diff --git a/pi/files/agent/extensions/timestamps.ts b/pi/files/agent/extensions/timestamps.ts
index 2b15e1c..e6441a5 100644
--- a/pi/files/agent/extensions/timestamps.ts
+++ b/pi/files/agent/extensions/timestamps.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ export default function (pi: ExtensionAPI) {
 		return box;
 	});
 
-	// Renderer for assistant timestamp
+	// Renderer for legacy timestamp-suffix messages (from old sessions)
 	pi.registerMessageRenderer("timestamp-suffix", (message, _options, theme) => {
 		const details = message.details as { timestamp: number; elapsed: string; duration?: number } | undefined;
 		if (!details) return new Text("");
@@ -104,27 +104,32 @@ export default function (pi: ExtensionAPI) {
 		if (lastTurnDuration !== null) {
 			const now = Date.now();
 			const elapsed = formatElapsed(now - sessionStart);
-			pi.sendMessage(
-				{
-					customType: "timestamp-suffix",
-					content: "",
-					display: true,
-					details: { timestamp: now, elapsed, duration: lastTurnDuration },
-				},
-				{ deliverAs: "followUp", triggerTurn: false }
-			);
+			const timeStr = formatTime(new Date(now));
+			let line = `○ ${timeStr} (+${elapsed})`;
+			if (lastTurnDuration > 1000) {
+				line += ` • took ${formatDuration(lastTurnDuration)}`;
+			}
+			ctx.ui.notify(line, "info");
 		}
 	});
 
-	// Inject timestamp marker right before agent starts
-	pi.on("before_agent_start", async (event) => {
+	// Strip old timestamp-suffix messages from LLM context
+	pi.on("context", async (event) => {
+		const messages = event.messages.filter(
+			(m: any) => m.role !== "custom" || (m.customType !== "timestamp-prefix" && m.customType !== "timestamp-suffix")
+		);
+		return { messages };
+	});
+
+	// Inject timestamp marker right before agent starts (inline, persistent)
+	pi.on("before_agent_start", async () => {
 		const now = Date.now();
 		const elapsed = formatElapsed(now - sessionStart);
 
 		return {
 			message: {
 				customType: "timestamp-prefix",
-				content: "",
+				content: ".",
 				display: true,
 				details: { timestamp: now, elapsed },
 			},
diff --git a/pi/files/agent/settings.json b/pi/files/agent/settings.json
index 39e1c30..d96fe2f 100644
--- a/pi/files/agent/settings.json
+++ b/pi/files/agent/settings.json
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 {
   "lastChangelogVersion": "0.55.4",
   "defaultProvider": "openrouter",
-  "defaultModel": "openai/gpt-5.2-codex",
-  "defaultThinkingLevel": "off",
+  "defaultModel": "openai/gpt-5.3-codex",
+  "defaultThinkingLevel": "minimal",
   "theme": "matugen",
   "lsp": {
     "hookMode": "edit_write"