diff --git a/gui/ollie9pclient.cpp b/gui/ollie9pclient.cpp
index 0dd6075..834cc48 100644
--- a/gui/ollie9pclient.cpp
+++ b/gui/ollie9pclient.cpp
@@ -14,8 +14,12 @@ Ollie9pClient::Ollie9pClient(QObject *parent)
     m_9p = new Lib9pClient(this);
     m_9p->connectDefault();
 
-    // Chat stream — one-shot, reads agent chat log. Starts/stops with agent switch.
-    m_chat = new NativeStreamer(NativeStreamer::Oneshot, this);
+    // Chat stream — guarded, reads agent chat log. Runs continuously while
+    // an agent is selected; stops on agent switch or daemon disconnect.
+    m_chat = new NativeStreamer(NativeStreamer::Guarded, this);
+    m_chat->setGuard([this]() {
+        return m_daemonConnected && !m_activeSessionId.isEmpty() && !m_agentId.isEmpty();
+    });
     connect(m_chat, &NativeStreamer::dataReady, this, [this](const QByteArray &data) {
         if (!data.isEmpty())
             emit chatReceived(QString::fromUtf8(data));
@@ -223,13 +227,6 @@ void Ollie9pClient::handleEvent(const QString &eventLine)
                 m_agentStateValues[key] = payloadStr;
                 emit agentStateChanged(sidStr, aidStr, payloadStr);
                 emit activeStateChanged();
-                
-                // Demand-driven chat: stop on idle, start on activity.
-                if (payloadStr == QLatin1String("idle")) {
-                    m_chat->stop();
-                } else if (!m_chat->isRunning()) {
-                    m_chat->start(agentPath() + "/chat");
-                }
             } else {
                 // Non-active agent: need to check cache
                 const QString sidStr = sessionId.toString();
@@ -386,11 +383,6 @@ bool Ollie9pClient::submit(const QString &prompt)
     if (m_activeSessionId.isEmpty() || m_agentId.isEmpty() || prompt.trimmed().isEmpty()) return false;
     if (!m_9p || !m_9p->isConnected()) return false;
     
-    // Start chat stream before submitting — agent will become active.
-    if (!m_chat->isRunning()) {
-        m_chat->start(agentPath() + "/chat");
-    }
-    
     return m_9p->write(agentPath() + "/prompt", prompt.toUtf8());
 }
 
@@ -686,11 +678,7 @@ void Ollie9pClient::startActiveAgentStreams()
     if (!m_daemonConnected) return;
     if (m_activeSessionId.isEmpty() || m_agentId.isEmpty()) return;
 
-    // Chat stream is demand-driven: started on submit(), stopped on idle.
-    // If the agent is already active (e.g. switching to a busy agent), start chat now.
-    if (m_activeState != "idle") {
-        m_chat->start(agentPath() + "/chat");
-    }
+    m_chat->start(agentPath() + "/chat");
     m_state->start(agentPath() + "/statewait");
 }