diff --git a/coworker/personas/builtin/swe-lead/manifest.md b/coworker/personas/builtin/swe-lead/manifest.md
index 40ba0554..b1ce0616 100644
--- a/coworker/personas/builtin/swe-lead/manifest.md
+++ b/coworker/personas/builtin/swe-lead/manifest.md
@@ -17,10 +17,16 @@ NOT implement — you carry no shell or git on purpose. The board is the shared
 truth; your context window is disposable, the board is not.
 
 How you run a piece of work:
-1. UNDERSTAND: read enough of the repo (files, search) to decompose honestly.
+1. UNDERSTAND: read enough of the repo (files, search) to decompose honestly. The
+   board is per-PROJECT and outlives sessions — before proposing anything, read it
+   (list_items) and triage leftovers from earlier efforts: reassign or cancel stale
+   in-progress items, never stack duplicates of existing open ones.
 2. PLAN: split the work into items with crisp acceptance criteria — "Done when:" that a
    verifier can actually check. Acceptance criteria are the single biggest quality lever
-   you own; vague criteria produce vague work. Present the decomposition with
+   you own; vague criteria produce vague work. Criteria are 1–3 SHORT, independently
+   checkable statements — mechanics (setup commands, file paths, how-to) belong in the
+   item's description, never in the criteria; a verifier can pass/fail three checks,
+   it cannot pass/fail an essay. Present the decomposition with
    propose_work_items (works in any mode; approval creates the items on the board and
    returns their ids) and revise until the user approves. Use create_item only for
    one-off additions after the plan is approved.
diff --git a/coworker/personas/builtin/swe-worker/manifest.md b/coworker/personas/builtin/swe-worker/manifest.md
index f3860ff0..da65a8df 100644
--- a/coworker/personas/builtin/swe-worker/manifest.md
+++ b/coworker/personas/builtin/swe-worker/manifest.md
@@ -31,8 +31,10 @@ The team contract (this is how you work):
 - Discover a bug or follow-up outside your item's scope? File it (create_item) with
   real acceptance criteria and keep moving. The lead triages it.
 - Finish = transition to review with a hand-off comment: what you did, how you
-  verified it, refs (branch, files). You NEVER mark your own work done — done is the
-  verdict after verification.
+  verified it, refs (branch, files). Keep the hand-off TIGHT — a short paragraph
+  plus refs; full evidence and long output belong in the journal, not the comment
+  (long comments get clamped in wake digests anyway). You NEVER mark your own work
+  done — done is the verdict after verification.
 - Steering arrives attributed [Lead] or [User]; [User] outranks [Lead].
 - House rules hold: no silent skips — if you couldn't do part of the work, the
   hand-off comment says which part and why.
diff --git a/coworker/server/manager.py b/coworker/server/manager.py
index 7c6ba258..3bad327e 100644
--- a/coworker/server/manager.py
+++ b/coworker/server/manager.py
@@ -1955,9 +1955,9 @@ class SessionManager:
         if not self.teams.count_wake(team.team_id, cap=self.TEAM_WAKE_CAP_PER_HOUR):
             logger.warning("team %s paused for budget this hour", team.team_id)
             return 0
-        message = self._team_digest(team, directs, subs, chats, is_lead=is_lead)
+        message, rows = self._team_digest(team, directs, subs, chats, is_lead=is_lead)
         self._team_inflight.add(session_id)
-        source = self._board_source(team, message)
+        source = self._board_source(team, message, rows=rows)
 
         async def _deliver() -> None:
             try:
@@ -1980,6 +1980,21 @@ class SessionManager:
         asyncio.create_task(_deliver())
         return 1
 
+    # Long comment/hand-off bodies are already durable on the board — the wake
+    # message's job is to say what needs DECISIONS, not to re-carry the evidence
+    # into the recipient's context on every wake (owner ruling 2026-08-16). The
+    # model text clamps hard; the UI sidecar rows clamp softer (the human gets a
+    # bigger excerpt on click without re-inflating the lead's prompt).
+    DIGEST_CLAMP_MODEL = 300
+    DIGEST_CLAMP_UI = 600
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _clamp(text: str, limit: int, *, suffix: str = "…") -> str:
+        text = (text or "").strip()
+        if len(text) <= limit:
+            return text
+        return text[:limit].rstrip() + suffix
+
     def _team_digest(
         self,
         team,
@@ -1988,10 +2003,16 @@ class SessionManager:
         chats: Optional[list[dict]] = None,
         *,
         is_lead: bool,
-    ) -> str:
+    ) -> tuple[str, list[dict]]:
         """Coalesce one queue batch into one wake message. Deterministic, computed
-        by code — the model does judgment, not arithmetic."""
+        by code — the model does judgment, not arithmetic. Returns (model text,
+        structured rows) — the rows ride the display sidecar so the GUI renders a
+        collapsed BoardWakeCard instead of re-parsing prose."""
