diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
index 2b9eda1a787..d96f6204c3b 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/ChatView.tsx
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ import {
   usePreviewMiniPlayerStore,
 } from "../previewMiniPlayerStore";
 import { RightPanelTabs } from "./RightPanelTabs";
+import { MessageSurface } from "./chat/MessageSurface";
 import { DiffWorkerPoolProvider } from "./DiffWorkerPoolProvider";
 import { BranchToolbar } from "./BranchToolbar";
 import { resolveShortcutCommand, shortcutLabelForCommand } from "../keybindings";
@@ -2386,6 +2387,16 @@ function ChatViewContent(props: ChatViewProps) {
       deriveTimelineEntries(timelineMessages, activeThread?.proposedPlans ?? [], workLogEntries),
     [activeThread?.proposedPlans, timelineMessages, workLogEntries],
   );
+  const activeSurfaceMessage = useMemo(() => {
+    if (activeRightPanelSurface?.kind !== "message") return null;
+    const entry = timelineEntries.find(
+      (candidate) =>
+        candidate.kind === "message" &&
+        candidate.message.id === activeRightPanelSurface.messageId &&
+        candidate.message.role !== "system",
+    );
+    return entry?.kind === "message" ? entry.message : null;
+  }, [activeRightPanelSurface, timelineEntries]);
   const [dockedDraftHeroThreadKey, setDockedDraftHeroThreadKey] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const draftHeroDockRequested =
     activeThreadKey !== null && dockedDraftHeroThreadKey === activeThreadKey;
@@ -5703,6 +5714,13 @@ function ChatViewContent(props: ChatViewProps) {
         timestampFormat={timestampFormat}
         mode="embedded"
       />
+    ) : activeRightPanelSurface?.kind === "message" ? (
+      <MessageSurface
+        message={activeSurfaceMessage}
+        threadRef={activeThreadRef}
+        cwd={gitCwd ?? undefined}
+        skills={activeProviderStatus?.skills ?? EMPTY_PROVIDER_SKILLS}
+      />
     ) : (activeRightPanelSurface?.kind === "files" || activeRightPanelSurface?.kind === "file") &&
       activeProject &&
       activeWorkspaceRoot ? (
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx
index fe652b6fde7..a86488c7e96 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/RightPanelTabs.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 import type { ContextMenuItem, PreviewSessionSnapshot } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import { getTerminalLabel } from "@t3tools/shared/terminalLabels";
-import { ClipboardList, FileDiff, Files, Globe2, Plus, TerminalSquare, X } from "lucide-react";
+import {
+  ClipboardList,
+  FileDiff,
+  Files,
+  Globe2,
+  MessageSquare,
+  Plus,
+  TerminalSquare,
+  X,
+} from "lucide-react";
 import {
   type MouseEvent as ReactMouseEvent,
   type ReactElement,
@@ -198,6 +207,8 @@ function surfaceTitle(
       return "Files";
     case "file":
       return surface.relativePath.slice(surface.relativePath.lastIndexOf("/") + 1);
+    case "message":
+      return "Message";
     case "terminal":
       return (
         terminalLabelsById.get(surface.activeTerminalId) ??
@@ -264,6 +275,8 @@ function SurfaceIcon({
       );
     case "terminal":
       return <TerminalSquare className="size-3.5 shrink-0" />;
+    case "message":
+      return <MessageSquare className="size-3.5 shrink-0" />;
     case "plan":
       return <ClipboardList className="size-3.5 shrink-0" />;
   }
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessageSurface.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessageSurface.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d6482463b19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessageSurface.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import type { ScopedThreadRef, ServerProviderSkill } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+
+import { deriveDisplayedUserMessageState } from "~/lib/terminalContext";
+import type { ChatMessage } from "~/types";
+import ChatMarkdown from "../ChatMarkdown";
+
+export function MessageSurface({
+  message,
+  threadRef,
+  cwd,
+  skills,
+}: {
+  message: ChatMessage | null;
+  threadRef: ScopedThreadRef;
+  cwd: string | undefined;
+  skills: ReadonlyArray<Pick<ServerProviderSkill, "name" | "displayName">>;
+}) {
+  if (!message) {
+    return (
+      <div className="flex min-h-0 flex-1 items-center justify-center p-6" data-message-surface>
+        <div className="text-center">
+          <p className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Message unavailable</p>
+          <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+            This message is no longer in the thread.
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    );
+  }
+
+  const text =
+    message.role === "user"
+      ? deriveDisplayedUserMessageState(message.text).visibleText
+      : message.text;
+
+  return (
+    <div className="min-h-0 flex-1 overflow-y-auto" data-message-surface>
+      <div className="mx-auto w-full max-w-3xl px-5 py-5">
+        <ChatMarkdown text={text} cwd={cwd} threadRef={threadRef} skills={skills} />
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
index a429b54deaf..653b4c6f8e7 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/MessagesTimeline.tsx
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ import { ProposedPlanCard } from "./ProposedPlanCard";
 import { ChangedFilesCard } from "./ChangedFilesTree";
 import { shouldAutoExpandChangedFiles } from "./changedFilesPresentation";
 import { MessageCopyButton } from "./MessageCopyButton";
+import { OpenMessageSurfaceButton } from "./OpenMessageSurfaceButton";
 import {
   computeStableMessagesTimelineRows,
   deriveMessagesTimelineRows,
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ import {
 } from "~/lib/previewAnnotation";
 import { cn } from "~/lib/utils";
 import { useUiStateStore } from "~/uiStateStore";
+import { useRightPanelStore } from "~/rightPanelStore";
 import { type TimestampFormat } from "@t3tools/contracts/settings";
 import { formatChatTimestampTooltip, formatShortTimestamp } from "../../timestampFormat";
 
