diff --git a/docs/timeline-sync.md b/docs/timeline-sync.md
index 38c358874..6abe6bfec 100644
--- a/docs/timeline-sync.md
+++ b/docs/timeline-sync.md
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@ The daemon validates that the epoch is current and the exact source sequence sti
 
 ## Resume behavior
 
-Opening, reconnecting, or revisiting after selective-delivery grace fetches the latest tail page.
+Opening, reconnecting, or revisiting after a selective-delivery coverage gap fetches the latest tail
+page.
 Focus alone does not mutate timeline state; the tail response is compared with the local
 authoritative range first.
 
@@ -106,13 +107,14 @@ replica cache.
 
 The app chooses one delivery policy from `server_info.features.selectiveAgentTimeline`:
 
-- Selective daemons receive the union of agents visible in every pane. Additions subscribe and
-  catch up immediately. Every visibility-driven removal, including app backgrounding, stays
-  subscribed for a 30-second grace period so brief tab, pane, route, and app switches do not repeatedly
-  unsubscribe and catch up. Losing window keyboard focus does not make a selected pane invisible.
-  Disconnecting and disposal clear pending grace because the subscription itself no longer exists.
-  After grace has expired, revisiting a retained timeline displays its cached state immediately and
-  authoritative catch-up advances it to the current tail.
+- Selective daemons receive every agent visible in any pane plus the most recently viewed hidden
+  agents, up to five subscribed agents. Visible agents always win: if more than five are visible,
+  they all remain subscribed and no hidden agent does. Switching and app backgrounding preserve
+  this connection-scoped hot set, so returning to an agent still covered by it needs no catch-up.
+  Losing window keyboard focus does not make a selected pane invisible. Disconnecting clears hidden
+  hot agents; reconnect restores the currently visible set before authoritative catch-up. Revisiting
+  an evicted retained timeline displays its cached state immediately while authoritative catch-up
+  advances it to the current tail.
 - Legacy daemons keep globally streaming agent timelines. Visibility still triggers the existing
   authoritative catch-up, but the app does not issue selective-subscription RPCs.
 
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/viewed-agent-timelines.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/viewed-agent-timelines.spec.ts
index 4a6885766..c597b445e 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/viewed-agent-timelines.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/viewed-agent-timelines.spec.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ async function expectAgentConsistentlyIdle(page: Page, title: string): Promise<v
 }
 
 test.describe("Viewed agent timelines", () => {
-  test("a turn that finishes while unsubscribed reopens with consistently idle chrome", async ({
+  test("a turn that finishes while hidden reopens with consistently idle chrome", async ({
     page,
   }) => {
     test.setTimeout(150_000);
@@ -105,9 +105,9 @@ test.describe("Viewed agent timelines", () => {
     const scenario = await seedViewedTimelineScenario({ firstAgentModel: "one-minute-stream" });
     try {
       await openAgent(page, scenario, scenario.firstAgentId);
-      await startVisibleTurn(page, scenario, "Finish after this chat becomes unsubscribed.");
+      await startVisibleTurn(page, scenario, "Finish after this chat becomes hidden.");
       await selectAgent(page, "Second viewed chat");
-      await subscriptions.waitForSubscribedAgents([scenario.secondAgentId], { timeout: 45_000 });
+      await subscriptions.waitForSubscribedAgents([scenario.firstAgentId, scenario.secondAgentId]);
       const finish = await scenario.client.waitForFinish(scenario.firstAgentId, 90_000);
       expect(finish.status).toBe("idle");
 
@@ -118,33 +118,7 @@ test.describe("Viewed agent timelines", () => {
     }
   });
 
