diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ClaudeDo.Ui.csproj b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ClaudeDo.Ui.csproj
index dc83e5e..7759ff4 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ClaudeDo.Ui.csproj
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ClaudeDo.Ui.csproj
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
     <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection" Version="8.0.1" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
+  <ItemGroup>
+    <InternalsVisibleTo Include="ClaudeDo.Ui.Tests" />
+  </ItemGroup>
+
   <PropertyGroup>
     <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
     <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs
index 14d5f49..f7beed4 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Ui/ViewModels/IslandsShellViewModel.cs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+using Avalonia.Threading;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
 using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Input;
+using ClaudeDo.Data.Models;
 using ClaudeDo.Ui.Services;
 using ClaudeDo.Ui.ViewModels.Islands;
 
@@ -7,33 +9,44 @@ namespace ClaudeDo.Ui.ViewModels;
 
 public sealed partial class IslandsShellViewModel : ViewModelBase
 {
-    public ListsIslandViewModel Lists { get; }
-    public TasksIslandViewModel Tasks { get; }
-    public DetailsIslandViewModel Details { get; }
-    public WorkerClient Worker { get; }
+    public ListsIslandViewModel? Lists { get; }
+    public TasksIslandViewModel? Tasks { get; }
+    public DetailsIslandViewModel? Details { get; }
+    public WorkerClient? Worker { get; }
 
     public string ConnectionText =>
-        Worker.IsConnected ? "Online"
-        : Worker.IsReconnecting ? "Connecting…"
+        Worker?.IsConnected == true ? "Online"
+        : Worker?.IsReconnecting == true ? "Connecting…"
         : "Offline";
 
-    public bool IsOffline => !Worker.IsConnected && !Worker.IsReconnecting;
+    public bool IsOffline => Worker?.IsConnected != true && Worker?.IsReconnecting != true;
 
     [ObservableProperty]
     private double _windowWidth = 1280;
 
+    [ObservableProperty]
+    private string? _workerLogText;
+
+    [ObservableProperty]
+    private WorkerLogLevel _workerLogLevel;
+
+    [ObservableProperty]
+    private bool _isWorkerLogVisible;
+
     public bool ShowDetails => WindowWidth >= 1100;
     public bool ShowLists => WindowWidth >= 780;
 
-    [RelayCommand]
-    private void FocusSearch() => Lists.RequestFocusSearch();
+    private readonly System.Timers.Timer _clearTimer = new(30_000) { AutoReset = false };
 
     [RelayCommand]
-    private void FocusAddTask() => Tasks.RequestFocusAddTask();
+    private void FocusSearch() => Lists?.RequestFocusSearch();
+
+    [RelayCommand]
+    private void FocusAddTask() => Tasks?.RequestFocusAddTask();
 
     public async Task ToggleSelectedDoneAsync()
     {
-        if (Tasks.SelectedTask is { } row)
+        if (Tasks?.SelectedTask is { } row)
             await Tasks.ToggleDoneCommand.ExecuteAsync(row);
     }
 
@@ -43,6 +56,25 @@ public sealed partial class IslandsShellViewModel : ViewModelBase
         OnPropertyChanged(nameof(ShowLists));
     }
 
+    public void OnWorkerLogReceived(WorkerLogEntry entry)
+    {
+        var hhmm = entry.TimestampUtc.ToLocalTime().ToString("HH:mm");
+        WorkerLogText = $"{hhmm} · {entry.Message}";
+        WorkerLogLevel = entry.Level;
+        IsWorkerLogVisible = true;
+        _clearTimer.Stop();
+        _clearTimer.Start();
+    }
+
+    public void ClearWorkerLog()
+    {
+        IsWorkerLogVisible = false;
+        WorkerLogText = null;
+    }
+
+    // For tests only — does NOT wire up events.
+    internal IslandsShellViewModel() { }
+
     public IslandsShellViewModel(
         ListsIslandViewModel lists,
         TasksIslandViewModel tasks,
@@ -68,6 +100,14 @@ public sealed partial class IslandsShellViewModel : ViewModelBase
                 OnPropertyChanged(nameof(IsOffline));
             }
         };
+        Worker.WorkerLogReceivedEvent += OnWorkerLogReceived;
+        _clearTimer.Elapsed += (_, _) =>
+        {
+            if (Dispatcher.UIThread.CheckAccess())
+                ClearWorkerLog();
+            else
+                Dispatcher.UIThread.Post(ClearWorkerLog);
+        };
         _ = Lists.LoadAsync();
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/ClaudeDo.Ui.Tests/IslandsShellViewModelWorkerLogTests.cs b/tests/ClaudeDo.Ui.Tests/IslandsShellViewModelWorkerLogTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a19527d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ClaudeDo.Ui.Tests/IslandsShellViewModelWorkerLogTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+using System;
+using ClaudeDo.Data.Models;
+using ClaudeDo.Ui.Services;
+using ClaudeDo.Ui.ViewModels;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace ClaudeDo.Ui.Tests;
+
+public class IslandsShellViewModelWorkerLogTests
+{
+    [Fact]
+    public void Receiving_event_sets_text_level_and_visible()
+    {
+        var vm = new IslandsShellViewModel();
+        var at = new DateTime(2026, 4, 23, 14, 32, 0, DateTimeKind.Utc);
+
+        vm.OnWorkerLogReceived(new WorkerLogEntry("Created worktree for \"X\"", WorkerLogLevel.Info, at));
+
+        Assert.True(vm.IsWorkerLogVisible);
+        Assert.Equal(WorkerLogLevel.Info, vm.WorkerLogLevel);
+        Assert.Contains("Created worktree for \"X\"", vm.WorkerLogText);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Second_event_replaces_first()
+    {
+        var vm = new IslandsShellViewModel();
+        vm.OnWorkerLogReceived(new WorkerLogEntry("first", WorkerLogLevel.Info,    DateTime.UtcNow));
+        vm.OnWorkerLogReceived(new WorkerLogEntry("second", WorkerLogLevel.Success, DateTime.UtcNow));
+
+        Assert.Contains("second", vm.WorkerLogText);
+        Assert.Equal(WorkerLogLevel.Success, vm.WorkerLogLevel);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ClearWorkerLog_hides_line()
+    {
+        var vm = new IslandsShellViewModel();
+        vm.OnWorkerLogReceived(new WorkerLogEntry("msg", WorkerLogLevel.Info, DateTime.UtcNow));
+
+        vm.ClearWorkerLog();
+
+        Assert.False(vm.IsWorkerLogVisible);
+        Assert.Null(vm.WorkerLogText);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Text_is_formatted_as_HHmm_dot_message_local_time()
+    {
+        var vm = new IslandsShellViewModel();
+        var utc = new DateTime(2026, 4, 23, 12, 0, 0, DateTimeKind.Utc);
+        var expectedLocalHhmm = utc.ToLocalTime().ToString("HH:mm");
+
+        vm.OnWorkerLogReceived(new WorkerLogEntry("hello", WorkerLogLevel.Info, utc));
+
+        Assert.StartsWith(expectedLocalHhmm + " · ", vm.WorkerLogText);
+    }
+}