diff --git a/e2e/board-flow.spec.ts b/e2e/board-flow.spec.ts
index 8dd2034..37c2798 100644
--- a/e2e/board-flow.spec.ts
+++ b/e2e/board-flow.spec.ts
@@ -31,10 +31,11 @@ test.describe('board flow', () => {
     await titleInput.press('Enter');
     await expect(issueDrawer.getByLabel('Issue title')).toHaveValue(updatedTitle);
 
+    await issueDrawer.getByLabel('Edit description').click();
     const descriptionInput = issueDrawer.getByLabel('Issue description');
     await descriptionInput.fill(updatedDescription);
-    await descriptionInput.blur();
-    await expect(issueDrawer.getByLabel('Issue description')).toHaveValue(updatedDescription);
+    await issueDrawer.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save' }).click();
+    await expect(issueDrawer.getByText(updatedDescription)).toBeVisible();
 
     await issueDrawer.getByLabel('Issue state').selectOption({ label: 'Done' });
     await expect(page.locator('[data-testid="column-Done"]')).toContainText(updatedTitle);
diff --git a/packages/web/src/App.board-drawer.test.tsx b/packages/web/src/App.board-drawer.test.tsx
index a9175cc..4b83dc2 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/App.board-drawer.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/App.board-drawer.test.tsx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ describe('App board drawer flows', () => {
     const drawer = await screen.findByRole('dialog', { name: 'Issue detail drawer' });
 
     expect(within(drawer).getByLabelText('Issue title')).toHaveValue('Ready item');
-    expect(within(drawer).getByLabelText('Issue description')).toHaveValue('Ready description');
+    expect(within(drawer).getByText('Ready description')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(within(drawer).getByText('INV-1 — Backlog item')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(within(drawer).getByText('No child issues.')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
diff --git a/packages/web/src/App.issue-detail-edit.test.tsx b/packages/web/src/App.issue-detail-edit.test.tsx
index eefa78f..9627b08 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/App.issue-detail-edit.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/App.issue-detail-edit.test.tsx
@@ -117,9 +117,10 @@ describe('App issue detail editing', () => {
     fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Open INV-1' }));
     const drawer = await screen.findByLabelText('Issue detail drawer');
 
+    fireEvent.click(within(drawer).getByLabelText('Edit description'));
     const descriptionInput = within(drawer).getByLabelText('Issue description');
     fireEvent.change(descriptionInput, { target: { value: 'Updated description' } });
-    fireEvent.blur(descriptionInput);
+    fireEvent.click(within(drawer).getByText('Save'));
 
     await waitFor(() =>
       expect(mutate).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
@@ -131,7 +132,7 @@ describe('App issue detail editing', () => {
     );
 
     await waitFor(() =>
-      expect(within(drawer).getByLabelText('Issue description')).toHaveValue('Updated description'),
+      expect(within(drawer).getByText('Updated description')).toBeInTheDocument(),
     );
   });
 
@@ -154,9 +155,10 @@ describe('App issue detail editing', () => {
     fireEvent.click(await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Open INV-1' }));
     const drawer = await screen.findByLabelText('Issue detail drawer');
 
+    fireEvent.click(within(drawer).getByLabelText('Edit description'));
     const descriptionInput = within(drawer).getByLabelText('Issue description');
     fireEvent.change(descriptionInput, { target: { value: 'Locally edited draft' } });
-    fireEvent.blur(descriptionInput);
+    fireEvent.click(within(drawer).getByText('Save'));
 
     await waitFor(() =>
       expect(mutate).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
@@ -168,9 +170,7 @@ describe('App issue detail editing', () => {
     );
 
     await waitFor(() =>
-      expect(within(drawer).getByLabelText('Issue description')).toHaveValue(
-        'Persisted description from server',
-      ),
+      expect(within(drawer).getByText('Persisted description from server')).toBeInTheDocument(),
     );
   });
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ describe('App issue detail editing', () => {
     const secondDrawer = await screen.findByLabelText('Issue detail drawer');
 
     expect(within(secondDrawer).getByLabelText('Issue title')).toHaveValue('Ready item');
-    expect(within(secondDrawer).getByLabelText('Issue description')).toHaveValue('Ready description');
+    expect(within(secondDrawer).getByText('Ready description')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
   it('shows the updated title after closing and reopening the same issue', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/web/src/App.issue-meta.test.tsx b/packages/web/src/App.issue-meta.test.tsx
index 209a2ee..b43e70d 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/App.issue-meta.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/App.issue-meta.test.tsx
@@ -153,8 +153,8 @@ describe('App issue metadata flows', () => {
 
