diff --git a/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/0002_noisy_zzzax.sql b/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/0002_noisy_zzzax.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b9c2b04d57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/0002_noisy_zzzax.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+ALTER TABLE `message` RENAME COLUMN "response_group_id" TO "siblings_group_id";--> statement-breakpoint
+ALTER TABLE `topic` ADD `active_node_id` text REFERENCES message(id);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/meta/0002_snapshot.json b/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/meta/0002_snapshot.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4d56d6a4f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/meta/0002_snapshot.json
@@ -0,0 +1,677 @@
+{
+  "version": "6",
+  "dialect": "sqlite",
+  "id": "b4613090-1bbb-4986-a27b-f58b638f540b",
+  "prevId": "ae53858a-1786-4059-9ff7-9e87267911b6",
+  "tables": {
+    "app_state": {
+      "name": "app_state",
+      "columns": {
+        "key": {
+          "name": "key",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": true,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "value": {
+          "name": "value",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "description": {
+          "name": "description",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "created_at": {
+          "name": "created_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "name": "updated_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        }
+      },
+      "indexes": {},
+      "foreignKeys": {},
+      "compositePrimaryKeys": {},
+      "uniqueConstraints": {},
+      "checkConstraints": {}
+    },
+    "entity_tag": {
+      "name": "entity_tag",
+      "columns": {
+        "entity_type": {
+          "name": "entity_type",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "entity_id": {
+          "name": "entity_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "tag_id": {
+          "name": "tag_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "created_at": {
+          "name": "created_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "name": "updated_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        }
+      },
+      "indexes": {
+        "entity_tag_tag_id_idx": {
+          "name": "entity_tag_tag_id_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "tag_id"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        }
+      },
+      "foreignKeys": {
+        "entity_tag_tag_id_tag_id_fk": {
+          "name": "entity_tag_tag_id_tag_id_fk",
+          "tableFrom": "entity_tag",
+          "tableTo": "tag",
+          "columnsFrom": [
+            "tag_id"
+          ],
+          "columnsTo": [
+            "id"
+          ],
+          "onDelete": "cascade",
+          "onUpdate": "no action"
+        }
+      },
+      "compositePrimaryKeys": {
+        "entity_tag_entity_type_entity_id_tag_id_pk": {
+          "columns": [
+            "entity_type",
+            "entity_id",
+            "tag_id"
+          ],
+          "name": "entity_tag_entity_type_entity_id_tag_id_pk"
+        }
+      },
+      "uniqueConstraints": {},
+      "checkConstraints": {}
+    },
+    "group": {
+      "name": "group",
+      "columns": {
+        "id": {
+          "name": "id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": true,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "entity_type": {
+          "name": "entity_type",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "name": "name",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "sort_order": {
+          "name": "sort_order",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false,
+          "default": 0
+        },
+        "created_at": {
+          "name": "created_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "name": "updated_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        }
+      },
+      "indexes": {
+        "group_entity_sort_idx": {
+          "name": "group_entity_sort_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "entity_type",
+            "sort_order"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        }
+      },
+      "foreignKeys": {},
+      "compositePrimaryKeys": {},
+      "uniqueConstraints": {},
+      "checkConstraints": {}
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "name": "message",
+      "columns": {
+        "id": {
+          "name": "id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": true,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "parent_id": {
+          "name": "parent_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "topic_id": {
+          "name": "topic_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "role": {
+          "name": "role",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "data": {
+          "name": "data",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "searchable_text": {
+          "name": "searchable_text",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "status": {
+          "name": "status",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "siblings_group_id": {
+          "name": "siblings_group_id",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false,
+          "default": 0
+        },
+        "assistant_id": {
+          "name": "assistant_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "assistant_meta": {
+          "name": "assistant_meta",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "model_id": {
+          "name": "model_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "model_meta": {
+          "name": "model_meta",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "trace_id": {
+          "name": "trace_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "stats": {
