diff --git a/pkg/tui/components/message/message.go b/pkg/tui/components/message/message.go
index 1818f7952..c37147a79 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/components/message/message.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/components/message/message.go
@@ -375,6 +375,13 @@ func (mv *messageModel) render(width int) string {
 		return msg.Content
 	case types.MessageTypeCancelled:
 		return styles.WarningStyle.Render("⚠ stream cancelled ⚠")
+	case types.MessageTypeDelegationReturn:
+		label := "↩ " + msg.Sender + " → " + msg.Content
+		styled := styles.AgentAccentStyleFor(msg.Sender).Render(label)
+		// Trailing faded rule out to width, mirroring the collapsed-sidebar divider.
+		ruleW := max(width-ansi.StringWidth(styled)-3, 0)
+		rule := styles.FadingStyle.Render(" " + strings.Repeat("─", ruleW))
+		return styles.NoStyle.MarginLeft(2).Render(styled + rule)
 	case types.MessageTypeWelcome:
 		messageStyle := styles.WelcomeMessageStyle
 		// Convert explicit newlines to markdown hard line breaks (two trailing spaces)
diff --git a/pkg/tui/components/message/message_test.go b/pkg/tui/components/message/message_test.go
index 198a7002d..4f5de68ae 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/components/message/message_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/components/message/message_test.go
@@ -324,3 +324,21 @@ func TestBareSpinnerKeepsPlayfulView(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, mv.isSpinnerDriven())
 	assert.Equal(t, mv.spinner.View(), mv.View(), "empty label must keep the default spinner rendering")
 }
+
+// TestDelegationReturnMarkerRenders covers the transcript return marker inserted
+// when a forwarded sub-agent (child) hands control back to its caller (parent):
+// it renders "↩ child → parent" and, being static, is NOT spinner-driven so it
+// caches normally.
+func TestDelegationReturnMarkerRenders(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// Sender holds the child (drives the accent color); Content holds the parent.
+	msg := types.DelegationReturn("librarian", "root")
+	mv := New(msg, nil)
+	mv.SetSize(80, 0)
+
+	assert.False(t, mv.isSpinnerDriven(), "static return marker must be cacheable, not spinner-driven")
+
+	out := stripANSI(mv.View())
+	assert.Contains(t, out, "↩ librarian → root", "marker should read ↩ child → parent")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tui/components/messages/messages.go b/pkg/tui/components/messages/messages.go
index 17faf6720..8a13fb1e4 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/components/messages/messages.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/components/messages/messages.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ type Model interface {
 	AddErrorMessage(content string) tea.Cmd
 	AddAssistantMessage(sender, label string) tea.Cmd
 	AddCancelledMessage() tea.Cmd
+	AddDelegationReturn(child, parent string) tea.Cmd
 	AddWelcomeMessage(content string) tea.Cmd
 	AddOrUpdateToolCall(agentName string, toolCall tools.ToolCall, toolDef tools.Tool, status types.ToolStatus) tea.Cmd
 	AppendToolOutput(msg *runtime.ToolCallOutputEvent) tea.Cmd
@@ -1025,6 +1026,9 @@ func (m *model) shouldCacheMessage(index int) bool {
 		return false
 	case types.MessageTypeUser:
 		return true
+	case types.MessageTypeDelegationReturn:
+		// Static divider line; safe to cache like a user message.
+		return true
 	default:
 		return false
 	}
@@ -1255,6 +1259,10 @@ func (m *model) AddCancelledMessage() tea.Cmd {
 	return view.Init()
 }
 
