diff --git a/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx b/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
index b3840e04..76754e0d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
@@ -153,52 +153,41 @@ function GoalEventCard({ message }: { message: GoalEvent }) {
   const t = useTranslation()
   const titleKey = `chat.goalEvent.${message.action === 'status' ? 'statusTitle' : message.action}` as TranslationKey
   const title = t(titleKey) === titleKey ? t('chat.goalEvent.message') : t(titleKey)
-  const objective = message.objective ? t('chat.goalEvent.objective', { value: message.objective }) : null
-  const details = [
+  const metaDetails = [
     message.status ? t('chat.goalEvent.statusValue', { value: message.status }) : null,
     message.budget ? t('chat.goalEvent.budget', { value: message.budget }) : null,
     message.continuations ? t('chat.goalEvent.continuations', { value: message.continuations }) : null,
   ].filter((detail): detail is string => detail !== null)
 
   return (
-    <div className="mb-3 flex justify-start">
-      <div className="group relative w-full max-w-[760px] rounded-[8px] border border-[var(--color-border)] bg-[var(--color-surface-container-lowest)] px-3 py-2.5 text-left shadow-[0_1px_2px_rgba(15,23,42,0.04)]">
-        <div className="absolute inset-y-2 left-0 w-[3px] rounded-r-full bg-[var(--color-success)]" aria-hidden="true" />
-        <div className="flex min-w-0 items-start gap-2.5 pl-2">
-          <div className="mt-0.5 flex h-7 w-7 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-[7px] border border-[var(--color-success)]/20 bg-[var(--color-success)]/8 text-[var(--color-success)]">
-            <Target size={15} strokeWidth={2.25} aria-hidden="true" />
-          </div>
-          <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
-            <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
-              <div className="truncate text-[13px] font-semibold text-[var(--color-text-primary)]">{title}</div>
-              {message.status && (
-                <span className="shrink-0 rounded-[6px] border border-[var(--color-success)]/20 bg-[var(--color-success)]/7 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-normal text-[var(--color-success)]">
-                  {message.status}
-                </span>
-              )}
+    <div className="mb-3 flex justify-center">
+      <div className="flex w-full max-w-[680px] items-start gap-3 rounded-lg border border-[var(--color-goal-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-surface)] px-3 py-2.5 text-left">
+        <div className="flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-[var(--color-goal-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-icon-bg)] text-[var(--color-goal-accent)]">
+          <Target size={15} strokeWidth={2.25} aria-hidden="true" />
+        </div>
+        <div className="min-w-0">
+          <div className="text-sm font-semibold text-[var(--color-text-primary)]">{title}</div>
+          {message.objective ? (
+            <div className="mt-1 line-clamp-2 text-xs leading-5 text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]">
+              {t('chat.goalEvent.objective', { value: message.objective })}
             </div>
-            {objective ? (
-              <div
-                className="mt-1 overflow-hidden text-[12px] leading-5 text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]"
-                style={{ display: '-webkit-box', WebkitLineClamp: 2, WebkitBoxOrient: 'vertical' }}
-              >
-                {objective}
-              </div>
-            ) : message.message ? (
-              <div className="mt-1 whitespace-pre-wrap text-[12px] leading-5 text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]">
-                {message.message}
-              </div>
-            ) : null}
-            {details.length > 0 && (
-              <div className="mt-2 flex min-w-0 flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5">
-                {details.map((detail) => (
-                  <span key={detail} className="rounded-[6px] bg-[var(--color-surface-container-high)] px-2 py-1 text-[11px] leading-none text-[var(--color-text-tertiary)]">
-                    {detail}
-                  </span>
-                ))}
-              </div>
-            )}
-          </div>
+          ) : message.message ? (
+            <div className="mt-1 whitespace-pre-wrap text-xs leading-5 text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]">
+              {message.message}
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
+          {metaDetails.length > 0 && (
+            <div className="mt-2 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5">
+              {metaDetails.map((detail) => (
+                <span
