diff --git a/packages/webui/src/public/assistant.css b/packages/webui/src/public/assistant.css
index fc219d6d2..98cd61b92 100644
--- a/packages/webui/src/public/assistant.css
+++ b/packages/webui/src/public/assistant.css
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ html[data-organizations] .assist-open:disabled{color:var(--muted);cursor:not-all
 html[data-organizations] .assist [data-assist-unread]:empty,html[data-organizations] .assist [data-assist-note]:empty{display:none}
 html[data-organizations] .assist [data-assist-unread] .note{margin:0}
 html[data-organizations] .assist [data-assist-note]{margin:0;font-size:13px;color:var(--muted)}
+html[data-organizations] .assist [data-assist-note][data-refused]{color:var(--warning);font-weight:600}
 
 html[data-organizations] .assist-new{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:var(--r);background:var(--surface);padding:12px 14px;display:grid;gap:10px}
 html[data-organizations] .assist-new[hidden]{display:none}
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ html[data-organizations] .assist-panes{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat
 html[data-organizations] .assist-panes[hidden]{display:none}
 html[data-organizations] .assist-pane{display:flex;flex-direction:column;min-width:0;min-height:0;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:var(--r);background:var(--surface);overflow:hidden}
 html[data-organizations] .assist-pane-h{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:8px;padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);box-shadow:inset 0 3px 0 var(--org,var(--line));min-width:0;flex-wrap:wrap}
-html[data-organizations] .assist-pane-h h2{margin:0;font-size:15px;font-weight:700;color:var(--strong,var(--text));overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap;min-width:0;flex:1 1 120px}
+html[data-organizations] .assist-pane-h h2{margin:0;font-size:15px;font-weight:700;color:var(--strong,var(--text));overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap;min-width:5em;flex:1 1 0}
 html[data-organizations] .assist-pane-h h2:focus{outline:none}
 html[data-organizations] .assist-chips{display:inline-flex;gap:6px;flex-wrap:wrap;min-width:0}
 html[data-organizations] .assist-chips .ws-chip{max-width:100%;overflow:hidden;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap}
diff --git a/packages/webui/src/public/assistant.js b/packages/webui/src/public/assistant.js
index 46f42b9a6..9f7db0540 100644
--- a/packages/webui/src/public/assistant.js
+++ b/packages/webui/src/public/assistant.js
@@ -188,10 +188,16 @@
     if (paused()) { mounted.timer = setTimeout(tick, POLL); return; }
     void draw();
   }
+  // The line under the lead: how many panes are open, or why a thread was not opened (drawn as a warning).
+  function paintNote() {
+    const el = mounted.root.querySelector('[data-assist-note]');
+    setText(el, mounted.notice || (mounted.panes.length ? `${mounted.panes.length} open, up to ${MAX}` : ''));
+    el?.toggleAttribute('data-refused', !!mounted.notice);
+  }
   function paintTop() {
     const { root, list, o, panes } = mounted;
     setHtml(root.querySelector('[data-assist-unread]'), list ? ws().unreadNote(o, [], 'assistant') : '<p class="note ws-unread-note">The organization list could not be read. Open panes only read.</p>');
-    setText(root.querySelector('[data-assist-note]'), mounted.notice || (panes.length ? `${panes.length} open, up to ${MAX}` : ''));
+    paintNote();
     const pick = root.querySelector('[data-assist-open]');
     if (document.activeElement !== pick) { setHtml(pick, pickerHtml(list, mounted.got)); pick.value = ''; }
     const full = panes.length >= MAX;
@@ -326,7 +332,7 @@
   function add(key) {
     if (!mounted) return false;
     const p = place(key);
-    if (!p) { mounted.notice = REFUSED; setText(mounted.root.querySelector('[data-assist-note]'), REFUSED); return false; }
+    if (!p) { mounted.notice = REFUSED; paintNote(); return false; }
     mounted.notice = ''; mounted.show = key;
     writeUrl();
     if (mounted.got) { paintTop(); drawPane(p); paintTabs(); layout(); }
diff --git a/packages/webui/tests/assistant-threads-browser.test.mjs b/packages/webui/tests/assistant-threads-browser.test.mjs
index df0e0193a..f9fd6c7e5 100644
--- a/packages/webui/tests/assistant-threads-browser.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/webui/tests/assistant-threads-browser.test.mjs
@@ -327,12 +327,14 @@ test('SP7: with three open, a fourth thread replaces the first pane with no unse
   await follow(b, `#/orgs/beta/projects/threads/${T.b1}`);
   await wait(`/not opened/.test(document.querySelector('[data-assist-note]').textContent)`);
   assert.match(await b.evaluate(`document.querySelector('[data-assist-note]').textContent`), /all 3 panes hold an unsent message/);
+  assert.equal(await b.evaluate(`document.querySelector('[data-assist-note]').hasAttribute('data-refused')`), true);
   assert.deepEqual(await b.evaluate(panes), [`alpha:${T.a1}`, `home:${T.h1}`, `alpha:${T.a2}`]);
   assert.deepEqual(await b.evaluate(`[${field(`alpha:${T.a1}`)}.value, ${field(`home:${T.h1}`)}.value, ${field(`alpha:${T.a2}`)}.value]`), ['alpha draft', 'home draft', 'kickoff draft']);
   assert.equal(await b.evaluate(query), `alpha:${T.a1},home:${T.h1},alpha:${T.a2}`);
   // Closing a pane clears the reason; the thread then opens.
   await b.evaluate(`${PANE(`home:${T.h1}`)}.querySelector('button[data-assist-close]').click()`);
   await wait(`!/not opened/.test(document.querySelector('[data-assist-note]').textContent)`);
+  assert.equal(await b.evaluate(`document.querySelector('[data-assist-note]').hasAttribute('data-refused')`), false);
   await follow(b, `#/orgs/beta/projects/threads/${T.b1}`);
   await wait(ready(`beta:${T.b1}`));
   assert.deepEqual(await b.evaluate(panes), [`alpha:${T.a1}`, `alpha:${T.a2}`, `beta:${T.b1}`]);