+func (m *model) AddDelegationReturn(child, parent string) tea.Cmd {
+	return m.addMessage(types.DelegationReturn(child, parent))
+}
+
 func (m *model) AddWelcomeMessage(content string) tea.Cmd {
 	if content == "" || len(m.views) > 0 {
 		return nil
diff --git a/pkg/tui/components/messages/messages_test.go b/pkg/tui/components/messages/messages_test.go
index 0af86fc6b..c5840ffe3 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/components/messages/messages_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/components/messages/messages_test.go
@@ -39,6 +39,27 @@ func TestViewDoesNotWrapWideLines(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestAddDelegationReturnAppendsMarker verifies AddDelegationReturn appends a
+// single MessageTypeDelegationReturn item (Sender=child, Content=parent) and
+// that it renders the "↩ child → parent" divider.
+func TestAddDelegationReturnAppendsMarker(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	sessionState := &service.SessionState{}
+	m := NewScrollableView(80, 24, sessionState).(*model)
+	m.SetSize(80, 24)
+
+	cmd := m.AddDelegationReturn("librarian", "root")
+	require.NotNil(t, cmd, "appending the marker auto-scrolls a fresh transcript, yielding a cmd")
+
+	require.Len(t, m.messages, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, types.MessageTypeDelegationReturn, m.messages[0].Type)
+	assert.Equal(t, "librarian", m.messages[0].Sender)
+	assert.Equal(t, "root", m.messages[0].Content)
+
+	assert.Contains(t, ansi.Strip(m.View()), "↩ librarian → root")
+}
+
 func TestMouseClickOnURLOpensURL(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
diff --git a/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/delegation_breadcrumb_test.go b/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/delegation_breadcrumb_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ed0a058c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/delegation_breadcrumb_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,153 @@
+package sidebar
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/runtime"
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/session"
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/tui/messages"
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/tui/service"
+)
+
+func newBreadcrumbSidebar(t *testing.T) *model {
+	t.Helper()
+	sess := session.New()
+	sessionState := service.NewSessionState(sess)
+	sessionState.SetCurrentAgentName("root")
+
+	m := New(sessionState).(*model)
+	// Driving the real Update handlers starts the model's spinner, which registers
+	// with the process-global animation coordinator. Release it on cleanup so a
+	// leaked registration can't make HasActive() true for other sidebar tests
+	// (e.g. TestSidebar_TitleRegenerating asserts the first animation is active).
+	t.Cleanup(func() { m.spinner.Stop() })
+	m.sessionHasContent = true
+	m.titleGenerated = true
+	m.sessionTitle = "Test"
+	m.currentAgent = "root"
+	m.availableAgents = []runtime.AgentDetails{
+		{Name: "root", Provider: "openai", Model: "gpt-4o", Description: "Orchestrator"},
+		{Name: "librarian", Provider: "openai", Model: "gpt-4o", Description: "Finds documents"},
+	}
+	m.width = 60
+	m.height = 60
+	return m
+}
+
+func streamStarted(agent, sessionID string) *runtime.StreamStartedEvent {
+	return &runtime.StreamStartedEvent{
+		AgentContext: runtime.AgentContext{AgentName: agent},
+		SessionID:    sessionID,
+	}
+}
+
+// TestAgentChainTracksSessionStack enforces the invariant
+// len(agentChain) == len(sessionStack): the chain is pushed on StreamStarted and
+// popped on StreamStopped, in lockstep with the session stack.
+//
+// Not parallel: it drives the real Update handlers, which start the spinner and
+// touch the process-global animation coordinator shared across tests.
+func TestAgentChainTracksSessionStack(t *testing.T) {
+	m := newBreadcrumbSidebar(t)
+	require.Len(t, m.agentChain, len(m.sessionStack))
+
+	m.Update(streamStarted("root", "s-root"))
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"root"}, m.agentChain)
+	assert.Len(t, m.agentChain, len(m.sessionStack))
+
+	m.Update(streamStarted("librarian", "s-lib"))
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"root", "librarian"}, m.agentChain)
+	assert.Len(t, m.agentChain, len(m.sessionStack))
+
+	m.Update(&runtime.StreamStoppedEvent{SessionID: "s-lib"})
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"root"}, m.agentChain)
+	assert.Len(t, m.agentChain, len(m.sessionStack))
+
+	m.Update(&runtime.StreamStoppedEvent{SessionID: "s-root"})
+	assert.Empty(t, m.agentChain)
+	assert.Len(t, m.agentChain, len(m.sessionStack))
+}
+
+// Not parallel: drives the real Update handlers, which touch the process-global
+// animation coordinator shared across tests.
+func TestAgentChainResets(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("StreamCancelledMsg clears the chain", func(t *testing.T) {
+		m := newBreadcrumbSidebar(t)
+		m.Update(streamStarted("root", "s-root"))
+		m.Update(streamStarted("librarian", "s-lib"))
+
+		m.Update(messages.StreamCancelledMsg{})
+
+		assert.Empty(t, m.agentChain)
+		assert.Empty(t, m.sessionStack)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("ResetStreamTracking clears the chain", func(t *testing.T) {
+		m := newBreadcrumbSidebar(t)
+		m.Update(streamStarted("root", "s-root"))
+		m.Update(streamStarted("librarian", "s-lib"))
+
+		m.ResetStreamTracking()
+
+		assert.Empty(t, m.agentChain)
+		assert.Empty(t, m.sessionStack)
+	})
+}
+
+// TestDelegationBreadcrumbRendersOnlyWhenNested verifies the breadcrumb shows the
+// active chain (e.g. "root ⏵ librarian") only once delegation depth exceeds 1.
+func TestDelegationBreadcrumbRendersOnlyWhenNested(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("hidden at depth <= 1", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		m := newBreadcrumbSidebar(t)
+		m.agentChain = []string{"root"}
+		assert.NotContains(t, ansi.Strip(m.View()), "⏵")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("shown at depth > 1", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		m := newBreadcrumbSidebar(t)
+		m.agentChain = []string{"root", "librarian"}
+		assert.Contains(t, ansi.Strip(m.View()), "root ⏵ librarian")
+	})
+}
+
+// TestDelegationBreadcrumbPreservesAgentClickZones guards the buildAgentClickZones
+// skip logic: the breadcrumb block agentInfo prepends must not become a click
+// zone or shift the per-agent rows. Without the skip, the breadcrumb would claim
+// the first agent slot and the current-agent row would mis-map.
+func TestDelegationBreadcrumbPreservesAgentClickZones(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	m := newBreadcrumbSidebar(t)
+	m.agentChain = []string{"root", "librarian"}
+
+	_ = m.View() // populate agentClickZones + cachedLines
+
+	for i, line := range m.cachedLines {
+		stripped := ansi.Strip(line)
+		// The breadcrumb (joined by ⏵) must never be an agent click target.
+		if strings.Contains(stripped, "⏵") {
+			_, isZone := m.agentClickZones[i]
+			assert.False(t, isZone, "breadcrumb line %d must not be a click zone", i)
+		}
+		// The current-agent roster row (prefixed with ▶) must map to root.
+		if strings.Contains(stripped, "▶") {
+			assert.Equal(t, "root", m.agentClickZones[i], "current-agent row %d should map to root", i)
+		}
+	}
+
+	var clickable []string
+	for _, name := range m.agentClickZones {
+		clickable = append(clickable, name)
+	}
+	assert.Contains(t, clickable, "root")
+	assert.Contains(t, clickable, "librarian")
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/sidebar.go b/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/sidebar.go
index 6acebcf3e..c281df11d 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/sidebar.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/components/sidebar/sidebar.go
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ type model struct {
 	sessionState       *service.SessionState
 	workingAgent       string   // Name of the agent currently working (empty if none)
 	sessionStack       []string // Active stream session IDs; the top is the active (deepest) session
+	agentChain         []string // Agent name per active stream level; invariant: len == len(sessionStack)
 	rootSessionID      string   // Main (top-level) session, shown when no stream is active
 	scrollview         *scrollview.Model
 	workingDirectory   string
@@ -477,6 +478,7 @@ func (m *model) LoadFromSession(sess *session.Session) {
 	// loaded session has no in-flight streams, so clear any stale stack entries.
 	m.rootSessionID = sess.ID
 	m.sessionStack = nil
+	m.agentChain = nil
 
