diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx
index 54ee63d6..63869dc2 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/ChatContainer.tsx
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ type ChatViewportProps = {
     handleMessageContentChange: (reason?: ContentChangeReason) => void;
     getAnimationHandlers: (messageId: string) => AnimationHandlers;
     handleLoadOlder: () => void;
+    handleHistoryScroll: () => void;
     scrollToBottom: () => void;
     sessionQuestions: QuestionRequest[];
     sessionPermissions: PermissionRequest[];
@@ -181,6 +182,7 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
     handleMessageContentChange,
     getAnimationHandlers,
     handleLoadOlder,
+    handleHistoryScroll,
     scrollToBottom,
     sessionQuestions,
     sessionPermissions,
@@ -217,6 +219,7 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
                     hideTopShadow={isMobile && stickyUserHeader}
                     tabIndex={0}
                     onClick={focusScrollContainer}
+                    onScroll={handleHistoryScroll}
                     data-scroll-shadow="true"
                     data-scrollbar="chat"
                 >
@@ -280,6 +283,7 @@ const ChatViewport = React.memo(({
         && prev.handleMessageContentChange === next.handleMessageContentChange
         && prev.getAnimationHandlers === next.getAnimationHandlers
         && prev.handleLoadOlder === next.handleLoadOlder
+        && prev.handleHistoryScroll === next.handleHistoryScroll
         && prev.scrollToBottom === next.scrollToBottom
         && prev.sessionQuestions === next.sessionQuestions
         && prev.sessionPermissions === next.sessionPermissions
@@ -655,7 +659,7 @@ export const ChatContainer: React.FC<ChatContainerProps> = ({ autoOpenDraft = tr
     }, [handleMessageContentChange, sessionPermissions, sessionQuestions]);
 
     const handleLoadOlder = React.useCallback(() => {
-        void loadEarlier();
+        void loadEarlier({ userInitiated: true });
     }, [loadEarlier]);
 
     const navigation = useChatTurnNavigation({
@@ -950,6 +954,7 @@ export const ChatContainer: React.FC<ChatContainerProps> = ({ autoOpenDraft = tr
                 handleMessageContentChange={handleMessageContentChange}
                 getAnimationHandlers={getAnimationHandlers}
                 handleLoadOlder={handleLoadOlder}
+                handleHistoryScroll={timelineController.handleHistoryScroll}
                 scrollToBottom={resumeToLatestInstant}
                 sessionQuestions={sessionQuestions}
                 sessionPermissions={sessionPermissions}
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
index 95c2674b..121f6910 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
@@ -1005,15 +1005,9 @@ const StaticHistoryList = React.memo(({ entries, shouldVirtualize, virtualRows,
     }
 
     if (virtualRows.length === 0 && entries.length > 0) {
-        const fallbackStart = Math.max(0, entries.length - MESSAGE_LIST_OVERSCAN * 2);
-        const fallbackEntries = entries.slice(fallbackStart);
-        const fallbackHeight = fallbackEntries.reduce((total, entry) => total + estimateHistoryEntryHeight(entry), 0);
-        const fallbackPaddingTop = Math.max(0, totalSize - fallbackHeight);
-
         return (
             <div ref={contentRef} className="relative w-full">
-                {fallbackPaddingTop > 0 ? <div aria-hidden="true" style={{ height: `${fallbackPaddingTop}px` }} /> : null}
-                {fallbackEntries.map((entry) => (
+                {entries.map((entry) => (
                     <div
                         key={entry.key}
                         data-turn-entry={entry.key}
@@ -1108,7 +1102,7 @@ StreamingTailContent.displayName = 'StreamingTailContent';
 const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({ 
     sessionKey,
     turnStart,
-    disableStaging: _disableStaging,
+    disableStaging = false,
     messages,
     sessionIsWorking = false,
     activeStreamingMessageId = null,
@@ -1123,7 +1117,6 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
     scrollRef,
 }, ref) => {
     streamPerfCount('ui.message_list.render');
-    void _disableStaging;
     const stickyUserHeader = useUIStore(state => state.stickyUserHeader);
     const chatRenderMode = useUIStore((state) => state.chatRenderMode);
     const activityRenderMode = useUIStore((state) => state.activityRenderMode);
@@ -1320,7 +1313,7 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
 
         const grew = currentLen > previousLen;
         const firstChanged = previousFirstKey !== currentFirstKey;
-        if (!shouldVirtualizeHistory || !grew || !firstChanged || previousLen === 0) {
+        if (!shouldVirtualizeHistory || isLoadingOlder || disableStaging || !grew || !firstChanged || previousLen === 0) {
             return;
         }
 
