diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/chat-viewport.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/chat-viewport.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f91a8916a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/chat-viewport.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { ThreadPrimitive } from "@assistant-ui/react";
+import { ArrowDownIcon } from "lucide-react";
+import type { FC, ReactNode } from "react";
+import { TooltipIconButton } from "@/components/assistant-ui/tooltip-icon-button";
+
+const ChatScrollToBottom: FC = () => (
+	<ThreadPrimitive.ScrollToBottom asChild>
+		<TooltipIconButton
+			tooltip="Scroll to bottom"
+			variant="outline"
+			className="aui-thread-scroll-to-bottom -top-12 absolute z-10 self-center rounded-full p-4 disabled:invisible dark:bg-main-panel dark:hover:bg-accent"
+		>
+			<ArrowDownIcon />
+		</TooltipIconButton>
+	</ThreadPrimitive.ScrollToBottom>
+);
+
+export interface ChatViewportProps {
+	children: ReactNode;
+	footer?: ReactNode;
+}
+
+export const ChatViewport: FC<ChatViewportProps> = ({ children, footer }) => (
+	<ThreadPrimitive.Viewport
+		scrollToBottomOnRunStart
+		scrollToBottomOnInitialize
+		scrollToBottomOnThreadSwitch
+		className="aui-thread-viewport relative flex flex-1 min-h-0 flex-col overflow-y-auto px-4 pt-4"
+		style={{ scrollbarGutter: "stable" }}
+	>
+		{children}
+		{footer ? (
+			<ThreadPrimitive.ViewportFooter
+				className="aui-thread-viewport-footer sticky bottom-0 z-10 mx-auto flex w-full max-w-(--thread-max-width) flex-col gap-4 overflow-visible rounded-t-3xl bg-main-panel pb-4 md:pb-6"
+				style={{ paddingBottom: "max(1rem, env(safe-area-inset-bottom))" }}
+			>
+				<ChatScrollToBottom />
+				{footer}
+			</ThreadPrimitive.ViewportFooter>
+		) : null}
+	</ThreadPrimitive.Viewport>
+);
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/nested-scroll.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/nested-scroll.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5a4f8d36e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/nested-scroll.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { forwardRef, type ComponentPropsWithoutRef, type WheelEvent } from "react";
+
+export type NestedScrollProps = ComponentPropsWithoutRef<"div">;
+
+export const NestedScroll = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, NestedScrollProps>(
+	({ onWheel, ...props }, ref) => {
+		const handleWheel = (event: WheelEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
+			const el = event.currentTarget;
+			const canScrollUp = el.scrollTop > 0;
+			const canScrollDown = el.scrollTop < el.scrollHeight - el.clientHeight - 1;
+			const goingUp = event.deltaY < 0;
+			const goingDown = event.deltaY > 0;
+			if ((goingUp && canScrollUp) || (goingDown && canScrollDown)) {
+				event.stopPropagation();
+			}
+			onWheel?.(event);
+		};
+		return <div ref={ref} onWheel={handleWheel} {...props} />;
+	}
+);
+
+NestedScroll.displayName = "NestedScroll";
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread-scroll-to-bottom.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread-scroll-to-bottom.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 394ba5d79..000000000
--- a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread-scroll-to-bottom.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-import { ThreadPrimitive } from "@assistant-ui/react";
-import { ArrowDownIcon } from "lucide-react";
-import type { FC } from "react";
-import { TooltipIconButton } from "@/components/assistant-ui/tooltip-icon-button";
-
-export const ThreadScrollToBottom: FC = () => {
-	return (
-		<ThreadPrimitive.ScrollToBottom asChild>
-			<TooltipIconButton
-				tooltip="Scroll to bottom"
-				variant="outline"
-				className="aui-thread-scroll-to-bottom -top-12 absolute z-10 self-center rounded-full p-4 disabled:invisible dark:bg-main-panel dark:hover:bg-accent"
-			>
-				<ArrowDownIcon />
-			</TooltipIconButton>
-		</ThreadPrimitive.ScrollToBottom>
-	);
-};
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
index 3e27e7adb..1d24a2a39 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
@@ -5,12 +5,10 @@ import {
 	ThreadPrimitive,
 	useAui,
 	useAuiState,
-	useThreadViewportStore,
 } from "@assistant-ui/react";
 import { useAtom, useAtomValue, useSetAtom } from "jotai";
 import {
 	AlertCircle,
-	ArrowDownIcon,
 	ArrowUpIcon,
 	Camera,
 	ChevronDown,
@@ -55,6 +53,7 @@ import {
 import { currentUserAtom } from "@/atoms/user/user-query.atoms";
 import { AssistantMessage } from "@/components/assistant-ui/assistant-message";
 import { ChatSessionStatus } from "@/components/assistant-ui/chat-session-status";
+import { ChatViewport } from "@/components/assistant-ui/chat-viewport";
 import { ConnectorIndicator } from "@/components/assistant-ui/connector-popup";
 import { useDocumentUploadDialog } from "@/components/assistant-ui/document-upload-popup";
 import {
@@ -112,10 +111,17 @@ const ThreadContent: FC = () => {
 				["--thread-max-width" as string]: "44rem",
 			}}
 		>
-			<ThreadPrimitive.Viewport
-				turnAnchor="top"
-				className="aui-thread-viewport relative flex flex-1 min-h-0 flex-col overflow-y-auto px-4 pt-4"
-				style={{ scrollbarGutter: "stable" }}
+			<ChatViewport
+				footer={
+					<>
+						<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => !thread.isEmpty}>
+							<PremiumQuotaPinnedAlert />
+						</AuiIf>
+						<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => !thread.isEmpty}>
+							<Composer />
+						</AuiIf>
+					</>
+				}
 			>
 				<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => thread.isEmpty}>
 					<ThreadWelcome />
@@ -128,24 +134,7 @@ const ThreadContent: FC = () => {
 						AssistantMessage,
 					}}
 				/>
-
-				<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => !thread.isEmpty}>
-					<div className="grow" />
-				</AuiIf>
-
-				<ThreadPrimitive.ViewportFooter
-					className="aui-thread-viewport-footer sticky bottom-0 z-10 mx-auto flex w-full max-w-(--thread-max-width) flex-col gap-4 overflow-visible rounded-t-3xl bg-main-panel pb-4 md:pb-6"
-					style={{ paddingBottom: "max(1rem, env(safe-area-inset-bottom))" }}
-				>
-					<ThreadScrollToBottom />
-					<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => !thread.isEmpty}>
-						<PremiumQuotaPinnedAlert />
-					</AuiIf>
-					<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => !thread.isEmpty}>
-						<Composer />
-					</AuiIf>
-				</ThreadPrimitive.ViewportFooter>
-			</ThreadPrimitive.Viewport>
+			</ChatViewport>
 		</ThreadPrimitive.Root>
 	);
 };
@@ -181,20 +170,6 @@ const PremiumQuotaPinnedAlert: FC = () => {
 	);
 };
 