+          "name": "stats",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "created_at": {
+          "name": "created_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "name": "updated_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "deleted_at": {
+          "name": "deleted_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        }
+      },
+      "indexes": {
+        "message_parent_id_idx": {
+          "name": "message_parent_id_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "parent_id"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        },
+        "message_topic_created_idx": {
+          "name": "message_topic_created_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "topic_id",
+            "created_at"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        },
+        "message_trace_id_idx": {
+          "name": "message_trace_id_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "trace_id"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        }
+      },
+      "foreignKeys": {
+        "message_parent_id_message_id_fk": {
+          "name": "message_parent_id_message_id_fk",
+          "tableFrom": "message",
+          "tableTo": "message",
+          "columnsFrom": [
+            "parent_id"
+          ],
+          "columnsTo": [
+            "id"
+          ],
+          "onDelete": "set null",
+          "onUpdate": "no action"
+        },
+        "message_topic_id_topic_id_fk": {
+          "name": "message_topic_id_topic_id_fk",
+          "tableFrom": "message",
+          "tableTo": "topic",
+          "columnsFrom": [
+            "topic_id"
+          ],
+          "columnsTo": [
+            "id"
+          ],
+          "onDelete": "cascade",
+          "onUpdate": "no action"
+        }
+      },
+      "compositePrimaryKeys": {},
+      "uniqueConstraints": {},
+      "checkConstraints": {
+        "message_role_check": {
+          "name": "message_role_check",
+          "value": "\"message\".\"role\" IN ('user', 'assistant', 'system')"
+        },
+        "message_status_check": {
+          "name": "message_status_check",
+          "value": "\"message\".\"status\" IN ('success', 'error', 'paused')"
+        }
+      }
+    },
+    "preference": {
+      "name": "preference",
+      "columns": {
+        "scope": {
+          "name": "scope",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false,
+          "default": "'default'"
+        },
+        "key": {
+          "name": "key",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "value": {
+          "name": "value",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "created_at": {
+          "name": "created_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "name": "updated_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        }
+      },
+      "indexes": {},
+      "foreignKeys": {},
+      "compositePrimaryKeys": {
+        "preference_scope_key_pk": {
+          "columns": [
+            "scope",
+            "key"
+          ],
+          "name": "preference_scope_key_pk"
+        }
+      },
+      "uniqueConstraints": {},
+      "checkConstraints": {}
+    },
+    "tag": {
+      "name": "tag",
+      "columns": {
+        "id": {
+          "name": "id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": true,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "name": "name",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "color": {
+          "name": "color",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "created_at": {
+          "name": "created_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "name": "updated_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        }
+      },
+      "indexes": {
+        "tag_name_unique": {
+          "name": "tag_name_unique",
+          "columns": [
+            "name"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": true
+        }
+      },
+      "foreignKeys": {},
+      "compositePrimaryKeys": {},
+      "uniqueConstraints": {},
+      "checkConstraints": {}
+    },
+    "topic": {
+      "name": "topic",
+      "columns": {
+        "id": {
+          "name": "id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": true,
+          "notNull": true,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "name": {
+          "name": "name",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "is_name_manually_edited": {
+          "name": "is_name_manually_edited",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false,
+          "default": false
+        },
+        "assistant_id": {
+          "name": "assistant_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "assistant_meta": {
+          "name": "assistant_meta",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "prompt": {
+          "name": "prompt",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "active_node_id": {
+          "name": "active_node_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "group_id": {
+          "name": "group_id",
+          "type": "text",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "sort_order": {
+          "name": "sort_order",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false,
+          "default": 0
+        },
+        "is_pinned": {
+          "name": "is_pinned",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false,
+          "default": false
+        },
+        "pinned_order": {
+          "name": "pinned_order",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false,
+          "default": 0
+        },
+        "created_at": {
+          "name": "created_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "updated_at": {
+          "name": "updated_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        },
+        "deleted_at": {
+          "name": "deleted_at",
+          "type": "integer",
