diff --git a/src/main/persistence.test.ts b/src/main/persistence.test.ts
index f01d37e34..8aeeb4412 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,23 @@ const TEST_LEAF_1 = '11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111'
 const TEST_LEAF_2 = '22222222-2222-4222-8222-222222222222'
 const TEST_LEAF_LIVE = '33333333-3333-4333-8333-333333333333'
 const TEST_LEAF_EXPIRED = '44444444-4444-4444-8444-444444444444'
+const REORDERED_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES = [
+  { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'conductor-done', icon: 'conductor-done' },
+  { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'conductor-review', icon: 'conductor-review' },
+  {
+    id: 'in-progress',
+    label: 'In progress',
+    color: 'conductor-progress',
+    icon: 'conductor-progress'
+  },
+  { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' }
+]
+const LEGACY_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES = [
+  { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' },
+  { id: 'in-progress', label: 'In progress', color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' },
+  { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'violet', icon: 'git-pull-request' },
+  { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'emerald', icon: 'circle-check' }
+]
 
 vi.mock('electron', () => ({
   app: {
@@ -924,6 +941,127 @@ describe('Store', () => {
     expect(store.getUI().sortBy).toBe('recent')
   })
 
+  it('repairs the known-bad reordered default workspace statuses once on load', async () => {
+    writeDataFile({
+      schemaVersion: 1,
+      repos: [],
+      worktreeMeta: {},
+      settings: {},
+      ui: { workspaceStatuses: REORDERED_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES },
+      githubCache: { pr: {}, issue: {} },
+      workspaceSession: {}
+    })
+
+    const store = await createStore()
+    const ui = store.getUI()
+    expect(ui.workspaceStatuses?.map((status) => status.id)).toEqual([
+      'todo',
+      'in-progress',
+      'in-review',
+      'completed'
+    ])
+    expect(ui._workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated).toBe(true)
+
+    store.flush()
+    const persisted = readDataFile() as {
+      ui?: {
+        workspaceStatuses?: typeof REORDERED_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES
+        _workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated?: boolean
+        _workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated?: boolean
+      }
+    }
+    expect(persisted.ui?._workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated).toBe(true)
+    expect(persisted.ui?._workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated).toBe(true)
+    expect(persisted.ui?.workspaceStatuses?.map((status) => status.id)).toEqual([
+      'todo',
+      'in-progress',
+      'in-review',
+      'completed'
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('migrates legacy default workspace status visuals once on load', async () => {
+    writeDataFile({
+      schemaVersion: 1,
+      repos: [],
+      worktreeMeta: {},
+      settings: {},
+      ui: {
+        workspaceStatuses: LEGACY_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES,
+        _workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated: true
+      },
+      githubCache: { pr: {}, issue: {} },
+      workspaceSession: {}
+    })
+
+    const store = await createStore()
+    expect(store.getUI().workspaceStatuses).toEqual([
+      { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' },
+      {
+        id: 'in-progress',
+        label: 'In progress',
+        color: 'conductor-progress',
+        icon: 'conductor-progress'
+      },
+      { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'conductor-review', icon: 'conductor-review' },
+      { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'conductor-done', icon: 'conductor-done' }
+    ])
+    expect(store.getUI()._workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated).toBe(true)
+
+    store.flush()
+    const persisted = readDataFile() as {
+      ui?: {
+        _workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated?: boolean
+      }
+    }
+    expect(persisted.ui?._workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('preserves legacy-looking workspace status visuals after the load migration', async () => {
+    writeDataFile({
+      schemaVersion: 1,
+      repos: [],
+      worktreeMeta: {},
+      settings: {},
+      ui: {
+        workspaceStatuses: LEGACY_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES,
+        _workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated: true,
+        _workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated: true
+      },
+      githubCache: { pr: {}, issue: {} },
+      workspaceSession: {}
+    })
+
+    const store = await createStore()
+    const inProgress = store
+      .getUI()
+      .workspaceStatuses?.find((status) => status.id === 'in-progress')
+    expect(inProgress).toMatchObject({ color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' })
+  })
+
+  it('preserves intentionally reordered default workspace statuses after the load migration', async () => {
+    writeDataFile({
+      schemaVersion: 1,
+      repos: [],
+      worktreeMeta: {},
+      settings: {},
+      ui: {
+        workspaceStatuses: REORDERED_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES,
+        _workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated: true
+      },
+      githubCache: { pr: {}, issue: {} },
+      workspaceSession: {}
+    })
+
+    const store = await createStore()
+    expect(store.getUI().workspaceStatuses?.map((status) => status.id)).toEqual([
+      'completed',
+      'in-review',
+      'in-progress',
+      'todo'
+    ])
+  })
+
   // ── terminalMacOptionAsAlt migration (issue #903) ───────────────────
 
   it('migrates legacy "true" terminalMacOptionAsAlt to "auto" on first load', async () => {
diff --git a/src/main/persistence.ts b/src/main/persistence.ts
index 3f94e7c65..d177744e7 100644
--- a/src/main/persistence.ts
+++ b/src/main/persistence.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ import {
   DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUS_ID,
   clampWorkspaceBoardOpacity,
   normalizeWorkspaceBoardCompact,
+  normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses,
   normalizeWorkspaceStatuses
 } from '../shared/workspace-statuses'
 