     expect(await screen.findByText('No issues in Backlog yet.')).toBeInTheDocument();
     // Canceled column is collapsed by default, so the empty message is hidden;
-    // just verify the collapsed column header is rendered
-    expect(screen.getByLabelText(/Canceled column/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+    // just verify at least one element references the Canceled column
+    expect(screen.getAllByLabelText(/Canceled column/i).length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
   });
 
   it('shows "No labels available" message when labels array is empty', async () => {
diff --git a/packages/web/src/App.navigation.test.tsx b/packages/web/src/App.navigation.test.tsx
index 96b67d5..f0b5045 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/App.navigation.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/App.navigation.test.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ describe('App navigation and backlog flows', () => {
     expect(await screen.findByRole('heading', { name: 'Issue detail' })).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('INV-2')).toBeInTheDocument();
     await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByLabelText('Issue title')).toHaveValue('Ready item'));
-    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByLabelText('Issue description')).toHaveValue('Ready description'));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByText('Ready description')).toBeInTheDocument());
     expect(screen.getByText('INV-1 — Backlog item')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/App.routing.test.tsx b/packages/web/src/App.routing.test.tsx
index 205c6a9..77c2fe4 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/App.routing.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/App.routing.test.tsx
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ describe('App routing', () => {
     expect(await screen.findByRole('heading', { name: 'Issue detail' })).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('INV-2')).toBeInTheDocument();
     await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByLabelText('Issue title')).toHaveValue('Ready item'));
-    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByLabelText('Issue description')).toHaveValue('Ready description'));
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByText('Ready description')).toBeInTheDocument());
     expect(screen.getByText('INV-1 — Backlog item')).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/IssueCard.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/IssueCard.tsx
index a6d584b..d51d79a 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/IssueCard.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/IssueCard.tsx
@@ -167,9 +167,11 @@ export function IssueCard({
         </div>
 
         <div className="issue-card__footer">
-          <div className="issue-card__avatar" aria-hidden="true">
-            {getInitials(issue.assignee?.name)}
-          </div>
+          {issue.assignee ? (
+            <div className="issue-card__avatar" aria-hidden="true">
+              {getInitials(issue.assignee.name)}
+            </div>
+          ) : null}
           <span className="issue-card__assignee">{issue.assignee?.name ?? 'Unassigned'}</span>
         </div>
       </button>
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/IssueDetailDrawer.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/IssueDetailDrawer.tsx
index 266e7bb..401355c 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/IssueDetailDrawer.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/IssueDetailDrawer.tsx
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ export function IssueDetailDrawer({
   const [selectedLabelIds, setSelectedLabelIds] = useState<string[]>([]);
   const [selectedAssigneeId, setSelectedAssigneeId] = useState('');
   const [isEditingTitle, setIsEditingTitle] = useState(false);
+  const [isEditingDescription, setIsEditingDescription] = useState(false);
   const [commentBody, setCommentBody] = useState('');
   const isSavingTitleRef = useRef(false);
   const titleTextareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null);
@@ -320,18 +321,48 @@ export function IssueDetailDrawer({
             </span>
 
             <div className="issue-panel__section">
-              <label className="issue-panel__label" htmlFor="issue-description">
-                Description
-              </label>
-              <textarea
-                id="issue-description"
-                aria-label="Issue description"
-                className="issue-panel__textarea"
-                value={description}
-                disabled={savingState}
-                onChange={(event) => setDescription(event.target.value)}
-                onBlur={() => void commitDescription().catch(() => undefined)}
-              />
+              <label className="issue-panel__label">Description</label>
+              {isEditingDescription ? (
+                <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 6 }}>
+                  <RichTextEditor
+                    value={description}
+                    onChange={setDescription}
+                    placeholder="Add a description…"
+                    submitLabel="Save"
+                    disabled={savingState}
+                    ariaLabel="Issue description"
+                    onSubmit={() => {
+                      setIsEditingDescription(false);
+                      void commitDescription().catch(() => undefined);
+                    }}
+                  />
+                  <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 6 }}>
+                    <button
+                      type="button"
+                      className="ui-action ui-action--subtle"
+                      onClick={() => {
+                        setDescription(activeIssue.description ?? '');
+                        setIsEditingDescription(false);
+                      }}
+                    >Cancel</button>
+                  </div>
+                </div>
+              ) : (
+                <div
+                  style={{ position: 'relative', cursor: 'pointer', minHeight: 32 }}
+                  onClick={() => setIsEditingDescription(true)}
+                  role="button"
+                  tabIndex={0}
+                  aria-label="Edit description"
+                  onKeyDown={(e) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') setIsEditingDescription(true); }}
+                >
+                  {description ? (
+                    <MarkdownRenderer content={description} />
+                  ) : (
+                    <span style={{ color: 'var(--fg-dim)', fontSize: 13 }}>Add a description…</span>
+                  )}
+                </div>
+              )}
             </div>
 
