diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/agent_manager.py b/backend/apps/agents/agent_manager.py
index 38538210..409efe46 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/agent_manager.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/agent_manager.py
@@ -361,6 +361,7 @@ class AgentManager(SessionLifecycle, SessionHistory, SessionPersistence, Messagi
                         "message_id": p_tool_msg_id,
                     })
                 self.live_partial.pop(session_id, None)
+                self.live_thinking.pop(session_id, None)
                 # Tell the user we self-healed instead of retrying in silence: the frontend renders this as a muted transient pill (same language as the rate-limit pill), not an error card.
                 try:
                     await ws_manager.send_to_session(session_id, "agent:context_recovered", {
@@ -428,6 +429,7 @@ class AgentManager(SessionLifecycle, SessionHistory, SessionPersistence, Messagi
             p_is_live_task = self.tasks.get(session_id) is asyncio.current_task()
             if p_is_live_task:
                 self.live_partial.pop(session_id, None)
+                self.live_thinking.pop(session_id, None)
                 # The floor: every terminal path funnels through here, so "turn ended with nothing readable" stops being representable instead of being caught shape by shape.
                 try:
                     from backend.apps.agents.manager.run.turn_spoke import ensure_turn_spoke
diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/core/stream_snapshot.py b/backend/apps/agents/core/stream_snapshot.py
index 343650f6..2ca29c0b 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/core/stream_snapshot.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/core/stream_snapshot.py
@@ -19,8 +19,12 @@ def stream_snapshot_payload(
     session_id: str,
     live_partial: Dict[str, PartialReply],
     live_thinking: Optional[Dict[str, PartialReply]] = None,
+    in_flight: bool = True,
 ) -> Optional[dict]:
     # The answer wins over the thought: once text is flowing the thinking block is over.
+    # A finished turn has nothing live by definition; whatever the dicts still hold is a leak, never a reply.
+    if not in_flight:
+        return None
     partial = live_partial.get(session_id)
     role = "assistant"
     if partial is None or not partial.msg_id or not partial.text:
diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/manager/RunSupport.py b/backend/apps/agents/manager/RunSupport.py
index bc51c5dc..a0a3e8b3 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/manager/RunSupport.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/manager/RunSupport.py
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ class RunSupport(AgentManagerProtocol):
         instantly instead of waiting out the SDK teardown the cancel handler
         sits behind. Returns True if it committed something."""
         live = self.live_partial.pop(session.id, None)
+        self.live_thinking.pop(session.id, None)
         if not live:
             return False
         text = live.text or ""
diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/manager/run/TurnRunner.py b/backend/apps/agents/manager/run/TurnRunner.py
index 49d37ae3..3d409794 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/manager/run/TurnRunner.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/manager/run/TurnRunner.py
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ class TurnRunner(AgentManagerProtocol):
                 elif isinstance(message, AssistantMessage):
                     flight_recorder.crumb(session_id, "assistant-msg")
                     await handle_assistant_message(
-                        message, session, session_id, turn, thinking, self.live_partial, self.sessions
+                        message, session, session_id, turn, thinking, self.live_partial, self.sessions, self.live_thinking
                     )
                 elif isinstance(message, ResultMessage):
                     flight_recorder.crumb(session_id, "result-msg", subtype=str(getattr(message, "subtype", "")))
@@ -226,6 +226,7 @@ class TurnRunner(AgentManagerProtocol):
                 turn.stream_text_msg_id = None
             turn.stream_text_accum = ""
             self.live_partial.pop(session_id, None)
+            self.live_thinking.pop(session_id, None)
             for p_tool_msg_id in turn.stream_tool_msg_ids_ordered:
                 await ws_manager.send_to_session(session_id, "agent:stream_end", {
                     "session_id": session_id,
diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/manager/session/SessionLifecycle.py b/backend/apps/agents/manager/session/SessionLifecycle.py
index e117c970..bfaec573 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/manager/session/SessionLifecycle.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/manager/session/SessionLifecycle.py
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ class SessionLifecycle(AgentManagerProtocol):
         self.sessions.pop(session_id, None)
         self.tasks.pop(session_id, None)
         self.live_partial.pop(session_id, None)
+        self.live_thinking.pop(session_id, None)
         self.cancel_events.pop(session_id, None)
         self.pending_messages.pop(session_id, None)
         view_builder_render_retry_counts.pop(session_id, None)
diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/manager/streaming/handle_assistant_message.py b/backend/apps/agents/manager/streaming/handle_assistant_message.py
index 9e4ddd89..2612d87c 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/manager/streaming/handle_assistant_message.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/manager/streaming/handle_assistant_message.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ async def handle_assistant_message(
     thinking: ThinkingState,
     live_partial: Dict[str, PartialReply],
     sessions: Dict[str, AgentSession],
+    live_thinking: Optional[Dict[str, PartialReply]] = None,
 ) -> None:
     from claude_agent_sdk.types import ThinkingBlock, TextBlock, ToolUseBlock
 
