diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/basic-tool.stories.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/basic-tool.stories.tsx
index 9d9d97acfe..b9cefc1329 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/basic-tool.stories.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/basic-tool.stories.tsx
@@ -4,19 +4,21 @@ import * as mod from "./basic-tool"
 import { create } from "../storybook/scaffold"
 
 const docs = `### Overview
-Expandable tool panel with a structured trigger and optional details.
+Tool call surface with explicit row and panel variants.
 
 Use structured triggers for consistent layout; custom triggers allowed.
 
 ### API
-- Required: \`icon\` and \`trigger\` (structured or custom JSX).
-- Optional: \`status\`, \`defaultOpen\`, \`forceOpen\`, \`defer\`, \`locked\`.
+- Required: \`variant\`, \`icon\`, and \`trigger\`.
+- Row tools render summary-only.
+- Panel/group tools support \`defaultOpen\`, \`forceOpen\`, \`defer\`, and \`locked\`.
 
 ### Variants and states
 - Pending/running status animates the title via TextShimmer.
 
 ### Behavior
-- Uses Collapsible; can defer content rendering until open.
+- Row tools skip collapsible state and render lightweight trigger-only markup.
+- Panel/group tools use Collapsible and can defer content rendering until open.
 - Locked state prevents closing.
 
 ### Accessibility
@@ -28,13 +30,15 @@ Use structured triggers for consistent layout; custom triggers allowed.
 `
 
 const story = create({
-  title: "UI/Basic Tool",
+  title: "UI/Tool Call",
   mod,
+  name: "ToolCall",
   args: {
+    variant: "panel",
     icon: "mcp",
     defaultOpen: true,
     trigger: {
-      title: "Basic Tool",
+      title: "Tool Call",
       subtitle: "Example subtitle",
       args: ["--flag", "value"],
     },
@@ -43,8 +47,8 @@ const story = create({
 })
 
 export default {
-  title: "UI/Basic Tool",
-  id: "components-basic-tool",
+  title: "UI/Tool Call",
+  id: "components-tool-call",
   component: story.meta.component,
   tags: ["autodocs"],
   parameters: {
@@ -60,6 +64,7 @@ export const Basic = story.Basic
 
 export const Pending = {
   args: {
+    variant: "panel",
     status: "pending",
     trigger: {
       title: "Running tool",
@@ -71,6 +76,7 @@ export const Pending = {
 
 export const Locked = {
   args: {
+    variant: "panel",
     locked: true,
     trigger: {
       title: "Locked tool",
@@ -82,6 +88,7 @@ export const Locked = {
 
 export const Deferred = {
   args: {
+    variant: "panel",
     defer: true,
     defaultOpen: false,
     trigger: {
@@ -94,6 +101,7 @@ export const Deferred = {
 
 export const ForceOpen = {
   args: {
+    variant: "panel",
     forceOpen: true,
     trigger: {
       title: "Forced open",
@@ -103,14 +111,14 @@ export const ForceOpen = {
   },
 }
 
-export const HideDetails = {
+export const Row = {
   args: {
-    hideDetails: true,
+    variant: "row",
+    icon: "mcp",
     trigger: {
       title: "Summary only",
-      subtitle: "Details hidden",
+      subtitle: "Lightweight row",
     },
-    children: "Hidden content",
   },
 }
 
@@ -120,13 +128,14 @@ export const SubtitleAction = {
     return (
       <div style={{ display: "grid", gap: "8px" }}>
         <div style={{ "font-size": "12px", color: "var(--text-weak)" }}>{message()}</div>
-        <mod.BasicTool
+        <mod.ToolCall
+          variant="panel"
           icon="mcp"
           trigger={{ title: "Clickable subtitle", subtitle: "Click me" }}
           onSubtitleClick={() => setMessage("Subtitle clicked")}
         >
           Subtitle action details
-        </mod.BasicTool>
+        </mod.ToolCall>
       </div>
     )
   },
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/basic-tool.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/basic-tool.tsx
index 1dfca0c929..621b337ae0 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/basic-tool.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/basic-tool.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,16 @@
-import { createEffect, createSignal, For, Match, on, onCleanup, onMount, Show, Switch, type JSX } from "solid-js"
+import {
+  createEffect,
+  createSignal,
+  For,
+  Match,
+  on,
+  onCleanup,
+  onMount,
+  Show,
+  splitProps,
+  Switch,
+  type JSX,
+} from "solid-js"
 import {
   animate,
   type AnimationPlaybackControls,
@@ -26,7 +38,7 @@ const isTriggerTitle = (val: any): val is TriggerTitle => {
   )
 }
 
