diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/code-card.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/code-card.tsx
index 0481951b43381..6a5881165d240 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/code-card.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/code-card.tsx
@@ -4,15 +4,16 @@ import { Codicon, type CodiconProps } from '@/components/ui/codicon'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 
 /**
- * Rounded-card shell for fenced code (and any equivalent: diffs, raw payloads,
- * etc.) sized for the conversation column. Mirrors the expanded tool-row
- * pattern so code blocks read as the same family of artifact.
+ * Rounded surface for fenced code (and any equivalent: diffs, raw payloads,
+ * etc.) sized for the conversation column. Background only — no border, no
+ * header, no language label — so a code block reads as a tinted slab of the
+ * reply rather than an attached artifact.
  */
 function CodeCard({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<'div'>) {
   return (
     <div
       className={cn(
-        'min-w-0 max-w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[0.625rem] border border-border text-[length:var(--conversation-tool-font-size)] text-muted-foreground',
+        'group/code relative min-w-0 max-w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[0.625rem] bg-(--ui-bg-editor) [--expandable-fade-from:var(--ui-bg-editor)] text-[length:var(--conversation-tool-font-size)] text-muted-foreground',
         className
       )}
       data-slot="code-card"
@@ -21,31 +22,6 @@ function CodeCard({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<'div'>) {
   )
 }
 
-function CodeCardHeader({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<'div'>) {
-  return (
-    <div
-      className={cn('flex items-center justify-between gap-2 border-b border-border px-2 py-1.5', className)}
-      data-slot="code-card-header"
-      {...props}
-    />
-  )
-}
-
-function CodeCardTitle({ className, children, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<'span'>) {
-  return (
-    <span
-      className={cn(
-        'flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1.5 truncate text-[length:var(--conversation-tool-font-size)] font-medium leading-(--conversation-line-height) text-foreground/80',
-        className
-      )}
-      data-slot="code-card-title"
-      {...props}
-    >
-      {children}
-    </span>
-  )
-}
-
 function CodeCardIcon({ className, ...props }: CodiconProps) {
   return (
     <Codicon
@@ -56,12 +32,6 @@ function CodeCardIcon({ className, ...props }: CodiconProps) {
   )
 }
 
-function CodeCardSubtitle({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<'span'>) {
-  return (
-    <span className={cn('font-normal text-muted-foreground', className)} data-slot="code-card-subtitle" {...props} />
-  )
-}
-
 function CodeCardBody({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<'div'>) {
   return (
     <div
@@ -75,4 +45,4 @@ function CodeCardBody({ className, ...props }: React.ComponentProps<'div'>) {
   )
 }
 
-export { CodeCard, CodeCardBody, CodeCardHeader, CodeCardIcon, CodeCardSubtitle, CodeCardTitle }
+export { CodeCard, CodeCardBody, CodeCardIcon }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/expandable-block.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/expandable-block.tsx
index f4a8e1965298c..7cd6459db30e0 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/expandable-block.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/expandable-block.tsx
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export function ExpandableBlock({ children, className }: ExpandableBlockProps) {
         // both sideways scrolling and text selection. Keep the fade
         // `pointer-events-none` and pin the only clickable target — a compact
         // toggle — to the right edge, clear of the draggable scrollbar track.
-        <div className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 bottom-0 flex h-7 justify-end bg-linear-to-t from-(--ui-chat-surface-background) to-transparent">
+        <div className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 bottom-0 flex h-7 justify-end bg-linear-to-t from-[var(--expandable-fade-from,var(--ui-chat-surface-background))] to-transparent">
           <button
             aria-expanded={expanded}
             aria-label={expanded ? 'Collapse' : 'Expand'}
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/shiki-highlighter.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/shiki-highlighter.tsx
index ba59a31da8983..6823bba7cfddf 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/shiki-highlighter.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/chat/shiki-highlighter.tsx
@@ -4,24 +4,18 @@ import type { SyntaxHighlighterProps } from '@assistant-ui/react-streamdown'
 import { type ComponentProps, type FC, lazy, Suspense, useMemo } from 'react'
 import type ShikiHighlighter from 'react-shiki'
 
-import {
-  CodeCard,
-  CodeCardBody,
-  CodeCardHeader,
-  CodeCardIcon,
-  CodeCardSubtitle,
-  CodeCardTitle
-} from '@/components/chat/code-card'
+import { CodeCard, CodeCardBody } from '@/components/chat/code-card'
 import { ExpandableBlock } from '@/components/chat/expandable-block'
 import { CopyButton } from '@/components/ui/copy-button'
 import { useI18n } from '@/i18n'
-import { codiconForLanguage, isLikelyProseCodeBlock, sanitizeLanguageTag } from '@/lib/markdown-code'
+import { isLikelyProseCodeBlock } from '@/lib/markdown-code'
 
 /**
  * Streamdown's code adapter renders header + body as inline siblings, so we
  * own the wrapping `<CodeCard>` here and neutralize the upstream
- * `data-streamdown="code-block"` chrome from styles.css. Anything that wants
- * a card-shaped code surface should compose `CodeCard*` directly.
+ * `data-streamdown="code-block"` chrome from styles.css. The card is
+ * background-only — no header row, no language label — so a fence reads as a
+ * tinted slab of the reply; copy is a hover-reveal control in the corner.
  *
  * `react-shiki` full bundle so all `bundledLanguages` work; theme switches
  * follow the document `color-scheme` via `defaultColor="light-dark()"`.
@@ -148,28 +142,19 @@ export const SyntaxHighlighter: FC<HermesSyntaxHighlighterProps> = ({
     return <div className="aui-prose-fence whitespace-pre-wrap wrap-anywhere text-foreground">{trimmed}</div>
   }
 
