diff --git a/bundled-addons/hermes/addon.json b/bundled-addons/hermes/addon.json
index a730d9bf..98165660 100644
--- a/bundled-addons/hermes/addon.json
+++ b/bundled-addons/hermes/addon.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "id": "hermes",
   "name": "Hermes",
-  "version": "0.2.8",
+  "version": "0.2.9",
   "description": "Message anyone by their on-chain 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,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="379.94 98.42 562.35 562.35" role="img" aria-label="Hermes"><title>Hermes</title><path fill="#38BDF8" d="M547.615112,510.380951   C541.259399,500.796692 533.126343,497.300049 521.526855,496.400818   C500.401581,494.763214 483.958466,482.880280 471.383209,465.988312   C469.225677,463.090088 467.076141,462.109772 463.540192,462.189392   C441.470276,462.686310 422.286652,455.222839 406.547791,439.837952   C397.424255,430.919586 389.132050,421.150757 379.939789,411.195038   C382.865143,409.891327 384.743317,408.947113 386.696655,408.199310   C449.165222,384.284546 511.675201,360.477295 574.083008,336.405212   C584.832581,332.258850 595.279541,331.290253 606.462097,336.283142   C607.427979,323.855591 615.498108,319.253387 625.543457,315.455078   C702.431824,286.382019 779.182495,256.944824 855.991211,227.660706   C869.855164,222.374908 879.002563,226.811783 884.160767,240.893204   C901.845764,289.171265 919.570068,337.434967 937.320618,385.688965   C942.284973,399.184479 938.209473,408.979126 924.835510,414.074646   C856.569641,440.084076 788.261780,465.983185 719.966125,491.914398   C710.008179,495.695312 700.079773,499.559875 690.061157,503.173584   C677.867859,507.571655 668.322327,503.403290 663.626831,491.033051   C652.584290,461.941956 641.903076,432.713745 631.066833,403.544342   C629.386353,399.020874 627.340393,394.606171 626.015137,389.983032   C622.362610,377.240997 613.103149,369.706696 602.097717,363.873535   C593.630737,359.385773 585.036011,358.665405 575.682129,362.305725   C526.838562,381.314484 477.855499,399.964874 428.925751,418.752411   C427.249573,419.395996 425.624634,420.172913 423.212372,421.218597   C429.947388,428.161011 437.514526,432.346649 445.966309,434.936798   C458.696777,438.838165 471.085052,437.812500 483.561890,432.945160   C522.623230,417.706818 561.835693,402.855621 600.994263,387.866638   C602.821167,387.167389 604.693298,386.586212 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M908.935913,379.200867   C895.500854,342.644379 882.065735,306.087891 868.212341,268.393158   C858.768738,285.366821 849.986023,301.030304 841.325378,316.761017   C835.306396,327.693542 829.455261,338.718506 823.065308,350.201019   C811.781738,369.967865 800.498169,389.734741 789.064148,409.765198   C739.365967,391.849609 690.025208,374.062897 639.748596,355.938843   C640.683533,358.688782 641.176941,360.252228 641.743225,361.788818   C649.739075,383.483795 657.665283,405.204895 665.775635,426.857025   C671.370850,441.794647 677.058716,456.702637 683.045227,471.486145   C685.386841,477.268372 688.051575,478.174896 694.068237,475.986084   C700.957275,473.479858 707.665771,470.482452 714.515625,467.862976   C776.458618,444.175201 838.419312,420.533539 900.363647,396.849213   C908.608765,393.696716 912.001160,386.873474 908.935913,379.200867  M821.958435,302.422882   C829.947266,287.931702 837.936157,273.440521 846.636597,257.658661   C780.135437,283.012207 715.010071,307.841278 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",
diff --git a/bundled-addons/hermes/panel.html b/bundled-addons/hermes/panel.html
index 799b350b..52db84bd 100644
--- a/bundled-addons/hermes/panel.html
+++ b/bundled-addons/hermes/panel.html
@@ -257,55 +257,65 @@
   </div>
 </div>
 