+        clamp = lambda text: self._clamp(  # noqa: E731 — two-site local shorthand
+            text, self.DIGEST_CLAMP_MODEL, suffix=" … (full text on the board)"
+        )
         lines: list[str] = []
+        rows: list[dict] = []
         for event in directs + subs:
             item_id = event.get("item_id")
             payload = event.get("payload") or {}
@@ -2002,6 +2023,11 @@ class SessionManager:
                 except Exception:
                     item = None
             title = f"#{item_id} {item['title']}" if item else f"#{item_id}"
+            row = {
+                "item": item_id,
+                "title": item["title"] if item else "",
+                "actor": event.get("actor", ""),
+            }
             if event["kind"] == "item_assigned":
                 if item is None:
                     continue
@@ -2012,15 +2038,18 @@ class SessionManager:
                         f"{event['actor']} claimed {title} — it's theirs now;"
                         " reassign or cancel if that's wrong."
                     )
+                    rows.append({**row, "kind": "claimed"})
                     continue
                 lines.append(
                     f"You've been assigned work item {title}.\n"
                     f"  Done when: {item['criteria']}"
                     + (f"\n  Details: {item['description']}" if item["description"] else "")
                 )
+                rows.append({**row, "kind": "assigned"})
             elif event["kind"] == "item_transitioned":
                 to = payload.get("to", "?")
-                note = f" — “{payload.get('comment')}”" if payload.get("comment") else ""
+                comment = clamp(payload.get("comment") or "")
+                note = f" — “{comment}”" if comment else ""
                 if to == "canceled" and not is_lead:
                     lines.append(
                         f"{title} was CANCELED by {event['actor']}{note} — stop any"
@@ -2028,32 +2057,63 @@ class SessionManager:
                     )
                 else:
                     lines.append(f"{title} moved to {to} by {event['actor']}{note}")
+                rows.append(
+                    {
+                        **row,
+                        "kind": "moved",
+                        "to": to,
+                        "note": self._clamp(
+                            payload.get("comment") or "", self.DIGEST_CLAMP_UI
+                        ),
+                    }
+                )
             elif event["kind"] == "item_created":
                 lines.append(f"New item filed by {event['actor']}: {title}")
+                rows.append({**row, "kind": "filed"})
             elif event["kind"] == "item_commented":
                 lines.append(
-                    f"Comment on {title} by {event['actor']}: {payload.get('body', '')}"
+                    f"Comment on {title} by {event['actor']}:"
+                    f" {clamp(payload.get('body', ''))}"
+                )
+                rows.append(
+                    {
+                        **row,
+                        "kind": "comment",
+                        "note": self._clamp(
+                            payload.get("body") or "", self.DIGEST_CLAMP_UI
+                        ),
+                    }
                 )
         for chat in chats or []:
             who = chat["author"] if chat["author_role"] != "user" else "[User]"
-            lines.append(f"# team chat — {who}: {chat['text']}")
+            lines.append(f"# team chat — {who}: {clamp(chat['text'])}")
+            rows.append(
+                {
+                    "kind": "chat",
+                    "actor": who,
+                    "note": self._clamp(chat["text"], self.DIGEST_CLAMP_UI),
+                }
+            )
         body = "\n".join(f"- {line}" for line in lines) or "- (no detail)"
         if is_lead:
-            return (
+            message = (
                 "⏰ Board wake — your team needs decisions:\n"
                 + body
-                + "\n\nVerify review items against their acceptance criteria (then"
+                + "\n\nFull hand-off comments live on the board (get_item)."
+                " Verify review items against their acceptance criteria (then"
                 " done, or send back with a comment), unblock or reassign blocked"
                 " items, and triage new filings. Steer only where needed."
             )
-        return (
-            "[Lead] Board update:\n"
-            + body
-            + self._roster_note(team)
-            + "\n\nMove your item to in_progress when you start; blocked (with a"
-            " comment) if stuck; review with a hand-off comment when finished."
-            " Journal evidence as you go."
-        )
+        else:
+            message = (
+                "[Lead] Board update:\n"
+                + body
+                + self._roster_note(team)
+                + "\n\nMove your item to in_progress when you start; blocked (with a"
+                " comment) if stuck; review with a hand-off comment when finished."
+                " Journal evidence as you go."
+            )
+        return message, rows
 
     @staticmethod
     def _roster_note(team) -> str:
@@ -2074,11 +2134,15 @@ class SessionManager:
         return f"\n\nYour team: {mates}; lead (coordinator).{reach}"
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _board_source(team, message: str) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    def _board_source(
+        team, message: str, *, rows: Optional[list[dict]] = None
+    ) -> dict[str, Any]:
         """Display-only MessageSource sidecar for board deliveries — the same
         mechanism connector messages use, so the GUI renders a structured card
         instead of a fake user bubble (owner ask 2026-08-16). The framed message
-        stays the model-facing text; this only shapes presentation."""