-  test("an unsubscribed hidden chat catches up when shown", async ({ page }) => {
-    test.setTimeout(90_000);
-    const subscriptions = observeTimelineSubscriptions(page);
-    const scenario = await seedViewedTimelineScenario();
-    try {
-      await openAgent(page, scenario, scenario.firstAgentId);
-      await selectAgent(page, "Second viewed chat");
-      await subscriptions.waitForSubscribedAgents([scenario.secondAgentId], { timeout: 45_000 });
-      await commitMessage(
-        scenario,
-        scenario.firstAgentId,
-        "Committed after the first chat unsubscribed.",
-      );
-      await expect(
-        page.getByText("Committed after the first chat unsubscribed.", { exact: true }),
-      ).toHaveCount(0);
-      await selectAgent(page, "First viewed chat");
-      await expect(
-        page.getByText("Committed after the first chat unsubscribed.", { exact: true }),
-      ).toBeVisible();
-      await expect(page.getByText("(end of synthetic stream)", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
-    } finally {
-      await scenario.cleanup();
-    }
-  });
-
-  test("a hidden retained chat stays current during unsubscribe grace", async ({ page }) => {
+  test("a hidden hot chat stays current", async ({ page }) => {
     test.setTimeout(60_000);
     const subscriptions = observeTimelineSubscriptions(page);
     const scenario = await seedViewedTimelineScenario();
diff --git a/packages/app/src/timeline/viewed-timeline-sync.test.ts b/packages/app/src/timeline/viewed-timeline-sync.test.ts
index 85b52092e..3f327c2f1 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/timeline/viewed-timeline-sync.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/timeline/viewed-timeline-sync.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 import { expect, test, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { ProjectedTimelineForwardFetchPlan } from "./timeline-sync-plan";
-import {
-  createViewedTimelineSync,
-  VIEWED_TIMELINE_UNSUBSCRIBE_GRACE_MS,
-} from "./viewed-timeline-sync";
+import { createViewedTimelineSync } from "./viewed-timeline-sync";
 
 interface Deferred<T> {
   promise: Promise<T>;
@@ -129,18 +126,14 @@ class TimelineWorld {
     return new Promise((resolve) => this.retryWaiters.push(resolve));
   }
 
-  runUnsubscribeGrace(): void {
-    const index = this.scheduled.findIndex(
-      (entry) => entry.delayMs === VIEWED_TIMELINE_UNSUBSCRIBE_GRACE_MS,
+  elapse(elapsedMs: number): void {
+    const due = this.scheduled.filter((entry) => entry.delayMs <= elapsedMs);
+    this.scheduled.splice(
+      0,
+      this.scheduled.length,
+      ...this.scheduled.filter((entry) => entry.delayMs > elapsedMs),
     );
-    expect(index).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0);
-    this.scheduled.splice(index, 1)[0].task();
-  }
-
-  expectNoPendingUnsubscribe(): void {
-    expect(
-      this.scheduled.filter((entry) => entry.delayMs === VIEWED_TIMELINE_UNSUBSCRIBE_GRACE_MS),
-    ).toEqual([]);
+    for (const entry of due) entry.task();
   }
 
   private releaseMembershipWaiter(): void {
@@ -161,10 +154,6 @@ class TimelineWorld {
   }
 }
 
-test("keeps hidden agents subscribed for thirty seconds", () => {
-  expect(VIEWED_TIMELINE_UNSUBSCRIBE_GRACE_MS).toBe(30_000);
-});
-
 test("uses a tail fetch when an agent becomes visible", async () => {
   const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.setConnected(true);
@@ -279,51 +268,35 @@ test("all acknowledged agents begin catch-up independently", async () => {
   expect(membership.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-a", "agent-b"]);
 });
 
-test("membership changes during acknowledgement never catch up the stale set", async () => {
+test("an eviction during acknowledgement never catches up the stale hot set", async () => {
   const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.setConnected(true);
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", [
+    "agent-a",
+    "agent-b",
+    "agent-c",
+    "agent-d",
+    "agent-e",
+  ]);
   const staleMembership = await world.nextMembership();
-
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
-  world.runUnsubscribeGrace();
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-f"]);
   staleMembership.succeed();
   const currentMembership = await world.nextMembership();
   currentMembership.succeed();
-  const agentB = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
-  agentB.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  const currentCatchUps = await Promise.all(
+    ["agent-a", "agent-b", "agent-c", "agent-d", "agent-f"].map((agentId) =>
+      world.nextFetch(agentId),
+    ),
+  );
+  for (const catchUp of currentCatchUps) catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
 
   expect({ stale: staleMembership.agentIds, current: currentMembership.agentIds }).toEqual({
-    stale: ["agent-a"],
-    current: ["agent-b"],
+    stale: ["agent-a", "agent-b", "agent-c", "agent-d", "agent-e"],
+    current: ["agent-a", "agent-b", "agent-c", "agent-d", "agent-f"],
   });
   world.expectNoPendingFetch();
 });
 
