diff --git a/frontend/src/app/dashboard/page.tsx b/frontend/src/app/dashboard/page.tsx
index 7c0552c..cd04a9e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/dashboard/page.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/dashboard/page.tsx
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ import {
 import { GatewayHealthPanel } from "@/components/dashboard/GatewayHealthPanel";
 import { GatewayCronPanel } from "@/components/dashboard/GatewayCronPanel";
 import { BotStatusSection } from "@/components/dashboard/BotStatusSection";
+import { getLatestBotReport } from "@/lib/api/bot";
 import {
   type listAgentsApiV1AgentsGetResponse,
   useListAgentsApiV1AgentsGet,
@@ -440,6 +441,7 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
   const { isSignedIn } = useAuth();
   const [selectedForgejoRepositoryId, setSelectedForgejoRepositoryId] =
     useState(ALL_FORGEJO_REPOSITORIES);
+  const [ripleyAutoSelected, setRipleyAutoSelected] = useState(false);
   const [isRefreshingForgejoSync, setIsRefreshingForgejoSync] = useState(false);
   const [createForgejoIssueOpen, setCreateForgejoIssueOpen] = useState(false);
 
@@ -503,6 +505,13 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
     },
   );
 
+  const botReportQuery = useQuery({
+    queryKey: ["bot-report-latest"],
+    queryFn: getLatestBotReport,
+    enabled: Boolean(isSignedIn),
+    refetchInterval: 30_000,
+  });
+
   const forgejoRepositoriesQuery = useQuery<ForgejoRepository[], Error>({
     queryKey: ["dashboard", "forgejo", "repositories"],
     enabled: Boolean(isSignedIn),
@@ -556,6 +565,26 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
     }
   }, [forgejoRepositories, selectedForgejoRepositoryId]);
 
+  // Auto-select the Forgejo repo that matches Ripley's reported project.
+  // Only fires once on initial load while the user hasn't manually chosen.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (ripleyAutoSelected) return;
+    const project = botReportQuery.data?.project;
+    if (!project || forgejoRepositories.length === 0) return;
+    if (selectedForgejoRepositoryId !== ALL_FORGEJO_REPOSITORIES) return;
+    const needle = project.toLowerCase().trim();
+    const match = forgejoRepositories.find((repo) => {
+      const repoName = repo.repo.toLowerCase().trim();
+      const displayName = repo.display_name.toLowerCase().trim();
+      return repoName === needle || displayName === needle ||
+        repoName.includes(needle) || needle.includes(repoName);
+    });
+    if (match) {
+      setSelectedForgejoRepositoryId(match.id);
+      setRipleyAutoSelected(true);
+    }
+  }, [botReportQuery.data, forgejoRepositories, ripleyAutoSelected, selectedForgejoRepositoryId]);
+
   const forgejoMetricsQuery = useQuery<ForgejoIssueMetrics | null, Error>({
     queryKey: [
       "dashboard",
@@ -1376,7 +1405,10 @@ export default function DashboardPage() {
                 repositories={forgejoRepositories}
                 metricRepositories={scopedForgejoRepositories}
                 selectedRepositoryId={selectedForgejoRepositoryId}
-                onSelectedRepositoryChange={setSelectedForgejoRepositoryId}
+                onSelectedRepositoryChange={(id) => {
+                  if (id === ALL_FORGEJO_REPOSITORIES) setRipleyAutoSelected(false);
+                  setSelectedForgejoRepositoryId(id);
+                }}
                 onRefreshLastSync={handleRefreshForgejoLastSync}
                 onCreateIssue={() => setCreateForgejoIssueOpen(true)}
                 isRefreshingLastSync={isRefreshingForgejoSync}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/BotStatusSection.tsx b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/BotStatusSection.tsx
index 7e0c89e..b13e1da 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/dashboard/BotStatusSection.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/dashboard/BotStatusSection.tsx
@@ -1,61 +1,193 @@
 "use client";
 