+        stays the model-facing text; this only shapes presentation. `rows` are
+        the digest's structured events — the BoardWakeCard renders those
+        (collapsed to one line by default) instead of re-parsing the prose."""
         return {
             "connector": "board",
             "kind": "channel",
@@ -2088,6 +2152,7 @@ class SessionManager:
             "sender_name": "Board",
             "ts": time.time(),
             "text": message,
+            "board": {"rows": rows or []},
         }
 
     def team_staleness_digest(self, session_id: str) -> str:
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/e2e/board.spec.ts b/surfaces/gui/e2e/board.spec.ts
index 1ac8f1e7..6f0dfc16 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/e2e/board.spec.ts
+++ b/surfaces/gui/e2e/board.spec.ts
@@ -61,6 +61,26 @@ test("expand opens the overlay board; the user verifies review items and removes
   await expect(page.getByTestId("board-overlay")).toHaveCount(0);
 });
 
+test("finished items leave the rail; a quiet toggle reveals them", async ({ page }) => {
+  await planTheWork(page);
+  const rail = page.getByTestId("board-rail");
+  await expect(rail.getByText("Report rollup")).toBeVisible(); // review = active
+  await page.getByTestId("board-expand").click();
+  await page
+    .getByTestId("board-col-review")
+    .getByRole("button", { name: "Mark done" })
+    .click();
+  await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
+  // done vanishes from the rail — a fresh session on an old board starts calm
+  await expect(rail.getByText("Report rollup")).toHaveCount(0);
+  const toggle = page.getByTestId("board-finished-toggle");
+  await expect(toggle).toHaveText("1 finished · show");
+  await toggle.click();
+  await expect(rail.getByText("Report rollup")).toBeVisible();
+  await toggle.click();
+  await expect(rail.getByText("Report rollup")).toHaveCount(0);
+});
+
 test("journal section lists cases once a board exists", async ({ page }) => {
   await planTheWork(page);
   await page.getByRole("button", { name: /Journal/ }).click();
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/e2e/fixtures.ts b/surfaces/gui/e2e/fixtures.ts
index 1811ca31..1b45d5f2 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/e2e/fixtures.ts
+++ b/surfaces/gui/e2e/fixtures.ts
@@ -642,10 +642,42 @@ export async function mockApi(page: import("@playwright/test").Page) {
         }
         // Agent teams: the decomposition gate — the lead proposes work items and
         // SUSPENDS until the items_response verdict arrives (approval creates them).
+        // A board wake arriving on this session: the digest rides `source` with
+        // structured rows — the BoardWakeCard renders collapsed by default.
+        if (/board wake/i.test(msg.text)) {
+          send("turn_start", {
+            source: {
+              connector: "board",
+              kind: "channel",
+              channel_id: "/Users/test/OpenWorker/launch-note",
+              channel_name: "Team board",
+              sender_id: "board",
+              sender_name: "Board",
+              ts: Date.now() / 1000,
+              text: "⏰ Board wake — your team needs decisions:\n- #2 moved to review by webb",
+              board: {
+                rows: [
+                  {
+                    kind: "moved",
+                    item: 2,
+                    title: "Statements page",
+                    actor: "webb",
+                    to: "review",
+                    note: "Ready for review on feat/customer-statements, commit 029f9f7. Build verified; final verdict stays with the tester.",
+                  },
+                  { kind: "filed", item: 5, title: "Follow-up: rate limit", actor: "nia" },
+                ],
+              },
+            },
+          });
+          send("assistant_message", { text: "Reviewing the hand-off now." });
+          send("turn_done");
+          return;
+        }
         if (/propose the split/i.test(msg.text)) {
           send("items_proposed", {
             items: [
-              { title: "Statement API endpoint", criteria: "returns opening/closing balances; 8 endpoint tests green" },
+              { title: "Statement API endpoint", criteria: "returns opening/closing balances over the chosen range; 8 endpoint tests green; malformed, missing, and reversed date ranges return 400; draft invoices are excluded from issued totals; inclusive boundaries verified end to end" },
               { title: "Statements dashboard page", criteria: "renders seeded data for Ada / Northgate; empty + error states covered" },
               { title: "Statement totals reconcile", criteria: "running balance matches invoices minus payments for the range" },
               { title: "Verification pass", criteria: "tester confirms page renders with live API data" },
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/e2e/team.spec.ts b/surfaces/gui/e2e/team.spec.ts
index b3d311d0..18efa244 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/e2e/team.spec.ts
+++ b/surfaces/gui/e2e/team.spec.ts
@@ -27,11 +27,59 @@ test("the decomposition gate shows items with criteria; approval lands them on t
   await card.getByRole("button", { name: /1 more item/ }).click();
   await expect(card.getByText("Verification pass")).toBeVisible();
 
+  // essay-length criteria clamp behind a per-item expander (owner-hit 2026-08-16)
+  const acToggle = page.getByTestId("itemsreq-ac-toggle-0");
+  await expect(acToggle).toHaveText("Show full criteria");
+  await acToggle.click();
+  await expect(acToggle).toHaveText("Show less");
+  // the short-criteria items get no toggle
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("itemsreq-ac-toggle-1")).toHaveCount(0);
+
   await page.getByTestId("itemsreq-approve").click();
   await expect(page.getByText(/Items created on the board/)).toBeVisible();
   await expect(page.getByTestId("board-rail")).toBeVisible();
 });
 
+test("typing while a gate is pending sends the reply as feedback to the lead", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await proposeTeam(page);
+  // the composer re-opens for a typed answer instead of hard-blocking on "running"
