diff --git a/src/toad/conversation_kind.py b/src/toad/conversation_kind.py
index 99d072b80..0b1e0ac54 100644
--- a/src/toad/conversation_kind.py
+++ b/src/toad/conversation_kind.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 from agent_comms.declared_family import DeclaredFamily
 from agent_comms.comms import Comms
 from agent_comms.message_page import MessagePage
-from toad.widgets.session_details import SessionDetails
 
 
 class ConversationKind(DeclaredFamily, affix="Conversation"):
@@ -94,8 +93,8 @@ async def status_text(cls, comms, target, *, read_only: bool) -> str: ...
 
     @classmethod
     @abstractmethod
-    def activity_widgets(cls) -> tuple[type[SessionDetails], ...]:
-        """Declare widget classes; the composing view owns their instances."""
+    def compose_activity(cls, view):
+        """Select the view's explicit composition for this conversation kind."""
         ...
 
     @classmethod
@@ -153,7 +152,7 @@ def current_identity(cls, page: MessagePage) -> tuple | None:
         )
 
     @classmethod
-    def activity_widgets(cls) -> tuple[type[SessionDetails], ...]:
+    def compose_activity(cls, view):
         return ()
 
     @classmethod
@@ -271,8 +270,8 @@ def label(cls, target: str) -> str:
         return f"@{target}"
 
     @classmethod
-    def activity_widgets(cls) -> tuple[type[SessionDetails], ...]:
-        return (SessionDetails,)
+    def compose_activity(cls, view):
+        return view.compose_dm_activity()
 
     @classmethod
     async def update_mentions(cls, view, comms) -> None:
diff --git a/src/toad/widgets/comms_chat.py b/src/toad/widgets/comms_chat.py
index 81cb6f53c..2e7d189a3 100644
--- a/src/toad/widgets/comms_chat.py
+++ b/src/toad/widgets/comms_chat.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 )
 from toad.widgets.flash import Flash
 from toad.widgets.native_history import NativeHistory
+from toad.widgets.session_details import SessionDetails
 from toad.widgets.prompt import Prompt
 from toad.screens.session_view import SessionView
 from toad.command_catalog import CommandCatalog
@@ -127,12 +128,7 @@ def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
                     yield ChannelActivityTray(id="comms-activity")
         yield Flash()
         with containers.Vertical(id="prompt-stack"):
-            for activity_type in self.conversation_kind.activity_widgets():
-                self.thread_activity = activity_type(
-                    history=NativeHistory(),
-                    status_source=lambda: self.thread_activity.row,
-                )
-                yield self.thread_activity
+            yield from self.conversation_kind.compose_activity(self)
             yield self.throbber
             yield self.conversation_kind.prompt(self.target).data_bind(
                 project_path=Conversation.project_path,
@@ -142,6 +138,14 @@ def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
                 status=Conversation.status,
             )
 
+    def compose_dm_activity(self) -> ComposeResult:
+        """The direct-message view owns its peer's status widget."""
+        self.thread_activity = SessionDetails(
+            history=NativeHistory(),
+            status_source=lambda: self.thread_activity.row,
+        )
+        yield self.thread_activity
+
     async def initialize_view(self) -> None:
         # Reuse the canonical core service already shared by tab sidebars and
         # transcript readers. Its revision-aware caches remain model-owned.