diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index 526f457b48..d7e92069ba 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -3052,10 +3052,54 @@ class HermesCLI:
         print(f"  Config File: {config_path} {config_status}")
         print()
     
+    def _list_recent_sessions(self, limit: int = 10) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        """Return recent CLI sessions for in-chat browsing/resume affordances."""
+        if not self._session_db:
+            return []
+        try:
+            sessions = self._session_db.list_sessions_rich(
+                source="cli",
+                exclude_sources=["tool"],
+                limit=limit,
+            )
+        except Exception:
+            return []
+        return [s for s in sessions if s.get("id") != self.session_id]
+
+    def _show_recent_sessions(self, *, reason: str = "history", limit: int = 10) -> bool:
+        """Render recent sessions inline from the active chat TUI.
+
+        Returns True when something was shown, False if no session list was available.
+        """
+        sessions = self._list_recent_sessions(limit=limit)
+        if not sessions:
+            return False
+
+        from hermes_cli.main import _relative_time
+
+        print()
+        if reason == "history":
+            print("(._.) No messages in the current chat yet — here are recent sessions you can resume:")
+        else:
+            print("  Recent sessions:")
+        print()
+        print(f"  {'Title':<32} {'Preview':<40} {'Last Active':<13} {'ID'}")
+        print(f"  {'─' * 32} {'─' * 40} {'─' * 13} {'─' * 24}")
+        for session in sessions:
+            title = (session.get("title") or "—")[:30]
+            preview = (session.get("preview") or "")[:38]
+            last_active = _relative_time(session.get("last_active"))
+            print(f"  {title:<32} {preview:<40} {last_active:<13} {session['id']}")
+        print()
+        print("  Use /resume <session id or title> to continue where you left off.")
+        print()
+        return True
+
     def show_history(self):
         """Display conversation history."""
         if not self.conversation_history:
-            print("(._.) No conversation history yet.")
+            if not self._show_recent_sessions(reason="history"):
+                print("(._.) No conversation history yet.")
             return
 
         preview_limit = 400
@@ -3180,6 +3224,8 @@ class HermesCLI:
 
         if not target:
             _cprint("  Usage: /resume <session_id_or_title>")
+            if self._show_recent_sessions(reason="resume"):
+                return
             _cprint("  Tip:   Use /history or `hermes sessions list` to find sessions.")
             return
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_init.py b/tests/test_cli_init.py
index 9e04096905..b926d55f53 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli_init.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli_init.py
@@ -191,6 +191,60 @@ class TestHistoryDisplay:
         assert "A" * 250 in output
         assert "A" * 250 + "..." not in output
 
+    def test_history_shows_recent_sessions_when_current_chat_is_empty(self, capsys):
+        cli = _make_cli()
+        cli.session_id = "current"
+        cli._session_db = MagicMock()
+        cli._session_db.list_sessions_rich.return_value = [
+            {
+                "id": "current",
+                "title": "Current",
+                "preview": "Current preview",
+                "last_active": 0,
+            },
+            {
+                "id": "20260401_201329_d85961",
+                "title": "Checking Running Hermes Agent",
+                "preview": "check running gateways for hermes agent",
+                "last_active": 0,
+            },
+        ]
+
+        cli.show_history()
+        output = capsys.readouterr().out
+
+        assert "No messages in the current chat yet" in output
+        assert "Checking Running Hermes Agent" in output
+        assert "20260401_201329_d85961" in output
+        assert "/resume" in output
+        assert "Current preview" not in output
+
+    def test_resume_without_target_lists_recent_sessions(self, capsys):
+        cli = _make_cli()
+        cli.session_id = "current"
+        cli._session_db = MagicMock()
+        cli._session_db.list_sessions_rich.return_value = [
+            {
+                "id": "current",
+                "title": "Current",
+                "preview": "Current preview",
+                "last_active": 0,
+            },
+            {
+                "id": "20260401_201329_d85961",
+                "title": "Checking Running Hermes Agent",
+                "preview": "check running gateways for hermes agent",
+                "last_active": 0,
+            },
+        ]
+
+        cli._handle_resume_command("/resume")
+        output = capsys.readouterr().out
+
+        assert "Recent sessions" in output
+        assert "Checking Running Hermes Agent" in output
+        assert "Use /resume <session id or title> to continue" in output
+
 
 class TestRootLevelProviderOverride:
     """Root-level provider/base_url in config.yaml must NOT override model.provider."""