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ function backupPath(dataFile: string, index: number): string {
 }
 
 function normalizeGroupBy(groupBy: unknown): PersistedState['ui']['groupBy'] {
-  if (groupBy === 'none' || groupBy === 'repo' || groupBy === 'pr-status') {
+  if (groupBy === 'flat' || groupBy === 'none' || groupBy === 'repo' || groupBy === 'pr-status') {
     return groupBy
   }
   if (groupBy === 'workspace-status') {
@@ -997,6 +998,7 @@ export class Store {
   private pendingWrite: Promise<void> | null = null
   private writeGeneration = 0
   private gitUsernameCache = new Map<string, string>()
+  private loadNeedsSave = false
 
   constructor() {
     const loaded = this.load()
@@ -1022,9 +1024,11 @@ export class Store {
       this.state.legacyPaneKeyAliasEntries = entries
       this.scheduleSave()
     })
-    if (normalized.changed) {
+    if (normalized.changed || this.loadNeedsSave) {
       // Why: upgraded sessions may contain legacy pane:1 leaves. Rewrite them at
       // the main persistence boundary so older renderer writes cannot revive them.
+      // Other one-shot load migrations also set loadNeedsSave to persist their
+      // guard flags before the next restart.
       this.scheduleSave()
     }
   }
@@ -1216,6 +1220,25 @@ export class Store {
             const rawSort = parsed.ui?.sortBy
             const sort = normalizeSortBy(rawSort)
             const migrate = !parsed.ui?._sortBySmartMigrated && rawSort === 'recent'
+            const workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated =
+              parsed.ui?._workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated === true
+            // Why: visual migration has its own guard so later user choices
+            // of valid legacy color/icon IDs are preserved by runtime writes.
+            const workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated =
+              parsed.ui?._workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated === true
+            const workspaceStatuses = normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses(
+              parsed.ui?.workspaceStatuses,
+              {
+                repairReorderedDefaultStatuses: !workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated,
+                migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals: !workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated
+              }
+            )
+            if (
+              !workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated ||
+              !workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated
+            ) {
+              this.loadNeedsSave = true
+            }
             // Why: the 'inline-agents' card property was added after the
             // feature shipped behind an experimental toggle. Now that the
             // feature is default-on for everyone, every existing user needs
@@ -1263,6 +1286,9 @@ export class Store {
               ...defaults.ui,
               ...parsed.ui,
               sortBy: migrate ? ('smart' as const) : sort,
+              workspaceStatuses,
+              _workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated: true,
+              _workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated: true,
               _sortBySmartMigrated: true,
               ...(migratedCardProps !== undefined
                 ? { worktreeCardProperties: migratedCardProps }
@@ -2034,9 +2060,10 @@ export class Store {
       sortBy: updates.sortBy
         ? normalizeSortBy(updates.sortBy)
         : normalizeSortBy(this.state.ui?.sortBy),
-      workspaceStatuses: normalizeWorkspaceStatuses(
-        updates.workspaceStatuses ?? this.state.ui?.workspaceStatuses
-      ),
+      workspaceStatuses:
+        updates.workspaceStatuses !== undefined
+          ? normalizeWorkspaceStatuses(updates.workspaceStatuses)
+          : normalizeWorkspaceStatuses(this.state.ui?.workspaceStatuses),
       workspaceBoardOpacity: clampWorkspaceBoardOpacity(
         updates.workspaceBoardOpacity ?? this.state.ui?.workspaceBoardOpacity
       ),
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/SidebarHeader.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/SidebarHeader.tsx
index 83622aa6a..ba08709a4 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/SidebarHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/SidebarHeader.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import SidebarFilter from './SidebarFilter'
 import WorkspaceKanbanDrawer from './WorkspaceKanbanDrawer'
 