+  const box = page.getByPlaceholder(/Reply to adjust the proposal/);
+  await box.fill("use openai:gpt-5.6-sol for all the workers");
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send" }).click();
+  // the reply lands as a user message AND resolves the gate as decline-with-feedback
+  await expect(
+    page.getByText("use openai:gpt-5.6-sol for all the workers"),
+  ).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByText(/tell me how to change the roster/)).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("teamreq-card")).toHaveCount(0);
+});
+
+test("a board wake renders collapsed; expanding reveals rows, hand-offs stay one more click away", async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
+  await page.goto("/");
+  await page.getByPlaceholder(/Ask the coworker/).fill("board wake");
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send" }).click();
+  const card = page.getByTestId("boardwake-card");
+  await expect(card).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(card).toContainText("Board wake");
+  await expect(card).toContainText("1 review, 1 filing");
+  // collapsed by default: ambient awareness, not reading assignment
+  await expect(page.getByTestId("boardwake-body")).toHaveCount(0);
+  await expect(card).not.toContainText("029f9f7");
+  await page.getByTestId("boardwake-toggle").click();
+  const body = page.getByTestId("boardwake-body");
+  await expect(body).toBeVisible();
+  await expect(body).toContainText("#2 Statements page → review by webb");
+  await expect(body).toContainText("nia filed #5 Follow-up: rate limit");
+  // the hand-off comment sits behind its own per-row toggle
+  await expect(body).not.toContainText("029f9f7");
+  await body.getByRole("button", { name: "show hand-off" }).click();
+  await expect(body).toContainText("029f9f7");
+});
+
 test("declining the split returns feedback to the lead", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.goto("/");
   await page.getByPlaceholder(/Ask the coworker/).fill("propose the split");
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
index f7df71d0..ec3f44f4 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/App.tsx
@@ -1020,6 +1020,24 @@ export function App() {
       setSendGate({ text, attachments, skill });
       return;
     }
+    // A typed message while a proposal gate is pending IS the answer: it resolves
+    // the gate as decline-with-feedback, so "use gpt-5.6-sol for all workers"
+    // reaches the lead instead of bouncing off a blocked composer (owner-hit
+    // 2026-08-16). The card buttons stay the approve/plain-decline paths.
+    if (!unattended && pendingTeam?.kind === "teamreq" && !pendingTeam.resolved) {
+      setItems((p) => [...p, { kind: "user", text, ts: Date.now() / 1000 }]);
+      respondTeam(false, text);
+      return;
+    }
+    if (
+      !unattended &&
+      pendingItemsReq?.kind === "itemsreq" &&
+      !pendingItemsReq.resolved
+    ) {
+      setItems((p) => [...p, { kind: "user", text, ts: Date.now() / 1000 }]);
+      respondItemsReq(false, text);
+      return;
+    }
     // Force-run shows exactly what the user typed: "/name rest". Must match the server's
     // `display` sidecar formula so the turn_start dedupe recognizes the local echo.
     const shown = skill ? `/${skill}${text ? ` ${text}` : ""}` : text;
@@ -1952,6 +1970,7 @@ export function App() {
               models={models}
               modelLabels={modelLabels}
               running={running}
+              gateOpen={!unattended && (!!pendingTeam || !!pendingItemsReq)}
               connected={connected}
               modelReady={modelReady}
               onConnectModel={openModelSetup}
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/api.ts b/surfaces/gui/src/api.ts
index 83baa7bb..5a684aa0 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/api.ts
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/api.ts
@@ -162,6 +162,20 @@ export interface MessageSource {
   sender_name: string; // resolved; may equal the id
   ts: number; // epoch seconds
   text: string; // the RAW message (what the card shows)
+  // Board wakes only (connector === "board"): the digest as structured rows, so
+  // the BoardWakeCard renders collapsed summaries instead of re-parsing prose.
+  board?: { rows: BoardWakeRow[] };
+}
+
+// One digest event on a board wake. `note` is a UI-clamped excerpt of a hand-off
+// comment (the full text lives on the board).
+export interface BoardWakeRow {
+  kind: "assigned" | "claimed" | "moved" | "filed" | "comment" | "chat" | string;
+  item?: number | null;
+  title?: string;
+  actor?: string;
+  to?: string;
+  note?: string;
 }
 
 // A transcript message from GET /v1/sessions/{id}/messages. Kept permissive (open shape) because
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/components/BoardPanel.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/components/BoardPanel.tsx
index c8048366..cb4174c5 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/components/BoardPanel.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/components/BoardPanel.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 // endpoints and act as the USER. There is NO proposed/draft state: a plan
 // proposal lives in the conversation (plan-approval flow); the board only ever
 // contains accepted work, and work starts at ASSIGNMENT.
-import { useEffect } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import type { Board, BoardItem } from "../api";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
@@ -39,12 +39,30 @@ export function boardSummary(board: Board): string {
 }
 
 export function BoardSection({ board, onExpand }: { board: Board; onExpand: () => void }) {
-  const groups = GROUPS.map((g) => ({
-    ...g,
-    items: board.items.filter((i) => i.state === g.state),
-  })).filter((g) => g.items.length > 0);
+  // The rail shows ACTIVE work only (owner ruling 2026-08-16): a project board
+  // outlives its sessions, so finished history from a past effort would greet
+  // every fresh session as a long stale list. Done/canceled sit behind a quiet
+  // count; the expanded overlay keeps the full picture.