-export interface BasicToolProps {
+interface ToolCallPanelBaseProps {
   icon: IconProps["name"]
   trigger: TriggerTitle | JSX.Element
   children?: JSX.Element
@@ -44,7 +56,78 @@ export interface BasicToolProps {
   onSubtitleClick?: () => void
 }
 
-export function BasicTool(props: BasicToolProps) {
+function ToolCallTriggerBody(props: {
+  trigger: TriggerTitle | JSX.Element
+  pending: boolean
+  onSubtitleClick?: () => void
+  arrow?: boolean
+}) {
+  return (
+    <div data-component="tool-trigger">
+      <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-trigger-content">
+        <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info">
+          <Switch>
+            <Match when={isTriggerTitle(props.trigger) && props.trigger}>
+              {(trigger) => (
+                <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-structured">
+                  <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-main">
+                    <span
+                      data-slot="basic-tool-tool-title"
+                      classList={{
+                        [trigger().titleClass ?? ""]: !!trigger().titleClass,
+                      }}
+                    >
+                      <TextShimmer text={trigger().title} active={props.pending} />
+                    </span>
+                    <Show when={!props.pending}>
+                      <Show when={trigger().subtitle}>
+                        <span
+                          data-slot="basic-tool-tool-subtitle"
+                          classList={{
+                            [trigger().subtitleClass ?? ""]: !!trigger().subtitleClass,
+                            clickable: !!props.onSubtitleClick,
+                          }}
+                          onClick={(e) => {
+                            if (!props.onSubtitleClick) return
+                            e.stopPropagation()
+                            props.onSubtitleClick()
+                          }}
+                        >
+                          {trigger().subtitle}
+                        </span>
+                      </Show>
+                      <Show when={trigger().args?.length}>
+                        <For each={trigger().args}>
+                          {(arg) => (
+                            <span
+                              data-slot="basic-tool-tool-arg"
+                              classList={{
+                                [trigger().argsClass ?? ""]: !!trigger().argsClass,
+                              }}
+                            >
+                              {arg}
+                            </span>
+                          )}
+                        </For>
+                      </Show>
+                    </Show>
+                  </div>
+                  <Show when={!props.pending && trigger().action}>{trigger().action}</Show>
+                </div>
+              )}
+            </Match>
+            <Match when={true}>{props.trigger as JSX.Element}</Match>
+          </Switch>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+      <Show when={props.arrow}>
+        <Collapsible.Arrow />
+      </Show>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+function ToolCallPanel(props: ToolCallPanelBaseProps) {
   const [open, setOpen] = createSignal(props.defaultOpen ?? false)
   const [ready, setReady] = createSignal(open())
   const pending = () => props.status === "pending" || props.status === "running"
@@ -197,68 +280,12 @@ export function BasicTool(props: BasicToolProps) {
   return (
     <Collapsible open={open()} onOpenChange={handleOpenChange} class="tool-collapsible">
       <Collapsible.Trigger>
-        <div data-component="tool-trigger">
-          <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-trigger-content">
-            <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info">
-              <Switch>
-                <Match when={isTriggerTitle(props.trigger) && props.trigger}>
-                  {(trigger) => (
-                    <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-structured">
-                      <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-main">
-                        <span
-                          data-slot="basic-tool-tool-title"
-                          classList={{
-                            [trigger().titleClass ?? ""]: !!trigger().titleClass,
-                          }}
-                        >
-                          <TextShimmer text={trigger().title} active={pending()} />
-                        </span>
-                        <Show when={!pending()}>
-                          <Show when={trigger().subtitle}>
-                            <span
-                              data-slot="basic-tool-tool-subtitle"
-                              classList={{
-                                [trigger().subtitleClass ?? ""]: !!trigger().subtitleClass,
-                                clickable: !!props.onSubtitleClick,
-                              }}
-                              onClick={(e) => {
-                                if (props.onSubtitleClick) {
-                                  e.stopPropagation()
-                                  props.onSubtitleClick()
-                                }
-                              }}
-                            >
-                              {trigger().subtitle}
-                            </span>
-                          </Show>
-                          <Show when={trigger().args?.length}>
-                            <For each={trigger().args}>
-                              {(arg) => (
-                                <span
-                                  data-slot="basic-tool-tool-arg"
-                                  classList={{
-                                    [trigger().argsClass ?? ""]: !!trigger().argsClass,
-                                  }}
-                                >
-                                  {arg}
-                                </span>
-                              )}
-                            </For>
-                          </Show>
-                        </Show>
-                      </div>
-                      <Show when={!pending() && trigger().action}>{trigger().action}</Show>
-                    </div>
-                  )}
-                </Match>
-                <Match when={true}>{props.trigger as JSX.Element}</Match>
-              </Switch>
-            </div>
-          </div>
-          <Show when={props.children && !props.hideDetails && !props.locked && !pending()}>
-            <Collapsible.Arrow />
-          </Show>
-        </div>
+        <ToolCallTriggerBody
+          trigger={props.trigger}
+          pending={pending()}
+          onSubtitleClick={props.onSubtitleClick}
+          arrow={!!props.children && !props.hideDetails && !props.locked && !pending()}
+        />
       </Collapsible.Trigger>
       <Show when={props.animated && props.animate !== false && props.children && !props.hideDetails}>
         <div
@@ -287,6 +314,67 @@ export function BasicTool(props: BasicToolProps) {
   )
 }
 
