diff --git a/bundled-addons/hermes/addon.json b/bundled-addons/hermes/addon.json
index 77423984..69c87c78 100644
--- a/bundled-addons/hermes/addon.json
+++ b/bundled-addons/hermes/addon.json
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
   "version": "0.1.0",
   "description": "Message anyone by their .bch name. End-to-end encrypted DMs over Nostr (NIP-17), identity derived from your wallet seed.",
   "author": "Silent Mode",
-  "icon": "data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNjQgNjQiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PGcgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgc3Ryb2tlPSIjZDZmZjNkIiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjQiIHN0cm9rZS1saW5lY2FwPSJyb3VuZCIgc3Ryb2tlLWxpbmVqb2luPSJyb3VuZCI+PHJlY3QgeD0iMjAiIHk9IjIzIiB3aWR0aD0iMjQiIGhlaWdodD0iMTgiIHJ4PSIyIi8+PHBhdGggZD0iTTIwIDI1IEwzMiAzNSBMNDQgMjUiLz48cGF0aCBkPSJNMjAgMzAgTDcgMjciLz48cGF0aCBkPSJNMjAgMzQgTDggMzYiLz48cGF0aCBkPSJNNDQgMzAgTDU3IDI3Ii8+PHBhdGggZD0iTTQ0IDM0IEw1NiAzNiIvPjwvZz48L3N2Zz4K",
+  "icon": "data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNjQgNjQiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PGcgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgc3Ryb2tlPSIjZDZmZjNkIiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjQiIHN0cm9rZS1saW5lY2FwPSJyb3VuZCIgc3Ryb2tlLWxpbmVqb2luPSJyb3VuZCI+PHBhdGggZD0iTTIwIDQyIFEgMjAgMTIgMzIgMTIgUSA0NCAxMiA0NCA0MiIvPjxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0xNiA0MiBMNDggNDIiLz48cGF0aCBkPSJNNDQgMjIgTCA2MCAxNiIvPjxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0yMCAyMiBMIDQgMTYiLz48L2c+PC9zdmc+Cg==",
   "main": "index.js",
   "activation": "on-demand",
   "panels": [
-    { "id": "main", "title": "Hermes", "icon": "data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNjQgNjQiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PGcgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgc3Ryb2tlPSIjZDZmZjNkIiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjQiIHN0cm9rZS1saW5lY2FwPSJyb3VuZCIgc3Ryb2tlLWxpbmVqb2luPSJyb3VuZCI+PHJlY3QgeD0iMjAiIHk9IjIzIiB3aWR0aD0iMjQiIGhlaWdodD0iMTgiIHJ4PSIyIi8+PHBhdGggZD0iTTIwIDI1IEwzMiAzNSBMNDQgMjUiLz48cGF0aCBkPSJNMjAgMzAgTDcgMjciLz48cGF0aCBkPSJNMjAgMzQgTDggMzYiLz48cGF0aCBkPSJNNDQgMzAgTDU3IDI3Ii8+PHBhdGggZD0iTTQ0IDM0IEw1NiAzNiIvPjwvZz48L3N2Zz4K", "page": "panel.html" }
+    { "id": "main", "title": "Hermes", "icon": "data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNjQgNjQiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PGcgZmlsbD0ibm9uZSIgc3Ryb2tlPSIjZDZmZjNkIiBzdHJva2Utd2lkdGg9IjQiIHN0cm9rZS1saW5lY2FwPSJyb3VuZCIgc3Ryb2tlLWxpbmVqb2luPSJyb3VuZCI+PHBhdGggZD0iTTIwIDQyIFEgMjAgMTIgMzIgMTIgUSA0NCAxMiA0NCA0MiIvPjxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0xNiA0MiBMNDggNDIiLz48cGF0aCBkPSJNNDQgMjIgTCA2MCAxNiIvPjxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0yMCAyMiBMIDQgMTYiLz48L2c+PC9zdmc+Cg==", "page": "panel.html", "side": "left" }
   ],
   "capabilities": ["sidebar-panel"]
 }
diff --git a/bundled-addons/hermes/index.js b/bundled-addons/hermes/index.js
index d7ce993b..2d9598cb 100644
--- a/bundled-addons/hermes/index.js
+++ b/bundled-addons/hermes/index.js
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ module.exports = {
       id: "main",
       title: "Hermes",
       page: "panel.html",
+      // Dock on the LEFT strip (alongside mail/pithos/telegram etc.), not
+      // the right-hand add-on dock. The host checks `side` on both the
+      // manifest's panels[] entry and the registerSidebarPanel call —
+      // declaring it in both keeps dormant vs active renders consistent.
+      side: "left",
     });
     api.onMessage("open-messages", () => {
       // In-process emit: main.js listens on "hermes-open-request" and calls
diff --git a/bundled-addons/hermes/panel.html b/bundled-addons/hermes/panel.html
index e7206938..1dfe7541 100644
--- a/bundled-addons/hermes/panel.html
+++ b/bundled-addons/hermes/panel.html
@@ -37,13 +37,15 @@
 <body>
   <div class="mark" aria-hidden="true">
     <svg viewBox="0 0 64 64" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
-      <g fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="4" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">
-        <rect x="20" y="23" width="24" height="18" rx="2"/>
-        <path d="M20 25 L32 35 L44 25"/>
-        <path d="M20 30 L7 27"/>
-        <path d="M20 34 L8 36"/>
-        <path d="M44 30 L57 27"/>
-        <path d="M44 34 L56 36"/>
+      <g fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="3" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round">
+        <path d="M20 42 Q 20 12 32 12 Q 44 12 44 42"/>
+        <path d="M16 42 L48 42"/>
+        <path d="M44 18 L 60 12"/>
+        <path d="M44 24 L 62 22"/>
+        <path d="M44 30 L 58 32"/>
+        <path d="M20 18 L 4 12"/>
+        <path d="M20 24 L 2 22"/>
+        <path d="M20 30 L 6 32"/>
       </g>
     </svg>
   </div>