diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
index 99f7f881372..6770234d853 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/index.tsx
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@ import {
 } from '@/store/profile'
 import {
   $cronSessions,
+  $messagingPlatformTotals,
+  $messagingSessions,
+  $messagingTruncated,
   $selectedStoredSessionId,
   $sessionProfileTotals,
   $sessions,
@@ -124,7 +127,6 @@ const WORKSPACE_PAGE = 5
 // unified list scannable, then reveal/fetch more in N-sized steps on demand.
 const PROFILE_INITIAL_PAGE = 5
 const GROUP_DND_ID_PREFIX = 'group:'
-const LOCAL_SESSION_SOURCES = new Set(['cli', 'desktop', 'local', 'tui'])
 
 const groupDndId = (id: string) => `${GROUP_DND_ID_PREFIX}${id}`
 
@@ -141,24 +143,25 @@ function orderByIds<T>(items: T[], getId: (item: T) => string, orderIds: string[
 
   const byId = new Map(items.map(item => [getId(item), item]))
   const seen = new Set<string>()
-  const out: T[] = []
+  const ordered: T[] = []
 
   for (const id of orderIds) {
     const item = byId.get(id)
 
     if (item) {
-      out.push(item)
+      ordered.push(item)
       seen.add(id)
     }
   }
 
-  for (const item of items) {
-    if (!seen.has(getId(item))) {
-      out.push(item)
-    }
-  }
+  // Items missing from the persisted order are new since it was last
+  // reconciled. Callers pass recency-sorted lists (newest first), so surface
+  // these at the TOP instead of burying them beneath the saved order —
+  // otherwise a brand-new session sinks to the bottom of the sidebar and reads
+  // as "my latest session never showed up".
+  const fresh = items.filter(item => !seen.has(getId(item)))
 
-  return out
+  return fresh.length ? [...fresh, ...ordered] : ordered
 }
 
 function reconcileOrderIds(currentIds: string[], orderIds: string[]): string[] {
@@ -171,17 +174,15 @@ function reconcileOrderIds(currentIds: string[], orderIds: string[]): string[] {
   }
 
   const current = new Set(currentIds)
-  const next = orderIds.filter(id => current.has(id))
-  const known = new Set(next)
+  const retained = orderIds.filter(id => current.has(id))
+  const retainedSet = new Set(retained)
 
-  for (const id of currentIds) {
-    if (!known.has(id)) {
-      next.push(id)
-      known.add(id)
-    }
-  }
+  // New ids (absent from the saved order) are the newest sessions/groups; keep
+  // them ahead of the persisted order so fresh activity surfaces at the top of
+  // the sidebar rather than being appended to the bottom.
+  const fresh = currentIds.filter(id => !retainedSet.has(id))
 
-  return next
+  return [...fresh, ...retained]
 }
 
 function sameIds(left: string[], right: string[]) {
@@ -251,43 +252,6 @@ function workspaceGroupsFor(
   return [...groups.values()]
 }
 
-function sourceSessionGroupsFor(sessions: SessionInfo[]): {
-  localSessions: SessionInfo[]
-  sourceGroups: SidebarSessionGroup[]
-} {
-  const groups = new Map<string, SidebarSessionGroup>()
-  const localSessions: SessionInfo[] = []
-
-  for (const session of sessions) {
-    const sourceId = normalizeSessionSource(session.source)
-
-    if (!sourceId || LOCAL_SESSION_SOURCES.has(sourceId)) {
-      localSessions.push(session)
-
-      continue
-    }
-
-    const label = sessionSourceLabel(sourceId) ?? sourceId
-
-    const group = groups.get(sourceId) ?? {
-      id: `source:${sourceId}`,
-      label,
-      mode: 'source',
-      path: null,
-      sessions: [],
-      sourceId
-    }
-
-    group.sessions.push(session)
-    groups.set(sourceId, group)
-  }
-
-  return {
-    localSessions,
-    sourceGroups: [...groups.values()].sort((a, b) => sessionTime(b.sessions[0]) - sessionTime(a.sessions[0]))
-  }
-}
-
 function useSortableBindings(id: string) {
   const { attributes, isDragging, listeners, setNodeRef, transform, transition } = useSortable({ id })
 
@@ -309,6 +273,7 @@ interface ChatSidebarProps extends React.ComponentProps<typeof Sidebar> {
   onNavigate: (item: SidebarNavItem) => void
   onLoadMoreSessions: () => void
   onLoadMoreProfileSessions?: (profile: string) => Promise<void> | void
+  onLoadMoreMessaging?: (platform: string) => Promise<void> | void
   onResumeSession: (sessionId: string) => void
   onDeleteSession: (sessionId: string) => void
   onArchiveSession: (sessionId: string) => void
@@ -322,6 +287,7 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
   onNavigate,
   onLoadMoreSessions,
   onLoadMoreProfileSessions,
+  onLoadMoreMessaging,
   onResumeSession,
   onDeleteSession,
   onArchiveSession,
@@ -345,6 +311,9 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
   const sessions = useStore($sessions)
   const cronSessions = useStore($cronSessions)
   const cronJobs = useStore($cronJobs)
+  const messagingSessions = useStore($messagingSessions)
+  const messagingPlatformTotals = useStore($messagingPlatformTotals)
+  const messagingTruncated = useStore($messagingTruncated)
   const sessionsLoading = useStore($sessionsLoading)
   const sessionsTotal = useStore($sessionsTotal)
   const sessionProfileTotals = useStore($sessionProfileTotals)
@@ -364,6 +333,8 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
   const [serverMatches, setServerMatches] = useState<SessionSearchResult[]>([])
   const [newSessionKbdFlash, setNewSessionKbdFlash] = useState(false)
   const [profileLoadMorePending, setProfileLoadMorePending] = useState<Record<string, boolean>>({})
+  const [messagingLoadMorePending, setMessagingLoadMorePending] = useState<Record<string, boolean>>({})
+  const [messagingOpen, setMessagingOpen] = useState<Record<string, boolean>>({})
   const searchInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null)
   const trimmedQuery = searchQuery.trim()
 
