diff --git a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/services/authStateManager.ts b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/services/authStateManager.ts
index 9614cae6..566a4afb 100644
--- a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/services/authStateManager.ts
+++ b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/services/authStateManager.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ export class AuthStateManager {
   private static context: vscode.ExtensionContext | null = null;
   private static readonly AUTH_STATE_KEY = 'qwen.authState';
   private static readonly AUTH_CACHE_DURATION = 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000; // 24 hours
-  //TODO:
   private constructor() {}
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/App.tsx b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/App.tsx
index 23860c47..4b51d6b6 100644
--- a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/App.tsx
+++ b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/App.tsx
@@ -646,8 +646,7 @@ export const App: React.FC = () => {
 
       <div
         ref={messagesContainerRef}
-        className="chat-messages flex-1 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden pt-5 pr-5 pl-5 pb-[120px] flex flex-col relative min-w-0 focus:outline-none [&::-webkit-scrollbar]:w-2 [&::-webkit-scrollbar-track]:bg-transparent [&::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb]:bg-white/20 [&::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb]:rounded-sm [&::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover]:bg-white/30 [&>*]:flex [&>*]:gap-0 [&>*]:items-start [&>*]:text-left [&>*]:py-2 [&>*:not(:last-child)]:pb-[8px] [&>*]:flex-col [&>*]:relative [&>*]:animate-[fadeIn_0.2s_ease-in]"
-        style={{ backgroundColor: 'var(--app-primary-background)' }}
+        className="chat-messages messages-container flex-1 overflow-y-auto overflow-x-hidden pt-5 pr-5 pl-5 pb-[120px] flex flex-col relative min-w-0 focus:outline-none [&::-webkit-scrollbar]:w-2 [&::-webkit-scrollbar-track]:bg-transparent [&::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb]:bg-white/20 [&::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb]:rounded-sm [&::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb]:hover:bg-white/30 [&>*]:flex [&>*]:gap-0 [&>*]:items-start [&>*]:text-left [&>*]:py-2 [&>*:not(:last-child)]:pb-[8px] [&>*]:flex-col [&>*]:relative [&>*]:animate-[fadeIn_0.2s_ease-in]"
       >
         {!hasContent ? (
           <EmptyState />
@@ -655,12 +654,17 @@ export const App: React.FC = () => {
           <>
             {/* Render all messages and tool calls */}
             {renderMessages()}
-            {messageHandling.isWaitingForResponse &&
-              messageHandling.loadingMessage && (
-                <WaitingMessage
-                  loadingMessage={messageHandling.loadingMessage}
-                />
-              )}
+            {/* Flow-in persistent slot: keeps a small constant height so toggling */}
+            {/* the waiting message doesn't change list height to zero. When */}
+            {/* active, render the waiting message inline (not fixed). */}
+            <div className="waiting-message-slot min-h-[28px]">
+              {messageHandling.isWaitingForResponse &&
+                messageHandling.loadingMessage && (
+                  <WaitingMessage
+                    loadingMessage={messageHandling.loadingMessage}
+                  />
+                )}
+            </div>
 
             <div ref={messagesEndRef} />
           </>
diff --git a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/PanelManager.ts b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/PanelManager.ts
index 72c7fa7b..44f1a6ec 100644
--- a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/PanelManager.ts
+++ b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/PanelManager.ts
@@ -201,8 +201,17 @@ export class PanelManager {
    */
   revealPanel(preserveFocus: boolean = true): void {
     if (this.panel) {
-      // Reveal without forcing a specific column to avoid reflowing groups.
-      this.panel.reveal(undefined, preserveFocus);
+      // Prefer revealing in the currently tracked group to avoid reflowing groups.
+      const trackedColumn = (
+        this.panelTab as unknown as {
+          group?: { viewColumn?: vscode.ViewColumn };
+        }
+      )?.group?.viewColumn as vscode.ViewColumn | undefined;
+      const targetColumn: vscode.ViewColumn =
+        trackedColumn ??
+        this.panelGroupViewColumn ??
+        vscode.window.tabGroups.activeTabGroup.viewColumn;
+      this.panel.reveal(targetColumn, preserveFocus);
     }
   }
 
