components/session/ForkSessionDialog';
 import { Tooltip, TooltipContent, TooltipTrigger } from '@/components/ui/tooltip';
 import { ArrowsMerge } from '@/components/icons/ArrowsMerge';
-import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 
 import { MarkdownImageGallery, SimpleMarkdownRenderer } from '../MarkdownRenderer';
 import { useSessionUIStore } from '@/sync/session-ui-store';
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/AssistantTextPart.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/AssistantTextPart.tsx
index 74b34b24..73095a98 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/AssistantTextPart.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/AssistantTextPart.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import React from 'react';
 import type { Part } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
 import { MarkdownRenderer } from '../../MarkdownRenderer';
 import type { StreamPhase, ToolPopupContent } from '../types';
-import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 import { useStreamingTextThrottle } from '../../hooks/useStreamingTextThrottle';
 import { resolveAssistantDisplayText, shouldRenderAssistantText } from './assistantTextVisibility';
 import { streamPerfCount, streamPerfObserve } from '@/stores/utils/streamDebug';
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/JustificationBlock.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/JustificationBlock.tsx
index b3620dc1..99c08103 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/JustificationBlock.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/JustificationBlock.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import type { Part } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
-import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/useUIStore';
 import { ReasoningTimelineBlock } from './ReasoningPart';
 
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ProgressiveGroup.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ProgressiveGroup.tsx
index 07d6c9f5..03faddb5 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ProgressiveGroup.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ProgressiveGroup.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
 import type { TurnActivityRecord as TurnActivityPart } from '../../lib/turns/types';
 import type { ToolPart as ToolPartType } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
 import type { StreamPhase } from '../types';
-import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 import type { ToolPopupContent } from '../types';
 import ToolPart from './ToolPart';
 import { MinDurationShineText } from './MinDurationShineText';
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ReasoningPart.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ReasoningPart.tsx
index c2abb190..ad091e38 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ReasoningPart.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ReasoningPart.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { animate, type AnimationPlaybackControls } from 'motion';
 import type { Part } from '@opencode-ai/sdk/v2';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
-import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 import { ScrollableOverlay } from '@/components/ui/ScrollableOverlay';
 import { Icon } from '@/components/icon/Icon';
 import { BusyDots } from './BusyDots';
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ToolPart.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ToolPart.tsx
index 18e6fa5d..6a3248a9 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ToolPart.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/message/parts/ToolPart.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { toast } from '@/components/ui';
 import { Text } from '@/components/ui/text';
 import { FileTypeIcon } from '@/components/icons/FileTypeIcon';
 import { copyTextToClipboard } from '@/lib/clipboard';
-import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatAutoFollow';
+import type { ContentChangeReason } from '@/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll';
 import type { ToolPopupContent } from '../types';
 import { PlainDiffFallback } from './PlainDiffFallback';
 import { lazyWithChunkRecovery } from '@/lib/chunkLoadRecovery';
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/ui/ScrollShadow.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/ui/ScrollShadow.tsx
index 65b29d68..29414139 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/ui/ScrollShadow.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/ui/ScrollShadow.tsx
@@ -1,15 +1,17 @@
 import React from "react";
 
+import { useScrollShadow, type ScrollShadowOrientation, type ScrollShadowVisibility } from "./useScrollShadow";
+
 export type ScrollShadowProps = React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLElement> & {
   as?: React.ElementType;
-  orientation?: "vertical" | "horizontal";
+  orientation?: ScrollShadowOrientation;
   offset?: number;
   size?: number;
   isEnabled?: boolean;
   hideTopShadow?: boolean;
   hideBottomShadow?: boolean;
   observeMutations?: boolean;
-  onVisibilityChange?: (state: "both" | "none" | "top" | "bottom" | "left" | "right") => void;
+  onVisibilityChange?: (state: ScrollShadowVisibility) => void;
 };
 
 function mergeRefs<T>(...refs: Array<React.Ref<T>>): React.RefCallback<T> {
@@ -44,7 +46,6 @@ export const ScrollShadow = React.forwardRef<HTMLElement, ScrollShadowProps>(
     ref,
   ) => {
     const internalRef = React.useRef<HTMLElement>(null);
-    const visibleRef = React.useRef<"both" | "none" | "top" | "bottom" | "left" | "right">("none");
 
     const dataScrollShadow = (rest as Record<string, unknown>)["data-scroll-shadow"];
     delete (rest as Record<string, unknown>)["data-scroll-shadow"];
@@ -57,104 +58,15 @@ export const ScrollShadow = React.forwardRef<HTMLElement, ScrollShadowProps>(
       return next;
     }, [size, style]);
 
-    const setAttributes = React.useCallback(
-      (el: HTMLElement, hasBefore: boolean, hasAfter: boolean, prefix: "top" | "left", suffix: "bottom" | "right") => {
-        const bothKey = `${prefix}${suffix.charAt(0).toUpperCase()}${suffix.slice(1)}Scroll` as const;
-
-        if (hasBefore && hasAfter) {
-          (el.dataset as Record<string, string>)[bothKey] = "true";
-          el.removeAttribute(`data-${prefix}-scroll`);
-          el.removeAttribute(`data-${suffix}-scroll`);
-        } else {
-          el.dataset[`${prefix}Scroll`] = String(hasBefore);
-          el.dataset[`${suffix}Scroll`] = String(hasAfter);
-          el.removeAttribute(`data-${prefix}-${suffix}-scroll`);
-        }
-      },
-      [],
-    );
-
-    const clearAttributes = React.useCallback((el: HTMLElement) => {
-      ["top", "bottom", "top-bottom", "left", "right", "left-right"].forEach((attr) => {
-        el.removeAttribute(`data-${attr}-scroll`);
-      });
-    }, []);
-
-    const checkOverflow = React.useCallback(() => {
-      const el = internalRef.current;
-      if (!el) return;
-
-      if (!isEnabled) {
-        clearAttributes(el);
-        return;
-      }
-
-      // Subpixel tolerance: on hi-DPI (Retina) and with fractional scrollTop,
-      // scrollTop+clientHeight can fall ~0.5px short of scrollHeight at the very end,
-      // which would otherwise keep the bottom fade visible after fully scrolling.
-      const SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE = 1;
-      const hasBefore =
-        orientation === "vertical"
-          ? el.scrollTop > offset + SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE
-          : el.scrollLeft > offset + SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE;
-      let hasAfter =
-        orientation === "vertical"
-          ? el.scrollHeight - (el.scrollTop + el.clientHeight) > offset + SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE
-          : el.scrollWidth - (el.scrollLeft + el.clientWidth) > offset + SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE;
-
-      const effectiveHasBefore = hideTopShadow && orientation === "vertical" ? false : hasBefore;
-
-      if (hideBottomShadow && orientation === "vertical") {
-        hasAfter = false;
-      }
-
-      setAttributes(el, effectiveHasBefore, hasAfter, orientation === "vertical" ? "top" : "left", orientation === "vertical" ? "bottom" : "right");
-
-      const next = effectiveHasBefore && hasAfter ? "both" : effectiveHasBefore ? (orientation === "vertical" ? "top" : "left") : hasAfter ? (orientation === "vertical" ? "bottom" : "right") : "none";
-      if (next !== visibleRef.current) {
-        visibleRef.current = next;
-        onVisibilityChange?.(next);
-      }
-    }, [clearAttributes, hideTopShadow, hideBottomShadow, isEnabled, offset, onVisibilityChange, orientation, setAttributes]);
-
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-      const el = internalRef.current;
-      if (!el) return;
-
-      // Throttle with RAF to avoid excessive calls during rapid DOM changes
-      let rafId: number | null = null;
-      const throttledCheck = () => {
-        if (rafId !== null) return;
-        rafId = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-          rafId = null;
-          checkOverflow();
-        });
-      };
-
-      const handleScroll = () => checkOverflow(); // Scroll should be immediate
-      const resizeObserver = typeof ResizeObserver !== "undefined" ? new ResizeObserver(throttledCheck) : null;
-      const mutationObserver =
-        observeMutations && typeof MutationObserver !== "undefined" ? new MutationObserver(throttledCheck) : null;
-
-      checkOverflow();
-
-      el.addEventListener("scroll", handleScroll, { passive: true });
-      resizeObserver?.observe(el);
-      // checkOverflow mutates our data-scroll attributes; observing attributes
-      // would make the component trigger its own observer indefinitely.
-      mutationObserver?.observe(el, {
-        childList: true,
-        subtree: true,
-        characterData: true,
-      });
-
-      return () => {
-        if (rafId !== null) cancelAnimationFrame(rafId);
-        el.removeEventListener("scroll", handleScroll);
-        resizeObserver?.disconnect();
-        mutationObserver?.disconnect();
-      };
-    }, [checkOverflow, observeMutations]);
+    useScrollShadow(internalRef, {
+      orientation,
+      offset,
+      isEnabled,
+      hideTopShadow,
+      hideBottomShadow,
+      observeMutations,
+      onVisibilityChange,
+    });
 
     return (
       <Component
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/ui/useScrollShadow.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/ui/useScrollShadow.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4c2e86d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/ui/useScrollShadow.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+import React from "react";
+
+// Scroll-shadow state as data attributes on a scroll container.
+//
+// The logic lives in a hook rather than only inside <ScrollShadow> because the
+// chat timeline's scroll container is owned by the virtualized list component,
+// which renders its own element — there is no wrapper to hand the styling to.
+// <ScrollShadow> is a thin wrapper over this hook, so both paths stay in sync.
