diff --git a/ui/src/ui/app-scroll.test.ts b/ui/src/ui/app-scroll.test.ts
index 111b54de9..244d61c35 100644
--- a/ui/src/ui/app-scroll.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/ui/app-scroll.test.ts
@@ -61,45 +61,39 @@ function createScrollEvent(scrollHeight: number, scrollTop: number, clientHeight
 /* ------------------------------------------------------------------ */
 
 describe("handleChatScroll", () => {
-  it("sets chatUserNearBottom=true when within the 450px threshold", () => {
-    const { host } = createScrollHost({});
-    // distanceFromBottom = 2000 - 1600 - 400 = 0 → clearly near bottom
-    const event = createScrollEvent(2000, 1600, 400);
-    handleChatScroll(host, event);
-    expect(host.chatUserNearBottom).toBe(true);
-  });
-
-  it("sets chatUserNearBottom=true when distance is just under threshold", () => {
-    const { host } = createScrollHost({});
-    // distanceFromBottom = 2000 - 1151 - 400 = 449 → just under threshold
-    const event = createScrollEvent(2000, 1151, 400);
-    handleChatScroll(host, event);
-    expect(host.chatUserNearBottom).toBe(true);
-  });
-
-  it("sets chatUserNearBottom=false when distance is exactly at threshold", () => {
-    const { host } = createScrollHost({});
-    // distanceFromBottom = 2000 - 1150 - 400 = 450 → at threshold (uses strict <)
-    const event = createScrollEvent(2000, 1150, 400);
-    handleChatScroll(host, event);
-    expect(host.chatUserNearBottom).toBe(false);
-  });
-
-  it("sets chatUserNearBottom=false when scrolled well above threshold", () => {
-    const { host } = createScrollHost({});
-    // distanceFromBottom = 2000 - 500 - 400 = 1100 → way above threshold
-    const event = createScrollEvent(2000, 500, 400);
-    handleChatScroll(host, event);
-    expect(host.chatUserNearBottom).toBe(false);
-  });
-
-  it("sets chatUserNearBottom=false when user scrolled up past one long message (>200px <450px)", () => {
-    const { host } = createScrollHost({});
-    // distanceFromBottom = 2000 - 1250 - 400 = 350 → old threshold would say "near", new says "near"
-    // distanceFromBottom = 2000 - 1100 - 400 = 500 → old threshold would say "not near", new also "not near"
-    const event = createScrollEvent(2000, 1100, 400);
-    handleChatScroll(host, event);
-    expect(host.chatUserNearBottom).toBe(false);
+  it("updates near-bottom state across threshold boundaries", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      {
+        name: "clearly near bottom",
+        event: createScrollEvent(2000, 1600, 400),
+        expected: true,
+      },
+      {
+        name: "just under threshold",
+        event: createScrollEvent(2000, 1151, 400),
+        expected: true,
+      },
+      {
+        name: "exactly at threshold",
+        event: createScrollEvent(2000, 1150, 400),
+        expected: false,
+      },
+      {
+        name: "well above threshold",
+        event: createScrollEvent(2000, 500, 400),
+        expected: false,
+      },
+      {
+        name: "scrolled up beyond long message",
+        event: createScrollEvent(2000, 1100, 400),
+        expected: false,
+      },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      const { host } = createScrollHost({});
+      handleChatScroll(host, testCase.event);
+      expect(host.chatUserNearBottom, testCase.name).toBe(testCase.expected);
+    }
   });
 });
 
@@ -121,85 +115,67 @@ describe("scheduleChatScroll", () => {
     vi.restoreAllMocks();
   });
 
-  it("scrolls to bottom when user is near bottom (no force)", async () => {
-    const { host, container } = createScrollHost({
-      scrollHeight: 2000,
-      scrollTop: 1600,
-      clientHeight: 400,
-    });
-    // distanceFromBottom = 2000 - 1600 - 400 = 0 → near bottom
-    host.chatUserNearBottom = true;
+  it("respects near-bottom, force, and initial-load behavior", async () => {
+    const cases = [
+      {
+        name: "near-bottom auto-scroll",
+        scrollTop: 1600,
+        chatUserNearBottom: true,
+        chatHasAutoScrolled: false,
+        force: false,
+        expectedScrollsToBottom: true,
+        expectedNewMessagesBelow: false,
+      },
+      {
+        name: "scrolled-up no-force",
+        scrollTop: 500,
+        chatUserNearBottom: false,
+        chatHasAutoScrolled: false,
+        force: false,
+        expectedScrollsToBottom: false,
+        expectedNewMessagesBelow: true,
+      },
+      {
+        name: "scrolled-up force after initial load",
+        scrollTop: 500,
+        chatUserNearBottom: false,
+        chatHasAutoScrolled: true,
+        force: true,
+        expectedScrollsToBottom: false,
+        expectedNewMessagesBelow: true,
+      },
+      {
+        name: "scrolled-up force on initial load",
+        scrollTop: 500,
+        chatUserNearBottom: false,
+        chatHasAutoScrolled: false,
+        force: true,
+        expectedScrollsToBottom: true,
+        expectedNewMessagesBelow: false,
+      },
+    ] as const;
 
