@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ import {
   isSidebarNestedLinkClick,
   isTrailingDoubleClick,
   resolveProjectStatusIndicator,
+  threadStatusPillText,
   resolveThreadLastVisitedAt,
   resolveThreadStatusPill,
   orderItemsByPreferredIds,
@@ -2302,7 +2303,7 @@ const SidebarProjectItem = memo(function SidebarProjectItem(props: SidebarProjec
               <TooltipTrigger
                 render={
                   <span
-                    aria-label={projectStatus.label}
+                    aria-label={threadStatusPillText(projectStatus)}
                     className={`-ml-0.5 relative inline-flex size-3.5 shrink-0 items-center justify-center ${projectStatus.colorClass}`}
                   />
                 }
@@ -2316,7 +2317,7 @@ const SidebarProjectItem = memo(function SidebarProjectItem(props: SidebarProjec
                 </span>
                 <ChevronRightIcon className="absolute inset-0 m-auto size-3.5 text-icon-muted opacity-0 transition-opacity duration-150 group-hover/project-header:opacity-100" />
               </TooltipTrigger>
-              <TooltipPopup side="top">{projectStatus.label}</TooltipPopup>
+              <TooltipPopup side="top">{threadStatusPillText(projectStatus)}</TooltipPopup>
             </Tooltip>
           ) : (
             <ChevronRightIcon
 
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import {
   type SidebarListMarker,
   type SidebarSection,
   resolveSidebarDropVerb,
+  threadStatusPillText,
 } from "./Sidebar.logic";
 import { threadSearchMatchKey } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/thread-search";
 import {
@@ -620,6 +621,21 @@ describe("resolveThreadStatusPill", () => {
 });
 
 describe("resolveProjectStatusIndicator", () => {
+  it("lets a blocked question outrank one the agent keeps working past", () => {
+    const input = {
+      label: "Awaiting Input" as const,
+      colorClass: "text-indigo-600",
+      dotClass: "bg-indigo-500",
+    };
+    const blocked = { ...input, pulse: false, working: false };
+    const working = { ...input, pulse: true, working: true };
+
+    expect(resolveProjectStatusIndicator([blocked, working])).toBe(blocked);
+    expect(resolveProjectStatusIndicator([working, blocked])).toBe(blocked);
+    expect(threadStatusPillText(working)).toBe("Awaiting Input · Working");
+    expect(threadStatusPillText(blocked)).toBe("Awaiting Input");
+  });
+
   it("ranks waiting below active work and above plan-ready", () => {
     const waiting = {
       label: "Waiting" as const,
 
@@ -642,6 +642,10 @@ export interface ThreadStatusPill {
   working?: boolean;
 }
 
+export function threadStatusPillText(status: ThreadStatusPill): string {
+  return status.working ? `${status.label} · Working` : status.label;
+}
+
 const THREAD_STATUS_PRIORITY: Record<ThreadStatusPill["label"], number> = {
   "Pending Approval": 5,
   "Awaiting Input": 4,
@@ -1168,9 +1172,14 @@ export function resolveProjectStatusIndicator(
 
   for (const status of statuses) {
     if (status === null) continue;
+    const priority = THREAD_STATUS_PRIORITY[status.label];
+    const highestPriority =
+      highestPriorityStatus === null ? null : THREAD_STATUS_PRIORITY[highestPriorityStatus.label];
     if (
-      highestPriorityStatus === null ||
-      THREAD_STATUS_PRIORITY[status.label] > THREAD_STATUS_PRIORITY[highestPriorityStatus.label]
+      highestPriority === null ||
+      priority > highestPriority ||
+      // A blocked question outranks one the agent keeps working past.
+      (priority === highestPriority && highestPriorityStatus?.working === true && !status.working)
     ) {
       highestPriorityStatus = status;
     }
 
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import {
   pullRequestMatchesSearchQuery,
   resolveThreadLastVisitedAt,
   resolveThreadStatusPill,
+  threadStatusPillText,
   type ThreadStatusPill,
   useRetainedValue,
   useSidebarRowSubscriptionLease,
@@ -810,7 +811,7 @@ export function ThreadStatusLabel({
   status: ThreadStatusPill;
   compact?: boolean;
 }) {
-  const text = status.working ? `${status.label} · Working` : status.label;
+  const text = threadStatusPillText(status);
   if (compact) {
     return (
       <Tooltip>