diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 796ef0fe..d889348e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ jobs:
     needs: ci-scope
     if: github.event_name == 'push' || needs.ci-scope.outputs.examples_chat == 'true'
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 35
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v6.0.2
       - uses: actions/setup-node@v6.3.0
@@ -264,7 +265,9 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: examples-chat-e2e-trace
-          path: examples/chat/angular/e2e/test-results/
+          path: |
+            test-results/
+            examples/chat/angular/e2e/test-results/
           retention-days: 7
 
   cockpit-e2e:
diff --git a/examples/chat/angular/src/app/shell/demo-shell.component.spec.ts b/examples/chat/angular/src/app/shell/demo-shell.component.spec.ts
index 6b2b6b1a..41f6e311 100644
--- a/examples/chat/angular/src/app/shell/demo-shell.component.spec.ts
+++ b/examples/chat/angular/src/app/shell/demo-shell.component.spec.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,40 @@
+import { signal } from '@angular/core';
 import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
 import { TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { provideRouter, Router } from '@angular/router';
+import { LangGraphThreadsAdapter } from '@ngaf/langgraph';
 import { DemoShell } from './demo-shell.component';
 
+function createThreadsAdapterMock() {
+  const threads = signal([]);
+  const archivedThreads = signal([]);
+  return {
+    threads: threads.asReadonly(),
+    archivedThreads: archivedThreads.asReadonly(),
+    refresh: async () => undefined,
+    getThread: async () => null,
+    create: async () => 'new-thread',
+    delete: async () => undefined,
+    rename: async () => undefined,
+    archive: async () => undefined,
+    unarchive: async () => undefined,
+    pin: async () => undefined,
+    unpin: async () => undefined,
+    moveToProject: async () => undefined,
+    reorderPinned: async () => undefined,
+  };
+}
+
+const threadsAdapterProvider = {
+  provide: LangGraphThreadsAdapter,
+  useFactory: createThreadsAdapterMock,
+};
+
 describe('DemoShell — mode signal', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
       providers: [
+        threadsAdapterProvider,
         provideRouter([
           { path: 'embed', component: DemoShell },
           { path: 'popup', component: DemoShell },
@@ -48,6 +76,7 @@ describe('DemoShell — toolbar layout', () => {
   it('no longer renders the "New conversation" button (removed for tightness)', () => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
       providers: [
+        threadsAdapterProvider,
         provideRouter([
           { path: 'embed', component: DemoShell },
           { path: '', pathMatch: 'full', redirectTo: 'embed' },
@@ -63,6 +92,7 @@ describe('DemoShell — toolbar layout', () => {
   it('renders fields without visible per-field labels (tighter toolbar)', () => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
       providers: [
+        threadsAdapterProvider,
         provideRouter([
           { path: 'embed', component: DemoShell },
           { path: '', pathMatch: 'full', redirectTo: 'embed' },
@@ -85,6 +115,7 @@ describe('DemoShell — toolbar dropdowns use chat-select', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
       providers: [
+        threadsAdapterProvider,
         provideRouter([
           { path: 'embed', component: DemoShell },
           { path: '', pathMatch: 'full', redirectTo: 'embed' },
@@ -105,3 +136,67 @@ describe('DemoShell — toolbar dropdowns use chat-select', () => {
     }
   });
 });
+
+describe('DemoShell — URL thread sync', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    localStorage.clear();
+    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+      providers: [
+        threadsAdapterProvider,
+        provideRouter([
+          { path: 'embed', component: DemoShell },
+          { path: 'popup', component: DemoShell },
+          { path: '', pathMatch: 'full', redirectTo: 'embed' },
+          { path: '**', redirectTo: 'embed' },
+        ]),
+      ],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('does not clear an agent-created thread id while URL navigation is still pending', () => {
+    const fx = TestBed.createComponent(DemoShell);
+    fx.detectChanges();
+
+    const cmp = fx.componentInstance as unknown as {
+      threadIdSignal: { (): string | null; set(value: string | null): void };
+    };
+
+    expect(cmp.threadIdSignal()).toBeNull();
+    cmp.threadIdSignal.set('thread-created-by-agent');
+    fx.detectChanges();
+
+    expect(cmp.threadIdSignal()).toBe('thread-created-by-agent');
+  });
+
+  it('persists an agent-created thread id for bare mode route fallback', () => {
+    const fx = TestBed.createComponent(DemoShell);
+    fx.detectChanges();
+
+    const cmp = fx.componentInstance as unknown as {
+      threadIdSignal: { set(value: string | null): void };
+    };
+
+    cmp.threadIdSignal.set('thread-created-by-agent');
+    fx.detectChanges();
+
+    const raw = localStorage.getItem('ngaf-chat-demo:palette');
+    expect(raw ? JSON.parse(raw).threadId : null).toBe('thread-created-by-agent');
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to the persisted active thread on bare mode routes', async () => {
+    localStorage.setItem(
+      'ngaf-chat-demo:palette',
+      JSON.stringify({ threadId: 'persisted-thread' }),
+    );
+    const router = TestBed.inject(Router);
+    await router.navigateByUrl('/popup');
+
+    const fx = TestBed.createComponent(DemoShell);
+    fx.detectChanges();
+
+    const cmp = fx.componentInstance as unknown as {
+      threadIdSignal: { (): string | null };
+    };
+    expect(cmp.threadIdSignal()).toBe('persisted-thread');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/examples/chat/angular/src/app/shell/demo-shell.component.ts b/examples/chat/angular/src/app/shell/demo-shell.component.ts
index da9bed0e..4bd74d6d 100644
--- a/examples/chat/angular/src/app/shell/demo-shell.component.ts
+++ b/examples/chat/angular/src/app/shell/demo-shell.component.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   effect,
   signal,
   inject,
+  untracked,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import { Router, RouterOutlet, NavigationEnd } from '@angular/router';
 import { takeUntilDestroyed, toSignal } from '@angular/core/rxjs-interop';
@@ -106,24 +107,27 @@ export class DemoShell {
       }
     });
 
