diff --git a/app/src/AppRoutes.tsx b/app/src/AppRoutes.tsx
index 3e85a8969..ae47e152b 100644
--- a/app/src/AppRoutes.tsx
+++ b/app/src/AppRoutes.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import AppRoutesIOS from './AppRoutesIOS';
 import DefaultRedirect from './components/DefaultRedirect';
 import ProtectedRoute from './components/ProtectedRoute';
 import PublicRoute from './components/PublicRoute';
+import HumanPage from './features/human/HumanPage';
 import { getIsMobile } from './lib/platform';
 import Accounts from './pages/Accounts';
 import Activity from './pages/Activity';
@@ -64,10 +65,17 @@ const AppRoutes = () => {
         }
       />
 
-      {/* Phase 6 — /human merged into /chat (Assistant surface).
-          Preserve the route for back-compat (deep links, iOS share sheets, etc.).
-          iOS AppRoutesIOS still serves /human natively — only desktop redirects. */}
-      <Route path="/human" element={<Navigate to="/chat" replace />} />
+      {/* Human — first-class destination again (restored after the IA Phase 6
+          merge into Assistant). Renders the Human/mascot surface. iOS serves
+          /human via AppRoutesIOS. */}
+      <Route
+        path="/human"
+        element={
+          <ProtectedRoute requireAuth={true}>
+            <HumanPage />
+          </ProtectedRoute>
+        }
+      />
 
       {/* Brain — the centerpiece memory knowledge-graph surface, reached from
           the raised center button in the bottom bar. Full-page, graph-only. */}
diff --git a/app/src/components/BottomTabBar.tsx b/app/src/components/BottomTabBar.tsx
index 9c83184cc..27cb67299 100644
--- a/app/src/components/BottomTabBar.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/BottomTabBar.tsx
@@ -228,17 +228,16 @@ const BottomTabBar = () => {
     trackEvent('avatar_menu_item_click', { item_id: itemId });
   };
 
-  // One regular pill tab. `iconOnly` renders just the glyph (no label) — used
-  // for the pinned Home button so it reads as a fixed icon, like the avatar.
+  // One regular pill tab.
   //
   // When labels are always visible (theme setting), every labelled tab is given
   // the SAME fixed width so the row stays symmetric. In the default hover mode
   // the label still expands on hover (no fixed width) — unchanged behaviour.
-  const renderTab = (tab: (typeof tabs)[number], iconOnly = false) => {
+  const renderTab = (tab: (typeof tabs)[number]) => {
     const active = isActive(tab.path);
     const showBadge = tab.id === 'notifications' && unreadCount > 0;
     const showCompanionDot = tab.id === 'settings' && companionActive;
-    const fixedWidth = !iconOnly && labelsAlwaysVisible;
+    const fixedWidth = labelsAlwaysVisible;
     return (
       <button
         key={tab.id}
@@ -246,11 +245,7 @@ const BottomTabBar = () => {
         onClick={() => handleTabClick(tab, active)}
         title={tab.label}
         className={`group relative flex items-center rounded-sm text-sm transition-colors duration-500 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1)] cursor-pointer ${
-          iconOnly
-            ? 'h-9 w-9 justify-center'
-            : fixedWidth
-              ? 'w-32 justify-center px-2 py-2'
-              : 'px-2 py-2'
+          fixedWidth ? 'w-32 justify-center px-2 py-2' : 'px-2 py-2'
         } ${
           active
             ? 'bg-white dark:bg-neutral-800 text-stone-900 dark:text-neutral-100 font-semibold shadow-sm'
@@ -272,16 +267,14 @@ const BottomTabBar = () => {
             <span className="absolute -top-0.5 -right-0.5 h-2 w-2 rounded-full bg-blue-500 animate-pulse" />
           )}
         </span>
-        {!iconOnly && (
-          <span
-            className={`min-w-0 overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap transition-[max-width,margin-left,opacity] duration-500 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1)] ${
-              active || labelsAlwaysVisible
-                ? `${fixedWidth ? 'truncate ' : ''}max-w-[160px] ml-2 opacity-100`
-                : 'max-w-0 ml-0 opacity-0 group-hover:max-w-[160px] group-hover:ml-2 group-hover:opacity-100 group-focus-visible:max-w-[160px] group-focus-visible:ml-2 group-focus-visible:opacity-100'
-            }`}>
-            {tab.label}
-          </span>
-        )}
+        <span
+          className={`min-w-0 overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap transition-[max-width,margin-left,opacity] duration-500 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1)] ${
+            active || labelsAlwaysVisible
+              ? `${fixedWidth ? 'truncate ' : ''}max-w-[160px] ml-2 opacity-100`
+              : 'max-w-0 ml-0 opacity-0 group-hover:max-w-[160px] group-hover:ml-2 group-hover:opacity-100 group-focus-visible:max-w-[160px] group-focus-visible:ml-2 group-focus-visible:opacity-100'
+          }`}>
+          {tab.label}
+        </span>
       </button>
     );
   };
@@ -289,6 +282,12 @@ const BottomTabBar = () => {
   // The Brain — a raised circular button rising out of the center of the bar.
   // The bg-colored ring fakes a notch cut into the pill's top edge. `brain-fab`
   // is targeted by the reduced-motion gate in index.css to silence the glow.
+  //
+  // `-my-3` collapses the button's 48px (h-12) layout footprint so it no longer
+  // forces the nav row taller than the ~32px pill tabs — the bar height is
+  // driven by the tabs, while `-translate-y-5` still lifts the circle above the
+  // top edge. Without it the lower half of the raised circle left a dead band
+  // of empty bar height beneath the tabs.
   const renderBrainButton = () => {
     const active = isActive(BRAIN_TAB.path);
     const brainTab = { ...BRAIN_TAB, label: t(BRAIN_TAB.labelKey) };
@@ -300,7 +299,7 @@ const BottomTabBar = () => {
         onClick={() => handleTabClick(brainTab, active)}
         aria-label={brainTab.label}
         title={brainTab.label}
-        className={`brain-fab group relative mx-1 flex h-12 w-12 -translate-y-5 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-white shadow-soft ring-4 ring-stone-200 transition-all duration-300 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1)] cursor-pointer dark:ring-neutral-900 ${
+        className={`brain-fab group relative mx-1 flex h-12 w-12 -my-3 -translate-y-4 items-center justify-center rounded-full text-white shadow-soft ring-4 ring-stone-200 transition-all duration-300 ease-[cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1)] cursor-pointer dark:ring-neutral-900 ${
           active
             ? 'bg-primary-600 animate-glow-pulse shadow-[0_0_16px_rgba(74,131,221,0.55)] scale-105'
             : 'bg-primary-500 hover:bg-primary-600 hover:scale-105'
@@ -310,12 +309,11 @@ const BottomTabBar = () => {
     );
   };
 
