diff --git a/vibn-frontend/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx b/vibn-frontend/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
index e0b1a765..5d43e9be 100644
--- a/vibn-frontend/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
+++ b/vibn-frontend/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
@@ -705,7 +705,9 @@ function Timeline({ entries }: { entries: TimelineEntry[] }) {
     <div style={{ marginBottom: 6 }}>
       {items.map((item, i) => {
         if (item.kind === "thought") {
-          return <ThinkingBubble key={i} thoughts={item.text} />;
+          // Reasoning/thought bubbles are intentionally not rendered — they're
+          // internal and add noise to the chat.
+          return null;
         }
         if (item.kind === "text") {
           return <TimelineText key={i} text={item.text} />;
@@ -1998,34 +2000,6 @@ export function ChatPanel({
           <MessageBubble key={msg.id || i} msg={msg} />
         ))}
 
-        {sending && (
-          <div
-            style={{
-              display: "flex",
-              alignItems: "center",
-              gap: 8,
-              padding: "8px 12px",
-              margin: "6px 0",
-              background: "#faf8f5",
-              border: "1px dashed #e8e4dc",
-              borderRadius: 8,
-              fontSize: "0.75rem",
-              color: "#8c8580",
-              fontFamily: "var(--font-inter),ui-sans-serif,sans-serif",
-            }}
-          >
-            <Loader2
-              style={{ width: 12, height: 12, color: "#3d5afe" }}
-              className="animate-spin"
-            />
-            <span style={{ fontStyle: "italic" }}>
-              {messages[messages.length - 1]?.role !== "assistant"
-                ? "Vibn AI is formulating plan..."
-                : "Vibn AI is executing tools & planning next steps..."}
-            </span>
-          </div>
-        )}
-
         <div ref={messagesEndRef} />
       </div>