diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/components/DashboardSubhead.tsx b/frontend/src/renderer/components/DashboardSubhead.tsx
index d7329221a..4b0ddc7db 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/components/DashboardSubhead.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/components/DashboardSubhead.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,26 @@
+import type { ReactNode } from "react";
+
 // The board subhead (mc-board .dashboard-main__subhead): a 21px bold title with
 // a muted one-line subtitle, optionally a trailing count.
-export function DashboardSubhead({ title, subtitle, count }: { title: string; subtitle: string; count?: number }) {
+export function DashboardSubhead({
+	title,
+	subtitle,
+	count,
+	actions,
+}: {
+	title: string;
+	subtitle: string;
+	count?: number;
+	actions?: ReactNode;
+}) {
 	return (
-		<div className="flex items-baseline gap-3 px-[18px] pt-[22px]">
-			<h1 className="text-[21px] font-bold tracking-[-0.025em] text-foreground">{title}</h1>
-			{typeof count === "number" && <span className="font-mono text-[13px] text-passive">{count}</span>}
-			<span className="text-[12.5px] text-passive">{subtitle}</span>
+		<div className="flex items-center gap-3 px-[18px] pt-[22px]">
+			<div className="flex min-w-0 items-baseline gap-3">
+				<h1 className="text-[21px] font-bold tracking-[-0.025em] text-foreground">{title}</h1>
+				{typeof count === "number" && <span className="font-mono text-[13px] text-passive">{count}</span>}
+				<span className="text-[12.5px] text-passive">{subtitle}</span>
+			</div>
+			{actions ? <div className="ml-auto flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2">{actions}</div> : null}
 		</div>
 	);
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionsBoard.tsx b/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionsBoard.tsx
index bc22d8441..9de6b4344 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionsBoard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/components/SessionsBoard.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 import { useState } from "react";
+import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { useNavigate } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import { Plus } from "lucide-react";
 import { type AttentionZone, type WorkspaceSession, attentionZone, workerSessions } from "../types/workspace";
-import { useWorkspaceQuery } from "../hooks/useWorkspaceQuery";
+import { useWorkspaceQuery, workspaceQueryKey } from "../hooks/useWorkspaceQuery";
 import { DashboardSubhead } from "./DashboardSubhead";
+import { OrchestratorIcon } from "./icons";
+import { NewTaskDialog } from "./NewTaskDialog";
+import { spawnOrchestrator } from "../lib/spawn-orchestrator";
 import { cn } from "../lib/utils";
 
 type SessionsBoardProps = {
@@ -58,10 +63,16 @@ const COLUMNS: Column[] = [
 
 export function SessionsBoard({ projectId }: SessionsBoardProps) {
 	const navigate = useNavigate();
+	const queryClient = useQueryClient();
 	const workspaceQuery = useWorkspaceQuery();
 	const all = workspaceQuery.data ?? [];
 	const workspaces = projectId ? all.filter((w) => w.id === projectId) : all;
 	const sessions = workspaces.flatMap((w) => workerSessions(w.sessions));
+	const orchestrator = projectId
+		? workspaces[0]?.sessions.find((session) => session.kind === "orchestrator" && session.status !== "terminated")
+		: undefined;
+	const [isNewTaskOpen, setIsNewTaskOpen] = useState(false);
+	const [isSpawning, setIsSpawning] = useState(false);
 
 	const byZone = new Map<AttentionZone, WorkspaceSession[]>();
 	for (const session of sessions) {
@@ -79,9 +90,68 @@ export function SessionsBoard({ projectId }: SessionsBoardProps) {
 			params: { projectId: session.workspaceId, sessionId: session.id },
 		});
 