+
+export type ScrollShadowOrientation = "vertical" | "horizontal";
+export type ScrollShadowVisibility = "both" | "none" | "top" | "bottom" | "left" | "right";
+
+export type UseScrollShadowOptions = {
+  orientation?: ScrollShadowOrientation;
+  offset?: number;
+  isEnabled?: boolean;
+  hideTopShadow?: boolean;
+  hideBottomShadow?: boolean;
+  observeMutations?: boolean;
+  onVisibilityChange?: (state: ScrollShadowVisibility) => void;
+};
+
+const SCROLL_SHADOW_ATTRIBUTES = [
+  "top",
+  "bottom",
+  "top-bottom",
+  "left",
+  "right",
+  "left-right",
+] as const;
+
+const clearScrollShadowAttributes = (el: HTMLElement): void => {
+  SCROLL_SHADOW_ATTRIBUTES.forEach((attr) => {
+    el.removeAttribute(`data-${attr}-scroll`);
+  });
+};
+
+const setScrollShadowAttributes = (
+  el: HTMLElement,
+  hasBefore: boolean,
+  hasAfter: boolean,
+  prefix: "top" | "left",
+  suffix: "bottom" | "right",
+): void => {
+  const bothKey = `${prefix}${suffix.charAt(0).toUpperCase()}${suffix.slice(1)}Scroll` as const;
+
+  if (hasBefore && hasAfter) {
+    (el.dataset as Record<string, string>)[bothKey] = "true";
+    el.removeAttribute(`data-${prefix}-scroll`);
+    el.removeAttribute(`data-${suffix}-scroll`);
+  } else {
+    el.dataset[`${prefix}Scroll`] = String(hasBefore);
+    el.dataset[`${suffix}Scroll`] = String(hasAfter);
+    el.removeAttribute(`data-${prefix}-${suffix}-scroll`);
+  }
+};
+
+export const useScrollShadow = (
+  elementRef: React.RefObject<HTMLElement | null>,
+  {
+    orientation = "vertical",
+    offset = 0,
+    isEnabled = true,
+    hideTopShadow = false,
+    hideBottomShadow = false,
+    observeMutations = true,
+    onVisibilityChange,
+  }: UseScrollShadowOptions = {},
+): void => {
+  const visibleRef = React.useRef<ScrollShadowVisibility>("none");
+
+  const checkOverflow = React.useCallback(() => {
+    const el = elementRef.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+
+    if (!isEnabled) {
+      clearScrollShadowAttributes(el);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Subpixel tolerance: on hi-DPI (Retina) and with fractional scrollTop,
+    // scrollTop+clientHeight can fall ~0.5px short of scrollHeight at the very end,
+    // which would otherwise keep the bottom fade visible after fully scrolling.
+    const SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE = 1;
+    const hasBefore =
+      orientation === "vertical"
+        ? el.scrollTop > offset + SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE
+        : el.scrollLeft > offset + SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE;
+    let hasAfter =
+      orientation === "vertical"
+        ? el.scrollHeight - (el.scrollTop + el.clientHeight) > offset + SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE
+        : el.scrollWidth - (el.scrollLeft + el.clientWidth) > offset + SUBPIXEL_TOLERANCE;
+
+    const effectiveHasBefore = hideTopShadow && orientation === "vertical" ? false : hasBefore;
+
+    if (hideBottomShadow && orientation === "vertical") {
+      hasAfter = false;
+    }
+
+    setScrollShadowAttributes(
+      el,
+      effectiveHasBefore,
+      hasAfter,
+      orientation === "vertical" ? "top" : "left",
+      orientation === "vertical" ? "bottom" : "right",
+    );
+
+    const next: ScrollShadowVisibility = effectiveHasBefore && hasAfter
+      ? "both"
+      : effectiveHasBefore
+        ? (orientation === "vertical" ? "top" : "left")
+        : hasAfter
+          ? (orientation === "vertical" ? "bottom" : "right")
+          : "none";
+    if (next !== visibleRef.current) {
+      visibleRef.current = next;
+      onVisibilityChange?.(next);
+    }
+  }, [elementRef, hideTopShadow, hideBottomShadow, isEnabled, offset, onVisibilityChange, orientation]);
+
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    const el = elementRef.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+
+    // Throttle with RAF to avoid excessive calls during rapid DOM changes
+    let rafId: number | null = null;
+    const throttledCheck = () => {
+      if (rafId !== null) return;
+      rafId = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        rafId = null;
+        checkOverflow();
+      });
+    };
+
+    const handleScroll = () => checkOverflow(); // Scroll should be immediate
+    const resizeObserver = typeof ResizeObserver !== "undefined" ? new ResizeObserver(throttledCheck) : null;
+    const mutationObserver =
+      observeMutations && typeof MutationObserver !== "undefined" ? new MutationObserver(throttledCheck) : null;
+
+    checkOverflow();
+
+    el.addEventListener("scroll", handleScroll, { passive: true });
+    resizeObserver?.observe(el);
+    // checkOverflow mutates our data-scroll attributes; observing attributes
+    // would make the hook trigger its own observer indefinitely.
+    mutationObserver?.observe(el, {
+      childList: true,
+      subtree: true,
+      characterData: true,
+    });
+
+    return () => {
+      if (rafId !== null) cancelAnimationFrame(rafId);
+      el.removeEventListener("scroll", handleScroll);
+      resizeObserver?.disconnect();
+      mutationObserver?.disconnect();
+    };
+  }, [checkOverflow, elementRef, observeMutations]);
+};
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/hooks/useChatAutoFollow.ts b/packages/ui/src/hooks/useChatAutoFollow.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 7bfc13ca..00000000
--- a/packages/ui/src/hooks/useChatAutoFollow.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,938 +0,0 @@
-import React from 'react';
-
-import { MessageFreshnessDetector } from '@/lib/messageFreshness';
-import { createScrollSpy } from '@/components/chat/lib/scroll/scrollSpy';
-import { useViewportStore } from '@/sync/viewport-store';
-
-type AutoFollowState = 'following' | 'released';
-
-export type ContentChangeReason = 'text' | 'structural' | 'permission' | 'animation';
-
-export interface AnimationHandlers {
-    onChunk: () => void;
-    onComplete: () => void;
-    onStreamingCandidate?: () => void;
-    onAnimationStart?: () => void;
-    onReservationCancelled?: () => void;
-    onReasoningBlock?: () => void;
-    onAnimatedHeightChange?: (height: number) => void;
-}
-
-interface UseChatAutoFollowOptions {
-    currentSessionId: string | null;
-    currentSessionKey: string | null;
-    sessionMessageCount: number;
-    sessionIsWorking: boolean;
-    isMobile: boolean;
-    onActiveTurnChange?: (turnId: string | null) => void;
-}
-
-export interface UseChatAutoFollowResult {
-    scrollRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
-    state: AutoFollowState;
-    isPinned: boolean;
-    isOverflowing: boolean;
-    isFollowingProgrammatically: boolean;
-    showScrollButton: boolean;
-    notifyContentChange: (reason?: ContentChangeReason) => void;
-    getAnimationHandlers: (messageId: string) => AnimationHandlers;
-    goToBottom: (mode?: 'instant' | 'smooth') => void;
-    scrollToBottomOnSend: () => void;
-    releaseAutoFollow: () => void;
-    saveSnapshotNow: () => void;
-    restoreSnapshot: () => Promise<boolean>;
-}
-
-// ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-// Chat auto-follow. The model is deliberately simple, which is what makes it
-// flicker-free:
-//
-//   • Auto-follow is on unless the user scrolled up (`released`), AND passive
-//     following only acts while the session is active (working, plus a short
-//     settle window). When idle, content-size changes are layout churn
-//     (virtualizer re-measurement, async tool/code rendering) rather than live
-//     growth, so the hook leaves scroll alone — re-pinning then would fight the
-//     virtualizer and twitch the viewport.
-//   • Following the bottom is INSTANT — `scrollTop = scrollHeight` inside the
-//     content ResizeObserver, which fires after layout and before paint. There
-//     is NO easing loop and NO settle burst, so there are never two writers
-//     racing for `scrollTop` (the root cause of the old jiggle/double-scroll).
-//   • A short-lived "auto" marker (position + 1500ms) lets the scroll handler
-//     distinguish our own programmatic writes from genuine user scrolling, so
-//     a scroll event that lands at our just-written bottom never trips a false
-//     release.
-//
-// The public interface below is unchanged from the old implementation so every
-// consumer (ChatContainer, message parts, the timeline controller) keeps
-// working without edits.
-// ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-const BOTTOM_SPACER_DESKTOP_VH = 0.10;
-const BOTTOM_SPACER_MOBILE_PX = 40;
-const SAVE_DEBOUNCE_MS = 150;
-const TOUCH_FINGER_DOWN_THRESHOLD = 2;
-// How long an "auto" (programmatic) scroll position stays trusted. Browsers can
-// dispatch the `scroll` event for our write asynchronously, after newer content
-// has already changed the geometry; the window keeps us from reading that lag as
-// a user scroll.
-const AUTO_MARK_TTL_MS = 1500;
-const AUTO_MATCH_TOLERANCE_PX = 2;
-// While a tracked height animation runs (e.g. a Thinking block auto-collapsing
-// mid-stream), the timeline shrinks/grows over a couple hundred ms and the
-// virtualizer re-measures, producing transient geometry. Browsers dispatch the
-// resulting `scroll` events asynchronously, so a stale event can land after we
-// have already re-pinned — its position matching neither the bottom zone nor the
-// freshly-moved auto marker — and be misread as a user scroll-away. During this
-// guard window we treat any `following`-state scroll event as our own and never
-// release via the heuristic. GENUINE user gestures still release instantly
-// through releaseFromUserIntent, so this is not glue. Sized to the reasoning
-// animation (200ms) plus headroom for trailing async scroll events.
-const ANIMATION_GUARD_MS = 350;
-// After streaming stops, keep following the bottom for a short window so the
-// final content can settle into place.
-const SETTLE_MS = 300;
-// Entry-stick window. On the FIRST open of a session, late async data (most
-// visibly a task/subagent tool whose nested rows are fetched from the child
-// session after entry — see useEnsureSessionMessages in ToolPart.tsx) grows the
-// timeline a beat or two AFTER we have already pinned to the bottom, leaving the
-// viewport stranded mid-history. The steady-state idle gate deliberately ignores
-// that growth (it can't tell entry from a user reading idle history). So instead
-// of weakening the gate, we open a short, gesture-cancellable window on entry
-// during which we FORCE the bottom on every growth. It ends QUIESCENCE_MS after
-// growth stops (capped by MAX_MS), or instantly on any real user scroll gesture.
-const ENTRY_STICK_QUIESCENCE_MS = 600;
-const ENTRY_STICK_MAX_MS = 8000;
-
-const now = (): number => (typeof performance !== 'undefined' ? performance.now() : Date.now());
-
-// The bottom of the chat has an empty spacer (10vh on desktop, 40px on mobile)
-// — its height is exactly how far above scrollHeight the user can be while still
-// looking at "empty" space. We use that same value as the threshold for both
-// re-pinning auto-follow and showing the scroll-to-bottom button.
