diff --git a/.changeset/planner-chat-expanded-takeover.md b/.changeset/planner-chat-expanded-takeover.md
index ca61d3da34..45a56a0dc8 100644
--- a/.changeset/planner-chat-expanded-takeover.md
+++ b/.changeset/planner-chat-expanded-takeover.md
@@ -2,6 +2,6 @@
 "@runfusion/fusion": patch
 ---
 
-summary: Make Planner Chat collapsed by default with a floating expand control that takes over the detail view.
+summary: Compact Planner Chat chrome and align Activity Live with the same plain composer row.
 category: fix
-dev: Planner Chat expansion now mirrors Activity's overlay control and hides most task-detail chrome while preserving title/workflow context.
+dev: Planner Chat removes its redundant header, moves the provider icon to the empty state, and Activity Live drops its card-wrapped composer shell.
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskChatTab.css b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskChatTab.css
index 22bd092fe9..f788f66a51 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskChatTab.css
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskChatTab.css
@@ -477,8 +477,11 @@ FN-7241 adds timestamps inside individual task-detail transcript blocks. Keep bl
   flex: 0 0 auto;
   flex-direction: column;
   gap: var(--space-sm);
-  /* FNXC:TaskDetailChat 2026-06-13-19:55: Chat box should sit in the chat view without excess vertical spacing around the composer (FN-6418), while preserving readable horizontal inset for the input row. */
-  padding: var(--space-sm) var(--space-md);
+  /*
+  FNXC:TaskDetailChat 2026-07-02-00:32:
+  Activity Live and Planner Chat composers should share the same plain input-row treatment. Do not wrap Activity steering in a card shell or add extra composer padding around the input; the surrounding chat surface already owns the spacing.
+  */
+  padding: 0;
 }
 
 .task-chat-composer-row {
@@ -615,7 +618,7 @@ FN-6660 corrects the repeated mobile sizing misses from FN-6507, FN-6604, and FN
   }
 
   .task-chat-composer {
-    padding: var(--space-xs) var(--space-sm);
+    padding: 0;
   }
 
   .task-chat-composer-row {
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskChatTab.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskChatTab.tsx
index 20ee58b30e..3671e39de3 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskChatTab.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskChatTab.tsx
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ export function TaskChatTab({ task, projectId, active, addToast, onTaskUpdated,
         ) : null}
       </div>
 
-      <form className="task-chat-composer card" onSubmit={handleSubmit} aria-label={composerFormLabel}>
+      <form className="task-chat-composer" onSubmit={handleSubmit} aria-label={composerFormLabel}>
         <div className="task-chat-composer-row">
           <textarea
             ref={textareaRef}
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskPlannerChatTab.css b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskPlannerChatTab.css
index 1fc5e50bd0..596020b55d 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskPlannerChatTab.css
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskPlannerChatTab.css
@@ -7,30 +7,14 @@
   min-height: 0;
 }
 
-.task-planner-chat-header {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: flex-start;
-  justify-content: space-between;
-  gap: var(--space-md);
-}
-
-.task-planner-chat-header > :first-child {
-  min-width: 0;
-}
-
-.task-planner-chat-header-actions {
-  display: flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: flex-end;
-  gap: var(--space-sm);
-  flex: 0 1 auto;
-  min-width: 0;
-}
-
+/*
+FNXC:TaskDetailPlannerChat 2026-07-02-00:28:
+Planner Chat should not render a redundant in-panel title/header. The transcript starts at the top of the chat area, the expand button floats over the view, and the planning model/provider icon appears only as a small empty-state affordance.
+*/
 .task-planner-chat-expand-toggle {
   flex: 0 0 auto;
-  min-inline-size: var(--space-2xl);
-  min-block-size: var(--space-2xl);
+  min-inline-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) - var(--space-xs));
+  min-block-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) - var(--space-xs));
   padding: 0;
 }
 
@@ -40,31 +24,24 @@ Planner Chat expansion should use the same in-view floating affordance as Activi
 */
 .task-planner-chat-expand-toggle--overlay {
   position: absolute;
-  top: var(--space-md);
-  right: var(--space-md);
+  top: var(--space-sm);
+  right: var(--space-sm);
   z-index: 3;
   background: var(--surface);
   border-color: var(--border);
   box-shadow: var(--shadow-sm);
 }
 
-.task-planner-chat-header h4 {
-  margin: 0;
-  color: var(--text);
-}
-
-.task-planner-chat-header p {
-  margin: var(--space-xs) 0 0;
-  color: var(--text-muted);
-}
-
-.task-planner-chat-model {
+.task-planner-chat-empty-model {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 0;
+  left: 0;
   display: inline-flex;
   flex: 0 0 auto;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: center;
-  inline-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) + var(--space-sm));
-  block-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) + var(--space-sm));
+  inline-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) - var(--space-xs));
+  block-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) - var(--space-xs));
   border: var(--btn-border-width) solid var(--border);
   border-radius: var(--radius);
   padding: 0;
@@ -72,12 +49,6 @@ Planner Chat expansion should use the same in-view floating affordance as Activi
   background: var(--surface-subtle);
 }
 
