diff --git a/backend/matrix_intake/bot.py b/backend/matrix_intake/bot.py
index ed81c95..8122b5f 100644
--- a/backend/matrix_intake/bot.py
+++ b/backend/matrix_intake/bot.py
@@ -31,10 +31,18 @@ async def main():
     client = AsyncClient(mx["homeserver"], mx["user_id"])
     client.restore_login(user_id=mx["user_id"], device_id=mx["device_id"], access_token=mx["token"])
     say = matrix_io.make_say(client)
+    nudge = matrix_io.make_reply(client)
     store = proposals.ProposalStore()
     intake_room = mx["intake_room"]
 
     async def handle_intake(room_id, root, text):
+        # A bare yes/no/approve typed in the MAIN timeline (not inside a proposal's thread) is
+        # an easy slip — point the user back to the thread rather than parse it as a new intake.
+        action, _ = proposals.interpret_reply(text)
+        if action in ("approve", "reject") and store.any_pending():
+            await nudge(room_id, "👉 To approve, reject, or edit a proposal, open its **thread** "
+                                 "and reply there — the note is in the thread.", root)
+            return
         try:
             proposal = await asyncio.to_thread(parse.parse_message, text)
         except Exception as exc:  # Spark/Qwen unreachable or bad response
@@ -56,6 +64,9 @@ async def main():
             pass
         store.put(root, proposal)
         await say(room_id, proposals.render(proposal) + hint, root)
+        # Also drop a brief, un-threaded reply in the main timeline so the proposal isn't
+        # easy to miss inside a thread (the full card + yes/edit/no stay in the thread).
+        await nudge(room_id, proposals.summary_line(proposal), root)
 
     async def handle_reply(room_id, root, text):
         action, payload = proposals.interpret_reply(text)
diff --git a/backend/matrix_intake/crm_client.py b/backend/matrix_intake/crm_client.py
index 58db465..3f5f1ce 100644
--- a/backend/matrix_intake/crm_client.py
+++ b/backend/matrix_intake/crm_client.py
@@ -97,11 +97,16 @@ def build_commit_payload(proposal):
         "title": proposal.get("contact_title") or "",
     }
     note = proposal.get("note") or ""
+    # The CRM's grid note line uses subject-or-body for its one-line summary, so a non-empty
+    # subject hides the actual note text. Send a blank subject when there's a note (let the note
+    # itself show in the grid); fall back to a provenance label only when there's nothing to
+    # show. Provenance is recorded via source="matrix_intake" either way.
+    intent_label = "Note (Matrix)" if proposal.get("intent") == "meeting_note" else "Intake (Matrix)"
     payload = {
         "contact": contact,
         "type": "note",
         "body": note,
-        "subject": "Intake (Matrix)" if proposal.get("intent") != "meeting_note" else "Note (Matrix)",
+        "subject": "" if note.strip() else intent_label,
         "append_note": True,
         "source": "matrix_intake",
     }
@@ -123,5 +128,5 @@ def commit(proposal):
     row = (data.get("data") or {}).get("row") or {}
     name = row.get("investor_name") or payload.get("investor_name") or "investor"
     if proposal.get("_match_id"):
-        return f"Logged note to **{name}**."
-    return f"Added **{name}** to the grid" + (" with a note." if payload.get("body") else ".")
+        return f"Logged a note on **{name}** (existing grid entry)."
+    return f"Created a new grid entry for **{name}**" + (" and logged a note." if payload.get("body") else ".")
diff --git a/backend/matrix_intake/matrix_io.py b/backend/matrix_intake/matrix_io.py
index 3b3dbe9..f7cc4f5 100644
--- a/backend/matrix_intake/matrix_io.py
+++ b/backend/matrix_intake/matrix_io.py
@@ -53,3 +53,21 @@ def make_say(client):
         for chunk in split_message(text):
             await client.room_send(room_id, "m.room.message", thread_content(chunk, thread_root))
     return say
+
+
+def reply_content(text, reply_to_event_id):
+    """Build a plain (non-threaded) reply: shows in the MAIN timeline as a reply to
+    reply_to_event_id, unlike thread_content() which lands the message inside a thread."""
+    content = {"msgtype": "m.text", "body": text}
+    if reply_to_event_id:
+        content["m.relates_to"] = {"m.in_reply_to": {"event_id": reply_to_event_id}}
+    return content
+
+
+def make_reply(client):
+    """Return an async reply(room_id, text, reply_to) that posts a plain main-timeline reply —
+    the brief 'proposed X — see thread' nudge alongside the in-thread proposal card."""
+    async def reply(room_id, text, reply_to):
+        for chunk in split_message(text):
+            await client.room_send(room_id, "m.room.message", reply_content(chunk, reply_to))
+    return reply
diff --git a/backend/matrix_intake/proposals.py b/backend/matrix_intake/proposals.py
index e5855c9..45ba094 100644
--- a/backend/matrix_intake/proposals.py
+++ b/backend/matrix_intake/proposals.py
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ class ProposalStore:
     def has(self, thread_root):
         return thread_root in self._pending
 
