diff --git a/frontend/src/components/WorkspaceChatWidget.vue b/frontend/src/components/WorkspaceChatWidget.vue
index b2021e9..5443700 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/WorkspaceChatWidget.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/WorkspaceChatWidget.vue
@@ -1,13 +1,54 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, nextTick, onMounted, onUnmounted } from 'vue';
+import { ref, nextTick, onMounted, onUnmounted, watch } from 'vue';
 import { useChatStore } from '@/stores/chat';
 import ChatPanel from '@/components/ChatPanel.vue';
 import ChatInputBar from '@/components/ChatInputBar.vue';
 
 const props = defineProps<{ projectId: number }>();
 
+const emit = defineEmits<{
+  'note-changed': [noteId: number];
+  'task-changed': [];
+}>();
+
 const chatStore = useChatStore();
 
+// SSE watcher — emit refresh events when tool calls succeed during streaming
+const processedCount = ref(0);
+
+watch(
+  () => chatStore.streamingToolCalls,
+  (calls) => {
+    for (let i = processedCount.value; i < calls.length; i++) {
+      const tc = calls[i];
+      if (tc.status !== 'success') continue;
+
+      // Note-editor refresh: any successful create_note/update_note
+      if (['create_note', 'update_note'].includes(tc.function) && tc.result?.data?.id) {
+        emit('note-changed', tc.result.data.id as number);
+      }
+
+      // Task-panel refresh: milestone changes, or note changes where the note is a task (has status)
+      const isTaskNoteChange =
+        ['create_note', 'update_note'].includes(tc.function) &&
+        tc.result?.data?.status !== undefined;
+      const isMilestoneChange = ['create_milestone', 'update_milestone'].includes(tc.function);
+      if (isTaskNoteChange || isMilestoneChange) {
+        emit('task-changed');
+      }
+    }
+    processedCount.value = calls.length;
+  },
+  { deep: true }
+);
+
+watch(
+  () => chatStore.streaming,
+  (s) => {
+    if (!s) processedCount.value = 0;
+  }
+);
+
 type WidgetState = 'closed' | 'collapsed' | 'expanded';
 const widgetState = ref<WidgetState>('collapsed');
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/WorkspaceView.vue b/frontend/src/views/WorkspaceView.vue
index b410bee..b52f279 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/WorkspaceView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/WorkspaceView.vue
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, computed, onMounted, onUnmounted, watch, nextTick } from "vue";
+import { ref, computed, onMounted } from "vue";
 import { useRoute } from "vue-router";
 import { apiGet } from "@/api/client";
-import { useChatStore } from "@/stores/chat";
 import { useToastStore } from "@/stores/toast";
-import ChatPanel from "@/components/ChatPanel.vue";
 import WorkspaceTaskPanel from "@/components/WorkspaceTaskPanel.vue";
 import WorkspaceNoteEditor from "@/components/WorkspaceNoteEditor.vue";
+import WorkspaceChatWidget from "@/components/WorkspaceChatWidget.vue";
 
 const route = useRoute();
-const chatStore = useChatStore();
 const toast = useToastStore();
 
 const projectId = computed(() => Number(route.params.projectId));
@@ -21,142 +19,62 @@ interface Project {
 }
 
 const project = ref<Project | null>(null);
-const chatPanelRef = ref<InstanceType<typeof ChatPanel> | null>(null);
 const taskPanelRef = ref<InstanceType<typeof WorkspaceTaskPanel> | null>(null);
 const noteEditorRef = ref<InstanceType<typeof WorkspaceNoteEditor> | null>(null);
 const activeNoteId = ref<number | null>(null);
-let workspaceConvId: number | null = null;
-let isNewConv = false;
 
-function _storageKey(pid: number) {
-  return `workspace_conv_${pid}`;
-}
-
-// Panel collapse state — persisted per project
+// Panel collapse state — persisted per project (tasks + notes only; chat is now a widget)
 function _panelKey(pid: number) { return `workspace_panels_${pid}`; }
 
 function _loadPanelState(pid: number) {
   try {
     const raw = localStorage.getItem(_panelKey(pid));
     if (raw) {
-      const saved = JSON.parse(raw);
-      // Ensure at least one panel is open after restore
-      if (!saved.tasks && !saved.chat && !saved.notes) saved.chat = true;
-      return saved as { tasks: boolean; chat: boolean; notes: boolean };
+      const saved = JSON.parse(raw) as Partial<{ tasks: boolean; notes: boolean }>;
+      const tasks = saved.tasks ?? true;
+      const notes = saved.notes ?? true;
+      // Guard: at least one panel must be open
+      if (!tasks && !notes) return { tasks: true, notes: true };
+      return { tasks, notes };
     }
   } catch { /* ignore */ }
-  return { tasks: true, chat: true, notes: true };
+  return { tasks: true, notes: true };
 }
 