-.task-planner-chat-model .provider-icon {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-}
-
 .task-planner-chat-error {
   border: var(--btn-border-width) solid var(--color-error);
   border-radius: var(--radius-md);
@@ -110,10 +81,12 @@ Planner Chat expansion should use the same in-view floating affordance as Activi
 }
 
 .task-planner-chat-empty {
+  position: relative;
   flex-direction: column;
   width: 100%;
   max-width: 42rem;
   gap: var(--space-lg);
+  padding-top: var(--space-md);
 }
 
 .task-planner-chat-empty-copy {
@@ -273,25 +246,9 @@ Mobile Planner Chat should match regular task chat: keep the composer as a singl
     min-height: 0;
   }
 
-  .task-planner-chat-header {
-    align-items: flex-start;
-    gap: var(--space-sm);
-    padding-right: calc(var(--space-2xl) + var(--space-lg));
-  }
-
-  .task-planner-chat-header-actions {
-    flex: 0 1 auto;
-    justify-content: flex-end;
-  }
-
-  .task-planner-chat-model {
-    inline-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) + var(--space-sm));
-    block-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) + var(--space-sm));
-  }
-
   .task-planner-chat-expand-toggle {
-    min-inline-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) + var(--space-sm));
-    min-block-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) + var(--space-sm));
+    min-inline-size: var(--space-2xl);
+    min-block-size: var(--space-2xl);
   }
 
   .task-planner-chat-expand-toggle--overlay {
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskPlannerChatTab.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskPlannerChatTab.tsx
index 8a8e73313a..5032017cf8 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskPlannerChatTab.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/TaskPlannerChatTab.tsx
@@ -513,24 +513,6 @@ export function TaskPlannerChatTab({ task, projectId, active, expanded = false,
           {expanded ? <Minimize2 aria-hidden="true" /> : <Maximize2 aria-hidden="true" />}
         </button>
       )}
-      <div className="task-planner-chat-header">
-        <div>
-          <h4>{t("taskDetail.plannerChat.heading", "Planner Chat")}</h4>
-        </div>
-        <div className="task-planner-chat-header-actions">
-          {isUsableModel(planningModel) && (
-            <span
-              className="task-planner-chat-model"
-              data-testid="task-planner-chat-model"
-              title={planningModelLabel}
-              aria-label={planningModelLabel}
-            >
-              <ProviderIcon provider={planningModel.provider} size="md" />
-            </span>
-          )}
-        </div>
-      </div>
-
       <div className="task-planner-chat-transcript" ref={transcriptRef} data-testid="task-planner-chat-transcript">
         {error && <div className="task-planner-chat-error" role="alert">{error}</div>}
         {loading ? (
@@ -540,6 +522,16 @@ export function TaskPlannerChatTab({ task, projectId, active, expanded = false,
           </div>
         ) : showEmptyState ? (
           <div className="task-planner-chat-empty" data-testid="task-planner-chat-empty">
+            {isUsableModel(planningModel) && (
+              <span
+                className="task-planner-chat-empty-model"
+                data-testid="task-planner-chat-model"
+                title={planningModelLabel}
+                aria-label={planningModelLabel}
+              >
+                <ProviderIcon provider={planningModel.provider} size="sm" />
+              </span>
+            )}
             <div className="task-planner-chat-empty-copy">
               <h5>{t("taskDetail.plannerChat.emptyTitle", "Start a task-aware chat")}</h5>
               <p>{t("taskDetail.plannerChat.emptyBody", "Ask planning questions about this task's current status, recent activity, blockers, next steps, or definition. Starter prompts send as normal chat messages.")}</p>
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskChatTab.test.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskChatTab.test.tsx
index d48cdfb5b6..cc9713d008 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskChatTab.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskChatTab.test.tsx
@@ -2471,6 +2471,7 @@ describe("TaskChatTab", () => {
     expect(transcriptRule).toContain("overflow-y: auto");
     expect(transcriptRule).not.toContain("max-height");
     expect(composerRule).toContain("flex: 0 0 auto");
+    expect(composerRule).toContain("padding: 0");
     expect(mobileTranscriptRule).toContain("flex: 1 1 auto");
     expect(mobileTranscriptRule).toContain("min-height: 0");
     expect(mobileTranscriptRule).not.toContain("max-height");
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskDetailModal.responsive-and-dependencies.test.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskDetailModal.responsive-and-dependencies.test.tsx
index 9ffdcc0d02..8739332d1d 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskDetailModal.responsive-and-dependencies.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskDetailModal.responsive-and-dependencies.test.tsx
@@ -104,9 +104,7 @@ describe("TaskDetailModal", () => {
   describe("mobile responsive structure", () => {
     it("keeps planner chat composer usable on narrow task-detail layouts", () => {
       const css = readDashboardStylesSource();
-      const headerBlock = getExactCssRuleBlock(css, ".task-planner-chat-header");
-      const headerActionsBlock = getExactCssRuleBlock(css, ".task-planner-chat-header-actions");
-      const modelBlock = getExactCssRuleBlock(css, ".task-planner-chat-model");
+      const modelBlock = getExactCssRuleBlock(css, ".task-planner-chat-empty-model");
       const expandOverlayBlock = getExactCssRuleBlock(css, ".task-planner-chat-expand-toggle--overlay");
       const composerBlock = getExactCssRuleBlock(css, ".task-planner-chat-composer");
       const inputBlock = getExactCssRuleBlock(css, ".task-planner-chat-input");
@@ -121,13 +119,14 @@ describe("TaskDetailModal", () => {
       expectBaseRule(css, ".task-planner-chat-transcript", "overflow: auto;");
       expectBaseRule(css, ".task-planner-chat-transcript", "min-height: 0;");
       expect(expandOverlayBlock).toContain("position: absolute;");
-      expect(expandOverlayBlock).toContain("top: var(--space-md);");
-      expect(expandOverlayBlock).toContain("right: var(--space-md);");
-      expect(headerBlock).toContain("justify-content: space-between;");
-      expect(headerActionsBlock).toContain("justify-content: flex-end;");
-      expect(headerActionsBlock).not.toContain("flex-wrap: wrap;");
+      expect(expandOverlayBlock).toContain("top: var(--space-sm);");
+      expect(expandOverlayBlock).toContain("right: var(--space-sm);");
+      expect(css).not.toContain(".task-planner-chat-header");
       expect(modelBlock).toContain("display: inline-flex;");
-      expect(modelBlock).toContain("inline-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) + var(--space-sm));");
+      expect(modelBlock).toContain("position: absolute;");
+      expect(modelBlock).toContain("top: 0;");
+      expect(modelBlock).toContain("left: 0;");
+      expect(modelBlock).toContain("inline-size: calc(var(--space-2xl) - var(--space-xs));");
       expect(modelBlock).not.toContain("text-overflow: ellipsis;");
       expect(composerBlock).toContain("display: flex;");
       expect(composerBlock).toContain("flex-wrap: wrap;");
diff --git a/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskPlannerChatTab.test.tsx b/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskPlannerChatTab.test.tsx
index e132588ac2..b390bac083 100644
--- a/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskPlannerChatTab.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/dashboard/app/components/__tests__/TaskPlannerChatTab.test.tsx
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ describe("TaskPlannerChatTab", () => {
 