-import { Bot, Clock } from "lucide-react";
+import { ArrowUpRight, Bot, Clock, KeyRound } from "lucide-react";
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import Link from "next/link";
 
 import { getLatestBotReport, type BotReportRead } from "@/lib/api/bot";
-import { DashboardSection } from "./DashboardSection";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import {
+  sectionRail,
+  sectionTone,
+  toneIcon,
+  type MetricToneKey,
+  type SectionToneKey,
+} from "./tokens";
 
 function timeAgo(iso: string): string {
-  const diff = Math.floor((Date.now() - new Date(iso).getTime()) / 1000);
+  // Backend returns naive UTC datetimes without 'Z'; append it so the browser
+  // parses correctly instead of treating the string as local time.
+  const utc = /Z|[+-]\d{2}:?\d{2}$/.test(iso) ? iso : `${iso}Z`;
+  const diff = Math.floor((Date.now() - new Date(utc).getTime()) / 1000);
+  if (diff < 5) return "just now";
   if (diff < 60) return `${diff}s ago`;
   if (diff < 3600) return `${Math.floor(diff / 60)}m ago`;
   if (diff < 86400) return `${Math.floor(diff / 3600)}h ago`;
   return `${Math.floor(diff / 86400)}d ago`;
 }
 
-function StatusBadge({ status }: { status: string | null }) {
-  if (!status) return null;
-  const styles: Record<string, string> = {
-    busy: "bg-[color:rgba(251,191,36,0.15)] text-[color:var(--warning)]",
-    idle: "bg-[color:rgba(52,211,153,0.15)] text-[color:var(--success)]",
-    error: "bg-[color:rgba(248,113,113,0.12)] text-[color:var(--danger)]",
+type BotStatusTone = {
+  label: string;
+  tone: SectionToneKey;
+  iconTone: MetricToneKey | "neutral";
+  badgeClassName: string;
+  dotClassName: string;
+  message: string;
+};
+
+function getStatusTone(report: BotReportRead | null): BotStatusTone {
+  const status = report?.status?.toLowerCase();
+
+  if (status === "idle") {
+    return {
+      label: "Idle",
+      tone: "success",
+      iconTone: "success",
+      badgeClassName:
+        "border-[color:rgba(52,211,153,0.28)] bg-[color:rgba(52,211,153,0.14)] text-[color:var(--success)]",
+      dotClassName:
+        "bg-[color:var(--success)] shadow-[0_0_0_3px_rgba(52,211,153,0.14)]",
+      message: "Ready for work",
+    };
+  }
+
+  if (status === "busy") {
+    return {
+      label: "Busy",
+      tone: "warning",
+      iconTone: "warning",
+      badgeClassName:
+        "border-[color:rgba(251,191,36,0.3)] bg-[color:rgba(251,191,36,0.14)] text-[color:var(--warning)]",
+      dotClassName:
+        "bg-[color:var(--warning)] shadow-[0_0_0_3px_rgba(251,191,36,0.14)]",
+      message: "Working now",
+    };
+  }
+
+  if (status === "error") {
+    return {
+      label: "Error",
+      tone: "danger",
+      iconTone: "danger",
+      badgeClassName:
+        "border-[color:rgba(248,113,113,0.3)] bg-[color:rgba(248,113,113,0.12)] text-[color:var(--danger)]",
+      dotClassName:
+        "bg-[color:var(--danger)] shadow-[0_0_0_3px_rgba(248,113,113,0.14)]",
+      message: "Needs attention",
+    };
+  }
+
+  if (report?.status) {
+    return {
+      label: report.status,
+      tone: "accent",
+      iconTone: "accent",
+      badgeClassName:
+        "border-[color:rgba(96,165,250,0.28)] bg-[color:rgba(96,165,250,0.13)] text-[color:var(--accent-strong)]",
+      dotClassName:
+        "bg-[color:var(--accent-strong)] shadow-[0_0_0_3px_rgba(96,165,250,0.14)]",
+      message: "Status reported",
+    };
+  }
+
+  return {
+    label: "Offline",
+    tone: "neutral",
+    iconTone: "neutral",
+    badgeClassName:
+      "border-[color:var(--border)] bg-[color:var(--surface-strong)] text-muted",
+    dotClassName:
+      "bg-[color:var(--text-muted)] shadow-[0_0_0_3px_rgba(148,163,184,0.12)]",
+    message: "Awaiting first report",
   };
-  const style = styles[status.toLowerCase()] ?? "bg-[color:var(--surface-strong)] text-muted";
+}
+
+function StatusBadge({ statusTone }: { statusTone: BotStatusTone }) {
   return (
-    <span className={`inline-flex items-center rounded-full px-2 py-0.5 text-[11px] font-medium ${style}`}>
-      {status}
+    <span
+      className={cn(
+        "inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-full border px-2.5 py-1 text-[11px] font-semibold",
+        statusTone.badgeClassName,
+      )}
+    >
+      <span
+        className={cn("h-1.5 w-1.5 rounded-full", statusTone.dotClassName)}
+        aria-hidden="true"
+      />
+      {statusTone.label}
     </span>
   );
 }
 