-export function GenericTool(props: { tool: string; status?: string; hideDetails?: boolean }) {
-  return <BasicTool icon="mcp" status={props.status} trigger={{ title: props.tool }} hideDetails={props.hideDetails} />
+export interface ToolCallRowProps {
+  variant: "row"
+  icon: IconProps["name"]
+  trigger: TriggerTitle | JSX.Element
+  status?: string
+  animate?: boolean
+  onSubtitleClick?: () => void
+}
+
+// `group` currently shares the same behavior as `panel`; the separate variant is semantic so grouped call sites can stay explicit.
+export interface ToolCallPanelProps extends Omit<ToolCallPanelBaseProps, "hideDetails"> {
+  variant: "panel" | "group"
+}
+
+export type ToolCallProps = ToolCallRowProps | ToolCallPanelProps
+function ToolCallRoot(props: ToolCallProps) {
+  const [local, rest] = splitProps(props, ["variant", "trigger", "status", "onSubtitleClick"])
+  const pending = () => local.status === "pending" || local.status === "running"
+  if (local.variant === "row") {
+    return (
+      <div data-component="collapsible" data-variant="normal" class="tool-collapsible">
+        <div data-slot="collapsible-trigger">
+          <ToolCallTriggerBody trigger={local.trigger} pending={pending()} onSubtitleClick={local.onSubtitleClick} />
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
+
+  return (
+    <ToolCallPanel {...rest} trigger={local.trigger} status={local.status} onSubtitleClick={local.onSubtitleClick} />
+  )
+}
+
+function ToolCallList(props: { children?: JSX.Element }) {
+  return <div data-component="tool-call-list">{props.children}</div>
+}
+
+function ToolCallRow(props: { children: JSX.Element }) {
+  return (
+    <div data-slot="tool-call-item">
+      <div data-component="tool-trigger">
+        <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-trigger-content">
+          <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info">{props.children}</div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
+
+export const ToolCall = Object.assign(ToolCallRoot, {
+  List: ToolCallList,
+  Row: ToolCallRow,
+})
+
+export function GenericTool(props: { tool: string; status?: string; hideDetails?: boolean }) {
+  return (
+    <ToolCall
+      variant={props.hideDetails ? "row" : "panel"}
+      icon="mcp"
+      status={props.status}
+      trigger={{ title: props.tool }}
+    />
+  )
 }
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/message-part.css b/packages/ui/src/components/message-part.css
index fc4504e2a4..470e256e58 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/message-part.css
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/message-part.css
@@ -637,16 +637,18 @@
   }
 }
 
-[data-component="context-tool-group-list"] {
+[data-component="context-tool-group-list"],
+[data-component="tool-call-list"] {
   margin-top: -4px;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   gap: 0px;
+}
 
-  [data-slot="context-tool-group-item"] {
-    min-width: 0;
-    padding: 4px 0;
-  }
+[data-component="context-tool-group-list"] [data-slot="context-tool-group-item"],
+[data-component="tool-call-list"] [data-slot="tool-call-item"] {
+  min-width: 0;
+  padding: 4px 0;
 }
 