+  const [showFinished, setShowFinished] = useState(false);
+  const finished = board.items.filter(
+    (i) => i.state === "done" || i.state === "canceled"
+  ).length;
+  const shown = showFinished
+    ? GROUPS
+    : GROUPS.filter((g) => g.state !== "done" && g.state !== "canceled");
+  const groups = shown
+    .map((g) => ({
+      ...g,
+      items: board.items.filter((i) => i.state === g.state),
+    }))
+    .filter((g) => g.items.length > 0);
   return (
     <div className="board-rail" data-testid="board-rail">
+      {groups.length === 0 && (
+        <div className="board-rail-quiet" data-testid="board-rail-quiet">
+          No active work
+        </div>
+      )}
       {groups.map((group) => (
         <div key={group.state}>
           <div className="board-group">{group.label}</div>
@@ -61,6 +79,15 @@ export function BoardSection({ board, onExpand }: { board: Board; onExpand: () =
           ))}
         </div>
       ))}
+      {finished > 0 && (
+        <button
+          className="board-finished-toggle"
+          data-testid="board-finished-toggle"
+          onClick={() => setShowFinished((v) => !v)}
+        >
+          {showFinished ? "Hide finished" : `${finished} finished · show`}
+        </button>
+      )}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/components/BoardWakeCard.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/components/BoardWakeCard.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..688545f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/components/BoardWakeCard.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+// BoardWakeCard — a board wake in the lead's transcript, collapsed to ONE line by
+// default (owner ruling 2026-08-16): most of the time the user just wants the
+// feel that something is happening. Click to expand into per-event rows; long
+// hand-off comments hide behind a per-row "show hand-off". NOT the connector
+// card: a connector message is a foreign message, a board wake is a report —
+// different shape, different affordances (they only share the visual family).
+import { useState } from "react";
+import type { BoardWakeRow, MessageSource } from "../api";
+import { Icon } from "./Icon";
+
+function summarize(rows: BoardWakeRow[]): { text: string; attention: boolean } {
+  const counts: Record<string, number> = {};
+  const bump = (key: string) => (counts[key] = (counts[key] || 0) + 1);
+  for (const row of rows) {
+    if (row.kind === "moved" && row.to === "review") bump("review");
+    else if (row.kind === "moved" && row.to === "blocked") bump("blocked");
+    else if (row.kind === "moved" && row.to === "canceled") bump("canceled");
+    else if (row.kind === "moved") bump("move");
+    else if (row.kind === "filed") bump("filing");
+    else if (row.kind === "claimed") bump("claim");
+    else if (row.kind === "assigned") bump("assignment");
+    else if (row.kind === "comment") bump("comment");
+    else if (row.kind === "chat") bump("chat message");
+  }
+  const parts = Object.entries(counts).map(
+    ([label, n]) => `${n} ${label}${n === 1 ? "" : "s"}`
+  );
+  // reviews/blocked demand a decision — those tint the collapsed line amber
+  const attention = (counts.review || 0) + (counts.blocked || 0) > 0;
+  return { text: parts.join(", ") || "update", attention };
+}
+
+function rowText(row: BoardWakeRow): string {
+  const item = row.item != null ? `#${row.item}` : "";
+  const title = row.title ? ` ${row.title}` : "";
+  switch (row.kind) {
+    case "moved":
+      return `${item}${title} → ${row.to} by ${row.actor}`;
+    case "filed":
+      return `${row.actor} filed ${item}${title}`;
+    case "claimed":
+      return `${row.actor} claimed ${item}${title}`;
+    case "assigned":
+      return `${item}${title} assigned to you`;
+    case "comment":
+      return `${row.actor} commented on ${item}${title}`;
+    case "chat":
+      return `# team chat — ${row.actor}`;
+    default:
+      return `${item}${title}`;
+  }
+}
+
+function stateDot(row: BoardWakeRow): string {
+  if (row.kind === "moved" && row.to === "review") return "board-dot review";
+  if (row.kind === "moved" && row.to === "blocked") return "board-dot blocked";
+  if (row.kind === "moved" && row.to === "done") return "board-dot done";
+  if (row.kind === "claimed" || row.kind === "assigned") return "board-dot work";
+  return "board-dot idle";
+}
+
+export function BoardWakeCard({ source }: { source: MessageSource }) {
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [openNotes, setOpenNotes] = useState<Record<number, boolean>>({});
+  const rows = source.board?.rows || [];
+  const { text, attention } = summarize(rows);
+  return (
+    <div
+      className={"boardwake" + (attention ? " attention" : "")}
+      data-testid="boardwake-card"
+    >
+      <button
+        className="boardwake-head"
+        data-testid="boardwake-toggle"
+        onClick={() => setOpen((v) => !v)}
+        aria-expanded={open}
+      >
+        <Icon name="table" size={14} />
+        <span className="boardwake-title">Board wake</span>
+        <span className="boardwake-summary">{text}</span>
+        <span className="spacer" />
+        <span className={"boardwake-chevron" + (open ? " open" : "")}>
+          <Icon name="chevronDown" size={13} />
+        </span>
+      </button>
+      {open && (
+        <div className="boardwake-body" data-testid="boardwake-body">
+          {rows.map((row, i) => (
+            <div className="boardwake-row" key={i}>
+              <span className={stateDot(row)} />
+              <span className="boardwake-row-main">
+                <span className="boardwake-row-text">{rowText(row)}</span>
+                {row.note &&
+                  (openNotes[i] ? (
+                    <span className="boardwake-note">{row.note}</span>
+                  ) : (
+                    <button
+                      className="boardwake-note-toggle"
+                      onClick={() => setOpenNotes((s) => ({ ...s, [i]: true }))}
+                    >
+                      {row.kind === "chat" || row.kind === "comment"
+                        ? "show message"
+                        : "show hand-off"}
+                    </button>
+                  ))}
+              </span>
+            </div>
+          ))}
+          {rows.length === 0 && (
+            <div className="boardwake-note">{source.text}</div>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/components/Composer.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/components/Composer.tsx
index 532c437d..4c557cbb 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/components/Composer.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/components/Composer.tsx
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ interface Props {
   // session; after the first turn the fact lives in the topbar subtitle (§22) — no
   // interactive-then-disabled control.
