diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCardStatusSlot.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCardStatusSlot.test.tsx
index 4fdb66608..3f5d19aae 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCardStatusSlot.test.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCardStatusSlot.test.tsx
@@ -84,6 +84,53 @@ describe('WorktreeCardStatusSlot', () => {
     expect(markup).not.toContain('text-amber-500')
   })
 
+  it('suppresses the new-card unread badge while unread status is working', () => {
+    mocks.status = 'working'
+    const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <WorktreeCardStatusSlot
+        worktreeId="wt-1"
+        showStatus
+        showUnreadAction
+        isUnread
+        unreadTooltip="Mark as read"
+        onPointerDown={vi.fn()}
+        onToggleUnread={vi.fn()}
+        newCardStyle
+        hasBranchIdentity={false}
+      />
+    )
+
+    expect(markup).toContain('Working · Unread')
+    expect(markup).toContain('border-yellow-500')
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('data-worktree-status-lane-unread=""')
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('data-worktree-unread-alert=""')
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('aria-label="Mark as read"')
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('lucide-bell')
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('text-amber-500')
+  })
+
+  it('keeps legacy unread working cards on the unread bell control', () => {
+    mocks.status = 'working'
+    const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <WorktreeCardStatusSlot
+        worktreeId="wt-1"
+        showStatus
+        showUnreadAction
+        isUnread
+        unreadTooltip="Mark as read"
+        onPointerDown={vi.fn()}
+        onToggleUnread={vi.fn()}
+      />
+    )
+
+    expect(markup).toContain('aria-label="Mark as read"')
+    expect(markup).toContain('Mark as read')
+    expect(markup).toContain('Working')
+    expect(markup).toContain('text-amber-500')
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('border-yellow-500')
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('data-worktree-unread-alert=""')
+  })
+
   it('shows status in the unread toggle affordance', () => {
     const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
       <WorktreeCardStatusSlot
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCardStatusSlot.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCardStatusSlot.tsx
index 6da171f4b..eeff2b9c5 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCardStatusSlot.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCardStatusSlot.tsx
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ export function WorktreeCardStatusSlot({
         : statusLabel
   const passiveStatusTooltip =
     newCardStyle && isUnread ? `${passiveStatusLabel} · Unread` : passiveStatusLabel
+  // Why: the working spinner owns the new-card status lane, but unread state
+  // should still surface in tooltip/sr-only copy and reappear afterward.
+  const showNewCardUnreadAlert = newCardStyle && isUnread && showStatus && status !== 'working'
   const reviewStatusIconClassName = compactReviewAndBranchStatusIconClassName
   const branchStatusIcon = <GitBranch className={branchStatusIconClassName} aria-hidden="true" />
   const passiveStatus =
@@ -173,7 +176,7 @@ export function WorktreeCardStatusSlot({
   }
 
   if (!unreadActionEnabled) {
-    return overlayNewCardUnreadStatus(passiveStatus, newCardStyle && isUnread && showStatus)
+    return overlayNewCardUnreadStatus(passiveStatus, showNewCardUnreadAlert)
   }
 
   const actionLabel = isUnread ? 'Mark as read' : 'Mark as unread'