diff --git a/ui/src/lib/acp-transcript.ts b/ui/src/lib/acp-transcript.ts
index 3dd3a98..cc42e04 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/acp-transcript.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/acp-transcript.ts
@@ -302,13 +302,21 @@ export function applySessionUpdate(
     transcript.thinkingStartTime = 0;
     transcript.thinkingElapsedSeconds = 0;
 
-    // ACP is the source of truth for durable chat transcript messages. The
-    // chat page should not append a separate local user bubble for the same
-    // prompt; it should wait for this echoed user_message_chunk instead.
     if (historical) {
       appendHistoricalText(transcript, 'user', text, (update.historyMessageId || update.messageId) as string);
     } else {
-      appendStreamingText(transcript, 'user', text);
+      // Check for an optimistic user message to upgrade instead of duplicating.
+      const optimisticIdx = findLiveReplayCandidateIndex(transcript, 'user', text);
+      if (optimisticIdx !== -1) {
+        const optimistic = transcript.messages[optimisticIdx];
+        const messageKey = String((update.historyMessageId || update.messageId) || '').trim();
+        if (messageKey) optimistic._historyMessageId = messageKey;
+        const textBlock = optimistic.blocks.find((b) => b.type === 'text');
+        if (textBlock) textBlock.text = text;
+        optimistic.streaming = false;
+      } else {
+        appendStreamingText(transcript, 'user', text);
+      }
     }
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/ui/src/lib/use-chat-connection.ts b/ui/src/lib/use-chat-connection.ts
index 7b5d9a2..8be2120 100644
--- a/ui/src/lib/use-chat-connection.ts
+++ b/ui/src/lib/use-chat-connection.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ interface UseChatConnectionResult {
   status: string;
   permissionQueue: PermissionEntry[];
   sendPrompt: (text: string) => Promise<void>;
+  appendOptimisticMessage: (text: string) => void;
   cancelPrompt: () => void;
   shiftPermissionQueue: () => void;
 }
@@ -94,6 +95,16 @@ export function useChatConnection({
     setStatus('Completed');
   }, []);
 
+  const appendOptimisticMessage = useCallback((text: string) => {
+    const session = transcriptSessionRef.current;
+    session.transcript.messages.push({
+      role: 'user',
+      blocks: [{ type: 'text', text }],
+      streaming: false,
+    });
+    syncTranscript(session.transcript);
+  }, [syncTranscript]);
+
   const cancelPrompt = useCallback(() => {
     clientRef.current?.cancelPrompt();
   }, []);
@@ -413,6 +424,7 @@ export function useChatConnection({
     status,
     permissionQueue,
     sendPrompt,
+    appendOptimisticMessage,
     cancelPrompt,
     shiftPermissionQueue,
   };
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/chat.tsx b/ui/src/pages/chat.tsx
index dfc8793..139b727 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/chat.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/chat.tsx
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ export function ChatPage() {
     status,
     permissionQueue,
     sendPrompt,
+    appendOptimisticMessage,
     cancelPrompt,
     shiftPermissionQueue,
   } = useChatConnection({
@@ -320,9 +321,18 @@ export function ChatPage() {
         ? ''
         : buildFallbackConversationTitle(text);
 
-      // ACP owns durable transcript entries, including the echoed user prompt.
-      // Keep send feedback in ephemeral UI state and wait for ACP to write the
-      // real message so the transcript cannot diverge or duplicate.
+      // Show the user bubble immediately (optimistic). The server echo
+      // will be deduplicated via findLiveReplayCandidateIndex in acp-transcript.
+      appendOptimisticMessage(text);
+
+      // Clear composer and draft immediately so the input feels responsive.
+      if (activeConversationId && activeSpritzName) {
+        clearChatDraft(activeSpritzName, activeConversationId);
+        if (selectedConversationRef.current?.metadata?.name === activeConversationId) {
+          setComposerText('');
+        }
+      }
+
       try {
         await sendPrompt(text);
         if (activeConversationId && fallbackTitle) {
@@ -333,12 +343,6 @@ export function ChatPage() {
             body: JSON.stringify({ title: fallbackTitle }),
           }).catch(() => {});
         }
-        if (activeConversationId && activeSpritzName) {
-          clearChatDraft(activeSpritzName, activeConversationId);
-          if (selectedConversationRef.current?.metadata?.name === activeConversationId) {
-            setComposerText('');
-          }
-        }
       } catch (err) {
         if (activeConversationId && activeSpritzName) {
           writeChatDraft(activeSpritzName, activeConversationId, previousComposerText);
@@ -349,7 +353,7 @@ export function ChatPage() {
         toast.error(err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to send message.');
       }
     },
-    [applyConversationTitle, composerText, name, sendPrompt],
+    [appendOptimisticMessage, applyConversationTitle, composerText, name, sendPrompt],
   );
 
   const handleSelectConversation = useCallback((conv: ConversationInfo) => {