diff --git a/.changeset/4cecc61b.md b/.changeset/4cecc61b.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ee77bab1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/4cecc61b.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"aicodeman": patch
+---
+
+Header connection pill: the " · NB queued" suffix on `WS` now appears only after a backlog has stayed above the threshold for over a second, instead of flashing on every paste, IME commit or fast burst that ACKs a moment later.
diff --git a/src/web/public/app.js b/src/web/public/app.js
index dda35644..f15906b2 100644
--- a/src/web/public/app.js
+++ b/src/web/public/app.js
@@ -687,6 +687,12 @@ const DEFAULT_SHORTCUTS = [
  * setInterval fire on every frame, and constants.js is cached independently.
  */
 const SIDEBAR_RICH_CLOCK_MS = 20000;
+// Header connection pill: a queue above CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HINT_BYTES is only worth a " · NB queued"
+// suffix once it has STAYED above it for CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HOLD_MS. A paste, an IME commit or a fast
+// word sits above the threshold for a few milliseconds until its ACK lands, and surfacing that made the
+// pill grow to the right and shrink back on every such burst.
+const CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HINT_BYTES = 4;
+const CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HOLD_MS = 1200;
 
 /**
  * How long a `#session=<id>` link waits for the session list to name its id
@@ -4291,9 +4297,15 @@ class CodemanApp {
     const hasQueue = count > 0;
     // Only surface a backlog once it's more than a few bytes. A single keystroke
     // (1B) ACKs in milliseconds, so without this the label flickered "sending 1B"
-    // on every key press. Above this threshold means input is genuinely backing up.
-    const BACKLOG_HINT_BYTES = 4;
-    const showBacklog = totalBytes > BACKLOG_HINT_BYTES;
+    // on every key press. Above this threshold means input is genuinely backing up,
+    // and only once it has stayed there (see CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HOLD_MS): a burst
+    // that drains in a moment must not widen the pill. `_backlogOverSince` is kept
+    // by _updateConnectionIndicator; `undefined` (never tracked, as when this pure
+    // compute is called directly) means no hold.
+    const since = this._backlogOverSince;
+    const heldLongEnough =
+      since === undefined || (since !== null && Date.now() - since >= CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HOLD_MS);
+    const showBacklog = totalBytes > CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HINT_BYTES && heldLongEnough;
     const formatBytes = (b) => (b < 1024 ? `${b}B` : `${(b / 1024).toFixed(1)}KB`);
     const queuedSuffix = showBacklog ? ` · ${formatBytes(totalBytes)} queued` : '';
 
@@ -4409,6 +4421,34 @@ class CodemanApp {
     const text = this.$('connectionText');
     if (!indicator || !dot || !text) return;
 
+    // Track how long the queue has stayed above the hint threshold, and make sure
+    // the pill is re-rendered when the hold elapses even if no keystroke or ACK
+    // arrives to trigger it.
+    // ⚠️ This runs before _drainSession() on every keystroke, so it must never throw: a throw here
+    // once skipped immediate delivery and made typing lag (the ReferenceError regression above).
+    let pendingBytes = 0;
+    try {
+      pendingBytes = this._pendingBytes().bytes;
+    } catch {
+      /* no queue to read: treat as drained */
+    }
+    if (pendingBytes > CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HINT_BYTES) {
+      if (this._backlogOverSince == null) this._backlogOverSince = Date.now();
+      if (!this._backlogHoldTimer && Date.now() - this._backlogOverSince < CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HOLD_MS) {
+        const wait = CONNECTION_BACKLOG_HOLD_MS - (Date.now() - this._backlogOverSince) + 25;
+        this._backlogHoldTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+          this._backlogHoldTimer = null;
+          this._updateConnectionIndicator();
+        }, wait);
+      }
+    } else {
+      this._backlogOverSince = null;
+      if (this._backlogHoldTimer) {
+        clearTimeout(this._backlogHoldTimer);
+        this._backlogHoldTimer = null;
+      }
+    }
+
     // Called on EVERY keystroke (_reliableSend) and EVERY ACK (_ackDelivery).
     // During fast typing the rendered tuple is usually identical, so skip the DOM
     // writes when nothing changed (COD-136) — the compute above is DOM-free.
diff --git a/test/connection-indicator.test.ts b/test/connection-indicator.test.ts
index 63477c2c..09acc8ec 100644
--- a/test/connection-indicator.test.ts
+++ b/test/connection-indicator.test.ts
@@ -158,10 +158,60 @@ describe('connection indicator — keystroke backlog threshold', () => {
     expect(els.connectionText.textContent).toBe('WS');
   });
 
