diff --git a/static/js/chat.js b/static/js/chat.js
index 65e4d17de..12df53973 100644
--- a/static/js/chat.js
+++ b/static/js/chat.js
@@ -628,8 +628,13 @@ import { wireArrowUpRecall, getLastUserMessageFromChatHistory } from './composer
         }
       }
       let _userMsgEl = null;
+      // Capture which mode the user picked at send time so the message
+      // header can show "Chat" or "Agent" next to the timestamp.
+      const _sendMode = (toggleState.mode || 'chat') === 'agent' ? 'agent' : 'chat';
       if (!skipBubble) {
-        _userMsgEl = addMessage('user', userDisplay, null, _pendingAttachInfo ? { attachments: _pendingAttachInfo } : null);
+        const _userMeta = { mode: _sendMode };
+        if (_pendingAttachInfo) _userMeta.attachments = _pendingAttachInfo;
+        _userMsgEl = addMessage('user', userDisplay, null, _userMeta);
       }
       messageInput.value = '';
       messageInput.style.height = '';
@@ -3423,6 +3428,9 @@ import { wireArrowUpRecall, getLastUserMessageFromChatHistory } from './composer
       if (holder.parentNode) holder.remove();
       const model = meta && meta.model;
       const meta_ = metricsData ? Object.assign({ model }, metricsData) : { model };
+      // Carry the send-time mode through so the assistant header gets
+      // the same Chat/Agent tag next to its timestamp.
+      meta_.mode = (toggleState.mode || 'chat') === 'agent' ? 'agent' : 'chat';
       chatRenderer.addMessage('assistant', roundText, model, meta_);
       uiModule.scrollHistory();
       return true;
diff --git a/static/js/chatRenderer.js b/static/js/chatRenderer.js
index 9a5c6f78b..2994fef9d 100644
--- a/static/js/chatRenderer.js
+++ b/static/js/chatRenderer.js
@@ -832,8 +832,10 @@ export function updateSessionCostUI() {
 
 /** Create a timestamp span for role labels.
  * Pass an ISO string / Date / epoch-ms to render the message's own time
- * (used when replaying history). Falls back to "now" when no value is given. */
-export function roleTimestamp(when) {
+ * (used when replaying history). Falls back to "now" when no value is given.
+ * Optionally pass `mode` ('chat' | 'agent') to append a small badge so the
+ * reader can tell at a glance which path the message went through. */
+export function roleTimestamp(when, mode) {
   const ts = document.createElement('span');
   ts.className = 'role-timestamp';
   let d;
@@ -844,6 +846,12 @@ export function roleTimestamp(when) {
   if (isNaN(d.getTime())) d = new Date();
   ts.textContent = d.toLocaleTimeString([], {hour: '2-digit', minute:'2-digit'});
   ts.title = d.toLocaleString();
+  if (mode === 'agent' || mode === 'chat') {
+    const tag = document.createElement('span');
+    tag.className = 'role-mode-tag role-mode-' + mode;
+    tag.textContent = mode === 'agent' ? 'Agent' : 'Chat';
+    ts.appendChild(tag);
+  }
   return ts;
 }
 
@@ -2005,7 +2013,7 @@ export function addMessage(role, content, modelName, metadata) {
             roleEl.title = pair.requestedModel + ' -> ' + contModel;
           }
           applyModelColor(roleEl, contModel);
-          if (r === 0) roleEl.appendChild(roleTimestamp(metadata?.timestamp));
+          if (r === 0) roleEl.appendChild(roleTimestamp(metadata?.timestamp, metadata?.mode));
           wrap.appendChild(roleEl);
           const body = document.createElement('div');
           body.className = 'body';
@@ -2165,7 +2173,7 @@ export function addMessage(role, content, modelName, metadata) {
         r.title = replyModels.requestedModel + ' -> ' + resolvedModel;
       }
       if (!isSlash && !isCompacted) applyModelColor(r, resolvedModel);
-      r.appendChild(roleTimestamp(metadata?.timestamp));
+      r.appendChild(roleTimestamp(metadata?.timestamp, metadata?.mode));
     }
 
     const b = document.createElement('div');
@@ -2410,7 +2418,7 @@ export function addMessage(role, content, modelName, metadata) {
       if (metadata) displayMetrics(wrap, metadata);
     } else {
       // Add timestamp to user header (like AI messages)
-      r.appendChild(roleTimestamp(metadata?.timestamp));
+      r.appendChild(roleTimestamp(metadata?.timestamp, metadata?.mode));
 
       wrap.appendChild(createUserMsgFooter(wrap));
     }
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index 6e8b03040..8e34e0b7e 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -3247,6 +3247,26 @@ body.bg-pattern-sparkles {
     .role-timestamp {
       font-size:0.7rem; color:var(--color-muted-alt); font-weight:normal; margin-left:6px;
     }
+    /* Mode tag (Chat / Agent) sits right after the timestamp so users
+       can tell at a glance which path a message took. Subtle pill —
+       no accent background, just text + thin border. */
+    .role-mode-tag {
+      display: inline-block;
+      margin-left: 6px;
+      padding: 0 5px;
+      font-size: 0.62rem;
+      line-height: 1.6;
+      font-weight: 600;
+      text-transform: uppercase;
+      letter-spacing: 0.4px;
+      border-radius: 999px;
+      border: 1px solid color-mix(in srgb, var(--fg) 18%, transparent);
+      opacity: 0.7;
+    }
+    .role-mode-tag.role-mode-agent {
+      color: var(--accent, var(--red));
+      border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent, var(--red)) 35%, transparent);
+    }
     .msg-footer {
       display:flex; align-items:center; gap:6px;
       flex-wrap: wrap;