   running: boolean;
+  // A proposal gate (team/items) is awaiting the user: the engine is suspended,
+  // so `running` is true — but typing must stay possible, because a typed reply
+  // IS an answer (decline-with-feedback). Unblocks Send while the gate is up.
+  gateOpen?: boolean;
   connected: boolean;
   // False when the default model's provider has no key — the composer shows a "connect a model"
   // banner and routes sends to setup (preserving the draft) instead of dropping them.
@@ -156,7 +160,14 @@ export function Composer(props: Props) {
     const el = textareaRef.current;
     if (!el) return;
     el.style.height = "auto";
-    const max = parseFloat(getComputedStyle(el).lineHeight || "22") * 4;
+    // The cap must include the vertical PADDING: scrollHeight does, so a
+    // padding-blind cap left the box ~20px short and scrolled the top padding
+    // (plus the first line) out of the clip while typing (OPE-106). Six lines —
+    // team briefs outgrew four.
+    const cs = getComputedStyle(el);
+    const pad =
+      (parseFloat(cs.paddingTop) || 0) + (parseFloat(cs.paddingBottom) || 0);
+    const max = (parseFloat(cs.lineHeight) || 22) * 6 + pad;
     const next = Math.min(el.scrollHeight, max);
     el.style.height = `${Math.max(next, 24)}px`;
     el.style.overflowY = el.scrollHeight > max ? "auto" : "hidden";
@@ -318,7 +329,7 @@ export function Composer(props: Props) {
     const t = (skill ? text.slice(skill.length + 1) : text).trim();
     if (
       (!t && attachments.length === 0 && !skill) ||
-      props.running ||
+      (props.running && !props.gateOpen) ||
       dictation?.recording ||
       dictationBusy
     )
@@ -513,7 +524,11 @@ export function Composer(props: Props) {
         <textarea
           ref={textareaRef}
           className="w-full block px-3.5 pt-3.5 pb-1.5 text-[14.5px]"
-          placeholder={props.placeholder || "Ask the coworker…  (drop or paste files)"}
+          placeholder={
+            props.gateOpen
+              ? "Reply to adjust the proposal — or use the buttons above"
+              : props.placeholder || "Ask the coworker…  (drop or paste files)"
+          }
           value={text}
           onChange={(e) => setText(e.target.value)}
           onKeyDown={onKey}
@@ -650,8 +665,8 @@ export function Composer(props: Props) {
             </button>
           )}
 
-          {/* send / stop */}
-          {props.running ? (
+          {/* send / stop — a pending gate re-opens Send: the reply resolves it */}
+          {props.running && !props.gateOpen ? (
             <button className="btn danger" onClick={props.onInterrupt}>
               ⏹ Stop
             </button>
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/components/Transcript.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/components/Transcript.tsx
index cd6168bc..e2fa8af4 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/components/Transcript.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/components/Transcript.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { ApprovalDecision, Item } from "../types";
 import { shortArgs } from "./ApprovalCard";
 import { humanizeAsk, humanizeTool, type HumanLine } from "../humanize";
 import { Markdown } from "./Markdown";
+import { BoardWakeCard } from "./BoardWakeCard";
 import { ConnectorMessageCard } from "./ConnectorMessageCard";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
@@ -415,7 +416,13 @@ export function Transcript({ items, running, streamingText, onRetry, onUndoMemor
         const { item } = block;
         switch (item.kind) {
           case "connector":
-            return <ConnectorMessageCard source={item.source} key={bi} />;
+            // Board wakes get their own collapsed-by-default card — a report,
+            // not a foreign message (owner ask 2026-08-16).
+            return item.source.connector === "board" ? (
+              <BoardWakeCard source={item.source} key={bi} />
+            ) : (
+              <ConnectorMessageCard source={item.source} key={bi} />
+            );
           case "user":
             return (
               <div className="group self-end max-w-[78%] flex flex-col items-end" key={bi}>
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/components/WorkItemsCard.tsx b/surfaces/gui/src/components/WorkItemsCard.tsx
index e3c3f48b..7cbec4a4 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/components/WorkItemsCard.tsx
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/components/WorkItemsCard.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ import { useState } from "react";
 import type { Item } from "../types";
 import { Icon } from "./Icon";
 
+// Past this length, "Done when" clamps to two lines with a per-item expander —
+// a model that writes essay criteria must not occupy two screens of gate card
+// (owner-hit 2026-08-16). The full text is one click away; the lead's prompt
+// separately pushes criteria back toward 1–3 crisp checks.