@@ -1379,36 +1372,9 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
         if (!shouldVirtualizeHistory) {
             return;
         }
-        const scrollEl = resolveScrollContainer();
-        const prevTotal = historyVirtualizer.getTotalSize();
-        const nearBottom = scrollEl && prevTotal > 0
-            ? scrollEl.scrollTop + scrollEl.clientHeight >= prevTotal - 10
-            : false
 
         historyVirtualizer.measure();
-
-        // measure() defers via useAnimationFrameWithResizeObserver.
-        // Wait two frames then, if we were near the estimated bottom, scroll
-        // to the real bottom after measurements settle.
-        let frame2: number | null = null;
-        const frame1 = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-            frame2 = requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-                if (!nearBottom) return
-                const el = resolveScrollContainer()
-                if (!el) return
-                const target = Math.max(0, el.scrollHeight - el.clientHeight)
-                if (target > 0 && Math.abs(el.scrollTop - target) > 5) {
-                    el.scrollTop = target
-                }
-            })
-        })
-        return () => {
-            cancelAnimationFrame(frame1)
-            if (frame2 !== null) {
-                cancelAnimationFrame(frame2)
-            }
-        }
-    }, [historyVirtualizer, resolveScrollContainer, shouldVirtualizeHistory]);
+    }, [historyEntries.length, historyVirtualizer, shouldVirtualizeHistory]);
 
     const scheduleVirtualMeasure = React.useCallback(() => {
         if (!shouldVirtualizeHistory) {
@@ -1673,7 +1639,7 @@ const MessageList = React.forwardRef<MessageListHandle, MessageListProps>(({
                 if (!applyAnchor()) {
                     const index = messageIndexMap.get(anchor.messageId);
                     if (typeof index === 'number' && index < historyEntries.length) {
-                        scrollHistoryIndexIntoView(index, 'auto');
+                        return scrollHistoryIndexIntoView(index, 'auto');
                     }
                 }
 
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/hooks/useChatTimelineController.ts b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/hooks/useChatTimelineController.ts
index 328c53cd..b2198ff0 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/chat/hooks/useChatTimelineController.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/chat/hooks/useChatTimelineController.ts
@@ -50,22 +50,26 @@ export interface UseChatTimelineControllerResult {
     activeTurnId: string | null;
     showScrollToBottom: boolean;
     turnWindowModel: TurnWindowModel;
-    loadEarlier: () => Promise<void>;
+    loadEarlier: (options?: { userInitiated?: boolean }) => Promise<void>;
     revealBufferedTurns: () => Promise<boolean>;
     resumeToBottom: () => void;
     resumeToBottomInstant: () => Promise<void>;
     scrollToTurn: (turnId: string, options?: { behavior?: ScrollBehavior }) => Promise<boolean>;
     scrollToMessage: (messageId: string, options?: { behavior?: ScrollBehavior }) => Promise<boolean>;
+    handleHistoryScroll: () => void;
     captureViewportAnchor: () => ViewportAnchor | null;
     restoreViewportAnchor: (anchor: ViewportAnchor) => boolean;
     handleActiveTurnChange: (turnId: string | null) => void;
 }
 
 const TURN_MODEL_CACHE_MAX = 30
+const HISTORY_SCROLL_THRESHOLD = 200
 const VSCODE_TURN_MODEL_CACHE_MAX = 4
 const VSCODE_TURN_MODEL_CACHE_MAX_MESSAGES = 30
 const MOBILE_TURN_MODEL_CACHE_MAX = 4
 const MOBILE_TURN_MODEL_CACHE_MAX_MESSAGES = 30
+const HISTORY_RENDER_WAIT_TIMEOUT_MS = 250
+const HISTORY_INTERACTION_GUARD_MS = 2000
 const turnModelCache = new Map<string, { messages: ChatMessageEntry[]; model: TurnWindowModel }>()
 const getTurnModelCacheMax = () => {
     if (isVSCodeRuntime()) return VSCODE_TURN_MODEL_CACHE_MAX
@@ -150,6 +154,8 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
     const initializedSessionRef = React.useRef<string | null>(null);
     const pendingRenderResolversRef = React.useRef<Array<() => void>>([]);
     const pendingScrollRequestRef = React.useRef<PendingScrollRequest | null>(null);
+    const historyInteractionRef = React.useRef(false);
+    const historyInteractionTimerRef = React.useRef<number | null>(null);
 
     const historySignals = React.useMemo(() => {
         const defaultLimit = getMemoryLimits().HISTORICAL_MESSAGES;
@@ -178,10 +184,38 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
     messagesRef.current = messages;
     historyMetaRef.current = historyMeta;
 