+	const openOrchestrator = async () => {
+		if (!projectId) return;
+		if (orchestrator) {
+			void navigate({
+				to: "/projects/$projectId/sessions/$sessionId",
+				params: { projectId, sessionId: orchestrator.id },
+			});
+			return;
+		}
+		setIsSpawning(true);
+		try {
+			const sessionId = await spawnOrchestrator(projectId);
+			await queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: workspaceQueryKey });
+			void navigate({
+				to: "/projects/$projectId/sessions/$sessionId",
+				params: { projectId, sessionId },
+			});
+		} finally {
+			setIsSpawning(false);
+		}
+	};
+
+	const handleTaskCreated = async (sessionId: string) => {
+		if (!projectId) return;
+		await queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: workspaceQueryKey });
+		void navigate({
+			to: "/projects/$projectId/sessions/$sessionId",
+			params: { projectId, sessionId },
+		});
+	};
+
+	const actions = projectId ? (
+		<>
+			<button
+				aria-label="New task"
+				className="dashboard-app-header__accent-btn"
+				onClick={() => setIsNewTaskOpen(true)}
+				type="button"
+			>
+				<Plus className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
+				New task
+			</button>
+			<button
+				aria-label={orchestrator ? "Orchestrator" : "Spawn Orchestrator"}
+				className="dashboard-app-header__primary-btn"
+				disabled={isSpawning}
+				onClick={() => void openOrchestrator()}
+				type="button"
+			>
+				<OrchestratorIcon className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
+				{isSpawning ? "Spawning..." : orchestrator ? "Orchestrator" : "Spawn Orchestrator"}
+			</button>
+		</>
+	) : undefined;
+
 	return (
 		<div className="flex h-full min-h-0 flex-col bg-background text-foreground">
-			<DashboardSubhead title="Board" subtitle="Live agent sessions flowing from work → review → merge." />
+			<DashboardSubhead
+				title="Board"
+				subtitle="Live agent sessions flowing from work → review → merge."
+				actions={actions}
+			/>
 
 			<div className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-hidden p-[18px]">
 				{workspaceQuery.isError ? (
@@ -139,6 +209,12 @@ export function SessionsBoard({ projectId }: SessionsBoardProps) {
 					)}
 				</div>
 			)}
+			<NewTaskDialog
+				open={isNewTaskOpen}
+				projectId={projectId}
+				onCreated={(sessionId) => void handleTaskCreated(sessionId)}
+				onOpenChange={setIsNewTaskOpen}
+			/>
 		</div>
 	);
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/components/ShellTopbar.tsx b/frontend/src/renderer/components/ShellTopbar.tsx
index 1a638382e..ff8285de2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/components/ShellTopbar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/components/ShellTopbar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useMutation, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { useNavigate, useParams } from "@tanstack/react-router";
-import { GitBranch, LayoutDashboard, PanelRightClose, PanelRightOpen, Plus, Square } from "lucide-react";
+import { Bell, GitBranch, LayoutDashboard, PanelRightClose, PanelRightOpen, Plus, Square, Trash2 } from "lucide-react";
 import { useState } from "react";
 import {
 	findProjectOrchestrator,
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ export function ShellTopbar() {
 	// removed, or data still loading) shows an empty crumb — never the raw
 	// route slug. "agent-orchestrator" is the root-board crumb only.
 	const projectId = session?.workspaceId ?? params.projectId;
+	const isProjectBoardRoute = !isSessionRoute && Boolean(projectId);
