diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/rowHeightEstimate.ts b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/rowHeightEstimate.ts
index 196aabbec4..bb7276b12f 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/rowHeightEstimate.ts
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/lib/rowHeightEstimate.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ const PREVIEW_CARD = 70;
 const MESSAGE_ITEM_BOTTOM_PADDING = 10; // TimelineMessageList pb-2.5
 const MIN_ESTIMATE = 60; // never reserve less than the old flat floor
 const CONTINUATION_MIN_ESTIMATE = 28;
+// CollapsibleMessageBody clamps long bodies; over-reserving the full dump
+// makes the virtualizer leave huge empty gaps until paint.
+const COLLAPSED_BODY_MAX_PX = 240;
+const EXPAND_TOGGLE_ROW = 22;
 
 function mediaHeightFromDim(dim: string | undefined): number {
   const dimensions = dimensionsFromDim(dim);
@@ -117,10 +121,10 @@ export function estimateRowHeight(
   const proseForLineCount = stripMediaOnlyLines(prose);
 
   let height = isContinuation ? CONTINUATION_ROW_CHROME : ROW_CHROME;
-  height +=
+  let bodyHeight =
     wrappedLineCount(proseForLineCount.trim() === "" ? "" : proseForLineCount) *
     TEXT_LINE_HEIGHT;
-  height += codeLines * CODE_LINE_HEIGHT;
+  bodyHeight += codeLines * CODE_LINE_HEIGHT;
 
   const imetaUrls = new Set<string>();
   if (message.tags && message.tags.length > 0) {
@@ -128,13 +132,13 @@ export function estimateRowHeight(
     for (const entry of imeta.values()) {
       if (!entry.url) continue;
       imetaUrls.add(entry.url);
-      height += mediaReserveHeight(entry.dim);
+      bodyHeight += mediaReserveHeight(entry.dim);
     }
   }
   for (const url of mediaUrlsInBody(body)) {
     if (imetaUrls.has(url)) continue; // already counted via its imeta dim
     // dim-less inline media reserves the fixed markdown image box plus its mt-1.
-    height += mediaReserveHeight(undefined);
+    bodyHeight += mediaReserveHeight(undefined);
   }
 
   // A bare non-media URL on its own line usually renders a link-preview card.
@@ -144,7 +148,13 @@ export function estimateRowHeight(
       (line) =>
         /^\s*https?:\/\/\S+\s*$/.test(line) && !MEDIA_URL_RE.test(line.trim()),
     );
-  if (hasPreviewUrlLine) height += PREVIEW_CARD;
+  if (hasPreviewUrlLine) bodyHeight += PREVIEW_CARD;
+
+  if (bodyHeight > COLLAPSED_BODY_MAX_PX) {
+    height += COLLAPSED_BODY_MAX_PX + EXPAND_TOGGLE_ROW;
+  } else {
+    height += bodyHeight;
+  }
 
   if (message.reactions && message.reactions.length > 0) height += REACTION_ROW;
 
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/CollapsibleMessageBody.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/CollapsibleMessageBody.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff026e9ff2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/CollapsibleMessageBody.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+import * as React from "react";
+
+import { cn } from "@/shared/lib/cn";
+import {
+  COLLAPSED_MESSAGE_MAX_HEIGHT_PX,
+  messageBodyNeedsClamp,
+  shouldForceExpandMessageBody,
+} from "./collapsibleMessageBody";
+
+type CollapsibleMessageBodyProps = {
+  children: React.ReactNode;
+  /** Route-target highlight — keep the body fully visible. */
+  highlighted?: boolean;
+  /** Active timeline search — expand so matches aren't behind the fold. */
+  searchQuery?: string;
+  className?: string;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Clamps tall message bodies (agent dumps, long pastes) behind Show more /
+ * Show less. Expansion is local to the mounted row and is not persisted.
+ */
+export function CollapsibleMessageBody({
+  children,
+  highlighted = false,
+  searchQuery,
+  className,
+}: CollapsibleMessageBodyProps) {
+  const contentRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
+  const [needsClamp, setNeedsClamp] = React.useState(false);
+  const [expanded, setExpanded] = React.useState(false);
+
+  const forceExpand = shouldForceExpandMessageBody({
+    highlighted,
+    searchQuery,
+  });
+  const isExpanded = forceExpand || expanded;
+
+  React.useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    const el = contentRef.current;
+    if (!el) return;
+
+    const measure = () => {
+      // scrollHeight is the full content height even under max-height.
+      setNeedsClamp(messageBodyNeedsClamp(el.scrollHeight));
+    };
+
+    measure();
+    const observer = new ResizeObserver(measure);
+    observer.observe(el);
+    return () => observer.disconnect();
+  }, []);
+
+  const showToggle = needsClamp && !forceExpand;
+
+  return (
+    <div className={cn(className)}>
+      <div className="relative">
+        <div
+          ref={contentRef}
+          className={cn(!isExpanded && needsClamp && "overflow-hidden")}
+          style={
+            !isExpanded && needsClamp
+              ? { maxHeight: COLLAPSED_MESSAGE_MAX_HEIGHT_PX }
+              : undefined
+          }
+          data-testid="collapsible-message-body"
+          data-collapsed={!isExpanded && needsClamp ? "true" : "false"}
+        >
+          {children}
+        </div>
+        {!isExpanded && needsClamp ? (
+          <div
+            aria-hidden
+            className="pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-0 bottom-0 h-10 bg-linear-to-t from-background to-transparent"
+          />
+        ) : null}
+      </div>
+      {showToggle ? (
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          className="mt-1 text-xs font-medium text-primary hover:underline focus-visible:outline-hidden focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring"
+          data-testid="message-body-expand-toggle"
+          onClick={() => setExpanded((value) => !value)}
+        >
+          {isExpanded ? "Show less" : "Show more"}
+        </button>
+      ) : null}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
index 9f55e712f1..c11dd2b025 100644
--- a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/MessageRow.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import { resolveSnapshotSharedBy } from "@/features/messages/lib/snapshotSharedB
 import { resolveMentionProps } from "@/shared/lib/resolveMentionNames";
 import { Markdown } from "@/shared/ui/markdown";
 import type { VideoReviewContext } from "@/shared/ui/VideoPlayer";
+import { CollapsibleMessageBody } from "./CollapsibleMessageBody";
 import { MessageActionBar } from "./MessageActionBar";
 import { MessageAgentOwner } from "./MessageAgentOwner";
 import { MessageAuthorText, MessageHeaderRow } from "./MessageHeader";
@@ -356,31 +357,36 @@ export const MessageRow = React.memo(
           }
 
