diff --git a/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.test.tsx b/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.test.tsx
index 38ce84a0..2ff9da52 100644
--- a/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.test.tsx
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ describe('MessageList nested tool calls', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText('Budget: 0 / unlimited tokens')).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
-  it('renders background agent progress inline in the transcript', () => {
+  it('renders non-agent background progress inline in the transcript', () => {
     useChatStore.setState({
       sessions: {
         [ACTIVE_TAB]: makeSessionState({
@@ -212,14 +212,14 @@ describe('MessageList nested tool calls', () => {
               timestamp: 1,
             },
             {
-              id: 'background-task-agent-1',
+              id: 'background-task-shell-1',
               type: 'background_task',
               timestamp: 2,
               task: {
-                taskId: 'agent-task-1',
-                toolUseId: 'agent-tool-1',
+                taskId: 'shell-task-1',
+                toolUseId: 'shell-tool-1',
                 status: 'running',
-                taskType: 'local_agent',
+                taskType: 'local_bash',
                 summary: 'Running Playwright checks',
                 usage: {
                   totalTokens: 1200,
@@ -244,27 +244,27 @@ describe('MessageList nested tool calls', () => {
     render(<MessageList />)
 
     const card = screen.getByTestId('background-task-event-card')
-    expect(card.textContent).toContain('local_agent')
+    expect(card.textContent).toContain('Background command')
     expect(card.textContent).toContain('running')
     expect(card.textContent).toContain('Running Playwright checks')
     expect(card.textContent).toContain('1,200 tokens')
     expect(card.textContent).toContain('45s')
   })
 
-  it('renders stopped background agents as neutral transcript events', () => {
+  it('renders stopped non-agent background tasks as neutral transcript events', () => {
     useChatStore.setState({
       sessions: {
         [ACTIVE_TAB]: makeSessionState({
           messages: [{
-            id: 'background-task-agent-stopped',
+            id: 'background-task-shell-stopped',
             type: 'background_task',
             timestamp: 2,
             task: {
-              taskId: 'agent-task-stopped',
-              toolUseId: 'agent-tool-stopped',
+              taskId: 'shell-task-stopped',
+              toolUseId: 'shell-tool-stopped',
               status: 'stopped',
-              taskType: 'local_agent',
-              summary: 'Agent "Code review for todo app" was stopped',
+              taskType: 'local_bash',
+              summary: 'Command "bun test" was stopped',
               startedAt: 1,
               updatedAt: 2,
             },
@@ -281,6 +281,77 @@ describe('MessageList nested tool calls', () => {
     expect(card.querySelector('.text-\\[var\\(--color-error\\)\\]')).toBeNull()
   })
 
+  it('uses user-facing labels for workflow and unknown background tasks', () => {
+    useChatStore.setState({
+      sessions: {
+        [ACTIVE_TAB]: makeSessionState({
+          messages: [
+            {
+              id: 'background-task-workflow',
+              type: 'background_task',
+              timestamp: 2,
+              task: {
+                taskId: 'workflow-task',
+                status: 'running',
+                taskType: 'local_workflow',
+                summary: 'Running release checklist',
+                startedAt: 1,
+                updatedAt: 2,
+              },
+            },
+            {
+              id: 'background-task-unknown',
+              type: 'background_task',
+              timestamp: 3,
+              task: {
+                taskId: 'unknown-task',
+                status: 'completed',
+                summary: 'Finished background work',
+                startedAt: 1,
+                updatedAt: 3,
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+        }),
+      },
+    })
+
+    render(<MessageList />)
+
+    const cards = screen.getAllByTestId('background-task-event-card')
+    expect(cards).toHaveLength(2)
+    expect(cards[0]?.textContent).toContain('Background workflow')
+    expect(cards[1]?.textContent).toContain('Background task')
+  })
+
+  it('does not render agent background task events as separate transcript cards', () => {
+    useChatStore.setState({
+      sessions: {
+        [ACTIVE_TAB]: makeSessionState({
+          messages: [{
+            id: 'background-task-agent-hidden',
+            type: 'background_task',
+            timestamp: 2,
+            task: {
+              taskId: 'agent-task-hidden',
+              toolUseId: 'agent-tool-hidden',
+              status: 'running',
+              taskType: 'local_agent',
+              summary: 'Running Read',
+              startedAt: 1,
+              updatedAt: 2,
+            },
+          }],
+        }),
+      },
+    })
+
+    render(<MessageList />)
+
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('background-task-event-card')).toBeNull()
+    expect(screen.queryByText('local_agent')).toBeNull()
+  })
+
   it('restores the full transcript when scrolling away from latest', async () => {
     useChatStore.setState({
       sessions: {
diff --git a/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx b/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
index 41108e9c..abb44c35 100644
--- a/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/components/chat/MessageList.tsx
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ function BackgroundTaskEventCard({ message }: { message: BackgroundTaskEvent })
   const isStopped = task.status === 'stopped'
   const duration = formatBackgroundTaskDuration(task.usage?.durationMs)
   const detail = task.summary || task.lastToolName || task.description || task.outputFile || task.taskId
+  const label = getBackgroundTaskLabel(task.taskType, t)
 
