diff --git a/ui/src/components/AgentActionButtons.tsx b/ui/src/components/AgentActionButtons.tsx
index b0f95a27b8d..1b4d60454aa 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/AgentActionButtons.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/AgentActionButtons.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import {
   PopoverContent,
   PopoverTrigger,
 } from "@/components/ui/popover";
-import { StatusBadge } from "./StatusBadge";
+import { AgentStatusBadge } from "./StatusBadge";
 import { agentsApi } from "../api/agents";
 import { ApiError } from "../api/client";
 import { queryKeys } from "../lib/queryKeys";
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ export function AgentActionButtons({
       />
       {showStatus && (
         <span className="hidden sm:inline">
-          <StatusBadge status={agent.status} />
+          <AgentStatusBadge status={agent.status} />
         </span>
       )}
       {children}
diff --git a/ui/src/components/AgentProperties.tsx b/ui/src/components/AgentProperties.tsx
index b10f69e6504..26942704cc8 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/AgentProperties.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/AgentProperties.tsx
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { agentsApi } from "../api/agents";
 import { useCompany } from "../context/CompanyContext";
 import { getAdapterLabel } from "../adapters/adapter-display-registry";
 import { queryKeys } from "../lib/queryKeys";
-import { StatusBadge } from "./StatusBadge";
+import { AgentStatusBadge } from "./StatusBadge";
 import { Identity } from "./Identity";
 import { formatDate, agentUrl } from "../lib/utils";
 import { Separator } from "@/components/ui/separator";
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export function AgentProperties({ agent, runtimeState }: AgentPropertiesProps) {
     <div className="space-y-4">
       <div className="space-y-1">
         <PropertyRow label="Status">
-          <StatusBadge status={agent.status} />
+          <AgentStatusBadge status={agent.status} />
         </PropertyRow>
         <PropertyRow label="Role">
           <span className="text-sm">{roleLabels[agent.role] ?? agent.role}</span>
diff --git a/ui/src/components/StatusBadge.tsx b/ui/src/components/StatusBadge.tsx
index 51a129326f0..f257cf9fcce 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/StatusBadge.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/StatusBadge.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 import { cn } from "../lib/utils";
-import { statusBadge, statusBadgeDefault } from "../lib/status-colors";
+import {
+  statusBadge,
+  statusBadgeDefault,
+  agentStatusColor,
+  agentStatusColorDefault,
+  agentStatusBadge,
+  agentStatusCapsule,
+  agentStatusMotion,
+} from "../lib/status-colors";
 
 export function StatusBadge({ status }: { status: string }) {
   return (
@@ -13,3 +21,39 @@ export function StatusBadge({ status }: { status: string }) {
     </span>
   );
 }
+
+/**
+ * Agent status chip — brand `.task-chip` (1px border, light/dark variants).
+ * Distinct from the shared {@link StatusBadge} so the agents section can carry
+ * the brand state colours without affecting run/issue/goal badges. `active`
+ * renders as "idle" (alias for dead code).
+ */
+export function AgentStatusBadge({ status }: { status: string }) {
+  const color = agentStatusColor[status] ?? agentStatusColorDefault;
+  const label = status === "active" ? "idle" : status;
+  return (
+    <span
+      className={cn(
+        "inline-flex items-center rounded-full border px-3 py-1 text-xs font-medium leading-none whitespace-nowrap shrink-0",
+        agentStatusBadge[color]
+      )}
+    >
+      {label.replace(/_/g, " ")}
+    </span>
+  );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Agent status indicator — brand heartbeat capsule (vertical 8×16, r4). Running
+ * agents pulse, broken (error) agents blink; both honor `prefers-reduced-motion`.
+ */
+export function AgentStatusCapsule({ status }: { status: string }) {
+  const color = agentStatusColor[status] ?? agentStatusColorDefault;
+  const motion = agentStatusMotion[status] ?? "";
+  return (
+    <span
+      aria-hidden
+      className={cn("inline-block h-4 w-2 rounded-[4px] shrink-0", agentStatusCapsule[color], motion)}
+    />
+  );
+}
diff --git a/ui/src/index.css b/ui/src/index.css
index 5fb6eddfd7c..340fff5c398 100644
--- a/ui/src/index.css
+++ b/ui/src/index.css
@@ -404,6 +404,35 @@
   }
 }
 
