diff --git a/desktop/src/features/chats/lib/chatWorkAutomation.ts b/desktop/src/features/chats/lib/chatWorkAutomation.ts
index a8e76af32..d9c753501 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/chats/lib/chatWorkAutomation.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/chats/lib/chatWorkAutomation.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,17 @@ import * as React from "react";
 const STORAGE_PREFIX = "buzz:chat-work-automation:v1";
 const STORAGE_EVENT = "buzz:chat-work-automation-changed";
 
+/**
+ * Tag attached to automation-generated prompts (auto-fix CI, address
+ * comments). The message still reaches the agent like any user message, but
+ * the chat timeline renders only its activity — not the message bubble — so
+ * armed automation feels ambient instead of ventriloquized.
+ */
+export const CHAT_AUTOMATION_TAG: [string, string] = [
+  "automation",
+  "work-panel",
+];
+
 export type ChatWorkAutomation = {
   autoFixCi: boolean;
   addressComments: boolean;
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/chats/ui/ChatDetail.tsx b/desktop/src/features/chats/ui/ChatDetail.tsx
index 0338d6187..0fcf8c4f5 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/chats/ui/ChatDetail.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/chats/ui/ChatDetail.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import {
   NO_PROJECT_SELECTION_ID,
 } from "@/features/chats/lib/chatSetup";
 import { ChatActivityTranscript } from "@/features/chats/ui/ChatActivityTranscript";
+import { CHAT_AUTOMATION_TAG } from "@/features/chats/lib/chatWorkAutomation";
 import {
   deriveBranchFromAgentMessages,
   deriveChatWorkBranch,
@@ -562,6 +563,13 @@ export function ChatDetail({
                           "chat_context",
                           "source",
                         );
+                        // Automation prompts stay invisible: the agent's
+                        // activity and reply anchor here, but no bubble.
+                        const isAutomationMessage = eventHasTag(
+                          message,
+                          CHAT_AUTOMATION_TAG[0],
+                          CHAT_AUTOMATION_TAG[1],
+                        );
                         const isAgentMessage =
                           defaultAgent?.pubkey != null &&
                           normalizePubkey(message.pubkey) ===
@@ -579,7 +587,7 @@ export function ChatDetail({
                               )}
                               messageId={message.id}
                             >
-                              {isContextMessage ? (
+                              {isAutomationMessage ? null : isContextMessage ? (
                                 <ChatContextRow event={message} />
                               ) : (
                                 <ChatMessageRow
@@ -676,7 +684,9 @@ export function ChatDetail({
         <ChatWorkPanel
           branch={workBranch}
           chatId={chat.id}
-          onAutomationPrompt={(content) => void onSend(content, [])}
+          onAutomationPrompt={(content) =>
+            void onSend(content, [], [CHAT_AUTOMATION_TAG])
+          }
           open={showWorkPanel}
           prHref={workPanelHref}
           projectPath={metadata?.projectPath ?? selectedProject?.path ?? null}
diff --git a/desktop/tests/e2e/chats-first-message.spec.ts b/desktop/tests/e2e/chats-first-message.spec.ts
index dc15e42dc..0c4935de8 100644
--- a/desktop/tests/e2e/chats-first-message.spec.ts
+++ b/desktop/tests/e2e/chats-first-message.spec.ts
@@ -187,6 +187,37 @@ test("first message in a new chat is sent and rendered", async ({ page }) => {
   await expect(page.getByTestId("automation-auto-fix-ci")).toBeVisible();
   await expect(page.getByTestId("automation-address-comments")).toBeVisible();
 
+  // Arming address-comments fires the automation prompt (2 open threads in
+  // the mock). The message goes out tagged — but no bubble renders: the
+  // automation stays invisible in the timeline.
+  await page.getByTestId("automation-address-comments").click();
+  await expect
+    .poll(() =>
+      page.evaluate(() =>
+        (
+          (
+            window as Window & {
+              __BUZZ_E2E_COMMAND_PAYLOADS__?: Array<{
+                command: string;
+                payload?: { content?: string; mediaTags?: string[][] };
+              }>;
+            }
+          ).__BUZZ_E2E_COMMAND_PAYLOADS__ ?? []
+        ).some(
+          (entry) =>
+            entry.command === "send_channel_message" &&
+            entry.payload?.content?.includes("unanswered review comments") &&
+            entry.payload?.mediaTags?.some(
+              (tag) => tag[0] === "automation" && tag[1] === "work-panel",
+            ),
+        ),
+      ),
+    )
+    .toBe(true);
+  await expect(
+    page.getByLabel("Chat messages").getByText("unanswered review comments"),
+  ).toHaveCount(0);
+
   // The header's PR button toggles the panel.
   await page.getByTestId("toggle-work-panel").click();
   await expect(workPanel).not.toBeVisible();