diff --git a/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/SplitThreadArea.test.tsx b/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/SplitThreadArea.test.tsx
index c2bc3d7f9e..b7b181380e 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/SplitThreadArea.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/SplitThreadArea.test.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
 import { createStore, Provider as JotaiProvider } from "jotai";
 import { useContext, useMemo, useState, type ReactNode } from "react";
 import { MemoryRouter, useLocation, useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
-import { QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { QueryClientProvider, useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { PERSONAL_PROJECT_ID } from "@bb/domain";
 import { TooltipProvider } from "@bb/shared-ui/tooltip";
 import type { BbDesktopInfo } from "@bb/desktop-contract";
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ const commandHandlers = vi.hoisted(() => new Map<string, () => boolean>());
 const paneContextRenders = vi.hoisted(
   () => new Map<string, Array<PaneContextValue | null>>(),
 );
+const timelineProbe = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  active: false,
+  calls: new Map<string, number>(),
+}));
 interface ShortcutPresentationFixture {
   ariaKeyshortcuts: string;
   label: string;
@@ -291,10 +295,21 @@ vi.mock("./ThreadDetailView", () => ({
   ThreadDetailView: ({
     projectId = "proj_personal",
     threadId = "thr-a",
+    timelineEnabled = true,
   }: {
     projectId: string;
     threadId: string;
+    timelineEnabled?: boolean;
   }) => {
+    useQuery({
+      queryKey: ["timeline-probe", threadId],
+      queryFn: () => {
+        const next = (timelineProbe.calls.get(threadId) ?? 0) + 1;
+        timelineProbe.calls.set(threadId, next);
+        return next;
+      },
+      enabled: timelineProbe.active && timelineEnabled,
+    });
     const pane = useContext(PaneContext);
     paneContextRenders.set(threadId, [
       ...(paneContextRenders.get(threadId) ?? []),
@@ -705,6 +720,8 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   panelGroupLayoutState.layout = [100, 0];
   commandHandlers.clear();
   paneContextRenders.clear();
+  timelineProbe.active = false;
+  timelineProbe.calls.clear();
   commandPresentationState.isModifierHeld = false;
   commandPresentationState.shortcut = null;
   threadStore.set("thr-a", { archivedAt: null, deletedAt: null });
@@ -859,6 +876,30 @@ describe("SplitThreadArea", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("pauses a hidden pane timeline and refreshes it when restored", async () => {
+    timelineProbe.active = true;
+    renderSplitArea({
+      path: threadPath("thr-a"),
+      layout: twoPaneLayout("pane-1"),
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(timelineProbe.calls.get("thr-a")).toBe(1);
+      expect(timelineProbe.calls.get("thr-b")).toBe(1);
+    });
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("maximize-thr-a"));
+    await act(async () => {
+      await queryClient.invalidateQueries({
+        queryKey: ["timeline-probe", "thr-b"],
+      });
+    });
+    expect(timelineProbe.calls.get("thr-b")).toBe(1);
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByTestId("maximize-thr-a"));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(timelineProbe.calls.get("thr-b")).toBe(2));
+  });
+
   it("temporarily replaces panel full screen with a clean thread full screen", async () => {
     panelFullScreenState.isMainCollapsed = true;
     renderSplitArea({
@@ -2279,8 +2320,8 @@ describe("SplitThreadArea", () => {
     );
     await waitFor(() =>
       expect(
-        screen.getAllByRole("button", { name: "Close pane" })[0]
-          ?.parentElement?.nextElementSibling,
+        screen.getAllByRole("button", { name: "Close pane" })[0]?.parentElement
+          ?.nextElementSibling,
       ).toBeNull(),
     );
   });
diff --git a/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/SplitThreadArea.tsx b/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/SplitThreadArea.tsx
index 6ccb1de581..12bc664245 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/SplitThreadArea.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/SplitThreadArea.tsx
@@ -633,6 +633,7 @@ function SplitThreadAreaContent({ routeContent }: SplitThreadAreaProps) {
           paneId={firstPane.paneId}
           isFocused
           isSplitPane={false}
+          timelineEnabled
           secondaryPanelRegistry={null}
           reservesWindowPanelToggle={false}
           onClosePane={
@@ -818,6 +819,7 @@ function SplitTree(props: SplitTreeProps) {
           paneId={node.paneId}
           isFocused={isFocused}
           isSplitPane
+          timelineEnabled={!isHiddenByMaximize}
           secondaryPanelRegistry={props.secondaryPanelRegistry}
           reservesWindowPanelToggle={isMaximized || (isTopRow && isRightEdge)}
           onClosePane={props.onClosePane}
@@ -894,6 +896,7 @@ interface WorkspacePaneContentProps {
   paneId: string;
   isFocused: boolean;
   isSplitPane: boolean;
+  timelineEnabled: boolean;
   secondaryPanelRegistry: PaneSecondaryPanelRegistry | null;
   reservesWindowPanelToggle: boolean;
   onClosePane: ((paneId: string) => void) | null;
@@ -912,6 +915,7 @@ const WorkspacePaneContent = memo(function WorkspacePaneContent({
   paneId,
   isFocused,
   isSplitPane,
+  timelineEnabled,
   secondaryPanelRegistry,
   reservesWindowPanelToggle,
   onClosePane,
@@ -1018,6 +1022,7 @@ const WorkspacePaneContent = memo(function WorkspacePaneContent({
         surface="pane"
         projectId={content.projectId}
         threadId={content.threadId}
+        timelineEnabled={timelineEnabled}
       />
     </PaneContext.Provider>
   );
diff --git a/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/ThreadDetailView.tsx b/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/ThreadDetailView.tsx
index 6e01a6b41e..2ab5b1bc25 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/ThreadDetailView.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/views/thread-detail/ThreadDetailView.tsx
@@ -383,6 +383,7 @@ interface ThreadDetailViewPageProps {
 
 interface ThreadDetailViewPaneProps extends ThreadRoutePathArgs {
   surface: "pane";
+  timelineEnabled: boolean;
 }
 
 type ThreadDetailViewProps =
@@ -501,7 +502,11 @@ function RoutedThreadDetailView({
 
   return (
     <DefaultPaneContextProvider onRequestClose={onRequestClose}>
-      <ThreadDetailViewInternal projectId={projectId} threadId={threadId} />
+      <ThreadDetailViewInternal
+        projectId={projectId}
+        threadId={threadId}
+        timelineEnabled
+      />
     </DefaultPaneContextProvider>
   );
 }
@@ -513,8 +518,10 @@ export function ThreadDetailView(props: ThreadDetailViewProps) {
   return <RoutedThreadDetailView onRequestClose={props.onRequestClose} />;
 }
 
-function ThreadDetailViewInternal(props: ThreadRoutePathArgs) {
-  const { projectId, threadId } = props;
+function ThreadDetailViewInternal(
+  props: ThreadRoutePathArgs & { timelineEnabled: boolean },
+) {
+  const { projectId, threadId, timelineEnabled } = props;
   const { isFocused, navigateInPane, onRequestClose, isBoundedPane } =
     usePaneContext();
   const navigate = useImmediateRouteNavigate();
@@ -866,6 +873,7 @@ function ThreadDetailViewInternal(props: ThreadRoutePathArgs) {
     timelineRows,
   } = useThreadTimelineController({
     threadId,
+    enabled: timelineEnabled,
   });
   const sendMessage = useSendThreadMessage();
   const editMessage = useEditThreadMessage();