+          "primaryKey": false,
+          "notNull": false,
+          "autoincrement": false
+        }
+      },
+      "indexes": {
+        "topic_group_updated_idx": {
+          "name": "topic_group_updated_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "group_id",
+            "updated_at"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        },
+        "topic_group_sort_idx": {
+          "name": "topic_group_sort_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "group_id",
+            "sort_order"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        },
+        "topic_updated_at_idx": {
+          "name": "topic_updated_at_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "updated_at"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        },
+        "topic_is_pinned_idx": {
+          "name": "topic_is_pinned_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "is_pinned",
+            "pinned_order"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        },
+        "topic_assistant_id_idx": {
+          "name": "topic_assistant_id_idx",
+          "columns": [
+            "assistant_id"
+          ],
+          "isUnique": false
+        }
+      },
+      "foreignKeys": {
+        "topic_active_node_id_message_id_fk": {
+          "name": "topic_active_node_id_message_id_fk",
+          "tableFrom": "topic",
+          "tableTo": "message",
+          "columnsFrom": [
+            "active_node_id"
+          ],
+          "columnsTo": [
+            "id"
+          ],
+          "onDelete": "set null",
+          "onUpdate": "no action"
+        },
+        "topic_group_id_group_id_fk": {
+          "name": "topic_group_id_group_id_fk",
+          "tableFrom": "topic",
+          "tableTo": "group",
+          "columnsFrom": [
+            "group_id"
+          ],
+          "columnsTo": [
+            "id"
+          ],
+          "onDelete": "set null",
+          "onUpdate": "no action"
+        }
+      },
+      "compositePrimaryKeys": {},
+      "uniqueConstraints": {},
+      "checkConstraints": {}
+    }
+  },
+  "views": {},
+  "enums": {},
+  "_meta": {
+    "schemas": {},
+    "tables": {},
+    "columns": {
+      "\"message\".\"response_group_id\"": "\"message\".\"siblings_group_id\""
+    }
+  },
+  "internal": {
+    "indexes": {}
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/meta/_journal.json b/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/meta/_journal.json
index 960ba8a1e0..b83fe4ed13 100644
--- a/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/meta/_journal.json
+++ b/migrations/sqlite-drizzle/meta/_journal.json
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
       "when": 1766670360754,
       "tag": "0001_faulty_ogun",
       "breakpoints": true
+    },
+    {
+      "idx": 2,
+      "version": "6",
+      "when": 1766748070409,
+      "tag": "0002_noisy_zzzax",
+      "breakpoints": true
     }
   ]
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/shared/data/types/meta.ts b/packages/shared/data/types/meta.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2bba74d700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/shared/data/types/meta.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/**
+ * Soft reference metadata types
+ *
+ * These types store snapshots of referenced entities at creation time,
+ * preserving display information even if the original entity is deleted.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Preserved assistant info for display when assistant is deleted
+ * Used in: message.assistantMeta, topic.assistantMeta
+ */
+export interface AssistantMeta {
+  /** Original assistant ID, used to attempt reference recovery */
+  id: string
+  /** Assistant display name shown in UI */
+  name: string
+  /** Assistant icon emoji for visual identification */
+  emoji?: string
+  /** Assistant type, e.g., 'default', 'custom', 'agent' */
+  type?: string
+}
+
+/**
+ * Preserved model info for display when model is unavailable
+ * Used in: message.modelMeta
+ */
+export interface ModelMeta {
+  /** Original model ID, used to attempt reference recovery */
+  id: string
+  /** Model display name, e.g., "GPT-4o", "Claude 3.5 Sonnet" */
+  name: string
+  /** Provider identifier, e.g., "openai", "anthropic", "google" */
+  provider: string
+  /** Model family/group, e.g., "gpt-4", "claude-3", useful for grouping in UI */
+  group?: string
+}
diff --git a/src/main/data/db/schemas/message.ts b/src/main/data/db/schemas/message.ts
index 91692ebd3f..b5c1081652 100644
--- a/src/main/data/db/schemas/message.ts
+++ b/src/main/data/db/schemas/message.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { MessageData, MessageStats } from '@shared/data/types/message'
+import type { AssistantMeta, ModelMeta } from '@shared/data/types/meta'
 import { sql } from 'drizzle-orm'
 import { check, index, integer, sqliteTable, text } from 'drizzle-orm/sqlite-core'
 
@@ -16,35 +17,39 @@ export const messageTable = sqliteTable(
   'message',
   {
     id: text().primaryKey(),
+    // Adjacency list parent reference for tree structure
+    // SET NULL: preserve child messages when parent is deleted
+    parentId: text().references(() => messageTable.id, { onDelete: 'set null' }),
     // FK to topic - CASCADE: delete messages when topic is deleted
     topicId: text()
       .notNull()
       .references(() => topicTable.id, { onDelete: 'cascade' }),
-    // Adjacency list parent reference for tree structure
-    // SET NULL: preserve child messages when parent is deleted
-    parentId: text().references(() => messageTable.id, { onDelete: 'set null' }),
-    // Group ID for multi-model responses (0 = normal branch)
-    responseGroupId: integer().default(0),
     // Message role: user, assistant, system
     role: text().notNull(),
+    // Main content - contains blocks[], mentions, etc.