@@ -133,6 +135,7 @@ interface TimelineRowSharedState {
   onRevertUserMessage: (messageId: MessageId) => void;
   onImageExpand: (preview: ExpandedImagePreview) => void;
   onOpenTurnDiff: (turnId: TurnId, filePath?: string) => void;
+  onOpenMessageSurface: (messageId: MessageId) => void;
   onToggleTurnFold: (turnId: TurnId) => void;
   onToggleWorkGroup: (groupId: string, anchorElement?: HTMLElement) => void;
 }
@@ -223,6 +226,14 @@ export const MessagesTimeline = memo(function MessagesTimeline({
   const [expandedTurnIds, setExpandedTurnIds] = useState<ReadonlySet<TurnId>>(new Set());
   const [expandedWorkGroupIds, setExpandedWorkGroupIds] = useState<ReadonlySet<string>>(new Set());
   const [minimapStripMap] = useState(() => new Map<string, HTMLSpanElement>());
+  const threadRef = useMemo(() => parseScopedThreadKey(routeThreadKey), [routeThreadKey]);
+  const onOpenMessageSurface = useCallback(
+    (messageId: MessageId) => {
+      if (!threadRef) return;
+      useRightPanelStore.getState().openMessage(threadRef, messageId);
+    },
+    [threadRef],
+  );
 
   const onToggleTurnFold = useCallback((turnId: TurnId) => {
     setExpandedTurnIds((existing) => {
@@ -419,7 +430,7 @@ export const MessagesTimeline = memo(function MessagesTimeline({
     () => ({
       timestampFormat,
       routeThreadKey,
-      threadRef: parseScopedThreadKey(routeThreadKey),
+      threadRef,
       markdownCwd,
       resolvedTheme,
       workspaceRoot,
@@ -428,12 +439,14 @@ export const MessagesTimeline = memo(function MessagesTimeline({
       onRevertUserMessage,
       onImageExpand,
       onOpenTurnDiff,
+      onOpenMessageSurface,
       onToggleTurnFold,
       onToggleWorkGroup,
     }),
     [
       timestampFormat,
       routeThreadKey,
+      threadRef,
       markdownCwd,
       resolvedTheme,
       workspaceRoot,
@@ -442,6 +455,7 @@ export const MessagesTimeline = memo(function MessagesTimeline({
       onRevertUserMessage,
       onImageExpand,
       onOpenTurnDiff,
+      onOpenMessageSurface,
       onToggleTurnFold,
       onToggleWorkGroup,
     ],
@@ -961,7 +975,7 @@ function UserTimelineRow({ row }: { row: Extract<TimelineRow, { kind: "message"
           <div className="flex items-center gap-0.5">
             {canRevertAgentWork && <RevertUserMessageButton messageId={row.message.id} />}
             {displayedUserMessage.copyText && (
-              <MessageCopyButton text={displayedUserMessage.copyText} variant="ghost" />
+              <MessageActions messageId={row.message.id} text={displayedUserMessage.copyText} />
             )}
           </div>
         </div>
@@ -1037,7 +1051,7 @@ function AssistantTimelineRow({ row }: { row: Extract<TimelineRow, { kind: "mess
         />
         {row.showAssistantMeta ? (
           <div className="mt-1.5 flex items-center gap-2 text-xs tabular-nums opacity-0 transition-opacity duration-200 focus-within:opacity-100 group-hover/assistant:opacity-100">
-            <AssistantCopyButton row={row} />
+            <AssistantMessageActions row={row} />
             {!row.message.streaming && (
               <Tooltip>
                 <TooltipTrigger
@@ -1057,7 +1071,7 @@ function AssistantTimelineRow({ row }: { row: Extract<TimelineRow, { kind: "mess
   );
 }
 
