diff --git a/Releases/v5.0.0/.claude/PAI/PULSE/MenuBar/PulseMenuBar.swift b/Releases/v5.0.0/.claude/PAI/PULSE/MenuBar/PulseMenuBar.swift
index 91a5396aff..cbb552f220 100644
--- a/Releases/v5.0.0/.claude/PAI/PULSE/MenuBar/PulseMenuBar.swift
+++ b/Releases/v5.0.0/.claude/PAI/PULSE/MenuBar/PulseMenuBar.swift
@@ -15,6 +15,24 @@ struct PulseState: Codable {
     }
 }
 
+// MARK: - PAI Work Session Model
+
+struct WorkSession: Codable {
+    let task: String?
+    let sessionName: String?
+    let sessionUUID: String?
+    let phase: String?
+    let progress: String?
+    let effort: String?
+    let mode: String?
+    let started: String?
+    let updatedAt: String?
+}
+
+struct WorkRegistry: Codable {
+    let sessions: [String: WorkSession]
+}
+
 // MARK: - PULSE.toml Job Definition
 
 struct HeartbeatJob {
@@ -85,6 +103,182 @@ func formatAgo(_ epochMs: Double) -> String {
     return "\(hours)h \(minutes % 60)m ago"
 }
 
+// MARK: - Work-session helpers
+
+func formatAgeShort(_ date: Date) -> String {
+    let seconds = Date().timeIntervalSince(date)
+    if seconds < 0 { return "now" }
+    if seconds < 60 { return "\(Int(seconds))s" }
+    let minutes = Int(seconds) / 60
+    if minutes < 60 { return "\(minutes)m" }
+    let hours = minutes / 60
+    if hours < 24 { return "\(hours)h" }
+    let days = hours / 24
+    return "\(days)d"
+}
+
+let isoFracFormatter: ISO8601DateFormatter = {
+    let f = ISO8601DateFormatter()
+    f.formatOptions = [.withInternetDateTime, .withFractionalSeconds]
+    return f
+}()
+
+let isoPlainFormatter: ISO8601DateFormatter = {
+    let f = ISO8601DateFormatter()
+    f.formatOptions = [.withInternetDateTime]
+    return f
+}()
+
+func parseISO(_ s: String?) -> Date? {
+    guard let s = s else { return nil }
+    if let d = isoFracFormatter.date(from: s) { return d }
+    return isoPlainFormatter.date(from: s)
+}
+
+func parseWorkRegistry(from path: String) -> [(slug: String, session: WorkSession)] {
+    let fm = FileManager.default
+    guard fm.fileExists(atPath: path),
+          let data = fm.contents(atPath: path),
+          let registry = try? JSONDecoder().decode(WorkRegistry.self, from: data) else {
+        return []
+    }
+    return registry.sessions.map { (slug: $0.key, session: $0.value) }
+}
+
+let algorithmPhases: Set<String> = ["observe", "think", "plan", "build", "execute", "verify", "learn"]
+
+func sessionIndicator(phase: String?, inRecent: Bool) -> String {
+    let p = phase ?? ""
+    if inRecent { return "✓" }
+    if algorithmPhases.contains(p) { return "⚡" }
+    if p == "complete" { return "✓" }
+    return "📡"
+}
+
+func sessionLabel(_ session: WorkSession, slug: String) -> String {
+    let raw = session.task?
+        .trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines)
+        .replacingOccurrences(of: "\n", with: " ")
+    let source = (raw?.isEmpty == false ? raw! : slug)
+    let limit = 40
+    if source.count <= limit { return source }
+    let idx = source.index(source.startIndex, offsetBy: limit)
+    return String(source[..<idx]) + "…"
+}
+
+func formatSessionMenuTitle(_ session: WorkSession, slug: String, inRecent: Bool) -> String {
+    let ind = sessionIndicator(phase: session.phase, inRecent: inRecent)
+    let effort = session.effort ?? "—"
+    let label = sessionLabel(session, slug: slug)
+    let phaseUp = (session.phase ?? "").uppercased()
+    let phaseStr = (phaseUp.isEmpty || phaseUp == "NATIVE") ? "" : phaseUp
+    let prog = (session.progress != nil && session.progress != "0/0") ? session.progress! : ""
+    let age = parseISO(session.updatedAt).map { formatAgeShort($0) } ?? ""
+
+    var parts: [String] = [ind, effort, label]
+    if !phaseStr.isEmpty { parts.append(phaseStr) }
+    if !prog.isEmpty { parts.append(prog) }
+    if !age.isEmpty { parts.append(age) }
+    return parts.joined(separator: "  ")
+}
+
+// MARK: - Session Transcript Reader
+
+enum TranscriptKind {
+    case userText
+    case assistantText
+    case toolUse
+    case thinking
+    case other
+}
+
+struct TranscriptEvent {
+    let kind: TranscriptKind
+    let text: String       // For toolUse: tool name. For text: the text content.
