diff --git a/canvas/src/components/mobile/MobileChat.tsx b/canvas/src/components/mobile/MobileChat.tsx
index b5940a0ea..569f540eb 100644
--- a/canvas/src/components/mobile/MobileChat.tsx
+++ b/canvas/src/components/mobile/MobileChat.tsx
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ export function MobileChat({
     const msgs = consume(agentId);
     for (const m of msgs) {
       appendMessageDeduped(
-        createMessage("agent", m.content, m.attachments),
+        createMessage(m.role ?? "agent", m.content, m.attachments),
       );
     }
   }, [historyLoading, agentId, appendMessageDeduped]);
diff --git a/canvas/src/components/tabs/chat/hooks/useChatSocket.ts b/canvas/src/components/tabs/chat/hooks/useChatSocket.ts
index 15815e9a8..3dc532436 100644
--- a/canvas/src/components/tabs/chat/hooks/useChatSocket.ts
+++ b/canvas/src/components/tabs/chat/hooks/useChatSocket.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export function useChatSocket(
     const msgs = consume(workspaceId);
     for (const m of msgs) {
       callbacksRef.current.onAgentMessage?.(
-        createMessage("agent", m.content, m.attachments),
+        createMessage(m.role ?? "agent", m.content, m.attachments),
       );
     }
     if (msgs.length > 0) {
diff --git a/canvas/src/store/__tests__/canvas-events.test.ts b/canvas/src/store/__tests__/canvas-events.test.ts
index 5e70a22a5..7a5571632 100644
--- a/canvas/src/store/__tests__/canvas-events.test.ts
+++ b/canvas/src/store/__tests__/canvas-events.test.ts
@@ -840,6 +840,7 @@ describe("handleCanvasEvent – USER_MESSAGE", () => {
     expect(agentMessages["ws-1"]).toHaveLength(1);
     expect(agentMessages["ws-1"][0].id).toBe("msg-abc");
     expect(agentMessages["ws-1"][0].content).toBe("Hello, agent!");
+    expect(agentMessages["ws-1"][0].role).toBe("user");
     expect(typeof agentMessages["ws-1"][0].timestamp).toBe("string");
   });
 
@@ -933,6 +934,7 @@ describe("handleCanvasEvent – USER_MESSAGE", () => {
     };
     expect(agentMessages["ws-1"]).toHaveLength(1);
     expect(agentMessages["ws-1"][0].id).toBe("msg-with-file");
+    expect(agentMessages["ws-1"][0].role).toBe("user");
     expect(agentMessages["ws-1"][0].attachments).toEqual([att]);
   });
 
diff --git a/canvas/src/store/canvas-events.ts b/canvas/src/store/canvas-events.ts
index f1837d068..ada09a906 100644
--- a/canvas/src/store/canvas-events.ts
+++ b/canvas/src/store/canvas-events.ts
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ export function handleCanvasEvent(
     nodes: Node<WorkspaceNodeData>[];
     edges: Edge[];
     selectedNodeId: string | null;
-    agentMessages: Record<string, Array<{ id: string; content: string; timestamp: string; attachments?: Array<{ name: string; uri: string; mimeType?: string; size?: number }> }>>;
+    agentMessages: Record<string, Array<{ id: string; content: string; timestamp: string; role?: "user" | "agent"; attachments?: Array<{ name: string; uri: string; mimeType?: string; size?: number }> }>>;
   },
   set: (partial: Record<string, unknown>) => void,
 ): void {
@@ -552,9 +552,8 @@ export function handleCanvasEvent(
       // Render only when there's something visible.
       if (content || files.length > 0) {
         // Insert into agentMessages for rendering as a user-bubble.
-        // ChatTab renders role:agent bubbles from agentMessages; the
-        // bubble renderer uses the content/attachments fields, not the
-        // role field, so inserting a user message here works correctly.
+        // ChatTab uses msg.role === "user" for right-side alignment and
+        // user-toned styling, so we must set role:"user" explicitly.
         const { agentMessages } = get();
         const existing = agentMessages[msg.workspace_id] || [];
         set({
@@ -565,6 +564,7 @@ export function handleCanvasEvent(
               {
                 id: payload?.messageId ?? crypto.randomUUID(),
                 content,
+                role: "user",
                 timestamp: new Date().toISOString(),
                 ...(files.length > 0 ? { attachments: files } : {}),
               },
diff --git a/canvas/src/store/canvas.ts b/canvas/src/store/canvas.ts
index 1baa0e660..e92f2db29 100644
--- a/canvas/src/store/canvas.ts
+++ b/canvas/src/store/canvas.ts
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ interface CanvasState {
   batchPause: () => Promise<void>;
   batchDelete: () => Promise<void>;
   /** Agent-pushed messages keyed by workspace ID. ChatTab consumes and clears these. */
-  agentMessages: Record<string, Array<{ id: string; content: string; timestamp: string; attachments?: Array<{ name: string; uri: string; mimeType?: string; size?: number }> }>>;
-  consumeAgentMessages: (workspaceId: string) => Array<{ id: string; content: string; timestamp: string; attachments?: Array<{ name: string; uri: string; mimeType?: string; size?: number }> }>;
+  agentMessages: Record<string, Array<{ id: string; content: string; timestamp: string; role?: "user" | "agent"; attachments?: Array<{ name: string; uri: string; mimeType?: string; size?: number }> }>>;
+  consumeAgentMessages: (workspaceId: string) => Array<{ id: string; content: string; timestamp: string; role?: "user" | "agent"; attachments?: Array<{ name: string; uri: string; mimeType?: string; size?: number }> }>;
   /** WebSocket connection status — drives the live indicator in the Toolbar. */
   wsStatus: "connected" | "connecting" | "disconnected";
   setWsStatus: (status: "connected" | "connecting" | "disconnected") => void;