           return (
-            <Markdown
-              channelNames={channelNames}
-              className={cn(
-                "max-w-full text-sm",
-                emojiOnly &&
-                  "text-4xl leading-tight [&_p]:leading-tight [&_img[data-custom-emoji]]:h-[1.45em] [&_img[data-custom-emoji]]:align-middle [&_button:has(img[data-custom-emoji])]:align-middle",
-              )}
-              // Only pass the author pubkey for agent-authored messages so
-              // config-nudge cards can authenticate the sender. Uses the
-              // raw event signer (signerPubkey), not a relay-delegated display
-              // author, because the agent itself must have signed the card.
-              configNudgeAuthorPubkey={getConfigNudgeAuthorPubkey(
-                message,
-                isKnownAgentPubkey,
-              )}
-              content={message.body}
-              customEmoji={customEmoji}
-              imetaByUrl={imetaByUrl}
-              agentMentionPubkeysByName={agentMentionPubkeysByName}
-              mentionNames={mentionNames}
-              mentionPubkeysByName={mentionPubkeysByName}
+            <CollapsibleMessageBody
+              highlighted={highlighted}
               searchQuery={searchQuery}
-              snapshotSharedBy={snapshotSharedBy}
-              videoReviewContext={videoReviewContext}
-            />
+            >
+              <Markdown
+                channelNames={channelNames}
+                className={cn(
+                  "max-w-full text-sm",
+                  emojiOnly &&
+                    "text-4xl leading-tight [&_p]:leading-tight [&_img[data-custom-emoji]]:h-[1.45em] [&_img[data-custom-emoji]]:align-middle [&_button:has(img[data-custom-emoji])]:align-middle",
+                )}
+                // Only pass the author pubkey for agent-authored messages so
+                // config-nudge cards can authenticate the sender. Uses the
+                // raw event signer (signerPubkey), not a relay-delegated display
+                // author, because the agent itself must have signed the card.
+                configNudgeAuthorPubkey={getConfigNudgeAuthorPubkey(
+                  message,
+                  isKnownAgentPubkey,
+                )}
+                content={message.body}
+                customEmoji={customEmoji}
+                imetaByUrl={imetaByUrl}
+                agentMentionPubkeysByName={agentMentionPubkeysByName}
+                mentionNames={mentionNames}
+                mentionPubkeysByName={mentionPubkeysByName}
+                searchQuery={searchQuery}
+                snapshotSharedBy={snapshotSharedBy}
+                videoReviewContext={videoReviewContext}
+              />
+            </CollapsibleMessageBody>
           );
       }
     };
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/collapsibleMessageBody.test.mjs b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/collapsibleMessageBody.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6e3231fcc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/collapsibleMessageBody.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { describe, it } from "node:test";
+
+import {
+  COLLAPSED_MESSAGE_MAX_HEIGHT_PX,
+  messageBodyNeedsClamp,
+  shouldForceExpandMessageBody,
+} from "./collapsibleMessageBody.ts";
+
+describe("collapsibleMessageBody", () => {
+  it("clamps only when content exceeds the max by more than 1px", () => {
+    assert.equal(messageBodyNeedsClamp(COLLAPSED_MESSAGE_MAX_HEIGHT_PX), false);
+    assert.equal(
+      messageBodyNeedsClamp(COLLAPSED_MESSAGE_MAX_HEIGHT_PX + 1),
+      false,
+    );
+    assert.equal(
+      messageBodyNeedsClamp(COLLAPSED_MESSAGE_MAX_HEIGHT_PX + 2),
+      true,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("force-expands for route highlights and non-empty search", () => {
+    assert.equal(shouldForceExpandMessageBody({ highlighted: true }), true);
+    assert.equal(
+      shouldForceExpandMessageBody({ searchQuery: "  checkout  " }),
+      true,
+    );
+    assert.equal(shouldForceExpandMessageBody({ searchQuery: "   " }), false);
+    assert.equal(shouldForceExpandMessageBody({}), false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/collapsibleMessageBody.ts b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/collapsibleMessageBody.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..79cd0fe7ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/src/features/messages/ui/collapsibleMessageBody.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/** ~12 lines of text-sm at typical line-height — matches Slack-ish clamp. */
+export const COLLAPSED_MESSAGE_MAX_HEIGHT_PX = 240;
+
+/** Expand when the row is a search/route target so the match isn't hidden. */
+export function shouldForceExpandMessageBody({
+  highlighted,
+  searchQuery,
+}: {
+  highlighted?: boolean;
+  searchQuery?: string;
+}): boolean {
+  if (highlighted) return true;
+  return Boolean(searchQuery?.trim());
+}
+
+export function messageBodyNeedsClamp(
+  scrollHeight: number,
+  maxHeight = COLLAPSED_MESSAGE_MAX_HEIGHT_PX,
+): boolean {
+  return scrollHeight > maxHeight + 1;
+}