+/* Agent heartbeat capsule motion (PAP-75).
+   `hb-pulse` marks a running agent (live); `hb-blink` marks a broken agent
+   (error). The blink alternates the fill between brand red and the page
+   background so the capsule reads as a faltering heartbeat. */
+@keyframes hb-pulse {
+  0%, 100% { opacity: 0.4; transform: scale(0.85); }
+  50% { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); }
+}
+
+@keyframes hb-blink {
+  0%, 49.9% { background-color: #DC2626; }
+  50%, 100% { background-color: var(--background); }
+}
+
+.hb-pulse {
+  animation: hb-pulse 1.6s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+.hb-blink {
+  animation: hb-blink 1.2s step-end infinite;
+}
+
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  .hb-pulse,
+  .hb-blink {
+    animation: none;
+  }
+}
+
 /* MDXEditor theme integration */
 .paperclip-mdxeditor-scope,
 .paperclip-mdxeditor {
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/status-colors.ts b/ui/src/lib/status-colors.ts
index c1f673f83a5..3d9ab7209f8 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/status-colors.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/status-colors.ts
@@ -83,20 +83,50 @@ export const statusBadge: Record<string, string> = {
 export const statusBadgeDefault = "bg-muted text-muted-foreground";
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// Agent status dot — solid background for small indicator dots
+// Agent status — brand state system (PAP-75)
+//
+// The agents section shows four states only. Each maps to a brand colour name;
+// the indicator is a brand heartbeat capsule (8×16, r4) and the row chip is a
+// brand `.task-chip` (1px border, light/dark variants). `active` is dead code
+// that folds into idle; `running` pulses and `error` blinks. `terminated` and
+// `pending_approval` are excluded from the list but may still render on detail
+// pages, where they fall through to the gray default.
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-export const agentStatusDot: Record<string, string> = {
-  running: "bg-cyan-400 animate-pulse",
-  active: "bg-green-400",
-  paused: "bg-yellow-400",
-  idle: "bg-yellow-400",
-  pending_approval: "bg-amber-400",
-  error: "bg-red-400",
-  archived: "bg-neutral-400",
+export type AgentBadgeColor = "gray" | "blue" | "amber" | "red";
+
+/** Agent status → brand colour name. `active` aliases idle (never assigned). */
+export const agentStatusColor: Record<string, AgentBadgeColor> = {
+  idle: "gray",
+  active: "gray",
+  running: "blue",
+  paused: "amber",
+  error: "red",
 };
 