     const emptyState = await screen.findByTestId("task-planner-chat-empty");
     expect(emptyState).toHaveTextContent("Start a task-aware chat");
-    expect(document.querySelector(".task-planner-chat-header p")).toBeNull();
+    expect(document.querySelector(".task-planner-chat-header")).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Planner Chat")).toBeNull();
     expect(emptyState).toHaveTextContent("Ask planning questions about this task's current status, recent activity, blockers, next steps, or definition.");
     expect(emptyState).toHaveTextContent("Starter prompts send as normal chat messages.");
     expect(mockFetchTaskPlannerChatSession).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
@@ -124,6 +125,8 @@ describe("TaskPlannerChatTab", () => {
     expect(modelBadge).toHaveAccessibleName("anthropic/claude-plan");
     expect(modelBadge).toHaveAttribute("title", "anthropic/claude-plan");
     expect(modelBadge).toHaveTextContent("");
+    expect(emptyState).toContainElement(modelBadge);
+    expect(modelBadge).toHaveClass("task-planner-chat-empty-model");
     expect(modelBadge.querySelector(".provider-icon[data-provider='anthropic']")).toBeTruthy();
     expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /Summarize recent activity/ })).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: /Explain status and blockers/ })).toBeInTheDocument();
@@ -184,7 +187,7 @@ describe("TaskPlannerChatTab", () => {
     expect(toggle).toHaveAttribute("aria-expanded", "true");
     expect(toggle).toHaveClass("task-planner-chat-expand-toggle--overlay");
     expect(screen.getByTestId("task-planner-chat-panel")).toContainElement(toggle);
-    expect(modelBadge).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("task-planner-chat-empty")).toContainElement(modelBadge);
     expect(screen.getByTestId("task-planner-chat-panel")).toContainElement(screen.getByLabelText("Message planner chat"));
     expect(screen.getByTestId("task-planner-chat-panel")).toContainElement(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Send" }));