+    let toolDetail: String // For toolUse: short detail (cmd, file, etc.). Empty otherwise.
+}
+
+func transcriptPath(forUUID uuid: String) -> String {
+    let home = ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["HOME"] ?? NSString(string: "~").expandingTildeInPath
+    return "\(home)/.claude/projects/-Users-janrenz/\(uuid).jsonl"
+}
+
+/// Reads the JSONL transcript and returns the last `limit` user/assistant/tool events.
+func loadTranscript(uuid: String, limit: Int = 80) -> [TranscriptEvent] {
+    let path = transcriptPath(forUUID: uuid)
+    let fm = FileManager.default
+    guard fm.fileExists(atPath: path),
+          let data = fm.contents(atPath: path),
+          let content = String(data: data, encoding: .utf8) else {
+        return []
+    }
+
+    var events: [TranscriptEvent] = []
+    let lines = content.split(separator: "\n", omittingEmptySubsequences: true)
+    for line in lines {
+        guard let lineData = line.data(using: .utf8),
+              let obj = try? JSONSerialization.jsonObject(with: lineData) as? [String: Any] else {
+            continue
+        }
+        let type = obj["type"] as? String ?? ""
+        guard type == "user" || type == "assistant" else { continue }
+        guard let message = obj["message"] as? [String: Any] else { continue }
+        let role = (message["role"] as? String) ?? type
+
+        // Content can be String or [Block]
+        if let text = message["content"] as? String, !text.isEmpty {
+            events.append(TranscriptEvent(
+                kind: role == "user" ? .userText : .assistantText,
+                text: text,
+                toolDetail: ""
+            ))
+            continue
+        }
+        guard let blocks = message["content"] as? [[String: Any]] else { continue }
+        for block in blocks {
+            let btype = block["type"] as? String ?? ""
+            switch btype {
+            case "text":
+                let t = (block["text"] as? String ?? "").trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines)
+                if !t.isEmpty {
+                    events.append(TranscriptEvent(
+                        kind: role == "user" ? .userText : .assistantText,
+                        text: t,
+                        toolDetail: ""
+                    ))
+                }
+            case "tool_use":
+                let name = block["name"] as? String ?? "tool"
+                let input = block["input"] as? [String: Any] ?? [:]
+                var detail = ""
+                if let cmd = input["command"] as? String {
+                    detail = cmd.split(separator: "\n").first.map(String.init) ?? cmd
+                } else if let path = input["file_path"] as? String {
+                    detail = (path as NSString).lastPathComponent
+                } else if let q = input["query"] as? String {
+                    detail = q
+                } else if let p = input["pattern"] as? String {
+                    detail = p
+                } else if let prompt = input["prompt"] as? String {
+                    detail = String(prompt.prefix(60))
+                }
+                if detail.count > 80 {
+                    let idx = detail.index(detail.startIndex, offsetBy: 80)
+                    detail = String(detail[..<idx]) + "…"
+                }
+                events.append(TranscriptEvent(kind: .toolUse, text: name, toolDetail: detail))
+            case "thinking":
+                events.append(TranscriptEvent(kind: .thinking, text: "(thinking)", toolDetail: ""))
+            default:
+                continue
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    if events.count <= limit { return events }
+    return Array(events.suffix(limit))
+}
+
 func cronToHuman(_ expr: String) -> String {
     let parts = expr.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespaces).split(separator: " ").map(String.init)
     guard parts.count == 5 else { return expr }
@@ -254,6 +448,15 @@ class PulseMenuBarApp: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
     private let pulseDir: String
     private let pollInterval: TimeInterval = 5.0
 