             {activeIssue.children.nodes.length > 0 ? (
diff --git a/packages/web/src/components/Primitives.tsx b/packages/web/src/components/Primitives.tsx
index eb399a7..81783ed 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/components/Primitives.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/components/Primitives.tsx
@@ -16,7 +16,12 @@ export function Avatar({ user, size = 20 }: { user?: AvatarUser | null | undefin
         display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
         color: 'var(--fg-faint)', fontSize: size * 0.5,
         flexShrink: 0,
-      }}>?</div>
+      }}>
+        <svg width={size * 0.55} height={size * 0.55} viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.5" strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round">
+          <circle cx="8" cy="5.5" r="2.5" />
+          <path d="M2.5 14.5c0-3 2.5-4.5 5.5-4.5s5.5 1.5 5.5 4.5" />
+        </svg>
+      </div>
     );
   }
   const initials = user.avatar ?? (user.name ? user.name.trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean).map(w => w[0]).join('').slice(0, 2).toUpperCase() : '?');
diff --git a/packages/web/src/routes/BoardPage.tsx b/packages/web/src/routes/BoardPage.tsx
index 483a4d5..64640a8 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/routes/BoardPage.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/routes/BoardPage.tsx
@@ -184,7 +184,9 @@ export function BoardPage() {
   );
   const teams = queryData?.teams.nodes ?? EMPTY_TEAMS;
   const users = queryData?.users.nodes ?? EMPTY_USERS;
-  const labels = queryData?.issueLabels.nodes ?? EMPTY_LABELS;
+  const labels = useMemo(() => Array.from(
+    new Map((queryData?.issueLabels.nodes ?? EMPTY_LABELS).map(l => [l.id, l])).values()
+  ), [queryData?.issueLabels.nodes]);
   const baseIssues = queryData?.issues.nodes ?? EMPTY_ISSUES;
   const [createdIssues, setCreatedIssues] = useState<IssueSummary[]>([]);
   const [issueOverrides, setIssueOverrides] = useState<Record<string, IssueSummary>>({});
@@ -1924,6 +1926,18 @@ export function BoardPage() {
               </select>
             </div>
 
+            <details style={{ position: 'relative', fontSize: 11 }}>
+              <summary style={{ cursor: 'pointer', padding: '2px 8px', borderRadius: 'var(--r-1)', color: 'var(--fg-muted)' }}>Columns</summary>
+              <fieldset style={{ position: 'absolute', top: '100%', right: 0, zIndex: 10, background: 'var(--bg-raised)', border: '1px solid var(--border)', borderRadius: 'var(--r-2)', padding: 8, display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 4, minWidth: 160 }}>
+                {(selectedTeam?.states.nodes ?? []).map((state) => (
+                  <label key={state.id} style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 6, fontSize: 11, cursor: 'pointer' }}>
+                    <input type="checkbox" checked={!collapsedColumns[state.id]} onChange={() => toggleColumnCollapse(state.id)} aria-label={`Toggle ${state.name} column`} />
+                    {state.name}
+                  </label>
+                ))}
+              </fieldset>
+            </details>
+
             <div style={{ display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 4, marginLeft: 4 }}>
               <button type="button" onClick={() => { const name = window.prompt('View name'); if (name) { const nextView: SavedBoardView = { id: crypto.randomUUID(), name, state: { ...boardViewState } }; const nextViews = [...savedBoardViews, nextView]; setSavedBoardViews(nextViews); writeSavedBoardViews(activeTeamKey, nextViews); setActiveSavedBoardViewId(nextView.id); } }} style={{ height: 22, padding: '0 6px', fontSize: 11, border: '1px solid var(--border)', borderRadius: 'var(--r-2)', background: 'transparent', color: 'var(--fg-muted)', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Save view</button>
               <button type="button" onClick={() => { resetBoardViewState(); setActiveSavedBoardViewId(''); }} style={{ height: 22, padding: '0 6px', fontSize: 11, border: 'none', background: 'transparent', color: 'var(--fg-dim)', cursor: 'pointer' }}>Clear</button>
diff --git a/packages/web/src/routes/IssuePage.tsx b/packages/web/src/routes/IssuePage.tsx
index cb6c5c9..8123095 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/routes/IssuePage.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/src/routes/IssuePage.tsx
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ export function IssuePage() {
   const [selectedLabelIds, setSelectedLabelIds] = useState<string[]>([]);
   const [selectedAssigneeId, setSelectedAssigneeId] = useState('');
   const [isEditingTitle, setIsEditingTitle] = useState(false);
+  const [isEditingDescription, setIsEditingDescription] = useState(false);
   const [commentBody, setCommentBody] = useState('');
   const isSavingTitleRef = useRef(false);
   const titleTextareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null);
@@ -524,7 +525,9 @@ export function IssuePage() {
   }
 
   const activeIssue = issueSnapshot;
-  const allLabels = data?.issueLabels.nodes ?? [];
+  const allLabels = Array.from(
+    new Map((data?.issueLabels.nodes ?? []).map(l => [l.id, l])).values()
+  );
   const allUsers = data?.users.nodes ?? [];
 