@@ -529,24 +500,12 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
     [unpinnedAgentSessions, agentOrderIds]
   )
 
-  const { localSessions: localAgentSessions, sourceGroups } = useMemo(
-    () => sourceSessionGroupsFor(agentSessions),
-    [agentSessions]
-  )
-
-  const orderedSourceGroups = useMemo(
-    () => orderByIds(sourceGroups, g => g.id, workspaceOrderIds),
-    [sourceGroups, workspaceOrderIds]
-  )
-
+  // Recents are local-only: messaging-platform sessions are fetched as their
+  // own slice ($messagingSessions) and rendered in self-managed per-platform
+  // sections below, so there is no source-grouping magic to untangle here.
   const agentGroups = useMemo(
-    () =>
-      orderByIds(
-        workspaceGroupsFor(localAgentSessions, s.noWorkspace, { preserveSessionOrder: sourceGroups.length > 0 }),
-        g => g.id,
-        workspaceOrderIds
-      ),
-    [localAgentSessions, s.noWorkspace, sourceGroups.length, workspaceOrderIds]
+    () => orderByIds(workspaceGroupsFor(agentSessions, s.noWorkspace), g => g.id, workspaceOrderIds),
+    [agentSessions, s.noWorkspace, workspaceOrderIds]
   )
 
   const loadMoreForProfileGroup = useCallback(
@@ -564,6 +523,64 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
     [onLoadMoreProfileSessions]
   )
 
+  const loadMoreForMessaging = useCallback(
+    (platform: string) => {
+      if (!onLoadMoreMessaging) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      setMessagingLoadMorePending(prev => ({ ...prev, [platform]: true }))
+
+      void Promise.resolve(onLoadMoreMessaging(platform))
+        .catch(() => undefined)
+        .finally(() => setMessagingLoadMorePending(({ [platform]: _done, ...rest }) => rest))
+    },
+    [onLoadMoreMessaging]
+  )
+
+  // Each messaging platform is its own self-managed section: split the
+  // separately-fetched messaging slice by source, newest platform first, rows
+  // within a platform by recency. Per-platform totals (when a "load more" has
+  // resolved them) drive the count + whether more remain on disk.
+  const messagingGroups = useMemo<MessagingSection[]>(() => {
+    if (!messagingSessions.length) {
+      return []
+    }
+
+    const bySource = new Map<string, SessionInfo[]>()
+
+    for (const session of messagingSessions) {
+      const sourceId = normalizeSessionSource(session.source)
+
+      if (!sourceId) {
+        continue
+      }
+
+      const list = bySource.get(sourceId) ?? []
+      list.push(session)
+      bySource.set(sourceId, list)
+    }
+
+    return [...bySource.entries()]
+      .map(([sourceId, list]) => {
+        const ordered = [...list].sort((a, b) => sessionTime(b) - sessionTime(a))
+        const known = messagingPlatformTotals[sourceId]
+        const total = Math.max(ordered.length, known ?? 0)
+
+        return {
+          // Known exact total → more exist iff total exceeds loaded; otherwise
+          // the seed fetch was capped, so assume more until a per-platform load
+          // resolves the count.
+          hasMore: known != null ? known > ordered.length : messagingTruncated,
+          label: sessionSourceLabel(sourceId) ?? sourceId,
+          sessions: ordered,
+          sourceId,
+          total
+        }
+      })
+      .sort((a, b) => sessionTime(b.sessions[0]) - sessionTime(a.sessions[0]))
+  }, [messagingSessions, messagingPlatformTotals, messagingTruncated])
+
   // ALL-profiles view: one collapsible group per profile, color on the header
   // (not on every row). Default profile floats to the top, the rest alpha.
   const profileGroups = useMemo<SidebarSessionGroup[] | undefined>(() => {
@@ -610,56 +627,7 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
     sessionProfileTotals
   ])
 