 const GROUP_BY_OPTIONS = [
+  { id: 'flat', label: 'None' },
   { id: 'none', label: 'Status' },
   { id: 'pr-status', label: 'PR' },
   { id: 'repo', label: 'Repo' }
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ const PROPERTY_OPTIONS: { id: WorktreeCardProperty; label: string }[] = [
   { id: 'pr', label: 'Linked PR' },
   { id: 'comment', label: 'Comment' },
   // Why: toggles the inline "Agent activity" list rendered below each
-  // workspace card body (see WorktreeCard → WorktreeCardAgents). Off hides
+  // workspace card body (see WorktreeCard -> WorktreeCardAgents). Off hides
   // the list; there is no alternate surface.
   { id: 'inline-agents', label: 'Agent activity' }
 ]
@@ -226,7 +227,7 @@ const SidebarHeader = React.memo(function SidebarHeader() {
   return (
     <>
       <div
-        className="flex h-8 items-center justify-between px-2 gap-2"
+        className="mt-2 flex h-8 items-center justify-between px-2 gap-2"
         onPointerEnter={handleWorkspaceHeaderPointerEnter}
         onPointerLeave={handleWorkspaceHeaderPointerLeave}
       >
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeList.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeList.tsx
index 1b87d8c9b..1f6287c1f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeList.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeList.tsx
@@ -698,7 +698,7 @@ const VirtualizedWorktreeViewport = React.memo(function VirtualizedWorktreeViewp
                     // First header sits directly under SidebarHeader, which already
                     // supplies its own spacing — only offset secondary group headers.
                     vItem.index !== firstHeaderIndex && 'mt-2',
-                    row.repo ? 'overflow-hidden' : row.tone
+                    row.repo && 'overflow-hidden'
                   )}
                   onDragOver={
                     isPinnedHeader
@@ -736,10 +736,10 @@ const VirtualizedWorktreeViewport = React.memo(function VirtualizedWorktreeViewp
                       }
                       className={cn(
                         'flex size-4 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-[4px]',
-                        row.repo && 'text-muted-foreground'
+                        row.repo ? 'text-muted-foreground' : row.tone
                       )}
                     >
-                      <row.icon className="size-3.5" />
+                      <row.icon className={row.repo ? 'size-3.5' : 'size-3'} />
                     </div>
                   ) : null}
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-status-icons.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-status-icons.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5005c5a34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-status-icons.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import React from 'react'
+
+export function ConductorDoneIcon({ className }: { className?: string }): React.JSX.Element {
+  return React.createElement(
+    'svg',
+    {
+      className,
+      viewBox: '0 0 12 12',
+      fill: 'none',
+      'aria-hidden': true
+    },
+    React.createElement('circle', { cx: 6, cy: 6, r: 5.1, fill: 'currentColor' }),
+    React.createElement('path', {
+      d: 'M4 6.05 5.25 7.25 8.05 4.7',
+      stroke: 'white',
+      strokeWidth: 1.25,
+      strokeLinecap: 'round',
+      strokeLinejoin: 'round'
+    })
+  )
+}
+
+export function ConductorReviewIcon({ className }: { className?: string }): React.JSX.Element {
+  return React.createElement(
+    'svg',
+    {
+      className,
+      viewBox: '0 0 12 12',
+      fill: 'none',
+      'aria-hidden': true
+    },
+    React.createElement('circle', {
+      cx: 6,
+      cy: 6,
+      r: 4.9,
+      fill: 'var(--background)',
+      stroke: 'currentColor',
+      strokeWidth: 1.45
+    }),
+    React.createElement('path', {
+      d: 'M4.15 6.05 5.25 7.05 7.7 4.75',
+      stroke: 'currentColor',
+      strokeWidth: 1.2,
+      strokeLinecap: 'round',
+      strokeLinejoin: 'round'
+    })
+  )
+}
+
+export function ConductorProgressIcon({ className }: { className?: string }): React.JSX.Element {
+  return React.createElement(
+    'svg',
+    {
+      className,
+      viewBox: '0 0 12 12',
+      fill: 'none',
+      'aria-hidden': true
+    },
+    React.createElement('circle', {
+      cx: 6,
+      cy: 6,
+      r: 4.9,
+      fill: 'var(--background)',
+      stroke: 'currentColor',
+      strokeWidth: 1.45
+    }),
+    React.createElement('path', {
+      d: 'M6 3.75v2.7',
+      stroke: 'currentColor',
+      strokeWidth: 1.25,
+      strokeLinecap: 'round'
+    })
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-status.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-status.ts
index f1959c384..0aaef05a7 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-status.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-status.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
-import type React from 'react'
+import React from 'react'
 import {
   Ban,
   Circle,
   CircleAlert,
-  CircleCheckBig,
   CircleDashed,
   CircleDot,
   CircleEllipsis,
   CirclePause,
   CirclePlay,
   Flag,
-  GitPullRequest,
   Timer
 } from 'lucide-react'
 import type { WorkspaceStatus, WorkspaceStatusDefinition } from '../../../../shared/types'
@@ -26,6 +24,11 @@ import {
   getWorkspaceStatusGroupKey,
   isWorkspaceStatusId
 } from '../../../../shared/workspace-statuses'
+import {
+  ConductorDoneIcon,
+  ConductorProgressIcon,
+  ConductorReviewIcon
+} from './workspace-status-icons'
 
