@@ -985,45 +985,46 @@
   #composer.focused { border-color: var(--accent); box-shadow: 0 0 0 1px var(--accent); }
 
   /* ---- the working aura: a light that travels round the message box while LevelCode works ----
-     Thinking, streaming, running a command, verifying: a short bright arc circles the box, trailing a soft
-     glow over a faint whole ring. Waiting on you (a command to approve, a question to answer) it stops and
-     dims to a thin ring with no glow — paused, because nothing happens until you act. Off: nothing at all.
-     Two rings on the box's own edge, cut to a band by a mask so the box's inside is untouched: ::after is
-     the sharp line, ::before the blurred glow under it. Both turn on one angle, so the glow never lags.
+     Thinking, streaming, running a command, verifying: a short arc of light slides along the box's own
+     border, a hairline with a faint soft edge. Waiting on you (a command to approve, a question to answer)
+     it stops and becomes a dim, still border, because nothing happens until you act. Off: nothing at all.
+     Two rings on the box's border, cut to a band by a mask so the box's inside is untouched: ::after is the
+     1px line, ::before a 2px blurred band under it. Both turn on one angle, so the soft edge never lags.
+     No ring of its own behind the arc: the box's border is the track, and while the light turns the focus
+     ring steps back (below), as in VS Code's chat, or a hairline in the accent colour is lost on it.
      Colours come from the theme: the progress colour while working (the theme's own "busy"), the focus
      colour while waiting. The speed is set per box (syncAura) so a wide panel does not look frantic. */
   @property --aura-angle { syntax: '<angle>'; inherits: false; initial-value: 0deg; }
   @keyframes aura-turn { to { --aura-angle: 360deg; } }
   #composer {
     position: relative;
     --aura-color: var(--vscode-progressBar-background, var(--accent));
-    --aura-head: color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 62%, var(--vscode-foreground, #fff));
   }
   #composer::before, #composer::after {
-    content: ''; position: absolute; border-radius: inherit; pointer-events: none; opacity: 0;
+    content: ''; position: absolute; inset: -1px; border-radius: inherit; pointer-events: none; opacity: 0;
     transition: opacity .4s ease;
     -webkit-mask: linear-gradient(#000 0 0) content-box, linear-gradient(#000 0 0); -webkit-mask-composite: xor;
     mask: linear-gradient(#000 0 0) content-box, linear-gradient(#000 0 0); mask-composite: exclude;
   }
   #composer::before {
-    inset: -6px; padding: 6px; filter: blur(5px);
-    background: conic-gradient(from var(--aura-angle), transparent 0deg 255deg,
-      color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 38%, transparent) 318deg, color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-head) 80%, transparent) 354deg, transparent 360deg);
+    padding: 2px; filter: blur(1.5px);
+    background: conic-gradient(from var(--aura-angle), transparent 0deg 285deg,
+      color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 45%, transparent) 335deg, transparent 360deg);
   }
   #composer::after {
-    inset: -1px; padding: 2px;
-    /* A faint whole ring (the box is busy) with the bright arc travelling over it. */
-    background: conic-gradient(from var(--aura-angle), color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 22%, transparent) 0deg 262deg,
-      color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 60%, transparent) 320deg, var(--aura-head) 355deg, color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 22%, transparent) 360deg);
+    padding: 1px;
+    background: conic-gradient(from var(--aura-angle), transparent 0deg 275deg,
+      color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 55%, transparent) 318deg, var(--aura-color) 338deg, transparent 360deg);
   }
   body.aura-working #composer::before, body.aura-working #composer::after { opacity: 1; animation: aura-turn var(--aura-turn, 2.4s) linear infinite; }
-  /* Waiting on you: paused — a thin, dim ring with no glow, weaker than working and than the box's own focus. */
-  body.aura-waiting #composer::after { opacity: 1; padding: 1px; background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 45%, transparent); }
+  body.aura-working #composer.focused { border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 40%, var(--border)); box-shadow: none; }
+  /* Waiting on you: paused — a dim, still border with no glow, weaker than working and than the box's own focus. */
+  body.aura-waiting #composer::after { opacity: 1; background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent) 45%, transparent); }
   @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-    /* No motion: working is a whole, bright ring with its glow — still distinct from waiting's dim one. */
+    /* No motion: working is a whole, still border in the progress colour — brighter than waiting's dim one. */
     body.aura-working #composer::before, body.aura-working #composer::after { animation: none; }
     body.aura-working #composer::after { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 75%, transparent); }
-    body.aura-working #composer::before { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--aura-color) 35%, transparent); }
+    body.aura-working #composer::before { opacity: 0; }
   }
   /* High contrast draws its own borders; a soft glow there is noise. The working bar still says it. */
   @media (forced-colors: active) { #composer::before, #composer::after { display: none; } }
 
