diff --git a/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte b/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
index 166d3b96..661f1900 100644
--- a/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
+++ b/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
@@ -863,8 +863,8 @@
       notifyError('Session Error', 'Failed to start session: no session ID returned');
       return;
     }
-    // Register session in the unified registry
-    sessionRegistry.register(result.sessionId, branch.projectId, 'other', branch.id);
+    // Register session in the unified registry with the actual session type
+    sessionRegistry.register(result.sessionId, branch.projectId, newSessionMode, branch.id);
     projectStateStore.addRunningSession(branch.projectId, result.sessionId);
     showNewSession = false;
     draftPrompt = '';
diff --git a/staged/src/lib/features/branches/RemoteBranchCard.svelte b/staged/src/lib/features/branches/RemoteBranchCard.svelte
index 0c6e2bed..1ddcdd52 100644
--- a/staged/src/lib/features/branches/RemoteBranchCard.svelte
+++ b/staged/src/lib/features/branches/RemoteBranchCard.svelte
@@ -364,9 +364,9 @@
       notifyError('Session Error', 'Failed to start session: no session ID returned');
       return;
     }
-    // Register session in the unified registry so global completion handling can
-    // clear running/unread indicators for remote projects.
-    sessionRegistry.register(result.sessionId, branch.projectId, 'other', branch.id);
+    // Register session in the unified registry with the actual session type so global
+    // completion handling can clear running/unread indicators for remote projects.
+    sessionRegistry.register(result.sessionId, branch.projectId, newSessionMode, branch.id);
     // Track the running session in the project state store
     projectStateStore.addRunningSession(branch.projectId, result.sessionId);
     const pendingType =
diff --git a/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectsList.svelte b/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectsList.svelte
index f4f66e2a..b9c29fc3 100644
--- a/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectsList.svelte
+++ b/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectsList.svelte
@@ -10,7 +10,12 @@
   import { GitPullRequest, GitPullRequestClosed, GitPullRequestDraft, Plus } from 'lucide-svelte';
   import type { Project, ProjectRepo, Branch } from '../../types';
   import * as commands from '../../commands';
-  import { projectDisplayName, aggregateProjectPrStatus } from '../../shared/utils';
+  import {
+    projectDisplayName,
+    aggregateProjectPrStatus,
+    projectSubtitle,
+  } from '../../shared/utils';
+  import { projectStateStore } from '../../stores/projectState.svelte';
   import { selectProject } from '../../navigation.svelte';
   import NewProjectModal from './NewProjectModal.svelte';
   import ProjectsSidebar from './ProjectsSidebar.svelte';
@@ -281,6 +286,8 @@
             {@const status = getProjectStatus(project.id, deletingProjectNames)}
             {@const prStatus = getProjectPrStatus(project.id)}
             {@const repos = reposByProject.get(project.id) ?? []}
+            {@const repoCount = repoCountsByProject.get(project.id) ?? (project.githubRepo ? 1 : 0)}
+            {@const sessionTypes = projectStateStore.getRunningSessionTypes(project.id)}
             <div class="project-card-wrapper">
               <button
                 class="project-card"
@@ -336,7 +343,7 @@
                 </div>
               </button>
               <div class="card-location">
-                {project.location === 'remote' ? 'Remote workspace' : 'Local worktrees'}
+                {projectSubtitle(repoCount, sessionTypes)}
               </div>
             </div>
           {/each}
diff --git a/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectsSidebar.svelte b/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectsSidebar.svelte
index d63034c4..8c34dd4e 100644
--- a/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectsSidebar.svelte
+++ b/staged/src/lib/features/projects/ProjectsSidebar.svelte
@@ -13,7 +13,12 @@
   } from 'lucide-svelte';
   import type { Project, Branch } from '../../types';
   import { goHome, navigation, selectProject } from '../../navigation.svelte';
-  import { projectDisplayName, aggregateProjectPrStatus } from '../../shared/utils';
+  import {
+    projectDisplayName,
+    aggregateProjectPrStatus,
+    projectSubtitle,
+  } from '../../shared/utils';
+  import { projectStateStore } from '../../stores/projectState.svelte';
   import Spinner from '../../shared/Spinner.svelte';
   import StagedIcon from '../../shared/StagedIcon.svelte';
   import { getProjectStatus } from './projectStatus';
@@ -193,6 +198,7 @@
               {@const status = getProjectStatus(project.id, deletingProjectNames)}
               {@const repoCount = repoCountForProject(project)}
               {@const prStatus = getProjectPrStatus(project.id)}
+              {@const sessionTypes = projectStateStore.getRunningSessionTypes(project.id)}
               <button
                 class="project-row"
                 class:active={navigation.selectedProjectId === project.id}
@@ -218,9 +224,7 @@
                   <div class="row-text">
                     <span class="project-name">{projectDisplayName(project)}</span>
                     <div class="row-meta">
-                      <span class="repo-count"
-                        >{repoCount} {repoCount === 1 ? 'repo' : 'repos'}</span
-                      >
+                      <span class="repo-count">{projectSubtitle(repoCount, sessionTypes)}</span>
                     </div>
                   </div>
                 </div>
diff --git a/staged/src/lib/shared/utils.ts b/staged/src/lib/shared/utils.ts
index 41f34a28..949e1644 100644
--- a/staged/src/lib/shared/utils.ts
+++ b/staged/src/lib/shared/utils.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
  */
 
 import type { Project, Branch } from '../types';
+import type { SessionType } from '../stores/sessionRegistry.svelte';
 