-const computeBottomZoneThreshold = (isMobile: boolean, container?: HTMLElement | null): number => {
-    if (isMobile) return BOTTOM_SPACER_MOBILE_PX;
-    const height = container?.clientHeight ?? 0;
-    if (height <= 0) return 96;
-    return Math.max(48, height * BOTTOM_SPACER_DESKTOP_VH);
-};
-
-const distanceFromBottom = (el: HTMLElement): number => {
-    return el.scrollHeight - el.scrollTop - el.clientHeight;
-};
-
-const canScroll = (el: HTMLElement): boolean => {
-    return el.scrollHeight - el.clientHeight > 1;
-};
-
-const isNearBottom = (el: HTMLElement, isMobile: boolean): boolean => {
-    return distanceFromBottom(el) <= computeBottomZoneThreshold(isMobile, el);
-};
-
-const isReleaseKey = (event: KeyboardEvent): boolean => {
-    if (event.altKey || event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    switch (event.key) {
-        case 'ArrowUp':
-        case 'PageUp':
-        case 'Home':
-            return true;
-        default:
-            return false;
-    }
-};
-
-const nestedScrollableTarget = (root: HTMLElement, target: EventTarget | null): HTMLElement | null => {
-    if (!(target instanceof Element)) return null;
-    const nested = target.closest('[data-scrollable]');
-    if (!nested || nested === root || !(nested instanceof HTMLElement)) return null;
-    return nested;
-};
-
-const nestedScrollableCanConsumeUp = (root: HTMLElement, target: EventTarget | null): boolean => {
-    const nested = nestedScrollableTarget(root, target);
-    if (!nested) return false;
-    return nested.scrollTop > 0;
-};
-
-export const useChatAutoFollow = ({
-    currentSessionId,
-    currentSessionKey,
-    sessionMessageCount,
-    sessionIsWorking,
-    isMobile,
-    onActiveTurnChange,
-}: UseChatAutoFollowOptions): UseChatAutoFollowResult => {
-    const scrollRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
-    const [containerEl, setContainerEl] = React.useState<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
-    const lastSeenContainerRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
-
-    const [state, setState] = React.useState<AutoFollowState>('following');
-    const [isOverflowing, setIsOverflowing] = React.useState(false);
-    const [showScrollButton, setShowScrollButton] = React.useState(false);
-    const [isFollowingProgrammatically, setIsFollowingProgrammatically] = React.useState(false);
-
-    // `stateRef` is the single source of truth for follow vs released; the React
-    // state above is a mirror for rendering. `released` means the user scrolled
-    // up and away from the bottom.
-    const stateRef = React.useRef<AutoFollowState>('following');
-    const isMobileRef = React.useRef(isMobile);
-    isMobileRef.current = isMobile;
-    const sessionIsWorkingRef = React.useRef(sessionIsWorking);
-    sessionIsWorkingRef.current = sessionIsWorking;
-    // `settling` keeps passive follow alive for a short window after work stops
-    // so the final content can land at the bottom.
-    const settlingRef = React.useRef(false);
-    const settleTimerRef = React.useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
-    const sessionMessageCountRef = React.useRef(sessionMessageCount);
-    sessionMessageCountRef.current = sessionMessageCount;
-    const currentSessionIdRef = React.useRef(currentSessionId);
-    currentSessionIdRef.current = currentSessionId;
-    const currentSessionKeyRef = React.useRef(currentSessionKey);
-    currentSessionKeyRef.current = currentSessionKey;
-
-    const lastSessionKeyRef = React.useRef<string | null>(null);
-
-    // Programmatic-scroll marker: the bottom position we last
-    // wrote and when. A scroll event whose scrollTop matches `top` within a few
-    // px while still inside the TTL is OUR write, not the user's.
-    const autoRef = React.useRef<{ top: number; time: number } | null>(null);
-    const autoTimerRef = React.useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
-
-    // Timestamp until which a tracked height animation is in flight (see
-    // ANIMATION_GUARD_MS). 0 = no animation guard active.
-    const animationGuardUntilRef = React.useRef(0);
-
-    // True while the native (Capacitor iOS) keyboard slide choreography is in
-    // flight (between 'oc:keyboard-anim' and 'oc:keyboard-settled' from
-    // useNativeMobileChrome). During that window the pinned content is moved by a
-    // transform on the inner wrapper, so the ResizeObserver chase must stand down.
-    const keyboardAnimRef = React.useRef(false);
-
-    // Last observed scrollTop, used to derive scroll DIRECTION in the scroll
-    // handler so the bottom-zone re-engage only fires when arriving at the bottom
-    // by scrolling down — never when a user scrolling UP merely lands in the zone.
-    const lastScrollTopRef = React.useRef(0);
-
-    // Entry-stick window state (see ENTRY_STICK_* above).
-    const entryStickRef = React.useRef(false);
-    const entryStickQuietTimerRef = React.useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
-    const entryStickCapTimerRef = React.useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
-    const entryStickLastHeightRef = React.useRef(0);
-
-    const saveTimerRef = React.useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
-    const pendingSaveRef = React.useRef<{ sessionId: string; anchor: number } | null>(null);
-    // When restoreSnapshot is invoked while ChatViewport is still hydrating
-    // (skeleton rendered, no scroll container yet), we record the session here
-    // so a follow-up effect can replay the restore once the container mounts.
-    const pendingInitialRestoreRef = React.useRef<string | null>(null);
-
-    const updateViewportAnchor = useViewportStore((s) => s.updateViewportAnchor);
-
-    // Detect when the scroll container DOM element changes (mount, unmount, remount).
-    // Without this, listener-attach effects would only ever bind to the element that
-    // existed at the hook's first render, missing later mounts (e.g. after first send
-    // promotes a draft session to a real chat with messages).
-    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-    React.useLayoutEffect(() => {
-        if (scrollRef.current !== lastSeenContainerRef.current) {
-            lastSeenContainerRef.current = scrollRef.current;
-            setContainerEl(scrollRef.current);
-        }
-    });
-
-    // `active` is `working || settling`. Passive auto-follow
-    // (the ResizeObserver re-pin and any non-forced scrollToBottom) only runs
-    // while active. When the session is idle, content-size changes are layout
-    // churn — virtualizer re-measurement, async tool/code rendering — NOT live
-    // growth, so we must NOT yank the user to the bottom. Forcing this gate is
-    // what stops the twitch when tall items (expanded tools) re-measure as the
-    // user scrolls.
-    const isActive = React.useCallback((): boolean => {
-        return sessionIsWorkingRef.current || settlingRef.current;
-    }, []);
-
-    const setStateValue = React.useCallback((next: AutoFollowState) => {
-        if (stateRef.current === next) return;
-        stateRef.current = next;
-        setState(next);
-    }, []);
-
-    // ── auto marker ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-    const markAuto = React.useCallback((el: HTMLElement) => {
-        autoRef.current = {
-            top: Math.max(0, el.scrollHeight - el.clientHeight),
-            time: now(),
-        };
-        if (autoTimerRef.current) clearTimeout(autoTimerRef.current);
-        autoTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
-            autoRef.current = null;
-            autoTimerRef.current = null;
-        }, AUTO_MARK_TTL_MS);
-    }, []);
-
-    const isAuto = React.useCallback((el: HTMLElement): boolean => {
-        const a = autoRef.current;
-        if (!a) return false;
-        if (now() - a.time > AUTO_MARK_TTL_MS) {
-            autoRef.current = null;
-            return false;
-        }
-        return Math.abs(el.scrollTop - a.top) < AUTO_MATCH_TOLERANCE_PX;
-    }, []);
-
-    const isAnimationGuardActive = React.useCallback((): boolean => {
-        return now() < animationGuardUntilRef.current;
-    }, []);
-
-    // ── entry-stick window ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
-    const endEntryStick = React.useCallback(() => {
-        entryStickRef.current = false;
-        if (entryStickQuietTimerRef.current) {
-            clearTimeout(entryStickQuietTimerRef.current);
-            entryStickQuietTimerRef.current = null;
-        }
-        if (entryStickCapTimerRef.current) {
-            clearTimeout(entryStickCapTimerRef.current);
-            entryStickCapTimerRef.current = null;
-        }
-    }, []);
-
-    // (Re)arm the quiescence timer: the window closes this long after the last
-    // growth. Called once on begin and again on every growth-driven re-pin.
-    const armEntryStickQuiet = React.useCallback(() => {
-        if (entryStickQuietTimerRef.current) {
-            clearTimeout(entryStickQuietTimerRef.current);
-        }
-        entryStickQuietTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
-            entryStickQuietTimerRef.current = null;
-            endEntryStick();
-        }, ENTRY_STICK_QUIESCENCE_MS);
-    }, [endEntryStick]);
-
-    const beginEntryStick = React.useCallback(() => {
-        const el = scrollRef.current;
-        if (!el) return;
-        entryStickRef.current = true;
-        entryStickLastHeightRef.current = el.scrollHeight;
-        armEntryStickQuiet();
-        // Reset the absolute cap fresh on every entry (e.g. session switch) so a
-        // stale cap from a previous open can't cut this window short.
-        if (entryStickCapTimerRef.current) {
-            clearTimeout(entryStickCapTimerRef.current);
-        }
-        entryStickCapTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
-            entryStickCapTimerRef.current = null;
-            endEntryStick();
-        }, ENTRY_STICK_MAX_MS);
-    }, [armEntryStickQuiet, endEntryStick]);
-
-    // ── overflow / scroll-to-bottom button ──────────────────────────────────
-    const updateOverflowAndButton = React.useCallback(() => {
-        const container = scrollRef.current;
-        if (!container) {
-            setIsOverflowing(false);
-            setShowScrollButton(false);
-            return;
-        }
-        const overflowing = canScroll(container);
-        setIsOverflowing(overflowing);
-        if (!overflowing) {
-            setShowScrollButton(false);
-            return;
-        }
-        const showButton = stateRef.current === 'released' && !isNearBottom(container, isMobileRef.current);
-        setShowScrollButton(showButton);
-    }, []);
-
-    // ── core scroll primitives ───────────────────────────────────────────────
-    const scrollToBottomNow = React.useCallback((behavior: ScrollBehavior) => {
-        const el = scrollRef.current;
-        if (!el) return;
-        markAuto(el);
-        // `scrollHeight` is rounded to an integer while the real content height
-        // is fractional (prose line-heights), so `scrollTop = scrollHeight`
-        // leaves a 0–1px remainder that oscillates per streamed token and makes
-        // bottom-anchored rows jitter vertically. An over-large target clamps to
-        // the exact fractional maximum instead, pinning content to the bottom.
