diff --git a/tests/e2e/planning-mode-visual-verification.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/planning-mode-visual-verification.spec.ts
index 398fe24f0d..47053beb38 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/planning-mode-visual-verification.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/planning-mode-visual-verification.spec.ts
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ test("captures planning mode UI for desktop and mobile", async ({ page }) => {
 
   await page.goto(issuePath);
   await page.getByTestId("task-chat-composer-mode").click();
-  await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: /Agent mode/ }).click();
+  await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: /Auto mode/ }).click();
   await expect(page.getByTestId("task-chat-composer-mode")).toHaveAttribute("data-pending-work-mode", "standard");
   await page.screenshot({
     path: `${screenshotDir}/desktop-standard-toggle-${timestamp}.png`,
diff --git a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
index 12a4f931c1..ac548ba055 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/IssueChatThread.test.tsx
@@ -649,13 +649,13 @@ describe("IssueChatThread", () => {
       );
     });
 
-    // The mode chip is always present (mockup rev 5) — neutral "Agent mode" here.
+    // The mode chip is always present (mockup rev 5) — neutral "Auto mode" here.
     const chip = container.querySelector(
       '[data-testid="issue-chat-composer-work-mode-toggle"]',
     ) as HTMLButtonElement | null;
     expect(chip).not.toBeNull();
     expect(chip?.getAttribute("data-pending-work-mode")).toBe("standard");
-    expect(chip?.textContent).toContain("Agent mode");
+    expect(chip?.textContent).toContain("Auto mode");
 
     const composer = container.querySelector('[data-testid="issue-chat-composer"]');
     expect(composer?.getAttribute("data-pending-work-mode")).toBe("standard");
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ describe("IssueChatThread", () => {
     });
 
     expect(composer?.getAttribute("data-pending-work-mode")).toBe("standard");
-    expect(chip?.textContent).toContain("Agent mode");
+    expect(chip?.textContent).toContain("Auto mode");
 
     act(() => {
       root.unmount();
diff --git a/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.test.tsx
index 11c4b6ba69..1d1474351e 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.test.tsx
@@ -959,6 +959,7 @@ describe("NewIssueDialog", () => {
 
     const modeChip = () => container.querySelector("[data-issue-work-mode-chip]");
     expect(modeChip()?.getAttribute("data-issue-work-mode-chip")).toBe("standard");
+    expect(modeChip()?.textContent).toContain("Auto mode");
 
     await act(async () => {
       modeChip()?.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", {
@@ -969,6 +970,7 @@ describe("NewIssueDialog", () => {
       }));
     });
     expect(modeChip()?.getAttribute("data-issue-work-mode-chip")).toBe("planning");
+    expect(modeChip()?.textContent).toContain("Plan mode");
 
     await act(async () => {
       modeChip()?.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", {
@@ -979,6 +981,7 @@ describe("NewIssueDialog", () => {
       }));
     });
     expect(modeChip()?.getAttribute("data-issue-work-mode-chip")).toBe("ask");
+    expect(modeChip()?.textContent).toContain("Ask mode");
 
     await act(async () => {
       modeChip()?.dispatchEvent(new KeyboardEvent("keydown", {
@@ -1417,13 +1420,13 @@ describe("NewIssueDialog", () => {
       return button?.querySelector("svg")?.getAttribute("class") ?? "";
     }
 
-    it("uses agent-mode labels and brand status hues by default", async () => {
+    it("uses auto-mode labels and brand status hues by default", async () => {
       const { root } = renderDialog(container);
       await waitForAssertion(() => {
-        expect(workModeOption("standard")?.textContent).toContain("Agent mode");
+        expect(workModeOption("standard")?.textContent).toContain("Auto mode");
       });
 
-      expect(workModeOption("standard")?.textContent).toContain("Agent mode");
+      expect(workModeOption("standard")?.textContent).toContain("Auto mode");
       expect(workModeOption("ask")?.textContent).toContain("Ask mode");
       expect(workModeOption("planning")?.textContent).toContain("Plan mode");
 
diff --git a/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.tsx b/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.tsx
index 82fcaefb7e..f5652ee784 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/NewIssueDialog.tsx
@@ -2239,7 +2239,7 @@ export function NewIssueDialog() {
                 )}
               >
                 <CurrentWorkModeIcon className="h-3 w-3" />
-                {currentWorkMode.shortLabel}
+                {currentWorkMode.label}
               </button>
             </PopoverTrigger>
             <PopoverContent className="w-36 p-1" align="start">
diff --git a/ui/src/components/task-chat/TaskChatComposer.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/task-chat/TaskChatComposer.test.tsx
index 8e3155c947..e904a8c45a 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/task-chat/TaskChatComposer.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/task-chat/TaskChatComposer.test.tsx
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ describe("TaskChatComposer", () => {
 