   return (
     <div className="mb-2">
@@ -242,7 +243,7 @@ function BackgroundTaskEventCard({ message }: { message: BackgroundTaskEvent })
           <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
             <Bot size={14} strokeWidth={2.25} className="shrink-0 text-[var(--color-text-tertiary)]" aria-hidden="true" />
             <span className="shrink-0 text-[12px] font-medium text-[var(--color-text-primary)]">
-              {task.taskType || t('chat.backgroundAgents.agent')}
+              {label}
             </span>
             <span className="shrink-0 text-[11px] text-[var(--color-text-tertiary)]">
               {t(`chat.backgroundAgents.status.${task.status}`)}
@@ -267,6 +268,25 @@ function BackgroundTaskEventCard({ message }: { message: BackgroundTaskEvent })
   )
 }
 
+function isAgentBackgroundTaskMessage(message: UIMessage): boolean {
+  if (message.type !== 'background_task') return false
+  if (message.task.taskType === 'local_agent' || message.task.taskType === 'remote_agent') {
+    return true
+  }
+  return /^Agent (?:(?:"[^"]+" )?(completed|was stopped)|(?:"[^"]+" )?failed(?::|$))/.test(
+    message.task.summary ?? '',
+  )
+}
+
+function getBackgroundTaskLabel(
+  taskType: string | undefined,
+  t: (key: TranslationKey, params?: Record<string, string | number>) => string,
+): string {
+  if (taskType === 'local_bash') return t('chat.backgroundTasks.command')
+  if (taskType === 'local_workflow') return t('chat.backgroundTasks.workflow')
+  return t('chat.backgroundTasks.task')
+}
+
 function SelectableChatMessage({
   sessionId,
   messageId,
@@ -377,6 +397,9 @@ export function buildRenderModel(messages: UIMessage[]): RenderModel {
     if (msg.type === 'assistant_text' && !msg.content.trim()) {
       continue
     }
+    if (isAgentBackgroundTaskMessage(msg)) {
+      continue
+    }
 
     if (msg.type === 'tool_result' && toolUseIds.has(msg.toolUseId)) {
       continue
@@ -412,7 +435,7 @@ function isTurnResponseMessage(message: UIMessage) {
     message.type === 'assistant_text' ||
     message.type === 'tool_use' ||
     message.type === 'tool_result' ||
-    message.type === 'background_task' ||
+    (message.type === 'background_task' && !isAgentBackgroundTaskMessage(message)) ||
     message.type === 'error' ||
     message.type === 'task_summary'
   )
diff --git a/desktop/src/components/workspace/WorkspacePanel.test.tsx b/desktop/src/components/workspace/WorkspacePanel.test.tsx
index f5bfaf0c..b2d36688 100644
--- a/desktop/src/components/workspace/WorkspacePanel.test.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/components/workspace/WorkspacePanel.test.tsx
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ describe('WorkspacePanel', () => {
       expect(view.getByTestId('workspace-code').textContent).toContain('const line2300 = 2300')
     })
     expect(view.getByRole('button', { name: 'Collapse preview' })).toBeTruthy()
-  }, 10_000)
+  }, 20_000)
 