-  const displayAgentSessions = sourceGroups.length ? localAgentSessions : agentSessions
-
-  const displayAgentGroups = useMemo(() => {
-    if (orderedSourceGroups.length) {
-      const localGroups = agentsGrouped
-        ? agentGroups
-        : localAgentSessions.length
-          ? [
-              {
-                id: 'local-sessions',
-                label: 'Local',
-                mode: 'workspace' as const,
-                path: null,
-                sessions: localAgentSessions
-              }
-            ]
-          : []
-
-      return orderByIds([...orderedSourceGroups, ...localGroups], g => g.id, workspaceOrderIds)
-    }
-
-    return showAllProfiles ? profileGroups : agentsGrouped ? agentGroups : undefined
-  }, [
-    agentGroups,
-    agentsGrouped,
-    localAgentSessions,
-    orderedSourceGroups,
-    profileGroups,
-    showAllProfiles,
-    workspaceOrderIds
-  ])
-
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!displayAgentGroups?.length || showAllProfiles) {
-      return
-    }
-
-    const next = reconcileOrderIds(
-      displayAgentGroups.map(g => g.id),
-      workspaceOrderIds
-    )
-
-    if (!sameIds(next, workspaceOrderIds)) {
-      setSidebarWorkspaceOrderIds(next)
-    }
-  }, [displayAgentGroups, showAllProfiles, workspaceOrderIds])
-
-  const showSessionSkeletons = sessionsLoading && sortedSessions.length === 0
-
-  const showSessionSections = showSessionSkeletons || sortedSessions.length > 0
+  const displayAgentSessions = agentSessions
 
   // Pagination is scope-aware. In "All profiles" mode it tracks the global
   // unified set. When scoped to one profile it must compare that profile's own
@@ -680,6 +648,27 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
 
   const recentsMeta = countLabel(agentSessions.length, knownSessionTotal)
 
+  const displayAgentGroups = showAllProfiles ? profileGroups : agentsGrouped ? agentGroups : undefined
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!displayAgentGroups?.length || showAllProfiles) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const next = reconcileOrderIds(
+      displayAgentGroups.map(g => g.id),
+      workspaceOrderIds
+    )
+
+    if (!sameIds(next, workspaceOrderIds)) {
+      setSidebarWorkspaceOrderIds(next)
+    }
+  }, [displayAgentGroups, showAllProfiles, workspaceOrderIds])
+
+  const showSessionSkeletons = sessionsLoading && sortedSessions.length === 0
+
+  const showSessionSections = showSessionSkeletons || sortedSessions.length > 0
+
   const handlePinnedDragEnd = ({ active, over }: DragEndEvent) => {
     if (!over || active.id === over.id) {
       return
@@ -902,7 +891,7 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
               // the toggle does nothing, and it's irrelevant in the ALL-profiles
               // view (always grouped by profile), so hide the button (not the slot).
               <div className="grid size-6 shrink-0 place-items-center">
-                {!showAllProfiles && localAgentSessions.length > 0 ? (
+                {!showAllProfiles && agentSessions.length > 0 ? (
                   <Tip label={agentsGrouped ? s.groupTitleGrouped : s.groupTitleUngrouped}>
                     <Button
                       aria-label={agentsGrouped ? s.groupAriaGrouped : s.groupAriaUngrouped}
@@ -942,6 +931,46 @@ export function ChatSidebar({
           />
         )}
 
+        {contentVisible && showSessionSections && !trimmedQuery &&
+          messagingGroups.map(group => (
+            <SidebarSessionsSection
+              activeSessionId={activeSidebarSessionId}
+              contentClassName="flex max-h-56 shrink-0 flex-col gap-px overflow-y-auto overscroll-contain pb-1.75"
+              emptyState={null}
+              footer={
+                group.hasMore ? (
+                  <SidebarLoadMoreRow
+                    loading={Boolean(messagingLoadMorePending[group.sourceId])}
+                    onClick={() => loadMoreForMessaging(group.sourceId)}
+                    step={Math.max(0, group.total - group.sessions.length)}
+                  />
+                ) : null
+              }
+              key={group.sourceId}
+              label={group.label}
+              labelIcon={
+                <PlatformAvatar
+                  className="size-4 rounded-[4px] text-[0.5625rem] [&_svg]:size-3"
+                  platformId={group.sourceId}
+                  platformName={group.label}
+                />
+              }
+              labelMeta={countLabel(group.sessions.length, group.total)}
+              onArchiveSession={onArchiveSession}
+              onDeleteSession={onDeleteSession}
+              onResumeSession={onResumeSession}
+              onToggle={() =>
+                setMessagingOpen(prev => ({ ...prev, [group.sourceId]: prev[group.sourceId] === false }))
+              }
+              onTogglePin={pinSession}
+              open={messagingOpen[group.sourceId] !== false}
+              pinned={false}
+              rootClassName="shrink-0 p-0"
+              sessions={group.sessions}
+              workingSessionIdSet={workingSessionIdSet}
+            />
+          ))}
+
         {contentVisible && !trimmedQuery && cronJobs.length > 0 && (
           <SidebarCronJobsSection
             jobs={cronJobs}
@@ -972,9 +1001,10 @@ interface SidebarSectionHeaderProps {
   onToggle: () => void
   action?: React.ReactNode
   meta?: React.ReactNode
+  icon?: React.ReactNode
 }
 
