diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/components/AgentsThreadsPage.tsx b/ui/src/features/agents/components/AgentsThreadsPage.tsx
index 1d89dd01..04f96cc3 100644
--- a/ui/src/features/agents/components/AgentsThreadsPage.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/components/AgentsThreadsPage.tsx
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ function triToBool(value: TriState): boolean | undefined {
   return undefined
 }
 
+function displayStatus(status: AgentStatus): string {
+  return STATUS_OPTIONS.find((option) => option.value === status)?.label ?? status
+}
+
 export function AgentsThreadsPage({
   filters,
   onFiltersChange,
@@ -279,8 +283,8 @@ function ThreadListItem({ thread }: { thread: AgentThread }) {
       <div className="min-w-0 flex-1">
         <p className="truncate text-sm text-[var(--ui-text)]">{thread.title}</p>
         <p className="truncate text-[11px] text-[var(--ui-text-dim)]">
-          {thread.repoFullName || "no repo"} · {thread.status}
-          {isResolved ? " · resolved" : ""}
+          {thread.repoFullName || "No repo"} · {displayStatus(thread.status)}
+          {isResolved ? " · Resolved" : ""}
         </p>
       </div>
       <button
diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/components/WorkflowApprovalCard.tsx b/ui/src/features/agents/components/WorkflowApprovalCard.tsx
index 0142419d..9a36ac80 100644
--- a/ui/src/features/agents/components/WorkflowApprovalCard.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/components/WorkflowApprovalCard.tsx
@@ -75,11 +75,11 @@ export function WorkflowApprovalCard({
                   </div>
                   <p className="text-xs text-[var(--ui-text-dim)]">
                     {approval.repo || "Repository"} on{" "}
-                    {approval.branch || "current branch"} ·{" "}
+                    {approval.branch || "Current branch"} ·{" "}
                     {shortSha(approval.baseSha)} → {shortSha(approval.headSha)}
                   </p>
                   <p className="font-mono text-[0.68rem] break-all text-[var(--ui-text-dim)]">
-                    fingerprint: {approval.fingerprint}
+                    Fingerprint: {approval.fingerprint}
                   </p>
                 </div>
                 <div className="flex shrink-0 flex-wrap gap-2">
diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/CloudPromptBar.tsx b/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/CloudPromptBar.tsx
index bdffc20a..bfe87da4 100644
--- a/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/CloudPromptBar.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/CloudPromptBar.tsx
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ export const CloudPromptBar = memo(function CloudPromptBarComponent({
               >
                 <img
                   src={`data:${image.mimeType};base64,${image.base64}`}
-                  alt={image.fileName || "pending image"}
+                  alt={image.fileName || "Pending image"}
                   className="size-16 rounded-lg border border-[var(--ui-border)] object-cover"
                 />
                 <button
diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/ToolExecution.test.ts b/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/ToolExecution.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e0cde37f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/ToolExecution.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { formatToolDisplay } from "./toolExecutionDisplay";
+
+describe("formatToolDisplay", () => {
+  const projectPath = "/workspace/open-swe";
+
+  it("renders read_file with the file_path alias consistently", () => {
+    expect(
+      formatToolDisplay(
+        "read_file /workspace/open-swe/AGENTS.md",
+        "read",
+        { file_path: "/workspace/open-swe/AGENTS.md" },
+        projectPath,
+      ),
+    ).toBe("Read AGENTS.md");
+  });
+
+  it("renders ls as a list operation with a relative path", () => {
+    expect(
+      formatToolDisplay(
+        "ls /workspace/open-swe/ui",
+        "read",
+        { path: "/workspace/open-swe/ui" },
+        projectPath,
+      ),
+    ).toBe("List ui");
+  });
+
+  it("renders search tools with their pattern", () => {
+    expect(
+      formatToolDisplay("grep", "search", { pattern: "tool_calls" }, projectPath),
+    ).toBe('Search "tool_calls"');
+  });
+
+  it("normalizes write_todos", () => {
+    expect(formatToolDisplay("write todos", "other", {}, projectPath)).toBe("Update todos");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/ToolExecution.tsx b/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/ToolExecution.tsx
index 59bd2411..d1bc497d 100644
--- a/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/ToolExecution.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/ToolExecution.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import { memo, useCallback, useLayoutEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { MultiFileDiff } from "@pierre/diffs/react";
 import { DiffView } from "./DiffView";
-import type { AcpToolKind, ToolExecutionChunk } from "@/features/agents/lib/types";
+import { formatToolDisplay } from "./toolExecutionDisplay";
+import type { ToolExecutionChunk } from "@/features/agents/lib/types";
 import { useDiffOptions } from "@/features/agents/utils/diffUtils";
 import { countLineChanges } from "@/features/agents/utils/diffStats";
 