-  // Home is pinned to the far-left of the pill behind a divider — mirroring the
-  // avatar pinned to the far-right behind its own divider. The rest of the row
-  // splits evenly around the centered Brain button:
-  //   [ home ] | assistant · connections  ( 🧠 )  activity · settings | [ avatar ]
-  const homeTab = tabs[0];
-  const leftTabs = tabs.slice(1, 3);
+  // Home is a normal pill tab now (no longer pinned/icon-only). The regular
+  // tabs split evenly around the centered Brain button; only the avatar stays
+  // pinned to the far-right behind a divider:
+  //   | home · human · assistant  ( 🧠 )  connections · activity · settings | [ avatar ]
+  const leftTabs = tabs.slice(0, 3);
   const rightTabs = tabs.slice(3);
 
   return (
@@ -342,9 +340,6 @@ const BottomTabBar = () => {
           if (!e.currentTarget.contains(e.relatedTarget as Node)) setRevealed(false);
         }}>
         <nav className="pointer-events-auto inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-sm border border-stone-300 dark:border-neutral-700 bg-stone-200 dark:bg-neutral-900 shadow-soft px-1 py-1">
-          <div className="relative mr-1 border-r border-stone-300 pr-1 dark:border-neutral-700">
-            {renderTab(homeTab, true)}
-          </div>
           {leftTabs.map(tab => renderTab(tab))}
           {renderBrainButton()}
           {rightTabs.map(tab => renderTab(tab))}
diff --git a/app/src/components/__tests__/BottomTabBar.test.tsx b/app/src/components/__tests__/BottomTabBar.test.tsx
index eaf03a58d..a0ea7d9ad 100644
--- a/app/src/components/__tests__/BottomTabBar.test.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/__tests__/BottomTabBar.test.tsx
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 /**
  * Tests for BottomTabBar — verifies that:
- *  - 5 tabs are rendered (no Rewards tab, no Human tab), Activity label is present
+ *  - 6 tabs are rendered (no Rewards tab; Human restored), Activity label is present
  *  - Assistant tab is present (was "Chat", id stays 'chat', label now 'Assistant')
  *  - Walkthrough attributes reflect the new ids (tab-connections, tab-activity)
  *  - Avatar menu opens and shows Account / Billing / Rewards / Invites / Wallet
  *  - Clicking an avatar menu item navigates or opens URL
  *  - The bar is hidden on '/' and '/login' paths
  *
- * Updated for IA Phase 6: Human tab removed; Chat renamed to Assistant.
+ * Human tab restored as a first-class entry (after the IA Phase 6 merge into
+ * Assistant); Chat keeps its "Assistant" label.
  */
 import { configureStore } from '@reduxjs/toolkit';
 import { fireEvent, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ import accountsReducer from '../../store/accountsSlice';
 import agentProfileReducer, { setAgentProfilesFromResponse } from '../../store/agentProfileSlice';
 import companionReducer from '../../store/companionSlice';
 import notificationReducer from '../../store/notificationSlice';
+import themeReducer, { setTabBarLabels, type TabBarLabels } from '../../store/themeSlice';
 import BottomTabBar from '../BottomTabBar';
 