-function SidebarSectionHeader({ label, open, onToggle, action, meta }: SidebarSectionHeaderProps) {
+function SidebarSectionHeader({ label, open, onToggle, action, meta, icon }: SidebarSectionHeaderProps) {
   return (
     <div className="group/section flex shrink-0 items-center justify-between pb-1 pt-1.5">
       <button
@@ -982,6 +1012,7 @@ function SidebarSectionHeader({ label, open, onToggle, action, meta }: SidebarSe
         onClick={onToggle}
         type="button"
       >
+        {icon}
         <SidebarPanelLabel>{label}</SidebarPanelLabel>
         {meta && <SidebarCount>{meta}</SidebarCount>}
         <DisclosureCaret
@@ -1044,6 +1075,14 @@ interface SidebarSessionGroup {
   totalCount?: number
 }
 
+interface MessagingSection {
+  sourceId: string
+  label: string
+  sessions: SessionInfo[]
+  total: number
+  hasMore: boolean
+}
+
 interface SidebarSessionsSectionProps {
   label: string
   open: boolean
@@ -1065,6 +1104,7 @@ interface SidebarSessionsSectionProps {
   footer?: React.ReactNode
   groups?: SidebarSessionGroup[]
   labelMeta?: React.ReactNode
+  labelIcon?: React.ReactNode
   sortable?: boolean
   onReorder?: (event: DragEndEvent) => void
   dndSensors?: ReturnType<typeof useSensors>
@@ -1091,6 +1131,7 @@ function SidebarSessionsSection({
   footer,
   groups,
   labelMeta,
+  labelIcon,
   sortable = false,
   onReorder,
   dndSensors
@@ -1209,7 +1250,14 @@ function SidebarSessionsSection({
 
   return (
     <SidebarGroup className={rootClassName}>
-      <SidebarSectionHeader action={headerAction} label={label} meta={labelMeta} onToggle={onToggle} open={open} />
+      <SidebarSectionHeader
+        action={headerAction}
+        icon={labelIcon}
+        label={label}
+        meta={labelMeta}
+        onToggle={onToggle}
+        open={open}
+      />
       {open && (
         <SidebarGroupContent className={resolvedContentClassName}>
           {body}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx
index 15afc185400..0ce047bfc83 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/sidebar/session-row.tsx
@@ -2,12 +2,15 @@ import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import type * as React from 'react'
 
 import { writeSessionDrag } from '@/app/chat/composer/inline-refs'
+import { PlatformAvatar } from '@/app/messaging/platform-icon'
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { Codicon } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
+import { Tip } from '@/components/ui/tooltip'
 import type { SessionInfo } from '@/hermes'
 import { type Translations, useI18n } from '@/i18n'
 import { sessionTitle } from '@/lib/chat-runtime'
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
+import { handoffOriginSource, sessionSourceLabel } from '@/lib/session-source'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import { $attentionSessionIds } from '@/store/session'
 
@@ -67,6 +70,11 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
   const title = sessionTitle(session)
   const age = formatAge(session.last_active || session.started_at, r)
   const handleLabel = `Reorder ${title}`
+  // A handed-off session's live source is local, but it originated on a
+  // messaging platform — surface that origin as a small badge so e.g. a
+  // Telegram thread continued here still reads as Telegram.
+  const handoffSource = handoffOriginSource(session.handoff_state, session.handoff_platform)
+  const handoffLabel = handoffSource ? sessionSourceLabel(handoffSource) ?? handoffSource : null
   // Subscribe per-row (the leaf) instead of drilling a set through the list —
   // the atom is tiny and rarely non-empty. True when a clarify prompt in this
   // session is waiting on the user.
@@ -179,6 +187,15 @@ export function SidebarSessionRow({
               <SidebarRowDot isWorking={isWorking} needsInput={needsInput} />
             </span>
           )}
+          {handoffSource && handoffLabel ? (
+            <Tip label={r.handoffOrigin(handoffLabel)}>
+              <PlatformAvatar
+                className="size-4 rounded-[4px] text-[0.5rem] [&_svg]:size-2.5"
+                platformId={handoffSource}
+                platformName={handoffLabel}
+              />
+            </Tip>
+          ) : null}
           <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-[0.8125rem] font-normal text-(--ui-text-secondary) group-hover:text-foreground group-data-[working=true]:text-foreground/90">
             {title}
           </span>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx
index bd80fa269fc..4444f524a06 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/desktop-controller.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ import { useSkinCommand } from '@/themes/use-skin-command'
 import { formatRefValue } from '../components/assistant-ui/directive-text'
 import { getCronJobs, getSessionMessages, listAllProfileSessions, type SessionInfo, triggerCronJob } from '../hermes'
 import { preserveLocalAssistantErrors, toChatMessages } from '../lib/chat-messages'
+import {
+  isMessagingSource,
+  LOCAL_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS,
+  MESSAGING_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS,
+  normalizeSessionSource
+} from '../lib/session-source'
 import { setCronFocusJobId, setCronJobs } from '../store/cron'
 import {
   $panesFlipped,
@@ -46,10 +52,12 @@ import {
   $gatewayState,
   $selectedStoredSessionId,
   $sessions,
+  $messagingSessions,
   $workingSessionIds,
   CRON_SECTION_LIMIT,
   getRecentlySettledSessionIds,
   mergeSessionPage,
+  MESSAGING_SECTION_LIMIT,
   sessionPinId,
   setAwaitingResponse,
   setBusy,
@@ -59,6 +67,9 @@ import {
   setCurrentModel,
   setCurrentProvider,
   setMessages,
+  setMessagingPlatformTotals,
+  setMessagingSessions,
+  setMessagingTruncated,
   setSessionProfileTotals,
   setSessions,
   setSessionsLoading,
@@ -121,6 +132,15 @@ const SkillsView = lazy(async () => ({ default: (await import('./skills')).Skill
 // this cadence while the app is open + visible so new runs surface promptly
 // instead of waiting for the next user-triggered refreshSessions().
 const CRON_POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 30_000
+// The recents list is local-only: cron rows have their own section, and each
+// messaging platform (telegram, discord, …) is fetched separately into its own
+// self-managed sidebar section (refreshMessagingSessions). Excluding both here
+// keeps "Load more" paging through interactive local chats instead of
+// interleaving gateway threads that bury them.
+const SIDEBAR_EXCLUDED_SOURCES = ['cron', ...MESSAGING_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS]
+// The messaging slice is the inverse: drop cron + every local source so only
+// external-platform conversations remain, then split per platform in the UI.
+const MESSAGING_EXCLUDED_SOURCES = ['cron', ...LOCAL_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS]
 
