diff --git a/server/claude-sdk.js b/server/claude-sdk.js
index 0442b81..e92e4f0 100644
--- a/server/claude-sdk.js
+++ b/server/claude-sdk.js
@@ -535,13 +535,13 @@ async function queryClaudeSDK(command, options = {}, ws) {
     sdkOptions.canUseTool = async (toolName, input, context) => {
       const requiresInteraction = TOOLS_REQUIRING_INTERACTION.has(toolName);
 
-      // Dangerously-skip / bypass mode: auto-allow EVERY tool, including interactive
-      // ones (AskUserQuestion, ExitPlanMode). This guarantees zero prompts.
-      if (sdkOptions.permissionMode === 'bypassPermissions') {
-        return { behavior: 'allow', updatedInput: input };
-      }
-
       if (!requiresInteraction) {
+        // Bypass / dangerously-skip: auto-allow normal tools (no prompt). Interactive
+        // tools (AskUserQuestion, ExitPlanMode) are NOT bypassed - they are genuine
+        // requests for user input and must still reach the user and fire a notification.
+        if (sdkOptions.permissionMode === 'bypassPermissions') {
+          return { behavior: 'allow', updatedInput: input };
+        }
         const isDisallowed = (sdkOptions.disallowedTools || []).some(entry =>
           matchesToolPermission(entry, toolName, input)
         );
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ async function queryClaudeSDK(command, options = {}, ws) {
         provider: 'claude',
         sessionId: capturedSessionId || sessionId || null,
         kind: 'action_required',
-        code: 'permission.required',
+        code: requiresInteraction ? 'input.required' : 'permission.required',
         meta: { toolName, sessionName: sessionSummary },
         severity: 'warning',
         requiresUserAction: true,
diff --git a/server/services/notification-orchestrator.js b/server/services/notification-orchestrator.js
index 43a7d05..bf9e763 100644
--- a/server/services/notification-orchestrator.js
+++ b/server/services/notification-orchestrator.js
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ function buildPushBody(event) {
     'permission.required': event.meta?.toolName
       ? `Action Required: Tool "${event.meta.toolName}" needs approval`
       : 'Action Required: A tool needs your approval',
+    'input.required': 'Needs your input: Claude is waiting for an answer',
     'run.stopped': event.meta?.stopReason || 'Run Stopped: The run has stopped',
     'run.failed': event.meta?.error ? `Run Failed: ${event.meta.error}` : 'Run Failed: The run encountered an error',
     'agent.notification': event.meta?.message ? String(event.meta.message) : 'You have a new notification',
diff --git a/src/components/app/AppContent.tsx b/src/components/app/AppContent.tsx
index 3b3ac8c..4f13248 100644
--- a/src/components/app/AppContent.tsx
+++ b/src/components/app/AppContent.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ function AppContentInner() {
     markSessionAsInactive,
     markSessionAsProcessing,
     markSessionAsNotProcessing,
+    processingStartTimes,
+    needsInputSessions,
+    markSessionAsNeedsInput,
+    clearSessionNeedsInput,
   } = useSessionProtection();
 
   const {
@@ -59,8 +63,33 @@ function AppContentInner() {
     isMobile,
     activeSessions,
     processingSessions,
+    processingStartTimes,
+    needsInputSessions,
   });
 
+  // Observe the shared websocket stream at the app level so the sidebar can show
+  // a "needs input" state for ANY session (not just the open one). A pending
+  // permission / AskUserQuestion marks the session; resolution clears it.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const msg = latestMessage as { kind?: string; sessionId?: string | null } | null;
+    if (!msg || !msg.kind) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const sid = msg.sessionId || null;
+    if (!sid) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (msg.kind === 'permission_request') {
+      markSessionAsNeedsInput(sid);
+    } else if (
+      msg.kind === 'permission_cancelled' ||
+      msg.kind === 'complete' ||
+      msg.kind === 'error'
+    ) {
+      clearSessionNeedsInput(sid);
+    }
+  }, [latestMessage, markSessionAsNeedsInput, clearSessionNeedsInput]);
+
   usePaletteOpsRegister({
     openSettings,
     refreshProjects: refreshProjectsSilently,
diff --git a/src/components/sidebar/types/types.ts b/src/components/sidebar/types/types.ts
index 56d6134..536a895 100644
--- a/src/components/sidebar/types/types.ts
+++ b/src/components/sidebar/types/types.ts
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ export type SidebarProps = {
   onCloseSettings: () => void;
   isMobile: boolean;
   processingSessions?: Set<string>;
+  processingStartTimes?: Map<string, number>;
+  needsInputSessions?: Set<string>;
 };
 
