diff --git a/main.js b/main.js
index 38a4f6d..aebbf34 100644
--- a/main.js
+++ b/main.js
@@ -10885,6 +10885,8 @@ var ChatView = class extends import_obsidian5.ItemView {
     this.removeLogListener = null;
     this.showLogsClickHandler = null;
     this.chatScrollHandler = null;
+    // Activity indicator
+    this.activityIndicatorEl = null;
     this.messages = [];
     this.lastMessageEl = null;
     this.newChatButton = null;
@@ -11182,9 +11184,27 @@ var ChatView = class extends import_obsidian5.ItemView {
     } else {
       inputContainer.appendChild(this.sendButton);
     }
+    if (!this.activityIndicatorEl) {
+      this.activityIndicatorEl = inputContainer.createEl("div", {
+        cls: "ollama-activity-indicator"
+      });
+      this.activityIndicatorEl.createEl("span", { cls: "ollama-activity-dot" });
+      this.activityIndicatorEl.createEl("span", {
+        cls: "ollama-activity-text",
+        text: ""
+      });
+      this.hideActivityIndicator();
+    } else {
+      inputContainer.appendChild(this.activityIndicatorEl);
+    }
+    if (this.contentEl.addClass) {
+      this.contentEl.addClass("ollama-chat-view-content");
+    } else {
+      this.contentEl.classList?.add("ollama-chat-view-content");
+    }
     this.contentEl.appendChild(newChatContainer);
-    this.contentEl.appendChild(inputContainer);
     this.contentEl.appendChild(container);
+    this.contentEl.appendChild(inputContainer);
     if (this.shouldAutoScroll && container) {
       container.scrollTop = container.scrollHeight;
     }
@@ -11940,11 +11960,14 @@ ${action.preview.after.slice(0, 500)}`
       this.lastMessageEl = previousStreamingEl;
     }
     if (isWorkflowCommand) {
+      this.showActivityIndicator("Running workflow\u2026");
       await this.handleWorkflowRequest(actualMessage, assistantMessageId);
+      this.hideActivityIndicator();
       this.cleanupStreamingResources();
       return;
     }
     try {
+      this.showActivityIndicator("Thinking\u2026");
       const noteContext = await this.noteContextBuilder.buildContext(
         actualMessage,
         this.settings.vaultSearchLimit,
@@ -12003,6 +12026,7 @@ ${actualMessage}` : actualMessage;
         durationMs: llmDurationMs
       });
       if (toolCalls.length > 0) {
+        this.showActivityIndicator("Using tools\u2026");
         await this.processToolCalls(
           toolCalls,
           messagesWithMemory,
@@ -12016,6 +12040,7 @@ ${actualMessage}` : actualMessage;
       if (toolCalls.length === 0 && toolCapableModes.includes(this.currentAgentMode) && fullResponse.trim().length > 0) {
         shouldFallbackToReadTools = this.shouldAutoRunReadTools(fullResponse);
         if (shouldFallbackToReadTools) {
+          this.showActivityIndicator("Thinking\u2026");
           const nudgeMessages = [
             ...messagesWithMemory,
             { role: "assistant", content: fullResponse },
@@ -12041,6 +12066,7 @@ ${actualMessage}` : actualMessage;
             }
           }
           if (toolCalls.length > 0) {
+            this.showActivityIndicator("Using tools\u2026");
             await this.processToolCalls(
               toolCalls,
               nudgeMessages,
@@ -12057,6 +12083,7 @@ ${actualMessage}` : actualMessage;
       if (toolCalls.length === 0 && shouldFallbackToReadTools) {
         const autoToolCalls = this.buildAutomaticReadToolCalls(actualMessage, tools);
         if (autoToolCalls.length > 0) {
+          this.showActivityIndicator("Using tools\u2026");
           toolCalls = autoToolCalls;
           fullResponse = "";
           await this.processToolCalls(
@@ -12120,6 +12147,7 @@ ${actualMessage}` : actualMessage;
       });
       this.syncMessagesToSession();
     } finally {
+      this.hideActivityIndicator();
       this.cleanupStreamingResources();
     }
   }
@@ -12182,6 +12210,32 @@ ${actualMessage}` : actualMessage;
     }
     return message.replace(/\bplease\b/gi, "").replace(/\bcontinue\b/gi, "").replace(/\bimplement\b/gi, "").replace(/\bcreate\b/gi, "").replace(/\bmove\b/gi, "").replace(/\bnotes?\b/gi, "").replace(/\bfolders?\b/gi, "").replace(/\bstructure\b/gi, "").replace(/\s+/g, " ").trim();
   }
+  showActivityIndicator(text) {
+    if (!this.activityIndicatorEl) return;
+    const textEl = this.activityIndicatorEl.querySelector(".ollama-activity-text");
+    if (textEl) {
+      textEl.textContent = text;
+    }
+    this.activityIndicatorEl.style.display = "flex";
+    if (this.sendButton && this.sendButton instanceof HTMLButtonElement) {
+      this.sendButton.disabled = true;
+      this.sendButton.textContent = "Working\u2026";
+    }
+    if (this.inputEl) {
+      this.inputEl.disabled = true;
+    }
+  }
+  hideActivityIndicator() {
+    if (!this.activityIndicatorEl) return;
+    this.activityIndicatorEl.style.display = "none";
+    if (this.sendButton && this.sendButton instanceof HTMLButtonElement) {
+      this.sendButton.disabled = false;
+      this.sendButton.textContent = "Send";
+    }
+    if (this.inputEl) {
+      this.inputEl.disabled = false;
+    }
+  }
   createOllamaClient(model, settings) {
     return new OllamaClient(settings.ollamaUrl, model, void 0, settings.cacheConfig);
   }
diff --git a/src/chat-view.ts b/src/chat-view.ts
index 10f9870..585d620 100755
--- a/src/chat-view.ts
+++ b/src/chat-view.ts
@@ -398,10 +398,30 @@ export class ChatView extends ItemView {
       inputContainer.appendChild(this.sendButton);
     }
 