-function AssistantCopyButton({ row }: { row: Extract<TimelineRow, { kind: "message" }> }) {
+function AssistantMessageActions({ row }: { row: Extract<TimelineRow, { kind: "message" }> }) {
   const assistantCopyState = resolveAssistantMessageCopyState({
     text: row.message.text ?? null,
     showCopyButton: row.showAssistantCopyButton,
@@ -1068,7 +1082,18 @@ function AssistantCopyButton({ row }: { row: Extract<TimelineRow, { kind: "messa
     return null;
   }
 
-  return <MessageCopyButton text={assistantCopyState.text ?? ""} variant="ghost" />;
+  return <MessageActions messageId={row.message.id} text={assistantCopyState.text ?? ""} />;
+}
+
+function MessageActions({ messageId, text }: { messageId: MessageId; text: string }) {
+  const ctx = use(TimelineRowCtx);
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex items-center gap-0.5">
+      <MessageCopyButton text={text} variant="ghost" />
+      <OpenMessageSurfaceButton onClick={() => ctx.onOpenMessageSurface(messageId)} />
+    </div>
+  );
 }
 
 function ProposedPlanTimelineRow({
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/chat/OpenMessageSurfaceButton.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/chat/OpenMessageSurfaceButton.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f30d3dac36c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/chat/OpenMessageSurfaceButton.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { PanelRightIcon } from "lucide-react";
+
+import { Button } from "../ui/button";
+import { Tooltip, TooltipPopup, TooltipTrigger } from "../ui/tooltip";
+
+export function OpenMessageSurfaceButton({ onClick }: { onClick: () => void }) {
+  return (
+    <Tooltip>
+      <TooltipTrigger
+        render={
+          <Button
+            type="button"
+            size="xs"
+            variant="ghost"
+            className="text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+            aria-label="Open message as surface"
+            onClick={onClick}
+          />
+        }
+      >
+        <PanelRightIcon className="size-3" />
+      </TooltipTrigger>
+      <TooltipPopup side="top">Open as surface</TooltipPopup>
+    </Tooltip>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/rightPanelStore.test.ts b/apps/web/src/rightPanelStore.test.ts
index c7457cfd304..ce8695e1e43 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/rightPanelStore.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/rightPanelStore.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { scopeThreadRef } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/environment";
-import { type EnvironmentId, ThreadId } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import { type EnvironmentId, MessageId, ThreadId } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vite-plus/test";
 
 import {
@@ -142,6 +142,24 @@ describe("rightPanelStore", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("stores message surfaces by id", () => {
+    const firstMessageId = MessageId.make("message-1");
+    const secondMessageId = MessageId.make("message-2");
+
+    useRightPanelStore.getState().openMessage(refA, firstMessageId);
+    useRightPanelStore.getState().openMessage(refA, firstMessageId);
+    useRightPanelStore.getState().openMessage(refA, secondMessageId);
+
+    expect(selectThreadRightPanelState(useRightPanelStore.getState().byThreadKey, refA)).toEqual({
+      isOpen: true,
+      activeSurfaceId: "message:message-2",
+      surfaces: [
+        { id: "message:message-1", kind: "message", messageId: firstMessageId },
+        { id: "message:message-2", kind: "message", messageId: secondMessageId },
+      ],
+    });
+  });
+
   it("replaces the standalone explorer with peer file surfaces", () => {
     useRightPanelStore.getState().open(refA, "files");
     useRightPanelStore.getState().openFile(refA, "src/index.ts");
diff --git a/apps/web/src/rightPanelStore.ts b/apps/web/src/rightPanelStore.ts
index 70d163306cc..78a030212fa 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/rightPanelStore.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/rightPanelStore.ts
@@ -5,16 +5,25 @@
  * surface descriptors and the active surface, while each feature continues to
  * own its durable resource state. Browser surfaces point at preview tab ids,
  * terminal surfaces point at terminal session ids, file surfaces point at
- * workspace paths, and diff/plan/files remain singleton surfaces.
+ * workspace paths, message surfaces point at message ids, and diff/plan/files
+ * remain singleton surfaces.
  */
 import { scopedThreadKey } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/environment";
-import type { ScopedThreadRef } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import type { MessageId, ScopedThreadRef } from "@t3tools/contracts";
 import { create } from "zustand";
 import { createJSONStorage, persist } from "zustand/middleware";
 