 export type SessionViewModel = {
diff --git a/src/components/sidebar/view/Sidebar.tsx b/src/components/sidebar/view/Sidebar.tsx
index aa3105e..5307227 100644
--- a/src/components/sidebar/view/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/sidebar/view/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ function Sidebar({
   onCloseSettings,
   isMobile,
   processingSessions,
+  processingStartTimes,
+  needsInputSessions,
 }: SidebarProps) {
   const { t } = useTranslation(['sidebar', 'common']);
   const { isPWA } = useDeviceSettings({ trackMobile: false });
@@ -154,6 +156,8 @@ function Sidebar({
     initialSessionsLoaded,
     currentTime,
     processingSessions,
+    processingStartTimes,
+    needsInputSessions,
     editingSession,
     editingSessionName,
     deletingProjects,
diff --git a/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectItem.tsx b/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectItem.tsx
index 022072a..89354c1 100644
--- a/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectItem.tsx
+++ b/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectItem.tsx
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ type SidebarProjectItemProps = {
   isLoadingMoreSessions: boolean;
   currentTime: Date;
   processingSessions?: Set<string>;
+  processingStartTimes?: Map<string, number>;
+  needsInputSessions?: Set<string>;
   editingSession: string | null;
   editingSessionName: string;
   tasksEnabled: boolean;
@@ -71,6 +73,8 @@ export default function SidebarProjectItem({
   isLoadingMoreSessions,
   currentTime,
   processingSessions,
+  processingStartTimes,
+  needsInputSessions,
   editingSession,
   editingSessionName,
   tasksEnabled,
@@ -415,6 +419,8 @@ export default function SidebarProjectItem({
         isLoadingMoreSessions={isLoadingMoreSessions}
         currentTime={currentTime}
         processingSessions={processingSessions}
+        processingStartTimes={processingStartTimes}
+        needsInputSessions={needsInputSessions}
         editingSession={editingSession}
         editingSessionName={editingSessionName}
         onEditingSessionNameChange={onEditingSessionNameChange}
diff --git a/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectList.tsx b/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectList.tsx
index 8136c3b..65f9647 100644
--- a/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectList.tsx
+++ b/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectList.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ export type SidebarProjectListProps = {
   initialSessionsLoaded: Set<string>;
   currentTime: Date;
   processingSessions?: Set<string>;
+  processingStartTimes?: Map<string, number>;
+  needsInputSessions?: Set<string>;
   editingSession: string | null;
   editingSessionName: string;
   deletingProjects: Set<string>;
@@ -65,6 +67,8 @@ export default function SidebarProjectList({
   initialSessionsLoaded,
   currentTime,
   processingSessions,
+  processingStartTimes,
+  needsInputSessions,
   editingSession,
   editingSessionName,
   deletingProjects,
@@ -134,6 +138,8 @@ export default function SidebarProjectList({
               isLoadingMoreSessions={loadingMoreProjects.has(project.projectId)}
               currentTime={currentTime}
               processingSessions={processingSessions}
+              processingStartTimes={processingStartTimes}
+              needsInputSessions={needsInputSessions}
               editingSession={editingSession}
               editingSessionName={editingSessionName}
               tasksEnabled={tasksEnabled}
diff --git a/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectSessions.tsx b/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectSessions.tsx
index 9cefabc..8f1ffcd 100644
--- a/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectSessions.tsx
+++ b/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarProjectSessions.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ type SidebarProjectSessionsProps = {
   isLoadingMoreSessions: boolean;
   currentTime: Date;
   processingSessions?: Set<string>;
+  processingStartTimes?: Map<string, number>;
+  needsInputSessions?: Set<string>;
   editingSession: string | null;
   editingSessionName: string;
   onEditingSessionNameChange: (value: string) => void;
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ export default function SidebarProjectSessions({
   isLoadingMoreSessions,
   currentTime,
   processingSessions,
+  processingStartTimes,
+  needsInputSessions,
   editingSession,
   editingSessionName,
   onEditingSessionNameChange,
@@ -124,6 +128,8 @@ export default function SidebarProjectSessions({
               selectedSession={selectedSession}
               currentTime={currentTime}
               processingSessions={processingSessions}
+              processingStartTimes={processingStartTimes}
+              needsInputSessions={needsInputSessions}
               editingSession={editingSession}
               editingSessionName={editingSessionName}
               onEditingSessionNameChange={onEditingSessionNameChange}
diff --git a/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarSessionItem.tsx b/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarSessionItem.tsx
index 25ca139..7fffaa7 100644
--- a/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarSessionItem.tsx
+++ b/src/components/sidebar/view/subcomponents/SidebarSessionItem.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ type SidebarSessionItemProps = {
   selectedSession: ProjectSession | null;
   currentTime: Date;
   processingSessions?: Set<string>;
+  processingStartTimes?: Map<string, number>;
+  needsInputSessions?: Set<string>;
   editingSession: string | null;
   editingSessionName: string;
   onEditingSessionNameChange: (value: string) => void;
@@ -59,12 +61,25 @@ const formatCompactSessionAge = (dateString: string, currentTime: Date): string
   return `${diffInDays}d`;
 };
 
