diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
index 8b510d457fd..26a5c41ded5 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
@@ -5913,6 +5913,11 @@ function ChatViewContent(props: ChatViewProps) {
       rightPanelAvailable={activeProject !== null}
       rightPanelOpen={rightPanelOpen}
       rightPanelShortcutLabel={shortcutLabelForCommand(keybindings, "rightPanel.toggle")}
+      // Suppressed while the Agents surface is visible: the roster itself is
+      // on screen, so the toggle badge would be pointing at nothing.
+      liveAgentCount={
+        rightPanelOpen && activeRightPanelSurface?.kind === "agents" ? 0 : agentPanelModel.liveCount
+      }
       onToggleTerminal={toggleTerminalVisibility}
       onToggleRightPanel={toggleRightPanel}
     />
@@ -6419,6 +6424,7 @@ function ChatViewContent(props: ChatViewProps) {
           browserAvailable={isPreviewSupportedInRuntime()}
           diffAvailable={isServerThread && isGitRepo}
           filesAvailable={activeProject !== null}
+          liveAgentCount={agentPanelModel.liveCount}
         >
           {rightPanelContent}
         </RightPanelTabs>
@@ -6447,6 +6453,7 @@ function ChatViewContent(props: ChatViewProps) {
             browserAvailable={isPreviewSupportedInRuntime()}
             diffAvailable={isServerThread && isGitRepo}
             filesAvailable={activeProject !== null}
+            liveAgentCount={agentPanelModel.liveCount}
           >
             {rightPanelContent}
           </RightPanelTabs>
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx
index b9345ab8c3c..0b1700e7349 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ interface RightPanelTabsProps {
   browserAvailable: boolean;
   diffAvailable: boolean;
   filesAvailable: boolean;
+  /** Running + waiting subagents; badges the Agents card in the empty state. */
+  liveAgentCount: number;
   children: ReactNode;
 }
 
@@ -96,6 +98,7 @@ function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
   browserAvailable: boolean;
   diffAvailable: boolean;
   filesAvailable: boolean;
+  liveAgentCount: number;
 }) {
   const actions = [
     {
@@ -105,6 +108,7 @@ function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
       available: props.browserAvailable,
       disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.browser,
       onClick: props.onAddBrowser,
+      badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Terminal",
@@ -113,6 +117,7 @@ function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
       available: true,
       disabledReason: null,
       onClick: props.onAddTerminal,
+      badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Files",
@@ -121,6 +126,7 @@ function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
       available: props.filesAvailable,
       disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.files,
       onClick: props.onAddFiles,
+      badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Diff",
@@ -129,6 +135,7 @@ function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
       available: props.diffAvailable,
       disabledReason: SURFACE_DISABLED_REASONS.diff,
       onClick: props.onAddDiff,
+      badgeCount: 0,
     },
     {
       label: "Agents",
@@ -137,6 +144,7 @@ function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
       available: true,
       disabledReason: null,
       onClick: props.onAddAgents,
+      badgeCount: props.liveAgentCount,
     },
   ] as const;
 
@@ -154,7 +162,17 @@ function RightPanelEmptyState(props: {
             const Icon = action.icon;
             const content = (
               <>
-                <Icon className="mb-3 size-5" />
+                <span className="relative mb-3 inline-flex">
+                  <Icon className="size-5" />
+                  {action.badgeCount > 0 ? (
+                    <span
+                      aria-hidden
+                      className="absolute -top-1.5 -right-2 flex h-3.5 min-w-3.5 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-info px-1 text-[9px] font-semibold tabular-nums text-white"
+                    >
+                      {action.badgeCount}
+                    </span>
+                  ) : null}
+                </span>
                 <span className="text-sm font-medium">{action.label}</span>
                 <span className="mt-1 text-xs leading-relaxed text-muted-foreground">
                   {action.description}
@@ -498,6 +516,7 @@ export function RightPanelTabs(props: RightPanelTabsProps) {
             browserAvailable={props.browserAvailable}
             diffAvailable={props.diffAvailable}
             filesAvailable={props.filesAvailable}
+            liveAgentCount={props.liveAgentCount}
           />
         ) : (
           props.children
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/PanelLayoutControls.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/PanelLayoutControls.tsx
index deb7b3ee9af..c61826f677d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/chat/PanelLayoutControls.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/PanelLayoutControls.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ interface PanelLayoutControlsProps {
   rightPanelAvailable: boolean;
   rightPanelOpen: boolean;
   rightPanelShortcutLabel: string | null;
+  /** Running + waiting subagents in this thread; badges the right panel toggle. */
+  liveAgentCount: number;
   onToggleTerminal: () => void;
   onToggleRightPanel: () => void;
 }
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ export const PanelLayoutControls = memo(function PanelLayoutControls({
   rightPanelAvailable,
   rightPanelOpen,
   rightPanelShortcutLabel,
+  liveAgentCount,
   onToggleTerminal,
   onToggleRightPanel,
 }: PanelLayoutControlsProps) {
@@ -59,18 +62,34 @@ export const PanelLayoutControls = memo(function PanelLayoutControls({
               className="shrink-0 [-webkit-app-region:no-drag]"
               pressed={rightPanelOpen}
               onPressedChange={onToggleRightPanel}
-              aria-label="Toggle right panel"
+              aria-label={
+                liveAgentCount > 0
+                  ? `Toggle right panel, ${liveAgentCount} ${liveAgentCount === 1 ? "agent" : "agents"} working`
+                  : "Toggle right panel"
+              }
               variant="ghost"
               size="sm"
               disabled={!rightPanelAvailable}
             >
               <PanelRightIcon className="size-3.5" />
+              {liveAgentCount > 0 ? (
+                <span
+                  aria-hidden
+                  className="absolute -top-1 -right-1 flex h-3.5 min-w-3.5 items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-info px-1 text-[9px] font-semibold tabular-nums text-white"
+                >
+                  {liveAgentCount}
+                </span>
+              ) : null}
             </Toggle>
           }
         />
         <TooltipPopup side="bottom">
           {rightPanelAvailable
-            ? `Toggle right panel${rightPanelShortcutLabel ? ` (${rightPanelShortcutLabel})` : ""}`
+            ? `Toggle right panel${rightPanelShortcutLabel ? ` (${rightPanelShortcutLabel})` : ""}${
+                liveAgentCount > 0
+                  ? ` · ${liveAgentCount} ${liveAgentCount === 1 ? "agent" : "agents"} working`
+                  : ""
+              }`
             : "Right panel is unavailable"}
         </TooltipPopup>
       </Tooltip>