+    // Setup activity indicator
+    if (!this.activityIndicatorEl) {
+      this.activityIndicatorEl = inputContainer.createEl('div', {
+        cls: 'ollama-activity-indicator',
+      });
+      this.activityIndicatorEl.createEl('span', { cls: 'ollama-activity-dot' });
+      this.activityIndicatorEl.createEl('span', {
+        cls: 'ollama-activity-text',
+        text: '',
+      });
+      this.hideActivityIndicator();
+    } else {
+      inputContainer.appendChild(this.activityIndicatorEl);
+    }
+
     // Append containers to contentEl
+    if (this.contentEl.addClass) {
+      this.contentEl.addClass('ollama-chat-view-content');
+    } else {
+      this.contentEl.classList?.add('ollama-chat-view-content');
+    }
     this.contentEl.appendChild(newChatContainer);
-    this.contentEl.appendChild(inputContainer);
     this.contentEl.appendChild(container);
+    this.contentEl.appendChild(inputContainer);
 
     // Auto-scroll chat to bottom if enabled
     if (this.shouldAutoScroll && container) {
@@ -1287,12 +1307,15 @@ export class ChatView extends ItemView {
     }
 
     if (isWorkflowCommand) {
+      this.showActivityIndicator('Running workflow…');
       await this.handleWorkflowRequest(actualMessage, assistantMessageId);
+      this.hideActivityIndicator();
       this.cleanupStreamingResources();
       return;
     }
 
     try {
+      this.showActivityIndicator('Thinking…');
       const noteContext = await this.noteContextBuilder.buildContext(
         actualMessage,
         this.settings.vaultSearchLimit,
@@ -1369,6 +1392,7 @@ export class ChatView extends ItemView {
 
       // Process tool calls if any
       if (toolCalls.length > 0) {
+        this.showActivityIndicator('Using tools…');
         await this.processToolCalls(
           toolCalls,
           messagesWithMemory,
@@ -1388,6 +1412,7 @@ export class ChatView extends ItemView {
       ) {
         shouldFallbackToReadTools = this.shouldAutoRunReadTools(fullResponse);
         if (shouldFallbackToReadTools) {
+          this.showActivityIndicator('Thinking…');
           const nudgeMessages: OllamaMessage[] = [
             ...messagesWithMemory,
             { role: 'assistant', content: fullResponse },
@@ -1414,6 +1439,7 @@ export class ChatView extends ItemView {
             }
           }
           if (toolCalls.length > 0) {
+            this.showActivityIndicator('Using tools…');
             await this.processToolCalls(
               toolCalls,
               nudgeMessages,
@@ -1432,6 +1458,7 @@ export class ChatView extends ItemView {
       if (toolCalls.length === 0 && shouldFallbackToReadTools) {
         const autoToolCalls = this.buildAutomaticReadToolCalls(actualMessage, tools);
         if (autoToolCalls.length > 0) {
+          this.showActivityIndicator('Using tools…');
           toolCalls = autoToolCalls;
           fullResponse = '';
           await this.processToolCalls(
@@ -1509,6 +1536,7 @@ export class ChatView extends ItemView {
       this.syncMessagesToSession();
     } finally {
       // Clean up streaming resources regardless of outcome
+      this.hideActivityIndicator();
       this.cleanupStreamingResources();
     }
   }
@@ -1646,6 +1674,37 @@ export class ChatView extends ItemView {
   private showLogsClickHandler: (() => void) | null = null;
   private chatScrollHandler: (() => void) | null = null;
 