+    data: text({ mode: 'json' }).$type<MessageData>().notNull(),
+    // Searchable text extracted from data.blocks (populated by trigger, used for FTS5)
+    searchableText: text(),
+
     // Final status: SUCCESS, ERROR, PAUSED
     status: text().notNull(),
+
+    // Group ID for siblings (0 = normal branch)
+    siblingsGroupId: integer().default(0),
     // FK to assistant
     assistantId: text(),
     // Preserved assistant info for display
-    assistantMeta: text({ mode: 'json' }),
+    assistantMeta: text({ mode: 'json' }).$type<AssistantMeta>(),
     // Model identifier
     modelId: text(),
     // Preserved model info (provider, name)
-    modelMeta: text({ mode: 'json' }),
-    // Main content - contains blocks[], mentions, etc.
-    data: text({ mode: 'json' }).$type<MessageData>().notNull(),
+    modelMeta: text({ mode: 'json' }).$type<ModelMeta>(),
+    // Trace ID for tracking
+
+    traceId: text(),
     // Statistics: token usage, performance metrics, etc.
     stats: text({ mode: 'json' }).$type<MessageStats>(),
-    // Trace ID for tracking
-    traceId: text(),
-    // Searchable text extracted from data.blocks (populated by trigger, used for FTS5)
-    searchableText: text(),
+
     ...createUpdateDeleteTimestamps
   },
   (t) => [
diff --git a/src/main/data/db/schemas/topic.ts b/src/main/data/db/schemas/topic.ts
index 2f08d58fd2..74a0587107 100644
--- a/src/main/data/db/schemas/topic.ts
+++ b/src/main/data/db/schemas/topic.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
+import type { AssistantMeta } from '@shared/data/types/meta'
 import { index, integer, sqliteTable, text } from 'drizzle-orm/sqlite-core'
 
 import { createUpdateDeleteTimestamps } from './columnHelpers'
 import { groupTable } from './group'
+import { messageTable } from './message'
 
 /**
  * Topic table - stores conversation topics/threads
@@ -14,21 +16,27 @@ export const topicTable = sqliteTable(
   {
     id: text().primaryKey(),
     name: text(),
+    // Whether the name was manually edited by user
+    isNameManuallyEdited: integer({ mode: 'boolean' }).default(false),
+    // FK to assistant table
     assistantId: text(),
     // Preserved assistant info for display when assistant is deleted
-    assistantMeta: text({ mode: 'json' }),
+    assistantMeta: text({ mode: 'json' }).$type<AssistantMeta>(),
     // Topic-specific prompt override
     prompt: text(),
+    // Active node ID in the message tree
+    // SET NULL: reset to null when the referenced message is deleted
+    activeNodeId: text().references(() => messageTable.id, { onDelete: 'set null' }),
+
     // FK to group table for organization
     // SET NULL: preserve topic when group is deleted
     groupId: text().references(() => groupTable.id, { onDelete: 'set null' }),
+    // Sort order within group
+    sortOrder: integer().default(0),
     // Pinning state and order
     isPinned: integer({ mode: 'boolean' }).default(false),
     pinnedOrder: integer().default(0),
-    // Sort order within group
-    sortOrder: integer().default(0),
-    // Whether the name was manually edited by user
-    isNameManuallyEdited: integer({ mode: 'boolean' }).default(false),
+
     ...createUpdateDeleteTimestamps
   },
   (t) => [