-const ThreadScrollToBottom: FC = () => {
-	return (
-		<ThreadPrimitive.ScrollToBottom asChild>
-			<TooltipIconButton
-				tooltip="Scroll to bottom"
-				variant="outline"
-				className="aui-thread-scroll-to-bottom -top-12 absolute z-10 self-center rounded-full p-4 disabled:invisible dark:bg-main-panel dark:hover:bg-accent"
-			>
-				<ArrowDownIcon />
-			</TooltipIconButton>
-		</ThreadPrimitive.ScrollToBottom>
-	);
-};
-
 const getTimeBasedGreeting = (user?: { display_name?: string | null; email?: string }): string => {
 	const hour = new Date().getHours();
 
@@ -411,23 +386,9 @@ const Composer: FC = () => {
 	>(new Map());
 	const documentPickerRef = useRef<DocumentMentionPickerRef>(null);
 	const promptPickerRef = useRef<PromptPickerRef>(null);
-	const viewportRef = useRef<Element | null>(null);
 	const { search_space_id, chat_id } = useParams();
 	const aui = useAui();
-	const threadViewportStore = useThreadViewportStore();
 	const hasAutoFocusedRef = useRef(false);
-	const submitCleanupRef = useRef<(() => void) | null>(null);
-
-	useEffect(() => {
-		return () => {
-			submitCleanupRef.current?.();
-		};
-	}, []);
-
-	// Store viewport element reference on mount
-	useEffect(() => {
-		viewportRef.current = document.querySelector(".aui-thread-viewport");
-	}, []);
 
 	const electronAPI = useElectronAPI();
 	const [clipboardInitialText, setClipboardInitialText] = useState<string | undefined>();
@@ -626,7 +587,6 @@ const Composer: FC = () => {
 		[showDocumentPopover, showPromptPicker]
 	);
 
