diff --git a/docs/assets/sidebar-category-header-after.png b/docs/assets/sidebar-category-header-after.png
new file mode 100644
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diff --git a/docs/assets/sidebar-category-header-before.png b/docs/assets/sidebar-category-header-before.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e74e9b9f6a2
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diff --git a/docs/developers/daemon-client-adapters/web-shell.md b/docs/developers/daemon-client-adapters/web-shell.md
index 1d65066594d..d89967afa76 100644
--- a/docs/developers/daemon-client-adapters/web-shell.md
+++ b/docs/developers/daemon-client-adapters/web-shell.md
@@ -37,6 +37,22 @@ The sidebar trigger, dialog heading, and non-browse submit button all use
 The Recent heading and its region name continue to share the same translation
 key; a separate descriptive region label is outside this copy-only update.
 
+## Sidebar category headers
+
+Pinned, Workspaces, No-workspace sessions, and Recent are peer collapsible
+categories. Their active sidebar headers use the same height, spacing, muted
+text, and trailing expansion chevron, including hover and keyboard-focus reveal
+rules. No-workspace sessions retains its independent saved expansion preference
+and search behavior. Its header in Archived settings keeps the workspace-entry
+presentation.
+
+Chromium comparison with simulated daemon responses (hovering the collapsed
+No-workspace sessions category):
+
+| Before                                                                     | After                                                                   |
+| -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
+| ![Workspace-entry header](../../assets/sidebar-category-header-before.png) | ![Peer category header](../../assets/sidebar-category-header-after.png) |
+
 ## Shared UI Contract
 
 Use the TypeScript SDK daemon UI exports as the common boundary:
diff --git a/packages/web-shell/client/components/sidebar/StandaloneRecents.test.tsx b/packages/web-shell/client/components/sidebar/StandaloneRecents.test.tsx
index 69d5dda25a4..42a83ad4a29 100644
--- a/packages/web-shell/client/components/sidebar/StandaloneRecents.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/web-shell/client/components/sidebar/StandaloneRecents.test.tsx
@@ -194,7 +194,9 @@ describe('StandaloneRecents', () => {
     const newSession = container.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(
       '[data-testid="standalone-active-group"] button[aria-label="sidebar.newTask"]',
     );
-    expect(newSession?.parentElement?.className).toContain('invisible');
+    expect(newSession?.parentElement?.className).toContain(
+      'projectsHeaderActions',
+    );
     const sessions = container.querySelector(
       '[data-testid="standalone-active-group"] > div:nth-child(2)',
     );
@@ -202,6 +204,11 @@ describe('StandaloneRecents', () => {
     const header = container.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(
       '[data-testid="standalone-active-group"] > div > button',
     )!;
+    expect(header.parentElement?.className).toContain('projectsHeader');
+    expect(header.className).toContain('projectsHeaderToggle');
+    expect(header.querySelector('span + svg')?.classList).toContain(
+      'lucide-chevron-down',
+    );
     header.focus();
     await act(async () =>
       header.dispatchEvent(
@@ -209,6 +216,9 @@ describe('StandaloneRecents', () => {
       ),
     );
     expect(document.activeElement).not.toBe(header);
+    expect(header.querySelector('span + svg')?.classList).toContain(
+      'lucide-chevron-right',
+    );
     await act(async () =>
       header.dispatchEvent(
         new MouseEvent('click', { bubbles: true, detail: 1 }),
@@ -313,6 +323,16 @@ describe('StandaloneRecents', () => {
   it('loads only the requested archived group', async () => {
     const { renderSession } = await render({ archiveState: 'archived' });
 
+    const group = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-testid="standalone-archived-group"]',
+    )!;
+    expect(group.classList).toContain('mb-3');
+    const header = group.querySelector('button[aria-expanded]')!;
+    expect(header.parentElement?.className).toContain('headerRow');
+    expect(header.querySelector('svg')?.classList).toContain(
+      'lucide-circle-dashed',
+    );
+    expect(header.querySelector('span + svg')).toBeNull();
     expect(container.textContent).toContain('Archived chat');
     expect(container.textContent).not.toContain('Active chat');
     expect(renderSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
diff --git a/packages/web-shell/client/components/sidebar/StandaloneRecents.tsx b/packages/web-shell/client/components/sidebar/StandaloneRecents.tsx
index 33a5923f623..ccf9903682a 100644
--- a/packages/web-shell/client/components/sidebar/StandaloneRecents.tsx
+++ b/packages/web-shell/client/components/sidebar/StandaloneRecents.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,12 @@ import {
   useState,
   type ReactNode,
 } from 'react';
-import { CircleDashedIcon, SquarePenIcon } from 'lucide-react';
+import {
+  ChevronDownIcon,
+  ChevronRightIcon,
+  CircleDashedIcon,
+  SquarePenIcon,
+} from 'lucide-react';
 import {
   STANDALONE_SESSIONS_CAPABILITY,
   type DaemonSessionArchiveState,
@@ -469,7 +474,11 @@ export function StandaloneRecents({
   return (
     <>
       <section
-        className={`${workspaceStyles.section} mb-3`}
+        className={
+          archiveState === 'active'
+            ? workspaceStyles.section
+            : `${workspaceStyles.section} mb-3`
+        }
         aria-label={
           archiveState === 'active'
             ? t('sidebar.noWorkspaceSessions')
@@ -477,10 +486,20 @@ export function StandaloneRecents({
         }
         data-testid={`standalone-${archiveState}-group`}
       >
-        <div className={`${workspaceStyles.headerRow} group`}>
+        <div
+          className={
+            archiveState === 'active'
+              ? sidebarStyles.projectsHeader
+              : `${workspaceStyles.headerRow} group`
+          }
+        >
           <button
             type="button"
-            className={workspaceStyles.header}
+            className={
+              archiveState === 'active'
+                ? sidebarStyles.projectsHeaderToggle
+                : workspaceStyles.header
+            }
             aria-expanded={expanded}
             disabled={Boolean(query)}
             onClick={(event) => {
@@ -490,22 +509,33 @@ export function StandaloneRecents({
               if (event.detail > 0) event.currentTarget.blur();
             }}
           >
-            <CircleDashedIcon
-              className={workspaceStyles.folderIcon}
-              size={14}
-              strokeWidth={1.4}
-              aria-hidden="true"
-            />
-            <span className={workspaceStyles.headerContent}>
-              <span className={workspaceStyles.name}>
-                {t('sidebar.noWorkspaceSessions')}
-              </span>
-            </span>
+            {archiveState === 'active' ? (
+              <>
+                <span>{t('sidebar.noWorkspaceSessions')}</span>
+                {expanded ? (
+                  <ChevronDownIcon size={14} aria-hidden="true" />
+                ) : (
+                  <ChevronRightIcon size={14} aria-hidden="true" />
+                )}
+              </>
+            ) : (
+              <>
+                <CircleDashedIcon
+                  className={workspaceStyles.folderIcon}
+                  size={14}
+                  strokeWidth={1.4}
+                  aria-hidden="true"
+                />
+                <span className={workspaceStyles.headerContent}>
+                  <span className={workspaceStyles.name}>
+                    {t('sidebar.noWorkspaceSessions')}
+                  </span>
+                </span>
+              </>
+            )}
           </button>
           {archiveState === 'active' && onNewSession && (
-            <div
-              className={`${sidebarStyles.workspaceHeaderActions} invisible group-hover:visible group-focus-within:visible`}
-            >
+            <div className={sidebarStyles.projectsHeaderActions}>
               <button
                 className={sidebarStyles.workspaceHeaderAction}
                 type="button"
@@ -549,7 +579,13 @@ export function StandaloneRecents({
           </div>
         )}
         {(expanded || Boolean(query)) && (
-          <div className="flex flex-col gap-0.5">
+          <div
+            className={
+              archiveState === 'active'
+                ? sidebarStyles.pinnedSessionList
+                : 'flex flex-col gap-0.5'
+            }
+          >
             {displayedSessions.map((session) => {
               const isCurrent = session.sessionId === currentSessionId;
               return renderSession(session, {
diff --git a/packages/web-shell/client/e2e/web-shell.standalone.spec.ts b/packages/web-shell/client/e2e/web-shell.standalone.spec.ts
index 5b283ed0d7e..a34968a4824 100644
--- a/packages/web-shell/client/e2e/web-shell.standalone.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/web-shell/client/e2e/web-shell.standalone.spec.ts
@@ -110,12 +110,10 @@ test('keeps workspace navigation reachable inside a standalone chat @smoke', asy
 
   // Row actions are hidden until the row is hovered.
   await workspaceRow.hover();
-  const newTaskButtons = sidebar.getByRole('button', {
-    name: 'New session',
-    exact: true,
-  });
-  await expect(newTaskButtons).toHaveCount(2);
-  await newTaskButtons.last().click();
+  await workspaceRow
+    .locator('..')
+    .getByRole('button', { name: 'New session', exact: true })
+    .click();
 
   await fillComposer(page, 'Back to the workspace');
   await page.locator('[data-web-shell-composer-submit]').click();
@@ -267,6 +265,86 @@ test('no-workspace sessions remain visible beside collapsed Workspaces and persi
   );
 });
 
+test('no-workspace category matches peer header geometry and expansion affordances @smoke', async ({
+  page,
+}, testInfo) => {
+  const scenario = createWebShellDaemonScenario({
+    capabilities: {
+      features: [
+        ...standaloneFeatures,
+        'workspace_qualified_rest_core',
+        'session_organization',
+      ],
+    },
+    standaloneSessions: [standaloneSummary('standalone-header', 'Standalone')],
+  });
+  scenario.sessions[0].isPinned = true;
+  await installScenario(page, scenario, testInfo);
+  await page.goto('/');
+
+  const sidebar = page.getByRole('complementary');
+  const names = ['Pinned', 'Workspaces', 'No-workspace sessions', 'Recent'];
+  const toggles = names.map((name) =>
+    sidebar.getByRole('button', { name, exact: true }).first(),
+  );
+  for (const toggle of toggles) {
+    await expect(toggle).toHaveAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');
+    await toggle.click();
+    await expect(toggle).toHaveAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');
+  }
+
+  const geometry = await Promise.all(
+    toggles.map((toggle) =>
+      toggle.evaluate((button) => {
+        const header = button.parentElement!;
+        const label = button.querySelector('span')!;
+        const style = getComputedStyle(button);
+        return {
+          height: header.getBoundingClientRect().height,
+          labelLeft: label.getBoundingClientRect().left,
+          labelTop:
+            label.getBoundingClientRect().top -
+            header.getBoundingClientRect().top,
+          color: style.color,
+          marginBottom: getComputedStyle(header.parentElement!).marginBottom,
+        };
+      }),
+    ),
+  );
+  for (const header of geometry) {
+    expect(header.height).toBe(32);
+    expect(header.labelLeft).toBe(geometry[1].labelLeft);
+    expect(header.labelTop).toBe(geometry[1].labelTop);
+    expect(header.color).toBe(geometry[1].color);
+  }
+  expect(geometry[2].marginBottom).toBe('0px');
+
+  const toggle = toggles[2];
+  const chevron = toggle.locator('svg');
+  await expect(chevron).toHaveCount(1);
+  await expect(chevron).toHaveAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');
+  const labelBox = await toggle.locator('span').boundingBox();
+  const iconBox = await chevron.boundingBox();
+  expect(iconBox!.x).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(labelBox!.x + labelBox!.width);
+  await page.mouse.move(1000, 700);
+  await expect(chevron).toHaveCSS('opacity', '0');
+  await toggle.hover();
+  await expect(chevron).toHaveCSS('opacity', '1');
+  await page.mouse.move(1000, 700);
+  await page.keyboard.press('Tab');
+  await toggle.focus();
+  await expect(chevron).toHaveCSS('opacity', '1');
+  const collapsedPath = await chevron.locator('path').getAttribute('d');
+  await page.keyboard.press('Enter');
+  await expect(toggle).toHaveAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');
+  await expect(chevron.locator('path')).not.toHaveAttribute(
+    'd',
+    collapsedPath!,
+  );
+  await page.keyboard.press('Space');
+  await expect(toggle).toHaveAttribute('aria-expanded', 'false');
+});
+
 test('standalone Recents keeps lifecycle actions on exact standalone routes @smoke', async ({
   page,
 }, testInfo) => {