+  // Activity indicator
+  private activityIndicatorEl: HTMLElement | null = null;
+
+  private showActivityIndicator(text: string): void {
+    if (!this.activityIndicatorEl) return;
+    const textEl = this.activityIndicatorEl.querySelector('.ollama-activity-text');
+    if (textEl) {
+      textEl.textContent = text;
+    }
+    this.activityIndicatorEl.style.display = 'flex';
+    if (this.sendButton && this.sendButton instanceof HTMLButtonElement) {
+      this.sendButton.disabled = true;
+      this.sendButton.textContent = 'Working…';
+    }
+    if (this.inputEl) {
+      this.inputEl.disabled = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  private hideActivityIndicator(): void {
+    if (!this.activityIndicatorEl) return;
+    this.activityIndicatorEl.style.display = 'none';
+    if (this.sendButton && this.sendButton instanceof HTMLButtonElement) {
+      this.sendButton.disabled = false;
+      this.sendButton.textContent = 'Send';
+    }
+    if (this.inputEl) {
+      this.inputEl.disabled = false;
+    }
+  }
+
   private createOllamaClient(model: string, settings: PluginSettings): OllamaClient {
     return new OllamaClient(settings.ollamaUrl, model, undefined, settings.cacheConfig);
   }
diff --git a/styles.css b/styles.css
index 0d0542f..ae88592 100644
--- a/styles.css
+++ b/styles.css
@@ -11,13 +11,41 @@
   --ollama-log-bg: var(--background-primary-alt);
 }
 
+/* Root chat view layout: flex column with input locked at bottom */
+.ollama-chat-view-content {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  height: 100%;
+  overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.ollama-new-chat-container {
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: flex-end;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: var(--size-4-1);
+  padding: var(--size-4-1) var(--size-4-2);
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
 .ollama-chat-container {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   gap: var(--ollama-gap);
   padding: var(--size-4-2);
   overflow-y: auto;
-  flex: 1;
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
+  min-height: 0;
+}
+
+.ollama-input-container {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: var(--size-4-1);
+  padding: var(--size-4-2);
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--ollama-border);
+  background-color: var(--background-primary);
+  align-items: flex-end;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
 }
 
 .ollama-message {
@@ -280,14 +308,6 @@
 }
 
 /* Agent Mode Selector */
-.ollama-new-chat-container {
-  display: flex;
-  justify-content: flex-end;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: var(--size-4-1);
-  padding: var(--size-4-1) var(--size-4-2);
-}
-
 .ollama-mode-selector {
   padding: var(--size-4-1) var(--size-4-2);
   border-radius: var(--ollama-radius);
@@ -419,3 +439,46 @@
   color: var(--text-normal);
   word-break: break-word;
 }
+
+/* Activity Indicator */
+.ollama-activity-indicator {
+  display: none;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: var(--size-4-1);
+  padding: var(--size-4-1) 0;
+  font-size: var(--font-ui-small);
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  min-height: 1.5rem;
+}
+
+.ollama-activity-dot {
+  display: inline-block;
+  width: 0.6rem;
+  height: 0.6rem;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  background-color: var(--interactive-accent);
+  animation: ollama-pulse 1.2s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+.ollama-activity-text {
+  font-style: italic;
+}
+
+@keyframes ollama-pulse {
+  0%,
+  100% {
+    opacity: 1;
+    transform: scale(1);
+  }
+  50% {
+    opacity: 0.4;
+    transform: scale(0.8);
+  }
+}
+
+/* Disabled input/send during activity */
+.ollama-input:disabled,
+.ollama-send-button:disabled {
+  opacity: 0.6;
+  cursor: not-allowed;
+}