diff --git a/vibn-frontend/app/api/chat/route.ts b/vibn-frontend/app/api/chat/route.ts
index d8d8a3c4..7260ced8 100644
--- a/vibn-frontend/app/api/chat/route.ts
+++ b/vibn-frontend/app/api/chat/route.ts
@@ -837,16 +837,16 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
           // guide the model to respond in plain text for conversational inputs.
           const toolDefs = activeMcpToken ? VIBN_TOOL_DEFINITIONS : [];
 
-          // Every 8 silent rounds or 12 tool calls, gently nudge the model to surface a one-liner
+          // Every 6 silent rounds or 8 tool calls, gently nudge the model to surface a one-liner
           // status before continuing. This is the user's only signal of
-          // life when a tool chain runs long, but we keep the threshold high so it doesn't distract.
-          const isSilent = roundsSinceText >= 30 || toolCallsSinceText >= 12;
+          // life when a tool chain runs long.
+          const isSilent = roundsSinceText >= 6 || toolCallsSinceText >= 8;
           let extraSystem = isSilent
             ? "\n\n[STATUS NUDGE] You have run " +
               `${toolCallsSinceText} tool call(s) over ${roundsSinceText} round(s) ` +
               "without sending the user any text. Before any more tool calls, " +
               "send ONE short sentence describing what you are currently working " +
-              "on and why. The user is staring at silent tool pills."
+              "on and why. The user is staring at a silent screen."
             : "";
 
           // When withholding tools on round 1 (conversational guard), add a
diff --git a/vibn-frontend/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx b/vibn-frontend/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
index dbe0ae6b..eec2cda4 100644
--- a/vibn-frontend/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
+++ b/vibn-frontend/components/vibn-chat/chat-panel.tsx
@@ -479,6 +479,13 @@ function ThinkingBubble({ thoughts }: { thoughts: string }) {
   );
 }
 
+function stripRawToolLogs(text: string): string {
+  if (!text) return text;
+  return text
+    .replace(/(?:\r?\n)*\[tools executed this turn:[\s\S]*?\]/g, "")
+    .trim();
+}
+
 const MessageBubble = React.memo(function MessageBubble({
   msg,
 }: {
@@ -573,7 +580,7 @@ const MessageBubble = React.memo(function MessageBubble({
               <span
                 style={proseWrap}
                 dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{
-                  __html: renderMarkdown(msg.content),
+                  __html: renderMarkdown(stripRawToolLogs(msg.content)),
                 }}
               />
             )}
@@ -666,7 +673,9 @@ function TimelineText({ text }: { text: string }) {
     >
       <span
         style={proseWrap}
-        dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{ __html: renderMarkdown(text) }}
+        dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{
+          __html: renderMarkdown(stripRawToolLogs(text)),
+        }}
       />
     </div>
   );