 export {
   DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_ID,
@@ -122,22 +125,50 @@ export const WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_OPTIONS: WorkspaceStatusColorOption[] = [
     swatch: 'bg-zinc-500',
     border: 'border-t-zinc-500/70',
     laneTint: 'bg-zinc-500/[0.04]'
+  },
+  {
+    id: 'conductor-done',
+    label: 'Conductor Done',
+    tone: 'text-[#c7a594]',
+    swatch: 'bg-[#c7a594]',
+    border: 'border-t-[#c7a594]/70',
+    laneTint: 'bg-[#c7a594]/[0.04]'
+  },
+  {
+    id: 'conductor-review',
+    label: 'Conductor Review',
+    tone: 'text-[#16a34a]',
+    swatch: 'bg-[#16a34a]',
+    border: 'border-t-[#16a34a]/70',
+    laneTint: 'bg-[#16a34a]/[0.04]'
+  },
+  {
+    id: 'conductor-progress',
+    label: 'Conductor Progress',
+    tone: 'text-[#d4a300]',
+    swatch: 'bg-[#d4a300]',
+    border: 'border-t-[#d4a300]/70',
+    laneTint: 'bg-[#d4a300]/[0.04]'
   }
 ]
 
 export const WORKSPACE_STATUS_ICON_OPTIONS: WorkspaceStatusIconOption[] = [
   { id: 'circle', label: 'Circle', icon: Circle },
   { id: 'circle-dot', label: 'Dot', icon: CircleDot },
+  { id: 'circle-progress', label: 'Progress', icon: ConductorProgressIcon },
   { id: 'circle-dashed', label: 'Dashed', icon: CircleDashed },
   { id: 'circle-ellipsis', label: 'Waiting', icon: CircleEllipsis },
-  { id: 'git-pull-request', label: 'Review', icon: GitPullRequest },
+  { id: 'git-pull-request', label: 'Review', icon: ConductorReviewIcon },
   { id: 'timer', label: 'Timer', icon: Timer },
   { id: 'flag', label: 'Flag', icon: Flag },
   { id: 'circle-alert', label: 'Alert', icon: CircleAlert },
   { id: 'circle-pause', label: 'Paused', icon: CirclePause },
   { id: 'circle-play', label: 'Play', icon: CirclePlay },
-  { id: 'circle-check', label: 'Done', icon: CircleCheckBig },
-  { id: 'ban', label: 'Blocked', icon: Ban }
+  { id: 'circle-check', label: 'Done', icon: ConductorDoneIcon },
+  { id: 'ban', label: 'Blocked', icon: Ban },
+  { id: 'conductor-done', label: 'Done', icon: ConductorDoneIcon },
+  { id: 'conductor-review', label: 'In review', icon: ConductorReviewIcon },
+  { id: 'conductor-progress', label: 'In progress', icon: ConductorProgressIcon }
 ]
 
 const FALLBACK_COLOR_OPTION: WorkspaceStatusColorOption = WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_OPTIONS[0] ?? {
@@ -167,16 +198,16 @@ const DEFAULT_STATUS_VISUALS: Record<
     icon: 'circle'
   },
   'in-progress': {
-    color: 'blue',
-    icon: 'circle-dot'
+    color: 'conductor-progress',
+    icon: 'conductor-progress'
   },
   'in-review': {
-    color: 'violet',
-    icon: 'git-pull-request'
+    color: 'conductor-review',
+    icon: 'conductor-review'
   },
   completed: {
-    color: 'emerald',
-    icon: 'circle-check'
+    color: 'conductor-done',
+    icon: 'conductor-done'
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/worktree-list-groups.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/worktree-list-groups.test.ts
index f7cea6194..c5974e473 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/worktree-list-groups.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/worktree-list-groups.test.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,26 @@ describe('buildRows with pinned worktrees', () => {
     expect(rows[1]).toMatchObject({ type: 'item', worktree: { id: 'wt-pinned' } })
   })
 
+  it('renders a flat list without status headers in groupBy flat', () => {
+    const rows = buildRows('flat', [unpinned1, unpinned2], repoMap, null, new Set())
+
+    expect(rows).toMatchObject([
+      { type: 'item', worktree: { id: 'wt-1' } },
+      { type: 'item', worktree: { id: 'wt-2' } }
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('keeps pinned worktrees above the flat list', () => {
+    const rows = buildRows('flat', [unpinned1, pinned, unpinned2], repoMap, null, new Set())
+
+    expect(rows).toMatchObject([
+      { type: 'header', key: 'pinned', count: 1 },
+      { type: 'item', worktree: { id: 'wt-pinned' } },
+      { type: 'item', worktree: { id: 'wt-1' } },
+      { type: 'item', worktree: { id: 'wt-2' } }
+    ])
+  })
+
   it('emits status headers for unpinned worktrees in groupBy none', () => {
     const rows = buildRows('none', [unpinned1, pinned, unpinned2], repoMap, null, new Set())
     expect(rows[2]).toMatchObject({
@@ -310,6 +330,7 @@ describe('getRepoGroupOrdering', () => {
     ['repo', 'smart', 'visible-worktree-order'],
     ['repo', 'name', 'manual'],
     ['repo', 'repo', 'manual'],
+    ['flat', 'recent', 'manual'],
     ['none', 'recent', 'manual'],
     ['pr-status', 'recent', 'manual']
   ] as const)('uses %s/%s -> %s', (groupBy, sortBy, expected) => {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/worktree-list-groups.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/worktree-list-groups.ts
index 0bbb191ba..cb717cf8f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/worktree-list-groups.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/worktree-list-groups.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* eslint-disable max-lines -- Why: sidebar row construction keeps every grouping mode in one pure module so reveal, virtualized rendering, and tests share the same flat row contract. */
-import { CircleCheckBig, CircleDot, CircleX, Folder, GitPullRequest, Pin } from 'lucide-react'
+import { CircleX, Folder, Pin } from 'lucide-react'
 import type React from 'react'
 import type {
   Repo,
@@ -14,12 +14,19 @@ import {
   getWorkspaceStatusGroupKey,
   getWorkspaceStatusVisualMeta
 } from './workspace-status'
+import {
+  ConductorDoneIcon,
+  ConductorProgressIcon,
+  ConductorReviewIcon
+} from './workspace-status-icons'
 import { cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses } from '../../../../shared/workspace-statuses'
 import type { SortBy } from './smart-sort'
 
