simstudioai · Sg312 · Aug 12, 2026 · Aug 12, 2026
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/menu.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/menu.test.ts
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ describe('buildMenuTemplate', () => {
     ])
   })
 
-  it('keeps Help limited to documentation and system status', () => {
+  it('keeps Help limited to documentation and Sim status', () => {
     const help = submenu(buildMenuTemplate(makeDeps()), 'Help')
-    expect(help.map((item) => item.label)).toEqual(['Sim Documentation', 'System Status'])
+    expect(help.map((item) => item.label)).toEqual(['Sim Documentation', 'Sim Status'])
   })
 
   it('never exposes developer tools in the application menu', () => {

diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/main/menu.ts b/apps/desktop/src/main/menu.ts
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ export function buildMenuTemplate(deps: MenuDeps): MenuItemConstructorOptions[]
           click: () => void openExternalSafe(DOCS_URL, deps.allowHttpLocalhost()),
         },
         {
-          label: 'System Status',
+          label: 'Sim Status',
           click: () => void openExternalSafe(STATUS_URL, deps.allowHttpLocalhost()),
         },
       ],

diff --git a/...ome/components/mothership-view/components/add-resource-dropdown/add-resource-dropdown.tsx b/...ome/components/mothership-view/components/add-resource-dropdown/add-resource-dropdown.tsx
@@ -686,10 +686,13 @@ export function AddResourceDropdown({
             filtered.length > 0 ? (
               filtered.map(({ type, item }, index) => {
                 const config = getResourceConfig(type)
+                /* The search box keeps focus, so rows never take DOM focus and the menu's
+                   own `focus:` highlight never fires — `activeIndex` is this list's
+                   cursor, so it paints the hover surface rather than the selected one. */
                 return (
                   <DropdownMenuItem
                     key={`${type}:${item.id}`}
-                    className={cn(index === activeIndex && 'bg-[var(--surface-active)]')}
+                    className={cn(index === activeIndex && 'bg-[var(--surface-hover)]')}
                     onMouseEnter={() => setActiveIndex(index)}
                     onClick={() => select({ type, id: item.id, title: item.name })}
                   >

diff --git a/...kspaceId]/home/components/user-input/components/plus-menu-dropdown/plus-menu-dropdown.tsx b/...kspaceId]/home/components/user-input/components/plus-menu-dropdown/plus-menu-dropdown.tsx
@@ -345,8 +345,9 @@ export const PlusMenuDropdown = React.memo(
                         handleSelect({ type, id: item.id, title: item.name })
                       }}
                       className={cn(
-                        'relative flex w-full min-w-0 cursor-pointer select-none items-center gap-2 rounded-[5px] px-2 py-1.5 text-left text-[var(--text-body)] text-caption outline-none transition-colors [&>span]:min-w-0 [&>span]:truncate [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-[14px] [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg]:text-[var(--text-icon)]',
-                        isActive && 'bg-[var(--surface-active)]'
+                        'relative flex w-full min-w-0 cursor-pointer select-none items-center gap-2 rounded-[5px] px-2 py-1.5 text-left text-[var(--text-body)] text-caption outline-none transition-colors duration-0 [&>span]:min-w-0 [&>span]:truncate [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-[14px] [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg]:text-[var(--text-icon)]',
+                        /* `activeIndex` is the cursor, not a selection — hover surface. */
+                        isActive && 'bg-[var(--surface-hover)]'
                       )}
                     >
                       {config.renderDropdownItem({ item })}