-<!-- ========== SIGNIN SCREEN ========== -->
+<!-- ========== SIGNIN SCREEN ==========
+     Same tab bar as the web messenger: Sign in / Sign up persistent pill,
+     active tab filled. The Theseus-only "Open with Theseus ID" quick path
+     slots into the Sign in tab's form when the vault is unlocked. -->
 <div class="screen active" id="signin">
   <div class="mk" aria-hidden="true">
     <img src="assets/mark.svg" alt="" width="72" height="72" style="display:block">
   </div>
   <h1>Hermes</h1>
   <p class="lede">End-to-end encrypted DMs. Your identity is your on-chain registered name — same wallet seed as Theseus.</p>
-  <div class="actions">
-    <button class="primary" id="useVaultBtn" disabled>Open with Theseus ID</button>
-    <button class="secondary" id="toggleCreateBtn">Create a new account</button>
+
+  <!-- Persistent tab bar. Clicking an inactive tab swaps the form below. -->
+  <div id="startRow" style="display:flex;gap:0;width:100%;max-width:300px;border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:999px;padding:3px;background:var(--panel)">
+    <button class="tab tab-active" id="startSignInBtn" style="flex:1;font:inherit;font-weight:600;font-size:13px;padding:8px 10px;background:var(--sky);color:var(--sky-ink);border:0;border-radius:999px;cursor:pointer">Sign in</button>
+    <button class="tab" id="startSignUpBtn" style="flex:1;font:inherit;font-weight:600;font-size:13px;padding:8px 10px;background:transparent;color:var(--ink);border:0;border-radius:999px;cursor:pointer">Sign up</button>
   </div>
-  <div class="mnemonic" id="createBox">
-    <input id="createHandle" type="text" placeholder="alice" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:13px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 10px;width:100%">
+
+  <!-- Sign-in form (default). Theseus-ID button appears above when the
+       vault is unlocked (toggled by boot code based on canUseVault). -->
+  <div id="signinForm" style="display:flex;width:100%;max-width:300px;flex-direction:column;gap:8px">
+    <button class="primary" id="useVaultBtn" disabled style="display:none">Open with Theseus ID</button>
+    <input id="signinHandle" type="text" placeholder="alice" autocomplete="username" spellcheck="false" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:13px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 10px;width:100%">
+    <input id="signinPassword" type="password" placeholder="password" autocomplete="current-password" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:13px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 10px;width:100%">
+    <button class="primary" id="signinBtn">Sign in</button>
+  </div>
+
+  <!-- Sign-up form (hidden until Sign up tab active). -->
+  <div id="signupForm" style="display:none;width:100%;max-width:300px;flex-direction:column;gap:8px">
+    <input id="createHandle" type="text" placeholder="pick a name — alice" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:13px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 10px;width:100%">
     <input id="createPassword" type="password" placeholder="password (min 6)" autocomplete="new-password" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:13px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 10px;width:100%">
     <input id="createPassword2" type="password" placeholder="confirm password" autocomplete="new-password" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:13px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 10px;width:100%">
     <label style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:8px;font-size:12px;color:var(--mut);text-align:left;cursor:pointer">
       <input id="createCloud" type="checkbox" style="margin-top:3px;accent-color:var(--sky)">
-      <span>Back up to the cloud so I can sign in on other devices with this name + password. (You can turn this off in Settings. Your password is the only key; relays never see the seed.)</span>
+      <span>Back up to the cloud so I can sign in on other devices with this name + password.</span>
     </label>
     <button class="primary" id="useCreateBtn">Create account</button>
-    <div class="hint">You'll get a handle like <code>alice.erm</code>. We'll generate a seed phrase — back it up in Settings.</div>
+    <div class="hint" style="margin-top:0">We'll generate a seed phrase — back it up in Settings after you sign in.</div>
   </div>
 
-  <div style="display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px;width:100%;max-width:300px;margin-top:8px">
-    <span style="flex:1;height:1px;background:var(--line)"></span>
-    <span style="color:var(--mut);font-size:11.5px;letter-spacing:.4px;text-transform:uppercase">Sign in</span>
-    <span style="flex:1;height:1px;background:var(--line)"></span>
+  <!-- Recover-with-seed form. Reached from the "Recover with seed phrase"
+       link, has its own ← Back since recovery is a one-shot flow. -->
+  <div id="recoverForm" style="display:none;width:100%;max-width:300px;flex-direction:column;gap:8px">
+    <textarea id="mnemonicInput" placeholder="nsec1… or 12/24-word mnemonic" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false" style="font-family:ui-monospace,Menlo,Consolas,monospace;font-size:12.5px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:10px;width:100%;min-height:86px;resize:vertical"></textarea>
+    <button class="primary" id="recoverBtn">Recover account</button>
+    <button class="secondary" id="recoverBack" style="font:inherit;background:transparent;color:var(--mut);border:0;cursor:pointer;font-size:12px;padding:4px">← Back to sign in</button>
+    <div class="hint">Stays in this panel, never leaves the device.</div>
   </div>
 
-  <div class="signin-chips" style="display:flex;gap:6px;width:100%;max-width:300px">
-    <button class="chip chip-active" data-method="namepw" style="flex:1;font:inherit;font-size:12px;padding:7px 8px;background:var(--sky);color:#06111a;border:1px solid var(--sky);border-radius:6px;cursor:pointer;font-weight:600">Name + password</button>
-    <button class="chip" data-method="seed" style="flex:1;font:inherit;font-size:12px;padding:7px 8px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:6px;cursor:pointer">Seed phrase</button>
+  <!-- Hidden legacy button so the old toggleCreateBtn handler doesn't crash. -->
+  <div style="display:none">
+    <button id="toggleCreateBtn"></button>
   </div>
 
