diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback-model.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback-model.test.ts
index bf4409384..18d2edffc 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback-model.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback-model.test.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
 import {
   buildToolView,
+  clampForDisplay,
   countDiffLineStats,
   inlineDiffFromResult,
+  MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS,
   type ToolPart
 } from './tool-fallback-model'
 
@@ -110,6 +112,36 @@ describe('buildToolView file edit diffs', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('clampForDisplay', () => {
+  it('passes short payloads through untouched', () => {
+    expect(clampForDisplay('hello')).toBe('hello')
+    expect(clampForDisplay('x'.repeat(MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS))).toHaveLength(MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS)
+  })
+
+  it('truncates oversized payloads and reports the omitted count', () => {
+    const oversized = 'x'.repeat(MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS + 5_000)
+    const clamped = clampForDisplay(oversized)
+
+    expect(clamped.length).toBeLessThan(oversized.length)
+    expect(clamped.startsWith('x'.repeat(MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS))).toBe(true)
+    expect(clamped).toContain('5,000 more characters truncated')
+    expect(clamped).toContain('Copy')
+  })
+})
+
+// A large tool result (e.g. a 100KB read_file during a `/learn` run) must not
+// be serialized into the rendered rawResult at full size — that JSON.stringify
+// payload is what floods the renderer when many rows stack up.
+describe('buildToolView caps serialized result size', () => {
+  it('clamps rawResult for an oversized result', () => {
+    const huge = 'y'.repeat(MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS * 3)
+    const view = buildToolView(part({ result: { content: huge }, toolName: 'read_file' }), '')
+
+    expect(view.rawResult.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS + 200)
+    expect(view.rawResult).toContain('truncated')
+  })
+})
+
 describe('countDiffLineStats', () => {
   it('counts added and removed lines', () => {
     expect(
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback-model.ts b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback-model.ts
index 6e67b0b9a..f74696f35 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback-model.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback-model.ts
@@ -238,8 +238,26 @@ function contextValue(value: unknown): string {
   return typeof value === 'string' ? value : ''
 }
 
+// Each tool result is server-capped (~100KB), but a turn over a big directory
+// stacks many rows; painting/serializing them all floods the renderer (freeze,
+// then OOM). Clamp every inline-painted payload to a bounded slice — the row's
+// Copy button still reads the uncapped `view.detail` for the full output.
+export const MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS = 20_000
+
+export function clampForDisplay(value: string, max = MAX_TOOL_RENDER_CHARS): string {
+  if (value.length <= max) {
+    return value
+  }
+
+  const omitted = value.length - max
+
+  return `${value.slice(0, max)}\n\n… ${omitted.toLocaleString()} more characters truncated — use Copy for the full output.`
+}
+
 function prettyJson(value: unknown): string {
-  return typeof value === 'string' ? value : JSON.stringify(value, null, 2)
+  const raw = typeof value === 'string' ? value : JSON.stringify(value, null, 2)
+
+  return clampForDisplay(raw ?? '')
 }
 
 function parseMaybeObject(value: unknown): Record<string, unknown> {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx
index 5e8a1a0b1..aa2a1b5b0 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/tool-fallback.tsx
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import { $toolDisclosureOpen, $toolViewMode, setToolDisclosureOpen } from '@/sto
 import { PendingToolApproval } from './tool-approval'
 import {
   buildToolView,
+  clampForDisplay,
   cleanVisibleText,
   countDiffLineStats,
   inlineDiffFromResult,
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ function rawTechnicalTrace(args: unknown, result: unknown): string {
     })
     .filter(Boolean)
 
-  return parts.join('\n')
+  return clampForDisplay(parts.join('\n'))
 }
 
 function statusGlyph(status: ToolStatus, copy: ToolStatusCopy): ReactNode {
@@ -220,13 +221,25 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
   const messageRunning = useAuiState(selectMessageRunning)
   const embedded = useContext(ToolEmbedContext)
   const toolViewMode = useStore($toolViewMode)
-  const disclosureId = `tool-entry:${messageId}:${toolPartDisclosureId(part)}`
+
+  // `ToolFallback` rebuilds the `part` wrapper each render, defeating the memos
+  // below and re-running buildToolView (full JSON.stringify of result) on every
+  // stream delta — the freeze on big `/learn` runs. Re-derive a stable part from
+  // the referentially-stable args/result so the memos hold across deltas.
+  const { args, isError, result, toolCallId, toolName } = part
+
+  const stablePart = useMemo<ToolPart>(
+    () => ({ args, isError, result, toolCallId, toolName, type: 'tool-call' }),
+    [args, isError, result, toolCallId, toolName]
+  )
+
+  const disclosureId = `tool-entry:${messageId}:${toolPartDisclosureId(stablePart)}`
   const dismissed = useStore($toolRowDismissed(disclosureId))
-  const isPending = messageRunning && part.result === undefined
+  const isPending = messageRunning && result === undefined
   const liveDiffs = useStore($toolInlineDiffs)
-  const sideDiff = part.toolCallId ? liveDiffs[part.toolCallId] || '' : ''
-  const inlineDiff = stripInlineDiffChrome(sideDiff) || inlineDiffFromResult(part.result)
-  const isFileEdit = isFileEditTool(part.toolName)
+  const sideDiff = toolCallId ? liveDiffs[toolCallId] || '' : ''
+  const inlineDiff = stripInlineDiffChrome(sideDiff) || inlineDiffFromResult(result)
+  const isFileEdit = isFileEditTool(toolName)
   const defaultOpen = Boolean(inlineDiff)
   const open = useDisclosureOpen(disclosureId, defaultOpen)
   const canDismiss = !isPending && !embedded
@@ -237,13 +250,14 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
   const enterRef = useEnterAnimation(messageRunning && !embedded, `tool-entry:${disclosureId}`)
   const elapsed = useElapsedSeconds(isPending, `tool:${disclosureId}`)
 