 export { branchName }
 
-export type WorktreeGroupBy = 'none' | 'repo' | 'pr-status'
+// Why: `none` is the legacy persisted value for Status grouping. The actual
+// ungrouped sidebar mode is `flat`.
+export type WorktreeGroupBy = 'flat' | 'none' | 'repo' | 'pr-status'
 export type RepoGroupOrdering = 'manual' | 'visible-worktree-order'
 
 export function getRepoGroupOrdering(groupBy: WorktreeGroupBy, sortBy: SortBy): RepoGroupOrdering {
@@ -67,18 +74,18 @@ export const PR_GROUP_META: Record<
 > = {
   done: {
     label: 'Done',
-    icon: CircleCheckBig,
-    tone: 'text-emerald-700 dark:text-emerald-200'
+    icon: ConductorDoneIcon,
+    tone: 'text-[#c7a594]'
   },
   'in-review': {
     label: 'In review',
-    icon: GitPullRequest,
-    tone: 'text-sky-700 dark:text-sky-200'
+    icon: ConductorReviewIcon,
+    tone: 'text-[#16a34a]'
   },
   'in-progress': {
     label: 'In progress',
-    icon: CircleDot,
-    tone: 'text-amber-700 dark:text-amber-200'
+    icon: ConductorProgressIcon,
+    tone: 'text-[#d4a300]'
   },
   closed: {
     label: 'Closed',
@@ -369,6 +376,15 @@ export function buildRows(
   )
   const unpinned = pinnedIds.size > 0 ? worktrees.filter((w) => !pinnedIds.has(w.id)) : worktrees
 