-  <div id="methodNamepw" class="method" style="width:100%;max-width:300px;display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:8px">
-    <input id="signinHandle" type="text" placeholder="alice" autocomplete="username" spellcheck="false" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:13px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 10px;width:100%">
-    <input id="signinPassword" type="password" placeholder="password" autocomplete="current-password" style="font-family:inherit;font-size:13px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:9px 10px;width:100%">
-    <div class="hint">Works on this device, or on any device if you turned on cloud backup. Otherwise use seed phrase.</div>
+  <div id="recoverLinkRow" style="margin-top:6px">
+    <a href="#" id="recoverLink" style="color:var(--mut);font-size:12px;text-decoration:underline">Recover with seed phrase</a>
   </div>
 
-  <div id="methodSeed" class="method" style="width:100%;max-width:300px;display:none;flex-direction:column;gap:8px">
-    <textarea id="mnemonicInput" placeholder="nsec1… or 12/24-word mnemonic — stays in this tab, never sent to the server" autocomplete="off" spellcheck="false" style="font-family:ui-monospace,Menlo,Consolas,monospace;font-size:12.5px;background:var(--panel);color:var(--ink);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:8px;padding:10px;width:100%;min-height:86px;resize:vertical"></textarea>
-    <div class="hint">Paste your 12 or 24 words.</div>
-  </div>
-
-  <button class="primary" id="signinBtn" style="width:100%;max-width:300px;margin-top:4px">Sign in</button>
   <div class="err" id="signinErr"></div>
-  <div class="hint" id="vaultHint"></div>
-  <div class="hint" style="margin-top:4px;max-width:300px">You'll stay signed in. Sign out from the ⋯ menu.</div>
+  <div class="hint" id="vaultHint" style="font-size:11px;max-width:300px;text-align:center"></div>
 </div>
 
 <!-- ========== APP SCREEN ========== -->
@@ -637,6 +647,34 @@ function showSignin() {
   $("signin").classList.add("active");
   $("menuBtn").style.display = "none";
   closeMenu();
+  showSigninView("signin");
+}
+
+// One of: "signin" (default), "signup", "recover". Sign in / Sign up tabs
+// stay visible on the first two; recover hides them (its own ← Back).
+function showSigninView(name) {
+  const inTabs = name === "signin" || name === "signup";
+  $("startRow").style.display    = inTabs             ? "flex" : "none";
+  $("signinForm").style.display  = name === "signin"  ? "flex" : "none";
+  $("signupForm").style.display  = name === "signup"  ? "flex" : "none";
+  $("recoverForm").style.display = name === "recover" ? "flex" : "none";
+  $("recoverLinkRow").style.display = inTabs ? "block" : "none";
+
+  const styleTab = (btn, active) => {
+    btn.classList.toggle("tab-active", active);
+    btn.style.background = active ? "var(--sky)" : "transparent";
+    btn.style.color      = active ? "var(--sky-ink)" : "var(--ink)";
+  };
+  styleTab($("startSignInBtn"), name === "signin");
+  styleTab($("startSignUpBtn"), name === "signup");
+
+  err($("signinErr"), "");
+  const focusEl = {
+    signin:  $("signinHandle"),
+    signup:  $("createHandle"),
+    recover: $("mnemonicInput"),
+  }[name];
+  if (focusEl) setTimeout(() => focusEl.focus(), 50);
 }
 
 function openMenu() { $("menu").style.display = "block"; }
@@ -650,7 +688,7 @@ async function initWithOpts(opts) {
   err($("signinErr"), "");
   const btn = opts.create ? $("useCreateBtn")
             : opts.useVault ? $("useVaultBtn")
-            : $("useMnemonicBtn");
+            : $("recoverBtn");
   const prev = btn.textContent;
   btn.disabled = true; btn.textContent = "Opening…";
   try {
@@ -688,14 +726,18 @@ async function initWithOpts(opts) {
     }
   } catch {}
 
-  // Enable "Open with Theseus ID" iff the vault is unlocked AND was set up with a mnemonic.
+  // Enable "Open with Theseus ID" iff the vault is unlocked AND was set up
+  // with a mnemonic. The button hides entirely when unavailable so the
+  // signin form stays clean on untyped vaults.
   try {
     const v = await bridge.invoke("canUseVault");
     state.canUseVault = !!(v && v.available);
-    $("useVaultBtn").disabled = !state.canUseVault;
+    const btn = $("useVaultBtn");
+    btn.disabled = !state.canUseVault;
+    btn.style.display = state.canUseVault ? "block" : "none";
     $("vaultHint").textContent = state.canUseVault
       ? "Uses the same wallet seed as Theseus — nothing new to remember."
-      : "To use Theseus ID, unlock the password vault first (set up with a 12/24-word mnemonic).";
+      : "";
   } catch {}
 