diff --git a/...ceId]/home/components/user-input/components/skills-menu-dropdown/skills-menu-dropdown.tsx b/...ceId]/home/components/user-input/components/skills-menu-dropdown/skills-menu-dropdown.tsx
@@ -210,8 +210,9 @@ export const SkillsMenuDropdown = React.memo(
                     onMouseEnter={() => setActiveIndex(index)}
                     onClick={() => handleSelect(target)}
                     className={cn(
-                      'relative flex w-full min-w-0 cursor-pointer select-none items-center gap-2 rounded-[5px] px-2 py-1.5 text-left text-[var(--text-body)] text-caption outline-none transition-colors [&>span]:min-w-0 [&>span]:truncate [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-[14px] [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg]:text-[var(--text-icon)]',
-                      isActive && 'bg-[var(--surface-active)]'
+                      'relative flex w-full min-w-0 cursor-pointer select-none items-center gap-2 rounded-[5px] px-2 py-1.5 text-left text-[var(--text-body)] text-caption outline-none transition-colors duration-0 [&>span]:min-w-0 [&>span]:truncate [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-[14px] [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg]:text-[var(--text-icon)]',
+                      /* `activeIndex` is the cursor, not a selection — hover surface. */
+                      isActive && 'bg-[var(--surface-hover)]'
                     )}
                   >
                     {target.kind === 'skill' ? <AgentSkillsIcon /> : <McpIcon />}

diff --git a/...paceId]/w/components/sidebar/components/collapsed-sidebar-menu/collapsed-sidebar-menu.tsx b/...paceId]/w/components/sidebar/components/collapsed-sidebar-menu/collapsed-sidebar-menu.tsx
@@ -81,11 +81,8 @@ export function CollapsedFileFolderItems({
       {fileFlyoutEntries(nodes, rootFiles ?? []).map((entry) => {
         if (entry.kind === 'file') {
           return (
-            <DropdownMenuItem key={entry.id} asChild>
-              <Link
-                href={`/workspace/${workspaceId}/files/${entry.file.id}`}
-                className={cn(currentFileId === entry.file.id && 'bg-[var(--surface-active)]')}
-              >
+            <DropdownMenuItem key={entry.id} asChild active={currentFileId === entry.file.id}>
+              <Link href={`/workspace/${workspaceId}/files/${entry.file.id}`}>
                 {FILE_FLYOUT_ICON}
                 <span className='truncate'>{entry.name}</span>
               </Link>
@@ -107,7 +104,7 @@ export function CollapsedFileFolderItems({
 
         return (
           <DropdownMenuSub key={folder.id}>
-            <DropdownMenuSubTrigger className='focus:bg-[var(--surface-hover)] data-[state=open]:bg-[var(--surface-hover)]'>
+            <DropdownMenuSubTrigger>
               <Folder className='size-[14px]' />
               <span className='truncate'>{folder.name}</span>
             </DropdownMenuSubTrigger>
@@ -265,7 +262,7 @@ export function CollapsedChatFlyoutItem({
   return (
     <DropdownMenuItem
       asChild
-      className={cn((isCurrentRoute || isMenuOpen) && 'bg-[var(--surface-active)]')}
+      active={isCurrentRoute || isMenuOpen}
       action={
         showActions ? (
           <DropdownMenuItemAction
@@ -342,7 +339,7 @@ export function CollapsedWorkflowFlyoutItem({
   return (
     <DropdownMenuItem
       asChild
-      className={cn((isCurrentRoute || actionsOpen) && 'bg-[var(--surface-active)]')}
+      active={isCurrentRoute || actionsOpen}
       action={
         hasActions ? (
           <DropdownMenuSub
@@ -460,7 +457,7 @@ export function CollapsedFolderItems(props: CollapsedFolderItemsProps) {
 
         return (
           <DropdownMenuSub key={folder.id}>
-            <DropdownMenuSubTrigger className='focus:bg-[var(--surface-active)] data-[state=open]:bg-[var(--surface-active)]'>
+            <DropdownMenuSubTrigger>
               <Folder className='size-[14px]' />
               <span className='truncate'>{folder.name}</span>
             </DropdownMenuSubTrigger>

diff --git a/packages/emcn/src/components/dropdown-menu/dropdown-menu.tsx b/packages/emcn/src/components/dropdown-menu/dropdown-menu.tsx
@@ -40,6 +40,33 @@ const ANIMATION_CLASSES =
 const MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS = 'h-[28px]'
 const MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS = 'rounded-lg'
 