 /** Display name for a project: repo basename + optional subpath. */
 export function projectDisplayName(p: Project): string {
@@ -86,3 +87,95 @@ export function aggregateProjectPrStatus(
 
   return null;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Human-readable label for a session type.
+ * Returns the singular noun form (e.g. "commit", "note").
+ */
+function sessionTypeLabel(type: SessionType): string {
+  switch (type) {
+    case 'commit':
+      return 'commit';
+    case 'note':
+      return 'note';
+    case 'review':
+      return 'review';
+    case 'pr':
+      return 'PR';
+    case 'push':
+      return 'push';
+    case 'other':
+      return 'task';
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Pluralize a noun: adds "s" when count !== 1, with special handling for
+ * irregular forms used in session labels.
+ */
+function pluralize(word: string, count: number): string {
+  if (count === 1) return word;
+  // "PR" → "PRs", everything else just gets an "s"
+  return `${word}s`;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Build a project subtitle that summarizes the repo count and any running
+ * session activity.
+ *
+ * Examples:
+ *   "1 repo"                          (idle)
+ *   "2 repos"                         (idle)
+ *   "1 repo · making a commit"
+ *   "2 repos · making a commit and a note"
+ *   "1 repo · making commits and notes"
+ *   "2 repos · pushing changes"
+ */
+export function projectSubtitle(repoCount: number, sessionTypes: SessionType[]): string {
+  const repoLabel = `${repoCount} ${pluralize('repo', repoCount)}`;
+
+  if (sessionTypes.length === 0) {
+    return repoLabel;
+  }
+
+  // Count occurrences of each session type
+  const counts = new Map<SessionType, number>();
+  for (const type of sessionTypes) {
+    counts.set(type, (counts.get(type) ?? 0) + 1);
+  }
+
+  // Build the activity description from the counted types.
+  // Use a stable display order so the subtitle doesn't jump around.
+  const displayOrder: SessionType[] = ['commit', 'note', 'review', 'pr', 'push', 'other'];
+  const parts: string[] = [];
+
+  for (const type of displayOrder) {
+    const count = counts.get(type);
+    if (!count) continue;
+
+    const label = sessionTypeLabel(type);
+    if (count === 1) {
+      parts.push(`a ${label}`);
+    } else {
+      parts.push(pluralize(label, count));
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Join with commas and "and": "a commit", "a commit and a note",
+  // "commits, notes, and a review"
+  let activity: string;
+  if (parts.length === 1) {
+    activity = parts[0];
+  } else if (parts.length === 2) {
+    activity = `${parts[0]} and ${parts[1]}`;
+  } else {
+    activity = `${parts.slice(0, -1).join(', ')}, and ${parts[parts.length - 1]}`;
+  }
+
+  // Special-case "push" to read more naturally: "pushing changes" instead of "making a push"
+  if (counts.size === 1 && counts.has('push')) {
+    return `${repoLabel} · pushing changes`;
+  }
+
+  return `${repoLabel} · making ${activity}`;
+}
diff --git a/staged/src/lib/stores/projectState.svelte.ts b/staged/src/lib/stores/projectState.svelte.ts
index 535dd632..46506e04 100644
--- a/staged/src/lib/stores/projectState.svelte.ts
+++ b/staged/src/lib/stores/projectState.svelte.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * Note: Session-to-project lookups are now delegated to the unified sessionRegistry
  */
 
-import { sessionRegistry } from './sessionRegistry.svelte';
+import { sessionRegistry, type SessionType } from './sessionRegistry.svelte';
 
 interface ProjectState {
   unread: boolean;
@@ -170,6 +170,26 @@ class ProjectStateStore {
     const state = this.states.get(projectId);
     return state ? state.runningSessions.size : 0;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Get the session types of all running sessions for a project.
+   * Returns an array of SessionType values (one per running session).
+   * Delegates type lookups to the unified session registry.
+   */
+  getRunningSessionTypes(projectId: string): SessionType[] {
+    // Access version to establish reactive dependency
+    this.version;
+    const state = this.getState(projectId);
+    if (!state) return [];
+    const types: SessionType[] = [];
+    for (const sessionId of state.runningSessions) {
+      const type = sessionRegistry.getType(sessionId);
+      if (type) {
+        types.push(type);
+      }
+    }
+    return types;
+  }
 }
 
 export const projectStateStore = new ProjectStateStore();