-    scheduleChatScroll(host);
-    await host.updateComplete;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      const { host, container } = createScrollHost({
+        scrollHeight: 2000,
+        scrollTop: testCase.scrollTop,
+        clientHeight: 400,
+      });
+      host.chatUserNearBottom = testCase.chatUserNearBottom;
+      host.chatHasAutoScrolled = testCase.chatHasAutoScrolled;
+      host.chatNewMessagesBelow = false;
+      const originalScrollTop = container.scrollTop;
 
-    expect(container.scrollTop).toBe(container.scrollHeight);
-  });
+      scheduleChatScroll(host, testCase.force);
+      await host.updateComplete;
 
-  it("does NOT scroll when user is scrolled up and no force", async () => {
-    const { host, container } = createScrollHost({
-      scrollHeight: 2000,
-      scrollTop: 500,
-      clientHeight: 400,
-    });
-    // distanceFromBottom = 2000 - 500 - 400 = 1100 → not near bottom
-    host.chatUserNearBottom = false;
-    const originalScrollTop = container.scrollTop;
-
-    scheduleChatScroll(host);
-    await host.updateComplete;
-
-    expect(container.scrollTop).toBe(originalScrollTop);
-  });
-
-  it("does NOT scroll with force=true when user has explicitly scrolled up", async () => {
-    const { host, container } = createScrollHost({
-      scrollHeight: 2000,
-      scrollTop: 500,
-      clientHeight: 400,
-    });
-    // User has scrolled up — chatUserNearBottom is false
-    host.chatUserNearBottom = false;
-    host.chatHasAutoScrolled = true; // Already past initial load
-    const originalScrollTop = container.scrollTop;
-
-    scheduleChatScroll(host, true);
-    await host.updateComplete;
-
-    // force=true should still NOT override explicit user scroll-up after initial load
-    expect(container.scrollTop).toBe(originalScrollTop);
-  });
-
-  it("DOES scroll with force=true on initial load (chatHasAutoScrolled=false)", async () => {
-    const { host, container } = createScrollHost({
-      scrollHeight: 2000,
-      scrollTop: 500,
-      clientHeight: 400,
-    });
-    host.chatUserNearBottom = false;
-    host.chatHasAutoScrolled = false; // Initial load
-
-    scheduleChatScroll(host, true);
-    await host.updateComplete;
-
-    // On initial load, force should work regardless
-    expect(container.scrollTop).toBe(container.scrollHeight);
-  });
-
-  it("sets chatNewMessagesBelow when not scrolling due to user position", async () => {
-    const { host } = createScrollHost({
-      scrollHeight: 2000,
-      scrollTop: 500,
-      clientHeight: 400,
-    });
-    host.chatUserNearBottom = false;
-    host.chatHasAutoScrolled = true;
-    host.chatNewMessagesBelow = false;
-
-    scheduleChatScroll(host);
-    await host.updateComplete;
-
-    expect(host.chatNewMessagesBelow).toBe(true);
+      if (testCase.expectedScrollsToBottom) {
+        expect(container.scrollTop, testCase.name).toBe(container.scrollHeight);
+      } else {
+        expect(container.scrollTop, testCase.name).toBe(originalScrollTop);
+      }
+      expect(host.chatNewMessagesBelow, testCase.name).toBe(testCase.expectedNewMessagesBelow);
+    }
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/ui/src/ui/format.test.ts b/ui/src/ui/format.test.ts
index 239bdd213..24cf7f266 100644
--- a/ui/src/ui/format.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/ui/format.test.ts
@@ -2,70 +2,75 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { formatRelativeTimestamp, stripThinkingTags } from "./format.ts";
 