-  // Stale parts (no result, but message stopped running) get a synthetic
-  // empty result so buildToolView treats them as completed-no-output.
+  // Stale parts (no result, but message stopped running) get a synthetic empty
+  // result so buildToolView treats them as completed-no-output. Keyed on
+  // stablePart so it recomputes only when this tool's data changes.
   const view = useMemo(() => {
-    const p = !isPending && part.result === undefined ? { ...part, result: {} } : part
+    const p = !isPending && result === undefined ? { ...stablePart, result: {} } : stablePart
 
     return buildToolView(p, inlineDiff)
-  }, [inlineDiff, isPending, part])
+  }, [inlineDiff, isPending, result, stablePart])
 
   // Surface a previewable artifact (HTML file / localhost URL) as a compact link
   // in the composer status stack rather than a bulky inline card. Uses the same
@@ -313,7 +327,9 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
     view.imageUrl || view.inlineDiff || showDetail || hasSearchHits || toolViewMode === 'technical'
   )
 
-  const copyAction = useMemo(() => toolCopyPayload(part, view), [part, view])
+  // copyAction reads the uncapped view.detail; clampForDisplay below only bounds
+  // what's painted, so the row's Copy button still yields the full output.
+  const copyAction = useMemo(() => toolCopyPayload(stablePart, view), [stablePart, view])
 
   const diffStats = useMemo(
     () => (isFileEdit && view.inlineDiff ? countDiffLineStats(view.inlineDiff) : null),
@@ -466,7 +482,7 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
                         detailSections.summary && 'mt-1.5'
                       )}
                     >
-                      {detailSections.body}
+                      {clampForDisplay(detailSections.body)}
                     </pre>
                   )}
                 </div>
@@ -481,7 +497,7 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
                   <div className="space-y-0.5">
                     {view.stderr && <p className={TOOL_SECTION_LABEL_CLASS}>stdout</p>}
                     <pre className={cn(TOOL_SECTION_PRE_CLASS, 'whitespace-pre-wrap wrap-anywhere')}>
-                      {view.rendersAnsi ? <AnsiText text={view.stdout} /> : view.stdout}
+                      {view.rendersAnsi ? <AnsiText text={clampForDisplay(view.stdout)} /> : clampForDisplay(view.stdout)}
                     </pre>
                   </div>
                 )}
@@ -494,7 +510,7 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
                         'whitespace-pre-wrap wrap-anywhere text-(--ui-text-tertiary)'
                       )}
                     >
-                      {view.rendersAnsi ? <AnsiText text={view.stderr} /> : view.stderr}
+                      {view.rendersAnsi ? <AnsiText text={clampForDisplay(view.stderr)} /> : clampForDisplay(view.stderr)}
                     </pre>
                   </div>
                 )}
@@ -504,10 +520,10 @@ function ToolEntry({ part }: ToolEntryProps) {
                 {view.detailLabel && <p className={TOOL_SECTION_LABEL_CLASS}>{view.detailLabel}</p>}
                 {renderDetailAsCode ? (
                   <pre className={cn(TOOL_SECTION_PRE_CLASS, 'whitespace-pre-wrap wrap-anywhere')}>
-                    {view.rendersAnsi ? <AnsiText text={view.detail} /> : view.detail}
+                    {view.rendersAnsi ? <AnsiText text={clampForDisplay(view.detail)} /> : clampForDisplay(view.detail)}
                   </pre>
                 ) : (
-                  <CompactMarkdown className={cn(TOOL_SECTION_SURFACE_CLASS, 'wrap-anywhere')} text={view.detail} />
+                  <CompactMarkdown className={cn(TOOL_SECTION_SURFACE_CLASS, 'wrap-anywhere')} text={clampForDisplay(view.detail)} />
                 )}
               </div>
             ))}