diff --git a/backend/app/api/activity.py b/backend/app/api/activity.py
index 12b40af..8f992cc 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/activity.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/activity.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import asyncio
 import json
 from collections import deque
-from datetime import UTC, datetime
+from datetime import UTC, datetime, timedelta
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
 from uuid import UUID
 
@@ -257,12 +257,14 @@ async def get_activity_ticker(
 ) -> list[ActivityTickerItem]:
     """Return recent activity items shaped for the navbar ticker."""
     board_ids = await list_accessible_board_ids(session, member=ctx.member, write=False)
+    cutoff = utcnow() - timedelta(minutes=15)
 
     statement = (
         select(ActivityEvent, Agent)
         .outerjoin(Agent, col(ActivityEvent.agent_id) == col(Agent.id))
         .outerjoin(Task, col(ActivityEvent.task_id) == col(Task.id))
         .where(func.length(func.trim(col(ActivityEvent.message))) > 0)
+        .where(col(ActivityEvent.created_at) >= cutoff)
         .order_by(desc(col(ActivityEvent.created_at)))
         .limit(limit)
     )
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/globals.css b/frontend/src/app/globals.css
index 127802a..ebfd0df 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/globals.css
+++ b/frontend/src/app/globals.css
@@ -215,6 +215,11 @@ textarea::placeholder {
   100% { transform: translateX(-50%); }
 }
 
+@keyframes live-pulse {
+  0%, 100% { opacity: 1; }
+  50%       { opacity: 0.2; }
+}
+
 @keyframes progress-shimmer {
   0% {
     transform: translateX(-100%);
@@ -272,6 +277,9 @@ textarea::placeholder {
   .animate-ticker:hover {
     animation-play-state: paused;
   }
+  .animate-live-pulse {
+    animation: live-pulse 1.4s ease-in-out infinite;
+  }
   .shadow-lush {
     box-shadow: var(--shadow-panel);
   }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/organisms/AgentActivityTicker.tsx b/frontend/src/components/organisms/AgentActivityTicker.tsx
index 18618ae..88c5067 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/organisms/AgentActivityTicker.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/organisms/AgentActivityTicker.tsx
@@ -62,8 +62,11 @@ export function AgentActivityTicker() {
 
   return (
     <div className="border-t border-[color:var(--border)] bg-[color:var(--surface-muted)] overflow-hidden h-8 flex items-center">
-      <span className="shrink-0 px-3 text-[11px] font-semibold uppercase tracking-widest text-[color:var(--text-quiet)] select-none border-r border-[color:var(--border)] h-full flex items-center">
-        Live
+      <span className="shrink-0 px-3 select-none border-r border-[color:var(--border)] h-full flex items-center">
+        <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 bg-red-600 text-white text-[10px] font-black tracking-[0.2em] uppercase px-2 py-0.5 rounded-sm shadow-sm shadow-red-900/40">
+          <span className="animate-live-pulse w-1.5 h-1.5 rounded-full bg-white" />
+          Live
+        </span>
       </span>
       <div className="flex-1 overflow-hidden h-full flex items-center">
         <div className="flex whitespace-nowrap animate-ticker">