+    private var paiDir: String { (pulseDir as NSString).deletingLastPathComponent }
+    private var workJsonPath: String { "\(paiDir)/MEMORY/STATE/work.json" }
+    private var activeSessions: [(slug: String, session: WorkSession)] = []
+    private var recentSessions: [(slug: String, session: WorkSession)] = []
+    private var activeSessionsCount: Int { activeSessions.count }
+
+    private let sessionPopover = NSPopover()
+    private let popoverController = SessionPopoverViewController()
+
     override init() {
         self.pulseDir = ProcessInfo.processInfo.environment["PAI_PULSE_DIR"]
             ?? NSString(string: "~/.claude/PAI/PULSE").expandingTildeInPath
@@ -263,6 +466,9 @@ class PulseMenuBarApp: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
     func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_ notification: Notification) {
         statusItem = NSStatusBar.system.statusItem(withLength: NSStatusItem.variableLength)
 
+        sessionPopover.behavior = .transient
+        sessionPopover.contentViewController = popoverController
+
         updateIcon()
         rebuildMenu()
 
@@ -279,10 +485,36 @@ class PulseMenuBarApp: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
         let (status, state) = determinePulseStatus(pulseDir: pulseDir)
         self.currentStatus = status
         self.currentState = state
+        refreshWorkSessions()
         updateIcon()
         rebuildMenu()
     }
 
+    private func refreshWorkSessions() {
+        let all = parseWorkRegistry(from: workJsonPath)
+        let now = Date()
+        let fiveMin: TimeInterval = 300
+        let oneDay: TimeInterval = 86_400
+
+        var active: [(slug: String, session: WorkSession, date: Date)] = []
+        var recent: [(slug: String, session: WorkSession, date: Date)] = []
+        for (slug, session) in all {
+            guard let updated = parseISO(session.updatedAt) else { continue }
+            let age = now.timeIntervalSince(updated)
+            if age < 0 { continue }
+            let isComplete = (session.phase ?? "") == "complete"
+            if !isComplete && age < fiveMin {
+                active.append((slug, session, updated))
+            } else if age < oneDay {
+                recent.append((slug, session, updated))
+            }
+        }
+        active.sort { $0.date > $1.date }
+        recent.sort { $0.date > $1.date }
+        self.activeSessions = Array(active.prefix(5)).map { (slug: $0.slug, session: $0.session) }
+        self.recentSessions = Array(recent.prefix(3)).map { (slug: $0.slug, session: $0.session) }
+    }
+
     // MARK: - Icon
 
     private func updateIcon() {
@@ -303,6 +535,11 @@ class PulseMenuBarApp: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
             button.image = fallback?.withSymbolConfiguration(config)
             button.contentTintColor = currentStatus.iconColor
         }
+
+        // Active-sessions badge — number to the right of the icon
+        let count = activeSessionsCount
+        button.imagePosition = .imageLeft
+        button.title = count > 0 ? " \(count)" : ""
     }
 
     // MARK: - Menu Construction
@@ -323,6 +560,54 @@ class PulseMenuBarApp: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
         statusLine.indentationLevel = 1
         menu.addItem(statusLine)
 
+        // Active Sessions + Recent — surfaced from MEMORY/STATE/work.json
+        let hasAnySessions = !activeSessions.isEmpty || !recentSessions.isEmpty
+        if hasAnySessions {
+            menu.addItem(NSMenuItem.separator())
+        }
+
+        if !activeSessions.isEmpty {
+            let header = NSMenuItem(title: "Active Sessions", action: nil, keyEquivalent: "")
+            header.attributedTitle = NSAttributedString(
+                string: "Active Sessions",
+                attributes: [
+                    .font: NSFont.boldSystemFont(ofSize: 11),
+                    .foregroundColor: NSColor.secondaryLabelColor,
+                ]
+            )
+            menu.addItem(header)
+            for (slug, session) in activeSessions {
+                let title = formatSessionMenuTitle(session, slug: slug, inRecent: false)
+                let item = NSMenuItem(title: title, action: #selector(openSessionPopover(_:)), keyEquivalent: "")
+                item.target = self
+                item.representedObject = slug
+                item.indentationLevel = 1
+                menu.addItem(item)
+            }
+        }
+
+        if !recentSessions.isEmpty {
+            // Collapsible category — Recent appears as a single item with a flyout submenu.
+            let recentItem = NSMenuItem(title: "Recent (\(recentSessions.count))", action: nil, keyEquivalent: "")
+            recentItem.attributedTitle = NSAttributedString(
+                string: "Recent (\(recentSessions.count))",
+                attributes: [
+                    .font: NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 13),
+                    .foregroundColor: NSColor.secondaryLabelColor,
+                ]
+            )
+            let recentSub = NSMenu()
+            for (slug, session) in recentSessions {
+                let title = formatSessionMenuTitle(session, slug: slug, inRecent: true)
+                let item = NSMenuItem(title: title, action: #selector(openSessionPopover(_:)), keyEquivalent: "")
+                item.target = self
+                item.representedObject = slug
+                recentSub.addItem(item)
+            }
+            recentItem.submenu = recentSub
+            menu.addItem(recentItem)
+        }
+
         menu.addItem(NSMenuItem.separator())
 
