diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageTimeline.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageTimeline.tsx
index 35f54401f..3fc6b2d55 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageTimeline.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageTimeline.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { SkeletonReveal } from "@/shared/ui/skeleton";
 import { TooltipProvider } from "@/shared/ui/tooltip";
 import { UserAvatar } from "@/shared/ui/UserAvatar";
 import { TimelineSkeleton, useTimelineSkeletonRows } from "./TimelineSkeleton";
+import { TimelineDebugOverlay } from "./TimelineDebugOverlay";
 import {
   renderTimelineEntry,
   type TimelineEntryRenderContext,
@@ -530,6 +531,20 @@ export const MessageTimeline = React.memo(function MessageTimeline({
             </Button>
           </div>
         ) : null}
+
+        {showMessageList ? (
+          <TimelineDebugOverlay
+            highlightedMessageId={highlightedMessageId}
+            isAtBottom={isAtBottom}
+            newMessageCount={newMessageCount}
+            overscan={overscan}
+            rows={rows}
+            scrollContainerRef={scrollContainerRef}
+            searchActiveMessageId={searchActiveMessageId}
+            targetMessageId={targetMessageId}
+            virtualizer={virtualizer}
+          />
+        ) : null}
       </div>
     </TooltipProvider>
   );
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/TimelineDebugOverlay.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/TimelineDebugOverlay.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9d1394939
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/TimelineDebugOverlay.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+import type { Virtualizer } from "@tanstack/react-virtual";
+
+import type { VirtualTimelineRow } from "@/features/messages/lib/buildVirtualTimelineRows";
+
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// SHIP-THEN-RIP debug overlay (Phase 2 virtualization). Read-only telemetry
+// panel for watching the virtualizer behave in the running app.
+//
+// RIP-OUT = delete this file + the single `<TimelineDebugOverlay … />` line in
+// MessageTimeline.tsx. Nothing else references it; it only READS state the hook
+// and virtualizer already expose, so removal leaves zero residue and there is
+// zero risk to the load-bearing scroll path.
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+type TimelineDebugOverlayProps = {
+  virtualizer: Virtualizer<HTMLDivElement, Element>;
+  rows: VirtualTimelineRow[];
+  overscan: number;
+  scrollContainerRef: React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
+  isAtBottom: boolean;
+  newMessageCount: number;
+  highlightedMessageId: string | null;
+  searchActiveMessageId: string | null;
+  targetMessageId: string | null;
+};
+
+function Stat({ label, value }: { label: string; value: React.ReactNode }) {
+  return (
+    <div className="flex items-baseline justify-between gap-3 tabular-nums">
+      <span className="text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wide text-emerald-300/60">
+        {label}
+      </span>
+      <span className="font-mono text-[11px] text-emerald-100">{value}</span>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+export function TimelineDebugOverlay({
+  virtualizer,
+  rows,
+  overscan,
+  scrollContainerRef,
+  isAtBottom,
+  newMessageCount,
+  highlightedMessageId,
+  searchActiveMessageId,
+  targetMessageId,
+}: TimelineDebugOverlayProps) {
+  // Re-render on scroll so scrollTop / visible range stay live. The virtualizer
+  // already re-renders the host on scroll, but a deferred snapshot can lag a
+  // raw scroll; this local tick keeps the panel honest without touching the
+  // scroll path. Listener is passive + read-only.
+  const [, force] = React.useReducer((n: number) => n + 1, 0);
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    const el = scrollContainerRef.current;
+    if (!el) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const onScroll = () => force();
+    el.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll, { passive: true });
+    return () => el.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll);
+  }, [scrollContainerRef]);
+
+  const virtualItems = virtualizer.getVirtualItems();
+  const totalSize = Math.round(virtualizer.getTotalSize());
+  const scrollTop = Math.round(scrollContainerRef.current?.scrollTop ?? 0);
+  const clientHeight = scrollContainerRef.current?.clientHeight ?? 0;
+
+  const firstIndex = virtualItems[0]?.index ?? -1;
+  const lastIndex = virtualItems[virtualItems.length - 1]?.index ?? -1;
+  const renderedCount = virtualItems.length;
+  const dividerRows = rows.filter((row) => row.kind === "day-divider").length;
+  const messageRows = rows.length - dividerRows;
+
+  // Measured heights of the currently rendered window — exposes how far the
+  // estimate-vs-measured correction has settled (the variable-height path).
+  const sizes = virtualItems.map((item) => Math.round(item.size));
+  const minSize = sizes.length ? Math.min(...sizes) : 0;
+  const maxSize = sizes.length ? Math.max(...sizes) : 0;
+
+  const activeJump =
+    targetMessageId ?? searchActiveMessageId ?? highlightedMessageId ?? "—";
+  const jumpKind = targetMessageId
+    ? "deep-link"
+    : searchActiveMessageId
+      ? "find"
+      : highlightedMessageId
+        ? "highlight"
+        : "none";
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      aria-hidden
+      className="pointer-events-none absolute right-2 top-2 z-50 w-56 select-none rounded-lg border border-emerald-400/30 bg-black/80 px-3 py-2 font-mono shadow-lg backdrop-blur-sm"
+      data-testid="timeline-debug-overlay"
+    >
+      <div className="mb-1.5 flex items-center justify-between border-b border-emerald-400/20 pb-1 text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-wider text-emerald-300">
+        <span>▚ virtualizer</span>
+        <span className="text-emerald-300/50">debug</span>
+      </div>
+      <div className="flex flex-col gap-0.5">
+        <Stat label="rendered" value={`${renderedCount} / ${rows.length}`} />
+        <Stat label="msg · div" value={`${messageRows} · ${dividerRows}`} />
+        <Stat label="overscan" value={overscan} />
+        <Stat
+          label="visible idx"
+          value={firstIndex < 0 ? "—" : `${firstIndex}–${lastIndex}`}
+        />
+        <Stat
+          label="row h (min–max)"
+          value={sizes.length ? `${minSize}–${maxSize}px` : "—"}
+        />
+        <Stat label="totalSize" value={`${totalSize}px`} />
+        <Stat label="scrollTop" value={`${scrollTop}px`} />
+        <Stat label="clientH" value={`${Math.round(clientHeight)}px`} />
+        <Stat
+          label="atBottom"
+          value={
+            <span
+              className={isAtBottom ? "text-emerald-300" : "text-amber-300"}
+            >
+              {isAtBottom ? "yes" : "no"}
+            </span>
+          }
+        />
+        <Stat
+          label="newCount"
+          value={
+            <span
+              className={newMessageCount > 0 ? "text-amber-300" : undefined}
+            >
+              {newMessageCount}
+            </span>
+          }
+        />
+        <Stat label={`jump · ${jumpKind}`} value={truncate(activeJump)} />
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
+function truncate(value: string): string {
+  if (value.length <= 10) {
+    return value;
+  }
+  return `${value.slice(0, 6)}…${value.slice(-3)}`;
+}