     const chip = container.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>('[data-testid="task-chat-composer-mode"]')!;
     expect(chip.getAttribute("data-pending-work-mode")).toBe("standard");
-    expect(chip.textContent).toContain("Agent");
+    expect(chip.textContent).toContain("Auto");
 
     pressKey("Tab", { shiftKey: true });
     expect(chip.getAttribute("data-pending-work-mode")).toBe("planning");
diff --git a/ui/src/components/task-chat/task-chat-fixtures.ts b/ui/src/components/task-chat/task-chat-fixtures.ts
index 36c7b03f30..d50030a451 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/task-chat/task-chat-fixtures.ts
+++ b/ui/src/components/task-chat/task-chat-fixtures.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export function buildScenario(id: TaskChatStateId): TaskChatScenario {
       return {
         surface: "thread",
         items: [
-          { id: "mk-start", kind: "marker", variant: "session_start", label: "Session started", detail: "claude · Agent mode" },
+          { id: "mk-start", kind: "marker", variant: "session_start", label: "Session started", detail: "claude · Auto mode" },
           ...exchangePrefix(),
         ],
       };
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/work-mode-meta.test.ts b/ui/src/lib/work-mode-meta.test.ts
index bec8a42320..6c3e671822 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/work-mode-meta.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/work-mode-meta.test.ts
@@ -3,19 +3,19 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { nextWorkMode, titleForPendingWorkMode, workModeMetaList } from "./work-mode-meta";
 
 describe("work mode metadata", () => {
-  it("orders issue work modes as agent, planning, then ask", () => {
+  it("orders issue work modes as auto, planning, then ask", () => {
     expect(workModeMetaList().map((mode) => mode.value)).toEqual(["standard", "planning", "ask"]);
-    expect(workModeMetaList().map((mode) => mode.shortLabel)).toEqual(["Agent", "Plan", "Ask"]);
+    expect(workModeMetaList().map((mode) => mode.label)).toEqual(["Auto mode", "Plan mode", "Ask mode"]);
   });
 
-  it("cycles issue work modes as agent, planning, ask, then agent", () => {
+  it("cycles issue work modes as auto, planning, ask, then auto", () => {
     expect(nextWorkMode("standard")).toBe("planning");
     expect(nextWorkMode("planning")).toBe("ask");
     expect(nextWorkMode("ask")).toBe("standard");
   });
 
   it("uses graduated tooltip copy", () => {
-    expect(titleForPendingWorkMode("standard")).toBe("Agent mode for this submission. Click to change.");
+    expect(titleForPendingWorkMode("standard")).toBe("Auto mode for this submission. Click to change.");
     expect(titleForPendingWorkMode("planning")).toBe("Plan mode is on for this submission. Click to change.");
   });
 });
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/work-mode-meta.ts b/ui/src/lib/work-mode-meta.ts
index 19a8404d39..3a40a07b58 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/work-mode-meta.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/work-mode-meta.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ export type WorkModeTone = "neutral" | "ask" | "planning";
 export interface WorkModeMeta {
   value: IssueWorkMode;
   label: string;
-  shortLabel: string;
   icon: LucideIcon;
   tone: WorkModeTone;
   classes: {
@@ -46,8 +45,7 @@ export function workModeMetaList(): WorkModeMeta[] {
   return [
     {
       value: "standard",
-      label: "Agent mode",
-      shortLabel: "Agent",
+      label: "Auto mode",
       icon: Hammer,
       tone: "neutral",
       classes: STANDARD_CLASSES,
@@ -55,7 +53,6 @@ export function workModeMetaList(): WorkModeMeta[] {
     {
       value: "planning",
       label: "Plan mode",
-      shortLabel: "Plan",
       icon: ClipboardList,
       tone: "planning",
       classes: PLANNING_CLASSES,
@@ -63,7 +60,6 @@ export function workModeMetaList(): WorkModeMeta[] {
     {
       value: "ask",
       label: "Ask mode",
-      shortLabel: "Ask",
       icon: MessageCircleQuestion,
       tone: "ask",
       classes: ASK_CLASSES,
@@ -89,5 +85,5 @@ export function titleForPendingWorkMode(mode: IssueWorkMode): string {
   if (mode === "planning") {
     return "Plan mode is on for this submission. Click to change.";
   }
-  return "Agent mode for this submission. Click to change.";
+  return "Auto mode for this submission. Click to change.";
 }