 // ── Module-level mocks ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ vi.mock('../../utils/openUrl', () => ({ openUrl: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undef
 
 interface BuildStoreOpts {
   companionSessionActive?: boolean;
+  tabBarLabels?: TabBarLabels;
 }
 
 const testProfiles = {
@@ -86,6 +89,7 @@ function buildStore(opts: BuildStoreOpts = {}) {
       notifications: notificationReducer,
       companion: companionReducer,
       agentProfiles: agentProfileReducer,
+      theme: themeReducer,
     },
   });
   store.dispatch(setAgentProfilesFromResponse(testProfiles));
@@ -95,6 +99,9 @@ function buildStore(opts: BuildStoreOpts = {}) {
       payload: { active: true, sessionId: 'sess-test' },
     });
   }
+  if (opts.tabBarLabels) {
+    store.dispatch(setTabBarLabels(opts.tabBarLabels));
+  }
   return store;
 }
 
@@ -103,6 +110,7 @@ interface RenderOpts {
   companionSessionActive?: boolean;
   tokenValue?: string;
   currentUser?: unknown;
+  tabBarLabels?: TabBarLabels;
 }
 
 async function renderBottomTabBar(pathname = '/home', opts: RenderOpts | boolean = {}) {
@@ -138,7 +146,10 @@ async function renderBottomTabBar(pathname = '/home', opts: RenderOpts | boolean
     refreshSnapshot: vi.fn(),
   } as never);
 
-  const store = buildStore({ companionSessionActive: resolved.companionSessionActive });
+  const store = buildStore({
+    companionSessionActive: resolved.companionSessionActive,
+    tabBarLabels: resolved.tabBarLabels,
+  });
   return render(
     <Provider store={store}>
       <MemoryRouter initialEntries={[pathname]}>
@@ -156,7 +167,7 @@ describe('BottomTabBar', () => {
     agentProfilesApiMock.select.mockResolvedValue(testProfiles);
   });
 
-  it('renders exactly 5 regular tab buttons (Brain is rendered separately)', async () => {
+  it('renders exactly 6 regular tab buttons (Brain is rendered separately)', async () => {
     await renderBottomTabBar('/home');
     // Query only the regular pill tabs inside <nav>: exclude the avatar button
     // (aria-haspopup) and the special raised Brain button (tab-brain).
@@ -164,7 +175,17 @@ describe('BottomTabBar', () => {
     const navButtons = nav?.querySelectorAll(
       'button:not([aria-haspopup]):not([data-walkthrough="tab-brain"])'
     );
-    expect(navButtons).toHaveLength(5);
+    expect(navButtons).toHaveLength(6);
+  });
+
+  it('gives every labelled tab a fixed width when labels are always visible', async () => {
+    await renderBottomTabBar('/home', { tabBarLabels: 'always' });
+    // With the "always show labels" theme setting, each regular tab is given the
+    // same fixed width (w-32) and its label is shown with a truncating class so
+    // the row stays symmetric — this exercises the `labelsAlwaysVisible` branch.
+    const humanBtn = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Human' });
+    expect(humanBtn).toHaveClass('w-32');
+    expect(humanBtn.querySelector('.truncate')).not.toBeNull();
   });
 