 [data-component="diagnostics"] {
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/message-part.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/message-part.tsx
index 2fb3c7915a..6a227223a6 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/message-part.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/message-part.tsx
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ import { useData } from "../context"
 import { useFileComponent } from "../context/file"
 import { useDialog } from "../context/dialog"
 import { useI18n } from "../context/i18n"
-import { BasicTool } from "./basic-tool"
-import { GenericTool } from "./basic-tool"
+import { GenericTool, ToolCall } from "./basic-tool"
 import { Accordion } from "./accordion"
 import { StickyAccordionHeader } from "./sticky-accordion-header"
 import { Card } from "./card"
@@ -653,7 +652,8 @@ function ContextToolGroup(props: { parts: ToolPart[]; busy?: boolean; animate?:
   const summary = createMemo(() => contextToolSummary(props.parts))
 
   return (
-    <BasicTool
+    <ToolCall
+      variant="group"
       icon="magnifying-glass-menu"
       animated
       animate
@@ -703,39 +703,33 @@ function ContextToolGroup(props: { parts: ToolPart[]; busy?: boolean; animate?:
         </div>
       }
     >
-      <div data-component="context-tool-group-list">
+      <ToolCall.List>
         <For each={props.parts}>
           {(part) => {
             const trigger = contextToolTrigger(part, i18n)
             const running = createMemo(() => busy(part.state.status))
             const reveal = useToolReveal(running, () => props.animate !== false)
             return (
-              <div data-slot="context-tool-group-item">
-                <div data-component="tool-trigger">
-                  <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-trigger-content">
-                    <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info">
-                      <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-structured">
-                        <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-main">
-                          <span data-slot="basic-tool-tool-title">
-                            <TextShimmer text={trigger.title} active={running()} />
-                          </span>
-                          <Show when={trigger.subtitle}>{(text) => <ToolText text={text()} animate={reveal()} />}</Show>
-                          <Show when={trigger.args?.length}>
-                            <For each={trigger.args}>
-                              {(arg, idx) => <ToolArg text={arg} delay={0.02 * (idx() + 1)} animate={reveal()} />}
-                            </For>
-                          </Show>
-                        </div>
-                      </div>
-                    </div>
+              <ToolCall.Row>
+                <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-structured">
+                  <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-main">
+                    <span data-slot="basic-tool-tool-title">
+                      <TextShimmer text={trigger.title} active={running()} />
+                    </span>
+                    <Show when={trigger.subtitle}>{(text) => <ToolText text={text()} animate={reveal()} />}</Show>
+                    <Show when={trigger.args?.length}>
+                      <For each={trigger.args}>
+                        {(arg, idx) => <ToolArg text={arg} delay={0.02 * (idx() + 1)} animate={reveal()} />}
+                      </For>
+                    </Show>
                   </div>
                 </div>
-              </div>
+              </ToolCall.Row>
             )
           }}
         </For>
-      </div>
-    </BasicTool>
+      </ToolCall.List>
+    </ToolCall>
   )
 }
 
@@ -1251,7 +1245,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     const pending = createMemo(() => busy(props.status))
     return (
       <>
-        <BasicTool
+        <ToolCall
+          variant="row"
           {...props}
           icon="glasses"
           trigger={
@@ -1285,7 +1280,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     const i18n = useI18n()
     const pending = createMemo(() => busy(props.status))
     return (
-      <BasicTool
+      <ToolCall
+        variant="panel"
         {...props}
         icon="bullet-list"
         trigger={
@@ -1304,7 +1300,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
             </div>
           )}
         </Show>
-      </BasicTool>
+      </ToolCall>
     )
   },
 })
@@ -1315,7 +1311,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     const i18n = useI18n()
     const pending = createMemo(() => busy(props.status))
     return (
-      <BasicTool
+      <ToolCall
+        variant="panel"
         {...props}
         icon="magnifying-glass-menu"
         trigger={
@@ -1335,7 +1332,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
             </div>
           )}
         </Show>
-      </BasicTool>
+      </ToolCall>
     )
   },
 })
@@ -1349,7 +1346,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     if (props.input.include) args.push("include=" + props.input.include)
     const pending = createMemo(() => busy(props.status))
     return (
-      <BasicTool
+      <ToolCall
+        variant="panel"
         {...props}
         icon="magnifying-glass-menu"
         trigger={
@@ -1369,7 +1367,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
             </div>
           )}
         </Show>
-      </BasicTool>
+      </ToolCall>
     )
   },
 })
@@ -1623,9 +1621,9 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
       return value
     })
     return (
-      <BasicTool
+      <ToolCall
+        variant="row"
         {...props}
-        hideDetails
         icon="window-cursor"
         trigger={
           <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-structured">
@@ -1716,7 +1714,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
       </div>
     )
 
-    return <BasicTool icon="task" status={props.status} trigger={trigger()} hideDetails animate />
+    return <ToolCall variant="row" icon="task" status={props.status} trigger={trigger()} animate />
   },
 })
 
