diff --git a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotMessageBar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotMessageBar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..efe2e480
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotMessageBar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+import { useState, useRef, useCallback } from 'react'
+import { Send } from 'lucide-react'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
+import type { StepResponseRequest } from '@/types/ai-session'
+
+interface FlowPilotMessageBarProps {
+  onRespond: (response: StepResponseRequest) => void
+  disabled?: boolean
+  isProcessing?: boolean
+}
+
+export function FlowPilotMessageBar({ onRespond, disabled = false, isProcessing = false }: FlowPilotMessageBarProps) {
+  const [message, setMessage] = useState('')
+  const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null)
+
+  const isDisabled = disabled || isProcessing
+
+  const handleSubmit = useCallback(() => {
+    const trimmed = message.trim()
+    if (!trimmed || isDisabled) return
+    onRespond({ free_text_input: trimmed })
+    setMessage('')
+    if (textareaRef.current) {
+      textareaRef.current.style.height = 'auto'
+    }
+  }, [message, isDisabled, onRespond])
+
+  const handleKeyDown = useCallback((e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
+    if (e.key === 'Enter' && !e.shiftKey) {
+      e.preventDefault()
+      handleSubmit()
+    }
+  }, [handleSubmit])
+
+  const handleInput = useCallback((e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => {
+    setMessage(e.target.value)
+    const textarea = e.target
+    textarea.style.height = 'auto'
+    textarea.style.height = `${Math.min(textarea.scrollHeight, 120)}px`
+  }, [])
+
+  return (
+    <div className="px-3 sm:px-4 lg:px-5 pb-3">
+      <div className={cn(
+        'flex items-end gap-2 rounded-xl border bg-card p-2 transition-colors',
+        isDisabled
+          ? 'border-border/50 opacity-50'
+          : 'border-border focus-within:border-[rgba(6,182,212,0.3)]'
+      )}>
+        <textarea
+          ref={textareaRef}
+          value={message}
+          onChange={handleInput}
+          onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
+          placeholder={isProcessing ? 'FlowPilot is thinking...' : 'Type a message...'}
+          disabled={isDisabled}
+          rows={1}
+          className="flex-1 resize-none bg-transparent text-sm text-foreground placeholder:text-muted-foreground focus:outline-none disabled:cursor-not-allowed py-1.5 px-2"
+        />
+        <button
+          onClick={handleSubmit}
+          disabled={isDisabled || !message.trim()}
+          className={cn(
+            'flex h-8 w-8 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-lg transition-all',
+            message.trim() && !isDisabled
+              ? 'bg-gradient-brand text-[#101114] hover:opacity-90 active:scale-[0.97]'
+              : 'bg-[rgba(255,255,255,0.04)] text-muted-foreground cursor-not-allowed'
+          )}
+        >
+          <Send size={14} />
+        </button>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotSession.tsx b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotSession.tsx
index 71f5896a..00cff8f9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotSession.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotSession.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import type {
 import { ConfidenceIndicator } from './ConfidenceIndicator'
 import { FlowPilotStepCard } from './FlowPilotStepCard'
 import { FlowPilotActionBar } from './FlowPilotActionBar'
+import { FlowPilotMessageBar } from './FlowPilotMessageBar'
 import { SessionDocView } from './SessionDocView'
 import { SessionTicketCard } from './SessionTicketCard'
 import { SimilarSessions } from './SimilarSessions'
@@ -300,6 +301,15 @@ export function FlowPilotSession({
         </div>
       </div>
 
+      {/* Message bar */}
+      {session.status === 'active' && (
+        <FlowPilotMessageBar
+          onRespond={onRespond}
+          isProcessing={isProcessing}
+          disabled={currentStep?.allow_free_text === false}
+        />
+      )}
+
       {/* Action bar */}
       {session.status === 'active' && (
         <FlowPilotActionBar
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotStepCard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotStepCard.tsx
index 998825a4..b74b4458 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotStepCard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/flowpilot/FlowPilotStepCard.tsx
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@ import { useState } from 'react'
 import { MessageSquare, Zap, CheckCircle2, SkipForward, ChevronDown, ChevronUp } from 'lucide-react'
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import type { AISessionStepResponse, StepResponseRequest } from '@/types/ai-session'
-import type { FileUploadResponse } from '@/types/upload'
 import { MarkdownContent } from '@/components/ui/MarkdownContent'
-import { RichTextInput } from '@/components/common/RichTextInput'
 import { FlowPilotOptions } from './FlowPilotOptions'
 import { InSessionScriptGenerator } from './InSessionScriptGenerator'
 
@@ -27,10 +25,7 @@ const STEP_TYPE_ICONS = {
 } as const
 
 export function FlowPilotStepCard({ step, isCurrentStep, isProcessing, sessionId, onRespond }: FlowPilotStepCardProps) {
-  const [freeText, setFreeText] = useState('')
-  const [showFreeText, setShowFreeText] = useState(false)
   const [isCollapsed, setIsCollapsed] = useState(!isCurrentStep)
-  const [_freeTextUploads, setFreeTextUploads] = useState<FileUploadResponse[]>([])
 
   const content = step.content as Record<string, unknown>
   const stepText = (content.text as string) || ''
@@ -42,13 +37,6 @@ export function FlowPilotStepCard({ step, isCurrentStep, isProcessing, sessionId
     onRespond({ selected_option: value })
   }
 
-  const handleFreeTextSubmit = () => {
-    if (!freeText.trim()) return
-    onRespond({ free_text_input: freeText.trim() })
-    setFreeText('')
-    setShowFreeText(false)
-  }
-
   const handleSkip = () => {
     onRespond({ was_skipped: true })
   }
@@ -197,46 +185,6 @@ export function FlowPilotStepCard({ step, isCurrentStep, isProcessing, sessionId
             </div>
           )}
 
-          {/* Free text escape hatch */}
-          {!isResolutionSuggestion && step.allow_free_text && (
-            <>
-              {!showFreeText ? (
-                <button
-                  onClick={() => setShowFreeText(true)}
-                  className="text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
-                >
-                  None of these — let me describe
-                </button>
-              ) : (
-                <div className="space-y-2">
-                  <RichTextInput
-                    value={freeText}
-                    onChange={setFreeText}
-                    onFilesChange={setFreeTextUploads}
-                    sessionId={sessionId}
-                    placeholder="Describe what you're seeing..."
-                    rows={3}
-                  />
-                  <div className="flex gap-2">
-                    <button
-                      onClick={handleFreeTextSubmit}
-                      disabled={!freeText.trim()}
-                      className="rounded-lg bg-gradient-brand px-4 py-1.5 text-sm font-semibold text-[#101114] hover:opacity-90 disabled:opacity-50 transition-opacity"
-                    >
-                      Submit
-                    </button>
-                    <button
-                      onClick={() => { setShowFreeText(false); setFreeText('') }}
-                      className="rounded-lg px-4 py-1.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground transition-colors"
-                    >
-                      Cancel
-                    </button>
-                  </div>
-                </div>
-              )}
-            </>
-          )}
-
           {/* Skip option */}
           {!isResolutionSuggestion && step.allow_skip && (
             <button