@@ -236,7 +245,7 @@ export class PanelManager {
             group?: { viewColumn?: vscode.ViewColumn };
           }
         )?.group?.viewColumn;
-        if (groupViewColumn != null) {
+        if (groupViewColumn !== null) {
           this.panelGroupViewColumn = groupViewColumn as vscode.ViewColumn;
         }
       } catch {
@@ -257,7 +266,7 @@ export class PanelManager {
     this.panel.onDidDispose(
       () => {
         // Capture the group we intend to clean up before we clear fields
-        const targetColumn =
+        const targetColumn: vscode.ViewColumn | null =
           // Prefer the group from the captured tab if available
           ((
             this.panelTab as unknown as {
@@ -266,7 +275,7 @@ export class PanelManager {
           )?.group?.viewColumn as vscode.ViewColumn | undefined) ??
           // Fall back to our last-known group column
           this.panelGroupViewColumn ??
-          undefined;
+          null;
 
         this.panel = null;
         this.panelTab = null;
@@ -275,18 +284,19 @@ export class PanelManager {
         // After VS Code updates its tab model, check if that group is now
         // empty (and typically locked for Qwen). If so, close the group to
         // avoid leaving an empty locked column when the user closes Qwen.
-        if (targetColumn != null) {
+        if (targetColumn !== null) {
+          const column: vscode.ViewColumn = targetColumn;
           setTimeout(async () => {
             try {
               const groups = vscode.window.tabGroups.all;
-              const group = groups.find((g) => g.viewColumn === targetColumn);
+              const group = groups.find((g) => g.viewColumn === column);
               // If the group that hosted Qwen is now empty, close it to avoid
               // leaving an empty locked column around. VS Code's stable API
               // does not expose the lock state on TabGroup, so we only check
               // for emptiness here.
               if (group && group.tabs.length === 0) {
                 // Focus the group we want to close
-                await this.focusGroupByColumn(targetColumn);
+                await this.focusGroupByColumn(column);
                 // Try closeGroup first; fall back to removeActiveEditorGroup
                 try {
                   await vscode.commands.executeCommand(
diff --git a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/components/messages/Waiting/WaitingMessage.tsx b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/components/messages/Waiting/WaitingMessage.tsx
index fceeaaa8..68aceac8 100644
--- a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/components/messages/Waiting/WaitingMessage.tsx
+++ b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/components/messages/Waiting/WaitingMessage.tsx
@@ -65,20 +65,10 @@ export const WaitingMessage: React.FC<WaitingMessageProps> = ({
   }, [phrases]);
 
   return (
-    <div className="flex gap-0 items-start text-left py-2 flex-col opacity-85">
+    <div className="waiting-message-outer flex gap-0 items-start text-left py-2 flex-col opacity-85">
       {/* Use the same left status icon (pseudo-element) style as assistant-message-container */}
-      <div
-        className="assistant-message-container assistant-message-loading"
-        style={{
-          width: '100%',
-          alignItems: 'flex-start',
-          paddingLeft: '30px', // reserve space for ::before bullet
-          position: 'relative',
-          paddingTop: '8px',
-          paddingBottom: '8px',
-        }}
-      >
-        <span className="opacity-70 italic loading-text-shimmer">
+      <div className="assistant-message-container assistant-message-loading waiting-message-inner w-full items-start pl-[30px] relative">
+        <span className="waiting-message-text opacity-70 italic loading-text-shimmer">
           {phrases[index]}
         </span>
       </div>
diff --git a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/styles/App.css b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/styles/App.css
index 888c4ce3..e4ce12ea 100644
--- a/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/styles/App.css
+++ b/packages/vscode-ide-companion/src/webview/styles/App.css
@@ -47,9 +47,15 @@
   --app-input-highlight: var(--app-qwen-theme);
 
   /* Code Highlighting */
-  --app-code-background: var(--vscode-textCodeBlock-background, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05));
-  --app-link-foreground: var(--vscode-textLink-foreground, #007ACC);
-  --app-link-active-foreground: var(--vscode-textLink-activeForeground, #005A9E);
+  --app-code-background: var(
+    --vscode-textCodeBlock-background,
+    rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05)
+  );
+  --app-link-foreground: var(--vscode-textLink-foreground, #007acc);
+  --app-link-active-foreground: var(
+    --vscode-textLink-activeForeground,
+    #005a9e
+  );
 
   /* List Styles */
   --app-list-hover-background: var(--vscode-list-hoverBackground);
@@ -167,7 +173,8 @@ button {
 }
 
 @keyframes pulse {
-  0%, 100% {
+  0%,
+  100% {
     opacity: 1;
   }
   50% {
@@ -176,7 +183,9 @@ button {
 }
 
 @keyframes typingPulse {
-  0%, 60%, 100% {
+  0%,
+  60%,
+  100% {
     transform: scale(0.7);
     opacity: 0.6;
   }
@@ -251,7 +260,8 @@ button {
 
 /* Animation for in-progress status (used by pseudo bullets and spinners) */
 @keyframes pulse {
-  0%, 100% {
+  0%,
+  100% {
     opacity: 1;
   }
   50% {