   it('renders the raised Brain button with data-walkthrough="tab-brain"', async () => {
@@ -194,9 +215,25 @@ describe('BottomTabBar', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Rewards' })).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it('does NOT render a Human tab (Phase 6: merged into Assistant)', async () => {
+  it('renders the Human tab (restored as a first-class entry)', async () => {
     await renderBottomTabBar('/home');
-    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Human' })).toBeNull();
+    const humanBtn = screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Human' });
+    expect(humanBtn).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(humanBtn).toHaveAttribute('data-walkthrough', 'tab-human');
+  });
+
+  it('navigates to /human and tracks the change when the Human tab is clicked', async () => {
+    const { trackEvent } = await import('../../services/analytics');
+    await renderBottomTabBar('/home');
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Human' }));
+
+    expect(trackEvent).toHaveBeenCalledWith('tab_bar_change', {
+      from_tab: 'home',
+      to_tab: 'human',
+      from_path: '/home',
+      to_path: '/human',
+    });
   });
 
   it('renders the Activity tab', async () => {
diff --git a/app/src/config/__tests__/navConfig.test.ts b/app/src/config/__tests__/navConfig.test.ts
index bd385c747..2daace31c 100644
--- a/app/src/config/__tests__/navConfig.test.ts
+++ b/app/src/config/__tests__/navConfig.test.ts
@@ -2,22 +2,23 @@
  * Tests for navConfig — verifies the shape, count, and key values of NAV_TABS
  * and AVATAR_MENU_ITEMS so regressions are caught early.
  *
- * Phase 6 update: Human tab removed; Chat tab renamed to "Assistant"
- * (id stays 'chat', labelKey 'nav.assistant', walkthroughAttr 'tab-chat').
- * Nav drops from 6 tabs to 5.
+ * Human tab restored as a first-class entry (after the IA Phase 6 merge into
+ * Assistant). Chat tab keeps its "Assistant" label (id stays 'chat', labelKey
+ * 'nav.assistant', walkthroughAttr 'tab-chat'). Nav is back to 6 tabs.
  */
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 
 import { AVATAR_MENU_ITEMS, BRAIN_TAB, NAV_TABS } from '../navConfig';
 
 describe('NAV_TABS', () => {
-  it('has exactly 5 entries (Phase 6: Human merged into Assistant)', () => {
-    expect(NAV_TABS).toHaveLength(5);
+  it('has exactly 6 entries (Human restored as a first-class tab)', () => {
+    expect(NAV_TABS).toHaveLength(6);
   });
 
   it('has the correct ids in order', () => {
     expect(NAV_TABS.map(t => t.id)).toEqual([
       'home',
+      'human',
       'chat',
       'connections',
       'activity',
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ describe('NAV_TABS', () => {
   it('has the correct paths', () => {
     expect(NAV_TABS.map(t => t.path)).toEqual([
       '/home',
+      '/human',
       '/chat',
       '/connections',
       '/activity',
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ describe('NAV_TABS', () => {
   it('has the correct labelKeys', () => {
     expect(NAV_TABS.map(t => t.labelKey)).toEqual([
       'nav.home',
+      'nav.human',
       'nav.assistant',
       'nav.connections',
       'nav.activity',
@@ -48,6 +51,7 @@ describe('NAV_TABS', () => {
   it('has the correct walkthroughAttrs', () => {
     expect(NAV_TABS.map(t => t.walkthroughAttr)).toEqual([
       'tab-home',
+      'tab-human',
       'tab-chat',
       'tab-connections',
       'tab-activity',
@@ -55,8 +59,12 @@ describe('NAV_TABS', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
-  it('does not contain a Human tab (Phase 6: merged into Assistant)', () => {
-    expect(NAV_TABS.find(t => t.id === 'human')).toBeUndefined();
+  it('contains a Human tab pointing at /human', () => {
+    const humanTab = NAV_TABS.find(t => t.id === 'human');
+    expect(humanTab).toBeDefined();
+    expect(humanTab?.path).toBe('/human');
+    expect(humanTab?.labelKey).toBe('nav.human');
+    expect(humanTab?.walkthroughAttr).toBe('tab-human');
   });
 
   it('does not contain a rewards tab', () => {
diff --git a/app/src/config/navConfig.ts b/app/src/config/navConfig.ts
index 02d94060d..0fa13e9b7 100644
--- a/app/src/config/navConfig.ts
+++ b/app/src/config/navConfig.ts
@@ -20,16 +20,17 @@ export interface NavTab {
 }
 
