diff --git a/include/cst_version.h b/include/cst_version.h
index 4fcf0b5..d515a16 100644
--- a/include/cst_version.h
+++ b/include/cst_version.h
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 #define CST_VERSION_MAJOR 1
 #define CST_VERSION_MINOR 0
-#define CST_VERSION_PATCH 1
+#define CST_VERSION_PATCH 2
 
 #define CST_VERSION_STR_(x) #x
 #define CST_VERSION_STR(x) CST_VERSION_STR_(x)
diff --git a/src/tui.c b/src/tui.c
index 7331c7b..5ee0a08 100644
--- a/src/tui.c
+++ b/src/tui.c
@@ -2791,8 +2791,28 @@ static void draw_hermit_badge(WINDOW *win, int y, int x, const tui_t *t) {
       return;
     }
   }
-  const char *b = hermit_mini_badge(st, t->spin, g_ascii);
-  draw_ansi_at(win, y, x, (int)strlen(b), b, CP_TOOL, 0, 0);
+  /* Compact topbar mark — avoid wide ║║ which reads as an orange slab. */
+  const char *b;
+  if (g_ascii) {
+    b = (st == HERMIT_ST_CODING) ? ">_" : "<>";
+  } else {
+    switch (st) {
+    case HERMIT_ST_QUESTION:
+      b = "◇?";
+      break;
+    case HERMIT_ST_ERROR:
+      b = "◇!";
+      break;
+    case HERMIT_ST_CODING:
+      b = ">_";
+      break;
+    default:
+      b = "◇";
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  (void)t;
+  draw_ansi_at(win, y, x, 2, b, CP_TOOL, 0, 0);
 }
 
 static const char *const TIPS[] = {
@@ -2971,7 +2991,7 @@ static void draw_side(tui_t *t) {
   char line[512];
   int bottom = h - 3; /* where + version */
 