-        const overshootTarget = el.scrollHeight + 4096;
-        if (behavior === 'smooth') {
-            el.scrollTo({ top: overshootTarget, behavior });
-            return;
-        }
-        // Direct `scrollTop` assignment bypasses any CSS `scroll-behavior: smooth`
-        // and lands in the same frame — no visible catch-up animation.
-        el.scrollTop = overshootTarget;
-    }, [markAuto]);
-
-    // `force` true = user-intent jump (clears released and always scrolls).
-    // `force` false = passive follow (only while still following).
-    const scrollToBottom = React.useCallback((force: boolean, behavior: ScrollBehavior = 'auto') => {
-        const el = scrollRef.current;
-
-        // Passive follow only while active (working/settling). Forced jumps
-        // (send, go-to-bottom, session restore) always proceed.
-        if (!force && !isActive()) return;
-
-        if (force && stateRef.current !== 'following') {
-            setStateValue('following');
-        }
-        if (!el) return;
-        if (!force && stateRef.current !== 'following') return;
-
-        // Always re-pin, even when already within tolerance of the bottom.
-        // Sub-tolerance growth (fractional line-height remainders) would
-        // otherwise leave the bottom drifting by up to ±AUTO_MATCH_TOLERANCE_PX
-        // between full re-pins, which reads as 1px vertical jitter on
-        // bottom-anchored rows during streaming. The write happens pre-paint
-        // (ResizeObserver) and is a no-op when the position is unchanged.
-        scrollToBottomNow(force ? behavior : 'auto');
-    }, [isActive, scrollToBottomNow, setStateValue]);
-
-    // User left the bottom — release auto-follow.
-    const stop = React.useCallback(() => {
-        const el = scrollRef.current;
-        if (!el) return;
-        if (!canScroll(el)) {
-            setStateValue('following');
-            return;
-        }
-        if (stateRef.current === 'released') return;
-        setStateValue('released');
-        updateOverflowAndButton();
-    }, [setStateValue, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    // ── public scroll API (mapped onto the primitives) ───────────────────────
-    const goToBottom = React.useCallback((mode: 'instant' | 'smooth' = 'instant') => {
-        scrollToBottom(true, mode === 'smooth' ? 'smooth' : 'auto');
-    }, [scrollToBottom]);
-
-    const scrollToBottomOnSend = React.useCallback(() => {
-        // Single movement to the just-sent message. Force re-pins to the bottom
-        // whether we were following or scrolled up; the content ResizeObserver
-        // keeps us pinned as the optimistic message and its reply stream in.
-        scrollToBottom(true);
-    }, [scrollToBottom]);
-
-    const releaseAutoFollow = React.useCallback(() => {
-        setStateValue('released');
-        updateOverflowAndButton();
-    }, [setStateValue, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    const releaseFromUserIntent = React.useCallback(() => {
-        // A genuine user gesture (wheel/touch/key/scrollbar) cancels the entry
-        // window immediately so we never fight the user's read position.
-        endEntryStick();
-        stop();
-    }, [endEntryStick, stop]);
-
-    // ── per-session snapshot persistence (kept; restore still goes to bottom) ─
-    const flushSave = React.useCallback(() => {
-        if (saveTimerRef.current !== null) {
-            clearTimeout(saveTimerRef.current);
-            saveTimerRef.current = null;
-        }
-        const pending = pendingSaveRef.current;
-        if (!pending) return;
-        const container = scrollRef.current;
-        if (!container) {
-            pendingSaveRef.current = null;
-            return;
-        }
-        updateViewportAnchor(pending.sessionId, pending.anchor, {
-            scrollTop: container.scrollTop,
-            scrollHeight: container.scrollHeight,
-            clientHeight: container.clientHeight,
-        });
-        pendingSaveRef.current = null;
-    }, [updateViewportAnchor]);
-
-    const queueSave = React.useCallback(() => {
-        const sessionId = currentSessionIdRef.current;
-        if (!sessionId) return;
-        const container = scrollRef.current;
-        if (!container) return;
-
-        const { scrollTop, scrollHeight, clientHeight } = container;
-        const anchorRatio = scrollHeight > 0
-            ? (scrollTop + clientHeight / 2) / scrollHeight
-            : 0;
-        const anchor = Math.floor(anchorRatio * sessionMessageCountRef.current);
-
-        pendingSaveRef.current = { sessionId, anchor };
-        if (saveTimerRef.current !== null) return;
-        saveTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
-            saveTimerRef.current = null;
-            flushSave();
-        }, SAVE_DEBOUNCE_MS);
-    }, [flushSave]);
-
-    const saveSnapshotNow = React.useCallback(() => {
-        flushSave();
-    }, [flushSave]);
-
-    const restoreSnapshot = React.useCallback(async (): Promise<boolean> => {
-        const sessionKey = currentSessionKeyRef.current;
-        if (!sessionKey) return false;
-
-        const container = scrollRef.current;
-        if (!container) {
-            // ChatViewport not mounted yet (e.g., session still hydrating).
-            // Record the request so the container-attach effect can replay it.
-            pendingInitialRestoreRef.current = sessionKey;
-            setStateValue('following');
-            return false;
-        }
-        pendingInitialRestoreRef.current = null;
-
-        // Always return to the bottom on session switch. The content
-        // ResizeObserver re-pins instantly as late
-        // history measures in, so there is no smooth scroll-from-mid artifact.
-        setStateValue('following');
-        scrollToBottom(true);
-        // Hold the bottom across late async growth (e.g. task/subagent child
-        // session data landing a beat after entry) until content quiesces or the
-        // user scrolls.
-        beginEntryStick();
-        updateOverflowAndButton();
-        return false;
-    }, [beginEntryStick, scrollToBottom, setStateValue, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    // ── session change ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        if (!currentSessionId || !currentSessionKey || currentSessionKey === lastSessionKeyRef.current) {
-            return;
-        }
-        lastSessionKeyRef.current = currentSessionKey;
-        MessageFreshnessDetector.getInstance().recordSessionStart(currentSessionId);
-        flushSave();
-        autoRef.current = null;
-        // Drop any pending restore request inherited from a different session.
-        if (pendingInitialRestoreRef.current && pendingInitialRestoreRef.current !== currentSessionKey) {
-            pendingInitialRestoreRef.current = null;
-        }
-    }, [currentSessionId, currentSessionKey, flushSave]);
-
-    // When work begins and we are still
-    // following, pin to the bottom. When work stops, keep following alive for a
-    // short settle window so the final content lands at the bottom, then go
-    // idle (after which passive follow is disabled — see `isActive`).
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        settlingRef.current = false;
-        if (settleTimerRef.current) {
-            clearTimeout(settleTimerRef.current);
-            settleTimerRef.current = null;
-        }
-
-        if (sessionIsWorking) {
-            if (stateRef.current === 'following') {
-                scrollToBottom(true);
-            }
-            return;
-        }
-
-        settlingRef.current = true;
-        settleTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
-            settlingRef.current = false;
-            settleTimerRef.current = null;
-        }, SETTLE_MS);
-    }, [sessionIsWorking, scrollToBottom]);
-
-    // Suppress the overlay scrollbar thumb only while we are actively following a
-    // live stream (the thumb would otherwise jump on every instant re-pin). When
-    // idle or released the scrollbar behaves normally. Stable: changes only when
-    // follow-state or working-state flips, not on every frame.
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        setIsFollowingProgrammatically(state === 'following' && sessionIsWorking);
-    }, [state, sessionIsWorking]);
-
-    // Replay a deferred restoreSnapshot once ChatViewport mounts.
-    // useLayoutEffect ensures scroll position is set before the browser paints,
-    // preventing a visible flash of content at the wrong scroll position.
-    React.useLayoutEffect(() => {
-        if (!containerEl) return;
-        if (pendingInitialRestoreRef.current && pendingInitialRestoreRef.current === currentSessionKey) {
-            void restoreSnapshot();
-        }
-    }, [containerEl, currentSessionKey, restoreSnapshot]);
-
-    // ── scroll event handling ────────────────────────────────────────────────
-    const handleScrollEvent = React.useCallback(() => {
-        const el = scrollRef.current;
-        if (!el) return;
-
-        const previousTop = lastScrollTopRef.current;
-        lastScrollTopRef.current = el.scrollTop;
-        const scrollingDown = el.scrollTop > previousTop + 0.5;
-
-        updateOverflowAndButton();
-
-        if (!canScroll(el)) {
-            setStateValue('following');
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // Within the bottom zone → (re-)pin to following. This is how scrolling
-        // back DOWN to the bottom resumes auto-follow. Crucially, re-engage only
-        // when the user arrives by scrolling down (or is already following, or is
-        // essentially at the true bottom). A user scrolling UP that merely lands
-        // in the bottom spacer zone must NOT be yanked back into follow — that is
-        // the dead-zone fight that made small upward scrolls impossible while
-        // content streams.
-        if (isNearBottom(el, isMobileRef.current)) {
-            const atTrueBottom = distanceFromBottom(el) <= AUTO_MATCH_TOLERANCE_PX;
-            if (scrollingDown || stateRef.current === 'following' || atTrueBottom) {
-                setStateValue('following');
-            }
-            queueSave();
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // Our own geometry change (a programmatic write that landed at the bottom
-        // but where content grew between the write and this event, OR a tracked
-        // height animation in flight) — keep following, don't release.
-        if (stateRef.current === 'following' && (isAuto(el) || isAnimationGuardActive())) {
-            scrollToBottom(false);
-            queueSave();
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // Genuine user scroll away from the bottom.