+    const beginHistoryInteraction = React.useCallback(() => {
+        historyInteractionRef.current = true;
+        if (historyInteractionTimerRef.current !== null && typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+            window.clearTimeout(historyInteractionTimerRef.current);
+            historyInteractionTimerRef.current = null;
+        }
+    }, []);
+
+    const settleHistoryInteraction = React.useCallback(() => {
+        if (typeof window === 'undefined') {
+            historyInteractionRef.current = false;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (historyInteractionTimerRef.current !== null) {
+            window.clearTimeout(historyInteractionTimerRef.current);
+        }
+        historyInteractionTimerRef.current = window.setTimeout(() => {
+            historyInteractionTimerRef.current = null;
+            historyInteractionRef.current = false;
+        }, HISTORY_INTERACTION_GUARD_MS);
+    }, []);
+
     React.useLayoutEffect(() => {
         if (initializedSessionRef.current === sessionId) {
             return;
         }
+        if (historyInteractionTimerRef.current !== null && typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+            window.clearTimeout(historyInteractionTimerRef.current);
+            historyInteractionTimerRef.current = null;
+        }
+        historyInteractionRef.current = false;
         initializedSessionRef.current = sessionId;
         setTurnStart(getInitialTurnStart(turnWindowModel.turnCount));
         setIsLoadingOlder(false);
@@ -204,7 +238,13 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
         setTurnStart((current) => {
             const previousInitial = getInitialTurnStart(previousTurnCount);
             const nextInitial = getInitialTurnStart(nextTurnCount);
-            if (isPinnedRef.current && current === previousInitial) {
+            if (
+                !historyInteractionRef.current
+                && !isLoadingOlderRef.current
+                && !pendingRevealWorkRef.current
+                && isPinnedRef.current
+                && current === previousInitial
+            ) {
                 return nextInitial;
             }
             return clampTurnStart(current, nextTurnCount);
@@ -228,6 +268,25 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
         });
     }, []);
 
+    const waitForNextRenderCommitOrTimeout = React.useCallback((): Promise<void> => {
+        return new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+            if (typeof window === 'undefined') {
+                resolve();
+                return;
+            }
+
+            let settled = false;
+            const finish = () => {
+                if (settled) return;
+                settled = true;
+                window.clearTimeout(timer);
+                resolve();
+            };
+            pendingRenderResolversRef.current.push(finish);
+            const timer = window.setTimeout(finish, HISTORY_RENDER_WAIT_TIMEOUT_MS);
+        });
+    }, []);
+
     const resolvePendingScrollRequest = React.useCallback((value: boolean) => {
         const pending = pendingScrollRequestRef.current;
         if (!pending) {
@@ -271,6 +330,10 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
 
     React.useEffect(() => {
         return () => {
+            if (historyInteractionTimerRef.current !== null && typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+                window.clearTimeout(historyInteractionTimerRef.current);
+                historyInteractionTimerRef.current = null;
+            }
             resolvePendingRenderWaiters();
             resolvePendingScrollRequest(false);
         };
@@ -328,6 +391,7 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
             return false;
         }
 
+        beginHistoryInteraction();
         const container = scrollRef.current;
         if (container) {
             prePrependScrollRef.current = {
@@ -343,10 +407,14 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
             return next > 0 ? next : 0;
         });
 
-        await waitForNextRenderCommit();
-        setPendingRevealWork(false);
-        return true;
-    }, [captureViewportAnchor, scrollRef, waitForNextRenderCommit]);
+        try {
+            await waitForNextRenderCommit();
+            return true;
+        } finally {
+            setPendingRevealWork(false);
+            settleHistoryInteraction();
+        }
+    }, [beginHistoryInteraction, captureViewportAnchor, scrollRef, settleHistoryInteraction, waitForNextRenderCommit]);
 
     const fetchOlderHistory = React.useCallback(async (input: {
         preserveViewport: boolean;
@@ -374,6 +442,7 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
             };
         }
 
