diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
index f933b604..602c0956 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ const TITLEBAR_BUTTON_PX = 32
 const TITLEBAR_BUTTON_GAP_PX = 4
 const TITLEBAR_HEADER_GAP_PX = 8
 const TITLEBAR_TOGGLE_MARGIN_LEFT_PX = 12
-const TITLEBAR_BUTTONS_COLLAPSED = 4
-const TITLEBAR_BUTTON_GAPS_COLLAPSED = 3
+const TITLEBAR_BUTTONS_COLLAPSED = 1
+const TITLEBAR_BUTTON_GAPS_COLLAPSED = 0
 const GRAPH_TAB_PATH = '__rowboat_graph_view__'
 const SUGGESTED_TOPICS_TAB_PATH = '__rowboat_suggested_topics__'
 const BASES_DEFAULT_TAB_PATH = '__rowboat_bases_default__'
@@ -506,22 +506,13 @@ function viewStatesEqual(a: ViewState, b: ViewState): boolean {
   return true // both graph
 }
 
-/** Sidebar toggle + utility buttons (fixed position, top-left) */
+/** Sidebar toggle (fixed position, top-left) */
 function FixedSidebarToggle({
-  onNavigateBack,
-  onNavigateForward,
-  canNavigateBack,
-  canNavigateForward,
   leftInsetPx,
 }: {
-  onNavigateBack: () => void
-  onNavigateForward: () => void
-  canNavigateBack: boolean
-  canNavigateForward: boolean
   leftInsetPx: number
 }) {
-  const { toggleSidebar, state } = useSidebar()
-  const isCollapsed = state === "collapsed"
+  const { toggleSidebar } = useSidebar()
   return (
     <div className="fixed left-0 top-0 z-50 flex h-10 items-center" style={{ WebkitAppRegion: 'no-drag' } as React.CSSProperties}>
       <div aria-hidden="true" className="h-10 shrink-0" style={{ width: leftInsetPx }} />
@@ -535,30 +526,6 @@ function FixedSidebarToggle({
       >
         <PanelLeftIcon className="size-5" />
       </button>
-      {/* Back / Forward navigation */}
-      {isCollapsed && (
-        <>
-          <button
-            type="button"
-            onClick={onNavigateBack}
-            disabled={!canNavigateBack}
-            className="flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground transition-colors disabled:opacity-30 disabled:pointer-events-none"
-            style={{ marginLeft: TITLEBAR_BUTTON_GAP_PX }}
-            aria-label="Go back"
-          >
-            <ChevronLeftIcon className="size-5" />
-          </button>
-          <button
-            type="button"
-            onClick={onNavigateForward}
-            disabled={!canNavigateForward}
-            className="flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center rounded-md text-muted-foreground hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground transition-colors disabled:opacity-30 disabled:pointer-events-none"
-            aria-label="Go forward"
-          >
-            <ChevronRightIcon className="size-5" />
-          </button>
-        </>
-      )}
     </div>
   )
 }
@@ -4756,10 +4723,6 @@ function App() {
             )}
             {/* Rendered last so its no-drag region paints over the sidebar drag region */}
             <FixedSidebarToggle
-              onNavigateBack={() => { void navigateBack() }}
-              onNavigateForward={() => { void navigateForward() }}
-              canNavigateBack={canNavigateBack}
-              canNavigateForward={canNavigateForward}
               leftInsetPx={isMac ? MACOS_TRAFFIC_LIGHTS_RESERVED_PX : 0}
             />
           </SidebarProvider>
diff --git a/apps/x/packages/core/src/agents/runtime.ts b/apps/x/packages/core/src/agents/runtime.ts
index f978449b..ae69d60c 100644
--- a/apps/x/packages/core/src/agents/runtime.ts
+++ b/apps/x/packages/core/src/agents/runtime.ts
@@ -194,6 +194,19 @@ export class AgentRuntime implements IAgentRuntime {
                 await this.runsRepo.appendEvents(runId, [stoppedEvent]);
                 await this.bus.publish(stoppedEvent);
             }
+        } catch (error) {
+            console.error(`Run ${runId} failed:`, error);
+            const message = error instanceof Error
+                ? (error.stack || error.message || error.name)
+                : typeof error === "string" ? error : JSON.stringify(error);
+            const errorEvent: z.infer<typeof RunEvent> = {
+                runId,
+                type: "error",
+                error: message,
+                subflow: [],
+            };
+            await this.runsRepo.appendEvents(runId, [errorEvent]);
+            await this.bus.publish(errorEvent);
         } finally {
             this.abortRegistry.cleanup(runId);
             await this.runsLock.release(runId);
@@ -942,27 +955,40 @@ export async function* streamAgent({
                 subflow: [],
             });
             let result: unknown = null;
-            if (agent.tools![toolCall.toolName].type === "agent") {
-                const subflowState = state.subflowStates[toolCallId];
-                for await (const event of streamAgent({
-                    state: subflowState,
-                    idGenerator,
-                    runId,
-                    messageQueue,
-                    modelConfigRepo,
-                    signal,
-                    abortRegistry,
-                })) {
-                    yield* processEvent({
-                        ...event,
-                        subflow: [toolCallId, ...event.subflow],
-                    });
+            try {
+                if (agent.tools![toolCall.toolName].type === "agent") {
+                    const subflowState = state.subflowStates[toolCallId];
+                    for await (const event of streamAgent({
+                        state: subflowState,
+                        idGenerator,
+                        runId,
+                        messageQueue,
+                        modelConfigRepo,
+                        signal,
+                        abortRegistry,
+                    })) {
+                        yield* processEvent({
+                            ...event,
+                            subflow: [toolCallId, ...event.subflow],
+                        });
+                    }
+                    if (!subflowState.getPendingAskHumans().length && !subflowState.getPendingPermissions().length) {
+                        result = subflowState.finalResponse();
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    result = await execTool(agent.tools![toolCall.toolName], toolCall.arguments, { runId, signal, abortRegistry });
                 }
-                if (!subflowState.getPendingAskHumans().length && !subflowState.getPendingPermissions().length) {
-                    result = subflowState.finalResponse();
+            } catch (error) {
+                if ((error instanceof Error && error.name === "AbortError") || signal.aborted) {
+                    throw error;
                 }
-            } else {
-                result = await execTool(agent.tools![toolCall.toolName], toolCall.arguments, { runId, signal, abortRegistry });
+                const message = error instanceof Error ? (error.message || error.name) : String(error);
+                _logger.log('tool failed', message);
+                result = {
+                    success: false,
+                    error: message,
+                    toolName: toolCall.toolName,
+                };
             }
             const resultPayload = result === undefined ? null : result;
             const resultMsg: z.infer<typeof ToolMessage> = {