-export const agentStatusDotDefault = "bg-neutral-400";
+export const agentStatusColorDefault: AgentBadgeColor = "gray";
+
+/** Brand `.task-chip` styles (1px border) per colour name — light + dark. */
+export const agentStatusBadge: Record<AgentBadgeColor, string> = {
+  gray: "bg-[#F5F3F0] text-[#52585D] border-[#A8AEB2] dark:bg-[#6e696024] dark:text-[#9A958A] dark:border-[#9e958a73]",
+  blue: "bg-[#DBEAFE] text-[#1D4ED8] border-[#2563EB] dark:bg-[#2563eb2e] dark:text-[#2563EB] dark:border-[#2563eb73]",
+  amber: "bg-[#FEF3C7] text-[#B45309] border-[#F59E0B] dark:bg-[#f59e0b24] dark:text-[#F59E0B] dark:border-[#f59e0b73]",
+  red: "bg-[#FEE2E2] text-[#991B1B] border-[#DC2626] dark:bg-[#dc26262e] dark:text-[#DC2626] dark:border-[#dc262673]",
+};
+
+/** Heartbeat-capsule fill (solid) per colour name. gray darkens in dark mode. */
+export const agentStatusCapsule: Record<AgentBadgeColor, string> = {
+  gray: "bg-[#A8AEB2] dark:bg-[#6E6960]",
+  blue: "bg-[#2563EB]",
+  amber: "bg-[#F59E0B]",
+  red: "bg-[#DC2626]",
+};
+
+/** Per-status capsule motion (running pulses, error blinks). Honors reduced-motion. */
+export const agentStatusMotion: Record<string, string> = {
+  running: "hb-pulse",
+  error: "hb-blink",
+};
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Priority colors
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/AgentDetail.tsx b/ui/src/pages/AgentDetail.tsx
index a88bc1668f9..8062a4d9edb 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/AgentDetail.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/AgentDetail.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ import { MarkdownEditor } from "../components/MarkdownEditor";
 import { assetsApi } from "../api/assets";
 import { getUIAdapter, buildTranscript, onAdapterChange } from "../adapters";
 import { StatusBadge } from "../components/StatusBadge";
-import { agentStatusDot, agentStatusDotDefault } from "../lib/status-colors";
 import { MarkdownBody } from "../components/MarkdownBody";
 import { CopyText } from "../components/CopyText";
 import { EntityRow } from "../components/EntityRow";
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/Agents.tsx b/ui/src/pages/Agents.tsx
index 900c64c41bc..5a07a1b15b1 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/Agents.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/Agents.tsx
@@ -8,10 +8,9 @@ import { useDialogActions } from "../context/DialogContext";
 import { useBreadcrumbs } from "../context/BreadcrumbContext";
 import { useSidebar } from "../context/SidebarContext";
 import { queryKeys } from "../lib/queryKeys";
-import { StatusBadge } from "../components/StatusBadge";
+import { AgentStatusBadge, AgentStatusCapsule } from "../components/StatusBadge";
 import { AgentActionButtons } from "../components/AgentActionButtons";
 import { MembershipAction } from "../components/MembershipAction";
-import { agentStatusDot, agentStatusDotDefault } from "../lib/status-colors";
 import { EntityRow } from "../components/EntityRow";
 import { EmptyState } from "../components/EmptyState";
 import { PageSkeleton } from "../components/PageSkeleton";
@@ -19,7 +18,7 @@ import { relativeTime, cn, agentRouteRef, agentUrl } from "../lib/utils";
 import { PageTabBar } from "../components/PageTabBar";
 import { Tabs } from "@/components/ui/tabs";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
-import { Bot, Plus, List, GitBranch, SlidersHorizontal } from "lucide-react";
+import { Bot, Plus, List, GitBranch } from "lucide-react";
 import { AGENT_ROLE_LABELS, type Agent } from "@paperclipai/shared";
 import {
   resourceMembershipState,
@@ -33,8 +32,12 @@ const roleLabels = AGENT_ROLE_LABELS as Record<string, string>;
 
 type FilterTab = "all" | "active" | "paused" | "error";
 
-function matchesFilter(status: string, tab: FilterTab, showTerminated: boolean): boolean {
-  if (status === "terminated") return showTerminated;
+// Agents in these states never appear in the agents list — `terminated` is
+// hidden like an archived company, and `pending_approval` is a hiring gate that
+// lives in the task thread, not an agent run state (PAP-75).
+const HIDDEN_AGENT_STATUSES = new Set(["terminated", "pending_approval"]);
+
+function matchesFilter(status: string, tab: FilterTab): boolean {
   if (tab === "all") return true;
   if (tab === "active") return status === "active" || status === "running" || status === "idle";
   if (tab === "paused") return status === "paused";
@@ -42,9 +45,9 @@ function matchesFilter(status: string, tab: FilterTab, showTerminated: boolean):
   return true;
 }
 
-function filterAgents(agents: Agent[], tab: FilterTab, showTerminated: boolean): Agent[] {
+function filterAgents(agents: Agent[], tab: FilterTab): Agent[] {
   return agents
-    .filter((a) => matchesFilter(a.status, tab, showTerminated))
+    .filter((a) => !HIDDEN_AGENT_STATUSES.has(a.status) && matchesFilter(a.status, tab))
     .sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name));
 }
 
@@ -55,11 +58,17 @@ function getConfiguredModel(agent: Agent): string | null {
   return model.length > 0 ? model : null;
 }
 