         // Jobs section
@@ -458,6 +743,21 @@ class PulseMenuBarApp: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
         NSWorkspace.shared.open(URL(fileURLWithPath: configPath))
     }
 
+    @objc private func openSessionPopover(_ sender: NSMenuItem) {
+        guard let slug = sender.representedObject as? String else { return }
+        // Look up the latest session data from our cached lists.
+        let combined = activeSessions + recentSessions
+        guard let entry = combined.first(where: { $0.slug == slug }) else { return }
+
+        popoverController.configure(slug: slug, session: entry.session)
+
+        guard let button = statusItem.button else { return }
+        if sessionPopover.isShown {
+            sessionPopover.performClose(nil)
+        }
+        sessionPopover.show(relativeTo: button.bounds, of: button, preferredEdge: .minY)
+    }
+
     @objc private func quitApp() {
         NSApplication.shared.terminate(nil)
     }
@@ -488,6 +788,198 @@ class PulseMenuBarApp: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate {
     }
 }
 
+// MARK: - Session Popover (read-only transcript viewer)
+
+final class SessionPopoverViewController: NSViewController {
+    private var slug: String = ""
+    private var session: WorkSession?
+    private var refreshTimer: Timer?
+
+    private let headerLabel = NSTextField(labelWithString: "")
+    private let subheaderLabel = NSTextField(labelWithString: "")
+    private let scrollView = NSScrollView()
+    private let textView = NSTextView()
+    private let footerLabel = NSTextField(labelWithString: "Read-only · auto-refreshes every 2s")
+
+    override func loadView() {
+        let container = NSView(frame: NSRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 480, height: 560))
+
+        // Header
+        headerLabel.font = NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 13, weight: .semibold)
+        headerLabel.textColor = .labelColor
+        headerLabel.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
+        headerLabel.lineBreakMode = .byTruncatingTail
+        container.addSubview(headerLabel)
+
+        subheaderLabel.font = NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 11)
+        subheaderLabel.textColor = .secondaryLabelColor
+        subheaderLabel.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
+        subheaderLabel.lineBreakMode = .byTruncatingTail
+        container.addSubview(subheaderLabel)
+
+        // Scroll + text view
+        textView.isEditable = false
+        textView.isSelectable = true
+        textView.drawsBackground = false
+        textView.textContainerInset = NSSize(width: 6, height: 6)
+        textView.font = NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 12)
+        textView.isHorizontallyResizable = false
+        textView.isVerticallyResizable = true
+        textView.textContainer?.widthTracksTextView = true
+        textView.textContainer?.containerSize = NSSize(width: 460, height: CGFloat.greatestFiniteMagnitude)
+
+        scrollView.hasVerticalScroller = true
+        scrollView.hasHorizontalScroller = false
+        scrollView.drawsBackground = false
+        scrollView.borderType = .noBorder
+        scrollView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
+        scrollView.documentView = textView
+        container.addSubview(scrollView)
+
+        // Footer
+        footerLabel.font = NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 10)
+        footerLabel.textColor = .tertiaryLabelColor
+        footerLabel.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
+        container.addSubview(footerLabel)
+
+        NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
+            headerLabel.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.topAnchor, constant: 12),
+            headerLabel.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.leadingAnchor, constant: 14),
+            headerLabel.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.trailingAnchor, constant: -14),
+
+            subheaderLabel.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: headerLabel.bottomAnchor, constant: 2),
+            subheaderLabel.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.leadingAnchor, constant: 14),
+            subheaderLabel.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.trailingAnchor, constant: -14),
+
+            scrollView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: subheaderLabel.bottomAnchor, constant: 10),
+            scrollView.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.leadingAnchor, constant: 8),
+            scrollView.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.trailingAnchor, constant: -8),