   it('renders image previews from workspace files', async () => {
     await setWorkspaceState((state) => ({
diff --git a/desktop/src/i18n/locales/en.ts b/desktop/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
index 3fea5a09..cfb95502 100644
--- a/desktop/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/i18n/locales/en.ts
@@ -966,6 +966,9 @@ export const en = {
   'chat.backgroundAgents.title': 'Background agents',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.count': '{count} active or recent',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.agent': 'agent',
+  'chat.backgroundTasks.command': 'Background command',
+  'chat.backgroundTasks.workflow': 'Background workflow',
+  'chat.backgroundTasks.task': 'Background task',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.tokens': '{count} tokens',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.status.running': 'running',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.status.completed': 'completed',
diff --git a/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh.ts b/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh.ts
index 5e792648..354959d4 100644
--- a/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/i18n/locales/zh.ts
@@ -968,6 +968,9 @@ export const zh: Record<TranslationKey, string> = {
   'chat.backgroundAgents.title': '后台 Agent',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.count': '{count} 个运行中或最近任务',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.agent': 'agent',
+  'chat.backgroundTasks.command': '后台命令',
+  'chat.backgroundTasks.workflow': '后台工作流',
+  'chat.backgroundTasks.task': '后台任务',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.tokens': '{count} tokens',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.status.running': '运行中',
   'chat.backgroundAgents.status.completed': '已完成',
diff --git a/desktop/src/stores/chatStore.test.ts b/desktop/src/stores/chatStore.test.ts
index b9c401bf..8f227742 100644
--- a/desktop/src/stores/chatStore.test.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/stores/chatStore.test.ts
@@ -436,15 +436,6 @@ describe('chatStore history mapping', () => {
     const session = useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]
     expect(session?.messages).toMatchObject([
       { id: 'visible-message', type: 'assistant_text', content: 'already rendered' },
-      {
-        type: 'background_task',
-        task: {
-          taskId: 'agent-task-1',
-          toolUseId: 'agent-tool-1',
-          status: 'completed',
-          summary: 'Agent completed',
-        },
-      },
       {
         id: 'goal-complete',
         type: 'goal_event',
@@ -1255,7 +1246,7 @@ describe('chatStore history mapping', () => {
     })
   })
 
-  it('tracks background agent task lifecycle events for desktop visibility', () => {
+  it('tracks background agent task lifecycle without duplicating transcript cards', () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers()
     vi.setSystemTime(new Date('2026-04-06T00:00:01.000Z'))
 
@@ -1289,18 +1280,7 @@ describe('chatStore history mapping', () => {
       taskType: 'local_agent',
       prompt: 'Run E2E verification',
     })
-    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages).toMatchObject([
-      {
-        type: 'background_task',
-        task: {
-          taskId: 'agent-task-1',
-          status: 'running',
-          description: 'Verify the todo app',
-        },
-      },
-    ])
-    const insertedTaskTimestamp = useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages[0]?.timestamp
-    expect(insertedTaskTimestamp).toBe(new Date('2026-04-06T00:00:02.000Z').getTime())
+    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages).toHaveLength(0)
 
     vi.setSystemTime(new Date('2026-04-06T00:00:03.000Z'))
 
@@ -1331,16 +1311,7 @@ describe('chatStore history mapping', () => {
         durationMs: 45000,
       },
     })
-    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages).toHaveLength(1)
-    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages[0]).toMatchObject({
-      type: 'background_task',
-      task: {
-        taskId: 'agent-task-1',
-        status: 'running',
-        summary: 'Running Playwright checks',
-      },
-    })
-    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages[0]?.timestamp).toBe(insertedTaskTimestamp)
+    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages).toHaveLength(0)
 
     vi.setSystemTime(new Date('2026-04-06T00:00:04.000Z'))
 