 // Cheap signature compare so the poll only swaps the atom (and re-renders the
 // sidebar) when the visible cron rows actually changed.
@@ -280,6 +300,51 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     }
   }, [])
 
+  // Messaging-platform sessions as their own slice, fetched separately from
+  // local recents so each platform renders a self-managed section and never
+  // competes with local chats for the recents page budget. One combined fetch
+  // seeds every platform; the sidebar splits the rows per source.
+  const refreshMessagingSessions = useCallback(async () => {
+    try {
+      const result = await listAllProfileSessions(MESSAGING_SECTION_LIMIT, 1, 'exclude', 'recent', 'all', {
+        excludeSources: MESSAGING_EXCLUDED_SOURCES
+      })
+
+      // Drop any non-messaging source the broad exclude didn't catch (custom
+      // sources) — those stay in local recents, not a platform section.
+      const rows = result.sessions.filter(s => isMessagingSource(s.source))
+
+      setMessagingSessions(prev => (sameCronSignature(prev, rows) ? prev : rows))
+      // Hit the cap → at least one platform may have more on disk than loaded,
+      // so platform sections offer their own per-platform "load more".
+      setMessagingTruncated(result.sessions.length >= MESSAGING_SECTION_LIMIT)
+    } catch {
+      // Non-fatal: the messaging sections just stay empty/stale.
+    }
+  }, [])
+
+  // Page a single platform's section independently (mirrors the per-profile
+  // pager): fetch that source's next window and merge it back in place, leaving
+  // every other platform's rows untouched. Resolves the platform's exact total.
+  const loadMoreMessagingForPlatform = useCallback(async (platform: string) => {
+    const inPlatform = (s: SessionInfo) => normalizeSessionSource(s.source) === platform
+    const loaded = $messagingSessions.get().filter(inPlatform).length
+
+    const result = await listAllProfileSessions(loaded + SIDEBAR_SESSIONS_PAGE_SIZE, 1, 'exclude', 'recent', 'all', {
+      source: platform
+    })
+
+    const incoming = result.sessions.filter(s => normalizeSessionSource(s.source) === platform)
+
+    setMessagingSessions(prev => [
+      ...prev.filter(s => !inPlatform(s)),
+      ...mergeSessionPage(prev.filter(inPlatform), incoming, sessionsToKeep())
+    ])
+
+    const total = result.total ?? incoming.length
+    setMessagingPlatformTotals(prev => ({ ...prev, [platform]: Math.max(total, incoming.length) }))
+  }, [])
+
   // Cron *jobs* drive the sidebar "Cron jobs" section. Jobs are created
   // synchronously (agent tool call or the cron UI), so refreshing here right
   // after an agent turn surfaces a new job immediately; the interval poll keeps
@@ -316,7 +381,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
       const sessionProfile = profileScope === ALL_PROFILES ? 'all' : profileScope
 
       const result = await listAllProfileSessions(limit, 1, 'exclude', 'recent', sessionProfile, {
-        excludeSources: ['cron']
+        excludeSources: SIDEBAR_EXCLUDED_SOURCES
       })
 
       if (refreshSessionsRequestRef.current === requestId) {
@@ -332,7 +397,8 @@ export function DesktopController() {
 
     void refreshCronSessions()
     void refreshCronJobs()
-  }, [profileScope, refreshCronSessions, refreshCronJobs])
+    void refreshMessagingSessions()
+  }, [profileScope, refreshCronSessions, refreshCronJobs, refreshMessagingSessions])
 
   const loadMoreSessions = useCallback(() => {
     bumpSessionsLimit()
@@ -347,7 +413,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
     const loaded = $sessions.get().filter(inKey).length
 
     const result = await listAllProfileSessions(loaded + SIDEBAR_SESSIONS_PAGE_SIZE, 1, 'exclude', 'recent', key, {
-      excludeSources: ['cron']
+      excludeSources: SIDEBAR_EXCLUDED_SOURCES
     })
 