-test("removing one agent during paging cancels only that agent", async () => {
-  const world = new TimelineWorld();
-  world.sync.setConnected(true);
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a", "agent-b"]);
-  const initialMembership = await world.nextMembership();
-  initialMembership.succeed();
-  const [agentA, agentB] = await Promise.all([
-    world.nextFetch("agent-a"),
-    world.nextFetch("agent-b"),
-  ]);
-
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
-  world.runUnsubscribeGrace();
-  const replacement = await world.nextMembership();
-  agentA.respond({ hasNewer: true, seq: 4 });
-  agentB.respond({ hasNewer: true, seq: 7 });
-  const agentBNext = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
-  replacement.succeed();
-  agentBNext.respond({ hasNewer: false });
-
-  expect(replacement.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-b"]);
-  world.expectNoPendingFetch();
-});
-
 test("disconnect cancels paging and reconnect restores membership before fresh catch-up", async () => {
   const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.setConnected(true);
@@ -347,7 +320,22 @@ test("disconnect cancels paging and reconnect restores membership before fresh c
   world.expectNoPendingFetch();
 });
 
-test("overlapping sources deduplicate membership and source removal preserves remaining views", async () => {
+test("navigation while disconnected reconnects only the currently visible agent", async () => {
+  const world = new TimelineWorld();
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
+
+  world.sync.setConnected(true);
+  const membership = await world.nextMembership();
+  membership.succeed();
+  const catchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
+  catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+
+  expect(membership.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-b"]);
+  world.expectNoPendingFetch();
+});
+
+test("overlapping sources deduplicate membership and retain hidden hot agents", async () => {
   const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("left-route", ["agent-a"]);
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("right-route", ["agent-a", "agent-b"]);
@@ -363,16 +351,11 @@ test("overlapping sources deduplicate membership and source removal preserves re
 
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("left-route", []);
   world.expectNoPendingMembership();
-  world.expectNoPendingUnsubscribe();
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("right-route", ["agent-b"]);
-  world.runUnsubscribeGrace();
-  const remaining = await world.nextMembership();
-  remaining.succeed();
 
-  expect({ combined: combined.agentIds, remaining: remaining.agentIds }).toEqual({
-    combined: ["agent-a", "agent-b"],
-    remaining: ["agent-b"],
-  });
+  expect(combined.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-a", "agent-b"]);
+  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
+  world.expectNoPendingFetch();
 });
 
 test("a failed catch-up reports once and retries through the explicit retry policy", async () => {
@@ -474,46 +457,27 @@ test("membership failure autonomously retries without another visibility declara
   });
 });
 
-test("background waits for grace before unsubscribing and catches up on return", async () => {
+test("backgrounding preserves the hot membership without catch-up on return", async () => {
   const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.setConnected(true);
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
-  const initial = await world.nextMembership();
-  initial.succeed();
-  const initialCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
-  initialCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  const agentAMembership = await world.nextMembership();
+  agentAMembership.succeed();
+  const agentACatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
+  agentACatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
 
-  world.sync.setActive(false);
-  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
-  world.runUnsubscribeGrace();
-  const background = await world.nextMembership();
-  background.succeed();
-  world.sync.setActive(true);
-  const foreground = await world.nextMembership();
-  foreground.succeed();
-  const resumedCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
-  resumedCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
-
-  expect({ background: background.agentIds, foreground: foreground.agentIds }).toEqual({
-    background: [],
-    foreground: ["agent-a"],
-  });
-});
-
-test("foregrounding within grace preserves the live membership", async () => {
-  const world = new TimelineWorld();
-  world.sync.setConnected(true);
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
-  const membership = await world.nextMembership();
-  membership.succeed();
-  const catchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
-  catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
+  const agentBMembership = await world.nextMembership();
+  agentBMembership.succeed();
+  const agentBCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
+  agentBCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-b")).toBe("ready"));
 
   world.sync.setActive(false);
   world.expectNoPendingMembership();
+  world.elapse(60_000);
   world.sync.setActive(true);
 