@@ -1376,19 +1347,110 @@ describe('chatStore history mapping', () => {
       summary: 'Found and fixed localStorage corruption.',
       outputFile: '/tmp/agent-output.txt',
     })
-    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages).toHaveLength(1)
-    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages[0]).toMatchObject({
-      type: 'background_task',
-      task: {
-        taskId: 'agent-task-1',
-        status: 'completed',
-        summary: 'Found and fixed localStorage corruption.',
+    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages).toHaveLength(0)
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+
+  it('keeps non-agent background tasks visible and updates the existing transcript card', () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date('2026-04-06T00:00:01.000Z'))
+
+    useChatStore.setState({
+      sessions: {
+        [TEST_SESSION_ID]: makeSession(),
       },
     })
-    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages[0]?.timestamp).toBe(insertedTaskTimestamp)
+
+    useChatStore.getState().handleServerMessage(TEST_SESSION_ID, {
+      type: 'system_notification',
+      subtype: 'task_started',
+      data: {
+        task_id: 'shell-task-1',
+        tool_use_id: 'shell-tool-1',
+        description: 'Run desktop checks',
+        task_type: 'local_bash',
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages).toMatchObject([
+      {
+        type: 'background_task',
+        task: {
+          taskId: 'shell-task-1',
+          toolUseId: 'shell-tool-1',
+          status: 'running',
+          taskType: 'local_bash',
+          description: 'Run desktop checks',
+        },
+      },
+    ])
+    const insertedTaskTimestamp = useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages[0]?.timestamp
+
+    vi.setSystemTime(new Date('2026-04-06T00:00:02.000Z'))
+
+    useChatStore.getState().handleServerMessage(TEST_SESSION_ID, {
+      type: 'system_notification',
+      subtype: 'task_progress',
+      data: {
+        task_id: 'shell-task-1',
+        tool_use_id: 'shell-tool-1',
+        description: 'Run desktop checks',
+        summary: 'Running Vitest',
+        last_tool_name: 'Bash',
+        task_type: 'local_bash',
+      },
+    })
+
+    const session = useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]
+    expect(session?.messages).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(session?.messages[0]).toMatchObject({
+      type: 'background_task',
+      task: {
+        taskId: 'shell-task-1',
+        status: 'running',
+        summary: 'Running Vitest',
+        lastToolName: 'Bash',
+      },
+    })
+    expect(session?.messages[0]?.timestamp).toBe(insertedTaskTimestamp)
     vi.useRealTimers()
   })
 
+  it('removes stale agent task transcript cards by matching tool use id', () => {
+    useChatStore.setState({
+      sessions: {
+        [TEST_SESSION_ID]: makeSession({
+          messages: [{
+            id: 'background-task-old-agent-task',
+            type: 'background_task',
+            timestamp: 1,
+            task: {
+              taskId: 'old-agent-task',
+              toolUseId: 'agent-tool-1',
+              status: 'running',
+              taskType: 'local_agent',
+              startedAt: 1,
+              updatedAt: 1,
+            },
+          }],
+        }),
+      },
+    })
+
+    useChatStore.getState().handleServerMessage(TEST_SESSION_ID, {
+      type: 'system_notification',
+      subtype: 'task_started',
+      data: {
+        task_id: 'new-agent-task',
+        tool_use_id: 'agent-tool-1',
+        task_type: 'local_agent',
+        description: 'Review app',
+      },
+    })
+
+    expect(useChatStore.getState().sessions[TEST_SESSION_ID]?.messages).toHaveLength(0)
+  })
+
   it('clears local desktop chat state when the server confirms /clear', () => {
     vi.useFakeTimers()
 
diff --git a/desktop/src/stores/chatStore.ts b/desktop/src/stores/chatStore.ts
index 600f8fed..d6007d6d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/stores/chatStore.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/stores/chatStore.ts
@@ -234,10 +234,17 @@ function upsertBackgroundTaskMessage(
   task: BackgroundAgentTask,
   timestamp: number,
 ): UIMessage[] {
-  const existingIndex = messages.findIndex((message) =>
+  const isSameTaskMessage = (message: UIMessage) =>
     message.type === 'background_task' &&
     (message.task.taskId === task.taskId ||
-      (task.toolUseId && message.task.toolUseId === task.toolUseId)))
+      (task.toolUseId && message.task.toolUseId === task.toolUseId))
+
+  if (isAgentBackgroundTask(task)) {
+    return messages.filter((message) => !isSameTaskMessage(message))
+  }
+
+  const existingIndex = messages.findIndex((message) =>
+    isSameTaskMessage(message))
   if (existingIndex === -1) {
     return [...messages, {
       id: `background-task-${task.taskId}`,
@@ -264,6 +271,15 @@ function mergeBackgroundTaskMessages(
   return [...merged].sort((a, b) => a.timestamp - b.timestamp)
 }
 
+function isAgentBackgroundTask(task: Pick<BackgroundAgentTask, 'taskType' | 'summary'>): boolean {
+  if (task.taskType === 'local_agent' || task.taskType === 'remote_agent') {
+    return true
+  }
+  return /^Agent (?:(?:"[^"]+" )?(completed|was stopped)|(?:"[^"]+" )?failed(?::|$))/.test(
+    task.summary ?? '',
+  )
+}
+
 function mergeRestoredTerminalGoalEvents(
   messages: UIMessage[],
   restoredMessages: UIMessage[],