+        beginHistoryInteraction();
         setIsLoadingOlder(true);
 
         try {
@@ -382,31 +451,112 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
                 return false;
             }
 
-            await loadMoreMessages(targetSessionId, 'up');
+            let loadedMessageCount = beforeMessageCount;
+            let loadedOldestMessageId = beforeOldestMessageId;
+            let loadedLimit = beforeLimit;
+            const beforeTurnCount = turnModelRef.current.turnCount;
 
-            const afterMessages = messagesRef.current;
-            const afterMessageCount = afterMessages.length;
-            const afterOldestMessageId = afterMessages[0]?.info?.id ?? null;
-            const afterLimit = historyMetaRef.current?.limit ?? beforeLimit;
-            const historyGrew =
-                afterMessageCount > beforeMessageCount
-                || (typeof beforeOldestMessageId === 'string'
-                    && typeof afterOldestMessageId === 'string'
-                    && beforeOldestMessageId !== afterOldestMessageId);
+            while (true) {
+                await loadMoreMessages(targetSessionId, 'up');
+                if (sessionIdRef.current !== targetSessionId) {
+                    return false;
+                }
 
-            return historyGrew || afterLimit > beforeLimit;
+                await waitForNextRenderCommitOrTimeout();
+
+                const afterMessages = messagesRef.current;
+                const afterMessageCount = afterMessages.length;
+                const afterOldestMessageId = afterMessages[0]?.info?.id ?? null;
+                const afterLimit = historyMetaRef.current?.limit ?? loadedLimit;
+                const messageGrowth =
+                    afterMessageCount > loadedMessageCount
+                    || (typeof loadedOldestMessageId === 'string'
+                        && typeof afterOldestMessageId === 'string'
+                        && loadedOldestMessageId !== afterOldestMessageId)
+                    || afterLimit > loadedLimit;
+                const turnGrowth = turnModelRef.current.turnCount - beforeTurnCount;
+
+                if (turnGrowth > 0) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+                if (!messageGrowth) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+                if (!historySignalsRef.current.hasMoreAboveTurns) {
+                    return true;
+                }
+
+                loadedMessageCount = afterMessageCount;
+                loadedOldestMessageId = afterOldestMessageId;
+                loadedLimit = afterLimit;
+            }
         } finally {
             setIsLoadingOlder(false);
+            settleHistoryInteraction();
         }
-    }, [captureViewportAnchor, loadMoreMessages, scrollRef]);
+    }, [beginHistoryInteraction, captureViewportAnchor, loadMoreMessages, scrollRef, settleHistoryInteraction, waitForNextRenderCommitOrTimeout]);
 
-    const loadEarlier = React.useCallback(async () => {
-        if (await revealBufferedTurns()) {
+    const loadEarlier = React.useCallback(async (options?: { userInitiated?: boolean }) => {
+        beginHistoryInteraction();
+        if (options?.userInitiated) {
+            releaseAutoFollow();
+        }
+
+        try {
+            if (await revealBufferedTurns()) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            void (await fetchOlderHistory({ preserveViewport: true }));
+        } finally {
+            settleHistoryInteraction();
+        }
+    }, [beginHistoryInteraction, fetchOlderHistory, releaseAutoFollow, revealBufferedTurns, settleHistoryInteraction]);
+
+    const handleHistoryScroll = React.useCallback(() => {
+        const container = scrollRef.current;
+        if (!container) return;
+        if (isPinnedRef.current) return;
+        if (container.scrollTop >= HISTORY_SCROLL_THRESHOLD) return;
+        if (!historySignalsRef.current.canLoadEarlier) return;
+        if (isLoadingOlderRef.current || pendingRevealWorkRef.current) return;
+
+        void loadEarlier({ userInitiated: true });
+    }, [loadEarlier, scrollRef]);
+
+    React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (!sessionId || isLoadingOlder || pendingRevealWork) {
+            return;
+        }
+        if (!isPinned || !historySignals.canLoadEarlier) {
+            return;
+        }
+        if (typeof window === 'undefined') {
             return;
         }
 