 /**
- * Ordered list of bottom-bar tabs.  Exactly 5 entries (Phase 6: Human merged
- * into Assistant):
- *   home → chat (Assistant) → connections → activity → settings
+ * Ordered list of bottom-bar tabs.  Six entries:
+ *   home → human → chat (Assistant) → connections → activity → settings
  *
- * The tab id stays `chat` and walkthroughAttr stays `tab-chat` for
- * back-compat with analytics and the walkthrough tour. The Human tab has been
- * retired; `/human` redirects to `/chat`.
+ * The Human tab is a first-class destination again (it was briefly merged into
+ * Assistant in IA Phase 6, then restored): `/human` renders the Human page on
+ * desktop. The tab id stays `chat` and walkthroughAttr stays `tab-chat` for
+ * back-compat with analytics and the walkthrough tour.
  */
 export const NAV_TABS: NavTab[] = [
   { id: 'home', labelKey: 'nav.home', path: '/home', walkthroughAttr: 'tab-home' },
+  { id: 'human', labelKey: 'nav.human', path: '/human', walkthroughAttr: 'tab-human' },
   { id: 'chat', labelKey: 'nav.assistant', path: '/chat', walkthroughAttr: 'tab-chat' },
   {
     id: 'connections',
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ export const NAV_TABS: NavTab[] = [
  * specially by BottomTabBar.tsx as a raised circular button in the dead
  * center of the bar (a notch the button rises out of), NOT as part of the
  * regular `NAV_TABS` row. Kept separate so its special, elevated nature is
- * explicit and the 5-tab invariants for the regular row stay intact.
+ * explicit and the 6-tab invariants for the regular row stay intact.
  */
 export const BRAIN_TAB: NavTab = {
   id: 'brain',
diff --git a/app/src/pages/__tests__/AppRoutes.phase6.test.tsx b/app/src/pages/__tests__/AppRoutes.phase6.test.tsx
index fc2abe377..e6f4990be 100644
--- a/app/src/pages/__tests__/AppRoutes.phase6.test.tsx
+++ b/app/src/pages/__tests__/AppRoutes.phase6.test.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 /**
- * Phase 6 — /human → /chat redirect test.
+ * Desktop /human + /chat route test.
  *
- * Verifies that the desktop route for /human redirects to /chat (Assistant
- * surface).  iOS keeps /human as a real route in AppRoutesIOS.tsx — only
- * the desktop redirect is tested here.
+ * The Human tab was briefly merged into /chat (IA Phase 6) and then restored as
+ * a first-class destination: /human now renders the Human surface directly
+ * rather than redirecting to /chat. This verifies both routes render their own
+ * page on desktop. iOS keeps /human as a real route in AppRoutesIOS.tsx.
  *
  * Uses a minimal route tree so no full provider chain is needed.
  */
 import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
-import { MemoryRouter, Navigate, Route, Routes } from 'react-router-dom';
+import { MemoryRouter, Route, Routes } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 
 function TestRoutes() {
@@ -16,8 +17,8 @@ function TestRoutes() {
     <Routes>
       {/* The real /chat route (Assistant surface). */}
       <Route path="/chat" element={<div data-testid="chat-page">chat</div>} />
-      {/* Phase 6 back-compat redirect. */}
-      <Route path="/human" element={<Navigate to="/chat" replace />} />
+      {/* /human renders the Human surface directly (no longer a redirect). */}
+      <Route path="/human" element={<div data-testid="human-page">human</div>} />
     </Routes>
   );
 }
@@ -29,10 +30,11 @@ const renderAt = (path: string) =>
     </MemoryRouter>
   );
 
-describe('Phase 6 route redirects', () => {
-  it('/human redirects to /chat (Assistant surface)', () => {
+describe('Desktop /human + /chat routes', () => {
+  it('/human renders the Human page directly (restored, not a redirect)', () => {
     renderAt('/human');
-    expect(screen.getByTestId('chat-page')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('human-page')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByTestId('chat-page')).toBeNull();
   });
 
   it('/chat renders the chat page directly', () => {
diff --git a/app/test/playwright/specs/navigation.spec.ts b/app/test/playwright/specs/navigation.spec.ts
index 701d7a43b..0a95c5b54 100644
--- a/app/test/playwright/specs/navigation.spec.ts
+++ b/app/test/playwright/specs/navigation.spec.ts
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ interface RouteEntry {
 
 // Phase 2/3/6 IA revamp routes.
 // Back-compat redirects are included so the router redirect itself is tested.
-//   /human       → /chat        (Phase 6)
+//   /human       → renders the Human surface (first-class route, restored)
 //   /skills      → /connections (Phase 2)
 //   /intelligence → /activity   (Phase 3)
 const ROUTES: RouteEntry[] = [
   { route: '/home' },
-  { route: '/human', expectedHash: '/chat' }, // back-compat redirect
+  { route: '/human' }, // first-class route again (no longer redirects to /chat)
   { route: '/chat' },
   { route: '/connections' },
   { route: '/skills', expectedHash: '/connections' }, // back-compat redirect