 describe("formatAgo", () => {
-  it("returns 'in <1m' for timestamps less than 60s in the future", () => {
-    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(Date.now() + 30_000)).toBe("in <1m");
-  });
-
-  it("returns 'Xm from now' for future timestamps", () => {
-    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(Date.now() + 5 * 60_000)).toBe("in 5m");
-  });
-
-  it("returns 'Xh from now' for future timestamps", () => {
-    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(Date.now() + 3 * 60 * 60_000)).toBe("in 3h");
-  });
-
-  it("returns 'Xd from now' for future timestamps beyond 48h", () => {
-    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(Date.now() + 3 * 24 * 60 * 60_000)).toBe("in 3d");
-  });
-
-  it("returns 'Xs ago' for recent past timestamps", () => {
-    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(Date.now() - 10_000)).toBe("just now");
-  });
-
-  it("returns 'Xm ago' for past timestamps", () => {
-    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(Date.now() - 5 * 60_000)).toBe("5m ago");
-  });
-
-  it("returns 'n/a' for null/undefined", () => {
-    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(null)).toBe("n/a");
-    expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(undefined)).toBe("n/a");
+  it("formats relative timestamps across future/past/null cases", () => {
+    const now = Date.now();
+    const cases = [
+      { name: "<1m future", input: now + 30_000, expected: "in <1m" },
+      { name: "minutes future", input: now + 5 * 60_000, expected: "in 5m" },
+      { name: "hours future", input: now + 3 * 60 * 60_000, expected: "in 3h" },
+      { name: "days future", input: now + 3 * 24 * 60 * 60_000, expected: "in 3d" },
+      { name: "recent past", input: now - 10_000, expected: "just now" },
+      { name: "minutes past", input: now - 5 * 60_000, expected: "5m ago" },
+      { name: "null", input: null, expected: "n/a" },
+      { name: "undefined", input: undefined, expected: "n/a" },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(formatRelativeTimestamp(testCase.input), testCase.name).toBe(testCase.expected);
+    }
   });
 });
 
 describe("stripThinkingTags", () => {
-  it("strips <think>…</think> segments", () => {
-    const input = ["<think>", "secret", "</think>", "", "Hello"].join("\n");
-    expect(stripThinkingTags(input)).toBe("Hello");
-  });
-
-  it("strips <thinking>…</thinking> segments", () => {
-    const input = ["<thinking>", "secret", "</thinking>", "", "Hello"].join("\n");
-    expect(stripThinkingTags(input)).toBe("Hello");
-  });
-
-  it("keeps text when tags are unpaired", () => {
-    expect(stripThinkingTags("<think>\nsecret\nHello")).toBe("secret\nHello");
-    expect(stripThinkingTags("Hello\n</think>")).toBe("Hello\n");
-  });
-
-  it("returns original text when no tags exist", () => {
-    expect(stripThinkingTags("Hello")).toBe("Hello");
-  });
-
-  it("strips <final>…</final> segments", () => {
-    const input = "<final>\n\nHello there\n\n</final>";
-    expect(stripThinkingTags(input)).toBe("Hello there\n\n");
-  });
-
-  it("strips mixed <think> and <final> tags", () => {
-    const input = "<think>reasoning</think>\n\n<final>Hello</final>";
-    expect(stripThinkingTags(input)).toBe("Hello");
-  });
-
-  it("handles incomplete <final tag gracefully", () => {
-    // When streaming splits mid-tag, we may see "<final" without closing ">"
-    // This should not crash and should handle gracefully
-    expect(stripThinkingTags("<final\nHello")).toBe("<final\nHello");
-    expect(stripThinkingTags("Hello</final>")).toBe("Hello");
+  it("normalizes think/final tag variants", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      {
+        name: "strip think block",
+        input: ["<think>", "secret", "</think>", "", "Hello"].join("\n"),
+        expected: "Hello",
+      },
+      {
+        name: "strip thinking block",
+        input: ["<thinking>", "secret", "</thinking>", "", "Hello"].join("\n"),
+        expected: "Hello",
+      },
+      {
+        name: "unpaired think start",
+        input: "<think>\nsecret\nHello",
+        expected: "secret\nHello",
+      },
+      {
+        name: "unpaired think end",
+        input: "Hello\n</think>",
+        expected: "Hello\n",
+      },
+      {
+        name: "no tags",
+        input: "Hello",
+        expected: "Hello",
+      },
+      {
+        name: "strip final block",
+        input: "<final>\n\nHello there\n\n</final>",
+        expected: "Hello there\n\n",
+      },
+      {
+        name: "strip mixed think/final",
+        input: "<think>reasoning</think>\n\n<final>Hello</final>",
+        expected: "Hello",
+      },
+      {
+        name: "incomplete final start",
+        input: "<final\nHello",
+        expected: "<final\nHello",
+      },
+      {
+        name: "orphan final end",
+        input: "Hello</final>",
+        expected: "Hello",
+      },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(stripThinkingTags(testCase.input), testCase.name).toBe(testCase.expected);
+    }
   });
 });
diff --git a/ui/src/ui/navigation.test.ts b/ui/src/ui/navigation.test.ts
index 4ff027934..79839ef16 100644
--- a/ui/src/ui/navigation.test.ts
+++ b/ui/src/ui/navigation.test.ts
@@ -26,17 +26,22 @@ describe("iconForTab", () => {
   });
 
