diff --git a/webui/src/components/ChatList.tsx b/webui/src/components/ChatList.tsx
index 844970fb5..de995eb7f 100644
--- a/webui/src/components/ChatList.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/components/ChatList.tsx
@@ -63,7 +63,12 @@ import {
   type ChatGroupLabels,
 } from "@/lib/chat-groups";
 import { deriveTemporaryChatTitle } from "@/lib/temporary-chat";
-import { clearDraggedSession, writeDraggedSession } from "@/lib/session-drag";
+import {
+  clearDraggedSession,
+  hasDraggedSession,
+  readDraggedSession,
+  writeDraggedSession,
+} from "@/lib/session-drag";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import type { ChatSummary, SidebarDensity, SidebarSortMode } from "@/lib/types";
 
@@ -162,6 +167,17 @@ export interface SidebarDeleteItem {
   label: string;
 }
 
+function droppablePaneKey(
+  dataTransfer: DataTransfer,
+  group: SidebarPaneGroup,
+): string | null {
+  if (group.panes.length >= MAX_WORKBENCH_PANES
+    || !hasDraggedSession(dataTransfer)) return null;
+  const paneKey = readDraggedSession(dataTransfer);
+  if (!paneKey || group.panes.some((pane) => pane.key === paneKey)) return null;
+  return paneKey;
+}
+
 interface ChatListProps {
   sessions: ChatSummary[];
   temporarySessions?: ChatSummary[];
@@ -256,11 +272,22 @@ export const ChatList = memo(function ChatList({
   const [collapsedPaneGroups, setCollapsedPaneGroups] = useState<Set<string>>(
     readCollapsedPaneGroups,
   );
+  const [paneDropTarget, setPaneDropTarget] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [deleteSelectionMode, setDeleteSelectionMode] = useState(false);
   const [openActionMenuId, setOpenActionMenuId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [selectedDeleteKeys, setSelectedDeleteKeys] = useState<Set<string>>(
     () => new Set(),
   );
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const clearPaneDropTarget = () => setPaneDropTarget(null);
+    window.addEventListener("dragend", clearPaneDropTarget);
+    window.addEventListener("drop", clearPaneDropTarget);
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener("dragend", clearPaneDropTarget);
+      window.removeEventListener("drop", clearPaneDropTarget);
+    };
+  }, []);
   const deleteItemsByKey = useMemo(() => {
     const items = new Map<string, SidebarDeleteItem>();
     for (const group of Object.values(paneGroups)) {
@@ -633,15 +660,59 @@ export const ChatList = memo(function ChatList({
                           }}
                           data-sidebar-tab-group="true"
                           data-pane-group-collapsed={paneGroupCollapsed ? "true" : undefined}
+                          data-pane-drop-target={
+                            paneDropTarget === resolvedPaneGroup.tabKey ? "true" : undefined
+                          }
                           className="relative my-1.5 min-w-0"
                         >
                           <div
                             data-workbench-tab-surface
+                            onDragEnter={(event) => {
+                              const paneKey = onAttachPane && !deleteSelectionMode
+                                ? droppablePaneKey(event.dataTransfer, resolvedPaneGroup)
+                                : null;
+                              if (!paneKey) return;
+                              event.preventDefault();
+                              event.stopPropagation();
+                              event.dataTransfer.dropEffect = "move";
+                              setPaneDropTarget(resolvedPaneGroup.tabKey);
+                            }}
+                            onDragOver={(event) => {
+                              const paneKey = onAttachPane && !deleteSelectionMode
+                                ? droppablePaneKey(event.dataTransfer, resolvedPaneGroup)
+                                : null;
+                              if (!paneKey) return;
+                              event.preventDefault();
+                              event.stopPropagation();
+                              event.dataTransfer.dropEffect = "move";
+                              setPaneDropTarget(resolvedPaneGroup.tabKey);
+                            }}
+                            onDragLeave={(event) => {
+                              const nextTarget = event.relatedTarget;
+                              if (nextTarget instanceof Node
+                                && event.currentTarget.contains(nextTarget)) return;
+                              setPaneDropTarget((current) => (
+                                current === resolvedPaneGroup.tabKey ? null : current
+                              ));
+                            }}
+                            onDrop={(event) => {
+                              const paneKey = onAttachPane && !deleteSelectionMode
+                                ? droppablePaneKey(event.dataTransfer, resolvedPaneGroup)
+                                : null;
+                              if (!paneKey || !onAttachPane) return;
+                              event.preventDefault();
+                              event.stopPropagation();
+                              setPaneDropTarget(null);
+                              clearDraggedSession();
+                              onAttachPane(paneKey, resolvedPaneGroup.tabKey);
+                            }}
                             className={cn(
-                              "min-w-0",
+                              "min-w-0 transition-[background-color,box-shadow]",
                               projectMode && "-ms-0.5",
                               deleteSelectionMode && (tabSelected || tabPartiallySelected)
                                 && "ring-1 ring-inset ring-sidebar-foreground/25",
+                              paneDropTarget === resolvedPaneGroup.tabKey
+                                && "bg-primary/[0.09] ring-2 ring-inset ring-primary/35 dark:bg-primary/[0.14]",
                             )}
                           >
                               <WorkbenchTabHeader
diff --git a/webui/src/tests/chat-list.test.tsx b/webui/src/tests/chat-list.test.tsx
index 70612e416..8bc152c8c 100644
--- a/webui/src/tests/chat-list.test.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/tests/chat-list.test.tsx
@@ -238,6 +238,89 @@ describe("ChatList", () => {
     expect(onAttachPane).toHaveBeenCalledWith("websocket:solo", "tab:fine");
   });
 