     const keep = sessionsToKeep(key)
@@ -704,6 +770,7 @@ export function DesktopController() {
       currentView={currentView}
       onArchiveSession={sessionId => void archiveSession(sessionId)}
       onDeleteSession={sessionId => void removeSession(sessionId)}
+      onLoadMoreMessaging={loadMoreMessagingForPlatform}
       onLoadMoreProfileSessions={loadMoreSessionsForProfile}
       onLoadMoreSessions={loadMoreSessions}
       onManageCronJob={jobId => {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
index a38afa6cea8..8dbe4ee324d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/hooks/use-keybinds.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   toggleSidebarOpen
 } from '@/store/layout'
 import {
+  $newChatProfile,
   cycleProfile,
   requestProfileCreate,
   switchProfileToSlot,
@@ -106,6 +107,10 @@ export function useKeybinds(deps: KeybindRuntimeDeps): void {
     'nav.agents': () => navigate(AGENTS_ROUTE),
 
     'session.new': () => {
+      // Match the sidebar New Session button. A plain keyboard new chat should
+      // target the current live profile, not a stale per-profile quick-create
+      // selection from a prior action.
+      $newChatProfile.set(null)
       deps.startFreshSession()
       window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('hermes:new-session-shortcut'))
     },
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.test.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.test.tsx
index d0f14f13b13..05fe698b3f8 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.test.tsx
@@ -84,6 +84,60 @@ describe('useRouteResume', () => {
     expect(resumeSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('self-heals a stranded routed session (null selected/active, same pathname, not a fresh draft)', () => {
+    const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
+    const startFreshSessionDraft = vi.fn()
+    const activeSessionIdRef: MutableRefObject<null | string> = { current: 'runtime-1' }
+    const creatingSessionRef = { current: false }
+    const runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef = { current: new Map([['session-1', 'runtime-1']]) }
+    const selectedStoredSessionIdRef: MutableRefObject<null | string> = { current: 'session-1' }
+
+    const { rerender } = render(
+      <RouteResumeHarness
+        activeSessionId="runtime-1"
+        activeSessionIdRef={activeSessionIdRef}
+        creatingSessionRef={creatingSessionRef}
+        currentView="chat"
+        freshDraftReady={false}
+        gatewayState="open"
+        locationPathname="/session-1"
+        resumeSession={resumeSession}
+        routedSessionId="session-1"
+        runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef={runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef}
+        selectedStoredSessionId="session-1"
+        selectedStoredSessionIdRef={selectedStoredSessionIdRef}
+        startFreshSessionDraft={startFreshSessionDraft}
+      />
+    )
+
+    expect(resumeSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+    // A create/stream race nulls selected/active but the route stays on the
+    // session and freshDraftReady is false (NOT a new-chat transition).
+    activeSessionIdRef.current = null
+    selectedStoredSessionIdRef.current = null
+    rerender(
+      <RouteResumeHarness
+        activeSessionId={null}
+        activeSessionIdRef={activeSessionIdRef}
+        creatingSessionRef={creatingSessionRef}
+        currentView="chat"
+        freshDraftReady={false}
+        gatewayState="open"
+        locationPathname="/session-1"
+        resumeSession={resumeSession}
+        routedSessionId="session-1"
+        runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef={runtimeIdByStoredSessionIdRef}
+        selectedStoredSessionId={null}
+        selectedStoredSessionIdRef={selectedStoredSessionIdRef}
+        startFreshSessionDraft={startFreshSessionDraft}
+      />
+    )
+
+    expect(resumeSession).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(resumeSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith('session-1', true)
+  })
+
   it('resumes when pathname changes to a routed session', () => {
     const resumeSession = vi.fn(async () => undefined)
     const startFreshSessionDraft = vi.fn()
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.ts
index 9f6fc5e3d55..3d1ddd46423 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-route-resume.ts
@@ -77,10 +77,27 @@ export function useRouteResume({
         Boolean(cachedRuntime) &&
         cachedRuntime === activeSessionIdRef.current
 
-      // Resume only when the route meaningfully changed (or gateway just opened).
-      // This avoids a transient /:sid re-resume during "new chat" state clears
+      // Self-heal a desynced view: the route points at a session that isn't the
+      // loaded one. A create/stream race can leave selected/active null while
+      // the route stays on /:sid (symptom: brand-new chat shows "Thinking" then
+      // an empty transcript even though the turn completed and persisted). The
+      // pathname didn't change, so the normal gate would skip and the view stays
+      // stuck empty forever. selectedStoredSessionIdRef is set synchronously at
+      // resume entry, so this can't loop; the resume's cached fast-path restores
+      // the already-streamed messages without a refetch.
+      //
+      // Crucially this must NOT fire during a /:sid -> /new transition, where
+      // startFreshSessionDraft nulls selected/active one render before the
+      // pathname flips to / (same null+/:sid signature). freshDraftReady is the
+      // discriminator: it's true while heading into a blank new chat, false when
+      // genuinely stranded on a routed session.
+      const stuckOnRoutedSession = routedSessionId !== selectedStoredSessionIdRef.current && !freshDraftReady
+
+      // Resume when the route meaningfully changed, the gateway just opened, or
+      // we're stranded on a routed session that never loaded. The first two
+      // guard against a transient /:sid re-resume during "new chat" state clears
       // before the pathname updates from /:sid -> /.
-      const shouldResume = pathnameChanged || gatewayBecameOpen
+      const shouldResume = pathnameChanged || gatewayBecameOpen || stuckOnRoutedSession
 
