diff --git a/chat.el b/chat.el
index e76e245..6897a20 100644
--- a/chat.el
+++ b/chat.el
@@ -2138,6 +2138,18 @@ fn agentic_loop(session_id: String, model: String, safe_sys: String, tools_json:
     let pend_tool_name: String = ""
     let pend_tool_input: String = ""
     let pend_tool_tier: String = ""
+    let pend_narration: String = ""
+
+    // Live run-progress ledger (2026-07-13, proposed with the narrated-runs work):
+    // the model already narrates its intent in a text block before every tool call,
+    // and the loop previously DISCARDED that prose on tool rounds. Each iteration now
+    // appends {"i":N,"t":"<narration>","tool":"<name>"} to state key
+    // run_progress_<session_id>; the client polls GET /api/run-progress/<session_id>
+    // during a run to render live step updates (the Cowork pattern) without needing
+    // streaming. Reset at loop start; a {"done":true} entry lands on completion.
+    if !str_eq(session_id, "") {
+        state_set("run_progress_" + session_id, "")
+    }
 
     while keep_going && iteration < 8 {
         let req_body: String = "{\"model\":\"" + model + "\""
@@ -2231,12 +2243,27 @@ fn agentic_loop(session_id: String, model: String, safe_sys: String, tools_json:
             "[" + inner2 + ",{\"role\":\"user\",\"content\":[" + tool_msg + "]}]"
         } else { messages }
 
+        // Live progress ledger: one entry per round — the model's own narration
+        // (its pre-tool prose, previously discarded here) plus the tool it reached
+        // for. Clients poll /api/run-progress/<sid> to render these live.
+        if !str_eq(session_id, "") {
+            let prog_key: String = "run_progress_" + session_id
+            let prog_prev: String = state_get(prog_key)
+            let prog_snip: String = if str_len(text_out) > 280 { str_slice(text_out, 0, 280) } else { text_out }
+            let prog_entry: String = "{\"i\":" + int_to_str(iteration)
+                + ",\"t\":\"" + json_safe(prog_snip) + "\""
+                + ",\"tool\":\"" + json_safe(tool_name) + "\"}"
+            let prog_next: String = if str_eq(prog_prev, "") { prog_entry } else { prog_prev + "," + prog_entry }
+            state_set(prog_key, prog_next)
+        }
+
         // Bridge turn: persist the continuation and stop the loop.
         let pending = if needs_bridge { true } else { pending }
         let pend_tool_id = if needs_bridge { tool_id } else { pend_tool_id }
         let pend_tool_name = if needs_bridge { tool_name } else { pend_tool_name }
         let pend_tool_input = if needs_bridge { tool_input } else { pend_tool_input }
         let pend_tool_tier = if needs_bridge { risk_tier } else { pend_tool_tier }
+        let pend_narration = if needs_bridge { text_out } else { pend_narration }
         // Stash messages-with-the-assistant-request so resume only needs to append the
         // client's tool_result block. messages_with_assistant is only meaningful when a
         // tool was requested, so guard on needs_bridge before persisting.
@@ -2258,6 +2285,7 @@ fn agentic_loop(session_id: String, model: String, safe_sys: String, tools_json:
             + ",\"tool_name\":\"" + pend_tool_name + "\""
             + ",\"tool_input\":" + safe_in
             + ",\"risk_tier\":\"" + pend_tool_tier + "\""
+            + ",\"narration\":\"" + json_safe(pend_narration) + "\""
             + ",\"model\":\"" + model + "\""
             + ",\"agentic\":true"
             + ",\"tools_used\":" + tools_arr + "}"
@@ -2279,6 +2307,13 @@ fn agentic_loop(session_id: String, model: String, safe_sys: String, tools_json:
 
     let safe_text: String = json_safe(final_text)
     let tools_arr: String = if str_eq(tools_log, "") { "[]" } else { "[" + tools_log + "]" }
+    // Close the live-progress ledger: pollers see {"done":true} and stop.
+    if !str_eq(session_id, "") {
+        let done_key: String = "run_progress_" + session_id
+        let done_prev: String = state_get(done_key)
+        let done_next: String = if str_eq(done_prev, "") { "{\"done\":true}" } else { done_prev + ",{\"done\":true}" }
+        state_set(done_key, done_next)
+    }
     return "{\"reply\":\"" + safe_text + "\",\"model\":\"" + model + "\",\"agentic\":true,\"tools_used\":" + tools_arr + ",\"iterations\":" + int_to_str(iteration) + "}"
 }
 
diff --git a/routes.el b/routes.el
index ec92061..0f76980 100644
--- a/routes.el
+++ b/routes.el
@@ -491,6 +491,18 @@ fn handle_request(method: String, path: String, body: String) -> String {
         if str_starts_with(clean, "/api/connectors") {
             return handle_connectors(method, clean, body)
         }
+        // GET /api/run-progress/:session_id — live agentic-run ledger (2026-07-13,
+        // narrated-runs). agentic_loop appends one {"i","t","tool"} entry per round
+        // (the model's own pre-tool narration); a {"done":true} entry closes the run.
+        // Clients poll this during a run to render live step updates without streaming.
+        if str_starts_with(clean, "/api/run-progress/") {
+            let rp_id: String = str_slice(clean, 18, str_len(clean))
+            if !str_eq(rp_id, "") {
+                let rp_raw: String = state_get("run_progress_" + rp_id)
+                let rp_arr: String = if str_eq(rp_raw, "") { "[]" } else { "[" + rp_raw + "]" }
+                return "{\"progress\":" + rp_arr + "}"
+            }
+        }
         // GET /api/sessions — list all sessions
         if str_eq(clean, "/api/sessions") {
             return session_list()
diff --git a/studio.el b/studio.el
index b5b7ece..dfc40f0 100644
--- a/studio.el
+++ b/studio.el
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ fn handle_config(method: String, body: String) -> String {
         }
     }
     let current_model: String = state_get("soul_model")
-    let display: String = if str_eq(current_model, "") { "claude-sonnet-4-5" } else { current_model }
+    // Display fallback aligned with the intended product default (was claude-sonnet-4-5,
+    // which silently became the app's picker default on fresh profiles — 2026-07-13).
+    let display: String = if str_eq(current_model, "") { "claude-opus-4-8" } else { current_model }
     return "{\"model\":\"" + display + "\",\"ok\":true}"
 }