-	// Submit message (blocked during streaming, document picker open, or AI responding to another user)
 	const handleSubmit = useCallback(() => {
 		if (isThreadRunning || isBlockedByOtherUser) return;
 		if (showDocumentPopover || showPromptPicker) return;
@@ -638,50 +598,9 @@ const Composer: FC = () => {
 			setClipboardInitialText(undefined);
 		}
 
-		const viewportEl = viewportRef.current;
-		const heightBefore = viewportEl?.scrollHeight ?? 0;
-
 		aui.composer().send();
 		editorRef.current?.clear();
 		setMentionedDocuments([]);
-
-		// With turnAnchor="top", ViewportSlack adds min-height to the last
-		// assistant message so that scrolling-to-bottom actually positions the
-		// user message at the TOP of the viewport. That slack height is
-		// calculated asynchronously (ResizeObserver → style → layout).
-		// Poll via rAF for ~500ms, re-scrolling whenever scrollHeight changes.
-		const scrollToBottom = () =>
-			threadViewportStore.getState().scrollToBottom({ behavior: "instant" });
-
-		let lastHeight = heightBefore;
-		let frames = 0;
-		let cancelled = false;
-		const POLL_FRAMES = 30;
-
-		const pollAndScroll = () => {
-			if (cancelled) return;
-			const el = viewportRef.current;
-			if (el) {
-				const h = el.scrollHeight;
-				if (h !== lastHeight) {
-					lastHeight = h;
-					scrollToBottom();
-				}
-			}
-			if (++frames < POLL_FRAMES) {
-				requestAnimationFrame(pollAndScroll);
-			}
-		};
-		requestAnimationFrame(pollAndScroll);
-
-		const t1 = setTimeout(scrollToBottom, 100);
-		const t2 = setTimeout(scrollToBottom, 300);
-
-		submitCleanupRef.current = () => {
-			cancelled = true;
-			clearTimeout(t1);
-			clearTimeout(t2);
-		};
 	}, [
 		showDocumentPopover,
 		showPromptPicker,
@@ -690,7 +609,6 @@ const Composer: FC = () => {
 		clipboardInitialText,
 		aui,
 		setMentionedDocuments,
-		threadViewportStore,
 	]);
 
 	const handleDocumentRemove = useCallback(
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx
index 66e2ebd4a..cf42cf398 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 	isDoomLoopInterrupt,
 } from "@/components/tool-ui/doom-loop-approval";
 import { GenericHitlApprovalToolUI } from "@/components/tool-ui/generic-hitl-approval";
+import { NestedScroll } from "@/components/assistant-ui/nested-scroll";
 import {
 	AlertDialog,
 	AlertDialogAction,
@@ -475,7 +476,7 @@ const DefaultToolFallbackInner: ToolCallMessagePartComponent = (props) => {
 						{(argsText || isRunning) && (
 							<div className="flex flex-col gap-1 min-w-0">
 								<p className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">Inputs</p>
-								<div className="max-h-48 overflow-auto rounded-md bg-muted/40">
+								<NestedScroll className="max-h-48 overflow-auto rounded-md bg-muted/40">
 									{argsText ? (
 										<pre className="px-3 py-2 text-xs text-foreground/80 whitespace-pre-wrap break-all font-mono">
 											{argsText}
@@ -489,7 +490,7 @@ const DefaultToolFallbackInner: ToolCallMessagePartComponent = (props) => {
 											Waiting for input…
 										</p>
 									)}
-								</div>
+								</NestedScroll>
 							</div>
 						)}
 						{!isCancelled && result !== undefined && (
@@ -497,11 +498,11 @@ const DefaultToolFallbackInner: ToolCallMessagePartComponent = (props) => {
 								<Separator />
 								<div className="flex flex-col gap-1 min-w-0">
 									<p className="text-xs font-medium text-muted-foreground">Result</p>
-									<div className="max-h-64 overflow-auto rounded-md bg-muted/40">
+									<NestedScroll className="max-h-64 overflow-auto rounded-md bg-muted/40">
 										<pre className="px-3 py-2 text-xs text-foreground/80 whitespace-pre-wrap break-all font-mono">
 											{typeof result === "string" ? result : serializedResult}
 										</pre>
-									</div>
+									</NestedScroll>
 								</div>
 							</>
 						)}
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/free-chat/free-thread.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/free-chat/free-thread.tsx
index bd237004a..933847b2b 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/free-chat/free-thread.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/free-chat/free-thread.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 "use client";
 
