diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/projects/project-menu.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/projects/project-menu.tsx
index f77b55dac6a4..8c4d9c769390 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/projects/project-menu.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/projects/project-menu.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import {
   openProjectRename,
   revealPath,
   setActiveProject,
-  updateProject
+  setProjectAppearance
 } from '@/store/projects'
 
 import type { SidebarProjectTree } from './workspace-groups'
@@ -111,6 +111,26 @@ export function ProjectMenu({
     }
   }
 
+  // Appearance writes route through the adopt-aware helper: an auto project is
+  // materialized on its first change (its id then changes), so close the picker
+  // when that happens to avoid a second write double-creating from a stale node.
+  const applyAppearance = (patch: { color?: null | string; icon?: null | string }) => {
+    void setProjectAppearance(project, patch).then(adopted => {
+      if (adopted) {
+        setAppearanceOpen(false)
+      }
+    })
+  }
+
+  // Set color / pick an icon — shown for explicit projects and for auto ones
+  // (where selecting adopts the repo as a real project so the look sticks).
+  const appearanceItem = (
+    <DropdownMenuItem onSelect={() => setAppearanceOpen(true)}>
+      <Codicon name="symbol-color" size="0.875rem" />
+      <span>{p.menuAppearance}</span>
+    </DropdownMenuItem>
+  )
+
   const trigger = (
     <Tip label={p.menu}>
       <DropdownMenuTrigger asChild>
@@ -147,16 +167,23 @@ export function ProjectMenu({
           onCloseAutoFocus={event => event.preventDefault()}
           sideOffset={6}
         >
-          {!project.isAuto && (
+          {project.isAuto ? (
+            // Inherited (auto) repos can still be themed — the change adopts the
+            // repo as a real project. Rename / add-folder / set-active stay out
+            // until then (they need the materialized record).
+            project.path ? (
+              <>
+                {appearanceItem}
+                <DropdownMenuSeparator />
+              </>
+            ) : null
+          ) : (
             <>
               <DropdownMenuItem onSelect={() => openProjectRename(target)}>
                 <Codicon name="edit" size="0.875rem" />
                 <span>{p.menuRename}</span>
               </DropdownMenuItem>
-              <DropdownMenuItem onSelect={() => setAppearanceOpen(true)}>
-                <Codicon name="symbol-color" size="0.875rem" />
-                <span>{p.menuAppearance}</span>
-              </DropdownMenuItem>
+              {appearanceItem}
               <DropdownMenuItem onSelect={() => openProjectAddFolder(target)}>
                 <Codicon name="new-folder" size="0.875rem" />
                 <span>{p.menuAddFolder}</span>
@@ -200,7 +227,7 @@ export function ProjectMenu({
         <ColorSwatches
           clearIcon="circle-slash"
           clearLabel={p.noColor}
-          onChange={color => void updateProject(project.id, { color })}
+          onChange={color => applyAppearance({ color })}
           swatches={PROFILE_SWATCHES}
           value={project.color ?? null}
         />
@@ -215,7 +242,7 @@ export function ProjectMenu({
                   'grid aspect-square place-items-center rounded-md text-(--ui-text-tertiary) transition hover:bg-(--ui-control-hover-background)',
                   project.icon === name && 'bg-(--ui-control-active-background) text-foreground'
                 )}
-                onClick={() => void updateProject(project.id, { icon: project.icon === name ? null : name })}
+                onClick={() => applyAppearance({ icon: project.icon === name ? null : name })}
                 style={project.icon === name && project.color ? { color: project.color } : undefined}
                 type="button"
               >
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx
index e5ac6c04c1b1..61ae3319148c 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { coarseElapsed } from '@/lib/time'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { $backgroundRunningSessionIds } from '@/store/composer-status'
 import { $unreadFinishedSessionIds } from '@/store/session'
+import { $sessionColorById } from '@/store/session-color'
 import { $attentionSessionIds, openSessionTile } from '@/store/session-states'
 import { canOpenSessionWindow, openSessionInNewWindow } from '@/store/windows'
 
@@ -91,6 +92,9 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
   const isUnread = useStore($unreadFinishedSessionIds).includes(session.id)
   // True when a terminal(background=true) process is alive in this session.
   const hasBackground = useStore($backgroundRunningSessionIds).includes(session.id)
+  // The session's resolved color (idle dot tint), read from the ONE shared map
+  // the pane tabs also read — an O(1) lookup, never re-derived per render.
+  const projectColor = useStore($sessionColorById)[session.id] ?? null
 
