diff --git a/src/agent/library/full_state.js b/src/agent/library/full_state.js
index 45a1fbe22..6066c7de9 100644
--- a/src/agent/library/full_state.js
+++ b/src/agent/library/full_state.js
@@ -40,6 +40,24 @@ export function getFullState(agent) {
     const leggings = bot.inventory.slots[7];
     const boots = bot.inventory.slots[8];
 
+    // Richer activity than a bare "Idle": a bot counts as idle (no action executing) even while
+    // chatting, deciding its next move, or stopped. Surface those so the dashboard is meaningful.
+    let activity;
+    if (!agent.isIdle()) {
+        activity = { current: agent.actions.currentActionLabel || 'Acting', kind: 'acting' };
+    } else if (convoManager.inConversation()) {
+        const who = convoManager.activeConversation?.name;
+        activity = { current: who ? `Chatting with ${who}` : 'Chatting', kind: 'chatting' };
+    } else if (agent.self_prompter.isStopped()) {
+        activity = { current: 'Stopped', kind: 'stopped' };   // self-prompter OFF: won't act on its own
+    } else if (agent.self_prompter.isPaused()) {
+        activity = { current: 'Chatting', kind: 'chatting' };
+    } else if (agent.self_prompter.isActive()) {
+        activity = { current: 'Thinking', kind: 'thinking' }; // self-prompting between actions
+    } else {
+        activity = { current: 'Idle', kind: 'idle' };
+    }
+
     const state = {
         name: agent.name,
         gameplay: {
@@ -54,7 +72,8 @@ export function getFullState(agent) {
             timeLabel
         },
         action: {
-            current: agent.isIdle() ? 'Idle' : agent.actions.currentActionLabel,
+            current: activity.current,
+            kind: activity.kind,
             isIdle: agent.isIdle()
         },
         surroundings: {
diff --git a/src/mindcraft/public/index.html b/src/mindcraft/public/index.html
index 1c8f0f1be..d46146aea 100644
--- a/src/mindcraft/public/index.html
+++ b/src/mindcraft/public/index.html
@@ -713,6 +713,8 @@ <h2 id="agentSettingsTitle" style="margin:0;">Agent Settings</h2>
                     }
                     if (actionEl && st.action) {
                         actionEl.textContent = `${st.action.current || 'Idle'}`;
+                        const _statusColors = { acting: '#4CAF50', chatting: '#42a5f5', thinking: '#9e9e9e', stopped: '#f44336', idle: '#888' };
+                        actionEl.style.color = _statusColors[st.action.kind] || '';
                     }
                     if (invGrid && st.inventory?.counts) {
                         const counts = st.inventory.counts;