-function filterOrgTree(nodes: OrgNode[], tab: FilterTab, showTerminated: boolean): OrgNode[] {
+function filterOrgTree(nodes: OrgNode[], tab: FilterTab): OrgNode[] {
   return nodes
     .reduce<OrgNode[]>((acc, node) => {
-      const filteredReports = filterOrgTree(node.reports, tab, showTerminated);
-      if (matchesFilter(node.status, tab, showTerminated) || filteredReports.length > 0) {
+      const filteredReports = filterOrgTree(node.reports, tab);
+      // Hidden agents (terminated / pending_approval) never render as a row, but
+      // any visible reports are promoted so the tree doesn't lose live agents.
+      if (HIDDEN_AGENT_STATUSES.has(node.status)) {
+        acc.push(...filteredReports);
+        return acc;
+      }
+      if (matchesFilter(node.status, tab) || filteredReports.length > 0) {
         acc.push({ ...node, reports: filteredReports });
       }
       return acc;
@@ -79,8 +88,6 @@ export function Agents() {
   const [view, setView] = useState<"list" | "org">("org");
   const forceListView = isMobile;
   const effectiveView: "list" | "org" = forceListView ? "list" : view;
-  const [showTerminated, setShowTerminated] = useState(false);
-  const [filtersOpen, setFiltersOpen] = useState(false);
 
   const { data: agents, isLoading, error } = useQuery({
     queryKey: queryKeys.agents.list(selectedCompanyId!),
@@ -136,8 +143,8 @@ export function Agents() {
     return <PageSkeleton variant="list" />;
   }
 
-  const filtered = filterAgents(agents ?? [], tab, showTerminated);
-  const filteredOrg = filterOrgTree(orgTree ?? [], tab, showTerminated);
+  const filtered = filterAgents(agents ?? [], tab);
+  const filteredOrg = filterOrgTree(orgTree ?? [], tab);
 
   return (
     <div className="space-y-4">
@@ -155,36 +162,6 @@ export function Agents() {
           />
         </Tabs>
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-          {/* Filters */}
-          <div className="relative">
-            <button
-              className={cn(
-                "flex items-center gap-1.5 px-2 py-1.5 text-xs transition-colors border border-border",
-                filtersOpen || showTerminated ? "text-foreground bg-accent" : "text-muted-foreground hover:bg-accent/50"
-              )}
-              onClick={() => setFiltersOpen(!filtersOpen)}
-            >
-              <SlidersHorizontal className="h-3 w-3" />
-              Filters
-              {showTerminated && <span className="ml-0.5 px-1 bg-foreground/10 rounded text-[10px]">1</span>}
-            </button>
-            {filtersOpen && (
-              <div className="absolute right-0 top-full mt-1 z-50 w-48 border border-border bg-popover shadow-md p-1">
-                <button
-                  className="flex items-center gap-2 w-full px-2 py-1.5 text-xs text-left hover:bg-accent/50 transition-colors"
-                  onClick={() => setShowTerminated(!showTerminated)}
-                >
-                  <span className={cn(
-                    "flex items-center justify-center h-3.5 w-3.5 border border-border rounded-sm",
-                    showTerminated && "bg-foreground"
-                  )}>
-                    {showTerminated && <span className="text-background text-[10px] leading-none">&#10003;</span>}
-                  </span>
-                  Show terminated
-                </button>
-              </div>
-            )}
-          </div>
           {/* View toggle */}
           {!forceListView && (
             <div className="flex items-center border border-border">
@@ -246,13 +223,7 @@ export function Agents() {
                   agent.pausedAt && tab !== "paused" ? "opacity-50" : "",
                   resourceMembershipState(membershipsQuery.data, "agent", agent.id) === "left" ? "text-foreground/55" : "",
                 )}
-                leading={
-                  <span className="relative flex h-2.5 w-2.5">
-                    <span
-                      className={`absolute inline-flex h-full w-full rounded-full ${agentStatusDot[agent.status] ?? agentStatusDotDefault}`}
-                    />
-                  </span>
-                }
+                leading={<AgentStatusCapsule status={agent.status} />}
                 trailing={
                   <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
                     <span className="sm:hidden">
@@ -263,7 +234,7 @@ export function Agents() {
                           liveCount={liveRunByAgent.get(agent.id)!.liveCount}
                         />
                       ) : (
-                        <StatusBadge status={agent.status} />
+                        <AgentStatusBadge status={agent.status} />
                       )}
                     </span>
                     <div className="hidden sm:flex items-center gap-3">
@@ -287,7 +258,7 @@ export function Agents() {
                         {agent.lastHeartbeatAt ? relativeTime(agent.lastHeartbeatAt) : "—"}
                       </span>
                       <span className="w-20 flex justify-end">
-                        <StatusBadge status={agent.status} />
+                        <AgentStatusBadge status={agent.status} />
                       </span>
                     </div>
                     {/* Row actions mirror the agent detail page; stop the click
@@ -403,8 +374,6 @@ function OrgTreeNode({
     membershipMutation.variables?.resourceType === "agent" &&
     membershipMutation.variables.resourceId === node.id;
 