+/** Live elapsed for a running session: Xs, then Mm Ss. */
+const formatElapsed = (ms: number): string => {
+  const totalSeconds = Math.max(0, Math.floor(ms / 1000));
+  if (totalSeconds < 60) {
+    return `${totalSeconds}s`;
+  }
+  const m = Math.floor(totalSeconds / 60);
+  const s = totalSeconds % 60;
+  return `${m}m ${s.toString().padStart(2, '0')}s`;
+};
+
 export default function SidebarSessionItem({
   project,
   session,
   selectedSession,
   currentTime,
   processingSessions,
+  processingStartTimes,
+  needsInputSessions,
   editingSession,
   editingSessionName,
   onEditingSessionNameChange,
@@ -78,8 +93,16 @@ export default function SidebarSessionItem({
 }: SidebarSessionItemProps) {
   const sessionView = createSessionViewModel(session, currentTime, t);
   const isSelected = selectedSession?.id === session.id;
-  const isProcessing = processingSessions?.has(session.id) ?? false;
-  const isRecentlyActive = sessionView.isActive && !isProcessing;
+  const isNeedsInput = needsInputSessions?.has(session.id) ?? false;
+  const isProcessing = (processingSessions?.has(session.id) ?? false) && !isNeedsInput;
+  const isRecentlyActive = sessionView.isActive && !isProcessing && !isNeedsInput;
+  const processingStart = processingStartTimes?.get(session.id);
+  const elapsedLabel =
+    (isProcessing || isNeedsInput) && processingStart
+      ? formatElapsed(currentTime.getTime() - processingStart)
+      : '';
+  const activityLabel = isNeedsInput ? 'Needs input' : isProcessing ? elapsedLabel : '';
+  const activityClass = isNeedsInput ? 'text-rose-400' : 'text-amber-400';
   const compactSessionAge = formatCompactSessionAge(sessionView.sessionTime, currentTime);
 
   // Sessions are owned by a project identified by `projectId` (DB primary key)
@@ -99,7 +122,17 @@ export default function SidebarSessionItem({
 