 import { AuiIf, ThreadPrimitive } from "@assistant-ui/react";
-import { ArrowDownIcon } from "lucide-react";
 import type { FC } from "react";
 import { AssistantMessage } from "@/components/assistant-ui/assistant-message";
+import { ChatViewport } from "@/components/assistant-ui/chat-viewport";
 import { EditComposer } from "@/components/assistant-ui/edit-composer";
-import { TooltipIconButton } from "@/components/assistant-ui/tooltip-icon-button";
 import { UserMessage } from "@/components/assistant-ui/user-message";
 import { FreeComposer } from "./free-composer";
 
@@ -24,20 +23,6 @@ const FreeThreadWelcome: FC = () => {
 	);
 };
 
-const ThreadScrollToBottom: FC = () => {
-	return (
-		<ThreadPrimitive.ScrollToBottom asChild>
-			<TooltipIconButton
-				tooltip="Scroll to bottom"
-				variant="outline"
-				className="aui-thread-scroll-to-bottom -top-12 absolute z-10 self-center rounded-full p-4 disabled:invisible dark:bg-main-panel dark:hover:bg-accent"
-			>
-				<ArrowDownIcon />
-			</TooltipIconButton>
-		</ThreadPrimitive.ScrollToBottom>
-	);
-};
-
 export const FreeThread: FC = () => {
 	return (
 		<ThreadPrimitive.Root
@@ -46,10 +31,12 @@ export const FreeThread: FC = () => {
 				["--thread-max-width" as string]: "44rem",
 			}}
 		>
-			<ThreadPrimitive.Viewport
-				turnAnchor="top"
-				className="aui-thread-viewport relative flex flex-1 min-h-0 flex-col overflow-y-auto px-4 pt-4"
-				style={{ scrollbarGutter: "stable" }}
+			<ChatViewport
+				footer={
+					<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => !thread.isEmpty}>
+						<FreeComposer />
+					</AuiIf>
+				}
 			>
 				<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => thread.isEmpty}>
 					<FreeThreadWelcome />
@@ -62,21 +49,7 @@ export const FreeThread: FC = () => {
 						AssistantMessage,
 					}}
 				/>
-
-				<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => !thread.isEmpty}>
-					<div className="grow" />
-				</AuiIf>
-
-				<ThreadPrimitive.ViewportFooter
-					className="aui-thread-viewport-footer sticky bottom-0 z-10 mx-auto flex w-full max-w-(--thread-max-width) flex-col gap-4 overflow-visible rounded-t-3xl bg-main-panel pb-4 md:pb-6"
-					style={{ paddingBottom: "max(1rem, env(safe-area-inset-bottom))" }}
-				>
-					<ThreadScrollToBottom />
-					<AuiIf condition={({ thread }) => !thread.isEmpty}>
-						<FreeComposer />
-					</AuiIf>
-				</ThreadPrimitive.ViewportFooter>
-			</ThreadPrimitive.Viewport>
+			</ChatViewport>
 		</ThreadPrimitive.Root>
 	);
 };
diff --git a/surfsense_web/components/public-chat/public-thread.tsx b/surfsense_web/components/public-chat/public-thread.tsx
index 22e914988..de91b4451 100644
--- a/surfsense_web/components/public-chat/public-thread.tsx
+++ b/surfsense_web/components/public-chat/public-thread.tsx
@@ -45,16 +45,17 @@ export const PublicThread: FC<PublicThreadProps> = ({ footer }) => {
 				["--thread-max-width" as string]: "44rem",
 			}}
 		>
-			<ThreadPrimitive.Viewport className="aui-thread-viewport relative flex flex-1 min-h-0 flex-col overflow-y-auto px-4 pt-4">
+			<ThreadPrimitive.Viewport
+				scrollToBottomOnInitialize
+				scrollToBottomOnThreadSwitch
+				className="aui-thread-viewport relative flex flex-1 min-h-0 flex-col overflow-y-auto px-4 pt-4 pb-6"
+			>
 				<ThreadPrimitive.Messages
 					components={{
 						UserMessage: PublicUserMessage,
 						AssistantMessage: PublicAssistantMessage,
 					}}
 				/>
-
-				{/* Spacer to ensure footer doesn't overlap last message */}
-				<div className="h-24" />
 			</ThreadPrimitive.Viewport>
 
 			{footer && (