@@ -266,6 +267,8 @@ async def handle_assistant_message(
             if p_fault_armed("empty_finish"):
                 turn.stream_text_accum = ""
                 live_partial.pop(session_id, None)
+                if live_thinking is not None:
+                    live_thinking.pop(session_id, None)
                 return
             asst_msg = Message(
                 id=turn.stream_text_msg_id or uuid4().hex,
@@ -276,6 +279,8 @@ async def handle_assistant_message(
             upsert_message(session, asst_msg)
             turn.stream_text_accum = ""
             live_partial.pop(session_id, None)
+            if live_thinking is not None:
+                live_thinking.pop(session_id, None)
             await ws_manager.send_to_session(session_id, "agent:message", {
                 "session_id": session_id,
                 "message": asst_msg.model_dump(mode="json"),
diff --git a/backend/apps/agents/manager/streaming/handle_stream_event.py b/backend/apps/agents/manager/streaming/handle_stream_event.py
index 4751d16b..6865cf6f 100644
--- a/backend/apps/agents/manager/streaming/handle_stream_event.py
+++ b/backend/apps/agents/manager/streaming/handle_stream_event.py
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ async def handle_stream_event(
         block_type = block.get("type")
 
         if block_type == "text":
+            # The answer has begun, so the thought is over whether or not the CLI ever sent the block's stop
+            # (it does not for Haiku's thinking; a socket connecting later was handed a "still thinking" bubble).
+            if live_thinking is not None:
+                live_thinking.pop(session_id, None)
             if turn.stream_text_msg_id is None:
                 turn.stream_text_msg_id = uuid4().hex
                 await ws_manager.send_to_session(session_id, "agent:stream_start", {
@@ -144,6 +148,8 @@ async def handle_stream_event(
             })
 
     elif event_type == "message_stop":
+        if live_thinking is not None:
+            live_thinking.pop(session_id, None)
         if turn.stream_text_msg_id:
             await ws_manager.send_to_session(session_id, "agent:stream_end", {
                 "session_id": session_id,
diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index f29c838a..e116c739 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -212,7 +212,9 @@ async def websocket_session(websocket: WebSocket, session_id: str):
                 # AFTER the ack, never before: the client drops stream frames until it has the ack.
                 from backend.apps.agents.agent_manager import agent_manager as p_am
                 from backend.apps.agents.core.stream_snapshot import stream_snapshot_payload
-                snapshot = stream_snapshot_payload(session_id, p_am.live_partial, p_am.live_thinking)
+                p_sess = p_am.sessions.get(session_id)
+                p_in_flight = bool(p_sess is not None and p_sess.status in ("running", "waiting_approval"))
+                snapshot = stream_snapshot_payload(session_id, p_am.live_partial, p_am.live_thinking, in_flight=p_in_flight)
                 if snapshot is not None:
                     await websocket.send_text(json.dumps({
                         "event": "agent:stream_snapshot",
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_stream_snapshot.py b/backend/tests/test_stream_snapshot.py
index f8914f9f..bf1c9742 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_stream_snapshot.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_stream_snapshot.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def test_the_snapshot_is_sent_after_the_hello_ack_not_before():
     snapshot = src.index('"event": "agent:stream_snapshot"')
     assert hello < snapshot
     handler = src[src.index('if event == "client:hello":'):src.index('elif event == "client:ping":')]
-    assert "stream_snapshot_payload(session_id, p_am.live_partial, p_am.live_thinking)" in handler
+    assert "stream_snapshot_payload(session_id, p_am.live_partial, p_am.live_thinking, in_flight=p_in_flight)" in handler
 
