diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/Layout/AppShell.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/Layout/AppShell.tsx
index 5eadca46..4b267630 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/components/Layout/AppShell.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/Layout/AppShell.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ import { LayoutGrid } from 'lucide-react';
 import ExpandMoreIcon from '@mui/icons-material/ExpandMore';
 import { Settings as LucideSettings } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Palette } from 'lucide-react';
-import { PanelLeft, ArrowLeft, ArrowRight, Plus } from 'lucide-react';
+import { ArrowLeft, ArrowRight } from 'lucide-react';
+import { AnimatedPanelLeft, AnimatedPlus } from './animatedIcons';
 import RestartAltIcon from '@mui/icons-material/RestartAlt';
 import SystemUpdateAltIcon from '@mui/icons-material/SystemUpdateAlt';
 import CloseIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Close';
@@ -392,12 +393,10 @@ const AppShell: React.FC = () => {
               color: c.text.tertiary,
               p: 0.5,
               borderRadius: 1,
-              '& svg': { transition: 'transform 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1)' },
               '&:hover': { color: c.text.secondary, bgcolor: `${c.text.tertiary}14` },
-              '&:hover svg': { transform: 'translateX(-1.5px) scale(1.08)' },
             }}
           >
-            <PanelLeft size={18} />
+            <AnimatedPanelLeft size={18} />
           </IconButton>
         </Tooltip>
         <Tooltip title="Back">
@@ -680,12 +679,10 @@ const AppShell: React.FC = () => {
                     p: 0.25,
                     mr: 0.25,
                     borderRadius: 1,
-                    '& svg': { transition: 'transform 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1)' },
                     '&:hover': { color: c.accent.primary, bgcolor: `${c.accent.primary}14` },
-                    '&:hover svg': { transform: 'rotate(90deg)' },
                   }}
                 >
-                  <Plus size={15} />
+                  <AnimatedPlus size={15} />
                 </IconButton>
               </Tooltip>
               {dashboardList.length > 0 && (
@@ -939,12 +936,10 @@ const AppShell: React.FC = () => {
                     p: 0.25,
                     mr: 0.25,
                     borderRadius: 1,
-                    '& svg': { transition: 'transform 0.2s cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1)' },
                     '&:hover': { color: c.accent.primary, bgcolor: `${c.accent.primary}14` },
-                    '&:hover svg': { transform: 'rotate(90deg)' },
                   }}
                 >
-                  <Plus size={15} />
+                  <AnimatedPlus size={15} />
                 </IconButton>
               </Tooltip>
               {appsList.length > 0 && (
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/Layout/animatedIcons.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/Layout/animatedIcons.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4cafedfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/Layout/animatedIcons.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import { motion } from 'framer-motion';
+
+// True path-drawing sidebar glyphs: the SVG strokes themselves animate on hover
+// (not just a transform), then settle. Always fully visible at rest, so a hover
+// that's interrupted mid-flight never leaves a half-drawn icon. Geometry matches
+// the lucide line-icons they replace so the static look is unchanged.
+
+const SPRING = { type: 'spring', stiffness: 380, damping: 20 } as const;
+
+type Props = { size?: number };
+
+const svgBase = {
+  fill: 'none',
+  stroke: 'currentColor',
+  strokeWidth: 2,
+  strokeLinecap: 'round' as const,
+  strokeLinejoin: 'round' as const,
+  viewBox: '0 0 24 24',
+};
+
+// Panel toggle: the inner divider sweeps left, like the panel collapsing.
+export function AnimatedPanelLeft({ size = 18 }: Props) {
+  return (
+    <motion.svg width={size} height={size} {...svgBase} initial="rest" animate="rest" whileHover="hover">
+      <rect x="3" y="3" width="18" height="18" rx="2" />
+      <motion.line
+        x1="9" y1="3" x2="9" y2="21"
+        variants={{ rest: { x: 0 }, hover: { x: -2.5 } }}
+        transition={SPRING}
+      />
+    </motion.svg>
+  );
+}
+
+// Plus: both strokes redraw from nothing, the classic "new" flourish.
+export function AnimatedPlus({ size = 16 }: Props) {
+  return (
+    <motion.svg width={size} height={size} {...svgBase} initial="rest" animate="rest" whileHover="hover">
+      <motion.line
+        x1="12" y1="5" x2="12" y2="19"
+        variants={{ rest: { pathLength: 1 }, hover: { pathLength: [0, 1] } }}
+        transition={{ duration: 0.34, ease: 'easeOut' }}
+      />
+      <motion.line
+        x1="5" y1="12" x2="19" y2="12"
+        variants={{ rest: { pathLength: 1 }, hover: { pathLength: [0, 1] } }}
+        transition={{ duration: 0.34, ease: 'easeOut', delay: 0.06 }}
+      />
+    </motion.svg>
+  );
+}