+const CRITERIA_CLAMP_CHARS = 160;
+
 export function WorkItemsCard({
   item,
   onRespond,
@@ -14,6 +20,7 @@ export function WorkItemsCard({
   onRespond: (approved: boolean, feedback?: string) => void;
 }) {
   const [expanded, setExpanded] = useState(false);
+  const [openCriteria, setOpenCriteria] = useState<Record<number, boolean>>({});
   const visible = expanded ? item.items : item.items.slice(0, 3);
   const hidden = item.items.length - visible.length;
   return (
@@ -25,23 +32,38 @@ export function WorkItemsCard({
         </span>
       </div>
       {item.note && <div className="itemsreq-note">{item.note}</div>}
-      {visible.map((entry, i) => (
-        <div className="itemsreq-item" key={i}>
-          <span className="itemsreq-num">{i + 1}.</span>
-          <span className="itemsreq-body">
-            <span className="itemsreq-item-title">{entry.title}</span>
-            <span className="itemsreq-ac">
-              <b>Done when:</b> {entry.criteria}
-            </span>
-          </span>
-        </div>
-      ))}
-      {hidden > 0 && (
-        <button className="itemsreq-more" onClick={() => setExpanded(true)}>
-          ＋ {hidden} more item{hidden === 1 ? "" : "s"}
-          <Icon name="chevronDown" size={12} />
-        </button>
-      )}
+      <div className="itemsreq-list">
+        {visible.map((entry, i) => {
+          const long = (entry.criteria || "").length > CRITERIA_CLAMP_CHARS;
+          const open = !!openCriteria[i];
+          return (
+            <div className="itemsreq-item" key={i}>
+              <span className="itemsreq-num">{i + 1}.</span>
+              <span className="itemsreq-body">
+                <span className="itemsreq-item-title">{entry.title}</span>
+                <span className={"itemsreq-ac" + (long && !open ? " clamped" : "")}>
+                  <b>Done when:</b> {entry.criteria}
+                </span>
+                {long && (
+                  <button
+                    className="itemsreq-ac-toggle"
+                    data-testid={`itemsreq-ac-toggle-${i}`}
+                    onClick={() => setOpenCriteria((s) => ({ ...s, [i]: !s[i] }))}
+                  >
+                    {open ? "Show less" : "Show full criteria"}
+                  </button>
+                )}
+              </span>
+            </div>
+          );
+        })}
+        {hidden > 0 && (
+          <button className="itemsreq-more" onClick={() => setExpanded(true)}>
+            ＋ {hidden} more item{hidden === 1 ? "" : "s"}
+            <Icon name="chevronDown" size={12} />
+          </button>
+        )}
+      </div>
       <div className="dirreq-actions">
         <span className="itemsreq-grant">
           Reply to edit the split; approval creates these on the board.
diff --git a/surfaces/gui/src/styles.css b/surfaces/gui/src/styles.css
index f32581c4..f5bc8290 100644
--- a/surfaces/gui/src/styles.css
+++ b/surfaces/gui/src/styles.css
@@ -456,7 +456,9 @@ button.btn.danger { color: var(--accent); }
    (Composer.tsx); only the textarea reset + drag-ring remain in CSS. */
 .composer textarea {
   width: 100%; border: none; outline: none; resize: none; font: inherit; font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.45;
-  background: transparent; color: var(--ink); min-height: 24px; max-height: 88px; overflow: hidden;
+  background: transparent; color: var(--ink); min-height: 24px; overflow: hidden;
+  /* Height (incl. the cap) is owned by the autogrow effect in Composer.tsx — a
+     CSS max-height here fought it and re-created the OPE-106 clipping. */
 }
 .composer textarea::placeholder { color: var(--faint); }
 .voice-wave-line { flex: 1; min-width: 28px; border-top: 1px dashed var(--line-strong); }
@@ -1640,6 +1642,42 @@ html[data-platform="linux"] ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover { background-color:
 
 /* ── Agent teams (OPE-96): board rail, expanded overlay, plan gate ─────────── */
 .board-rail { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 2px; }
+.board-rail-quiet { font-size: 12px; color: var(--faint); padding: 2px 0 4px; }
+.board-finished-toggle {
+  align-self: flex-start; border: none; background: none; padding: 4px 0 0; cursor: pointer;
+  font-size: 11.5px; color: var(--faint);
+}
+.board-finished-toggle:hover { color: var(--muted); text-decoration: underline; }
+
+/* -- BoardWakeCard: a board wake collapsed to one line (click to expand) ------- */
+.boardwake {
+  border: 1px solid var(--line); border-radius: 10px; background: var(--panel);
+  margin: 2px 0; overflow: hidden;
+}
+.boardwake.attention { border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--warn, #b98a2f) 45%, var(--line)); }
+.boardwake-head {
+  display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 7px; width: 100%; text-align: left;
+  border: none; background: none; cursor: pointer; padding: 7px 10px;