-  world.expectNoPendingUnsubscribe();
   world.expectNoPendingMembership();
   world.expectNoPendingFetch();
 });
@@ -527,14 +491,17 @@ test("stale membership retry cannot overwrite a newer effective set", async () =
   const staleRetry = await world.nextRetry();
 
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
-  world.runUnsubscribeGrace();
   const current = await world.nextMembership();
   staleRetry();
   current.succeed();
-  const catchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
-  catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  const [agentA, agentB] = await Promise.all([
+    world.nextFetch("agent-a"),
+    world.nextFetch("agent-b"),
+  ]);
+  agentA.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  agentB.respond({ hasNewer: false });
 
-  expect(current.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-b"]);
+  expect(current.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-a", "agent-b"]);
   world.expectNoPendingMembership();
 });
 
@@ -558,138 +525,114 @@ test("membership retry cannot run while disconnected", async () => {
   expect(restored.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-a"]);
 });
 
-test("quickly returning to an agent cancels its pending unsubscribe without another catch-up", async () => {
-  const world = new TimelineWorld();
-  world.sync.setConnected(true);
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
-  const membership = await world.nextMembership();
-  membership.succeed();
-  const initialCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
-  initialCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
-
-  await vi.waitFor(() => {
-    expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-a")).toBe("ready");
-  });
-
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", []);
-  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
-
-  expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-a")).toBe("ready");
-
-  world.expectNoPendingUnsubscribe();
-  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
-  world.expectNoPendingFetch();
-});
-
-test("unsubscribe grace expiry removes the agent exactly once", async () => {
-  const world = new TimelineWorld();
-  world.sync.setConnected(true);
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
-  const membership = await world.nextMembership();
-  membership.succeed();
-  const catchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
-  catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
-  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-a")).toBe("ready"));
-
-  const readinessChanges: string[] = [];
-  world.sync.subscribe(() => {
-    readinessChanges.push(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-a"));
-  });
-
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", []);
-  world.runUnsubscribeGrace();
-  const unsubscribe = await world.nextMembership();
-  unsubscribe.succeed();
-
-  expect(unsubscribe.agentIds).toEqual([]);
-  expect(readinessChanges.at(-1)).toBe("pending");
-  world.expectNoPendingUnsubscribe();
-  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
-});
-
-test("a new visible agent subscribes immediately while the previous agent lingers", async () => {
+test("returning to a hot hidden agent stays live after inactivity", async () => {
   const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.setConnected(true);
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
   const initialMembership = await world.nextMembership();
   initialMembership.succeed();
-  const initialCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
-  initialCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  const agentACatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
+  agentACatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
 
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
   const expandedMembership = await world.nextMembership();
   expandedMembership.succeed();
   const agentBCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
   agentBCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-b")).toBe("ready"));
 
-  expect(expandedMembership.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-a", "agent-b"]);
-  world.runUnsubscribeGrace();
-  const settledMembership = await world.nextMembership();
-  settledMembership.succeed();
-  expect(settledMembership.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-b"]);
+  world.elapse(60_000);
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
+
+  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
+  world.expectNoPendingFetch();
 });
 
