diff --git a/canvas/e2e/chat-desktop.spec.ts b/canvas/e2e/chat-desktop.spec.ts
index b33d8a81d..05f02d392 100644
--- a/canvas/e2e/chat-desktop.spec.ts
+++ b/canvas/e2e/chat-desktop.spec.ts
@@ -122,18 +122,10 @@ test.describe("Desktop ChatTab", () => {
     await textarea.fill("Trigger activity");
     await page.getByRole("button", { name: /Send/ }).first().click();
 
-    // FALSE-GREEN FIX: the prior `.catch(() => {})` swallowed the assertion
-    // entirely, so this test passed whether or not the activity log ever
-    // rendered. The activity-log container is optional per layout, so we
-    // gate on its presence in the DOM: if it's not part of this layout,
-    // skip explicitly (a recorded skip, not a silent pass); if it IS
-    // present, it MUST become visible during the send flow — that's the
-    // behaviour this test exists to protect.
-    const activityLog = page.locator("[data-testid='activity-log']").first();
-    if ((await activityLog.count()) === 0) {
-      test.skip(true, "activity-log not part of this layout");
-      return;
-    }
+    // The activity log renders inline in the current ChatTab layout while the
+    // agent is thinking. It must become visible during the send flow and then
+    // clears once the response arrives.
+    const activityLog = page.locator("#panel-chat [data-testid='activity-log']").first();
     await expect(activityLog).toBeVisible({ timeout: 10_000 });
   });
 });
diff --git a/canvas/src/components/tabs/ChatTab.tsx b/canvas/src/components/tabs/ChatTab.tsx
index 0b1425f8b..e9aeae6ed 100644
--- a/canvas/src/components/tabs/ChatTab.tsx
+++ b/canvas/src/components/tabs/ChatTab.tsx
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ function MyChatPanel({ workspaceId, data }: Props) {
                 {thinkingElapsed}s
               </div>
               {activityLog.length > 0 && (
-                <div className="mt-1.5 text-[9px] text-ink-mid space-y-0.5">
+                <div data-testid="activity-log" className="mt-1.5 text-[9px] text-ink-mid space-y-0.5">
                   <div className="text-ink-mid">Processing with {runtimeDisplayName(data.runtime)}...</div>
                   {activityLog.map((line, i) => (
                     <div key={line + i} className="pl-2 border-l border-line">◇ {line}</div>