       if (!alreadyActive && shouldResume && !creatingSessionRef.current) {
         void resumeSession(routedSessionId, true)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-state-cache.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-state-cache.ts
index bc5d8f2bb32..b343ceb5ce4 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-state-cache.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-session-state-cache.ts
@@ -150,6 +150,29 @@ export function useSessionStateCache({
 
       pendingViewStateRef.current = { sessionId, state }
 
+      // Terminal / attention transitions (turn finished, error, or the agent is
+      // now waiting on the user) MUST reach the view immediately. Electron
+      // throttles `requestAnimationFrame` to ~0 while the window is
+      // backgrounded, occluded, or unfocused, so an RAF-deferred flush can be
+      // stranded in `pendingViewStateRef` indefinitely — that's the "new chat
+      // stuck on Thinking until I refocus / F5" bug. Flush these synchronously
+      // (cancelling any in-flight RAF, since we're about to publish the latest
+      // state anyway). The plain busy heartbeat stays RAF-batched: that
+      // coalescing exists only to keep periodic `session.info` updates from
+      // churning `$messages` and jerking the scroll position while reading.
+      const isCriticalTransition = !state.busy || state.needsInput
+
+      if (isCriticalTransition) {
+        if (viewSyncRafRef.current !== null && typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+          window.cancelAnimationFrame(viewSyncRafRef.current)
+          viewSyncRafRef.current = null
+        }
+
+        flushPendingViewState()
+
+        return
+      }
+
       if (viewSyncRafRef.current !== null) {
         return
       }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/markdown-text.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/markdown-text.tsx
index cf0d34fc662..8ec734bf8b6 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/markdown-text.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/markdown-text.tsx
@@ -494,11 +494,9 @@ export function MarkdownTextContent({ isRunning, text, ...surfaceProps }: Markdo
 
 const MarkdownTextImpl = () => {
   return (
-    <SmoothStreamingText>
-      <DeferStreamingText>
-        <MarkdownTextSurface />
-      </DeferStreamingText>
-    </SmoothStreamingText>
+    <DeferStreamingText>
+      <MarkdownTextSurface />
+    </DeferStreamingText>
   )
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
index 7eedaee2524..c4d2fa62a54 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -1081,6 +1081,7 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       sessionRunning: 'Session running',
       needsInput: 'Needs your input',
       waitingForAnswer: 'Waiting for your answer',
+      handoffOrigin: platform => `Handed off from ${platform}`,
       renamed: 'Renamed',
       renameFailed: 'Rename failed',
       renameTitle: 'Rename session',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
index 5e5865fb900..cbd97f52c87 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
@@ -1224,6 +1224,7 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
       sessionRunning: 'セッション実行中',
       needsInput: '入力が必要です',
       waitingForAnswer: '回答を待っています',
+      handoffOrigin: platform => `${platform} から引き継ぎ`,
       renamed: '名前を変更しました',
       renameFailed: '名前の変更に失敗しました',
       renameTitle: 'セッションの名前を変更',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
index 5a4b9743a20..ba741c14225 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
@@ -838,6 +838,7 @@ export interface Translations {
       sessionRunning: string
       needsInput: string
       waitingForAnswer: string
+      handoffOrigin: (platform: string) => string
       renamed: string
       renameFailed: string
       renameTitle: string
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
index 38c2ad00f9d..6542f1e7296 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
@@ -1190,6 +1190,7 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
       sessionRunning: '工作階段執行中',
       needsInput: '需要您的輸入',
       waitingForAnswer: '等待您的回答',
+      handoffOrigin: platform => `從 ${platform} 轉接`,
       renamed: '已重新命名',
       renameFailed: '重新命名失敗',
       renameTitle: '重新命名工作階段',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
index 82d3c478d3a..b5469a9e647 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -1268,6 +1268,7 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       sessionRunning: '会话运行中',
       needsInput: '需要你输入',
       waitingForAnswer: '正在等待你的回答',
+      handoffOrigin: platform => `从 ${platform} 转接`,
       renamed: '已重命名',
       renameFailed: '重命名失败',
       renameTitle: '重命名会话',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/session-source.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/session-source.ts
index 8940999985f..4db25f3eca7 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/session-source.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/session-source.ts
@@ -34,12 +34,76 @@ const SOURCE_ALIASES: Record<string, string[]> = {
   whatsapp: ['wa']
 }
 