-  const statusColor = agentStatusDot[node.status] ?? agentStatusDotDefault;
-
   return (
     <div style={{ paddingLeft: depth * 24 }}>
       <Link
@@ -415,9 +384,7 @@ function OrgTreeNode({
           membershipState === "left" && "text-foreground/55",
         )}
       >
-        <span className="relative flex h-2.5 w-2.5 shrink-0">
-          <span className={`absolute inline-flex h-full w-full rounded-full ${statusColor}`} />
-        </span>
+        <AgentStatusCapsule status={node.status} />
         <div className="flex-1 min-w-[7rem]">
           <span className="text-sm font-medium">{node.name}</span>
           <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground ml-2">
@@ -434,7 +401,7 @@ function OrgTreeNode({
                 liveCount={liveRunByAgent.get(node.id)!.liveCount}
               />
             ) : (
-              <StatusBadge status={node.status} />
+              <AgentStatusBadge status={node.status} />
             )}
           </span>
           <div className="hidden sm:flex items-center gap-3">
@@ -462,7 +429,7 @@ function OrgTreeNode({
               </>
             )}
             <span className="w-20 flex justify-end">
-              <StatusBadge status={node.status} />
+              <AgentStatusBadge status={node.status} />
             </span>
           </div>
           <MembershipAction
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/DesignGuide.tsx b/ui/src/pages/DesignGuide.tsx
index d5dee71edfa..2e2f6aaf36f 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/DesignGuide.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/DesignGuide.tsx
@@ -112,10 +112,9 @@ import {
   AvatarGroup,
   AvatarGroupCount,
 } from "@/components/ui/avatar";
-import { StatusBadge } from "@/components/StatusBadge";
+import { StatusBadge, AgentStatusBadge, AgentStatusCapsule } from "@/components/StatusBadge";
 import { StatusIcon } from "@/components/StatusIcon";
 import { PriorityIcon } from "@/components/PriorityIcon";
-import { agentStatusDot, agentStatusDotDefault } from "@/lib/status-colors";
 import { EntityRow } from "@/components/EntityRow";
 import { EmptyState } from "@/components/EmptyState";
 import { MetricCard } from "@/components/MetricCard";
@@ -551,14 +550,18 @@ export function DesignGuide() {
           </div>
         </SubSection>
 
-        <SubSection title="Agent status dots">
-          <div className="flex items-center gap-4 flex-wrap">
-            {(["running", "active", "paused", "error", "archived"] as const).map((label) => (
+        <SubSection title="Agent status (capsule + chip)">
+          <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mb-3 max-w-prose">
+            The agents section uses a brand heartbeat capsule (8×16) plus a brand
+            <code className="mx-1">.task-chip</code>. Four states only: idle (gray),
+            running (blue, pulses), paused (amber), error (red, blinks). Motion
+            honors <code>prefers-reduced-motion</code>.
+          </p>
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-6 flex-wrap">
+            {(["idle", "running", "paused", "error"] as const).map((label) => (
               <div key={label} className="flex items-center gap-2">
-                <span className="relative flex h-2.5 w-2.5">
-                  <span className={`inline-flex h-full w-full rounded-full ${agentStatusDot[label] ?? agentStatusDotDefault}`} />
-                </span>
-                <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">{label}</span>
+                <AgentStatusCapsule status={label} />
+                <AgentStatusBadge status={label} />
               </div>
             ))}
           </div>