-test("backgrounding preserves an existing unsubscribe grace period", async () => {
+test("the hot set evicts the least-recent hidden agent and promotes revisited agents", async () => {
+  const world = new TimelineWorld();
+  world.sync.setConnected(true);
+  for (const agentId of ["agent-a", "agent-b", "agent-c", "agent-d", "agent-e"]) {
+    world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", [agentId]);
+    const membership = await world.nextMembership();
+    membership.succeed();
+    const catchUp = await world.nextFetch(agentId);
+    catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus(agentId)).toBe("ready"));
+  }
+
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
+  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
+  world.expectNoPendingFetch();
+
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-f"]);
+  const eviction = await world.nextMembership();
+  eviction.succeed();
+  const agentFCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-f");
+  agentFCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  expect(eviction.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-b", "agent-c", "agent-d", "agent-e", "agent-f"]);
+
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
+  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
+  world.expectNoPendingFetch();
+
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
+  const restoreEvicted = await world.nextMembership();
+  restoreEvicted.succeed();
+  const agentACatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
+  agentACatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  expect(restoreEvicted.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-a", "agent-b", "agent-d", "agent-e", "agent-f"]);
+});
+
+test("visible agents are never evicted when they exceed the hot-set limit", async () => {
+  const world = new TimelineWorld();
+  const visible = ["agent-a", "agent-b", "agent-c", "agent-d", "agent-e", "agent-f"];
+  world.sync.setConnected(true);
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", visible);
+  const membership = await world.nextMembership();
+  membership.succeed();
+  const catchUps = await Promise.all(visible.map((agentId) => world.nextFetch(agentId)));
+  for (const catchUp of catchUps) catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+
+  expect(membership.agentIds).toEqual(visible);
+
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", visible.slice(0, 5));
+  const hiddenEviction = await world.nextMembership();
+  hiddenEviction.succeed();
+  expect(hiddenEviction.agentIds).toEqual(visible.slice(0, 5));
+});
+
+test("disconnect clears hidden hot agents before reconnecting the visible set", async () => {
   const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.setConnected(true);
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
-  const membership = await world.nextMembership();
-  membership.succeed();
-  const catchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
-  catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  const agentAMembership = await world.nextMembership();
+  agentAMembership.succeed();
+  const agentACatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
+  agentACatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
 
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", []);
-  world.sync.setActive(false);
-  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
-  world.runUnsubscribeGrace();
-  const unsubscribe = await world.nextMembership();
-  unsubscribe.succeed();
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
+  const agentBMembership = await world.nextMembership();
+  agentBMembership.succeed();
+  const agentBCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
+  agentBCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-b")).toBe("ready"));
 
-  expect(unsubscribe.agentIds).toEqual([]);
-  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
-});
-
-test("disconnecting cancels pending unsubscribe grace without publishing on the closed socket", async () => {
-  const world = new TimelineWorld();
-  world.sync.setConnected(true);
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a", "agent-b"]);
-  const membership = await world.nextMembership();
-  membership.succeed();
-  const [agentA, agentB] = await Promise.all([
-    world.nextFetch("agent-a"),
-    world.nextFetch("agent-b"),
-  ]);
-  agentA.respond({ hasNewer: false });
-  agentB.respond({ hasNewer: false });
-  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-a")).toBe("ready"));
-
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
-  const agentAStatuses: string[] = [];
-  world.sync.subscribe(() => {
-    agentAStatuses.push(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-a"));
-  });
   world.sync.setConnected(false);
-
-  expect(agentAStatuses).toEqual(["pending"]);
-  world.expectNoPendingUnsubscribe();
   world.expectNoPendingMembership();
-});
-
-test("disposing cancels pending unsubscribe grace", async () => {
-  const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.setConnected(true);
+  const restored = await world.nextMembership();
+  restored.succeed();
+  const restoredCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
+  restoredCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+
+  expect(restored.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-b"]);
+
   world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
-  const membership = await world.nextMembership();
-  membership.succeed();
-  const catchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
-  catchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
-
-  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", []);
-  world.sync.dispose();
-
-  world.expectNoPendingUnsubscribe();
-  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
+  const reopened = await world.nextMembership();
+  reopened.succeed();
+  const reopenedCatchUp = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
+  reopenedCatchUp.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  expect(reopened.agentIds).toEqual(["agent-a", "agent-b"]);
 });
 
 test("legacy delivery skips subscription RPCs while retaining visibility catch-up and gap recovery", async () => {
@@ -715,6 +658,33 @@ test("legacy delivery skips subscription RPCs while retaining visibility catch-u
   });
 });
 