   // Resolve the dot's display state once — the four signals are mutually
   // exclusive by priority, so threading them as booleans through wrappers just
@@ -242,11 +246,12 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
                 branchStem={branchStem}
                 className="transition-opacity group-hover/handle:opacity-0 group-focus-within/handle:opacity-0"
                 dotState={dotState}
+                projectColor={projectColor}
               />
             </SidebarRowGrab>
           ) : (
             <SidebarRowLead className={needsInput ? 'overflow-visible' : 'overflow-hidden'}>
-              <SessionRowLeadDot branchStem={branchStem} dotState={dotState} />
+              <SessionRowLeadDot branchStem={branchStem} dotState={dotState} projectColor={projectColor} />
             </SidebarRowLead>
           )}
           {handoffSource && handoffLabel ? (
@@ -276,11 +281,13 @@ type SessionDotState = 'background' | 'idle' | 'needs-input' | 'unread' | 'worki
 function SessionRowLeadDot({
   branchStem,
   dotState = 'idle',
-  className
+  className,
+  projectColor
 }: {
   branchStem?: string
   dotState?: SessionDotState
   className?: string
+  projectColor?: null | string
 }) {
   return (
     <span className={cn('flex items-center gap-0.5', className)}>
@@ -289,7 +296,7 @@ function SessionRowLeadDot({
           {branchStem}
         </span>
       ) : null}
-      <SidebarRowDot dotState={dotState} />
+      <SidebarRowDot dotState={dotState} projectColor={projectColor} />
     </span>
   )
 }
@@ -350,9 +357,32 @@ const DOT_VARIANTS: Record<SessionDotState, DotVariant> = {
   }
 }
 
-function SidebarRowDot({ dotState, className }: { dotState: SessionDotState; className?: string }) {
+function SidebarRowDot({
+  dotState,
+  className,
+  projectColor
+}: {
+  dotState: SessionDotState
+  className?: string
+  projectColor?: null | string
+}) {
   const { t } = useI18n()
   const r = t.sidebar.row
+
+  // An idle session inherits its project's color (a quiet marker matching the
+  // project row's own color dot). The active states (working / needs-input /
+  // background / unread) own the dot and keep their semantic color, so the
+  // inherited tint never competes with an attention cue.
+  if (dotState === 'idle' && projectColor) {
+    return (
+      <span
+        aria-hidden="true"
+        className={cn('size-1 rounded-full', className)}
+        style={{ backgroundColor: projectColor }}
+      />
+    )
+  }
+
   const variant = DOT_VARIANTS[dotState]
 
