diff --git a/packages/app/src/agent-stream/history-start-pagination.test.ts b/packages/app/src/agent-stream/history-start-pagination.test.ts
index c7ebfca273..66c070679d 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/agent-stream/history-start-pagination.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/agent-stream/history-start-pagination.test.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { nativeHistoryStartGeometry } from "./native-history-start-geometry";
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import {
   createHistoryStartPagination,
@@ -202,3 +203,36 @@ it("keeps cached history visible after synchronization and subsequent pagination
   expect(h.requests).toHaveLength(2);
   h.pagination.dispose();
 });
+
+it.each([
+  [true, 123, 0],
+  [false, 123, 0],
+  [true, 0, 123],
+  [false, 0, 123],
+])(
+  "handles native padding when short history has older=%s",
+  (hasOlderHistory, topOverlayInset, bottomPadding) => {
+    const geometry = nativeHistoryStartGeometry({
+      contentHeight: 825,
+      viewportHeight: 700,
+      offsetY: 0,
+      topOverlayInset,
+      bottomPadding,
+    });
+    let requests = 0;
+    const pagination = createHistoryStartPagination({
+      initiallyVisible: false,
+      read: () => ({ ...initial, ...geometry, hasOlderHistory }),
+      load: () => {
+        requests++;
+        return new Promise<boolean>(() => {});
+      },
+      changed: () => {},
+      scheduleSettle: () => {},
+    });
+    pagination.update();
+    expect(requests).toBe(hasOlderHistory ? 1 : 0);
+    expect(pagination.state.visible).toBe(!hasOlderHistory);
+    pagination.dispose();
+  },
+);
diff --git a/packages/app/src/agent-stream/native-history-start-geometry.ts b/packages/app/src/agent-stream/native-history-start-geometry.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..33ebcbfabd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/agent-stream/native-history-start-geometry.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+export function nativeHistoryStartGeometry(input: {
+  contentHeight: number;
+  viewportHeight: number;
+  offsetY: number;
+  topOverlayInset: number;
+  bottomPadding: number;
+}) {
+  const contentHeight = input.contentHeight - 32 - input.topOverlayInset - input.bottomPadding;
+  return {
+    distanceFromHistoryStart: contentHeight - input.viewportHeight - input.offsetY,
+    isUnderfilled: contentHeight < input.viewportHeight,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/packages/app/src/agent-stream/strategy-native.tsx b/packages/app/src/agent-stream/strategy-native.tsx
index 93a940dd50..610f8f74d8 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/agent-stream/strategy-native.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/agent-stream/strategy-native.tsx
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import {
   type HistoryStartPaginationInput,
 } from "./history-start-pagination";
 import { useHistoryStartPagination } from "./use-history-start-pagination";
+import { nativeHistoryStartGeometry } from "./native-history-start-geometry";
 import { useStreamTopOverlayInset } from "./top-overlay";
 import {
   createHistoryStartSettleScheduler,
@@ -132,13 +133,13 @@ function NativeStreamViewport(props: StreamRenderInput & { strategy: StreamStrat
       metrics.viewportMeasuredForKey === metrics.containerKey &&
       metrics.contentMeasuredForKey === metrics.containerKey;
     return {
-      distanceFromHistoryStart: metrics.contentHeight - metrics.viewportHeight - metrics.offsetY,
-      isUnderfilled:
-        metrics.contentHeight -
-          32 -
-          topOverlayInset -
-          streamKeyboardInset.contentContainerPaddingBottom <
-        metrics.viewportHeight,
+      ...nativeHistoryStartGeometry({
+        contentHeight: metrics.contentHeight,
+        viewportHeight: metrics.viewportHeight,
+        offsetY: metrics.offsetY,
+        topOverlayInset,
+        bottomPadding: streamKeyboardInset.contentContainerPaddingBottom,
+      }),
       hasOlderHistory,
       isLoadingOlderHistory,
       isReady:
diff --git a/packages/app/src/subagents/provider-store.test.ts b/packages/app/src/subagents/provider-store.test.ts
index 596425a620..a28e9b00fd 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/subagents/provider-store.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/subagents/provider-store.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+import { createHistoryStartPagination } from "@/agent-stream/history-start-pagination";
 import { DaemonConnectionError } from "@getpaseo/client/internal/daemon-client";
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, test, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { ProviderSubagentDescriptorPayload } from "@getpaseo/protocol/messages";
 import {
   loadOlderProviderSubagentTimeline,
@@ -593,6 +594,68 @@ describe("projected child history", () => {
     expect(await request).toBe(true);
     expect(current().cursor?.startSeq).toBe(1);
   });
+  test("bounds an older child request so a timeout permits another attempt", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    try {
+      useProviderSubagentStore
+        .getState()
+        .replaceTimeline(SERVER_ID, { ...response("B", 2, 2), hasOlder: true });
+      const timeouts: Array<number | undefined> = [];
+      const client = {
+        fetchProviderSubagentTimeline: (
+          _parent: string,
+          _child: string,
+          options: { timeout?: number },
+        ) => {
+          timeouts.push(options.timeout);
+          return new Promise<Payload>((_resolve, reject) =>
+            setTimeout(() => reject(new Error("timeout")), options.timeout ?? 60_000),
+          );
+        },
+      };
+      let loading = false;
+      const pagination = createHistoryStartPagination({
+        initiallyVisible: true,
+        read: () => ({
+          distanceFromHistoryStart: 0,
+          isUnderfilled: true,
+          hasOlderHistory: true,
+          isLoadingOlderHistory: loading,
+          isReady: true,
+          progressKey: "e:2",
+        }),
+        load: async () => {
+          loading = true;
+          try {
+            return await loadOlderProviderSubagentTimeline({
+              client,
+              serverId: SERVER_ID,
+              parentAgentId: PARENT_ID,
+              subagentId: SUBAGENT_ID,
+              limit: 100,
+            });
+          } catch {
+            return false;
+          } finally {
+            loading = false;
+          }
+        },
+        changed: () => {},
+        scheduleSettle: () => {},
+      });
+      pagination.update();
+      expect(timeouts).toEqual([10_000]);
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
+      expect(pagination.state.status).toBe("failed");
+      pagination.rearm();
+      expect(timeouts).toEqual([10_000, 10_000]);
+      expect(pagination.state.status).toBe("loading");
+      pagination.dispose();
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000);
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
   test("replaces overlapping fetched text and continues live streaming", () => {
     page("AB", 1, 2);
     stream(3, "C");
diff --git a/packages/app/src/subagents/provider-store.ts b/packages/app/src/subagents/provider-store.ts
index f3869c0a73..48010aa0be 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/subagents/provider-store.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/subagents/provider-store.ts
@@ -377,6 +377,7 @@ export async function loadOlderProviderSubagentTimeline({
     direction: "before",
     cursor: { epoch: timeline.epoch, seq },
     limit,
+    timeout: 10_000,
   });
   if (payload.error) return false;
   useProviderSubagentStore.getState().replaceTimeline(serverId, payload);