placeholder is content-gated: survives agent_start, releases at first visible content, sticky per turn

components/chat.tsx

@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ export function Chat({
 	// (core/view.ts projectView); sends are ONE explicit input event each
 	// ({chatId, input} — the stash indirection died with the SDK), and the
 	// turn stream is the VERBATIM AgentEvent passthrough the server emits.
-	const { messages, nativeMessages, send, submitAnswer, setMessages, adoptRecord, status, error, stop, clearError, resumeStream, setReattachSettled } =
+	const { messages, nativeMessages, send, submitAnswer, setMessages, adoptRecord, status, error, awaitingFirstChunk, stop, clearError, resumeStream, setReattachSettled } =
 		useChatSession({ chatId, initialMessages, initiallyInFlight });
 
 	// The reattach settled terminal → the sync-and-continue seam (below).
@@ -1177,19 +1177,19 @@ export function Chat({
 								</Fragment>
 							))}
 
-							{/* THE pre-first-chunk placeholder, ONE grammar everywhere
-							    (owner, optimistic round 2026-10-02): spinner + shimmered
-							    Thinking… from the instant anything is submitted (send,
-							    answer, reattach — status flips synchronously, so it shows
-							    before the first token, however slow the provider's
-							    connection) until the first event lands, then it hands off
-							    to the live stream — minimal change: the collapsible
-							    reasoning row carries the SAME look, now with content.
-							    Never collapsible itself (there is nothing to show yet).
-							    Once a tool call starts writing, its LIVE card carries the
-							    activity inline (the bottom tool-activity line retired,
-							    streaming round 2026-10-01). */}
-							{(status === "submitted" || turnInFlight) && (
+							{/* THE pre-first-CONTENT placeholder, ONE grammar everywhere
+							    (owner, optimistic round 2, 2026-10-02): spinner +
+							    shimmered Thinking… from the instant of any action that
+							    produces tokens (send, answer, session start, reattach,
+							    wake) — status flips synchronously — and it stays past
+							    agent_start (protocol events release nothing; the old
+							    status gate vanished the line into an empty wait) until
+							    the turn's first VISIBLE content: a reasoning/text delta
+							    or a tool call being written, where the stream takes over
+							    with the SAME look (the collapsible reasoning row / live
+							    tool card). The release is sticky — no flash between
+							    assistant steps. Never collapsible itself. */}
+							{(awaitingFirstChunk || turnInFlight) && (
 								<span className="flex items-center gap-2">
 									<BrailleSpinner label="Thinking" />
 									<Shimmer duration={1} className="text-sm">