+/**
+ * Rows settle instantly, matching the sidebar (`[&_.group.cursor-pointer]:duration-0`
+ * on its `aside`). A menu is walked, not read: at the default 150ms the fill lags a
+ * cursor dragged down the list and two or three rows are mid-fade at once, which reads
+ * as smear rather than as one row following the pointer. `transition-colors` stays so a
+ * consumer can opt a row back into a duration.
+ */
+const MENU_ROW_TRANSITION_CLASS = 'transition-colors duration-0'
+
+/**
+ * The two row surfaces, mirroring `chipHoverSurfaceClass` / `chipActiveSurfaceClass`
+ * — mutually exclusive, so a selected row holds its surface through hover instead of
+ * dimming to the hover fill under the cursor.
+ *
+ * Highlight is keyed off `focus:`, not `hover:`: Radix moves DOM focus to the row on
+ * pointer-move, so one selector covers both the pointer and the arrow-key cursor.
+ * Rows previously highlighted to `--surface-active` — the *selected* surface — so a
+ * hovered row looked selected and a menu appeared to have two selections at once. The
+ * `group-*` variants are inert outside the `action` layout, which is the only place a
+ * `group/dropdownitem` ancestor exists.
+ */
+const MENU_ROW_HIGHLIGHT_CLASS =
+  'focus:bg-[var(--surface-hover)] group-focus-within/dropdownitem:bg-[var(--surface-hover)] group-hover/dropdownitem:bg-[var(--surface-hover)]'
+/** @see {@link MENU_ROW_HIGHLIGHT_CLASS} — the selected half of the same pair. */
+const MENU_ROW_SELECTED_CLASS =
+  'bg-[var(--surface-active)] focus:bg-[var(--surface-active)] group-focus-within/dropdownitem:bg-[var(--surface-active)] group-hover/dropdownitem:bg-[var(--surface-active)]'
+
 /**
  * Rows are a fixed height, so a label that wraps overflows its row and paints
  * over its neighbours instead of growing the row. Every row is therefore held
@@ -152,7 +179,10 @@ const DropdownMenuSubTrigger = React.forwardRef<
     <DropdownMenuPrimitive.SubTrigger
       ref={ref}
       className={cn(
-        `flex ${MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS} min-w-0 cursor-default select-none items-center gap-2 ${MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS} px-2 text-[var(--text-body)] text-small outline-none transition-colors focus:bg-[var(--surface-active)] data-[state=open]:bg-[var(--surface-active)] ${MENU_ROW_SINGLE_LINE_CLASS} [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-[14px] [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg]:text-[var(--text-icon)]`,
+        /* An open submenu keeps its trigger on the selected surface — including while
+           the pointer is on it, so walking into the submenu doesn't drop the trigger
+           back to the hover fill. */
+        `flex ${MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS} min-w-0 cursor-default select-none items-center gap-2 ${MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS} px-2 text-[var(--text-body)] text-small outline-none ${MENU_ROW_TRANSITION_CLASS} ${MENU_ROW_HIGHLIGHT_CLASS} data-[state=open]:bg-[var(--surface-active)] data-[state=open]:focus:bg-[var(--surface-active)] ${MENU_ROW_SINGLE_LINE_CLASS} [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-[14px] [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg]:text-[var(--text-icon)]`,
         inset && 'pl-7',
         className
       )}
@@ -214,29 +244,41 @@ const DropdownMenuContent = React.forwardRef<
 ))
 DropdownMenuContent.displayName = DropdownMenuPrimitive.Content.displayName
 
-const DROPDOWN_MENU_ITEM_BASE_CLASSES = `relative flex ${MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS} min-w-0 cursor-pointer select-none items-center gap-2 ${MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS} px-2 text-[var(--text-body)] text-small outline-none transition-colors focus:bg-[var(--surface-active)] data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50 ${MENU_ROW_SINGLE_LINE_CLASS} [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-[14px] [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg]:text-[var(--text-icon)]`
+const DROPDOWN_MENU_ITEM_BASE_CLASSES = `relative flex ${MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS} min-w-0 cursor-pointer select-none items-center gap-2 ${MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS} px-2 text-[var(--text-body)] text-small outline-none ${MENU_ROW_TRANSITION_CLASS} data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50 ${MENU_ROW_SINGLE_LINE_CLASS} [&_svg]:pointer-events-none [&_svg]:size-[14px] [&_svg]:shrink-0 [&_svg]:text-[var(--text-icon)]`
 