+  if (groupBy === 'flat') {
+    appendWorktreeRows(result, unpinned, repoMap, lineageById, worktreeMap, {
+      nestLineage,
+      showLineageContext: nestLineage,
+      collapsedGroups
+    })
+    return result
+  }
+
   const grouped = new Map<string, { label: string; items: Worktree[]; repo?: Repo }>()
   for (const w of unpinned) {
     let key: string
@@ -501,6 +517,9 @@ export function getGroupKeyForWorktree(
   prCache: Record<string, unknown> | null,
   workspaceStatuses: readonly WorkspaceStatusDefinition[] = cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses()
 ): string | null {
+  if (groupBy === 'flat') {
+    return null
+  }
   if (groupBy === 'none') {
     return getWorkspaceStatusGroupKey(getWorkspaceStatus(worktree, workspaceStatuses))
   }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/ui.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/ui.ts
index a134ef1b3..6c8b3af79 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/ui.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/ui.ts
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ export type UISlice = {
   ) => void
   markOrcaHookRepoAlwaysTrusted: (repoId: string) => void
   clearOrcaHookTrustForRepo: (repoId: string) => void
-  groupBy: 'none' | 'repo' | 'pr-status'
+  groupBy: 'flat' | 'none' | 'repo' | 'pr-status'
   setGroupBy: (g: UISlice['groupBy']) => void
   showWorkspaceLineage: boolean
   setShowWorkspaceLineage: (v: boolean) => void
diff --git a/src/shared/constants.ts b/src/shared/constants.ts
index 9d22f7c1f..bd201a785 100644
--- a/src/shared/constants.ts
+++ b/src/shared/constants.ts
@@ -353,6 +353,8 @@ export function getDefaultUIState(): PersistedUIState {
     workspaceStatuses: cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses(),
     workspaceBoardOpacity: 1,
     workspaceBoardCompact: false,
+    _workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated: true,
+    _workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated: true,
     statusBarItems: [...DEFAULT_STATUS_BAR_ITEMS],
     statusBarVisible: true,
     dismissedUpdateVersion: null,
diff --git a/src/shared/types.ts b/src/shared/types.ts
index 802ddd141..2fae8cfdb 100644
--- a/src/shared/types.ts
+++ b/src/shared/types.ts
@@ -1680,7 +1680,7 @@ export type PersistedUIState = {
   lastActiveWorktreeId: string | null
   sidebarWidth: number
   rightSidebarWidth: number
-  groupBy: 'none' | 'repo' | 'pr-status'
+  groupBy: 'flat' | 'none' | 'repo' | 'pr-status'
   showWorkspaceLineage?: boolean
   sortBy: 'name' | 'smart' | 'recent' | 'repo'
   showActiveOnly: boolean
@@ -1698,6 +1698,13 @@ export type PersistedUIState = {
   workspaceStatuses?: WorkspaceStatusDefinition[]
   workspaceBoardOpacity?: number
   workspaceBoardCompact?: boolean
+  /** One-shot migration flag for a short-lived build that persisted the
+   *  default workspace statuses in reverse workflow order. Once stamped,
+   *  user-authored status ordering is never inferred from IDs/labels again. */
+  _workspaceStatusesDefaultOrderMigrated?: boolean
+  /** One-shot migration flag for the old default blue/violet/emerald status
+   *  visuals. Once stamped, valid user-authored colors/icons are preserved. */
+  _workspaceStatusesDefaultVisualsMigrated?: boolean
   statusBarItems: StatusBarItem[]
   statusBarVisible: boolean
   dismissedUpdateVersion: string | null
diff --git a/src/shared/workspace-statuses.test.ts b/src/shared/workspace-statuses.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..57eb42556
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/workspace-statuses.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,187 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import {
+  cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses,
+  normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses,
+  normalizeWorkspaceStatuses
+} from './workspace-statuses'
+
+describe('workspace status visuals', () => {
+  it('keeps todo first by default', () => {
+    expect(cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses().map((status) => status.id)).toEqual([
+      'todo',
+      'in-progress',
+      'in-review',
+      'completed'
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('migrates the old default status visuals without reordering the board', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses(
+      [
+        { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' },
+        { id: 'in-progress', label: 'In progress', color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' },
+        { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'violet', icon: 'git-pull-request' },
+        { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'emerald', icon: 'circle-check' }
+      ],
+      { migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals: true }
+    )
+
+    expect(statuses.map((status) => status.id)).toEqual([
+      'todo',
+      'in-progress',
+      'in-review',
+      'completed'
+    ])
+    expect(statuses).toEqual(cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses())
+  })
+
+  it('preserves explicit status order while migrating default visuals', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses(
+      [
+        { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'emerald', icon: 'circle-check' },
+        { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'violet', icon: 'git-pull-request' },
+        { id: 'in-progress', label: 'In progress', color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' },
+        { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' }
+      ],
+      { migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals: true }
+    )
+
+    expect(statuses.map((status) => status.id)).toEqual([
+      'completed',
+      'in-review',
+      'in-progress',
+      'todo'
+    ])
+    expect(statuses[0]).toMatchObject({
+      color: 'conductor-done',
+      icon: 'conductor-done'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('preserves default-label reordered statuses unless the one-shot repair is requested', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses([
+      { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'conductor-done', icon: 'conductor-done' },
+      { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'conductor-review', icon: 'conductor-review' },
+      {
+        id: 'in-progress',
+        label: 'In progress',
+        color: 'conductor-progress',
+        icon: 'conductor-progress'
+      },
+      { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' }
+    ])
+
+    expect(statuses.map((status) => status.id)).toEqual([
+      'completed',
+      'in-review',
+      'in-progress',
+      'todo'
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('repairs the exact PR-introduced default status reorder when migration-gated', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses(
+      [
+        { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'conductor-done', icon: 'conductor-done' },
+        {
+          id: 'in-review',
+          label: 'In review',
+          color: 'conductor-review',
+          icon: 'conductor-review'
+        },
+        {
+          id: 'in-progress',
+          label: 'In progress',
+          color: 'conductor-progress',
+          icon: 'conductor-progress'
+        },
+        { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' }
+      ],
+      { repairReorderedDefaultStatuses: true }
+    )
+
+    expect(statuses).toEqual(cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses())
+  })
+
+  it('does not repair reordered default-label statuses with a different raw shape', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses(
+      [
+        { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'emerald', icon: 'circle-check' },
+        { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'violet', icon: 'git-pull-request' },
+        { id: 'in-progress', label: 'In progress', color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' },
+        { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' }
+      ],
+      { repairReorderedDefaultStatuses: true }
+    )
+
+    expect(statuses.map((status) => status.id)).toEqual([
+      'completed',
+      'in-review',
+      'in-progress',
+      'todo'
+    ])
+  })
+
+  it('leaves custom persisted status layouts in their saved order', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses([
+      { id: 'completed', label: 'Shipped', color: 'conductor-done', icon: 'conductor-done' },
+      { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' }
+    ])
+
+    expect(statuses.map((status) => status.id)).toEqual(['completed', 'todo'])
+  })
+
+  it('uses Conductor-style visuals for the default status icons', () => {
+    const statuses = cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses()
+    const inProgress = statuses.find((status) => status.id === 'in-progress')
+    const inReview = statuses.find((status) => status.id === 'in-review')
+    const completed = statuses.find((status) => status.id === 'completed')
+
+    expect(inProgress).toMatchObject({
+      color: 'conductor-progress',
+      icon: 'conductor-progress'
+    })
+    expect(inReview).toMatchObject({
+      color: 'conductor-review',
+      icon: 'conductor-review'
+    })
+    expect(completed).toMatchObject({
+      color: 'conductor-done',
+      icon: 'conductor-done'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('migrates the old in-progress blue dot default only when requested', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses(
+      [{ id: 'in-progress', label: 'In progress', color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' }],
+      { migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals: true }
+    )
+
+    expect(statuses[0]).toMatchObject({
+      color: 'conductor-progress',
+      icon: 'conductor-progress'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('preserves valid legacy visuals for default-label statuses at runtime', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizeWorkspaceStatuses([
+      { id: 'in-progress', label: 'In progress', color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' }
+    ])
+
+    expect(statuses[0]).toMatchObject({
+      color: 'blue',
+      icon: 'circle-dot'
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('keeps intentional custom in-progress visuals', () => {
+    const statuses = normalizeWorkspaceStatuses([
+      { id: 'in-progress', label: 'Doing', color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' }
+    ])
+
+    expect(statuses[0]).toMatchObject({
+      color: 'blue',
+      icon: 'circle-dot'
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/shared/workspace-statuses.ts b/src/shared/workspace-statuses.ts
index 7163d661a..f79ad0bc6 100644
--- a/src/shared/workspace-statuses.ts
+++ b/src/shared/workspace-statuses.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ import type { Worktree, WorkspaceStatus, WorkspaceStatusDefinition } from './typ
 const WORKSPACE_STATUS_GROUP_PREFIX = 'workspace-status:'
 const MAX_STATUS_LABEL_LENGTH = 32
 const MAX_WORKSPACE_STATUSES = 12
+type WorkspaceStatusNormalizationOptions = {
+  migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals?: boolean
+}
 