-        stop();
-        queueSave();
-    }, [isAnimationGuardActive, isAuto, queueSave, scrollToBottom, setStateValue, stop, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        const container = containerEl;
-        if (!container) return;
-
-        lastScrollTopRef.current = container.scrollTop;
-
-        const handleWheel = (event: WheelEvent) => {
-            if (event.deltaY >= 0) return;
-            if (nestedScrollableCanConsumeUp(container, event.target)) return;
-            releaseFromUserIntent();
-        };
-
-        let touchLastY: number | null = null;
-        const handleTouchStart = (event: TouchEvent) => {
-            const touch = event.touches.item(0);
-            touchLastY = touch ? touch.clientY : null;
-        };
-        const handleTouchMove = (event: TouchEvent) => {
-            const touch = event.touches.item(0);
-            if (!touch) {
-                touchLastY = null;
-                return;
-            }
-            const previousY = touchLastY;
-            touchLastY = touch.clientY;
-            if (previousY === null) return;
-            const fingerDelta = touch.clientY - previousY;
-            if (fingerDelta <= TOUCH_FINGER_DOWN_THRESHOLD) return;
-            if (nestedScrollableCanConsumeUp(container, event.target)) return;
-            releaseFromUserIntent();
-        };
-        const handleTouchEnd = () => {
-            touchLastY = null;
-        };
-
-        const handleKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
-            if (!isReleaseKey(event)) return;
-            releaseFromUserIntent();
-        };
-
-        const handlePointerDownIntent = (event: PointerEvent) => {
-            const target = event.target;
-            if (!(target instanceof Element)) return;
-            if (!target.closest('[data-overlay-scrollbar-thumb]')) return;
-            releaseFromUserIntent();
-        };
-
-        container.addEventListener('scroll', handleScrollEvent, { passive: true });
-        container.addEventListener('wheel', handleWheel, { passive: true });
-        container.addEventListener('touchstart', handleTouchStart, { passive: true });
-        container.addEventListener('touchmove', handleTouchMove, { passive: true });
-        container.addEventListener('touchend', handleTouchEnd, { passive: true });
-        container.addEventListener('touchcancel', handleTouchEnd, { passive: true });
-        container.addEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown);
-        if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
-            window.addEventListener('pointerdown', handlePointerDownIntent, true);
-        }
-
-        return () => {
-            container.removeEventListener('scroll', handleScrollEvent);
-            container.removeEventListener('wheel', handleWheel);
-            container.removeEventListener('touchstart', handleTouchStart);
-            container.removeEventListener('touchmove', handleTouchMove);
-            container.removeEventListener('touchend', handleTouchEnd);
-            container.removeEventListener('touchcancel', handleTouchEnd);
-            container.removeEventListener('keydown', handleKeyDown);
-            if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
-                window.removeEventListener('pointerdown', handlePointerDownIntent, true);
-            }
-        };
-    }, [containerEl, handleScrollEvent, releaseFromUserIntent]);
-
-    // The heart of the follow behaviour: the content ResizeObserver fires after
-    // layout and before paint, so re-pinning to the bottom here is invisible —
-    // there is no "jump up then catch up". Observe both the container (composer
-    // growth shrinks the viewport) and the inner content (streaming growth).
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        const container = containerEl;
-        if (!container || typeof ResizeObserver === 'undefined') return;
-
-        const observer = new ResizeObserver(() => {
-            // Keyboard slide in flight: the container/composer resizes it reports
-            // are part of the transform choreography — the settle handler does the
-            // single deterministic re-pin, so chasing here would just fight it.
-            if (keyboardAnimRef.current) {
-                updateOverflowAndButton();
-                return;
-            }
-            const el = scrollRef.current;
-            if (el && !canScroll(el)) {
-                setStateValue('following');
-                updateOverflowAndButton();
-                return;
-            }
-            updateOverflowAndButton();
-            // Entry-stick window: on first session open, FORCE the bottom on
-            // every growth so late async data (task/subagent child rows, code
-            // highlight, mermaid) can't strand the viewport mid-history. Force
-            // overrides any false `released` from the growth itself; only a real
-            // user gesture clears the window (releaseFromUserIntent).
-            if (entryStickRef.current && el) {
-                const grew = el.scrollHeight > entryStickLastHeightRef.current + 1;
-                entryStickLastHeightRef.current = el.scrollHeight;
-                scrollToBottom(true);
-                if (grew) armEntryStickQuiet();
-                return;
-            }
-            // Idle resize = layout churn (virtualizer re-measurement, async
-            // tool/code rendering), NOT live growth. Never re-pin when idle, or
-            // tall items re-measuring as the user scrolls cause an endless
-            // scroll-to-bottom/re-measure twitch.
-            if (!isActive()) return;
-            if (stateRef.current !== 'following') return;
-            scrollToBottom(false);
-        });
-        observer.observe(container);
-        const inner = container.firstElementChild;
-        if (inner instanceof Element) {
-            observer.observe(inner);
-        }
-        return () => observer.disconnect();
-    }, [armEntryStickQuiet, containerEl, isActive, scrollToBottom, setStateValue, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    // ── native keyboard transitions (Capacitor choreography) ────────────────
-    // The chat scroller gets NO transforms during the keyboard transition:
-    // transforming the scroll container (or its content) forces WebKit to
-    // rebuild the composited scrolling layers, which stalls for seconds on
-    // long chats. Instead the chat repositions with instant snaps that hide
-    // behind the keyboard itself:
-    //   show: content stays put while the keyboard/composer slide over it; the
-    //         settled event (shell layout snap) does ONE instant re-pin.
-    //   hide: the shell layout is restored up-front — the scrollTop clamp
-    //         happens while the keyboard still covers that region — and the
-    //         settled event re-pins once at the end.
-    // During the window we only guard the scroll heuristics and the observer
-    // chase. These events never fire outside the Capacitor app.
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        if (typeof window === 'undefined') return;
-
-        const handleKeyboardAnim = (event: Event) => {
-            const detail = (event as CustomEvent<{ phase: 'show' | 'hide'; slide: number; durationMs: number; easing: string }>).detail;
-            if (!detail) return;
-            keyboardAnimRef.current = true;
-            // The clamp/resize during the choreography can dispatch scroll events
-            // that land away from the auto marker — never read those as a user
-            // scroll-away.
-            animationGuardUntilRef.current = now() + detail.durationMs + ANIMATION_GUARD_MS;
-        };
-
-        const handleKeyboardSettled = () => {
-            keyboardAnimRef.current = false;
-            const el = scrollRef.current;
-            if (!el) {
-                updateOverflowAndButton();
-                return;
-            }
-            // Single deterministic re-pin, same task as the layout swap → lands
-            // before paint. (scrollToBottomNow, not scrollToBottom: this must not
-            // be gated on working/settling — the keyboard resize is a viewport
-            // change, not content growth.)
-            if (stateRef.current === 'following' && canScroll(el)) {
-                scrollToBottomNow('auto');
-            }
-            updateOverflowAndButton();
-        };
-
-        window.addEventListener('oc:keyboard-anim', handleKeyboardAnim);
-        window.addEventListener('oc:keyboard-settled', handleKeyboardSettled);
-        return () => {
-            window.removeEventListener('oc:keyboard-anim', handleKeyboardAnim);
-            window.removeEventListener('oc:keyboard-settled', handleKeyboardSettled);
-            keyboardAnimRef.current = false;
-        };
-    }, [scrollToBottomNow, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        updateOverflowAndButton();
-    }, [sessionMessageCount, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    const notifyContentChange = React.useCallback((reason?: ContentChangeReason) => {
-        // A tracked height animation (e.g. Thinking auto-collapse) opens a guard
-        // window so its transient geometry / async scroll events are not misread
-        // as a user scroll-away. Real gestures still release through
-        // releaseFromUserIntent, so the user can always scroll up freely.
-        if (reason === 'animation') {
-            animationGuardUntilRef.current = now() + ANIMATION_GUARD_MS;
-        }
-        updateOverflowAndButton();
-        // Entry-stick window: late structural growth (notably the task/subagent
-        // summary landing from the child session — ToolPart emits 'structural'
-        // here) must keep us pinned and refresh the quiescence timer, even though
-        // the session is idle.
