diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/agent-pet-controller.ts b/apps/desktop/src/agent-pet-controller.ts
index 117bf016..49d49da3 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/agent-pet-controller.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/agent-pet-controller.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { getAppStateSnapshot } from "./app-state.js";
 import { defaultPetWindowSize, getDefaultPetInitialPosition } from "./display.js";
 import { debug, info } from "./logger.js";
 import { transientDisplayMs, type OpenPetsReaction } from "./local-ipc-protocol.js";
-import { clearTransientReaction, createAgentPetWindow, getTransientReactionAnimationMs, loadExplicitPetContent, mergePetTransientDisplay, setPetReactionState, type PetStatusBadgeReaction, type PetTransientDisplay } from "./pet-window.js";
+import { clearTransientReaction, createAgentPetWindow, getTransientDisplayDurationMs, getTransientReactionAnimationMs, loadExplicitPetContent, mergePetTransientDisplay, setPetReactionState, type PetStatusBadgeReaction, type PetTransientDisplay } from "./pet-window.js";
 
 const agentPetWindows = new Map<string, BrowserWindow>();
 const transientDisplays = new Map<string, PetTransientDisplay>();
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@ function setAgentDisplay(petId: string, display: PetTransientDisplay): void {
   if (existingAnimationTimer) clearTimeout(existingAnimationTimer);
 
   const animationMs = getTransientReactionAnimationMs(preparedDisplay);
-  if (animationMs !== null && animationMs < transientDisplayMs) {
+  const displayDurationMs = getTransientDisplayDurationMs(preparedDisplay);
+  if (animationMs !== null && animationMs < displayDurationMs) {
     const animationTimer = setTimeout(() => {
       const current = transientDisplays.get(petId);
       if (!current) return;
@@ -150,7 +151,7 @@ function setAgentDisplay(petId: string, display: PetTransientDisplay): void {
     transientAnimationTimers.delete(petId);
     const window = agentPetWindows.get(petId);
     if (window && !window.isDestroyed()) void loadExplicitPetContent(window, petId, null, statusBadges.get(petId) ?? null);
-  }, transientDisplayMs);
+  }, displayDurationMs);
   transientTimers.set(petId, timer);
   const window = agentPetWindows.get(petId);
   if (window && !window.isDestroyed()) void loadExplicitPetContent(window, petId, preparedDisplay, statusBadges.get(petId) ?? null);
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/check-packaging-contract.ts b/apps/desktop/src/check-packaging-contract.ts
index e7a4930d..36ab17ee 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/check-packaging-contract.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/check-packaging-contract.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ assert.match(reactionMessagesSource, /satisfies Record<OpenPetsReaction, readonl
 assert.match(petWindowSource, /pickReactionMessage\(display\.reaction\)/, "reaction-only bubbles must render randomized messages instead of raw lowercase reaction ids.");
 assert.match(petWindowSource, /function preparePetTransientDisplay/, "reaction-only bubbles must prepare a stable random message before rerenders.");
 assert.match(petWindowSource, /function mergePetTransientDisplay/, "reaction-only events must not replace an active explicit message bubble.");
+assert.match(petWindowSource, /function getTransientDisplayDurationMs[\s\S]*?12_000[\s\S]*?message\.length \* 70/, "speech bubbles must stay visible longer for longer messages without becoming permanent.");
+assert.match(defaultPetControllerSource, /getTransientDisplayDurationMs\(transientDisplay\)/, "default pet speech bubble timeout must be length-aware.");
+assert.match(agentPetControllerSourceForLogging, /getTransientDisplayDurationMs\(preparedDisplay\)/, "agent pet speech bubble timeout must be length-aware.");
 assert.match(petWindowSource, /function getTransientReactionAnimationMs/, "finite reaction animations must expose their own shorter lifetime.");
 assert.match(petWindowSource, /function clearTransientReaction/, "finite reaction animations must be clearable while the bubble remains visible.");
 assert.match(petWindowSource, /webContents\.send\("openpets:pet-reaction-state"/, "finite reaction animations must clear sprite state without reloading the bubble.");
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/default-pet-controller.ts b/apps/desktop/src/default-pet-controller.ts
index 6fbe46d0..6eee8b83 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/default-pet-controller.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/default-pet-controller.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { getAppStateSnapshot, getDefaultPetPosition, resetDefaultPetPosition, se
 import { defaultPetWindowSize, getDefaultPetInitialPosition } from "./display.js";
 import { debug, info } from "./logger.js";
 import { transientDisplayMs, type OpenPetsReaction } from "./local-ipc-protocol.js";
-import { clearTransientReaction, createDefaultPetWindow, getSafeDefaultPetPosition, getTransientReactionAnimationMs, loadDefaultPetContent, mergePetTransientDisplay, readWindowPosition, setPetReactionState, type PetStatusBadgeReaction, type PetTransientDisplay } from "./pet-window.js";
+import { clearTransientReaction, createDefaultPetWindow, getSafeDefaultPetPosition, getTransientDisplayDurationMs, getTransientReactionAnimationMs, loadDefaultPetContent, mergePetTransientDisplay, readWindowPosition, setPetReactionState, type PetStatusBadgeReaction, type PetTransientDisplay } from "./pet-window.js";
 
 let defaultPetWindow: BrowserWindow | null = null;
 let paused = false;
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ function setTransientDisplay(display: PetTransientDisplay): void {
   }
 
   const animationMs = getTransientReactionAnimationMs(transientDisplay);
-  if (animationMs !== null && animationMs < transientDisplayMs) {
+  const displayDurationMs = getTransientDisplayDurationMs(transientDisplay);
+  if (animationMs !== null && animationMs < displayDurationMs) {
     transientAnimationTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
       if (!transientDisplay) return;
       transientDisplay = clearTransientReaction(transientDisplay);
@@ -166,7 +167,7 @@ function setTransientDisplay(display: PetTransientDisplay): void {
       transientAnimationTimeout = null;
     }
     refreshDefaultPetContent();
-  }, transientDisplayMs);
+  }, displayDurationMs);
 
   refreshDefaultPetContent();
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/pet-window.ts b/apps/desktop/src/pet-window.ts
index 57b5aae4..19111528 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/pet-window.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/pet-window.ts
@@ -359,6 +359,13 @@ export function getTransientReactionAnimationMs(display: PetTransientDisplay): n
   return typeof iterations === "number" ? row.durationMs * iterations : null;
 }
 
+export function getTransientDisplayDurationMs(display: PetTransientDisplay): number {
+  const baseMs = display.reaction === "success" || display.reaction === "error" ? 5_000 : 4_000;
+  const message = display.message ?? display.reactionMessage;
+  if (!message) return baseMs;
+  return Math.min(12_000, Math.max(baseMs, message.length * 70));
+}
+
 export function clearTransientReaction(display: PetTransientDisplay): PetTransientDisplay {
   if (!display.reaction) return display;
   return { ...display, reaction: undefined };