 	// Load session title
 	if sess.Title != "" {
@@ -509,6 +511,7 @@ func (m *model) ResetStreamTracking() {
 		return
 	}
 	m.sessionStack = nil
+	m.agentChain = nil
 	m.invalidateCache()
 }
 
@@ -736,6 +739,7 @@ func (m *model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (layout.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			m.rootSessionID = msg.SessionID
 		}
 		m.sessionStack = append(m.sessionStack, msg.SessionID)
+		m.agentChain = append(m.agentChain, msg.AgentName)
 		// If title hasn't been generated yet, show the title generation spinner
 		if !m.titleGenerated {
 			m.titleRegenerating = true
@@ -748,6 +752,9 @@ func (m *model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (layout.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		if n := len(m.sessionStack); n > 0 {
 			m.sessionStack = m.sessionStack[:n-1]
 		}
+		if n := len(m.agentChain); n > 0 {
+			m.agentChain = m.agentChain[:n-1]
+		}
 		m.invalidateCache()
 		m.stopSpinner() // Will only stop if no other state needs it
 		return m, nil
@@ -777,6 +784,7 @@ func (m *model) Update(msg tea.Msg) (layout.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 		m.streamCancelled = true
 		m.workingAgent = ""
 		m.sessionStack = nil
+		m.agentChain = nil
 		m.toolsLoading = false
 		m.mcpInit = false
 		m.titleRegenerating = false
@@ -1250,6 +1258,9 @@ func (m *model) agentInfo(contentWidth int) string {
 	}
 
 	var content strings.Builder
+	if breadcrumb := m.delegationBreadcrumb(contentWidth); breadcrumb != "" {
+		content.WriteString(breadcrumb)
+	}
 	for i, agent := range m.availableAgents {
 		if content.Len() > 0 {
 			content.WriteString("\n\n")
@@ -1261,6 +1272,47 @@ func (m *model) agentInfo(contentWidth int) string {
 	return m.renderTab(agentTitle, content.String(), contentWidth)
 }
 