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@
           "type": "boolean",
           "scope": "application",
           "default": true,
-          "description": "Show a light that travels round the message box while LevelCode works — thinking, writing, running a command, checking its edits. While it waits on you (a command to approve, a question to answer) the light stops and stays as a still ring. With reduced motion it is a still ring throughout. Turn off for no light at all; the working line above the message box still shows what is happening."
+          "description": "Show a thin line of light that travels round the message box's border while LevelCode works — thinking, writing, running a command, checking its edits. While it waits on you (a command to approve, a question to answer) the light stops and the border stays dimly lit. With reduced motion the border is lit without moving. Turn off for no light at all; the working line above the message box still shows what is happening."
         },
         "levelcode.cloud.endpoint": {
           "type": "string",
 
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@ async function main() {
 			const a = w.getComputedStyle(c, '::after'), b = w.getComputedStyle(c, '::before');
 			return { cls: ['aura-working', 'aura-waiting'].filter((x) => d.body.classList.contains(x)), lineOpacity: +a.opacity, glowOpacity: +b.opacity,
 				anim: a.animationName, angle: a.getPropertyValue('--aura-angle').trim(), turn: c.style.getPropertyValue('--aura-turn'), bg: a.backgroundImage.slice(0, 40) }; })()`);
+		// The box itself: whether it has the focus, and the focus ring it draws.
+		const box = () => evalIn(chat, `(() => { const d = ${D}, w = ${W}, c = d.getElementById('composer'), s = w.getComputedStyle(c);
+			return { focused: c.classList.contains('focused'), shadow: s.boxShadow, border: s.borderTopColor }; })()`);
 		await front();
 
 		// ---- working ----
@@ -210,11 +213,20 @@ async function main() {
 		await shot('aura-1-working');
 		await sleep(800);
 		await shot('aura-1-working-later');   // the same run 0.8 s on: the light has moved round the box
+		// In real use the message box keeps the focus after Enter (here the key prompt took it). Its accent
+		// focus ring would swallow a 1px line, so while the light turns the ring steps back.
+		await evalIn(chat, `(() => { ${D}.getElementById('input').focus(); return true; })()`);
+		await sleep(300);
+		const wf = await box();
+		check('…and with the box focused, its focus ring steps back so the line shows', wf.focused && wf.shadow === 'none', JSON.stringify(wf));
+		await shot('aura-1-working-focused');
 		release();
 		await until('the run to end', () => evalIn(chat, `(() => /Done: thought/.test(${D}.getElementById('log').innerText))()`), 30000);
 		await sleep(700);
 		const idle = await ring();
 		check('idle: when the run is over the ring is gone', idle.cls.length === 0 && idle.lineOpacity === 0 && idle.glowOpacity === 0, JSON.stringify(idle));
+		const idleBox = await box();
+		check('…and a focused box has its full focus ring back', idleBox.focused && idleBox.shadow !== 'none', JSON.stringify(idleBox));
 
 		// ---- waiting ----
 		await send('run something');
 