 	const project = projectId ? all.find((workspace) => workspace.id === projectId) : undefined;
 	const projectLabel = project?.name ?? session?.workspaceName ?? (projectId ? "" : "agent-orchestrator");
 	const orchestrator = projectId ? findProjectOrchestrator(all, projectId) : undefined;
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ export function ShellTopbar() {
 						</div>
 						{session ? <SessionStatusPill session={session} /> : null}
 					</div>
-				) : (
+				) : isProjectBoardRoute ? null : (
 					<div className="topbar-project-line">
 						<span className="dashboard-app-header__project">{projectLabel}</span>
 					</div>
@@ -174,21 +175,24 @@ export function ShellTopbar() {
 								</button>
 							</>
 						) : (
+							<TopbarNotificationButton />
+						)}
+						{/* Kill control sits beside the orchestrator link for active workers —
+						    moved here from the inspector's Summary "Danger zone". */}
+						{!isOrchestrator && session && sessionIsActive(session) ? <TopbarKillButton session={session} /> : null}
+						{!isOrchestrator && (
 							<button
 								aria-label="Open orchestrator"
-								className="dashboard-app-header__primary-btn"
+								className="dashboard-app-header__primary-btn dashboard-app-header__primary-btn--compact"
 								disabled={isSpawning}
 								onClick={() => void openOrchestrator()}
 								style={noDragStyle}
 								type="button"
 							>
 								<OrchestratorIcon className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
-								{isSpawning ? "Spawning…" : "Open orchestrator"}
+								{isSpawning ? "Spawning…" : "Orchestrator"}
 							</button>
 						)}
-						{/* Kill control sits beside the orchestrator link for active workers —
-						    moved here from the inspector's Summary "Danger zone". */}
-						{!isOrchestrator && session && sessionIsActive(session) ? <TopbarKillButton session={session} /> : null}
 						{/* Inspector collapse (worker sessions only — orchestrators have no rail). */}
 						{!isOrchestrator && (
 							<button
@@ -208,48 +212,6 @@ export function ShellTopbar() {
 							</button>
 						)}
 					</>
-				) : projectId ? (
-					<>
-						<button
-							aria-label="New task"
-							className="dashboard-app-header__primary-btn"
-							onClick={openNewTask}
-							style={noDragStyle}
-							type="button"
-						>
-							<Plus className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
-							New task
-						</button>
-						{orchestrator ? (
-							<button
-								aria-label="Orchestrator"
-								className="dashboard-app-header__accent-btn"
-								onClick={() =>
-									void navigate({
-										to: "/projects/$projectId/sessions/$sessionId",
-										params: { projectId, sessionId: orchestrator.id },
-									})
-								}
-								style={noDragStyle}
-								type="button"
-							>
-								<OrchestratorIcon className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
-								Orchestrator
-							</button>
-						) : (
-							<button
-								aria-label="Spawn Orchestrator"
-								className="dashboard-app-header__accent-btn"
-								disabled={isSpawning}
-								onClick={() => void openOrchestrator()}
-								style={noDragStyle}
-								type="button"
-							>
-								<OrchestratorIcon className="h-3.5 w-3.5" aria-hidden="true" />
-								{isSpawning ? "Spawning…" : "Spawn Orchestrator"}
-							</button>
-						)}
-					</>
 				) : null}
 			</div>
 			<NewTaskDialog
@@ -262,6 +224,20 @@ export function ShellTopbar() {
 	);
 }
 
