diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ea324a36f..583d8de2b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v0.51.258] — 2026-06-04 — Release HZ (stage-r6 — update banner from any panel + inline thinking on settlement)
+
+### Fixed
+- The "update available" banner now appears from **any panel** (Settings → System "Check now", etc.), not just the Chat view — the banner element was positioned so it only rendered visibly on the Chat surface. (#3597, @rodboev)
+- Under Simplified Tool Calling, an assistant turn that produced **thinking but no tool calls** now renders that thinking inline on settlement instead of burying it in an empty collapsed activity group. (#3592, @rodboev)
+
 ## [v0.51.257] — 2026-06-04 — Release HY (stage-r5 — provider refresh route + SessionDB self-heal)
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/static/index.html b/static/index.html
index 57000e624..799d0f71d 100644
--- a/static/index.html
+++ b/static/index.html
@@ -371,6 +371,22 @@
   <div class="resize-handle" id="sidebarResize"></div>
   </aside>
   <main class="main">
+    <div class="update-banner" id="updateBanner">
+      <div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex:1;min-width:0">
+        <span id="updateMsg"></span>
+        <div id="updateWhatsNewLinks" style="display:none;font-size:11px;margin-left:8px;white-space:nowrap"></div>
+        <div id="updateSummaryPanel" style="display:none;font-size:12px;line-height:1.45;margin-top:6px;padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid var(--border2);border-radius:8px;background:rgba(255,255,255,.04);max-width:720px;white-space:normal">
+          <div id="updateSummaryText"></div>
+          <div id="updateSummaryDiffLinks" style="display:none;font-size:11px;margin-top:8px"></div>
+        </div>
+        <div id="updateError" style="display:none;font-size:12px;color:var(--error,#e05);margin-top:4px;word-break:break-word"></div>
+      </div>
+      <div style="display:flex;gap:8px;flex-shrink:0;flex-wrap:wrap">
+        <button class="update-btn" onclick="dismissUpdate()">Later</button>
+        <button class="update-btn update-primary" id="btnApplyUpdate" onclick="applyUpdates()">Update Now</button>
+        <button class="update-btn" id="btnForceUpdate" style="display:none;background:var(--error,#e05);color:#fff;border-color:var(--error,#e05)" onclick="forceUpdate(this)">Force update</button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
     <div id="mainChat" class="main-view">
     <div class="messages-shell">
       <button id="jumpToSessionStartBtn" class="session-jump-btn session-jump-btn--start" aria-label="Jump to beginning of session" data-i18n-aria-label="session_jump_start_label" data-i18n-title="session_jump_start_label" onclick="jumpToSessionStart()" style="display:none"><span aria-hidden="true">↑</span><span data-i18n="session_jump_start">Start</span></button>
@@ -407,22 +423,6 @@
       <div id="liveToolCards" style="display:none;max-width:800px;margin:0 auto;width:100%;padding:0 24px;"></div>
     </div>
     </div>
-    <div class="update-banner" id="updateBanner">
-      <div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex:1;min-width:0">
-        <span id="updateMsg"></span>
-        <div id="updateWhatsNewLinks" style="display:none;font-size:11px;margin-left:8px;white-space:nowrap"></div>
-        <div id="updateSummaryPanel" style="display:none;font-size:12px;line-height:1.45;margin-top:6px;padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid var(--border2);border-radius:8px;background:rgba(255,255,255,.04);max-width:720px;white-space:normal">
-          <div id="updateSummaryText"></div>
-          <div id="updateSummaryDiffLinks" style="display:none;font-size:11px;margin-top:8px"></div>
-        </div>
-        <div id="updateError" style="display:none;font-size:12px;color:var(--error,#e05);margin-top:4px;word-break:break-word"></div>
-      </div>
-      <div style="display:flex;gap:8px;flex-shrink:0;flex-wrap:wrap">
-        <button class="update-btn" onclick="dismissUpdate()">Later</button>
-        <button class="update-btn update-primary" id="btnApplyUpdate" onclick="applyUpdates()">Update Now</button>
-        <button class="update-btn" id="btnForceUpdate" style="display:none;background:var(--error,#e05);color:#fff;border-color:var(--error,#e05)" onclick="forceUpdate(this)">Force update</button>
-      </div>
-    </div>
     <div class="reconnect-banner" id="reconnectBanner">
       <span id="reconnectMsg"><svg width="13" height="13" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" aria-hidden="true" style="vertical-align:-1px"><path d="M10.29 3.86L1.82 18a2 2 0 0 0 1.71 3h16.94a2 2 0 0 0 1.71-3L13.71 3.86a2 2 0 0 0-3.42 0z"/><line x1="12" y1="9" x2="12" y2="13"/><line x1="12" y1="17" x2="12.01" y2="17"/></svg> A response may have been in progress when you last left. Reload messages?</span>
       <div style="display:flex;gap:8px;flex-shrink:0">
diff --git a/static/style.css b/static/style.css
index 3e4ea8171..53012913c 100644
--- a/static/style.css
+++ b/static/style.css