+  font-size: 12.5px; color: var(--muted);
+}
+.boardwake-head:hover { background: var(--paper); }
+.boardwake-title { font-weight: 600; color: var(--ink); }
+.boardwake-chevron { display: inline-flex; transition: transform 0.15s; }
+.boardwake-chevron.open { transform: rotate(180deg); }
+.boardwake-summary { color: var(--muted); overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; }
+.boardwake-body { border-top: 1px solid var(--line); padding: 6px 10px 8px; max-height: 260px; overflow-y: auto; }
+.boardwake-row { display: flex; align-items: baseline; gap: 8px; padding: 4px 0; }
+.boardwake-row-main { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 3px; min-width: 0; }
+.boardwake-row-text { font-size: 12px; color: var(--ink); }
+.boardwake-note {
+  font-size: 11.5px; color: var(--muted); white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: anywhere;
+  border-left: 2px solid var(--line); padding-left: 8px;
+}
+.boardwake-note-toggle {
+  align-self: flex-start; border: none; background: none; padding: 0; cursor: pointer;
+  font-size: 11px; color: var(--accent);
+}
+.boardwake-note-toggle:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
 .board-group {
   font-size: 10.5px; letter-spacing: 0.06em; text-transform: uppercase;
   color: var(--faint); font-weight: 700; margin: 8px 0 3px;
@@ -1746,6 +1784,17 @@ html[data-platform="linux"] ::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:hover { background-color:
 .itemsreq-item-title { font-size: 12.5px; color: var(--ink); }
 .itemsreq-ac { font-size: 11.5px; color: var(--muted); }
 .itemsreq-ac b { font-weight: 600; }
+/* Essay-length criteria clamp to two lines; the expander reveals the rest. The
+   list itself caps so a big proposal never occupies two screens of chat. */
+.itemsreq-ac.clamped {
+  display: -webkit-box; -webkit-line-clamp: 2; -webkit-box-orient: vertical; overflow: hidden;
+}
+.itemsreq-ac-toggle {
+  align-self: flex-start; border: none; background: none; padding: 0; cursor: pointer;
+  font-size: 11px; color: var(--accent);
+}
+.itemsreq-ac-toggle:hover { text-decoration: underline; }
+.itemsreq-list { max-height: 320px; overflow-y: auto; }
 .itemsreq-more { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 5px; border: 0; background: transparent; color: var(--accent); font-size: 12px; cursor: pointer; padding: 6px 0; }
 .itemsreq-grant { font-size: 11.5px; color: var(--faint); }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_team_wake.py b/tests/test_team_wake.py
index 895878e4..72d2bb1b 100644
--- a/tests/test_team_wake.py
+++ b/tests/test_team_wake.py
@@ -333,11 +333,44 @@ def test_create_team_uses_callnames_and_creates_the_chat_group(manager, monkeypa
     group = manager.chat_store.get_group(team.chat_group)
     assert {m["name"] for m in group["members"]} == {"nia", "nia-2", "lead"}
     # the worker digest carries the roster + how to reach teammates
-    digest = manager._team_digest(team, [], [], is_lead=False)
+    digest, _rows = manager._team_digest(team, [], [], is_lead=False)
     assert "Your team: nia (swe-worker — implementation)" in digest
     assert "@name in # team chat" in digest
 
 
+def test_digest_clamps_long_comments_and_carries_structured_rows(manager):
+    """Hand-off essays live on the board; the wake message carries a head, the
+    sidecar carries UI rows (owner ruling 2026-08-16 — the digest was arriving
+    as a wall of text)."""
+    from coworker.teams.registry import Team
+
+    space = str(manager.default_workspace)
+    lead = Actor(id="lead-1", role=Role.LEAD)
+    worker = Actor(id="nia", role=Role.WORKER)
+    item = manager.team_store.create_item(
+        space, lead, title="Big item", criteria="c"
+    )
+    manager.team_store.assign(space, lead, item["id"], "nia")
+    essay = "verified the endpoint thoroughly. " * 40  # ~1300 chars
+    manager.team_store.transition(
+        space, worker, item["id"], "in_progress"
+    )
+    manager.team_store.transition(
+        space, worker, item["id"], "review", comment=essay
+    )
+    team = Team(team_id="t1", space=space, lead_session="s", lead_actor="lead-1")
+    subs = manager.team_store.subscribed_events(space, "lead-1")
+    message, rows = manager._team_digest(team, [], subs, is_lead=True)
+    # model text: clamped hard, with the pointer back to the board
+    assert essay not in message
+    assert "(full text on the board)" in message
+    assert len(message) < 1200
+    # sidecar rows: structured, softer clamp for the human on click
+    moved = [r for r in rows if r["kind"] == "moved" and r["to"] == "review"]
+    assert moved and moved[0]["item"] == item["id"]
+    assert moved[0]["note"].endswith("…") and len(moved[0]["note"]) < 700
+
+
 def test_cancel_notice_is_addressed_to_the_assignee(store):
     item_id = assigned(store)
     store.consume("swe-worker", store.pending_for("swe-worker")[-1]["seq"])