diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal.test.mjs
index 9d9ae31bd..9a5e04947 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal.test.mjs
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal.test.mjs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import { beforeEach, describe, it } from "node:test";
 
 import {
+  getAgentChannelTypingSince,
   getAgentWorkingState,
   getWorkingAgentPubkeysForChannel,
   getWorkingChannels,
@@ -116,6 +117,32 @@ describe("getAgentWorkingState", () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe("getAgentChannelTypingSince", () => {
+  it("returns null when the agent is not typing in the channel", () => {
+    assert.equal(getAgentChannelTypingSince(AGENT, "chan-1"), null);
+    reportChannelBotTyping("chan-1", [AGENT_2]);
+    assert.equal(getAgentChannelTypingSince(AGENT, "chan-1"), null);
+    assert.equal(getAgentChannelTypingSince(AGENT_2, "chan-2"), null);
+    assert.equal(getAgentChannelTypingSince(null, "chan-1"), null);
+    assert.equal(getAgentChannelTypingSince(AGENT, null), null);
+  });
+
+  it("returns the first-seen anchor while typing", () => {
+    reportChannelBotTyping("chan-1", [AGENT]);
+    const since = getAgentChannelTypingSince(AGENT, "chan-1");
+    assert.ok(since !== null && since <= Date.now());
+    reportChannelBotTyping("chan-1", []);
+    assert.equal(getAgentChannelTypingSince(AGENT, "chan-1"), null);
+  });
+
+  it("is NOT folded under observer precedence (unlike getAgentWorkingState)", () => {
+    startTurn(AGENT, "chan-1");
+    reportChannelBotTyping("chan-1", [AGENT]);
+    assert.equal(getAgentWorkingState(AGENT, "chan-1").source, "observer");
+    assert.notEqual(getAgentChannelTypingSince(AGENT, "chan-1"), null);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("getWorkingChannels", () => {
   it("merges typing-only agents into an observer channel summary", () => {
     startTurn(AGENT, "chan-1");
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal.ts b/desktop/src/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal.ts
index d75ea7ccc..c09c30785 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal.ts
@@ -130,6 +130,28 @@ export function reportChannelBotTyping(
   notify();
 }
 
+/**
+ * First-seen timestamp (ms) of the agent's channel-scoped typing entry, or
+ * null when the agent is not typing there.
+ *
+ * Raw registry read: unlike `getAgentWorkingState`, this does NOT fold
+ * typing under observer precedence — an observer-backed surface (the
+ * composer activity pill) uses it to relabel IN PLACE to "is typing…" while
+ * a turn is in flight, instead of the agent spawning a second, separate
+ * typing-group item.
+ */
+export function getAgentChannelTypingSince(
+  agentPubkey: string | null | undefined,
+  channelId: string | null | undefined,
+): number | null {
+  if (!agentPubkey || !channelId) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return (
+    typingByChannel.get(channelId)?.get(normalizePubkey(agentPubkey)) ?? null
+  );
+}
+
 function computeAgentWorkingState(
   agentPubkey: string,
   channelId: string | null,
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/BotActivityBar.tsx b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/BotActivityBar.tsx
index ab8f4b8c2..38c73fb51 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/BotActivityBar.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/channels/ui/BotActivityBar.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as React from "react";
 import { AnimatePresence, motion, useReducedMotion } from "motion/react";
 
 import {
+  getAgentChannelTypingSince,
   getAgentWorkingState,
   subscribeAgentWorkingSignal,
 } from "@/features/agents/agentWorkingSignal";
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ const HOVER_OPEN_DELAY_MS = 150;
 const HOVER_CLOSE_DELAY_MS = 180;
 /** Ticker key for the generic label shown before the first action lands. */
 const GENERIC_LABEL_ID = "generic-working";
+/** Ticker key for the typing override label (see BotActivityAgentPill). */
+const TYPING_LABEL_ID = "typing-override";
 /**
  * Perceptual duration shared by the pill reorder spring and the opacity dip
  * keyframes so the fade lands together with the layout switch.
@@ -206,7 +209,9 @@ function useStripHoverPopover(): StripHoverPopover {
  *
  * Only observer-backed agents reach this pill: typing-fallback-only agents
  * are diverted into the combined typing indicator group by
- * ChannelComposerActivityRow before the strip renders.
+ * ChannelComposerActivityRow before the strip renders. An observer-backed
+ * agent that ALSO starts typing keeps its pill — the label relabels in
+ * place to "is typing…" for the duration (see the typing override below).
  */
 function BotActivityAgentPill({
   agent,
@@ -242,10 +247,26 @@ function BotActivityAgentPill({
     () => deriveActivityPillLabel({ channelId, transcript }),
     [channelId, transcript],
   );
-  const activeId = headline?.id ?? GENERIC_LABEL_ID;
+  // Typing overrides the action headline IN PLACE: when this observer-backed
+  // agent's typing signal is also on for the channel (it starts composing its
+  // reply mid-turn), the pill's ticker swaps to "is typing…" — same slot,
+  // avatar, and hover feed — instead of the stale last action persisting or a
+  // second typing-group item appearing. Raw registry read, because
+  // getAgentWorkingState folds typing away under observer precedence.
+  const typingSince = React.useSyncExternalStore(
+    subscribeAgentWorkingSignal,
+    () => getAgentChannelTypingSince(agent.pubkey, channelId),
+  );
+  const isTyping = typingSince !== null;
+  const activeId = isTyping
+    ? TYPING_LABEL_ID
+    : (headline?.id ?? GENERIC_LABEL_ID);
   // No action headline yet (see deriveActivityPillLabel) — show the
-  // agent-named generic working label until the first action lands.
-  const activeLabel = headline?.label ?? `${agent.name} is working…`;
+  // agent-named generic working label until the first action lands. When
+  // typing ends, the ticker swaps back to the last action headline.
+  const activeLabel = isTyping
+    ? `${agent.name} is typing…`
+    : (headline?.label ?? `${agent.name} is working…`);
   // The rendered label lags the derived one while the pill is moving: the
   // push-up ticker plays after the slot settles (or immediately when idle).
   // Keyed by transcript item id, not label text — a NEW action swaps, while