diff --git a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
index 384fa952a3d..72d4dd8968a 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
@@ -4813,6 +4813,53 @@ describe("IssueChatThread", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("keeps the completed chain-of-thought caret beside its label and reveals it on hover or focus", () => {
+    const root = createRoot(container);
+    const run = issueChatLongThreadLinkedRuns[2];
+
+    act(() => {
+      root.render(
+        <MemoryRouter>
+          <IssueChatThread
+            comments={[]}
+            linkedRuns={[run]}
+            timelineEvents={[]}
+            liveRuns={[]}
+            onAdd={async () => {}}
+            showComposer={false}
+            enableLiveTranscriptPolling={false}
+            transcriptsByRunId={issueChatLongThreadTranscriptsByRunId}
+            hasOutputForRun={() => true}
+          />
+        </MemoryRouter>,
+      );
+    });
+
+    const header = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll("button")).find((button) =>
+      button.textContent?.includes("worked for 4 minutes"),
+    );
+    expect(header).toBeDefined();
+    const label = Array.from(header!.children).find((child) =>
+      child.textContent?.includes("worked for 4 minutes"),
+    );
+    const caret = label?.nextElementSibling;
+    expect(caret?.tagName.toLowerCase()).toBe("svg");
+    expect(header?.classList.contains("group")).toBe(true);
+    expect(caret?.classList.contains("opacity-0")).toBe(true);
+    expect(caret?.classList.contains("group-hover:opacity-100")).toBe(true);
+    expect(caret?.classList.contains("group-focus-visible:opacity-100")).toBe(true);
+    expect(caret?.nextElementSibling?.classList.contains("ml-auto")).toBe(true);
+
+    act(() => {
+      header!.click();
+    });
+    expect(caret?.classList.contains("rotate-180")).toBe(true);
+
+    act(() => {
+      root.unmount();
+    });
+  });
+
   it("folds chain-of-thought when the same message transitions from running to complete", () => {
     expect(
       resolveAssistantMessageFoldedState({
diff --git a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.tsx b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.tsx
index f04a25585a9..4a9aef03b1f 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.tsx
@@ -2659,19 +2659,18 @@ function IssueChatAssistantMessage({
               <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground/60">
                 {chainOfThoughtLabel?.toLowerCase()}
               </span>
-              <span className="ml-auto flex items-center gap-1.5">
-                {message.createdAt ? (
-                  <span className="text-(length:--text-micro) text-muted-foreground/50">
-                    {commentDateLabel(message.createdAt)}
-                  </span>
-                ) : null}
-                <ChevronDown
-                  className={cn(
-                    "h-3.5 w-3.5 text-muted-foreground/40 transition-transform",
-                    !folded && "rotate-180",
-                  )}
-                />
-              </span>
+              <ChevronDown
+                aria-hidden="true"
+                className={cn(
+                  "h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-muted-foreground/40 opacity-0 transition-[opacity,transform] group-hover:opacity-100 group-focus-visible:opacity-100",
+                  !folded && "rotate-180",
+                )}
+              />
+              {message.createdAt ? (
+                <span className="ml-auto text-(length:--text-micro) text-muted-foreground/50">
+                  {commentDateLabel(message.createdAt)}
+                </span>
+              ) : null}
             </button>
           ) : (
             <div className="mb-1.5 flex items-center gap-2">