+                  key={detail}
+                  className="rounded-[var(--radius-sm)] border border-[var(--color-goal-chip-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-chip-bg)] px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-medium text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]"
+                >
+                  {detail}
+                </span>
+              ))}
+            </div>
+          )}
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/desktop/src/pages/ActiveSession.tsx b/desktop/src/pages/ActiveSession.tsx
index 93ee709d..bcc83ba1 100644
--- a/desktop/src/pages/ActiveSession.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/pages/ActiveSession.tsx
@@ -224,51 +224,48 @@ function GoalStatusPanel({
       data-testid="active-goal-panel"
       className={
         compact
-          ? 'border-b border-[var(--color-border)] bg-[var(--color-surface)] px-4 py-2'
-          : 'mx-auto w-full max-w-[920px] border-b border-[var(--color-border)] px-8 py-2'
+          ? 'border-b border-[var(--color-border)] bg-[var(--color-surface-container-lowest)] px-4 py-2'
+          : 'mx-auto w-full max-w-[900px] px-8 py-2.5'
       }
     >
-      <div className="relative overflow-hidden rounded-[8px] border border-[var(--color-border)] bg-[var(--color-surface-container-lowest)] px-3 py-2 shadow-[0_1px_2px_rgba(15,23,42,0.04)]">
-        <div className="absolute inset-y-2 left-0 w-[3px] rounded-r-full bg-[var(--color-success)]" aria-hidden="true" />
-        <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-3 pl-2">
-          <div className="flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-[8px] border border-[var(--color-success)]/20 bg-[var(--color-success)]/8 text-[var(--color-success)]">
-            <Target size={17} strokeWidth={2.2} aria-hidden="true" />
+      <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-[var(--color-goal-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-surface)] px-3 py-2.5">
+        <span className="flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-[var(--color-goal-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-icon-bg)] text-[var(--color-goal-accent)]">
+          <Target size={17} strokeWidth={2.2} aria-hidden="true" />
+        </span>
+        <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
+          <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
+            <span className="shrink-0 text-[12px] font-semibold text-[var(--color-text-primary)]">
+              {t('chat.activeGoal.title')}
+            </span>
+            <span className="inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1 rounded-[var(--radius-sm)] border border-[var(--color-goal-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-chip-bg)] px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-semibold text-[var(--color-goal-accent)]">
+              <span className="h-1.5 w-1.5 rounded-full bg-[var(--color-goal-accent)]" aria-hidden="true" />
+              {stateLabel}
+            </span>
+            {goal.objective && (
+              <span className="truncate text-sm font-semibold text-[var(--color-text-primary)]">
+                {goal.objective}
+              </span>
+            )}
           </div>
-          <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
-            <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
-              <span className="shrink-0 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-normal text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]">
-                {t('chat.activeGoal.title')}
-              </span>
-              <span className="inline-flex shrink-0 items-center gap-1 rounded-[6px] border border-[var(--color-success)]/20 bg-[var(--color-success)]/7 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[10px] font-semibold text-[var(--color-success)]">
-                <span className="h-1.5 w-1.5 rounded-full bg-current" aria-hidden="true" />
-                {stateLabel}
-              </span>
-              {goal.objective && (
-                <span className="truncate text-[13px] font-semibold text-[var(--color-text-primary)]">
-                  {goal.objective}
+          {(goal.budget || goal.continuations || goal.elapsed) && (
+            <div className="mt-1.5 flex min-w-0 flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5">
+              {goal.budget && (
+                <span className="rounded-[var(--radius-sm)] border border-[var(--color-goal-chip-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-chip-bg)] px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-medium text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]">
+                  {t('chat.activeGoal.budget', { value: goal.budget })}
+                </span>
+              )}
