diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6acf206cd..e78645f1e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 - Control UI: let config-form enums select empty-string values. Thanks @sreekaransrinath for PR #268.
 - Control UI: scroll chat to bottom on initial load. Thanks @kiranjd for PR #274.
 - Control UI: add Chat focus mode toggle to collapse header + sidebar.
+- Control UI: tighten focus mode spacing (reduce top padding, add comfortable compose inset).
 - Control UI: standardize UI build instructions on `bun run ui:*` (fallback supported).
 - Status: show runtime (docker/direct) and move shortcuts to `/help`.
 - Status: show model auth source (api-key/oauth).
diff --git a/ui/src/styles/components.css b/ui/src/styles/components.css
index 616f7f5e1..1e94013bb 100644
--- a/ui/src/styles/components.css
+++ b/ui/src/styles/components.css
@@ -826,8 +826,8 @@
 }
 
 .shell--chat-focus .chat-compose {
-  bottom: var(--shell-pad);
-  padding-bottom: calc(var(--shell-pad) + env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px));
+  bottom: calc(var(--shell-pad) + 8px);
+  padding-bottom: calc(14px + env(safe-area-inset-bottom, 0px));
   border-bottom-left-radius: 18px;
   border-bottom-right-radius: 18px;
 }
diff --git a/ui/src/styles/layout.css b/ui/src/styles/layout.css
index 15da2ae4a..37e7ef6d1 100644
--- a/ui/src/styles/layout.css
+++ b/ui/src/styles/layout.css
@@ -19,12 +19,17 @@
 }
 
 .shell--chat-focus {
-  --shell-pad: 10px;
-  --shell-gap: 12px;
+  --shell-pad: 8px;
+  --shell-gap: 0px;
   --shell-nav-col: 0px;
   --shell-topbar-row: 0px;
 }
 
+.shell--chat-focus .content {
+  padding-top: 0;
+  gap: 0;
+}
+
 .topbar {
   grid-area: topbar;
   position: sticky;