diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarChatRow.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarChatRow.tsx
index d005ab5366..b1f13cba12 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarChatRow.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarChatRow.tsx
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ interface SidebarChatRowProps {
   isActive: boolean;
   isRunning?: boolean;
   hasUnread?: boolean;
+  reserveActivitySpace?: boolean;
   className?: string;
   onSelect?: (id: string) => void;
   onRename?: (id: string, nextTitle: string) => void;
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ export function SidebarChatRow({
   isActive,
   isRunning = false,
   hasUnread = false,
+  reserveActivitySpace = false,
   className,
   onSelect,
   onRename,
@@ -64,6 +66,9 @@ export function SidebarChatRow({
     t("common:session.defaultTitle"),
   );
   const [draftTitle, setDraftTitle] = useState(editableTitle);
+  const showActivityIndicator = isRunning || hasUnread;
+  const shouldReserveActivitySpace =
+    reserveActivitySpace || showActivityIndicator;
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setDraftTitle(editableTitle);
@@ -186,10 +191,17 @@ export function SidebarChatRow({
           isActive ? ACTIVE_CHAT_ROW_CLASS : INACTIVE_CHAT_ROW_CLASS,
         )}
       >
+        {shouldReserveActivitySpace && (
+          <span className="flex h-3 w-3 shrink-0 items-center justify-center">
+            <SessionActivityIndicator
+              isRunning={isRunning}
+              hasUnread={hasUnread}
+            />
+          </span>
+        )}
         <span className="flex-1 min-w-0 truncate text-left">
           {displayTitle}
         </span>
-        <SessionActivityIndicator isRunning={isRunning} hasUnread={hasUnread} />
       </Button>
 
       <DropdownMenu open={menuOpen} onOpenChange={setMenuOpen}>
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarProjectsSection.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarProjectsSection.tsx
index ab41a2f7f5..77fc99cfdc 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarProjectsSection.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/SidebarProjectsSection.tsx
@@ -493,6 +493,7 @@ export function SidebarProjectsSection({
                     isActive={isActive}
                     isRunning={session.isRunning ?? false}
                     hasUnread={session.hasUnread ?? false}
+                    reserveActivitySpace={false}
                     onSelect={onSelectSession}
                     onRename={onRenameChat}
                     onArchive={onArchiveChat}
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/__tests__/SidebarChatRow.test.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/__tests__/SidebarChatRow.test.tsx
index bd81f815de..cbb0a8c7be 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/__tests__/SidebarChatRow.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/features/sidebar/ui/__tests__/SidebarChatRow.test.tsx
@@ -108,6 +108,43 @@ describe("SidebarChatRow", () => {
     expect(screen.getByLabelText(/unread messages/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
+  it("does not reserve activity space by default when idle", () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <SidebarChatRow id="session-1" title="Idle Chat" isActive={false} />,
+    );
+
+    expect(
+      container.querySelector(".h-3.w-3.shrink-0.items-center.justify-center"),
+    ).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("does not reserve activity space for recents until activity exists", () => {
+    const { container, rerender } = render(
+      <SidebarChatRow
+        id="session-1"
+        title="Recent Chat"
+        isActive={false}
+        reserveActivitySpace={false}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    expect(
+      container.querySelector(".h-3.w-3.shrink-0.items-center.justify-center"),
+    ).toBeNull();
+
+    rerender(
+      <SidebarChatRow
+        id="session-1"
+        title="Recent Chat"
+        isActive={false}
+        hasUnread
+        reserveActivitySpace={false}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    expect(screen.getByLabelText(/unread messages/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it("keeps the localized default title in rename mode without persisting it", async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     const onRename = vi.fn();
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/shared/i18n/locales/es/sidebar.json b/ui/goose2/src/shared/i18n/locales/es/sidebar.json
index a34114c2e8..c468bfecc7 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/shared/i18n/locales/es/sidebar.json
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/shared/i18n/locales/es/sidebar.json
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
   },
   "search": {
     "error": "La búsqueda de mensajes falló. Mostrando solo coincidencias de metadatos.",
-    "placeholder": "Busca chats por título, persona, proyecto o mensaje...",
+    "placeholder": "Buscar conversaciones",
     "searching": "Buscando chats..."
   },
   "sections": {
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/shared/styles/globals.css b/ui/goose2/src/shared/styles/globals.css
index 1b5aca120a..77f03716ea 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/shared/styles/globals.css
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/shared/styles/globals.css
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 
   --color-blue-100: #7cacff;
   --color-blue-200: #5c98f9;
+  --color-blue-300: #0090ff;
 
   --color-green-100: #a3d795;
   --color-green-200: #91cb80;
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@
   --background-danger: var(--color-red-200);
   --background-success: var(--color-green-200);
   --background-info: var(--color-blue-200);
+  --background-info-strong: var(--color-blue-300);
   --background-warning: var(--color-yellow-200);
 
   /* Semantic borders */
@@ -111,6 +113,7 @@
   --border-success: var(--color-green-300);
   --border-warning: var(--color-yellow-200);
   --border-info: var(--color-blue-200);
+  --border-info-strong: var(--color-blue-300);
 
   /* Semantic text */
   --text-default: var(--color-gray-900);
@@ -123,6 +126,7 @@
   --text-success: var(--color-green-300);
   --text-warning: var(--color-yellow-200);
   --text-info: var(--color-blue-200);
+  --text-info-strong: var(--color-blue-300);
 
   --ring: color-mix(in srgb, var(--border-strong) 20%, transparent);
 
@@ -281,6 +285,7 @@
   --background-danger: var(--color-red-100);
   --background-success: var(--color-green-100);
   --background-info: var(--color-blue-100);
+  --background-info-strong: var(--color-blue-300);
   --background-warning: var(--color-yellow-100);
 