+// delegationBreadcrumb renders the active delegation chain (e.g.
+// "root ⏵ librarian") shown under the Agents title while a sub-agent runs. It
+// returns "" unless the chain is deeper than the root (len > 1). When the full
+// chain would exceed contentWidth the middle is elided as "root ⏵ … ⏵ leaf".
+//
+// TODO(#3103, Appendix C.2): append a muted "+N background" count here once a
+// background-task snapshot is available.
+func (m *model) delegationBreadcrumb(contentWidth int) string {
+	chain := m.agentChain
+	if len(chain) <= 1 {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	sep := styles.MutedStyle.Render(" ⏵ ")
+	colored := func(name string) string { return styles.AgentAccentStyleFor(name).Render(name) }
+
+	var b strings.Builder
+	b.WriteString(colored(chain[0]))
+	for _, name := range chain[1:] {
+		b.WriteString(sep)
+		b.WriteString(colored(name))
+	}
+	full := b.String()
+	if contentWidth <= 0 || ansi.StringWidth(full) <= contentWidth {
+		return full
+	}
+
+	// Too wide: keep the root and the deepest agent, elide the middle.
+	elided := colored(chain[0]) + sep + styles.MutedStyle.Render("…") + sep + colored(chain[len(chain)-1])
+	if ansi.StringWidth(elided) <= contentWidth {
+		return elided
+	}
+	return ansi.Truncate(full, contentWidth, "…")
+}
+
+// hasDelegationBreadcrumb reports whether agentInfo prepends a delegation
+// breadcrumb block; buildAgentClickZones uses it to keep click rows aligned.
+func (m *model) hasDelegationBreadcrumb() bool {
+	return len(m.agentChain) > 1
+}
+
 func (m *model) renderAgentEntry(content *strings.Builder, agent runtime.AgentDetails, isCurrent bool, index, contentWidth int) {
 	agentStyle := styles.AgentAccentStyleFor(agent.Name)
 	var prefix string
@@ -1317,6 +1369,20 @@ func isVisuallyBlank(line string) bool {
 	return strings.TrimSpace(ansi.Strip(line)) == ""
 }
 
+// skipLeadingBlock returns the index just past the first run of non-blank lines
+// and the blank separator that follows it. agentInfo emits the delegation
+// breadcrumb as one such block above the roster; buildAgentClickZones skips it.
+func skipLeadingBlock(lines []string, start int) int {
+	i := start
+	for i < len(lines) && !isVisuallyBlank(lines[i]) {
+		i++
+	}
+	for i < len(lines) && isVisuallyBlank(lines[i]) {
+		i++
+	}
+	return i
+}
+
 // buildAgentClickZones populates agentClickZones by scanning the rendered lines
 // to find which lines belong to which agent. It relies on the structure produced
 // by renderTab + agentInfo: a 2-line tab header, then agent blocks separated by
@@ -1329,10 +1395,16 @@ func (m *model) buildAgentClickZones(agentSectionStart int, lines []string) {
 	}
 
 	const tabHeaderLines = 2 // tab title + TabStyle top padding
+	start := agentSectionStart + tabHeaderLines
+	// agentInfo may prepend a single-line delegation breadcrumb block above the
+	// roster; skip it (and its trailing blank) so click rows map to agents.
+	if m.hasDelegationBreadcrumb() {
+		start = skipLeadingBlock(lines, start)
+	}
 	agentIdx := 0
 	inBlock := false
 