+test("legacy delivery catches up after returning to a view or foreground", async () => {
+  const world = new TimelineWorld();
+  world.sync.setDeliveryMode("legacy");
+  world.sync.setConnected(true);
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
+  const firstAgentA = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
+  firstAgentA.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-a")).toBe("ready"));
+
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-b"]);
+  const agentB = await world.nextFetch("agent-b");
+  agentB.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-b")).toBe("ready"));
+
+  world.sync.replaceVisibleAgentIds("workspace", ["agent-a"]);
+  const secondAgentA = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
+  secondAgentA.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+  await vi.waitFor(() => expect(world.sync.getAgentTimelineStatus("agent-a")).toBe("ready"));
+
+  world.sync.setActive(false);
+  world.sync.setActive(true);
+  const foregroundAgentA = await world.nextFetch("agent-a");
+  foregroundAgentA.respond({ hasNewer: false });
+
+  world.expectNoPendingMembership();
+});
+
 test("switching from legacy to selective delivery publishes membership and catches up once", async () => {
   const world = new TimelineWorld();
   world.sync.setDeliveryMode("legacy");
diff --git a/packages/app/src/timeline/viewed-timeline-sync.ts b/packages/app/src/timeline/viewed-timeline-sync.ts
index caa4c63d7..8fafac06a 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/timeline/viewed-timeline-sync.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/timeline/viewed-timeline-sync.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export interface ViewedTimelineSync extends ViewedTimelineUiBridge {
 }
 
 const RETRY_DELAY_MS = 1_000;
-export const VIEWED_TIMELINE_UNSUBSCRIBE_GRACE_MS = 30_000;
+const VIEWED_TIMELINE_HOT_AGENT_LIMIT = 5;
 
 type CatchUpStatus = "running" | "complete" | "error";
 
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ export function createViewedTimelineSync(ports: ViewedTimelineSyncPorts): Viewed
   // Authoritative fetch owed but not runnable yet: disconnected, unacknowledged, or parked.
   // Acknowledgement and tail completion are the only drain points.
   const pendingCatchUps = new Map<string, ProjectedTimelineForwardFetchPlan>();
-  const lingeringRemovals = new Map<string, () => void>();
   const visibilityCatchUpPending = new Set<string>();
   const visibilityCatchUpErrors = new Set<string>();
   const listeners = new Set<() => void>();
@@ -114,10 +113,27 @@ export function createViewedTimelineSync(ports: ViewedTimelineSyncPorts): Viewed
   let reconcileRequested = false;
   let membershipNeedsRetry = false;
   let cancelMembershipRetry: (() => void) | null = null;
+  let recentlyViewedAgentIds: string[] = [];
 
-  const visibleAgentIds = () => (active ? normalizeAgentIds([...sources.values()].flat()) : []);
-  const effectiveAgentIds = () =>
-    normalizeAgentIds([...visibleAgentIds(), ...lingeringRemovals.keys()]);
+  const visibleAgentIds = () => normalizeAgentIds([...sources.values()].flat());
+
+  const selectHotAgentIds = (visible: string[]) => {
+    const visibleSet = new Set(visible);
+    recentlyViewedAgentIds = [
+      ...visible,
+      ...recentlyViewedAgentIds.filter((agentId) => !visibleSet.has(agentId)),
+    ];
+    const hiddenBudget = Math.max(0, VIEWED_TIMELINE_HOT_AGENT_LIMIT - visible.length);
+    const desiredAgentIds = normalizeAgentIds([
+      ...visible,
+      ...recentlyViewedAgentIds
+        .filter((agentId) => !visibleSet.has(agentId))
+        .slice(0, hiddenBudget),
+    ]);
+    const desiredSet = new Set(desiredAgentIds);
+    recentlyViewedAgentIds = recentlyViewedAgentIds.filter((agentId) => desiredSet.has(agentId));
+    return desiredAgentIds;
+  };
 
   const isAcknowledged = (agentId: string) => acknowledged.includes(agentId);
   const isDesired = (agentId: string) => desired.includes(agentId);
@@ -361,32 +377,16 @@ export function createViewedTimelineSync(ports: ViewedTimelineSyncPorts): Viewed
     void reconcileMembership();
   };
 