-        if (entryStickRef.current) {
-            scrollToBottom(true);
-            armEntryStickQuiet();
-            return;
-        }
-        if (stateRef.current === 'following') {
-            scrollToBottom(false);
-        }
-    }, [armEntryStickQuiet, scrollToBottom, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    const animationHandlersRef = React.useRef<Map<string, AnimationHandlers>>(new Map());
-
-    const getAnimationHandlers = React.useCallback((messageId: string): AnimationHandlers => {
-        const cached = animationHandlersRef.current.get(messageId);
-        if (cached) return cached;
-
-        const kick = () => {
-            if (stateRef.current === 'following') {
-                scrollToBottom(false);
-            }
-        };
-
-        const handlers: AnimationHandlers = {
-            onChunk: kick,
-            onComplete: () => {
-                updateOverflowAndButton();
-            },
-            onStreamingCandidate: () => {},
-            onAnimationStart: () => {},
-            onAnimatedHeightChange: kick,
-            onReservationCancelled: () => {},
-            onReasoningBlock: () => {},
-        };
-        animationHandlersRef.current.set(messageId, handlers);
-        return handlers;
-    }, [scrollToBottom, updateOverflowAndButton]);
-
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        return () => {
-            if (autoTimerRef.current) {
-                clearTimeout(autoTimerRef.current);
-                autoTimerRef.current = null;
-            }
-            if (settleTimerRef.current) {
-                clearTimeout(settleTimerRef.current);
-                settleTimerRef.current = null;
-            }
-            endEntryStick();
-            flushSave();
-            if (saveTimerRef.current !== null) {
-                clearTimeout(saveTimerRef.current);
-                saveTimerRef.current = null;
-            }
-        };
-    }, [endEntryStick, flushSave]);
-
-    React.useEffect(() => {
-        if (!onActiveTurnChange) return;
-        const container = containerEl;
-        if (!container) return;
-
-        let lastActiveTurnId: string | null = null;
-        const spy = createScrollSpy({
-            onActive: (turnId) => {
-                if (turnId === lastActiveTurnId) return;
-                lastActiveTurnId = turnId;
-                onActiveTurnChange(turnId);
-            },
-        });
-        spy.setContainer(container);
-
-        const elementByTurnId = new Map<string, HTMLElement>();
-        const registerTurnNode = (node: HTMLElement) => {
-            const turnId = node.dataset.turnId;
-            if (!turnId) return false;
-            elementByTurnId.set(turnId, node);
-            spy.register(node, turnId);
-            return true;
-        };
-        const unregisterTurnNode = (node: HTMLElement) => {
-            const turnId = node.dataset.turnId;
-            if (!turnId) return false;
-            if (elementByTurnId.get(turnId) !== node) return false;
-            elementByTurnId.delete(turnId);
-            spy.unregister(turnId);
-            return true;
-        };
-        const collectTurnNodes = (node: Node): HTMLElement[] => {
-            if (!(node instanceof HTMLElement)) return [];
-            const collected: HTMLElement[] = [];
-            if (node.matches('[data-turn-id]')) collected.push(node);
-            node.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[data-turn-id]').forEach((el) => collected.push(el));
-            return collected;
-        };
-
-        container.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[data-turn-id]').forEach(registerTurnNode);
-        spy.markDirty();
-
-        const mutationObserver = new MutationObserver((records) => {
-            let changed = false;
-            records.forEach((record) => {
-                record.removedNodes.forEach((node) => {
-                    collectTurnNodes(node).forEach((turnNode) => {
-                        if (unregisterTurnNode(turnNode)) changed = true;
-                    });
-                });
-                record.addedNodes.forEach((node) => {
-                    collectTurnNodes(node).forEach((turnNode) => {
-                        if (registerTurnNode(turnNode)) changed = true;
-                    });
-                });
-            });
-            if (changed) spy.markDirty();
-        });
-        mutationObserver.observe(container, { subtree: true, childList: true });
-
-        const onScroll = () => spy.onScroll();
-        container.addEventListener('scroll', onScroll, { passive: true });
-
-        return () => {
-            container.removeEventListener('scroll', onScroll);
-            mutationObserver.disconnect();
-            spy.destroy();
-        };
-    }, [containerEl, onActiveTurnChange]);
-
-    return {
-        scrollRef,
-        state,
-        isPinned: state === 'following',
-        isOverflowing,
-        isFollowingProgrammatically,
-        showScrollButton,
-        notifyContentChange,
-        getAnimationHandlers,
-        goToBottom,
-        scrollToBottomOnSend,
-        releaseAutoFollow,
-        saveSnapshotNow,
-        restoreSnapshot,
-    };
-};
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll.ts b/packages/ui/src/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a957650a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ui/src/hooks/useChatTimelineScroll.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,691 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { MessageFreshnessDetector } from '@/lib/messageFreshness';
+import { createScrollSpy } from '@/components/chat/lib/scroll/scrollSpy';
+import { useViewportStore } from '@/sync/viewport-store';
+import {
+    CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET,
+    getAnchoredTurnMetrics,
+    type TimelineListMeasurementState,
+    type TimelineScrollMode,
+} from '@/components/chat/lib/scroll/timelineScrollAnchoring';
+
+// ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// Chat timeline scroll ownership.
+//
+// The virtualized list owns the scroll position; this hook only decides which
+// of three mutually exclusive modes is active and, when a mode calls for it,
+// issues ONE deterministic scroll command:
+//
+//   • `following-end`      — pinned to the live edge. The list keeps us there
+//     through `maintainScrollAtEnd`; we only re-assert after a data change.
+//   • `anchoring-new-turn` — the just-sent user message is parked near the TOP
+//     of the viewport and the reply streams into the reserved end space below
+//     it. The viewport does NOT move while the turn still fits; once the turn
+//     outgrows the usable viewport we scroll by the exact delta needed to keep
+//     its end visible.
+//   • `free-scrolling`     — the user took over. Nothing moves until they opt
+//     back in by returning to the end.
+//
+// Opting out of automatic movement is driven by REAL gestures (wheel /
+// touchmove / pointerdown), not by inferring intent from scroll positions. Each
+// gesture bumps a generation counter; any in-flight automatic movement compares
+// its captured generation against the current one and aborts if they differ.
+// That comparison replaces the timer windows the previous implementation needed
+// to tell its own writes apart from the user's, which is why there are no
+// guard/settle/entry-stick timers here.
+// ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+// Kept for source compatibility with message parts that report content growth.
+// Growth no longer drives scrolling — the list handles it — so these are inert,
+// but the prop threads through many part components and removing the contract
+// is a separate change.
+export type ContentChangeReason = 'text' | 'structural' | 'permission' | 'animation';
+
+export interface AnimationHandlers {
+    onChunk: () => void;
+    onComplete: () => void;
+    onStreamingCandidate?: () => void;
+    onAnimationStart?: () => void;
+    onReservationCancelled?: () => void;
+    onReasoningBlock?: () => void;
+    onAnimatedHeightChange?: (height: number) => void;
+}
+
+// The subset of the list ref this hook drives. Declared structurally so the
+// hook stays testable without a renderer and does not hard-depend on the list
+// implementation.
+export interface TimelineListHandle {
+    getState: () => TimelineListMeasurementState & { readonly scroll: number };
+    getScrollableNode: () => HTMLElement | null;
+    scrollToEnd: (options?: { animated?: boolean }) => unknown;
+    scrollToOffset: (params: { offset: number; animated?: boolean }) => unknown;
+    scrollToIndex: (params: {
+        index: number;
+        animated?: boolean;
+        viewPosition?: number;
+        viewOffset?: number;
+    }) => unknown;
+}
+
+interface UseChatTimelineScrollOptions {
+    currentSessionId: string | null;
+    currentSessionKey: string | null;
+    sessionMessageCount: number;
+    composerOverlayHeight: number;
+    // Id of the newest user message in the rendered timeline. When a send has
+    // armed the anchor, the next new id here becomes the anchored row.
+    lastUserMessageId: string | null;
+    onActiveTurnChange?: (turnId: string | null) => void;
+}
+
+export interface UseChatTimelineScrollResult {
+    scrollRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
+    // The live scroll element, as state, so effects that must re-bind when the
+    // list remounts (session switch) can depend on it.
+    scrollNode: HTMLDivElement | null;
+    isPinned: boolean;
+    registerList: (list: TimelineListHandle | null) => void;
+    anchorMessageId: string | null;
+    onAnchorReady: (messageId: string, anchorIndex: number) => void;
+    onAnchorSizeChanged: (messageId: string) => void;
+    onIsAtEndChange: (isAtEnd: boolean) => void;
+    onManualNavigation: () => void;
+    onTimelineDataChange: () => void;
+    showScrollButton: boolean;
+    isFollowingProgrammatically: boolean;
+    goToBottom: (mode?: 'instant' | 'smooth') => void;
+    scrollToBottomOnSend: () => void;
+    notifyContentChange: (reason?: ContentChangeReason) => void;
+    getAnimationHandlers: (messageId: string) => AnimationHandlers;
+    saveSnapshotNow: () => void;
+    restoreSnapshot: () => Promise<boolean>;
+}
+
+// Showing the pill is debounced so it does not flash while a thread switch
+// settles (the list reports isAtEnd=false until its initial end-scroll lands).
+// Hiding is always immediate.
+const SHOW_SCROLL_BUTTON_DELAY_MS = 150;
+const SAVE_DEBOUNCE_MS = 150;
+// The anchor scroll is animated; `scrollend` is the authoritative completion
+// signal, and this bounds the wait for browsers that drop it.
+const ANCHOR_SETTLE_FALLBACK_MS = 750;
+// Re-running the anchor positioning while the list is still mounting rows.
+const ANCHOR_POSITION_ATTEMPTS = 12;
+// Anchor restores only correct sub-pixel drift; anything larger is the user or
+// a genuine relayout and must not be undone.
+const ANCHOR_RESTORE_TOLERANCE_PX = 2;
+
+const NOOP = (): void => {};
+
+export const useChatTimelineScroll = ({
+    currentSessionId,
+    currentSessionKey,
+    sessionMessageCount,
+    composerOverlayHeight,
+    lastUserMessageId,
+    onActiveTurnChange,
+}: UseChatTimelineScrollOptions): UseChatTimelineScrollResult => {
+    const scrollRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
+    const listRef = React.useRef<TimelineListHandle | null>(null);
+
+    const [scrollNode, setScrollNode] = React.useState<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
+    const [anchorMessageId, setAnchorMessageId] = React.useState<string | null>(null);
+    const [showScrollButton, setShowScrollButton] = React.useState(false);
+    // "Pinned" is the live edge, which history pagination uses to decide whether
+    // it may load older pages without disturbing the read position.
+    const [isPinned, setIsPinned] = React.useState(true);
+    const [isFollowingProgrammatically, setIsFollowingProgrammatically] = React.useState(false);
+
+    const modeRef = React.useRef<TimelineScrollMode>('following-end');
+    const isAtEndRef = React.useRef(true);
+    // Incremented by every real user gesture. Automatic movement is only valid
+    // while `liveFollowGenerationRef` still equals it.
+    const userGenerationRef = React.useRef(0);
+    const liveFollowGenerationRef = React.useRef<number | null>(0);
+    // Anchor lifecycle: armed on send → pending until the row exists → positioned
+    // while the animated scroll runs → settled once it has come to rest.