 import { resolveStorage } from "./lib/storage";
 
-export const RIGHT_PANEL_KINDS = ["plan", "diff", "files", "file", "preview", "terminal"] as const;
+export const RIGHT_PANEL_KINDS = [
+  "plan",
+  "diff",
+  "files",
+  "file",
+  "message",
+  "preview",
+  "terminal",
+] as const;
 export type RightPanelKind = (typeof RIGHT_PANEL_KINDS)[number];
 
 export type RightPanelSurface =
@@ -37,6 +46,11 @@ export type RightPanelSurface =
       revealLine: number | null;
       revealRequestId: number;
     }
+  | {
+      id: `message:${string}`;
+      kind: "message";
+      messageId: MessageId;
+    }
   | { id: "plan"; kind: "plan" };
 
 const RIGHT_PANEL_STORAGE_KEY = "t3code:right-panel-state:v2";
@@ -50,9 +64,13 @@ export interface ThreadRightPanelState {
 
 interface RightPanelStoreState {
   byThreadKey: Record<string, ThreadRightPanelState>;
-  open: (ref: ScopedThreadRef, kind: Exclude<RightPanelKind, "file" | "terminal">) => void;
+  open: (
+    ref: ScopedThreadRef,
+    kind: Exclude<RightPanelKind, "file" | "message" | "terminal">,
+  ) => void;
   openBrowser: (ref: ScopedThreadRef, tabId: string | null) => void;
   openFile: (ref: ScopedThreadRef, relativePath: string, line?: number) => void;
+  openMessage: (ref: ScopedThreadRef, messageId: MessageId) => void;
   openTerminal: (ref: ScopedThreadRef, terminalId: string) => void;
   splitTerminal: (
     ref: ScopedThreadRef,
@@ -72,7 +90,10 @@ interface RightPanelStoreState {
   show: (ref: ScopedThreadRef) => void;
   close: (ref: ScopedThreadRef) => void;
   toggleVisibility: (ref: ScopedThreadRef) => void;
-  toggle: (ref: ScopedThreadRef, kind: Exclude<RightPanelKind, "file" | "terminal">) => void;
+  toggle: (
+    ref: ScopedThreadRef,
+    kind: Exclude<RightPanelKind, "file" | "message" | "terminal">,
+  ) => void;
   removeThread: (ref: ScopedThreadRef) => void;
 }
 
@@ -83,7 +104,7 @@ const EMPTY_THREAD_STATE: ThreadRightPanelState = {
 };
 
 const singletonSurface = (
-  kind: Exclude<RightPanelKind, "file" | "preview" | "terminal">,
+  kind: Exclude<RightPanelKind, "file" | "message" | "preview" | "terminal">,
 ): RightPanelSurface => {
   switch (kind) {
     case "diff":
@@ -120,6 +141,12 @@ const terminalSurface = (terminalId: string): RightPanelSurface => ({
   activeTerminalId: terminalId,
 });
 
+const messageSurface = (messageId: MessageId): RightPanelSurface => ({
+  id: `message:${messageId}`,
+  kind: "message",
+  messageId,
+});
+
 const upsertSurface = (
   current: ThreadRightPanelState,
   surface: RightPanelSurface,
@@ -286,6 +313,12 @@ export const useRightPanelStore = create<RightPanelStoreState>()(
             };
           }),
         })),
+      openMessage: (ref, messageId) =>
+        set((state) => ({
+          byThreadKey: updateThread(state.byThreadKey, scopedThreadKey(ref), (current) =>
+            upsertSurface(current, messageSurface(messageId)),
+          ),
+        })),
       openTerminal: (ref, terminalId) =>
         set((state) => ({
           byThreadKey: updateThread(state.byThreadKey, scopedThreadKey(ref), (current) =>