@@ -27,60 +28,6 @@ function getFileName(path: string): string {
   return parts[parts.length - 1] || path;
 }
 
-function formatToolDisplay(
-  title: string,
-  toolKind: AcpToolKind,
-  input: Record<string, unknown> | undefined,
-  projectPath?: string,
-): string {
-  const path = input?.path as string | undefined;
-  const pattern = input?.pattern as string | undefined;
-  const query = input?.query as string | undefined;
-  const url = input?.url as string | undefined;
-  const command = input?.command as string | undefined;
-
-  switch (toolKind) {
-    case "read": {
-      if (path) {
-        const displayPath = stripProjectPath(path, projectPath);
-        return `Read(${displayPath})`;
-      }
-      return title;
-    }
-    case "search": {
-      if (pattern) {
-        const truncated = pattern.length > 40 ? pattern.slice(0, 40) + "..." : pattern;
-        return `Search("${truncated}")`;
-      }
-      if (query) {
-        return `Search("${query.slice(0, 40)}${query.length > 40 ? "..." : ""}")`;
-      }
-      return title;
-    }
-    case "fetch": {
-      if (url) {
-        return `Fetch(${url.slice(0, 50)}${url.length > 50 ? "..." : ""})`;
-      }
-      return title;
-    }
-    case "execute": {
-      if (command) {
-        const truncated = command.length > 60 ? command.slice(0, 60) + "..." : command;
-        return `Shell(${truncated})`;
-      }
-      return title;
-    }
-    case "edit":
-    case "delete":
-    case "move":
-      return title;
-    case "think":
-      return "Thinking...";
-    default:
-      return title;
-  }
-}
-
 const InlineDiffCollapsible = memo(function InlineDiffCollapsible({
   filePath,
   fileName,
diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/toolExecutionDisplay.ts b/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/toolExecutionDisplay.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f629b5d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/components/chat/toolExecutionDisplay.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+import type { AcpToolKind } from "@/features/agents/lib/types";
+
+function stripProjectPath(path: string, projectPath?: string): string {
+  if (!projectPath || !path.startsWith(projectPath)) return path;
+  const relative = path.slice(projectPath.length);
+  return relative.replace(/^\/+/, "") || ".";
+}
+
+function firstStringArg(
+  input: Record<string, unknown> | undefined,
+  keys: Array<string>,
+): string | undefined {
+  if (!input) return undefined;
+  for (const key of keys) {
+    const value = input[key];
+    if (typeof value === "string" && value.trim()) return value.trim();
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+function truncateMiddle(value: string, maxLength: number): string {
+  return value.length > maxLength ? `${value.slice(0, maxLength)}...` : value;
+}
+
+function normalizedToolName(title: string): string {
+  return title.trim().split(/\s+/, 1)[0]?.toLowerCase() ?? "";
+}
+
+function humanizeToolTitle(title: string): string {
+  return title.replace(/_/g, " ").trim() || "Tool";
+}
+
+export function formatToolDisplay(
+  title: string,
+  toolKind: AcpToolKind,
+  input: Record<string, unknown> | undefined,
+  projectPath?: string,
+): string {
+  const toolName = normalizedToolName(title);
+  const path = firstStringArg(input, ["path", "file_path", "target_file"]);
+  const pattern = firstStringArg(input, ["pattern"]);
+  const query = firstStringArg(input, ["query"]);
+  const url = firstStringArg(input, ["url"]);
+  const command = firstStringArg(input, ["command"]);
+
+  switch (toolKind) {
+    case "read": {
+      if (path) {
+        const displayPath = stripProjectPath(path, projectPath);
+        return toolName === "ls" ? `List ${displayPath}` : `Read ${displayPath}`;
+      }
+      return humanizeToolTitle(title);
+    }
+    case "search": {
+      if (pattern) return `Search "${truncateMiddle(pattern, 40)}"`;
+      if (query) return `Search "${truncateMiddle(query, 40)}"`;
+      if (path) return `Search ${stripProjectPath(path, projectPath)}`;
+      return humanizeToolTitle(title);
+    }
+    case "fetch": {
+      if (url) return `Fetch ${truncateMiddle(url, 50)}`;
+      return humanizeToolTitle(title);
+    }
+    case "execute": {
+      if (command) return `Shell ${truncateMiddle(command, 60)}`;
+      return humanizeToolTitle(title);
+    }
+    case "edit":
+    case "delete":
+    case "move":
+      return humanizeToolTitle(title);
+    case "think":
+      return "Thinking...";
+    default: {
+      if (toolName === "write_todos" || title.toLowerCase().startsWith("write todos")) {
+        return "Update todos";
+      }
+      if (toolName === "ls" && path) return `List ${stripProjectPath(path, projectPath)}`;
+      return humanizeToolTitle(title);
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/components/messages/ThinkingSpinner.tsx b/ui/src/features/agents/components/messages/ThinkingSpinner.tsx
index f1308efc..602f3377 100644
--- a/ui/src/features/agents/components/messages/ThinkingSpinner.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/components/messages/ThinkingSpinner.tsx
@@ -3,17 +3,17 @@ import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
 import { formatElapsed } from "@/lib/utils";
 