 export const DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUS_ID: WorkspaceStatus = 'in-progress'
 export const DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_ID = 'neutral'
@@ -16,12 +19,16 @@ export const WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_IDS = [
   'amber',
   'emerald',
   'rose',
-  'zinc'
+  'zinc',
+  'conductor-done',
+  'conductor-review',
+  'conductor-progress'
 ] as const
 
 export const WORKSPACE_STATUS_ICON_IDS = [
   'circle',
   'circle-dot',
+  'circle-progress',
   'circle-dashed',
   'circle-ellipsis',
   'git-pull-request',
@@ -31,21 +38,29 @@ export const WORKSPACE_STATUS_ICON_IDS = [
   'circle-pause',
   'circle-play',
   'circle-check',
-  'ban'
+  'ban',
+  'conductor-done',
+  'conductor-review',
+  'conductor-progress'
 ] as const
 
 const DEFAULT_STATUS_VISUALS: Record<string, { color: string; icon: string }> = {
   todo: { color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' },
-  'in-progress': { color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' },
-  'in-review': { color: 'violet', icon: 'git-pull-request' },
-  completed: { color: 'emerald', icon: 'circle-check' }
+  'in-progress': { color: 'conductor-progress', icon: 'conductor-progress' },
+  'in-review': { color: 'conductor-review', icon: 'conductor-review' },
+  completed: { color: 'conductor-done', icon: 'conductor-done' }
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES = [
   { id: 'todo', label: 'Todo', color: 'neutral', icon: 'circle' },
-  { id: 'in-progress', label: 'In progress', color: 'blue', icon: 'circle-dot' },
-  { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'violet', icon: 'git-pull-request' },
-  { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'emerald', icon: 'circle-check' }
+  {
+    id: 'in-progress',
+    label: 'In progress',
+    color: 'conductor-progress',
+    icon: 'conductor-progress'
+  },
+  { id: 'in-review', label: 'In review', color: 'conductor-review', icon: 'conductor-review' },
+  { id: 'completed', label: 'Completed', color: 'conductor-done', icon: 'conductor-done' }
 ] as const satisfies readonly WorkspaceStatusDefinition[]
 
 export function cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses(): WorkspaceStatusDefinition[] {
@@ -80,7 +95,22 @@ function sanitizeWorkspaceStatusId(value: unknown, fallbackLabel: string): Works
   return trimmed.replace(/[^a-z0-9_-]+/g, '-').replace(/^-+|-+$/g, '') || 'status'
 }
 
-function sanitizeWorkspaceStatusColor(value: unknown, statusId: string, index: number): string {
+function sanitizeWorkspaceStatusColor(
+  value: unknown,
+  statusId: string,
+  label: string,
+  index: number,
+  options: WorkspaceStatusNormalizationOptions
+): string {
+  if (
+    options.migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals === true &&
+    ((statusId === 'in-progress' && label === 'In progress' && value === 'blue') ||
+      (statusId === 'in-review' && label === 'In review' && value === 'violet') ||
+      (statusId === 'completed' && label === 'Completed' && value === 'emerald')) &&
+    DEFAULT_STATUS_VISUALS[statusId]
+  ) {
+    return DEFAULT_STATUS_VISUALS[statusId]?.color ?? DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_ID
+  }
   if (typeof value === 'string' && WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_IDS.some((id) => id === value)) {
     return value
   }
@@ -91,7 +121,23 @@ function sanitizeWorkspaceStatusColor(value: unknown, statusId: string, index: n
   return WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_IDS[index % WORKSPACE_STATUS_COLOR_IDS.length]
 }
 