 const DropdownMenuItem = React.forwardRef<
   React.ElementRef<typeof DropdownMenuPrimitive.Item>,
   React.ComponentPropsWithoutRef<typeof DropdownMenuPrimitive.Item> & {
     inset?: boolean
+    /**
+     * Renders the row as selected — the current route, the checked value, the row
+     * whose own menu is open. Selected is a state the row *holds*, so it keeps
+     * `--surface-active` through hover rather than dimming to the hover fill.
+     *
+     * Not for a pointer/keyboard cursor: that is the row highlight, which the row
+     * already paints on its own. A menu that marks its cursor row `active` puts two
+     * selections on screen.
+     */
+    active?: boolean
     /**
      * Optional inline action rendered on the right edge of the item — e.g. a
      * "more" icon button. Reveals on hover/focus of the row, and the row stays
      * highlighted while the cursor is over the action.
      */
     action?: React.ReactNode
   }
->(({ className, inset, action, asChild, children, ...props }, ref) => {
+>(({ className, inset, active, action, asChild, children, ...props }, ref) => {
   const content = asChild ? children : withEllipsizedLabel(children)
+  const stateClasses = active ? MENU_ROW_SELECTED_CLASS : MENU_ROW_HIGHLIGHT_CLASS
   if (action) {
     return (
       <div className='group/dropdownitem relative'>
         <DropdownMenuPrimitive.Item
           ref={ref}
           className={cn(
             DROPDOWN_MENU_ITEM_BASE_CLASSES,
-            'pr-[28px] group-focus-within/dropdownitem:bg-[var(--surface-active)] group-hover/dropdownitem:bg-[var(--surface-active)]',
+            stateClasses,
+            'pr-[28px]',
             inset && 'pl-7',
             className
           )}
@@ -254,7 +296,7 @@ const DropdownMenuItem = React.forwardRef<
   return (
     <DropdownMenuPrimitive.Item
       ref={ref}
-      className={cn(DROPDOWN_MENU_ITEM_BASE_CLASSES, inset && 'pl-7', className)}
+      className={cn(DROPDOWN_MENU_ITEM_BASE_CLASSES, stateClasses, inset && 'pl-7', className)}
       asChild={asChild}
       {...props}
     >
@@ -301,7 +343,7 @@ const DropdownMenuCheckboxItem = React.forwardRef<
   <DropdownMenuPrimitive.CheckboxItem
     ref={ref}
     className={cn(
-      `relative flex ${MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS} min-w-0 cursor-default select-none items-center ${MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS} whitespace-nowrap pr-2 pl-7 text-[var(--text-body)] text-small outline-none transition-colors focus:bg-[var(--surface-active)] data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50`,
+      `relative flex ${MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS} min-w-0 cursor-default select-none items-center ${MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS} whitespace-nowrap pr-2 pl-7 text-[var(--text-body)] text-small outline-none ${MENU_ROW_TRANSITION_CLASS} ${MENU_ROW_HIGHLIGHT_CLASS} data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50`,
       className
     )}
     checked={checked}
@@ -324,7 +366,7 @@ const DropdownMenuRadioItem = React.forwardRef<
   <DropdownMenuPrimitive.RadioItem
     ref={ref}
     className={cn(
-      `relative flex ${MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS} min-w-0 cursor-default select-none items-center ${MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS} whitespace-nowrap pr-2 pl-7 text-[var(--text-body)] text-small outline-none transition-colors focus:bg-[var(--surface-active)] data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50`,
+      `relative flex ${MENU_ROW_HEIGHT_CLASS} min-w-0 cursor-default select-none items-center ${MENU_ROW_RADIUS_CLASS} whitespace-nowrap pr-2 pl-7 text-[var(--text-body)] text-small outline-none ${MENU_ROW_TRANSITION_CLASS} ${MENU_ROW_HIGHLIGHT_CLASS} data-[disabled]:pointer-events-none data-[disabled]:opacity-50`,
       className
     )}
     {...props}