-        void (await fetchOlderHistory({ preserveViewport: true }));
-    }, [fetchOlderHistory, revealBufferedTurns]);
+        const frame = window.requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+            const container = scrollRef.current;
+            if (!container) return;
+            if (!isPinnedRef.current) return;
+            if (!historySignalsRef.current.canLoadEarlier) return;
+            if (isLoadingOlderRef.current || pendingRevealWorkRef.current) return;
+            if (container.scrollHeight > container.clientHeight + 1) return;
+
+            void loadEarlier();
+        });
+
+        return () => window.cancelAnimationFrame(frame);
+    }, [
+        historySignals.canLoadEarlier,
+        isLoadingOlder,
+        isPinned,
+        loadEarlier,
+        pendingRevealWork,
+        renderedMessages.length,
+        scrollRef,
+        sessionId,
+    ]);
 
     const scrollToTurn = React.useCallback(async (
         turnId: string,
@@ -552,6 +702,7 @@ export const useChatTimelineController = ({
         resumeToBottomInstant,
         scrollToTurn,
         scrollToMessage,
+        handleHistoryScroll,
         captureViewportAnchor,
         restoreViewportAnchor,
         handleActiveTurnChange,
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/sync/use-sync.ts b/packages/ui/src/sync/use-sync.ts
index 0019d606..931413c4 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/sync/use-sync.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/sync/use-sync.ts
@@ -22,9 +22,10 @@ import {
 import { getSessionMaterializationStatus, materializeSessionSnapshots } from "./materialization"
 
 const SKIP_PARTS = new Set(["patch", "step-start", "step-finish"])
-const MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE = 150
-const VSCODE_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE = 30
-const MOBILE_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE = 30
+const INITIAL_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE = 150
+const VSCODE_INITIAL_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE = 30
+const MOBILE_INITIAL_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE = 30
+const HISTORY_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE = 200
 const VSCODE_INITIAL_PAGE_EXPANSION_LIMITS = [50, 80, 120] as const
 const MAX_SEEN_DIRS = 30
 const VSCODE_SESSION_CACHE_LIMIT = 4
@@ -53,12 +54,12 @@ const getEffectiveSessionCacheLimit = () => {
   if (isMobileSurfaceRuntime()) return MOBILE_SESSION_CACHE_LIMIT
   return SESSION_CACHE_LIMIT
 }
-const getEffectiveMessagePageSize = () => {
-  if (isVSCodeRuntime()) return VSCODE_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE
-  if (isMobileSurfaceRuntime()) return MOBILE_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE
-  return MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE
+const getInitialMessagePageSize = () => {
+  if (isVSCodeRuntime()) return VSCODE_INITIAL_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE
+  if (isMobileSurfaceRuntime()) return MOBILE_INITIAL_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE
+  return INITIAL_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE
 }
-const getDefaultMeta = (): SyncMeta => ({ limit: getEffectiveMessagePageSize(), cursor: undefined, complete: false, loading: false })
+const getDefaultMeta = (): SyncMeta => ({ limit: getInitialMessagePageSize(), cursor: undefined, complete: false, loading: false })
 
 function getPrefetchMeta(directory: string, sessionID: string): SyncMeta | undefined {
   const info = getSessionPrefetch(directory, sessionID)
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ function sortParts(parts: Part[]) {
 function isHeavyConstrainedSessionCache(state: Pick<State, "message" | "part">, sessionID: string): boolean {
   const messages = state.message[sessionID]
   if (!messages || messages.length === 0) return false
-  return messages.length > getEffectiveMessagePageSize()
+  return messages.length > getInitialMessagePageSize()
 }
 
 function isUserMessage(message: Message): boolean {
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@ export function useSync() {
       setMetaFor(sessionID, { loading: true })
 
       try {
-        const limit = options?.before ? getEffectiveMessagePageSize() : m.limit
+        const limit = options?.before ? HISTORY_MESSAGE_PAGE_SIZE : m.limit
         let page = await fetchMessages(sessionID, limit, options?.before)
 
         // Constrained shells keep the initial page small for switch performance. Some
@@ -385,7 +386,7 @@ export function useSync() {
         if (shouldSkipSessionPrefetch({
           hasMessages: cachedReady,
           info: prefetchInfo,
-          pageSize: getEffectiveMessagePageSize(),
+          pageSize: getInitialMessagePageSize(),
         })) return
       }