+              {goal.continuations && (
+                <span className="rounded-[var(--radius-sm)] border border-[var(--color-goal-chip-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-chip-bg)] px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-medium text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]">
+                  {t('chat.activeGoal.continuations', { value: goal.continuations })}
+                </span>
+              )}
+              {goal.elapsed && (
+                <span className="rounded-[var(--radius-sm)] border border-[var(--color-goal-chip-border)] bg-[var(--color-goal-chip-bg)] px-1.5 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-medium text-[var(--color-text-secondary)]">
+                  {t('chat.activeGoal.elapsed', { value: goal.elapsed })}
                 </span>
               )}
             </div>
-            {(goal.budget || goal.continuations || goal.elapsed) && (
-              <div className="mt-1.5 flex min-w-0 flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5">
-                {goal.budget && (
-                  <span className="rounded-[6px] bg-[var(--color-surface-container-high)] px-2 py-1 text-[11px] leading-none text-[var(--color-text-tertiary)]">
-                    {t('chat.activeGoal.budget', { value: goal.budget })}
-                  </span>
-                )}
-                {goal.continuations && (
-                  <span className="rounded-[6px] bg-[var(--color-surface-container-high)] px-2 py-1 text-[11px] leading-none text-[var(--color-text-tertiary)]">
-                    {t('chat.activeGoal.continuations', { value: goal.continuations })}
-                  </span>
-                )}
-                {goal.elapsed && (
-                  <span className="rounded-[6px] bg-[var(--color-surface-container-high)] px-2 py-1 text-[11px] leading-none text-[var(--color-text-tertiary)]">
-                    {t('chat.activeGoal.elapsed', { value: goal.elapsed })}
-                  </span>
-                )}
-              </div>
-            )}
-          </div>
+          )}
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/desktop/src/theme/globals.css b/desktop/src/theme/globals.css
index 88e7a40d..97f04215 100644
--- a/desktop/src/theme/globals.css
+++ b/desktop/src/theme/globals.css
@@ -370,6 +370,12 @@
   --color-memory-surface: #F6FAF8;
   --color-memory-border: #BCCDC8;
   --color-memory-icon-bg: #F3F8F7;
+  --color-goal-accent: var(--color-memory-accent);
+  --color-goal-surface: var(--color-memory-surface);
+  --color-goal-border: var(--color-memory-border);
+  --color-goal-icon-bg: var(--color-memory-icon-bg);
+  --color-goal-chip-bg: var(--color-surface);
+  --color-goal-chip-border: var(--color-border);
   --color-model-option-selected-bg: var(--color-primary-fixed);
   --color-model-option-selected-border: rgba(143, 72, 47, 0.2);
   --color-activity-heat-0: var(--color-surface-container);
@@ -571,6 +577,12 @@
   --color-memory-surface: #F3F8F7;
   --color-memory-border: #AECBC9;
   --color-memory-icon-bg: #EDF7F6;
+  --color-goal-accent: var(--color-memory-accent);
+  --color-goal-surface: var(--color-memory-surface);
+  --color-goal-border: var(--color-memory-border);
+  --color-goal-icon-bg: var(--color-memory-icon-bg);
+  --color-goal-chip-bg: var(--color-surface);
+  --color-goal-chip-border: var(--color-border);
   --color-model-option-selected-bg: #FFF0EA;
   --color-model-option-selected-border: rgba(143, 72, 47, 0.2);
   --color-activity-heat-0: #EEF2F6;
@@ -749,6 +761,12 @@
   --color-memory-surface: #1D2423;
   --color-memory-border: #334743;
   --color-memory-icon-bg: #22302E;
+  --color-goal-accent: var(--color-memory-accent);
+  --color-goal-surface: var(--color-memory-surface);
+  --color-goal-border: var(--color-memory-border);
+  --color-goal-icon-bg: var(--color-memory-icon-bg);
+  --color-goal-chip-bg: var(--color-surface-container-low);
+  --color-goal-chip-border: var(--color-border);
   --color-model-option-selected-bg: rgba(255, 181, 159, 0.13);
   --color-model-option-selected-border: rgba(255, 181, 159, 0.34);
   --color-activity-heat-0: #242322;
diff --git a/desktop/src/theme/globals.test.ts b/desktop/src/theme/globals.test.ts
index ca624c33..6584d978 100644
--- a/desktop/src/theme/globals.test.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/theme/globals.test.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ describe('desktop theme tokens', () => {
     '--color-info',
     '--color-info-container',
     '--color-warning-container',
+    '--color-goal-accent',
+    '--color-goal-surface',
+    '--color-goal-border',
+    '--color-goal-icon-bg',
+    '--color-goal-chip-bg',
+    '--color-goal-chip-border',
     '--color-text-secondary-a72',
     '--color-text-secondary-a68',
     '--color-text-primary-a88',