   it("returns stable icons for known tabs", () => {
-    expect(iconForTab("chat")).toBe("messageSquare");
-    expect(iconForTab("overview")).toBe("barChart");
-    expect(iconForTab("channels")).toBe("link");
-    expect(iconForTab("instances")).toBe("radio");
-    expect(iconForTab("sessions")).toBe("fileText");
-    expect(iconForTab("cron")).toBe("loader");
-    expect(iconForTab("skills")).toBe("zap");
-    expect(iconForTab("nodes")).toBe("monitor");
-    expect(iconForTab("config")).toBe("settings");
-    expect(iconForTab("debug")).toBe("bug");
-    expect(iconForTab("logs")).toBe("scrollText");
+    const cases = [
+      { tab: "chat", icon: "messageSquare" },
+      { tab: "overview", icon: "barChart" },
+      { tab: "channels", icon: "link" },
+      { tab: "instances", icon: "radio" },
+      { tab: "sessions", icon: "fileText" },
+      { tab: "cron", icon: "loader" },
+      { tab: "skills", icon: "zap" },
+      { tab: "nodes", icon: "monitor" },
+      { tab: "config", icon: "settings" },
+      { tab: "debug", icon: "bug" },
+      { tab: "logs", icon: "scrollText" },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(iconForTab(testCase.tab), testCase.tab).toBe(testCase.icon);
+    }
   });
 
   it("returns a fallback icon for unknown tab", () => {
@@ -56,9 +61,14 @@ describe("titleForTab", () => {
   });
 
   it("returns expected titles", () => {
-    expect(titleForTab("chat")).toBe("Chat");
-    expect(titleForTab("overview")).toBe("Overview");
-    expect(titleForTab("cron")).toBe("Cron Jobs");
+    const cases = [
+      { tab: "chat", title: "Chat" },
+      { tab: "overview", title: "Overview" },
+      { tab: "cron", title: "Cron Jobs" },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(titleForTab(testCase.tab), testCase.tab).toBe(testCase.title);
+    }
   });
 });
 
@@ -77,108 +87,96 @@ describe("subtitleForTab", () => {
 });
 
 describe("normalizeBasePath", () => {
-  it("returns empty string for falsy input", () => {
-    expect(normalizeBasePath("")).toBe("");
-  });
-
-  it("adds leading slash if missing", () => {
-    expect(normalizeBasePath("ui")).toBe("/ui");
-  });
-
-  it("removes trailing slash", () => {
-    expect(normalizeBasePath("/ui/")).toBe("/ui");
-  });
-
-  it("returns empty string for root path", () => {
-    expect(normalizeBasePath("/")).toBe("");
-  });
-
-  it("handles nested paths", () => {
-    expect(normalizeBasePath("/apps/openclaw")).toBe("/apps/openclaw");
+  it("normalizes base-path variants", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      { input: "", expected: "" },
+      { input: "ui", expected: "/ui" },
+      { input: "/ui/", expected: "/ui" },
+      { input: "/", expected: "" },
+      { input: "/apps/openclaw", expected: "/apps/openclaw" },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(normalizeBasePath(testCase.input), testCase.input).toBe(testCase.expected);
+    }
   });
 });
 
 describe("normalizePath", () => {
-  it("returns / for falsy input", () => {
-    expect(normalizePath("")).toBe("/");
-  });
-
-  it("adds leading slash if missing", () => {
-    expect(normalizePath("chat")).toBe("/chat");
-  });
-
-  it("removes trailing slash except for root", () => {
-    expect(normalizePath("/chat/")).toBe("/chat");
-    expect(normalizePath("/")).toBe("/");
+  it("normalizes paths", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      { input: "", expected: "/" },
+      { input: "chat", expected: "/chat" },
+      { input: "/chat/", expected: "/chat" },
+      { input: "/", expected: "/" },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(normalizePath(testCase.input), testCase.input).toBe(testCase.expected);
+    }
   });
 });
 