+// Sources that run on the local machine rather than an external messaging
+// platform. A handoff *from* one of these isn't a platform origin worth a badge.
+// Exported so the recents fetch can keep these in the main list while the
+// messaging fetch excludes them.
+export const LOCAL_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS = ['cli', 'codex', 'desktop', 'gateway', 'local', 'tui']
+const LOCAL_SOURCE_IDS = new Set(LOCAL_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS)
+
+// External messaging platforms that each get their own self-managed sidebar
+// section (fetched separately from local recents). Mirrors the gateway platform
+// adapters; keep in sync with PLATFORM_ICONS in app/messaging/platform-icon.tsx.
+export const MESSAGING_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS = [
+  'telegram',
+  'discord',
+  'slack',
+  'mattermost',
+  'matrix',
+  'signal',
+  'whatsapp',
+  'bluebubbles',
+  'homeassistant',
+  'email',
+  'sms',
+  'webhook',
+  'api_server',
+  'weixin',
+  'wecom',
+  'qqbot',
+  'yuanbao',
+  'dingtalk',
+  'feishu'
+]
+const MESSAGING_SOURCE_IDS = new Set(MESSAGING_SESSION_SOURCE_IDS)
+
+/** True when a source id is an external messaging platform (gets its own
+ *  sidebar section) rather than a local/CLI/desktop session. */
+export function isMessagingSource(source: null | string | undefined): boolean {
+  const id = normalizeSessionSource(source)
+
+  return id != null && MESSAGING_SOURCE_IDS.has(id)
+}
+
 export function normalizeSessionSource(source: null | string | undefined): string | null {
   const id = source?.trim().toLowerCase()
 
   return id || null
 }
 
+/**
+ * Resolve the origin messaging platform for a handed-off session. Returns the
+ * normalized platform id (e.g. 'telegram') when the session completed a handoff
+ * from a real messaging platform, otherwise null. After a handoff the live
+ * source is local, so this is what drives the row's origin-platform badge.
+ */
+export function handoffOriginSource(
+  handoffState: null | string | undefined,
+  handoffPlatform: null | string | undefined
+): string | null {
+  if (handoffState !== 'completed') {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const id = normalizeSessionSource(handoffPlatform)
+
+  if (!id || LOCAL_SOURCE_IDS.has(id)) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  return id
+}
+
 export function sessionSourceLabel(source: null | string | undefined): string | null {
   const id = normalizeSessionSource(source)
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/session.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/session.ts
index 901de43667d..7fb616be711 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/session.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/session.ts
@@ -85,6 +85,20 @@ export const $cronSessions = atom<SessionInfo[]>([])
 // badge renders "N+". Lives here so the controller (fetch) and sidebar (badge)
 // share one source of truth without a circular import.
 export const CRON_SECTION_LIMIT = 50
+// Messaging-platform sessions (telegram/discord/...) are fetched as their own
+// slice — separate from local recents — so each platform renders a
+// self-managed sidebar section and never interleaves with (or buries) local
+// chats in the recents page. One combined fetch seeds every platform; a
+// platform that exceeds this cap gets its own per-platform "load more".
+export const $messagingSessions = atom<SessionInfo[]>([])
+export const MESSAGING_SECTION_LIMIT = 100
+// Exact per-platform conversation totals, keyed by source id. Empty until a
+// per-platform "load more" fetch resolves it (the combined seed fetch only
+// knows the aggregate), so sections fall back to their loaded count.
+export const $messagingPlatformTotals = atom<Record<string, number>>({})
+// True when the combined seed fetch hit MESSAGING_SECTION_LIMIT, so at least
+// one platform may have more rows on disk than were loaded.
+export const $messagingTruncated = atom<boolean>(false)
 // Listable conversation count per profile (children excluded), keyed by profile
 // name. Lets the sidebar scope its "Load more" footer to the active profile so a
 // huge default profile doesn't keep "Load more" visible while browsing a small
@@ -129,6 +143,10 @@ export const setGatewayState = (next: Updater<string>) => updateAtom($gatewaySta
 export const setSessions = (next: Updater<SessionInfo[]>) => updateAtom($sessions, next)
 export const setSessionsTotal = (next: Updater<number>) => updateAtom($sessionsTotal, next)
 export const setCronSessions = (next: Updater<SessionInfo[]>) => updateAtom($cronSessions, next)
+export const setMessagingSessions = (next: Updater<SessionInfo[]>) => updateAtom($messagingSessions, next)
+export const setMessagingPlatformTotals = (next: Updater<Record<string, number>>) =>
+  updateAtom($messagingPlatformTotals, next)
+export const setMessagingTruncated = (next: Updater<boolean>) => updateAtom($messagingTruncated, next)
 export const setSessionProfileTotals = (next: Updater<Record<string, number>>) =>
   updateAtom($sessionProfileTotals, next)
 export const setSessionsLoading = (next: Updater<boolean>) => updateAtom($sessionsLoading, next)
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/types/hermes.ts b/apps/desktop/src/types/hermes.ts
index 5d362e51ef6..b79b34d7f26 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/types/hermes.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/types/hermes.ts
@@ -297,6 +297,14 @@ export interface SessionInfo {
   started_at: number
   title: null | string
   tool_call_count: number
+  /** Origin platform when this session was handed off from a messaging
+   *  platform (e.g. a Telegram thread continued in the desktop app). The live
+   *  {@link source} becomes local (tui/desktop) after a handoff, so the origin
+   *  is preserved here to surface the platform badge on the row. */
+  handoff_platform?: null | string
+  /** Handoff lifecycle: 'pending' | 'in_progress' | 'completed' | 'failed'. */
+  handoff_state?: null | string
+  handoff_error?: null | string
   /** Owning profile name, set by the cross-profile aggregator
    *  (`/api/profiles/sessions`). Absent on legacy single-profile responses,
    *  which the UI treats as the default profile. */