   /* semantic borders */
@@ -294,6 +299,7 @@
   --border-success: var(--color-green-200);
   --border-warning: var(--color-yellow-200);
   --border-info: var(--color-blue-200);
+  --border-info-strong: var(--color-blue-300);
 
   /* semantic text */
   --text-default: var(--color-white);
@@ -306,6 +312,7 @@
   --text-success: var(--color-green-100);
   --text-warning: var(--color-yellow-100);
   --text-info: var(--color-blue-100);
+  --text-info-strong: var(--color-blue-300);
 
   --ring: color-mix(in srgb, var(--border-strong) 20%, transparent);
 
@@ -381,6 +388,7 @@
   --color-background-danger: var(--background-danger);
   --color-background-success: var(--background-success);
   --color-background-info: var(--background-info);
+  --color-background-info-strong: var(--background-info-strong);
   --color-background-warning: var(--background-warning);
 
   --color-background-accent: var(--background-accent);
@@ -398,6 +406,7 @@
   --color-border-success: var(--border-success);
   --color-border-warning: var(--border-warning);
   --color-border-info: var(--border-info);
+  --color-border-info-strong: var(--border-info-strong);
 
   /* semantic text */
   --color-text-default: var(--text-default);
@@ -410,6 +419,7 @@
   --color-text-success: var(--text-success);
   --color-text-warning: var(--text-warning);
   --color-text-info: var(--text-info);
+  --color-text-info-strong: var(--text-info-strong);
 
   /* alpha variants */
   --color-dark-10: var(--dark-10);
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/shared/ui/SessionActivityIndicator.test.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/shared/ui/SessionActivityIndicator.test.tsx
index 2999424bc9..3e5eb8e35c 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/shared/ui/SessionActivityIndicator.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/shared/ui/SessionActivityIndicator.test.tsx
@@ -3,16 +3,20 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { SessionActivityIndicator } from "./SessionActivityIndicator";
 
 describe("SessionActivityIndicator", () => {
-  it("renders a brand-colored inline spinner for running sessions", () => {
+  it("renders a strong-info inline spinner for running sessions", () => {
     render(<SessionActivityIndicator isRunning />);
 
-    expect(screen.getByLabelText(/chat active/i)).toHaveClass("text-brand");
+    expect(screen.getByLabelText(/chat active/i)).toHaveClass(
+      "text-[var(--color-text-info-strong)]",
+    );
   });
 
-  it("renders a brand-colored inline dot for unread sessions", () => {
+  it("renders a strong-info inline dot for unread sessions", () => {
     render(<SessionActivityIndicator hasUnread />);
 
-    expect(screen.getByLabelText(/unread messages/i)).toHaveClass("bg-brand");
+    expect(screen.getByLabelText(/unread messages/i)).toHaveClass(
+      "bg-[var(--color-background-info-strong)]",
+    );
   });
 
   it("renders an overlay spinner variant for running sessions", () => {
@@ -21,7 +25,9 @@ describe("SessionActivityIndicator", () => {
     );
 
     expect(screen.getByLabelText(/chat active/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(container.querySelector(".text-brand")).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(
+      container.querySelector(".text-\\[var\\(--color-text-info-strong\\)\\]"),
+    ).toBeTruthy();
   });
 
   it("renders nothing when the session is idle and read", () => {
diff --git a/ui/goose2/src/shared/ui/SessionActivityIndicator.tsx b/ui/goose2/src/shared/ui/SessionActivityIndicator.tsx
index a18a1b1094..d45afe338d 100644
--- a/ui/goose2/src/shared/ui/SessionActivityIndicator.tsx
+++ b/ui/goose2/src/shared/ui/SessionActivityIndicator.tsx
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ export function SessionActivityIndicator({
           role="status"
           aria-label="Chat active"
           className={cn(
-            "absolute -right-1 -top-1 flex h-3.5 w-3.5 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-background bg-background shadow-sm",
+            "absolute -right-1 -top-1 flex h-3.5 w-3.5 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-background bg-background shadow-sm transition-opacity duration-200 ease-out animate-in fade-in-0",
             className,
           )}
         >
           <Loader2
             aria-hidden="true"
-            className="h-2.5 w-2.5 animate-spin text-brand"
+            className="h-2.5 w-2.5 animate-spin text-[var(--color-text-info-strong)]"
           />
         </span>
       );
@@ -37,7 +37,10 @@ export function SessionActivityIndicator({
       <Loader2
         role="status"
         aria-label="Chat active"
-        className={cn("h-3 w-3 shrink-0 animate-spin text-brand", className)}
+        className={cn(
+          "h-3 w-3 shrink-0 animate-in fade-in-0 animate-spin text-[var(--color-text-info-strong)] duration-200 ease-out",
+          className,
+        )}
       />
     );
   }
@@ -52,7 +55,7 @@ export function SessionActivityIndicator({
         role="status"
         aria-label="Unread messages"
         className={cn(
-          "absolute -right-0.5 -top-0.5 h-2.5 w-2.5 shrink-0 rounded-full border border-background bg-brand",
+          "absolute -right-0.5 -top-0.5 h-2 w-2 shrink-0 rounded-full border border-background bg-[var(--color-background-info-strong)] transition-opacity duration-200 ease-out animate-in fade-in-0",
           className,
         )}
       />
@@ -63,7 +66,10 @@ export function SessionActivityIndicator({
     <span
       role="status"
       aria-label="Unread messages"
-      className={cn("h-2 w-2 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-brand", className)}
+      className={cn(
+        "h-1.5 w-1.5 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-[var(--color-background-info-strong)] transition-opacity duration-200 ease-out animate-in fade-in-0",
+        className,
+      )}
     />
   );
 }