+  it("moves a dragged topic directly into a visible group", () => {
+    const onAttachPane = vi.fn();
+    render(
+      <ChatList
+        sessions={[
+          session({ chatId: "solo", title: "Solo topic" }),
+          session({ chatId: "target", title: "Target group" }),
+          session({ chatId: "full", title: "Full group" }),
+        ]}
+        activeKey="websocket:target"
+        paneGroups={{
+          "websocket:solo": {
+            tabKey: "tab:solo",
+            title: "Solo topic",
+            activePaneKey: "websocket:solo",
+            visible: false,
+            panes: [{ key: "websocket:solo", chatId: "solo", title: "Solo topic" }],
+          },
+          "websocket:target": {
+            tabKey: "tab:target",
+            title: "Target group",
+            activePaneKey: "websocket:target",
+            visible: true,
+            panes: [{ key: "websocket:target", chatId: "target", title: "Target pane" }],
+          },
+          "websocket:full": {
+            tabKey: "tab:full",
+            title: "Full group",
+            activePaneKey: "websocket:full-1",
+            visible: true,
+            panes: [1, 2, 3, 4].map((index) => ({
+              key: `websocket:full-${index}`,
+              chatId: `full-${index}`,
+              title: `Full pane ${index}`,
+            })),
+          },
+        }}
+        onAttachPane={onAttachPane}
+        onSelect={vi.fn()}
+        onRequestDelete={vi.fn()}
+        onTogglePin={vi.fn()}
+        onRequestRename={vi.fn()}
+        onToggleArchive={vi.fn()}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const values = new Map<string, string>();
+    const dataTransfer = {
+      effectAllowed: "none",
+      dropEffect: "none",
+      setData: vi.fn((type: string, value: string) => values.set(type, value)),
+      getData: vi.fn((type: string) => values.get(type) ?? ""),
+      types: [SESSION_DRAG_TYPE],
+    } as unknown as DataTransfer;
+    const source = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Solo topic" });
+    const targetGroup = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Tab: Target group" })
+      .closest("[data-sidebar-tab-group]")!;
+    const targetSurface = targetGroup.querySelector("[data-workbench-tab-surface]")!;
+    const fullGroup = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Tab: Full group" })
+      .closest("[data-sidebar-tab-group]")!;
+    const fullSurface = fullGroup.querySelector("[data-workbench-tab-surface]")!;
+
+    fireEvent.dragStart(source, { dataTransfer });
+    fireEvent.dragEnter(fullSurface, { dataTransfer });
+    fireEvent.dragOver(fullSurface, { dataTransfer });
+    fireEvent.drop(fullSurface, { dataTransfer });
+
+    expect(fullGroup).not.toHaveAttribute("data-pane-drop-target");
+    expect(onAttachPane).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    fireEvent.dragEnter(targetSurface, { dataTransfer });
+    fireEvent.dragOver(targetSurface, { dataTransfer });
+
+    expect(targetGroup).toHaveAttribute("data-pane-drop-target", "true");
+    expect(targetSurface).toHaveClass("ring-2", "ring-primary/35");
+
+    fireEvent.drop(targetSurface, { dataTransfer });
+
+    expect(onAttachPane).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(onAttachPane).toHaveBeenCalledWith("websocket:solo", "tab:target");
+    expect(targetGroup).not.toHaveAttribute("data-pane-drop-target");
+  });
+
   it("shows every tab's pane membership in a sidebar tab group", async () => {
     const onSelect = vi.fn();
     const onSelectPane = vi.fn();