@@ -3305,12 +3305,12 @@ main.main > #mainPlugin{display:none;}
 .settings-section-title{font-size:18px;font-weight:600;letter-spacing:-.01em;color:var(--text);line-height:1.3;margin-bottom:4px;}
 .settings-section-meta{font-size:13px;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.55;}
 .settings-version-badge{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;padding:3px 8px;border-radius:999px;background:var(--surface);color:var(--muted);font-size:11px;font-weight:600;font-family:'SF Mono',ui-monospace,SFMono-Regular,Menlo,monospace;flex-shrink:0;align-self:flex-start;letter-spacing:.02em;}
-#checkUpdatesBlock{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:6px;font-size:12px;flex-shrink:0;align-self:flex-start;}
+#checkUpdatesBlock{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:0.5em;font-size:12px;flex-shrink:0;align-self:flex-start;flex-wrap:wrap;}
 #checkUpdatesBlock .btn-tiny{padding:4px 10px;border-radius:8px;border:1px solid var(--border);background:var(--surface);color:var(--text);font-size:11px;font-weight:500;cursor:pointer;display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:5px;transition:border-color .15s,color .15s;}
 #checkUpdatesBlock .btn-tiny:hover{border-color:var(--accent);color:var(--accent);}
 #checkUpdatesBlock .btn-tiny:disabled{opacity:.5;cursor:default;}
 #checkUpdatesBlock .btn-tiny .spinner-xs{width:12px;height:12px;border:2px solid var(--border);border-top-color:var(--text);border-radius:50%;animation:spin .6s linear infinite;display:none;}
-#checkUpdatesStatus{font-size:11px;font-weight:500;white-space:nowrap;}
+#checkUpdatesStatus{font-size:11px;font-weight:500;white-space:nowrap;flex-basis:100%;margin-top:0.25em;}
 
 /* Each logical form row is a card surface. Stack with comfortable gap. */
 #mainSettings .settings-field{margin-bottom:12px;padding:16px;border:1px solid var(--border);border-radius:12px;background:var(--sidebar);}
diff --git a/static/ui.js b/static/ui.js
index ac64191ce..937dad7a1 100644
--- a/static/ui.js
+++ b/static/ui.js
@@ -7213,6 +7213,13 @@ function renderMessages(options){
       const activityIdxs=[...new Set([...Object.keys(byAssistant).map(k=>parseInt(k)), ...assistantThinking.keys()])].sort((a,b)=>a-b);
       for(const aIdx of activityIdxs){
         const cards=byAssistant[aIdx]||[];
+        if(!cards.length&&assistantThinking.has(aIdx)){
+          const anchorRow=assistantSegments.get(aIdx);
+          if(anchorRow&&window._showThinking!==false){
+            anchorRow.insertAdjacentHTML('beforeend',_thinkingCardHtml(assistantThinking.get(aIdx)));
+          }
+          continue;
+        }
         let anchorRow=assistantSegments.get(aIdx)||null;
         if(!anchorRow&&assistantIdxs.length){
           if(aIdx<assistantIdxs[0]) continue;
@@ -7294,10 +7301,13 @@ function renderMessages(options){
       const failoverText=_gatewayRoutingFailoverText(routing);
       const modelWarningText=_gatewayModelWarningText(routing);
       const hasTurnUsage=!!msg._turnUsage;
-      const compactActivityForMessage=isSimplifiedToolCalling()&&(
-        assistantThinking.has(mi)||
-        toolCallAssistantIdxs.has(mi)
-      );
+      // The activity-group summary owns the "Done in …" duration ONLY when a
+      // group is actually created. A tool-call turn always builds one. A
+      // thinking-only turn under Simplified Tool Calling now renders thinking
+      // inline (no group — see the `continue` at the activityIdxs loop, #3592),
+      // so it must keep its footer duration; suppressing it there would silently
+      // drop "Done in …" for thinking-only turns (#3592 review).
+      const compactActivityForMessage=isSimplifiedToolCalling()&&toolCallAssistantIdxs.has(mi);
       const durationText=compactActivityForMessage?'':_formatTurnDuration(msg._turnDuration);
       if(!hasTurnUsage&&!durationText&&!gatewayText&&!failoverText&&!modelWarningText) continue;
       const seg=assistantSegments.get(mi);
diff --git a/tests/test_issue3592_thinking_settlement.py b/tests/test_issue3592_thinking_settlement.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..673ea0443
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_issue3592_thinking_settlement.py
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+"""#3592 -- Thinking-only messages must render inline, not hidden in a collapsed activity group.
+
+Under Simplified Tool Calling mode, the settlement loop wraps ALL post-settlement
+assistant content via ensureActivityGroup({collapsed:true}). When an assistant
+message has thinking but no tool calls, the thinking trace vanished behind a
+collapsed dropdown. Fix: early-continue guard so thinking-only messages render
+inline via _thinkingCardHtml instead of being wrapped.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import re
+from pathlib import Path
+
+UI_JS = (Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "static" / "ui.js").read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+
+
+def test_thinking_card_html_function_exists():
+    """_thinkingCardHtml must be defined so the inline path can call it."""