   return (
     <div className="group relative">
-      {isProcessing ? (
+      {isNeedsInput ? (
+        <div
+          className="absolute left-0 top-1/2 -translate-x-1 -translate-y-1/2 transform"
+          title={t('sessions.needsInput', { defaultValue: 'Needs your input' })}
+        >
+          <span className="relative flex h-2.5 w-2.5">
+            <span className="absolute inline-flex h-full w-full animate-ping rounded-full bg-rose-400 opacity-75" />
+            <span className="relative inline-flex h-2.5 w-2.5 rounded-full bg-rose-500" />
+          </span>
+        </div>
+      ) : isProcessing ? (
         <div
           className="absolute left-0 top-1/2 -translate-x-1 -translate-y-1/2 transform"
           title={t('sessions.agentRunning', { defaultValue: 'Agent running' })}
@@ -123,11 +156,13 @@ export default function SidebarSessionItem({
           className={cn(
             'p-2 mx-3 my-0.5 rounded-md bg-card border active:scale-[0.98] transition-all duration-150 relative',
             isSelected ? 'bg-primary/5 border-primary/20' : '',
-            !isSelected && isProcessing
-              ? 'border-amber-500/40 bg-amber-50/10 dark:bg-amber-900/10'
-              : !isSelected && isRecentlyActive
-                ? 'border-sky-500/20'
-                : 'border-border/30',
+            !isSelected && isNeedsInput
+              ? 'border-rose-500/40 bg-rose-50/10 dark:bg-rose-900/10'
+              : !isSelected && isProcessing
+                ? 'border-amber-500/40 bg-amber-50/10 dark:bg-amber-900/10'
+                : !isSelected && isRecentlyActive
+                  ? 'border-sky-500/20'
+                  : 'border-border/30',
           )}
           onClick={selectMobileSession}
         >
@@ -144,9 +179,11 @@ export default function SidebarSessionItem({
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
               <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
                 <div className="truncate text-xs font-medium text-foreground">{sessionView.sessionName}</div>
-                {compactSessionAge && (
+                {activityLabel ? (
+                  <span className={`ml-auto flex-shrink-0 text-[11px] font-medium ${activityClass}`}>{activityLabel}</span>
+                ) : compactSessionAge ? (
                   <span className="ml-auto flex-shrink-0 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">{compactSessionAge}</span>
-                )}
+                ) : null}
               </div>
               <div className="mt-0.5 flex items-center">
                 {sessionView.messageCount > 0 && (
@@ -186,11 +223,13 @@ export default function SidebarSessionItem({
             <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
               <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
                 <div className="truncate text-xs font-medium text-foreground">{sessionView.sessionName}</div>
-                {compactSessionAge && (
+                {activityLabel ? (
+                  <span className={`ml-auto flex-shrink-0 text-[11px] font-medium ${activityClass}`}>{activityLabel}</span>
+                ) : compactSessionAge ? (
                   <span className="ml-auto flex-shrink-0 text-[11px] text-muted-foreground transition-opacity duration-200 group-hover:opacity-0">
                     {compactSessionAge}
                   </span>
-                )}
+                ) : null}
               </div>
               <div className="mt-0.5 flex items-center">
                 {sessionView.messageCount > 0 && <Badge variant="secondary" className="px-1 py-0 text-xs">{sessionView.messageCount}</Badge>}
diff --git a/src/hooks/useProjectsState.ts b/src/hooks/useProjectsState.ts
index 92a7704..32be29d 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useProjectsState.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useProjectsState.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ type UseProjectsStateArgs = {
   isMobile: boolean;
   activeSessions: Set<string>;
   processingSessions: Set<string>;
+  processingStartTimes: Map<string, number>;
+  needsInputSessions: Set<string>;
 };
 
 type FetchProjectsOptions = {
@@ -243,6 +245,8 @@ export function useProjectsState({
   isMobile,
   activeSessions,
   processingSessions,
+  processingStartTimes,
+  needsInputSessions,
 }: UseProjectsStateArgs) {
   const [projects, setProjects] = useState<Project[]>([]);
   const [selectedProject, setSelectedProject] = useState<Project | null>(null);
@@ -833,6 +837,8 @@ export function useProjectsState({
       onCloseSettings: () => setShowSettings(false),
       isMobile,
       processingSessions,
+      processingStartTimes,
+      needsInputSessions,
     }),
     [
       handleNewSession,
@@ -851,6 +857,8 @@ export function useProjectsState({
       selectedSession,
       showSettings,
       processingSessions,
+      processingStartTimes,
+      needsInputSessions,
     ],
   );