+    const armedForNextUserMessageRef = React.useRef(false);
+    const pendingAnchorRef = React.useRef<string | null>(null);
+    const positionedAnchorRef = React.useRef<string | null>(null);
+    const settledAnchorRef = React.useRef<string | null>(null);
+    const activeAnchorIndexRef = React.useRef<number | null>(null);
+    const pendingAnchorRestoreRef = React.useRef<{
+        readonly messageId: string;
+        readonly offset: number;
+        readonly userGeneration: number;
+    } | null>(null);
+    const anchorRestoreFrameRef = React.useRef<number | null>(null);
+    const showButtonTimerRef = React.useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
+
+    const composerOverlayHeightRef = React.useRef(composerOverlayHeight);
+    composerOverlayHeightRef.current = composerOverlayHeight;
+    const sessionMessageCountRef = React.useRef(sessionMessageCount);
+    sessionMessageCountRef.current = sessionMessageCount;
+    const currentSessionIdRef = React.useRef(currentSessionId);
+    currentSessionIdRef.current = currentSessionId;
+    const currentSessionKeyRef = React.useRef(currentSessionKey);
+    currentSessionKeyRef.current = currentSessionKey;
+
+    const updateViewportAnchor = useViewportStore((state) => state.updateViewportAnchor);
+
+    const cancelShowButtonTimer = React.useCallback(() => {
+        if (showButtonTimerRef.current !== null) {
+            clearTimeout(showButtonTimerRef.current);
+            showButtonTimerRef.current = null;
+        }
+    }, []);
+
+    const hideScrollButton = React.useCallback(() => {
+        cancelShowButtonTimer();
+        setShowScrollButton(false);
+    }, [cancelShowButtonTimer]);
+
+    const scheduleShowScrollButton = React.useCallback(() => {
+        if (showButtonTimerRef.current !== null) return;
+        showButtonTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
+            showButtonTimerRef.current = null;
+            setShowScrollButton(true);
+        }, SHOW_SCROLL_BUTTON_DELAY_MS);
+    }, []);
+
+    const clearAnchor = React.useCallback(() => {
+        armedForNextUserMessageRef.current = false;
+        pendingAnchorRef.current = null;
+        positionedAnchorRef.current = null;
+        settledAnchorRef.current = null;
+        activeAnchorIndexRef.current = null;
+        pendingAnchorRestoreRef.current = null;
+        if (anchorRestoreFrameRef.current !== null) {
+            cancelAnimationFrame(anchorRestoreFrameRef.current);
+            anchorRestoreFrameRef.current = null;
+        }
+        setAnchorMessageId(null);
+    }, []);
+
+    // A real gesture: stop every automatic movement until the user opts back in.
+    const onManualNavigation = React.useCallback(() => {
+        userGenerationRef.current += 1;
+        modeRef.current = 'free-scrolling';
+        liveFollowGenerationRef.current = null;
+        clearAnchor();
+    }, [clearAnchor]);
+
+    const isLiveFollowActive = React.useCallback(() => (
+        liveFollowGenerationRef.current === userGenerationRef.current
+    ), []);
+
+    // ── snapshot persistence ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    const pendingSaveRef = React.useRef<{ sessionId: string; anchor: number } | null>(null);
+    const saveTimerRef = React.useRef<ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null>(null);
+
+    const flushSave = React.useCallback(() => {
+        if (saveTimerRef.current !== null) {
+            clearTimeout(saveTimerRef.current);
+            saveTimerRef.current = null;
+        }
+        const pending = pendingSaveRef.current;
+        if (!pending) return;
+        const container = scrollRef.current;
+        if (!container) {
+            pendingSaveRef.current = null;
+            return;
+        }
+        updateViewportAnchor(pending.sessionId, pending.anchor, {
+            scrollTop: container.scrollTop,
+            scrollHeight: container.scrollHeight,
+            clientHeight: container.clientHeight,
+        });
+        pendingSaveRef.current = null;
+    }, [updateViewportAnchor]);
+
+    const queueSave = React.useCallback(() => {
+        const sessionId = currentSessionIdRef.current;
+        if (!sessionId) return;
+        const container = scrollRef.current;
+        if (!container) return;
+
+        const { scrollTop, scrollHeight, clientHeight } = container;
+        const anchorRatio = scrollHeight > 0
+            ? (scrollTop + clientHeight / 2) / scrollHeight
+            : 0;
+        const anchor = Math.floor(anchorRatio * sessionMessageCountRef.current);
+
+        pendingSaveRef.current = { sessionId, anchor };
+        if (saveTimerRef.current !== null) return;
+        saveTimerRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
+            saveTimerRef.current = null;
+            flushSave();
+        }, SAVE_DEBOUNCE_MS);
+    }, [flushSave]);
+
+    const saveSnapshotNow = React.useCallback(() => {
+        flushSave();
+    }, [flushSave]);
+
+    // ── scroll commands ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    const goToBottom = React.useCallback((mode: 'instant' | 'smooth' = 'instant') => {
+        isAtEndRef.current = true;
+        setIsPinned(true);
+        modeRef.current = 'following-end';
+        // Returning to the end is an explicit opt back IN to live follow.
+        liveFollowGenerationRef.current = userGenerationRef.current;
+        clearAnchor();
+        hideScrollButton();
+        void listRef.current?.scrollToEnd({ animated: mode === 'smooth' });
+    }, [clearAnchor, hideScrollButton]);
+
+    // Sending arms the anchor. The message id is not known here (the optimistic
+    // row is created by the store), so the next new user message id claims it.
+    const scrollToBottomOnSend = React.useCallback(() => {
+        isAtEndRef.current = true;
+        modeRef.current = 'anchoring-new-turn';
+        liveFollowGenerationRef.current = userGenerationRef.current;
+        armedForNextUserMessageRef.current = true;
+        pendingAnchorRef.current = null;
+        positionedAnchorRef.current = null;
+        settledAnchorRef.current = null;
+        activeAnchorIndexRef.current = null;
+        hideScrollButton();
+    }, [hideScrollButton]);
+
+    // Claim the anchor as soon as the sent row exists in the timeline.
+    const lastArmedUserMessageIdRef = React.useRef<string | null>(lastUserMessageId);
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        const previous = lastArmedUserMessageIdRef.current;
+        lastArmedUserMessageIdRef.current = lastUserMessageId;
+        if (!armedForNextUserMessageRef.current) return;
+        if (!lastUserMessageId || lastUserMessageId === previous) return;
+        armedForNextUserMessageRef.current = false;
+        pendingAnchorRef.current = lastUserMessageId;
+        setAnchorMessageId(lastUserMessageId);
+    }, [lastUserMessageId]);
+
+    const restoreSnapshot = React.useCallback(async (): Promise<boolean> => {
+        const sessionKey = currentSessionKeyRef.current;
+        if (!sessionKey) return false;
+
+        // Entering a session always returns to the live edge. Late async growth
+        // is handled by the list staying at the end, not by a timed hold.
+        isAtEndRef.current = true;
+        modeRef.current = 'following-end';
+        liveFollowGenerationRef.current = userGenerationRef.current;
+        clearAnchor();
+        hideScrollButton();
+        void listRef.current?.scrollToEnd({ animated: false });
+        return false;
+    }, [clearAnchor, hideScrollButton]);
+
+    // ── list callbacks ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    const registerList = React.useCallback((list: TimelineListHandle | null) => {
+        listRef.current = list;
+        const node = (list?.getScrollableNode() as HTMLDivElement | null) ?? null;
+        scrollRef.current = node;
+        setScrollNode(node);
+    }, []);
+
+    const onIsAtEndChange = React.useCallback((isAtEnd: boolean) => {
+        // While an automatic movement owns the viewport, leaving the end is our
+        // own doing (the anchored turn parks mid-timeline) — not a reason to
+        // offer the user a scroll-to-bottom pill.
+        if (!isAtEnd && isLiveFollowActive()) {
+            hideScrollButton();
+            return;
+        }
+        if (isAtEndRef.current === isAtEnd) return;
+        isAtEndRef.current = isAtEnd;
+        setIsPinned(isAtEnd);
+        if (isAtEnd) {
+            modeRef.current = 'following-end';
+            liveFollowGenerationRef.current = userGenerationRef.current;
+            hideScrollButton();
+        } else {
+            modeRef.current = 'free-scrolling';
+            liveFollowGenerationRef.current = null;
+            scheduleShowScrollButton();
+        }
+        queueSave();
+    }, [hideScrollButton, isLiveFollowActive, queueSave, scheduleShowScrollButton]);
+
+    // Park the anchored row near the top once the list has measured it.
+    const onAnchorReady = React.useCallback((messageId: string, anchorIndex: number) => {
+        if (pendingAnchorRef.current === messageId) {
+            pendingAnchorRef.current = null;
+        }
+        activeAnchorIndexRef.current = anchorIndex;
+        if (positionedAnchorRef.current === messageId) return;
+        positionedAnchorRef.current = messageId;
+        settledAnchorRef.current = null;
+
+        const positionAnchor = (remainingAttempts: number) => {
+            requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+                if (positionedAnchorRef.current !== messageId) return;
+                const list = listRef.current;
+                if (!list) {
+                    if (remainingAttempts > 0) positionAnchor(remainingAttempts - 1);
+                    return;
+                }
+                const scrollNode = list.getScrollableNode();
+                if (!scrollNode) {
+                    if (remainingAttempts > 0) positionAnchor(remainingAttempts - 1);
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                let finished = false;
+                const finishPositioning = () => {
+                    if (finished) return;
+                    finished = true;
+                    clearTimeout(fallbackTimer);
+                    scrollNode.removeEventListener('scrollend', finishPositioning);
+                    if (positionedAnchorRef.current !== messageId) return;
+                    // Re-assert the resting offset without animation so the
+                    // smooth scroll's own momentum cannot drift past it.
+                    const scrollOffset = list.getState().scroll;
+                    void list.scrollToOffset({ offset: scrollOffset, animated: false });
+                    settledAnchorRef.current = messageId;
+                };
+                const fallbackTimer = setTimeout(finishPositioning, ANCHOR_SETTLE_FALLBACK_MS);
+                scrollNode.addEventListener('scrollend', finishPositioning, { once: true });
+
+                void list.scrollToIndex({
+                    index: anchorIndex,
+                    animated: true,
+                    viewPosition: 0,
+                    viewOffset: CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET,
+                });
+            });
+        };
+
+        requestAnimationFrame(() => positionAnchor(ANCHOR_POSITION_ATTEMPTS));
+    }, []);
+
+    // The anchored row can still change height after it settles (an image
+    // decoding, a code block highlighting). Hold the resting offset, but only
+    // against sub-pixel drift and only while the user has not taken over.