-const panelOpen = ref({ tasks: true, chat: true, notes: true });
+const panelOpen = ref<{ tasks: boolean; notes: boolean }>({ tasks: true, notes: true });
 
 const gridColumns = computed(() => {
   return [
-    panelOpen.value.tasks ? "minmax(0, 0.8fr)" : "0px",
-    panelOpen.value.chat  ? "minmax(0, 1.1fr)" : "0px",
-    panelOpen.value.notes ? "minmax(0, 1.1fr)" : "0px",
+    panelOpen.value.tasks ? "minmax(0, 1fr)" : "0px",
+    panelOpen.value.notes ? "minmax(0, 2fr)" : "0px",
   ].join(" ");
 });
 
-// SSE watcher — auto-load notes/tasks when tool calls succeed
-const processedCount = ref(0);
-
-watch(
-  () => chatStore.streamingToolCalls,
-  (calls) => {
-    for (let i = processedCount.value; i < calls.length; i++) {
-      const tc = calls[i];
-      if (
-        ["create_note", "update_note"].includes(tc.function) &&
-        tc.status === "success" &&
-        tc.result?.data?.id
-      ) {
-        activeNoteId.value = tc.result.data.id as number;
-        noteEditorRef.value?.reload();
-      }
-      if (
-        tc.status === "success" && (
-          ["create_milestone", "update_milestone"].includes(tc.function) ||
-          (tc.function === "create_note" && tc.result?.data?.status) ||
-          (tc.function === "update_note" && tc.result?.data?.status !== undefined)
-        )
-      ) {
-        taskPanelRef.value?.reload();
-      }
-    }
-    processedCount.value = calls.length;
-  },
-  { deep: true }
-);
-
-watch(
-  () => chatStore.streaming,
-  (s) => {
-    if (!s) processedCount.value = 0;
-  }
-);
-
 function togglePanel(panel: keyof typeof panelOpen.value) {
   const open = panelOpen.value;
-  const openCount = [open.tasks, open.chat, open.notes].filter(Boolean).length;
+  const openCount = [open.tasks, open.notes].filter(Boolean).length;
   if (open[panel] && openCount <= 1) return;
   panelOpen.value[panel] = !panelOpen.value[panel];
   localStorage.setItem(_panelKey(projectId.value), JSON.stringify(panelOpen.value));
 }
 
-function prefill(text: string) {
-  chatPanelRef.value?.prefill(text);
+function onNoteChanged(noteId: number) {
+  activeNoteId.value = noteId;
+  noteEditorRef.value?.reload();
+}
+
+function onTaskChanged() {
+  taskPanelRef.value?.reload();
 }
 
 onMounted(async () => {
-  // Restore panel state
   panelOpen.value = _loadPanelState(projectId.value);
 
-  // Load project info
   try {
     project.value = await apiGet<Project>(`/api/projects/${projectId.value}`);
   } catch {
     toast.show("Failed to load project", "error");
   }
-
-  const key = _storageKey(projectId.value);
-  const storedId = localStorage.getItem(key);
-
-  if (storedId) {
-    // Try to reuse the existing workspace conversation
-    const existingId = Number(storedId);
-    try {
-      await chatStore.fetchConversation(existingId);
-      workspaceConvId = existingId;
-      isNewConv = false;
-      chatStore.reconnectIfGenerating(existingId);
-    } catch {
-      // Conversation was deleted — create a fresh one
-      localStorage.removeItem(key);
-    }
-  }
-
-  if (workspaceConvId === null) {
-    // Create a new workspace conversation and persist its ID
-    const conv = await chatStore.createConversation();
-    workspaceConvId = conv.id;
-    isNewConv = true;
-    await chatStore.fetchConversation(conv.id);
-    localStorage.setItem(key, String(conv.id));
-  }
-
-  nextTick(() => chatPanelRef.value?.focus());
-});
-
-onUnmounted(async () => {
-  // Only delete if we created a brand-new conversation this session and it's still empty
-  if (workspaceConvId !== null && isNewConv) {
-    const conv = chatStore.conversations.find((c) => c.id === workspaceConvId);
-    if (conv && conv.message_count === 0) {
-      await chatStore.deleteConversation(workspaceConvId);
-      localStorage.removeItem(_storageKey(projectId.value));
-    }
-  }
 });
 </script>
 
@@ -176,13 +94,6 @@ onUnmounted(async () => {
         >
           Tasks
         </button>
-        <button
-          :class="['panel-toggle', { active: panelOpen.chat }]"
-          title="Toggle Chat panel"
-          @click="togglePanel('chat')"
-        >
-          Chat
-        </button>
         <button
           :class="['panel-toggle', { active: panelOpen.notes }]"
           title="Toggle Notes panel"
@@ -193,9 +104,8 @@ onUnmounted(async () => {
       </div>
     </header>
 