-	for i := agentSectionStart + tabHeaderLines; i < len(lines) && agentIdx < len(m.availableAgents); i++ {
+	for i := start; i < len(lines) && agentIdx < len(m.availableAgents); i++ {
 		if isVisuallyBlank(lines[i]) {
 			// Blank line: if we were inside a block, advance to the next agent
 			if inBlock {
diff --git a/pkg/tui/page/chat/runtime_events.go b/pkg/tui/page/chat/runtime_events.go
index c265b105e..1e389a2c5 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/page/chat/runtime_events.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/page/chat/runtime_events.go
@@ -122,6 +122,11 @@ func (p *chatPage) handleRuntimeEvent(msg tea.Msg) (bool, tea.Cmd) {
 
 	case *runtime.AgentSwitchingEvent:
 		p.sidebar.SetAgentSwitching(msg.Switching)
+		if !msg.Switching && msg.FromAgent != "" && msg.ToAgent != "" {
+			// A forwarded sub-agent (FromAgent) just returned control to its
+			// caller (ToAgent); bracket the exit with a transcript marker.
+			return true, p.messages.AddDelegationReturn(msg.FromAgent, msg.ToAgent)
+		}
 		return true, nil
 
 	case *runtime.ToolsetInfoEvent:
diff --git a/pkg/tui/page/chat/runtime_events_test.go b/pkg/tui/page/chat/runtime_events_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9af1bfa1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/tui/page/chat/runtime_events_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+package chat
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/charmbracelet/x/ansi"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/runtime"
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/tui/components/messages"
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/tui/components/sidebar"
+	"github.com/docker/docker-agent/pkg/tui/service"
+)
+
+func newDelegationMarkerTestPage() *chatPage {
+	sessionState := &service.SessionState{}
+	msgs := messages.NewScrollableView(80, 24, sessionState)
+	msgs.SetSize(80, 24)
+	return &chatPage{
+		sidebar:      sidebar.New(sessionState),
+		messages:     msgs,
+		sessionState: sessionState,
+	}
+}
+
+// TestAgentSwitchingInsertsReturnMarker covers the Phase 2 design decision to
+// bracket only the EXIT of a forwarded sub-agent. AgentSwitching(false, child,
+// parent) — emitted when a transfer_task/run_skill sub-session returns — inserts
+// a "↩ child → parent" marker, while the entry event AgentSwitching(true, ...)
+// inserts nothing (the transfer_task card is the visible entry).
+func TestAgentSwitchingInsertsReturnMarker(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("return (Switching=false) inserts a marker", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		p := newDelegationMarkerTestPage()
+
+		handled, cmd := p.handleRuntimeEvent(&runtime.AgentSwitchingEvent{
+			Switching: false,
+			FromAgent: "librarian",
+			ToAgent:   "root",
+		})
+
+		require.True(t, handled)
+		require.NotNil(t, cmd, "a returning sub-agent should insert a marker")
+		assert.Contains(t, ansi.Strip(p.messages.View()), "↩ librarian → root")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("entry (Switching=true) inserts nothing", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		p := newDelegationMarkerTestPage()
+
+		handled, cmd := p.handleRuntimeEvent(&runtime.AgentSwitchingEvent{
+			Switching: true,
+			FromAgent: "root",
+			ToAgent:   "librarian",
+		})
+
+		require.True(t, handled)
+		assert.Nil(t, cmd, "entering a delegation must not insert a return marker")
+		assert.NotContains(t, ansi.Strip(p.messages.View()), "↩")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("missing agent names insert nothing", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		p := newDelegationMarkerTestPage()
+
+		handled, cmd := p.handleRuntimeEvent(&runtime.AgentSwitchingEvent{
+			Switching: false,
+			FromAgent: "",
+			ToAgent:   "root",
+		})
+
+		require.True(t, handled)
+		assert.Nil(t, cmd)
+		assert.NotContains(t, ansi.Strip(p.messages.View()), "↩")
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/tui/types/types.go b/pkg/tui/types/types.go
index c37d1c3e6..98273af8b 100644
--- a/pkg/tui/types/types.go
+++ b/pkg/tui/types/types.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const (
 	MessageTypeToolResult
 	MessageTypeWelcome
 	MessageTypeLoading
+	MessageTypeDelegationReturn // "↩ child → parent" divider when a sub-agent returns
 )
 
 const (
@@ -110,6 +111,13 @@ func Cancelled() *Message {
 	}
 }
 
+// DelegationReturn marks control returning from a sub-agent (child) to its
+// caller (parent). Sender holds the child (drives the accent color); Content
+// holds the parent name.
+func DelegationReturn(child, parent string) *Message {
+	return &Message{Type: MessageTypeDelegationReturn, Sender: child, Content: parent}
+}
+
 func Welcome(content string) *Message {
 	return &Message{
 		Type:    MessageTypeWelcome,