-    // Refresh threads list whenever the active thread changes (e.g. after
-    // create or switch) so the panel stays up to date. The effect also
-    // covers the initial load (fires synchronously on first reactive read).
+    // Persist and refresh whenever the active thread changes (e.g. after
+    // create or switch) so bare mode routes can restore the current thread
+    // and the panel stays up to date.
     effect(() => {
-      void this.threadIdSignal();
+      const id = this.threadIdSignal();
+      this.persistence.write('threadId', id);
       void this.threadsSvc.refresh();
     });
 
-    // URL → signal. When the URL's threadId changes (paste link, back/
-    // forward, programmatic navigation), reflect it into threadIdSignal.
+    // URL → signal. Explicit URL thread ids win (paste link, back/forward,
+    // programmatic navigation). Bare mode URLs fall back to the persisted
+    // active thread, which keeps conversations attached across mode routes.
     // The compare-and-set guard breaks the obvious URL→signal→URL loop:
     // by the time the signal→URL effect below fires, both values match
     // and `router.navigate` is skipped.
-    // URL → signal sync.
     effect(() => {
       const urlId = this.urlThreadId();
-      if (urlId !== this.threadIdSignal()) {
-        this.threadIdSignal.set(urlId);
+      const nextId = urlId ?? untracked(() => this.persistence.read('threadId') ?? null);
+      const currentId = untracked(() => this.threadIdSignal());
+      if (nextId !== currentId) {
+        this.threadIdSignal.set(nextId);
       }
     });
 
@@ -307,11 +311,12 @@ export class DemoShell {
     { value: 'material-light', label: 'Material light' },
   ]);
 
-  /** Active thread id. URL is the source of truth (see urlState above);
-   *  this signal initialises from the URL on construction and is kept in
-   *  sync by the bidirectional effects in the constructor. The agent
-   *  watches this signal directly. */
-  protected readonly threadIdSignal = signal<string | null>(parseUrl(this.router.url).threadId);
+  /** Active thread id. URL is the source of truth when it contains an
+   *  explicit thread id; bare mode URLs fall back to the last active
+   *  thread so mode switches like `/embed` -> `/popup` preserve context. */
+  protected readonly threadIdSignal = signal<string | null>(
+    parseUrl(this.router.url).threadId ?? this.persistence.read('threadId') ?? null,
+  );
 
   /** Title of the currently-selected thread, or 'New chat' if none. The
    *  Python graph writes thread.metadata.title from the first user message
@@ -425,6 +430,10 @@ export class DemoShell {
   private async validateUrlThreadId(threadId: string): Promise<void> {
     const thread = await this.threadsSvc.getThread(threadId);
     if (thread) return;
+    if (this.threadIdSignal() === threadId) {
+      this.threadIdSignal.set(null);
+      this.persistence.write('threadId', null);
+    }
     await this.router.navigate(['/', this.mode()], { replaceUrl: true });
   }