 const BUSY_TEXTS: Array<{ present: string; past: string }> = [
-  { present: "vibing...", past: "Vibed" },
-  { present: "noodling...", past: "Noodled" },
-  { present: "pondering...", past: "Pondered" },
-  { present: "thinking really hard...", past: "Thought really hard" },
-  { present: "spinning up...", past: "Spun up" },
-  { present: "connecting the dots...", past: "Connected the dots" },
-  { present: "brewing ideas...", past: "Brewed ideas" },
-  { present: "cooking...", past: "Cooked" },
-  { present: "crunching...", past: "Crunched" },
-  { present: "scheming...", past: "Schemed" },
-  { present: "processing...", past: "Processed" },
+  { present: "Vibing...", past: "Vibed" },
+  { present: "Noodling...", past: "Noodled" },
+  { present: "Pondering...", past: "Pondered" },
+  { present: "Thinking really hard...", past: "Thought really hard" },
+  { present: "Spinning up...", past: "Spun up" },
+  { present: "Connecting the dots...", past: "Connected the dots" },
+  { present: "Brewing ideas...", past: "Brewed ideas" },
+  { present: "Cooking...", past: "Cooked" },
+  { present: "Crunching...", past: "Crunched" },
+  { present: "Scheming...", past: "Schemed" },
+  { present: "Processing...", past: "Processed" },
 ];
 
 const THINKING_SETTLE_MS = 300;
diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/experiments/PromptBar.tsx b/ui/src/features/agents/experiments/PromptBar.tsx
index 4f1ad748..c95ffe5b 100644
--- a/ui/src/features/agents/experiments/PromptBar.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/experiments/PromptBar.tsx
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ export const PromptBar = memo(function PromptBar({
             <div key={i} className="relative group">
               <img
                 src={`data:${img.mimeType};base64,${img.base64}`}
-                alt={img.fileName || "pending image"}
+                alt={img.fileName || "Pending image"}
                 className="w-16 h-16 object-cover rounded border border-gray-600"
               />
               <button
diff --git a/ui/src/features/agents/lib/streamMessagesToUi.ts b/ui/src/features/agents/lib/streamMessagesToUi.ts
index c8595773..f4bd0c95 100644
--- a/ui/src/features/agents/lib/streamMessagesToUi.ts
+++ b/ui/src/features/agents/lib/streamMessagesToUi.ts
@@ -5,10 +5,11 @@ import type { AssembledToolCall, SubagentDiscoverySnapshot } from "@langchain/re
 
 import type { Chunk, DiffData, Message, ToolExecutionChunk } from "./types";
 
-const READ_TOOLS = new Set(["read_file", "read", "glob", "grep"]);
+const READ_TOOLS = new Set(["read_file", "read", "ls"]);
 const EDIT_TOOLS = new Set(["write_file", "edit_file", "str_replace", "write", "edit", "patch"]);
 const EXECUTE_TOOLS = new Set(["execute", "bash", "shell", "run_terminal_cmd"]);
-const SEARCH_TOOLS = new Set(["glob", "grep", "web_search", "fetch_url", "search"]);
+const SEARCH_TOOLS = new Set(["glob", "grep", "web_search", "search"]);
+const FETCH_TOOLS = new Set(["fetch", "fetch_url", "http_request"]);
 const INTERNAL_TOOLS = new Set(["confirming_completion", "no_op"]);
 
 type ToolKind = ToolExecutionChunk["toolKind"];
@@ -19,14 +20,15 @@ function toolKind(name: string): ToolKind {
   if (lowered === "task") return "task";
   if (lowered === "slack_thread_reply") return "slack";
   if (lowered === "linear_comment") return "linear";
+  if (lowered === "write_todos") return "other";
   if (EDIT_TOOLS.has(lowered) || ["edit", "write", "replace"].some((t) => lowered.includes(t))) {
     return "edit";
   }
   if (EXECUTE_TOOLS.has(lowered)) return "execute";
+  if (FETCH_TOOLS.has(lowered)) return "fetch";
   if (SEARCH_TOOLS.has(lowered)) return "search";
   if (READ_TOOLS.has(lowered) || lowered.includes("read")) return "read";
   if (lowered === "think") return "think";
-  if (["fetch", "fetch_url", "http_request"].includes(lowered)) return "fetch";
   return "other";
 }