-  const cleanLanguage = sanitizeLanguageTag(language || '')
-  const label = cleanLanguage && cleanLanguage !== 'unknown' ? cleanLanguage : ''
   const plain = defer || exceedsHighlightBudget(trimmed)
 
   return (
     <CodeCard data-streaming={defer ? 'true' : undefined}>
-      <CodeCardHeader>
-        <CodeCardTitle>
-          <CodeCardIcon name={codiconForLanguage(label)} />
-          {t.assistant.tool.code}
-          {label && <CodeCardSubtitle> · {label}</CodeCardSubtitle>}
-        </CodeCardTitle>
-        <CopyButton
-          appearance="inline"
-          className="-my-1 -mr-1 h-5 px-1 opacity-55 hover:opacity-100"
-          iconClassName="size-2.5"
-          label={t.assistant.tool.copyCode}
-          showLabel={false}
-          text={trimmed}
-        />
-      </CodeCardHeader>
-      <CodeCardBody>
+      <CopyButton
+        appearance="inline"
+        className="absolute right-1.5 top-1.5 z-10 h-5 gap-0 rounded-md px-1 opacity-0 transition-opacity group-hover/code:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100"
+        iconClassName="size-2.5"
+        label={t.assistant.tool.copyCode}
+        showLabel={false}
+        text={trimmed}
+      />
+      <CodeCardBody className="[&_pre]:px-3 [&_pre]:py-2.5">
         <ExpandableBlock>
           <Pre className="aui-shiki m-0 overflow-hidden bg-transparent p-0">
             {plain ? (
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ar.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ar.ts
index 2b1e8bd42b5f4..544fb69e88b55 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ar.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ar.ts
@@ -2326,7 +2326,6 @@ export const ar = defineLocale({
       continueLabel: 'متابعة'
     },
     tool: {
-      code: 'الكود',
       copyCode: 'نسخ الكود',
       renderingImage: 'جار عرض الصورة...',
       copyOutput: 'نسخ الإخراج',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
index 041b2bf35cc4d..3b5eb3c450b80 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/en.ts
@@ -2730,7 +2730,6 @@ export const en: Translations = {
       lateAnswerHint: 'This prompt is no longer waiting. Pick an option to draft it as a follow-up message.'
     },
     tool: {
-      code: 'Code',
       copyCode: 'Copy code',
       renderingImage: 'Rendering image',
       copyOutput: 'Copy output',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
index 6971ab4b5ccde..ed6e1ef3468ba 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/ja.ts
@@ -2574,7 +2574,6 @@ export const ja = defineLocale({
       lateAnswerHint: 'この質問はもう回答を待っていません。選択肢を選ぶとフォローアップメッセージとして下書きされます。'
     },
     tool: {
-      code: 'コード',
       copyCode: 'コードをコピー',
       renderingImage: '画像をレンダリング中',
       copyOutput: '出力をコピー',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
index 6a4d97b02164c..40bdf7895e90d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/types.ts
@@ -2326,7 +2326,6 @@ export interface Translations {
       lateAnswerHint: string
     }
     tool: {
-      code: string
       copyCode: string
       renderingImage: string
       copyOutput: string
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
index e4c96d779fff4..79a04bfc17d21 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh-hant.ts
@@ -2495,7 +2495,6 @@ export const zhHant = defineLocale({
       lateAnswerHint: '此問題已不再等待回答。選擇一個選項會將其起草為後續訊息。'
     },
     tool: {
-      code: '程式碼',
       copyCode: '複製程式碼',
       renderingImage: '正在渲染圖片',
       copyOutput: '複製輸出',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
index 20c4d08f8fc20..312e02e2e7048 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/i18n/zh.ts
@@ -2900,7 +2900,6 @@ export const zh: Translations = {
       lateAnswerHint: '此问题已不再等待回答。选择一个选项会将其起草为后续消息。'
     },
     tool: {
-      code: '代码',
       copyCode: '复制代码',
       renderingImage: '正在渲染图片',
       copyOutput: '复制输出',
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/styles.css b/apps/desktop/src/styles.css
index 541da35b6bc35..76579e42fd31d 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/styles.css
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/styles.css
@@ -1356,7 +1356,6 @@ text-* variant utilities. */ .btn-arc {
   margin-block: var(--paragraph-gap) 0;
   position: relative;
   transition:
-    border-color 180ms ease-out,
     box-shadow 180ms ease-out,
     background-color 180ms ease-out;
 }
@@ -1365,7 +1364,6 @@ text-* variant utilities. */ .btn-arc {
   animation:
     code-card-stream-enter 180ms cubic-bezier(0.16, 1, 0.3, 1) both,
     code-card-stream-glow 1.8s ease-in-out 180ms infinite alternate;
-  border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 24%, var(--ui-stroke-tertiary));
   box-shadow:
     0 0 0 0.0625rem color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 10%, transparent),
     0 0.625rem 1.75rem color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 8%, transparent);
@@ -1678,14 +1676,12 @@ text-* variant utilities. */ .btn-arc {
 
 @keyframes code-card-stream-glow {
   from {
-    border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 18%, var(--ui-stroke-tertiary));
     box-shadow:
       0 0 0 0.0625rem color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 6%, transparent),
       0 0.5rem 1.5rem color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 5%, transparent);
   }
 
   to {
-    border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 32%, var(--ui-stroke-tertiary));
     box-shadow:
       0 0 0 0.0625rem color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 12%, transparent),
       0 0.75rem 2rem color-mix(in srgb, var(--dt-ring) 10%, transparent);