+            scrollView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: footerLabel.topAnchor, constant: -6),
+
+            footerLabel.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.leadingAnchor, constant: 14),
+            footerLabel.trailingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.trailingAnchor, constant: -14),
+            footerLabel.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: container.bottomAnchor, constant: -8),
+        ])
+
+        self.view = container
+    }
+
+    func configure(slug: String, session: WorkSession) {
+        self.slug = slug
+        self.session = session
+        renderHeader()
+        renderTranscript()
+    }
+
+    override func viewWillAppear() {
+        super.viewWillAppear()
+        renderHeader()
+        renderTranscript()
+        refreshTimer = Timer.scheduledTimer(withTimeInterval: 2.0, repeats: true) { [weak self] _ in
+            self?.renderHeader()
+            self?.renderTranscript()
+        }
+    }
+
+    override func viewWillDisappear() {
+        super.viewWillDisappear()
+        refreshTimer?.invalidate()
+        refreshTimer = nil
+    }
+
+    private func renderHeader() {
+        guard let s = session else { return }
+        let ind = sessionIndicator(phase: s.phase, inRecent: false)
+        let effort = s.effort ?? "—"
+        let label = sessionLabel(s, slug: slug)
+        headerLabel.stringValue = "\(ind)  \(effort)  \(label)"
+
+        let phaseUp = (s.phase ?? "").uppercased()
+        let phaseStr = (phaseUp.isEmpty || phaseUp == "NATIVE") ? "—" : phaseUp
+        let prog = (s.progress != nil && s.progress != "0/0") ? " · \(s.progress!) ISCs" : ""
+        let age = parseISO(s.updatedAt).map { " · updated \(formatAgeShort($0)) ago" } ?? ""
+        subheaderLabel.stringValue = "\(phaseStr)\(prog)\(age)"
+    }
+
+    private func renderTranscript() {
+        guard let s = session, let uuid = s.sessionUUID else {
+            setBodyPlain("No session UUID — can't load transcript.")
+            return
+        }
+        let events = loadTranscript(uuid: uuid, limit: 80)
+        if events.isEmpty {
+            setBodyPlain("No transcript yet — session may be brand new, or the file isn't readable.")
+            return
+        }
+
+        let attr = NSMutableAttributedString()
+        let bodyFont = NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 12)
+        let boldFont = NSFont.boldSystemFont(ofSize: 12)
+        let monoFont = NSFont.monospacedSystemFont(ofSize: 11, weight: .regular)
+
+        for event in events {
+            let prefix: String
+            let prefixColor: NSColor
+            let bodyColor: NSColor
+            let useMono: Bool
+            switch event.kind {
+            case .userText:
+                prefix = "You: "
+                prefixColor = .systemBlue
+                bodyColor = .labelColor
+                useMono = false
+            case .assistantText:
+                prefix = "Timmy: "
+                prefixColor = .systemPurple
+                bodyColor = .labelColor
+                useMono = false
+            case .toolUse:
+                prefix = "🔧 \(event.text): "
+                prefixColor = .systemOrange
+                bodyColor = .secondaryLabelColor
+                useMono = true
+            case .thinking:
+                prefix = "(thinking) "
+                prefixColor = .tertiaryLabelColor
+                bodyColor = .tertiaryLabelColor
+                useMono = false
+            case .other:
+                continue
+            }
+
+            let prefixAttr = NSAttributedString(string: prefix, attributes: [
+                .font: boldFont,
+                .foregroundColor: prefixColor,
+            ])
+            attr.append(prefixAttr)
+
+            let bodyText: String
+            switch event.kind {
+            case .toolUse:
+                bodyText = event.toolDetail.isEmpty ? "" : event.toolDetail
+            default:
+                bodyText = event.text
+            }
+            let bodyAttr = NSAttributedString(string: bodyText + "\n\n", attributes: [
+                .font: useMono ? monoFont : bodyFont,
+                .foregroundColor: bodyColor,
+            ])
+            attr.append(bodyAttr)
+        }
+
+        textView.textStorage?.setAttributedString(attr)
+        textView.scrollToEndOfDocument(nil)
+    }
+
+    private func setBodyPlain(_ msg: String) {
+        let attr = NSAttributedString(string: msg, attributes: [
+            .font: NSFont.systemFont(ofSize: 12),
+            .foregroundColor: NSColor.secondaryLabelColor,
+        ])
+        textView.textStorage?.setAttributedString(attr)
+    }
+}
+
 // MARK: - Entry Point
 
 let app = NSApplication.shared