-  /* SEAT — local role + instance + short realm fp */
+  /* SEAT — role on one line; instance + realm indented under it */
   draw_ansi_at(s, y++, x, mw, "seat", CP_SIDE_MUTED, 0, 0);
   {
     char sid[64] = {0};
@@ -2980,21 +3000,28 @@ static void draw_side(tui_t *t) {
     const char *role = !sess ? "logged-out" : chair ? "chair" : "member";
     int pair = !sess ? CP_SIDE_MUTED
                      : chair ? CP_SIDE_SUCCESS : CP_SIDE_PRIMARY;
-    int dx = x + draw_ansi_at(s, y, x, 2, seat_pulse_dot(t), pair, 0, 0);
-    snprintf(line, sizeof(line), "%s", role);
-    dx += draw_ansi_at(s, y, dx + 1, mw - (dx + 1 - x), line, pair, 1, 0);
+    int dx = x;
+    dx += draw_ansi_at(s, y, dx, 2, seat_pulse_dot(t), pair, 0, 0);
+    dx += draw_ansi_at(s, y, dx, 1, " ", pair, 0, 0);
+    draw_ansi_at(s, y, dx, mw - (dx - x), role, pair, 1, 0);
     y++;
+    int ix = x + 2; /* align under role text, past the pulse */
+    int imw = mw - 2;
+    if (imw < 6) {
+      ix = x;
+      imw = mw;
+    }
     if (!sid[0])
       cst_parliament_default_instance(sid, sizeof(sid));
     if (sid[0] && y < bottom) {
-      size_t fit = utf8_fit_cols(sid, strlen(sid), mw);
+      size_t fit = utf8_fit_cols(sid, strlen(sid), imw);
       snprintf(line, sizeof(line), "%.*s", (int)fit, sid);
-      draw_ansi_at(s, y++, x, mw, line, CP_SIDE_MUTED, 0, 0);
+      draw_ansi_at(s, y++, ix, imw, line, CP_SIDE_MUTED, 0, 0);
     }
     char fp[9];
     if (realm_fp_short(fp) == 0 && y < bottom) {
       snprintf(line, sizeof(line), "realm %.8s", fp);
-      draw_ansi_at(s, y++, x, mw, line, CP_SIDE_MUTED, 0, 0);
+      draw_ansi_at(s, y++, ix, imw, line, CP_SIDE_MUTED, 0, 0);
     }
   }
   y++;
@@ -3301,27 +3328,56 @@ static void draw_topbar(tui_t *t) {
     if (hexish)
       title = "New session";
   }
-  /* Hermit badge + title + model. Role lives only in the Seat Deck. */
+  /* Badge + brand + title on the left; model then seat chip on the right. */
   int x = 1;
   draw_hermit_badge(w, 0, x, t);
-  x += 4;
+  x += 3;
   x += draw_ansi_at(w, 0, x, 6, "Hermit", CP_TOPBAR_ACCENT, 1, 0);
   x += draw_ansi_at(w, 0, x, 1, " ", CP_TOPBAR_MUTED, 0, 0);
-  int model_room = 0;
+
+  char seat_chip[48] = "";
+  int seat_w = 0;
+  {
+    char sid[64] = {0};
+    int sess = cst_parliament_session_ok(sid, sizeof(sid));
+    int chair = sess && cst_parliament_is_chair();
+    if (cst_parliament_is_active()) {
+      snprintf(seat_chip, sizeof(seat_chip), "%s %s",
+               seat_pulse_dot(t),
+               !sess ? "login" : chair ? "chair" : "member");
+      seat_w = utf8_cols(seat_chip, strlen(seat_chip)) + 2;
+    }
+  }
   char mid[160] = "";
+  int model_room = 0;
   if (cfg) {
     snprintf(mid, sizeof(mid), "%.40s%s%.20s", cfg->model,
              cfg->provider[0] ? " · " : "", cfg->provider);
     model_room = utf8_cols(mid, strlen(mid)) + 2;
   }
-  int title_max = bw - x - 1 - model_room;
+  int title_max = bw - x - 1 - model_room - seat_w;
   if (title_max < 8)
     title_max = 8;
   size_t tfit = utf8_fit_cols(title, strlen(title), title_max);
   snprintf(left, sizeof(left), "%.*s", (int)tfit, title);
   x += draw_ansi_at(w, 0, x, bw - x, left, CP_TOPBAR, 1, 0);
-  if (mid[0] && x + 2 < bw)
-    draw_ansi_at(w, 0, x + 2, bw - (x + 2), mid, CP_TOPBAR_MUTED, 0, 0);
+  int right = bw - 1;
+  if (seat_chip[0]) {
+    int sw = utf8_cols(seat_chip, strlen(seat_chip));
+    int sx = right - sw;
+    if (sx > x + 2) {
+      int pair = strstr(seat_chip, "chair") ? CP_TOPBAR_ACCENT : CP_TOPBAR_MUTED;
+      draw_ansi_at(w, 0, sx, sw, seat_chip, pair, 0, 0);
+      right = sx - 2;
+    }
+  }
+  if (mid[0] && x + 2 < right) {
+    int mw = utf8_cols(mid, strlen(mid));
+    int mx = right - mw;
+    if (mx < x + 2)
+      mx = x + 2;
+    draw_ansi_at(w, 0, mx, right - mx + 1, mid, CP_TOPBAR_MUTED, 0, 0);
+  }
   wrefresh(w);
 }
 
@@ -3698,8 +3754,10 @@ static void layout(tui_t *t) {
       t->todo_rows = 1 + (total < TODO_PANEL_MAX ? total : TODO_PANEL_MAX);
     t->log_x = 1;
     t->log_y = topbar;
+    /* Topbar spans the full width so the sidebar does not leave a dead
+     * hole next to "Hermit …" in the top-right corner. */
     if (topbar)
-      t->header = tui_newwin(1, mw, 0, 0);
+      t->header = tui_newwin(1, t->cols, 0, 0);
     int log_h = t->in_y - 1 - t->todo_rows - t->log_y;
     if (log_h < 1) {
       t->todo_rows = 0;
@@ -3709,8 +3767,9 @@ static void layout(tui_t *t) {
     if (t->todo_rows)
       t->todow = tui_newwin(t->todo_rows, mw - 2, t->log_y + log_h, 1);
     t->status = tui_newwin(1, mw - 2, t->rows - 1, 1);
+    /* Sidebar starts under the topbar, aligned with the transcript. */
     if (t->side_w)
-      t->side = tui_newwin(t->rows, t->side_w, 0, mw);
+      t->side = tui_newwin(t->rows - topbar, t->side_w, topbar, mw);
   }
   t->input = tui_newwin(t->in_h, t->in_w, t->in_y, t->in_x);
   if (HAS_COLOR()) {