+    const onAnchorSizeChanged = React.useCallback((messageId: string) => {
+        if (settledAnchorRef.current !== messageId) return;
+        if (isLiveFollowActive()) return;
+        const scrollOffset = listRef.current?.getState().scroll;
+        if (scrollOffset === undefined) return;
+
+        if (pendingAnchorRestoreRef.current === null) {
+            pendingAnchorRestoreRef.current = {
+                messageId,
+                offset: scrollOffset,
+                userGeneration: userGenerationRef.current,
+            };
+        }
+        if (anchorRestoreFrameRef.current !== null) return;
+
+        anchorRestoreFrameRef.current = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+            anchorRestoreFrameRef.current = null;
+            const pending = pendingAnchorRestoreRef.current;
+            pendingAnchorRestoreRef.current = null;
+            if (
+                !pending
+                || settledAnchorRef.current !== pending.messageId
+                || pending.userGeneration !== userGenerationRef.current
+            ) {
+                return;
+            }
+            const list = listRef.current;
+            const currentOffset = list?.getState().scroll;
+            if (
+                typeof currentOffset === 'number'
+                && Math.abs(currentOffset - pending.offset) <= ANCHOR_RESTORE_TOLERANCE_PX
+            ) {
+                void list?.scrollToOffset({ offset: pending.offset, animated: false });
+            }
+        });
+    }, [isLiveFollowActive]);
+
+    // Whether the real rows (ignoring any reserved anchored end space) are tall
+    // enough to scroll. Without this, entering a short session would scroll into
+    // the reserved space and strand the content above the viewport.
+    const realContentOverflowsViewport = React.useCallback((list: TimelineListHandle): boolean => {
+        const state = list.getState();
+        if (state.data.length === 0) return false;
+
+        const lastIndex = state.data.length - 1;
+        const lastTop = state.positionAtIndex(lastIndex);
+        const lastHeight = state.sizeAtIndex(lastIndex);
+        if (
+            typeof lastTop !== 'number'
+            || typeof lastHeight !== 'number'
+            || !Number.isFinite(lastTop)
+            || !Number.isFinite(lastHeight)
+        ) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        const realContentBottom = lastTop + Math.max(1, lastHeight);
+        const visibleScrollLength = Math.max(
+            0,
+            state.scrollLength - composerOverlayHeightRef.current - CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET,
+        );
+        return realContentBottom > visibleScrollLength;
+    }, []);
+
+    // One deterministic correction per data change, two frames out so the list
+    // has measured the new rows. Nothing runs while the user owns the scroll.
+    const dataChangeFramesRef = React.useRef<{ first: number | null; second: number | null }>({
+        first: null,
+        second: null,
+    });
+    const onTimelineDataChange = React.useCallback(() => {
+        if (!isLiveFollowActive()) return;
+
+        const frames = dataChangeFramesRef.current;
+        if (frames.first !== null) cancelAnimationFrame(frames.first);
+        if (frames.second !== null) cancelAnimationFrame(frames.second);
+
+        frames.first = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+            frames.first = null;
+            frames.second = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+                frames.second = null;
+                if (!isLiveFollowActive()) return;
+                // An anchor that exists but has not come to rest yet owns the
+                // viewport; correcting now would fight its animation.
+                if (pendingAnchorRef.current !== null) return;
+                if (
+                    positionedAnchorRef.current !== null
+                    && settledAnchorRef.current !== positionedAnchorRef.current
+                ) {
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                const list = listRef.current;
+                if (!list) return;
+
+                if (modeRef.current === 'anchoring-new-turn') {
+                    const anchorIndex = activeAnchorIndexRef.current;
+                    if (anchorIndex === null) return;
+                    const metrics = getAnchoredTurnMetrics({
+                        state: list.getState(),
+                        anchorIndex,
+                        composerOverlayHeight: composerOverlayHeightRef.current,
+                        anchorOffset: CHAT_LIST_ANCHOR_OFFSET,
+                    });
+                    // The turn still fits: leave the viewport exactly where the
+                    // user is reading.
+                    if (!metrics || metrics.scrollDeltaToRevealEnd <= 1) return;
+                    void list.scrollToOffset({
+                        offset: list.getState().scroll + metrics.scrollDeltaToRevealEnd,
+                        animated: false,
+                    });
+                    return;
+                }
+
+                if (modeRef.current !== 'following-end') return;
+                if (!realContentOverflowsViewport(list)) return;
+                void list.scrollToEnd({ animated: false });
+            });
+        });
+    }, [isLiveFollowActive, realContentOverflowsViewport]);
+
+    // ── gesture opt-out ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    const onManualNavigationRef = React.useRef(onManualNavigation);
+    onManualNavigationRef.current = onManualNavigation;
+
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!scrollNode) return;
+
+        const handleGesture = () => {
+            onManualNavigationRef.current();
+        };
+        const handleScroll = () => {
+            queueSave();
+        };
+
+        scrollNode.addEventListener('wheel', handleGesture, { passive: true });
+        scrollNode.addEventListener('touchmove', handleGesture, { passive: true });
+        scrollNode.addEventListener('pointerdown', handleGesture, { passive: true });
+        scrollNode.addEventListener('scroll', handleScroll, { passive: true });
+
+        return () => {
+            scrollNode.removeEventListener('wheel', handleGesture);
+            scrollNode.removeEventListener('touchmove', handleGesture);
+            scrollNode.removeEventListener('pointerdown', handleGesture);
+            scrollNode.removeEventListener('scroll', handleScroll);
+        };
+    }, [queueSave, scrollNode]);
+
+    // ── session lifecycle ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    const lastSessionKeyRef = React.useRef<string | null>(null);
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!currentSessionId || !currentSessionKey || currentSessionKey === lastSessionKeyRef.current) {
+            return;
+        }
+        lastSessionKeyRef.current = currentSessionKey;
+        MessageFreshnessDetector.getInstance().recordSessionStart(currentSessionId);
+        // Persist the outgoing session's position before the new one takes over.
+        flushSave();
+        isAtEndRef.current = true;
+        modeRef.current = 'following-end';
+        liveFollowGenerationRef.current = userGenerationRef.current;
+        clearAnchor();
+        hideScrollButton();
+    }, [clearAnchor, currentSessionId, currentSessionKey, flushSave, hideScrollButton]);
+
+    // Suppress the overlay scrollbar thumb while automatic movement owns the
+    // scroll position, so it does not jump on each correction.
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        setIsFollowingProgrammatically(!showScrollButton && anchorMessageId === null);
+    }, [anchorMessageId, showScrollButton]);
+
+    React.useEffect(() => () => {
+        cancelShowButtonTimer();
+        if (saveTimerRef.current !== null) clearTimeout(saveTimerRef.current);
+        if (anchorRestoreFrameRef.current !== null) cancelAnimationFrame(anchorRestoreFrameRef.current);
+        const frames = dataChangeFramesRef.current;
+        if (frames.first !== null) cancelAnimationFrame(frames.first);
+        if (frames.second !== null) cancelAnimationFrame(frames.second);
+    }, [cancelShowButtonTimer]);
+
+    // ── active-turn spy ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+    // Reads turn positions straight from the DOM, so it is unaffected by which
+    // list implementation owns the container. Rows mounting and unmounting
+    // during virtualized scrolling are tracked through the mutation observer.
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!onActiveTurnChange) return;
+        const container = scrollNode;
+        if (!container) return;
+
+        let lastActiveTurnId: string | null = null;
+        const spy = createScrollSpy({
+            onActive: (turnId) => {
+                if (turnId === lastActiveTurnId) return;
+                lastActiveTurnId = turnId;
+                onActiveTurnChange(turnId);
+            },
+        });
+        spy.setContainer(container);
+
+        const elementByTurnId = new Map<string, HTMLElement>();
+        const registerTurnNode = (node: HTMLElement) => {
+            const turnId = node.dataset.turnId;
+            if (!turnId) return false;
+            elementByTurnId.set(turnId, node);
+            spy.register(node, turnId);
+            return true;
+        };
+        const unregisterTurnNode = (node: HTMLElement) => {
+            const turnId = node.dataset.turnId;
+            if (!turnId) return false;
+            if (elementByTurnId.get(turnId) !== node) return false;
+            elementByTurnId.delete(turnId);
+            spy.unregister(turnId);
+            return true;
+        };
+        const collectTurnNodes = (node: Node): HTMLElement[] => {
+            if (!(node instanceof HTMLElement)) return [];
+            const collected: HTMLElement[] = [];
+            if (node.matches('[data-turn-id]')) collected.push(node);
+            node.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[data-turn-id]').forEach((el) => collected.push(el));
+            return collected;
+        };
+
+        container.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[data-turn-id]').forEach(registerTurnNode);
+        spy.markDirty();
+
+        const mutationObserver = new MutationObserver((records) => {
+            let changed = false;
+            records.forEach((record) => {
+                record.removedNodes.forEach((node) => {
+                    collectTurnNodes(node).forEach((turnNode) => {
+                        if (unregisterTurnNode(turnNode)) changed = true;
+                    });
+                });
+                record.addedNodes.forEach((node) => {
+                    collectTurnNodes(node).forEach((turnNode) => {
+                        if (registerTurnNode(turnNode)) changed = true;
+                    });
+                });
+            });
+            if (changed) spy.markDirty();
+        });
+        mutationObserver.observe(container, { subtree: true, childList: true });
+
+        const onScroll = () => spy.onScroll();
+        container.addEventListener('scroll', onScroll, { passive: true });
+
+        return () => {
+            container.removeEventListener('scroll', onScroll);
+            mutationObserver.disconnect();
+            spy.destroy();
+        };
+    }, [onActiveTurnChange, scrollNode]);
+
+    // ── inert compatibility surface ─────────────────────────────────────────
+    const stableAnimationHandlers = React.useMemo<AnimationHandlers>(() => ({
+        onChunk: NOOP,
+        onComplete: NOOP,
+        onStreamingCandidate: NOOP,
+        onAnimationStart: NOOP,
+        onReservationCancelled: NOOP,
+        onReasoningBlock: NOOP,
+        onAnimatedHeightChange: NOOP,
+    }), []);
+    const getAnimationHandlers = React.useCallback(() => stableAnimationHandlers, [stableAnimationHandlers]);
+
+    return {
+        scrollRef,
+        scrollNode,
+        isPinned,
+        registerList,
+        anchorMessageId,
+        onAnchorReady,
+        onAnchorSizeChanged,
+        onIsAtEndChange,
+        onManualNavigation,
+        onTimelineDataChange,
+        showScrollButton,
+        isFollowingProgrammatically,
+        goToBottom,
+        scrollToBottomOnSend,
+        notifyContentChange: NOOP,
+        getAnimationHandlers,
+        saveSnapshotNow,
+        restoreSnapshot,
+    };
+};