+    assert "function _thinkingCardHtml(" in UI_JS, (
+        "_thinkingCardHtml function must exist in ui.js"
+    )
+
+
+def test_settlement_loop_has_empty_cards_guard():
+    """The simplified-tool-calling settlement loop must check cards.length before
+    calling ensureActivityGroup, so thinking-only messages skip the collapsed group."""
+    assert "!cards.length&&assistantThinking.has(aIdx)" in UI_JS, (
+        "Settlement loop must guard on empty cards + thinking presence before "
+        "wrapping in a collapsed activity group"
+    )
+
+
+def test_early_continue_present_in_settlement_loop():
+    """The guard path must contain a continue statement so the activity group
+    path is skipped for thinking-only messages."""
+    guard_pattern = re.compile(
+        r"!cards\.length&&assistantThinking\.has\(aIdx\).*?continue",
+        re.DOTALL,
+    )
+    assert guard_pattern.search(UI_JS), (
+        "The early-continue guard for thinking-only messages must be present "
+        "in the settlement loop"
+    )
+
+
+def test_alternative_path_calls_thinking_card_html_inline():
+    """The guard branch must call _thinkingCardHtml directly so thinking renders
+    inline rather than inside a collapsed activity group."""
+    guard_block = re.search(
+        r"!cards\.length&&assistantThinking\.has\(aIdx\)(.*?)continue",
+        UI_JS,
+        re.DOTALL,
+    )
+    assert guard_block, "Guard block not found"
+    block_text = guard_block.group(1)
+    assert "_thinkingCardHtml(" in block_text, (
+        "The early-continue branch must call _thinkingCardHtml to render "
+        "thinking inline"
+    )
+
+
+def test_show_thinking_preference_respected():
+    """The inline thinking path must check _showThinking so the preference is
+    honoured the same way as the non-simplified path."""
+    guard_block = re.search(
+        r"!cards\.length&&assistantThinking\.has\(aIdx\)(.*?)continue",
+        UI_JS,
+        re.DOTALL,
+    )
+    assert guard_block, "Guard block not found"
+    block_text = guard_block.group(1)
+    assert "_showThinking" in block_text, (
+        "The early-continue branch must respect window._showThinking"
+    )
+
+
+def test_messages_with_tool_calls_still_use_activity_group():
+    """Messages that have tool calls must still flow through ensureActivityGroup
+    so the existing collapsed-group behaviour is preserved."""
+    assert "ensureActivityGroup(" in UI_JS, (
+        "ensureActivityGroup must still be called for messages with tool calls"
+    )
+
+
+def test_thinking_only_turns_keep_footer_duration():
+    """#3592 review regression: a thinking-only turn now renders inline with NO
+    activity group, so the footer "Done in …" duration must NOT be suppressed for
+    it — suppression belongs only to turns that actually build an activity group
+    (tool-call turns). The old condition suppressed on assistantThinking.has(mi)
+    too, which silently dropped the duration for thinking-only turns once the
+    inline-render `continue` skipped group creation."""
+    m = re.search(r"const compactActivityForMessage=isSimplifiedToolCalling\(\)&&([^;]+);", UI_JS)
+    assert m, "compactActivityForMessage suppression condition not found"
+    cond = m.group(1)
+    assert "toolCallAssistantIdxs.has(mi)" in cond, (
+        "duration suppression must key on toolCallAssistantIdxs (group actually created)"
+    )
+    assert "assistantThinking.has(mi)" not in cond, (
+        "thinking-only turns must NOT suppress the footer duration (no group carries it)"
+    )
diff --git a/tests/test_issue3597_update_banner_position.py b/tests/test_issue3597_update_banner_position.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d913862e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_issue3597_update_banner_position.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Verify #updateBanner lives outside #mainChat so it is visible from any panel."""
+import pathlib
+
+INDEX = pathlib.Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "static" / "index.html"
+
+
+def test_update_banner_outside_main_chat():
+    src = INDEX.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    banner_pos = src.find('id="updateBanner"')
+    main_chat_pos = src.find('id="mainChat"')
+    assert banner_pos != -1, "#updateBanner not found in index.html"
+    assert main_chat_pos != -1, "#mainChat not found in index.html"
+    assert banner_pos < main_chat_pos, (
+        "#updateBanner must appear before #mainChat in the DOM "
+        "so it is not hidden when non-Chat panels are active"
+    )
+
+
+def test_update_banner_inside_main_element():
+    src = INDEX.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    main_pos = src.find('<main class="main">')
+    main_end = src.find('</main>')
+    banner_pos = src.find('id="updateBanner"')
+    assert main_pos != -1, "<main class='main'> not found"
+    assert main_end != -1, "</main> not found"
+    assert main_pos < banner_pos < main_end, (
+        "#updateBanner must be inside <main class='main'>, "
+        "not before it or after the closing </main>"
+    )