-function sanitizeWorkspaceStatusIcon(value: unknown, statusId: string): string {
+function sanitizeWorkspaceStatusIcon(
+  value: unknown,
+  statusId: string,
+  label: string,
+  options: WorkspaceStatusNormalizationOptions
+): string {
+  if (
+    options.migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals === true &&
+    ((statusId === 'in-progress' &&
+      label === 'In progress' &&
+      (value === 'circle-dot' || value === 'circle-progress')) ||
+      (statusId === 'in-review' && label === 'In review' && value === 'git-pull-request') ||
+      (statusId === 'completed' && label === 'Completed' && value === 'circle-check')) &&
+    DEFAULT_STATUS_VISUALS[statusId]
+  ) {
+    return DEFAULT_STATUS_VISUALS[statusId]?.icon ?? DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUS_ICON_ID
+  }
   if (typeof value === 'string' && WORKSPACE_STATUS_ICON_IDS.some((id) => id === value)) {
     return value
   }
@@ -116,7 +162,10 @@ export function makeWorkspaceStatusId(
   return `status-${Date.now().toString(36)}`
 }
 
-export function normalizeWorkspaceStatuses(value: unknown): WorkspaceStatusDefinition[] {
+function normalizeWorkspaceStatusesInternal(
+  value: unknown,
+  options: WorkspaceStatusNormalizationOptions
+): WorkspaceStatusDefinition[] {
   if (!Array.isArray(value)) {
     return cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses()
   }
@@ -138,12 +187,71 @@ export function normalizeWorkspaceStatuses(value: unknown): WorkspaceStatusDefin
     statuses.push({
       id,
       label,
-      color: sanitizeWorkspaceStatusColor(raw.color, id, statuses.length),
-      icon: sanitizeWorkspaceStatusIcon(raw.icon, id)
+      color: sanitizeWorkspaceStatusColor(raw.color, id, label, statuses.length, options),
+      icon: sanitizeWorkspaceStatusIcon(raw.icon, id, label, options)
     })
   }
 
-  return statuses.length > 0 ? statuses : cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses()
+  if (statuses.length === 0) {
+    return cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses()
+  }
+
+  return statuses
+}
+
+export function normalizeWorkspaceStatuses(value: unknown): WorkspaceStatusDefinition[] {
+  return normalizeWorkspaceStatusesInternal(value, {})
+}
+
+const PR_REORDERED_DEFAULT_STATUS_IDS = ['completed', 'in-review', 'in-progress', 'todo'] as const
+
+const PR_REORDERED_DEFAULT_STATUSES = PR_REORDERED_DEFAULT_STATUS_IDS.map((id) => {
+  const status = DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_STATUSES.find((entry) => entry.id === id)
+  if (!status) {
+    throw new Error(`Missing default workspace status: ${id}`)
+  }
+  return { ...status }
+})
+
+function isKnownBadPRReorderedDefaultStatusPayload(value: unknown): boolean {
+  if (!Array.isArray(value) || value.length !== PR_REORDERED_DEFAULT_STATUSES.length) {
+    return false
+  }
+  return value.every((rawStatus, index) => {
+    if (!rawStatus || typeof rawStatus !== 'object' || Array.isArray(rawStatus)) {
+      return false
+    }
+    const raw = rawStatus as Record<string, unknown>
+    const expected = PR_REORDERED_DEFAULT_STATUSES[index]
+    return (
+      Object.keys(raw).length === 4 &&
+      raw.id === expected.id &&
+      raw.label === expected.label &&
+      raw.color === expected.color &&
+      raw.icon === expected.icon
+    )
+  })
+}
+
+export function normalizePersistedWorkspaceStatuses(
+  value: unknown,
+  options: {
+    repairReorderedDefaultStatuses?: boolean
+    migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals?: boolean
+  } = {}
+): WorkspaceStatusDefinition[] {
+  // Why: this PR briefly wrote the default columns in reverse workflow order.
+  // The repair is one-shot and checks the raw payload, because normalized
+  // IDs/labels are indistinguishable from a user-authored column reorder.
+  if (
+    options.repairReorderedDefaultStatuses === true &&
+    isKnownBadPRReorderedDefaultStatusPayload(value)
+  ) {
+    return cloneDefaultWorkspaceStatuses()
+  }
+  return normalizeWorkspaceStatusesInternal(value, {
+    migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals: options.migrateLegacyDefaultStatusVisuals
+  })
 }
 
 export function clampWorkspaceBoardOpacity(value: unknown): number {