-function ReportContent({ report }: { report: BotReportRead }) {
-  return (
-    <div className="space-y-3">
-      <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-3">
-        <div className="min-w-0">
-          <p className="text-2xl font-semibold text-strong truncate">
-            {report.project ?? "—"}
-          </p>
-          {report.task && (
-            <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-muted truncate">{report.task}</p>
-          )}
-        </div>
-        <StatusBadge status={report.status} />
-      </div>
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 text-xs text-muted">
-        <Clock className="h-3 w-3" />
-        {timeAgo(report.reported_at)}
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  );
-}
+function Banner({ report }: { report: BotReportRead | null }) {
+  const statusTone = getStatusTone(report);
+  const target = report
+    ? [report.project ?? "No project", report.task].filter(Boolean).join(" / ")
+    : "Ripley has not reported in yet.";
 
-function EmptyState() {
   return (
-    <div className="flex items-center gap-3 rounded-lg border border-[color:var(--border)] bg-[color:var(--surface-muted)] px-4 py-3 text-sm text-muted">
-      <Bot className="h-4 w-4 shrink-0" />
-      Ripley hasn&apos;t reported in yet.
+    <div
+      className={cn(
+        "group relative overflow-hidden rounded-xl border p-3 shadow-lush transition hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:shadow-md md:p-4",
+        sectionTone[statusTone.tone],
+      )}
+    >
+      <span
+        className={cn(
+          "pointer-events-none absolute inset-x-4 top-0 h-px",
+          sectionRail[statusTone.tone],
+        )}
+      />
+      <div className="relative flex flex-col gap-3 lg:flex-row lg:items-center lg:justify-between">
+        <div className="flex min-w-0 items-start gap-3">
+          <div
+            className={cn(
+              "flex h-11 w-11 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-lg",
+              statusTone.iconTone === "neutral"
+                ? "border border-[color:var(--border)] bg-[color:var(--surface-muted)] text-muted"
+                : toneIcon[statusTone.iconTone],
+            )}
+          >
+            <Bot className="h-5 w-5" />
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="min-w-0">
+            <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+              <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
+                <p className="truncate font-heading text-base font-semibold text-strong">
+                  Ripley
+                </p>
+                <span className="hidden h-1 w-1 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-[color:var(--border)] sm:block" />
+              </div>
+              <StatusBadge statusTone={statusTone} />
+            </div>
+            <div className="mt-1 flex min-w-0 flex-col gap-0.5 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:gap-2">
+              <p className="text-xs font-medium text-muted">
+                {statusTone.message}
+              </p>
+              <span className="hidden h-1 w-1 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-[color:var(--border)] sm:block" />
+              <p className="min-w-0 truncate text-sm text-muted">{target}</p>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
+        <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 pl-14 lg:shrink-0 lg:pl-0">
+          {report ? (
+            <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-lg border border-[color:var(--border)] bg-[color:var(--surface-muted)] px-2.5 py-1.5 text-xs text-muted">
+              <Clock className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+              {timeAgo(report.reported_at)}
+            </span>
+          ) : null}
+          <Link
+            href="/settings/bot-api-keys"
+            className="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-lg border border-[color:var(--border)] bg-[color:var(--surface)] px-2.5 py-1.5 text-xs font-medium text-muted transition hover:border-[color:var(--accent)] hover:text-[color:var(--accent)]"
+          >
+            <KeyRound className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+            Manage keys
+            <ArrowUpRight className="h-3 w-3 opacity-70 transition group-hover:translate-x-0.5 group-hover:-translate-y-0.5" />
+          </Link>
+        </div>
+      </div>
     </div>
   );
 }
@@ -67,14 +199,5 @@ export function BotStatusSection() {
     refetchInterval: 30_000,
   });
 
-  return (
-    <DashboardSection
-      title="Ripley"
-      tone="warning"
-      action={{ label: "Manage keys", href: "/settings/bot-api-keys" }}
-      infoText="Current project reported by the OpenClaw agent"
-    >
-      {report ? <ReportContent report={report} /> : <EmptyState />}
-    </DashboardSection>
-  );
+  return <Banner report={report ?? null} />;
 }