+function TopbarNotificationButton() {
+	return (
+		<button
+			aria-label="Notifications"
+			className="dashboard-app-header__icon-btn dashboard-app-header__icon-btn--quiet"
+			style={noDragStyle}
+			title="Notifications"
+			type="button"
+		>
+			<Bell className="h-[15px] w-[15px]" aria-hidden="true" />
+		</button>
+	);
+}
+
 // Compact kill control for the topbar actions row. Stop a running worker and
 // tear down its runtime/workspace. Kill is irreversible from the UI, so the
 // button arms a one-step confirmation before firing POST /sessions/{id}/kill,
@@ -328,7 +304,8 @@ export function TopbarKillButton({ session }: { session: WorkspaceSession }) {
 			title="Kill session"
 			type="button"
 		>
-			<Square className="h-[15px] w-[15px]" aria-hidden="true" />
+			<Trash2 className="h-[13px] w-[13px]" aria-hidden="true" />
+			Kill
 		</button>
 	);
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/components/Sidebar.tsx b/frontend/src/renderer/components/Sidebar.tsx
index a243b26a2..9dc80f83b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ const HOVER_ACTION_CLASS =
 
 type SidebarProps = {
 	daemonStatus: { state: string; message?: string };
+	underTopbar?: boolean;
 	workspaceError?: string;
 	workspaces: WorkspaceSummary[];
 	onCreateProject: (input: { path: string }) => Promise<void>;
@@ -119,7 +120,14 @@ function SessionDot({ session }: { session: WorkspaceSession }) {
 // _shell owns open state (synced to the ui-store) and `collapsible="icon"`
 // replaces the old hand-rolled CollapsedRail — the same tree restyles itself
 // via group-data-[collapsible=icon] into the 48px letter rail.
-export function Sidebar({ daemonStatus, workspaceError, workspaces, onCreateProject, onRemoveProject }: SidebarProps) {
+export function Sidebar({
+	daemonStatus,
+	underTopbar = true,
+	workspaceError,
+	workspaces,
+	onCreateProject,
+	onRemoveProject,
+}: SidebarProps) {
 	const selection = useSelection();
 	const eventsConnection = useEventsConnection();
 	const { state } = useSidebar();
@@ -151,8 +159,11 @@ export function Sidebar({ daemonStatus, workspaceError, workspaces, onCreateProj
 		// The container is fixed-positioned by the shadcn primitive; offset it
 		// below the 56px shell topbar so the bar runs edge-to-edge above it
 		// (same override as shadcn's header-above-sidebar block).
-		<SidebarRoot collapsible="icon" className="border-border top-14 h-[calc(100svh-3.5rem)]!">
-			<SidebarHeader className="gap-0 p-0 px-[7px] pt-3.5 group-data-[collapsible=icon]:px-1.5">
+		<SidebarRoot
+			collapsible="icon"
+			className={cn("border-border", underTopbar ? "top-14 h-[calc(100svh-3.5rem)]!" : "top-0 h-svh!")}
+		>
+			<SidebarHeader className="gap-0 p-0 pl-2.5 pr-[7px] pt-3.5 group-data-[collapsible=icon]:px-1.5">
 				{/* Brand (project-sidebar__brand); in the icon rail it becomes the old
             36px board button wrapping the 22px accent mark. */}
 				<div className="flex shrink-0 items-center gap-2.5 px-2 pb-[18px] group-data-[collapsible=icon]:justify-center group-data-[collapsible=icon]:px-0 group-data-[collapsible=icon]:pb-2">
@@ -192,7 +203,7 @@ export function Sidebar({ daemonStatus, workspaceError, workspaces, onCreateProj
 				</div>
 			</SidebarHeader>
 
-			<SidebarContent className="gap-0 px-[7px] group-data-[collapsible=icon]:items-center group-data-[collapsible=icon]:px-1.5">
+			<SidebarContent className="gap-0 pl-2.5 pr-[7px] group-data-[collapsible=icon]:items-center group-data-[collapsible=icon]:px-1.5">
 				<SidebarGroup className="p-0">
 					{/* Section label (project-sidebar__nav-label) */}
 					<div className="flex shrink-0 items-center justify-between px-2 pb-2 group-data-[collapsible=icon]:hidden">
@@ -544,11 +555,10 @@ function ProjectItem({
 					{removeError}
 				</span>
 			)}
-			{/* project-sidebar__sessions: indented under the project parent with a
-          subtle guide line so worker sessions read as children, not peer
-          navigation rows. */}
+			{/* project-sidebar__sessions: indented under the project parent so worker
+          sessions read as children without adding a persistent guide rail. */}
 			{expanded && sessions.length > 0 && (
-				<SidebarMenuSub className="mx-0 ml-[18px] translate-x-0 gap-0 border-l border-border px-0 py-1 pl-2.5">
+				<SidebarMenuSub className="mx-0 ml-[18px] translate-x-0 gap-0 border-l-0 px-0 py-1 pl-2.5">
 					{sessions.map((session) => {
 						const active = selection.activeSessionId === session.id;
 						return (
diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/routes/_shell.tsx b/frontend/src/renderer/routes/_shell.tsx
index 7eb542356..ed395722f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/routes/_shell.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/routes/_shell.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { createFileRoute, Outlet, useNavigate } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import { createFileRoute, Outlet, useNavigate, useRouterState } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { type CSSProperties, useCallback, useEffect } from "react";
 import { ShellTopbar } from "../components/ShellTopbar";
@@ -35,11 +35,13 @@ function errorMessage(error: unknown) {
 // instead of Zustand. The daemon-status effect runs here exactly once.
 function ShellLayout() {
 	const navigate = useNavigate();
+	const pathname = useRouterState({ select: (state) => state.location.pathname });
 	const queryClient = useQueryClient();
 	const workspaceQuery = useWorkspaceQuery();
 	const workspaces = workspaceQuery.data ?? [];
 	const daemonStatus = useDaemonStatus(queryClient);
 	const { theme, setTheme, isSidebarOpen, toggleSidebar } = useUiStore();
+	const isBoardRoute = pathname === "/" || /^\/projects\/[^/]+$/.test(pathname);
 