   // --- Render ---
@@ -538,6 +541,31 @@ export function IssuePage() {
           <Btn variant="ghost" icon={<IcoChevL size={12} />} onClick={() => navigate(-1)}>
             {selectedTeam.key}
           </Btn>
+          {activeIssue.parent ? (
+            <>
+              <span style={{ color: 'var(--fg-faint)', display: 'inline-flex' }}>
+                <IcoChevR size={10} />
+              </span>
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                onClick={() => navigate(`/issue/${activeIssue.parent!.id}`)}
+                style={{
+                  background: 'none', border: 'none', cursor: 'pointer',
+                  fontSize: 11, color: 'var(--fg-muted)', padding: '2px 4px',
+                  borderRadius: 'var(--r-1)',
+                }}
+                className="mono"
+                title={activeIssue.parent.title}
+                onMouseEnter={(e) => { e.currentTarget.style.background = 'var(--bg-hover)'; }}
+                onMouseLeave={(e) => { e.currentTarget.style.background = 'none'; }}
+              >
+                {activeIssue.parent.identifier}
+              </button>
+            </>
+          ) : null}
+          <span style={{ color: 'var(--fg-faint)', display: 'inline-flex' }}>
+            <IcoChevR size={10} />
+          </span>
           <span className="mono" style={{ fontSize: 11, color: 'var(--fg-dim)' }}>
             {activeIssue.identifier}
           </span>
@@ -612,15 +640,62 @@ export function IssuePage() {
             />
 
             {/* Description */}
-            <textarea
-              aria-label="Issue description"
-              className="issue-panel__description-input"
-              value={description}
-              placeholder="Add a description…"
-              disabled={isSavingState}
-              onChange={(e) => setDescription(e.target.value)}
-              onBlur={() => void commitDescription().catch(() => undefined)}
-            />
+            {isEditingDescription ? (
+              <div style={{ display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 6 }}>
+                <RichTextEditor
+                  value={description}
+                  onChange={setDescription}
+                  placeholder="Add a description…"
+                  submitLabel="Save"
+                  disabled={isSavingState}
+                  ariaLabel="Issue description"
+                  onSubmit={() => {
+                    setIsEditingDescription(false);
+                    void commitDescription().catch(() => undefined);
+                  }}
+                />
+                <div style={{ display: 'flex', gap: 6 }}>
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    style={{
+                      height: 26, padding: '0 12px', fontSize: 12, fontWeight: 500,
+                      borderRadius: 'var(--r-2)', border: '1px solid var(--border)', cursor: 'pointer',
+                      background: 'transparent', color: 'var(--fg-muted)',
+                    }}
+                    onClick={() => {
+                      setDescription(issueSnapshot?.description ?? '');
+                      setIsEditingDescription(false);
+                    }}
+                  >Cancel</button>
+                </div>
+              </div>
+            ) : (
+              <div
+                style={{ position: 'relative', cursor: 'pointer', minHeight: 32 }}
+                onClick={() => setIsEditingDescription(true)}
+                role="button"
+                tabIndex={0}
+                aria-label="Edit description"
+                onKeyDown={(e) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') setIsEditingDescription(true); }}
+              >
+                {description ? (
+                  <MarkdownRenderer content={description} />
+                ) : (
+                  <span style={{ color: 'var(--fg-dim)', fontSize: 13 }}>Add a description…</span>
+                )}
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  style={{
+                    position: 'absolute', top: 0, right: 0,
+                    height: 22, padding: '0 8px', fontSize: 11, fontWeight: 500,
+                    borderRadius: 'var(--r-2)', border: '1px solid var(--border)', cursor: 'pointer',
+                    background: 'var(--bg-hover)', color: 'var(--fg-muted)',
+                    opacity: 0.7,
+                  }}
+                  onClick={(e) => { e.stopPropagation(); setIsEditingDescription(true); }}
+                >Edit</button>
+              </div>
+            )}
 
             {/* Parent issue */}
             {activeIssue.parent ? (