-    <!-- Three-panel body -->
+    <!-- Two-panel body -->
     <div class="ws-body" :style="{ gridTemplateColumns: gridColumns }">
-
       <!-- Left: Tasks -->
       <div v-show="panelOpen.tasks" class="ws-panel">
         <Transition name="panel-fade">
@@ -209,35 +119,8 @@ onUnmounted(async () => {
         </Transition>
       </div>
 
-      <!-- Center: Chat -->
-      <div v-show="panelOpen.chat" class="ws-panel ws-panel-chat">
-        <Transition name="panel-fade">
-          <div v-if="panelOpen.chat" class="panel-inner panel-inner-chat">
-            <!-- Quick chips (shown when conversation is empty) -->
-            <div
-              v-if="chatStore.currentConversation && !chatStore.currentConversation.messages.length && !chatStore.streaming"
-              class="empty-chat-prompt"
-            >
-              <p class="empty-hint">What would you like to work on?</p>
-              <div class="quick-chips">
-                <button class="quick-chip" @click="prefill('Summarize the current status of this project')">📊 Project status</button>
-                <button class="quick-chip" @click="prefill('Create a note about ')">📝 New note</button>
-                <button class="quick-chip" @click="prefill('Add tasks for ')">✓ Add tasks</button>
-              </div>
-            </div>
-            <ChatPanel
-              ref="chatPanelRef"
-              variant="full"
-              :projectId="projectId"
-              placeholder="Message the agent… (Enter to send)"
-              class="ws-chat-panel"
-            />
-          </div>
-        </Transition>
-      </div>
-
       <!-- Right: Note Editor -->
-      <div v-show="panelOpen.notes" class="ws-panel">
+      <div v-show="panelOpen.notes" class="ws-panel ws-panel-notes">
         <Transition name="panel-fade">
           <div v-if="panelOpen.notes" class="panel-inner">
             <WorkspaceNoteEditor
@@ -249,13 +132,21 @@ onUnmounted(async () => {
           </div>
         </Transition>
       </div>
-
     </div>
+
+    <!-- Floating chat widget -->
+    <WorkspaceChatWidget
+      v-if="project"
+      :project-id="projectId"
+      @note-changed="onNoteChanged"
+      @task-changed="onTaskChanged"
+    />
   </div>
 </template>
 
 <style scoped>
 .workspace-root {
+  position: relative;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   height: 100%;
@@ -263,7 +154,6 @@ onUnmounted(async () => {
   background: var(--color-bg);
 }
 
-/* Header */
 .ws-header {
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
@@ -318,7 +208,6 @@ onUnmounted(async () => {
   color: var(--color-primary);
 }
 
-/* Three-panel layout */
 .ws-body {
   display: grid;
   flex: 1;
@@ -331,6 +220,10 @@ onUnmounted(async () => {
   min-width: 0;
 }
 
+.ws-panel-notes {
+  border-left: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+}
+
 .panel-inner {
   height: 100%;
   display: flex;
@@ -345,60 +238,4 @@ onUnmounted(async () => {
 .panel-fade-leave-to {
   opacity: 0;
 }
-
-/* Chat panel */
-.ws-panel-chat {
-  border-left: 1px solid var(--color-border);
-  border-right: 1px solid var(--color-border);
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-}
-
-.panel-inner-chat {
-  position: relative;
-}
-
-.ws-chat-panel {
-  flex: 1;
-  min-height: 0;
-}
-
-.empty-chat-prompt {
-  position: absolute;
-  top: 50%;
-  left: 50%;
-  transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
-  text-align: center;
-  padding: 2rem 1rem;
-  pointer-events: none;
-  z-index: 1;
-}
-.empty-hint {
-  margin: 0 0 1rem;
-  color: var(--color-text-secondary);
-  font-size: 0.9rem;
-}
-.quick-chips {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-wrap: wrap;
-  gap: 0.5rem;
-  justify-content: center;
-  pointer-events: auto;
-}
-.quick-chip {
-  background: var(--color-surface);
-  border: 1px solid var(--color-border);
-  border-radius: 20px;
-  padding: 0.4rem 0.85rem;
-  font-size: 0.82rem;
-  color: var(--color-text-secondary);
-  cursor: pointer;
-  transition: border-color 0.15s, color 0.15s, background 0.15s;
-  font-family: inherit;
-}
-.quick-chip:hover {
-  border-color: var(--color-primary);
-  color: var(--color-primary);
-  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-primary) 5%, var(--color-surface));
-}
 </style>