 
 def test_a_socket_that_connects_mid_thought_gets_the_thinking_so_far_and_the_answer_wins_once_it_flows():
@@ -35,3 +35,65 @@ def test_a_socket_that_connects_mid_thought_gets_the_thinking_so_far_and_the_ans
     assert stream_snapshot_payload("s1", {}, thinking) == {"session_id": "s1", "message_id": "t1", "role": "thinking", "text": "Considering the four legs"}
     text = {"s1": PartialReply(msg_id="m1", text="The Eiffel", branch_id="main")}
     assert stream_snapshot_payload("s1", text, thinking)["role"] == "assistant"
+
+
+def test_a_finished_turn_never_snapshots_even_if_a_dict_still_holds_text():
+    """Eric, 2026-09-03, on the packaged exp.4: every card opened after a Haiku reply showed a "still
+    thinking" bubble with a caret, because the thinking text was never dropped and the snapshot had no
+    notion of whether the turn was over. The door refuses first; the leak is sealed separately."""
+    thinking = {"s1": PartialReply(msg_id="t1", text="leftover thought", branch_id="main")}
+    text = {"s1": PartialReply(msg_id="m1", text="leftover reply", branch_id="main")}
+    assert stream_snapshot_payload("s1", text, thinking, in_flight=False) is None
+    assert stream_snapshot_payload("s1", text, thinking, in_flight=True) is not None
+
+
+def test_the_thought_is_dropped_when_the_answer_starts_even_without_a_block_stop():
+    import asyncio
+    from claude_agent_sdk.types import StreamEvent
+    from backend.apps.agents.core.models import AgentSession
+    from backend.apps.agents.manager.streaming import handle_stream_event as mod
+    from backend.apps.agents.manager.streaming.state import ThinkingState, TurnState
+
+    class P_WS:
+        async def send_to_session(self, sid, event, data):
+            return None
+
+    def ev(payload):
+        return StreamEvent(uuid="u", session_id="s1", event=payload, parent_tool_use_id=None)
+
+    session = AgentSession(name="probe", model="opus", cwd="/tmp")
+    turn, thinking_state = TurnState(), ThinkingState()
+    live_partial, live_thinking = {}, {}
+
+    async def run():
+        p_orig = mod.ws_manager
+        mod.ws_manager = P_WS()
+        try:
+            await mod.handle_stream_event(ev({"type": "content_block_start", "index": 0, "content_block": {"type": "thinking"}}), session, "s1", turn, thinking_state, live_partial, live_thinking)
+            await mod.handle_stream_event(ev({"type": "content_block_delta", "index": 0, "delta": {"type": "thinking_delta", "thinking": "hmm"}}), session, "s1", turn, thinking_state, live_partial, live_thinking)
+            assert "s1" in live_thinking, "the thought is live while it streams"
+            # No content_block_stop for index 0 (Haiku), straight to the answer.
+            await mod.handle_stream_event(ev({"type": "content_block_start", "index": 1, "content_block": {"type": "text"}}), session, "s1", turn, thinking_state, live_partial, live_thinking)
+            assert "s1" not in live_thinking, "the thought must be gone once the answer begins"
+            live_thinking["s1"] = PartialReply(msg_id="t9", text="late", branch_id="main")
+            await mod.handle_stream_event(ev({"type": "message_stop"}), session, "s1", turn, thinking_state, live_partial, live_thinking)
+            assert "s1" not in live_thinking, "message_stop drops it too"
+        finally:
+            mod.ws_manager = p_orig
+    asyncio.run(run())
+
+
+def test_every_site_that_drops_the_live_reply_drops_the_live_thought():
+    import os, re
+    root = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "..", "apps", "agents")
+    hits = 0
+    for dirpath, _d, files in os.walk(root):
+        for name in files:
+            if not name.endswith(".py"):
+                continue
+            src = open(os.path.join(dirpath, name)).read()
+            for m in re.finditer(r"live_partial\.pop\((session\.id|session_id), None\)", src):
+                hits += 1
+                window = src[m.end(): m.end() + 200]
+                assert "live_thinking.pop(" in window, f"{name}: live_partial popped without live_thinking at offset {m.start()}"
+    assert hits >= 4, f"expected the four turn-end sites, found {hits}"
diff --git a/frontend/src/shared/state/streamSnapshot.test.ts b/frontend/src/shared/state/streamSnapshot.test.ts
index 66b97019..cc204335 100644
--- a/frontend/src/shared/state/streamSnapshot.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/shared/state/streamSnapshot.test.ts
@@ -39,3 +39,11 @@ test('the socket handles the snapshot ABOVE the replay-skip guard that drops pre
   const dashboardSkip = src.indexOf('if (this.skipStreamEvents) {');
   assert.ok(snapshot < dashboardSkip, 'the snapshot handler decides skipStreamEvents itself, above the generic skip');
 });
+
+test('the socket refuses a snapshot for a session it already knows is finished', () => {
+  const src = fs.readFileSync(path.join(process.cwd(), 'src/shared/ws/WebSocketManager.ts'), 'utf8');
+  const i = src.indexOf("event === 'agent:stream_snapshot'");
+  const block = src.slice(i, i + 900);
+  assert.match(block, /agents\.sessions\[session_id\]\?\.status/);
+  assert.match(block, /!finished/);
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/shared/ws/WebSocketManager.ts b/frontend/src/shared/ws/WebSocketManager.ts
index 9f20b435..51766354 100644
--- a/frontend/src/shared/ws/WebSocketManager.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/shared/ws/WebSocketManager.ts
@@ -495,7 +495,10 @@ class WebSocketManager {
 
     // Sent once per (re)connect, after the resume ack, so it must not sit behind the replay-skip guard below that drops pre-ack stream frames.
     if (event === 'agent:stream_snapshot') {
-      if (session_id && data.message_id && typeof data.text === 'string' && !this.skipStreamEvents) {
+      // A snapshot is only ever for a turn in flight; a finished session that still gets one is a leak, not a reply.
+      const snapStatus = session_id ? store.getState().agents.sessions[session_id]?.status : undefined;
+      const finished = snapStatus !== undefined && snapStatus !== 'running' && snapStatus !== 'waiting_approval';
+      if (session_id && data.message_id && typeof data.text === 'string' && !this.skipStreamEvents && !finished) {
         store.dispatch(streamSnapshot({ sessionId: session_id, messageId: data.message_id, role: data.role, text: data.text }));
       }
       return;