   // Panel event bus — pushes from main.js.
@@ -720,12 +762,16 @@ async function initWithOpts(opts) {
   setInterval(refreshStatus, 7000);
 })();
 
-// ---- events ----
+// ---- events: tab switcher + recover link ----
+$("startSignInBtn").addEventListener("click", () => showSigninView("signin"));
+$("startSignUpBtn").addEventListener("click", () => showSigninView("signup"));
+$("recoverLink").addEventListener("click", (e) => { e.preventDefault(); showSigninView("recover"); });
+$("recoverBack").addEventListener("click", () => showSigninView("signin"));
+showSigninView("signin");
+
+// Theseus-only quick path: unlock Hermes with the vault seed.
 $("useVaultBtn").addEventListener("click", () => initWithOpts({ useVault: true }));
-$("toggleCreateBtn").addEventListener("click", () => {
-  $("createBox").classList.toggle("show");
-  if ($("createBox").classList.contains("show")) $("createHandle").focus();
-});
+
 $("useCreateBtn").addEventListener("click", async () => {
   const handle = $("createHandle").value.trim();
   const p1 = $("createPassword").value;
@@ -743,34 +789,13 @@ $("useCreateBtn").addEventListener("click", async () => {
   }
 });
 
-// --- unified Sign in button + chip switcher ---
-function switchMethod(name) {
-  for (const c of document.querySelectorAll(".signin-chips .chip")) {
-    const active = c.dataset.method === name;
-    c.classList.toggle("chip-active", active);
-    c.style.background = active ? "var(--sky)" : "var(--panel)";
-    c.style.color = active ? "#06111a" : "var(--ink)";
-    c.style.borderColor = active ? "var(--sky)" : "var(--line)";
-    c.style.fontWeight = active ? "600" : "400";
-  }
-  $("methodNamepw").style.display = name === "namepw" ? "flex" : "none";
-  $("methodSeed").style.display   = name === "seed"   ? "flex" : "none";
-  state._signinMethod = name;
-  const focusEl = name === "namepw" ? $("signinHandle") : $("mnemonicInput");
-  setTimeout(() => focusEl && focusEl.focus(), 50);
-}
-state._signinMethod = "namepw";
-for (const c of document.querySelectorAll(".signin-chips .chip")) {
-  c.addEventListener("click", () => switchMethod(c.dataset.method));
-}
 $("signinBtn").addEventListener("click", async () => {
-  const m = state._signinMethod || "namepw";
   err($("signinErr"), "");
-  if (m === "namepw") {
-    const handle = $("signinHandle").value.trim();
-    const password = $("signinPassword").value;
-    if (!handle) { err($("signinErr"), "enter your name"); return; }
-    if (!password) { err($("signinErr"), "enter your password"); return; }
+  const handle = $("signinHandle").value.trim();
+  const password = $("signinPassword").value;
+  if (!handle) { err($("signinErr"), "enter your name"); return; }
+  if (!password) { err($("signinErr"), "enter your password"); return; }
+  {
     const btn = $("signinBtn"); const prev = btn.textContent;
     btn.disabled = true; btn.textContent = "Signing in\u2026";
     try {
@@ -794,15 +819,19 @@ $("signinBtn").addEventListener("click", async () => {
     } catch (e) {
       err($("signinErr"), (e && e.message) || String(e));
     } finally { btn.disabled = false; btn.textContent = prev; }
-  } else {
-    const mnemonic = $("mnemonicInput").value.trim();
-    if (!mnemonic || mnemonic.split(/\s+/).length < 12) {
-      err($("signinErr"), "paste a 12- or 24-word mnemonic"); return;
-    }
-    initWithOpts({ useVault: false, mnemonic });
   }
 });
 
+// Submit: Recover with seed phrase
+$("recoverBtn").addEventListener("click", () => {
+  err($("signinErr"), "");
+  const mnemonic = $("mnemonicInput").value.trim();
+  if (!mnemonic || mnemonic.split(/\s+/).length < 12) {
+    err($("signinErr"), "paste a 12- or 24-word mnemonic"); return;
+  }
+  initWithOpts({ useVault: false, mnemonic });
+});
+
 $("popOutBtn").addEventListener("click", () => bridge.invoke("open-messages"));
 $("menuBtn").addEventListener("click", (e) => {
   e.stopPropagation();