+    def any_pending(self):
+        return bool(self._pending)
+
 
 def _parse_edit(text):
     """Parse 'edit field=value' (also 'field: value'); return (canonical_field, value) or None."""
@@ -101,3 +104,11 @@ def render(proposal):
     lines.append("")
     lines.append("Reply **yes** to commit, **edit field=value** to change a field, or **no** to discard.")
     return "\n".join(lines)
+
+
+def summary_line(proposal):
+    """A brief one-liner for the main-timeline nudge; the full card lives in the thread."""
+    name = proposal.get("investor_name") or proposal.get("contact_name") or "?"
+    if proposal.get("intent") == "meeting_note":
+        return f"📝 Proposed a meeting note for **{name}** — see the thread to review & approve."
+    return f"📇 Proposed a new investor: **{name}** — see the thread to review & approve."
diff --git a/backend/matrix_intake/test_crm_client.py b/backend/matrix_intake/test_crm_client.py
index b97f9c6..d5a73fb 100644
--- a/backend/matrix_intake/test_crm_client.py
+++ b/backend/matrix_intake/test_crm_client.py
@@ -46,6 +46,18 @@ def test_no_email_sends_empty_string_not_none():
     assert out["contact"]["email"] == ""
 
 
+def test_subject_blank_when_note_present_else_provenance_label():
+    # The CRM's grid note line uses subject-or-body, so a blank subject lets the note text show.
+    with_note = crm_client.build_commit_payload(
+        {"intent": "meeting_note", "investor_name": "Acme", "note": "sent the deck", "_match_id": "r1"})
+    assert with_note["subject"] == ""
+    assert with_note["body"] == "sent the deck"
+    # no note text → fall back to a provenance label so the grid line isn't empty
+    no_note = crm_client.build_commit_payload(
+        {"intent": "new_investor", "investor_name": "Beta", "contact_name": "X", "note": None})
+    assert no_note["subject"] == "Intake (Matrix)"
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     fns = [v for k, v in sorted(globals().items()) if k.startswith("test_") and callable(v)]
     for fn in fns:
diff --git a/backend/matrix_intake/test_matrix_io.py b/backend/matrix_intake/test_matrix_io.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19d20c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/matrix_intake/test_matrix_io.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+"""Tests for matrix_io content builders — pure dict shaping, no network."""
+import os
+import sys
+
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
+
+import matrix_io  # noqa: E402
+
+
+def test_reply_content_is_plain_main_timeline_reply():
+    c = matrix_io.reply_content("hi", "$evt1")
+    rel = c["m.relates_to"]
+    assert rel["m.in_reply_to"]["event_id"] == "$evt1"
+    # a plain reply must NOT carry a thread relation, or it'd land in the thread
+    # instead of the main timeline (the whole point of the nudge).
+    assert "rel_type" not in rel
+
+
+def test_reply_content_without_target_has_no_relation():
+    c = matrix_io.reply_content("hi", None)
+    assert "m.relates_to" not in c
+    assert c["body"] == "hi"
+
+
+def test_thread_content_stays_threaded():
+    c = matrix_io.thread_content("hi", "$root1")
+    rel = c["m.relates_to"]
+    assert rel["rel_type"] == "m.thread"
+    assert rel["event_id"] == "$root1"
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    fns = [v for k, v in sorted(globals().items()) if k.startswith("test_") and callable(v)]
+    for fn in fns:
+        fn()
+        print(f"ok  {fn.__name__}")
+    print(f"\n{len(fns)} passed")
diff --git a/backend/matrix_intake/test_proposals.py b/backend/matrix_intake/test_proposals.py
index 0d35743..c3a4cf7 100644
--- a/backend/matrix_intake/test_proposals.py
+++ b/backend/matrix_intake/test_proposals.py
@@ -22,6 +22,15 @@ def test_store_put_get_pop():
     assert s.pop("$missing") is None
 
 
+def test_store_any_pending():
+    s = proposals.ProposalStore()
+    assert not s.any_pending()
+    s.put("$r", SAMPLE)
+    assert s.any_pending()
+    s.pop("$r")
+    assert not s.any_pending()
+
+
 def test_interpret_yes_variants():
     for t in ("yes", "Y", "approve", "  ok ", "👍"):
         assert proposals.interpret_reply(t)[0] == "approve", t
@@ -87,6 +96,15 @@ def test_render_meeting_note_variant():
     assert "meeting note" in proposals.render(note).lower()
 
 
+def test_summary_line_new_vs_note():
+    new_line = proposals.summary_line(SAMPLE)
+    assert "Acme Capital" in new_line and "new investor" in new_line.lower()
+    note_line = proposals.summary_line(dict(SAMPLE, intent="meeting_note"))
+    assert "Acme Capital" in note_line and "meeting note" in note_line.lower()
+    # the nudge must point the user to the thread, where the actual action lives
+    assert "thread" in new_line.lower()
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     fns = [v for k, v in sorted(globals().items()) if k.startswith("test_") and callable(v)]
     for fn in fns: