diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/performance/timeline-stability/fixture.ts b/packages/app/e2e/performance/timeline-stability/fixture.ts
index b409615dc01..238abbf7954 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/performance/timeline-stability/fixture.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/performance/timeline-stability/fixture.ts
@@ -259,6 +259,18 @@ export function event(
   return makeEvent(type, data)
 }
 
+export function toolInputStarted(data: Extract<OpenCodeEvent, { type: "session.tool.input.started" }>["data"]) {
+  return makeEvent("session.tool.input.started", data)
+}
+
+export function toolInputEnded(data: Extract<OpenCodeEvent, { type: "session.tool.input.ended" }>["data"]) {
+  return makeEvent("session.tool.input.ended", data)
+}
+
+export function toolCalled(data: Extract<OpenCodeEvent, { type: "session.tool.called" }>["data"]) {
+  return makeEvent("session.tool.called", data)
+}
+
 export function validateTimelineEvent(input: unknown): OpenCodeEvent {
   if (!input || typeof input !== "object") throw new Error("Timeline event must be an object")
   if (!("type" in input) || typeof input.type !== "string") throw new Error("Timeline event requires a type")
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-timeline-lifecycle-state.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-timeline-lifecycle-state.spec.ts
index 9a648c22626..1f190ceb9ea 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-timeline-lifecycle-state.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/regression/session-timeline-lifecycle-state.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test"
 import {
+  assistantID,
   assistantMessage,
   completedAssistantInfo,
   messageUpdated,
@@ -8,9 +9,13 @@ import {
   renderedPartID,
   setupTimeline,
   shell,
+  sessionID,
   status,
   stepStarted,
   textPart,
+  toolCalled,
+  toolInputEnded,
+  toolInputStarted,
   userMessage,
 } from "../performance/timeline-stability/fixture"
 
@@ -34,6 +39,55 @@ for (const expanded of [false, true]) {
   })
 }
 
+test("transitions a streaming shell from writing through command execution", async ({ page }) => {
+  const id = "prt_shell_streaming_input"
+  const command = "printf ready"
+  const timeline = await setupTimeline(page, {
+    messages: [userMessage(), assistantMessage([], { completed: false })],
+  })
+  await timeline.send(toolInputStarted({ sessionID, assistantMessageID: assistantID, id, name: "shell" }))
+
+  const tool = page.locator(`[data-timeline-part-id="${id}"]`)
+  const title = tool.locator('[data-slot="basic-tool-tool-title"]')
+  const titleShimmer = title.locator('[data-component="text-shimmer"]')
+  const subtitle = tool.locator('[data-slot="basic-tool-tool-subtitle"]')
+  await expect(titleShimmer).toHaveAttribute("aria-label", "Shell")
+  await expect(titleShimmer).toHaveAttribute("data-active", "true")
+  await expect(subtitle).toHaveText("Writing command...")
+  await expect(subtitle.locator('[data-component="text-shimmer"]')).toHaveCount(0)
+  await expect(tool.locator('[data-component="shell-submessage"]')).toHaveCount(0)
+  await expect(tool.locator('[data-slot="collapsible-trigger"]')).toHaveCSS("height", "28px")
+  await expect(tool.locator('[data-component="tool-trigger"]')).toHaveCSS("gap", "6px")
+  await expect(title).toHaveCSS("font-size", "13px")
+  await expect(title).toHaveCSS("font-family", "Inter, sans-serif")
+  await expect(title).toHaveCSS("font-weight", "530")
+  await expect(title).toHaveCSS("line-height", "16px")
+  await expect(title).toHaveCSS("color", "rgb(22, 22, 22)")
+  await expect(subtitle).toHaveCSS("font-size", "13px")
+  await expect(subtitle).toHaveCSS("font-family", "Inter, sans-serif")
+  await expect(subtitle).toHaveCSS("font-weight", "440")
+  await expect(subtitle).toHaveCSS("line-height", "16px")
+  await expect(subtitle).toHaveCSS("color", "rgb(92, 92, 92)")
+
+  const input = JSON.stringify({ command })
+  await timeline.send(toolInputEnded({ sessionID, assistantMessageID: assistantID, id, text: input }))
+  await expect(titleShimmer).toHaveAttribute("data-active", "true")
+  await expect(subtitle).toHaveText(command)
+  await expect(tool).not.toContainText("Writing command...")
+
+  await timeline.send(
+    toolCalled({
+      sessionID,
+      assistantMessageID: assistantID,
+      id,
+      input: { command },
+      executed: true,
+    }),
+  )
+  await expect(titleShimmer).toHaveAttribute("data-active", "false")
+  await expect(subtitle).toHaveText(command)
+})
+
 test("shows and expands a running shell command without shimmering it", async ({ page }) => {
   const id = "prt_shell_running_command"
   const command = "sleep 10 && echo done"
@@ -43,9 +97,11 @@ test("shows and expands a running shell command without shimmering it", async ({
   })
 
   const tool = page.locator(`[data-timeline-part-id="${id}"]`)
-  await expect(tool.locator('[data-component="text-shimmer"]')).toHaveAttribute("data-active", "true")
+  await expect(tool.locator('[data-component="text-shimmer"]')).toHaveAttribute("data-active", "false")
+  await expect(tool).not.toContainText("Writing command...")
   await expect(tool.locator('[data-component="shell-submessage"]')).toHaveText(command)
   await expect(tool.locator('[data-component="shell-submessage"] [data-component="text-shimmer"]')).toHaveCount(0)
+  await expect(tool.locator('[data-slot="collapsible-trigger"]')).toHaveCSS("height", "28px")
   await tool.locator('[data-slot="collapsible-trigger"]').click()
   await expect(tool.locator('[data-slot="collapsible-trigger"]')).toHaveAttribute("aria-expanded", "true")
   await expect(tool.locator('[data-slot="bash-pre"]')).toContainText("still running")
diff --git a/packages/session-ui/src/components/basic-tool.css b/packages/session-ui/src/components/basic-tool.css
index 70ca2140af0..9bd2f94dd46 100644
--- a/packages/session-ui/src/components/basic-tool.css
+++ b/packages/session-ui/src/components/basic-tool.css
@@ -170,6 +170,31 @@
   }
 }
 
+[data-component="collapsible"].tool-collapsible[data-compact="true"] > [data-slot="collapsible-trigger"] {
+  height: 28px;
+
+  [data-component="tool-trigger"],
+  [data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-main"] {
+    gap: 6px;
+  }
+
+  [data-slot="basic-tool-tool-title"] {
+    font-family: var(--v2-font-family-sans);
+    font-size: 13px;
+    font-weight: 530;
+    line-height: var(--v2-line-height-compact, 16px);
+    letter-spacing: -0.04px;
+  }
+
+  [data-slot="basic-tool-tool-subtitle"] {
+    font-family: var(--v2-font-family-sans);
+    font-size: 13px;
+    font-weight: 440;
+    line-height: var(--v2-line-height-compact, 16px);
+    letter-spacing: -0.04px;
+  }
+}
+
 [data-component="task-tool-card"] {
   width: 100%;
   min-width: 0;
diff --git a/packages/session-ui/src/components/basic-tool.tsx b/packages/session-ui/src/components/basic-tool.tsx
index ac8302823d5..5c88022cffb 100644
--- a/packages/session-ui/src/components/basic-tool.tsx
+++ b/packages/session-ui/src/components/basic-tool.tsx
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export interface BasicToolProps {
   triggerHref?: string
   triggerAsLink?: boolean
   clickable?: boolean
+  compact?: boolean
 }
 
 const SPRING = { type: "spring" as const, visualDuration: 0.35, bounce: 0 }
@@ -260,6 +261,7 @@ export function BasicTool(props: BasicToolProps) {
       open={open()}
       onOpenChange={props.locked ? undefined : handleOpenChange}
       class="tool-collapsible"
+      data-compact={props.compact ? "true" : undefined}
       data-rail={props.rail === false ? "false" : undefined}
     >
       <Show
diff --git a/packages/session-ui/src/tools/tool-renderer.tsx b/packages/session-ui/src/tools/tool-renderer.tsx
index d8e71a19f61..dd760589691 100644
--- a/packages/session-ui/src/tools/tool-renderer.tsx
+++ b/packages/session-ui/src/tools/tool-renderer.tsx
@@ -1229,9 +1229,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
   name: "shell",
   render(props) {
     const i18n = useI18n()
-    const pending = () =>
-      props.status === "streaming" || props.status === "running" || props.metadata.status === "running"
-    const sawPending = pending()
+    const streaming = () => props.status === "streaming"
+    const sawStreaming = streaming()
     const command = () => {
       if (typeof props.input.command === "string") return props.input.command
       if (typeof props.metadata.command === "string") return props.metadata.command
@@ -1246,15 +1245,25 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
         {...props}
         icon="console"
         rail={false}
+        compact
         allowOpenWhilePending
         trigger={(open) => (
           <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-structured">
             <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-main">
               <span data-slot="basic-tool-tool-title">
-                <TextShimmer text={i18n.t("ui.tool.shell")} active={pending()} />
+                <TextShimmer text={i18n.t("ui.tool.shell")} active={streaming()} />
               </span>
-              <Show when={!open() && command()}>
-                <ShellSubmessage text={command()} animate={sawPending} />
+              <Show when={!open()}>
+                <Show
+                  when={command()}
+                  fallback={
+                    <Show when={streaming()}>
+                      <span data-slot="basic-tool-tool-subtitle">{i18n.t("ui.tool.shell.writingCommand")}</span>
+                    </Show>
+                  }
+                >
+                  {(command) => <ShellSubmessage text={command()} animate={sawStreaming} />}
+                </Show>
               </Show>
             </div>
           </div>
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/i18n/en.ts b/packages/ui/src/i18n/en.ts
index 1cc0c9edf6b..c358ec1d136 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/packages/ui/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ const source = {
   "ui.tool.websearch": "Web Search",
   "ui.tool.websearch.provider": "{{provider}} Web Search",
   "ui.tool.shell": "Shell",
+  "ui.tool.shell.writingCommand": "Writing command...",
   "ui.tool.execute": "Execute",
   "ui.tool.patch": "Patch",
   "ui.tool.questions": "Questions",