diff --git a/frontend/src/components/session/BranchNode.tsx b/frontend/src/components/session/BranchNode.tsx
index cf9a1f9c..5e5ee607 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/session/BranchNode.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/session/BranchNode.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState } from 'react'
+import { useState, useRef } from 'react'
 import { CircleDot, CheckCircle2, XCircle, Circle, RotateCcw } from 'lucide-react'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import type { BranchResponse } from '@/types/branching'
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ const STATUS_CONFIG: Record<BranchStatus, StatusConfig> = {
     icon: CircleDot,
     textClass: 'text-accent',
     badgeClass: 'bg-accent-dim text-accent-text',
-    borderClass: 'border-accent/40',
+    borderClass: 'border-accent/50',
     label: 'Active',
   },
   solved: {
@@ -60,34 +60,35 @@ interface BranchNodeProps {
 
 export function BranchNode({ branch, depth, isActive, onClick }: BranchNodeProps) {
   const [isHovered, setIsHovered] = useState(false)
+  const cardRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const config = STATUS_CONFIG[branch.status]
   const Icon = config.icon
-  const showDetail = isActive || isHovered
+
+  const hasDetail = branch.context_summary || branch.status_reason
+  const showPopover = isHovered && hasDetail && !isActive
 
   return (
     <div
+      ref={cardRef}
       style={{ marginLeft: `${depth * 12}px` }}
+      className="relative"
       onMouseEnter={() => setIsHovered(true)}
       onMouseLeave={() => setIsHovered(false)}
     >
+      {/* Card */}
       <button
         type="button"
         onClick={() => onClick(branch.id)}
         className={cn(
-          'w-full text-left rounded-lg border p-2.5 transition-all duration-200 ease-out',
-          'origin-center',
+          'w-full text-left rounded-lg border p-2.5 transition-all duration-150',
           isActive
-            ? cn('bg-card border-accent/50 shadow-[0_0_0_1px_rgba(249,115,22,0.15)]', config.borderClass)
+            ? cn('bg-card', config.borderClass)
             : 'bg-card/60 border-default hover:bg-card hover:border-hover',
-          showDetail && !isActive && 'scale-[1.02] shadow-[0_2px_8px_rgba(0,0,0,0.25)]',
         )}
       >
         {/* Header row */}
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
-          <Icon
-            size={14}
-            className={cn('shrink-0', config.textClass)}
-          />
+          <Icon size={14} className={cn('shrink-0', config.textClass)} />
           <span
             className={cn(
               'flex-1 text-sm truncate',
@@ -106,46 +107,65 @@ export function BranchNode({ branch, depth, isActive, onClick }: BranchNodeProps
           </span>
         </div>
 
-        {/* Detail section — animates from scale-y-0 to scale-y-100 */}
+        {/* Inline detail for ACTIVE branch only */}
+        {isActive && hasDetail && (
+          <div className="mt-2 pt-2 border-t border-default/50 space-y-1">
+            <BranchDetail branch={branch} />
+          </div>
+        )}
+      </button>
+
+      {/* Floating popover for HOVERED non-active branches */}
+      {showPopover && (
         <div
           className={cn(
-            'transition-all duration-200 ease-out origin-top',
-            showDetail
-              ? 'max-h-[120px] opacity-100 scale-y-100 mt-2 pt-2 border-t border-default/50'
-              : 'max-h-0 opacity-0 scale-y-0 mt-0 pt-0'
+            'absolute z-50 left-full top-0 ml-2 w-64',
+            'bg-card border rounded-lg p-3 space-y-1',
+            'shadow-[0_4px_20px_rgba(0,0,0,0.4)]',
+            'animate-in fade-in-0 zoom-in-95 duration-150',
+            config.borderClass
           )}
         >
-          <div className="space-y-1">
-            {branch.context_summary ? (
-              <>
-                {branch.context_summary.tried.length > 0 && (
-                  <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground leading-snug">
-                    <span className="text-foreground font-medium">Tried:</span>{' '}
-                    {branch.context_summary.tried.join(', ')}
-                  </p>
-                )}
-                {branch.context_summary.concluded && (
-                  <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground leading-snug">
-                    <span className="text-foreground font-medium">Result:</span>{' '}
-                    {branch.context_summary.concluded}
-                  </p>
-                )}
-              </>
-            ) : (
-              <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground italic">No activity yet</p>
-            )}
-            {branch.status_reason && (
-              <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground leading-snug">
-                <span className="text-foreground font-medium">Reason:</span>{' '}
-                {branch.status_reason}
-              </p>
-            )}
-            <div className="flex items-center gap-3 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground pt-0.5">
-              <span>{branch.step_count} step{branch.step_count !== 1 ? 's' : ''}</span>
-            </div>
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5 mb-1.5">
+            <Icon size={12} className={config.textClass} />
+            <span className="text-xs font-medium text-heading truncate">{branch.label}</span>
           </div>
+          <BranchDetail branch={branch} />
         </div>
-      </button>
+      )}
     </div>
   )
 }
+
+/** Shared detail content used by both inline (active) and popover (hover) */
+function BranchDetail({ branch }: { branch: BranchResponse }) {
+  return (
+    <>
+      {branch.context_summary && (
+        <>
+          {branch.context_summary.tried.length > 0 && (
+            <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground leading-snug">
+              <span className="text-foreground font-medium">Tried:</span>{' '}
+              {branch.context_summary.tried.join(', ')}
+            </p>
+          )}
+          {branch.context_summary.concluded && (
+            <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground leading-snug">
+              <span className="text-foreground font-medium">Result:</span>{' '}
+              {branch.context_summary.concluded}
+            </p>
+          )}
+        </>
+      )}
+      {branch.status_reason && (
+        <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground leading-snug">
+          <span className="text-foreground font-medium">Reason:</span>{' '}
+          {branch.status_reason}
+        </p>
+      )}
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-3 text-[10px] text-muted-foreground pt-0.5">
+        <span>{branch.step_count} step{branch.step_count !== 1 ? 's' : ''}</span>
+      </div>
+    </>
+  )
+}