-  it('annotates a genuine backlog (>4B) with a queued byte count', () => {
-    const { app, els } = makeApp({ activeSessionId: 's1', _wsState: 'connected', queuedBytes: 40 });
+  it('annotates a genuine backlog (>4B) with a queued byte count once it has persisted', () => {
+    const { app, els } = makeApp({
+      activeSessionId: 's1',
+      _wsState: 'connected',
+      queuedBytes: 40,
+      // The backlog has been above the threshold for well over the hold.
+      _backlogOverSince: Date.now() - 5000,
+    } as never);
     app._updateConnectionIndicator();
     expect(els.connectionText.textContent).toMatch(/^WS · 40B queued$/);
+    app._pendingDeliveries.clear();
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator(); // drains: clears the hold timer
+  });
+});
+
+// A paste, an IME commit or a fast word is a few dozen bytes for a few milliseconds until its ACK
+// lands. Showing " · NB queued" for that made the "WS" pill widen and shrink on every burst.
+describe('connection indicator — a brief burst does not widen the pill', () => {
+  it('keeps the plain "WS" while a >4B burst is still inside the hold window', () => {
+    const { app, els } = makeApp({ activeSessionId: 's1', _wsState: 'connected', queuedBytes: 40 });
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator();
+    expect(els.connectionText.textContent).toBe('WS');
+    app._pendingDeliveries.clear();
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator();
+    expect(els.connectionText.textContent).toBe('WS');
+  });
+
+  it('forgets the burst when it drains, so a later one starts a fresh hold', () => {
+    const { app } = makeApp({ activeSessionId: 's1', _wsState: 'connected', queuedBytes: 40 });
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator();
+    expect((app as unknown as { _backlogOverSince: number | null })._backlogOverSince).not.toBeNull();
+    app._pendingDeliveries.clear();
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator();
+    expect((app as unknown as { _backlogOverSince: number | null })._backlogOverSince).toBeNull();
+    expect((app as unknown as { _backlogHoldTimer: unknown })._backlogHoldTimer).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it('schedules the re-render for when the hold elapses, with no keystroke or ACK needed', () => {
+    const { app } = makeApp({ activeSessionId: 's1', _wsState: 'connected', queuedBytes: 40 });
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator();
+    expect((app as unknown as { _backlogHoldTimer: unknown })._backlogHoldTimer).not.toBeNull();
+    app._pendingDeliveries.clear();
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator(); // cancels it
+  });
+
+  it('shows the count once the same backlog has stayed up past the hold', () => {
+    const { app, els } = makeApp({ activeSessionId: 's1', _wsState: 'connected', queuedBytes: 40 });
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator();
+    expect(els.connectionText.textContent).toBe('WS');
+    (app as unknown as { _backlogOverSince: number })._backlogOverSince = Date.now() - 1500;
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator();
+    expect(els.connectionText.textContent).toBe('WS · 40B queued');
+    app._pendingDeliveries.clear();
+    app._updateConnectionIndicator();
   });
 });
 
@@ -458,3 +508,21 @@ describe('_updateConnectionIndicator — COD-136 unchanged-skip', () => {
     expect(els.connectionText.textContent).toBe('WS');
   });
 });
+
+describe('connection indicator — the backlog tracking never throws on the input path', () => {
+  it('still renders when the queue cannot be read', () => {
+    const { app, els } = makeApp({ activeSessionId: 's1', _wsState: 'connected' });
+    (app as unknown as { _pendingBytes: () => never })._pendingBytes = () => {
+      throw new Error('no queue');
+    };
+    // The compute reads the queue too, so stub it as the real hot path would see a healthy one.
+    (app as unknown as { _computeConnectionDescriptor: () => unknown })._computeConnectionDescriptor = () => ({
+      display: 'flex',
+      dotClass: 'connection-dot connected',
+      text: 'WS',
+      title: 'Terminal connected over WebSocket',
+    });
+    expect(() => app._updateConnectionIndicator()).not.toThrow();
+    expect(els.connectionText.textContent).toBe('WS');
+  });
+});