 	const updateWorkspaces = useCallback(
 		(updater: (workspaces: WorkspaceSummary[]) => WorkspaceSummary[]) => {
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ function ShellLayout() {
           in the layout, not the screens, so the crumb and actions never shift
           when the outlet content swaps. */}
 			<div className="flex h-screen min-h-0 flex-col bg-background text-foreground">
-				<ShellTopbar />
+				{!isBoardRoute && <ShellTopbar />}
 				{/* Controlled by the ui-store so TitlebarNav / Topbar toggles (which
             call the store directly) stay in sync. --sidebar-width chains to
             the drag-resizable --ao-sidebar-w set on :root by useResizable. */}
@@ -141,6 +143,7 @@ function ShellLayout() {
 				>
 					<Sidebar
 						daemonStatus={daemonStatus}
+						underTopbar={!isBoardRoute}
 						onCreateProject={createProject}
 						onRemoveProject={removeProject}
 						workspaceError={workspaceQuery.isError ? errorMessage(workspaceQuery.error) : undefined}
diff --git a/frontend/src/renderer/styles.css b/frontend/src/renderer/styles.css
index 31932ae73..4abaa05bf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/renderer/styles.css
+++ b/frontend/src/renderer/styles.css
@@ -189,6 +189,44 @@ select {
 	font: inherit;
 }
 
+:is(
+		button,
+		a[href],
+		summary,
+		select,
+		[role="button"],
+		[data-slot="select-trigger"],
+		[data-slot="select-item"],
+		[data-slot="dropdown-menu-item"],
+		[data-sidebar="menu-button"],
+		[data-sidebar="menu-sub-button"]
+	):not(:disabled):not([aria-disabled="true"]) {
+	cursor: pointer;
+}
+
+:is(
+	button,
+	select,
+	[role="button"],
+	[data-slot="select-trigger"],
+	[data-slot="select-item"],
+	[data-slot="dropdown-menu-item"],
+	[data-sidebar="menu-button"],
+	[data-sidebar="menu-sub-button"]
+):disabled,
+:is(
+	button,
+	select,
+	[role="button"],
+	[data-slot="select-trigger"],
+	[data-slot="select-item"],
+	[data-slot="dropdown-menu-item"],
+	[data-sidebar="menu-button"],
+	[data-sidebar="menu-sub-button"]
+)[aria-disabled="true"] {
+	cursor: not-allowed;
+}
+
 .xterm {
 	height: 100%;
 }
@@ -345,12 +383,25 @@ body.is-resizing-x [data-slot="sidebar-container"] {
 	color: var(--fg);
 }
 
+.dashboard-app-header__icon-btn--quiet {
+	width: 30px;
+	height: 30px;
+	border-radius: 6px;
+	color: var(--fg-muted);
+}
+
 .dashboard-app-header__kill-btn {
-	display: grid;
-	width: 34px;
-	height: 34px;
-	place-items: center;
-	border-radius: 7px;
+	display: inline-flex;
+	height: 30px;
+	align-items: center;
+	gap: 5px;
+	border-radius: 6px;
+	border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--red) 58%, transparent);
+	background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--red) 5%, transparent);
+	padding: 0 10px;
+	font-size: 12px;
+	font-weight: 650;
+	line-height: 1;
 	color: var(--red);
 	transition:
 		background 0.12s ease,
@@ -359,6 +410,7 @@ body.is-resizing-x [data-slot="sidebar-container"] {
 
 .dashboard-app-header__kill-btn:hover {
 	background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--red) 12%, transparent);
+	border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--red) 75%, transparent);
 }
 
 .dashboard-app-header__kill-confirm {
@@ -436,6 +488,13 @@ body.is-resizing-x [data-slot="sidebar-container"] {
 	opacity: 0.6;
 }
 
+.dashboard-app-header__primary-btn--compact {
+	height: 32px;
+	border-radius: 7px;
+	padding: 0 14px;
+	font-size: 13px;
+}
+
 .dashboard-app-header__accent-btn {
 	display: inline-flex;
 	height: 34px;