 describe("pathForTab", () => {
-  it("returns correct path without base", () => {
-    expect(pathForTab("chat")).toBe("/chat");
-    expect(pathForTab("overview")).toBe("/overview");
-  });
-
-  it("prepends base path", () => {
-    expect(pathForTab("chat", "/ui")).toBe("/ui/chat");
-    expect(pathForTab("sessions", "/apps/openclaw")).toBe("/apps/openclaw/sessions");
+  it("builds tab paths with optional bases", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      { tab: "chat", base: undefined, expected: "/chat" },
+      { tab: "overview", base: undefined, expected: "/overview" },
+      { tab: "chat", base: "/ui", expected: "/ui/chat" },
+      { tab: "sessions", base: "/apps/openclaw", expected: "/apps/openclaw/sessions" },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(
+        pathForTab(testCase.tab, testCase.base),
+        `${testCase.tab}:${testCase.base ?? "root"}`,
+      ).toBe(testCase.expected);
+    }
   });
 });
 
 describe("tabFromPath", () => {
-  it("returns tab for valid path", () => {
-    expect(tabFromPath("/chat")).toBe("chat");
-    expect(tabFromPath("/overview")).toBe("overview");
-    expect(tabFromPath("/sessions")).toBe("sessions");
-  });
-
-  it("returns chat for root path", () => {
-    expect(tabFromPath("/")).toBe("chat");
-  });
-
-  it("handles base paths", () => {
-    expect(tabFromPath("/ui/chat", "/ui")).toBe("chat");
-    expect(tabFromPath("/apps/openclaw/sessions", "/apps/openclaw")).toBe("sessions");
-  });
-
-  it("returns null for unknown path", () => {
-    expect(tabFromPath("/unknown")).toBeNull();
-  });
-
-  it("is case-insensitive", () => {
-    expect(tabFromPath("/CHAT")).toBe("chat");
-    expect(tabFromPath("/Overview")).toBe("overview");
+  it("resolves tabs from path variants", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      { path: "/chat", base: undefined, expected: "chat" },
+      { path: "/overview", base: undefined, expected: "overview" },
+      { path: "/sessions", base: undefined, expected: "sessions" },
+      { path: "/", base: undefined, expected: "chat" },
+      { path: "/ui/chat", base: "/ui", expected: "chat" },
+      { path: "/apps/openclaw/sessions", base: "/apps/openclaw", expected: "sessions" },
+      { path: "/unknown", base: undefined, expected: null },
+      { path: "/CHAT", base: undefined, expected: "chat" },
+      { path: "/Overview", base: undefined, expected: "overview" },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(
+        tabFromPath(testCase.path, testCase.base),
+        `${testCase.path}:${testCase.base ?? "root"}`,
+      ).toBe(testCase.expected);
+    }
   });
 });
 
 describe("inferBasePathFromPathname", () => {
-  it("returns empty string for root", () => {
-    expect(inferBasePathFromPathname("/")).toBe("");
-  });
-
-  it("returns empty string for direct tab path", () => {
-    expect(inferBasePathFromPathname("/chat")).toBe("");
-    expect(inferBasePathFromPathname("/overview")).toBe("");
-  });
-
-  it("infers base path from nested paths", () => {
-    expect(inferBasePathFromPathname("/ui/chat")).toBe("/ui");
-    expect(inferBasePathFromPathname("/apps/openclaw/sessions")).toBe("/apps/openclaw");
-  });
-
-  it("handles index.html suffix", () => {
-    expect(inferBasePathFromPathname("/index.html")).toBe("");
-    expect(inferBasePathFromPathname("/ui/index.html")).toBe("/ui");
+  it("infers base-path variants from pathname", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      { path: "/", expected: "" },
+      { path: "/chat", expected: "" },
+      { path: "/overview", expected: "" },
+      { path: "/ui/chat", expected: "/ui" },
+      { path: "/apps/openclaw/sessions", expected: "/apps/openclaw" },
+      { path: "/index.html", expected: "" },
+      { path: "/ui/index.html", expected: "/ui" },
+    ] as const;
+    for (const testCase of cases) {
+      expect(inferBasePathFromPathname(testCase.path), testCase.path).toBe(testCase.expected);
+    }
   });
 });
 
 describe("TAB_GROUPS", () => {
   it("contains all expected groups", () => {
-    const labels = TAB_GROUPS.map((g) => g.label);
-    expect(labels).toContain("Chat");
-    expect(labels).toContain("Control");
-    expect(labels).toContain("Agent");
-    expect(labels).toContain("Settings");
+    const labels = TAB_GROUPS.map((g) => g.label.toLowerCase());
+    for (const expected of ["chat", "control", "agent", "settings"]) {
+      expect(labels).toContain(expected);
+    }
   });
 
   it("all tabs are unique", () => {