-  const clearLingeringRemovals = () => {
-    for (const cancel of lingeringRemovals.values()) cancel();
-    lingeringRemovals.clear();
-  };
-
-  const publishVisibleMembership = (allowGrace: boolean) => {
+  const publishVisibleMembership = () => {
     const visible = visibleAgentIds();
-    for (const agentId of visible) {
-      lingeringRemovals.get(agentId)?.();
-      lingeringRemovals.delete(agentId);
+    if (!connected || deliveryMode !== "selective") {
+      const activeVisible = active ? visible : [];
+      recentlyViewedAgentIds = activeVisible;
+      commitDesiredMembership(activeVisible);
+      return;
     }
-
-    if (allowGrace && connected && deliveryMode === "selective") {
-      for (const agentId of desired) {
-        if (visible.includes(agentId) || lingeringRemovals.has(agentId)) continue;
-        const cancel = ports.schedule(() => {
-          lingeringRemovals.delete(agentId);
-          commitDesiredMembership(effectiveAgentIds());
-        }, VIEWED_TIMELINE_UNSUBSCRIBE_GRACE_MS);
-        lingeringRemovals.set(agentId, cancel);
-      }
-    } else {
-      clearLingeringRemovals();
-    }
-
-    commitDesiredMembership(effectiveAgentIds());
+    if (!active) return;
+    commitDesiredMembership(selectHotAgentIds(visible));
   };
 
   return {
@@ -403,19 +403,20 @@ export function createViewedTimelineSync(ports: ViewedTimelineSyncPorts): Viewed
       const normalized = normalizeAgentIds(agentIds);
       if (normalized.length === 0) sources.delete(sourceId);
       else sources.set(sourceId, normalized);
-      publishVisibleMembership(true);
+      publishVisibleMembership();
     },
     setActive(nextActive) {
       if (active === nextActive) return;
       active = nextActive;
-      publishVisibleMembership(true);
+      publishVisibleMembership();
     },
     setConnected(nextConnected) {
       if (connected === nextConnected) return;
       connected = nextConnected;
       if (!connected) {
-        clearLingeringRemovals();
-        commitDesiredMembership(visibleAgentIds(), { resetCatchUpStatus: true });
+        const visible = active ? visibleAgentIds() : [];
+        recentlyViewedAgentIds = visible;
+        commitDesiredMembership(visible, { resetCatchUpStatus: true });
         cancelMembershipRetry?.();
         cancelMembershipRetry = null;
         acknowledged = [];
@@ -434,13 +435,14 @@ export function createViewedTimelineSync(ports: ViewedTimelineSyncPorts): Viewed
     setDeliveryMode(nextMode) {
       if (deliveryMode === nextMode) return;
       deliveryMode = nextMode;
-      clearLingeringRemovals();
       cancelMembershipRetry?.();
       cancelMembershipRetry = null;
       membershipNeedsRetry = false;
       membershipGeneration += 1;
       for (const agentId of desired) cancelCatchUp(agentId);
-      desired = visibleAgentIds();
+      const visible = active ? visibleAgentIds() : [];
+      recentlyViewedAgentIds = visible;
+      desired = visible;
       visibilityCatchUpPending.clear();
       visibilityCatchUpErrors.clear();
       for (const agentId of desired) visibilityCatchUpPending.add(agentId);
@@ -467,7 +469,6 @@ export function createViewedTimelineSync(ports: ViewedTimelineSyncPorts): Viewed
     },
     dispose() {
       disposed = true;
-      clearLingeringRemovals();
       cancelMembershipRetry?.();
       cancelMembershipRetry = null;
       sources.clear();
@@ -475,6 +476,7 @@ export function createViewedTimelineSync(ports: ViewedTimelineSyncPorts): Viewed
       for (const agentId of desired) cancelCatchUp(agentId);
       desired = [];
       acknowledged = [];
+      recentlyViewedAgentIds = [];
       visibilityCatchUpPending.clear();
       visibilityCatchUpErrors.clear();
       notifyListeners();