   return (
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/model-settings.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/model-settings.tsx
index 8b18b65b5fc7..c0f76175e49b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/model-settings.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/model-settings.tsx
@@ -888,86 +888,86 @@ export function ModelSettings({ onMainModelChanged }: ModelSettingsProps) {
             return (
               <div className="scroll-mt-6 rounded-lg" id={`aux-task-${meta.key}`} key={meta.key}>
                 <ListRow
-                action={
-                  !isEditing && (
-                    <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5">
-                      <Button
-                        disabled={!mainModel || applying}
-                        onClick={() => void setAuxiliaryToMain(meta.key)}
-                        size="sm"
-                        variant="text"
-                      >
-                        {m.setToMain}
-                      </Button>
-                      <Button
-                        disabled={!providers.length || applying}
-                        onClick={() => beginAuxiliaryEdit(meta.key)}
-                        size="sm"
-                        variant="textStrong"
-                      >
-                        {m.change}
-                      </Button>
-                    </div>
-                  )
-                }
-                below={
-                  isEditing && (
-                    <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 pt-1">
-                      <Select
-                        onValueChange={value => setAuxDraft(prev => ({ ...prev, provider: value, model: '' }))}
-                        value={auxDraft.provider}
-                      >
-                        <SelectTrigger className={cn('min-w-32', CONTROL_TEXT)}>
-                          <SelectValue placeholder={m.provider} />
-                        </SelectTrigger>
-                        <SelectContent>
-                          {providerOptions.map(provider => (
-                            <SelectItem key={provider.slug || 'none'} value={provider.slug || 'none'}>
-                              {provider.name}
-                            </SelectItem>
-                          ))}
-                        </SelectContent>
-                      </Select>
-                      <Select
-                        onValueChange={value => setAuxDraft(prev => ({ ...prev, model: value }))}
-                        value={auxDraft.model}
-                      >
-                        <SelectTrigger className={cn('min-w-48', CONTROL_TEXT)}>
-                          <SelectValue placeholder={m.model} />
-                        </SelectTrigger>
-                        <SelectContent>
-                          {withActive(auxDraftProviderModels, auxDraft.model).map(model => (
-                            <SelectItem key={model} value={model}>
-                              {model}
-                            </SelectItem>
-                          ))}
-                        </SelectContent>
-                      </Select>
-                      <Button
-                        disabled={!auxDraft.provider || !auxDraft.model || applying}
-                        onClick={() => void applyAuxiliaryDraft(meta.key)}
-                        size="sm"
-                      >
-                        {applying ? m.applying : t.common.apply}
-                      </Button>
-                      <Button onClick={() => setEditingAuxTask(null)} size="sm" variant="ghost">
-                        {t.common.cancel}
-                      </Button>
-                    </div>
-                  )
-                }
-                description={
-                  <span className="font-mono text-[0.68rem]">
-                    {isAuto ? m.autoUseMain : `${current.provider} · ${current.model || m.providerDefault}`}
-                  </span>
-                }
-                title={
-                  <span className="flex items-baseline gap-2">
-                    {copy.label}
-                    <Pill>{copy.hint}</Pill>
-                  </span>
-                }
-              />
+                  action={
+                    !isEditing && (
+                      <div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5">
+                        <Button
+                          disabled={!mainModel || applying}
+                          onClick={() => void setAuxiliaryToMain(meta.key)}
+                          size="sm"
+                          variant="text"
+                        >
+                          {m.setToMain}
+                        </Button>
+                        <Button
+                          disabled={!providers.length || applying}
+                          onClick={() => beginAuxiliaryEdit(meta.key)}
+                          size="sm"
+                          variant="textStrong"
+                        >
+                          {m.change}
+                        </Button>
+                      </div>
+                    )
+                  }
+                  below={
+                    isEditing && (
+                      <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 pt-1">
+                        <Select
+                          onValueChange={value => setAuxDraft(prev => ({ ...prev, provider: value, model: '' }))}
+                          value={auxDraft.provider}
+                        >
+                          <SelectTrigger className={cn('min-w-32', CONTROL_TEXT)}>
+                            <SelectValue placeholder={m.provider} />
+                          </SelectTrigger>
+                          <SelectContent>
+                            {providerOptions.map(provider => (
+                              <SelectItem key={provider.slug || 'none'} value={provider.slug || 'none'}>
+                                {provider.name}
+                              </SelectItem>
+                            ))}
+                          </SelectContent>
+                        </Select>
+                        <Select
+                          onValueChange={value => setAuxDraft(prev => ({ ...prev, model: value }))}
+                          value={auxDraft.model}
+                        >
+                          <SelectTrigger className={cn('min-w-48', CONTROL_TEXT)}>
+                            <SelectValue placeholder={m.model} />
+                          </SelectTrigger>
+                          <SelectContent>
+                            {withActive(auxDraftProviderModels, auxDraft.model).map(model => (
+                              <SelectItem key={model} value={model}>
+                                {model}
+                              </SelectItem>
+                            ))}
+                          </SelectContent>
+                        </Select>
+                        <Button
+                          disabled={!auxDraft.provider || !auxDraft.model || applying}
+                          onClick={() => void applyAuxiliaryDraft(meta.key)}
+                          size="sm"
+                        >
+                          {applying ? m.applying : t.common.apply}
+                        </Button>
+                        <Button onClick={() => setEditingAuxTask(null)} size="sm" variant="ghost">
+                          {t.common.cancel}
+                        </Button>
+                      </div>
+                    )
+                  }
+                  description={
+                    <span className="font-mono text-[0.68rem]">
+                      {isAuto ? m.autoUseMain : `${current.provider} · ${current.model || m.providerDefault}`}
+                    </span>
+                  }
+                  title={
+                    <span className="flex items-baseline gap-2">
+                      {copy.label}
+                      <Pill>{copy.hint}</Pill>
+                    </span>
+                  }
+                />
               </div>
             )
           })}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/toolset-config-panel.test.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/toolset-config-panel.test.tsx
index c63e516541ec..e51d83c2a33e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/toolset-config-panel.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/settings/toolset-config-panel.test.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ vi.mock('@/hermes', () => ({
   getToolsetModels: (name: string, provider?: string) => getToolsetModels(name, provider),
   selectToolsetModel: (name: string, model: string, provider?: string) => selectToolsetModel(name, model, provider),
   selectToolsetProvider: (name: string, provider: string, capability?: string) =>
-    capability === undefined ? selectToolsetProvider(name, provider) : selectToolsetProvider(name, provider, capability),
+    capability === undefined
+      ? selectToolsetProvider(name, provider)
+      : selectToolsetProvider(name, provider, capability),
   setEnvVar: (key: string, value: string) => setEnvVar(key, value),
   deleteEnvVar: (key: string) => deleteEnvVar(key),
   revealEnvVar: (key: string) => revealEnvVar(key),
@@ -378,7 +380,6 @@ describe('ToolsetConfigPanel', () => {
     })
   })
 
-
   it('swaps the install hint for the installed one-liner when the provider is ready', async () => {
     // Server says the post_setup install is already satisfied (status ready) —
     // the "needs a one-time install" copy would contradict the Ready pill.
@@ -825,9 +826,7 @@ describe('ToolsetConfigPanel', () => {
       fireEvent.pointerDown(trigger, { button: 0, ctrlKey: false, pointerType: 'mouse' })
       fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('menuitem', { name: 'Manage in API Keys' }))
 
-      await waitFor(() =>
-        expect(navigateSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/settings?tab=keys&key=ELEVENLABS_API_KEY')
-      )
+      await waitFor(() => expect(navigateSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/settings?tab=keys&key=ELEVENLABS_API_KEY'))
     })
 
     it('hides "Manage in API Keys" while the key is unset', async () => {