@@ -154,9 +154,35 @@ test('CSS: colours come from the theme — progress while working, focus while w
 	assert.match(rule('  #composer'), /--aura-color: var\(--vscode-progressBar-background, var\(--accent\)\)/);
 	assert.match(rule('body.aura-waiting #composer::after'), /var\(--accent\)/);
 	assert.ok(!/body\.aura-waiting #composer::before/.test(auraCss), 'waiting has a glow: it should read as paused, not busy');
-	const colours = auraCss.replace(/linear-gradient\(#000 0 0\)/g, '').replace(/var\(--vscode-foreground, #fff\)/g, '');
+	const colours = auraCss.replace(/linear-gradient\(#000 0 0\)/g, '');
 	assert.ok(!/#[0-9a-f]{3,8}\b|rgba?\(/i.test(colours), 'a fixed colour in the aura');
 });
+test('CSS: thin and quiet — a 1px line on the border, a 2px soft edge, a short arc, no ring or white head of its own', () => {
+	assert.match(rule('#composer::before, #composer::after'), /inset: -1px;/, 'both rings sit on the box\'s 1px border');
+	assert.match(rule('#composer::after'), /padding: 1px;/, 'the line is a hairline');
+	const glow = rule('#composer::before');
+	assert.ok(Number((glow.match(/padding: ([\d.]+)px/) || [])[1]) <= 2, 'the soft edge is at most 2px wide');
+	assert.ok(Number((glow.match(/filter: blur\(([\d.]+)px\)/) || [])[1]) <= 2, 'and blurred at most 2px');
+	for (const sel of ['#composer::before', '#composer::after']) {
+		const dark = rule(sel).match(/conic-gradient\(from var\(--aura-angle\), transparent 0deg (\d+)deg/);
+		assert.ok(dark, sel + ': the gradient is clear round the box, not a ring of its own');
+		assert.ok(360 - Number(dark[1]) <= 90, sel + ': the lit arc is at most a quarter turn');
+	}
+	assert.ok(!/--vscode-foreground/.test(auraCss), 'the arc is the theme colour, not mixed toward white');
+	const reduced = css.slice(css.indexOf('@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {\n    /* No motion'));
+	assert.match(reduced.slice(0, 600), /body\.aura-working #composer::before \{ opacity: 0; \}/, 'reduced motion: a still border, no glow');
+});
+test('CSS: while the light turns the focus ring steps back — a hairline on an accent border is lost (desktop and browser)', () => {
+	const desk = rule('body.aura-working #composer.focused');
+	assert.match(desk, /box-shadow: none/);
+	assert.match(desk, /border-color: color-mix\(in srgb, var\(--accent\) 40%, var\(--border\)\)/);
+	const skin = fs.readFileSync(path.join(ROOT, '..', '..', 'web', 'ai-extension', 'skin', 'chat.css'), 'utf8');
+	const i = skin.indexOf('body.lc-web.aura-working #composer:focus-within, body.lc-web.aura-working #composer.focused {');
+	assert.ok(i >= 0, 'the browser skin\'s own focus halo (3px) is not stepped back while working');
+	const block = skin.slice(i, skin.indexOf('}', i));
+	assert.ok(!/0 0 0 3px/.test(block), 'the 3px halo is still drawn while working');
+	assert.ok(skin.indexOf('body.lc-web #composer:focus-within, body.lc-web #composer.focused {') < i, 'it must come after the halo it steps back');
+});
 
 // ---- the wiring -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 test('WIRING: every change of "busy" reaches the aura — the run starting and ending, a message on its way', () => {
 
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ body.lc-web #composer:focus-within, body.lc-web #composer.focused {
 	border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--lcw-accent-text) 80%, var(--lcw-line-strong));
 	box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, .06), 0 10px 32px rgba(0, 0, 0, .18), 0 0 0 3px color-mix(in srgb, var(--lcw-accent-text) 26%, transparent);
 }
+/* While the working light turns (chat.html, "the working aura") the focus halo steps back, as on the desktop:
+   the light is a hairline on the border, and a 3px accent halo round it would swallow it. */
+body.lc-web.aura-working #composer:focus-within, body.lc-web.aura-working #composer.focused {
+	border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--lcw-accent-text) 35%, var(--lcw-line-strong));
+	box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, .06), 0 10px 32px rgba(0, 0, 0, .14);
+}
 body.lc-web textarea#input { font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5; min-height: 46px; background: transparent; border: 0; }
 body.lc-web #toolbar .tbtn { border-radius: 999px; }
 body.lc-web #toolbar .pill { border-radius: 999px; background: transparent; border-color: transparent; padding: 3px 10px; color: var(--lcw-dim); }