@@ -1753,7 +1751,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     }
 
     return (
-      <BasicTool
+      <ToolCall
+        variant="panel"
         {...props}
         icon="console"
         animate
@@ -1794,7 +1793,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
             </pre>
           </div>
         </div>
-      </BasicTool>
+      </ToolCall>
     )
   },
 })
@@ -1811,7 +1810,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     const reveal = useToolReveal(pending, () => props.reveal !== false)
     return (
       <div data-component="edit-tool">
-        <BasicTool
+        <ToolCall
+          variant="panel"
           {...props}
           icon="code-lines"
           animated
@@ -1861,7 +1861,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
             </ToolFileAccordion>
           </Show>
           <DiagnosticsDisplay diagnostics={diagnostics()} />
-        </BasicTool>
+        </ToolCall>
       </div>
     )
   },
@@ -1879,7 +1879,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     const reveal = useToolReveal(pending, () => props.reveal !== false)
     return (
       <div data-component="write-tool">
-        <BasicTool
+        <ToolCall
+          variant="panel"
           {...props}
           icon="code-lines"
           animated
@@ -1919,7 +1920,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
             </ToolFileAccordion>
           </Show>
           <DiagnosticsDisplay diagnostics={diagnostics()} />
-        </BasicTool>
+        </ToolCall>
       </div>
     )
   },
@@ -1967,7 +1968,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
 
     return (
       <div data-component="apply-patch-tool">
-        <BasicTool
+        <ToolCall
+          variant="panel"
           {...props}
           icon="code-lines"
           defer
@@ -2122,7 +2124,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
               </ToolFileAccordion>
             )}
           </Show>
-        </BasicTool>
+        </ToolCall>
       </div>
     )
   },
@@ -2150,7 +2152,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     })
 
     return (
-      <BasicTool
+      <ToolCall
+        variant="panel"
         {...props}
         defaultOpen
         icon="checklist"
@@ -2179,7 +2182,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
             </For>
           </div>
         </Show>
-      </BasicTool>
+      </ToolCall>
     )
   },
 })
@@ -2201,7 +2204,8 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
     })
 
     return (
-      <BasicTool
+      <ToolCall
+        variant="panel"
         {...props}
         defaultOpen={false}
         icon="bubble-5"
@@ -2229,7 +2233,7 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
             </For>
           </div>
         </Show>
-      </BasicTool>
+      </ToolCall>
     )
   },
 })
@@ -2252,6 +2256,6 @@ ToolRegistry.register({
       </div>
     )
 
-    return <BasicTool icon="brain" status={props.status} trigger={trigger()} hideDetails animate />
+    return <ToolCall variant="row" icon="brain" status={props.status} trigger={trigger()} animate />
   },
 })
diff --git a/packages/ui/src/components/shell-submessage-motion.stories.tsx b/packages/ui/src/components/shell-submessage-motion.stories.tsx
index 444fc0fa9a..414d0a9d87 100644
--- a/packages/ui/src/components/shell-submessage-motion.stories.tsx
+++ b/packages/ui/src/components/shell-submessage-motion.stories.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // @ts-nocheck
 import { createEffect, createSignal, onCleanup } from "solid-js"
-import { BasicTool } from "./basic-tool"
+import { ToolCall } from "./basic-tool"
 import { animate } from "motion"
 
 export default {
@@ -97,12 +97,7 @@ const ease = {
   linear: "linear",
 }
 
-function SpringSubmessage(props: {
-  text: string
-  visible: boolean
-  visualDuration: number
-  bounce: number
-}) {
+function SpringSubmessage(props: { text: string; visible: boolean; visualDuration: number; bounce: number }) {
   let ref: HTMLSpanElement | undefined
   let widthRef: HTMLSpanElement | undefined
 
@@ -194,19 +189,15 @@ export const Playground = {
       >
         <style>{shellCss}</style>
 
-        <BasicTool
+        <ToolCall
+          variant="panel"
           icon="console"
           defaultOpen
           trigger={
             <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-structured">
               <div data-slot="basic-tool-tool-info-main">
                 <span data-slot="basic-tool-tool-title">Shell</span>
-                <SpringSubmessage
-                  text={text()}
-                  visible={show()}
-                  visualDuration={visualDuration()}
-                  bounce={bounce()}
-                />
+                <SpringSubmessage text={text()} visible={show()} visualDuration={visualDuration()} bounce={bounce()} />
               </div>
             </div>
           }
@@ -225,7 +216,7 @@ export const Playground = {
           >
             {"$ cat <<'TOPIC1'"}
           </div>
-        </BasicTool>
+        </ToolCall>
 
         <div style={{ display: "flex", gap: "8px", "flex-wrap": "wrap" }}>
           <button onClick={replay} style={btn()}>