diff --git a/packages/agent-graph/src/canvas/draw-particles.ts b/packages/agent-graph/src/canvas/draw-particles.ts
index 554c59cc..3118af0e 100644
--- a/packages/agent-graph/src/canvas/draw-particles.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-graph/src/canvas/draw-particles.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@ export function drawParticles(
     if (!source || !target) continue;
     if (source.x == null || source.y == null || target.x == null || target.y == null) continue;
 
-    const cp = computeControlPoints(source.x, source.y, target.x, target.y);
+    // Reverse: swap source/target for particles going in opposite direction
+    const from = p.reverse ? target : source;
+    const to = p.reverse ? source : target;
+
+    const cp = computeControlPoints(from.x!, from.y!, to.x!, to.y!);
     const color = p.color || COLORS.message;
     const baseSize = (p.size ?? 1) * 3;
     // Differentiate visual by particle kind
@@ -50,12 +54,12 @@ export function drawParticles(
     const phaseOffset = p.id.charCodeAt(Math.min(5, p.id.length - 1)) * 0.1;
     const wobbleAmp = BEAM.wobble.amp;
 
-    drawParticleTrail(ctx, source, target, cp, p.progress, color, size, wobbleAmp, phaseOffset, time, p.kind);
-    drawParticleCore(ctx, source, target, cp, p.progress, color, size, wobbleAmp, phaseOffset, time, p.kind);
+    drawParticleTrail(ctx, from, to, cp, p.progress, color, size, wobbleAmp, phaseOffset, time, p.kind);
+    drawParticleCore(ctx, from, to, cp, p.progress, color, size, wobbleAmp, phaseOffset, time, p.kind);
 
     // Label
     if (p.label && p.progress > PARTICLE_DRAW.labelMinT && p.progress < PARTICLE_DRAW.labelMaxT) {
-      const pos = getWobbledPosition(source, target, cp, p.progress, wobbleAmp, phaseOffset, time);
+      const pos = getWobbledPosition(from, to, cp, p.progress, wobbleAmp, phaseOffset, time);
       ctx.font = `${PARTICLE_DRAW.labelFontSize}px monospace`;
       ctx.textAlign = 'center';
       ctx.fillStyle = hexWithAlpha(color, 0.56);
diff --git a/packages/agent-graph/src/ports/types.ts b/packages/agent-graph/src/ports/types.ts
index 8517e081..ea7378f7 100644
--- a/packages/agent-graph/src/ports/types.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-graph/src/ports/types.ts
@@ -135,6 +135,8 @@ export interface GraphParticle {
   size?: number;
   /** Short label near particle */
   label?: string;
+  /** If true, particle travels from target → source (reverse direction) */
+  reverse?: boolean;
 }
 
 // ─── Domain Reference (opaque back-pointer) ──────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/src/renderer/features/agent-graph/adapters/TeamGraphAdapter.ts b/src/renderer/features/agent-graph/adapters/TeamGraphAdapter.ts
index 97d0fdcf..755e50f3 100644
--- a/src/renderer/features/agent-graph/adapters/TeamGraphAdapter.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/features/agent-graph/adapters/TeamGraphAdapter.ts
@@ -494,12 +494,19 @@ export class TeamGraphAdapter {
       if (this.#seenMessageIds.has(msgKey)) continue;
       this.#seenMessageIds.add(msgKey);
 
-      // Skip system/noise messages (idle notifications, JSON blobs)
-      if (TeamGraphAdapter.#isSystemMessage(msg)) continue;
-
       const edgeId = TeamGraphAdapter.#resolveMessageEdge(msg, teamName, leadId, leadName, edges);
       if (!edgeId) continue;
 
+      // Determine direction: messages FROM a teammate TO lead should reverse
+      // (edges are always lead→member, but message goes member→lead)
+      const fromId = TeamGraphAdapter.#resolveParticipantId(
+        msg.from ?? '',
+        teamName,
+        leadId,
+        leadName
+      );
+      const isFromTeammate = fromId !== leadId;
+
       particles.push({
         id: `particle:msg:${teamName}:${msgKey}`,
         edgeId,
@@ -507,6 +514,7 @@ export class TeamGraphAdapter {
         kind: 'inbox_message',
         color: msg.color ?? '#66ccff',
         label: TeamGraphAdapter.#buildParticleLabel(msg.summary ?? msg.text, 'inbox'),
+        reverse: isFromTeammate,
       });
     }
   }
@@ -694,18 +702,6 @@ export class TeamGraphAdapter {
     return `member:${teamName}:${name}`;
   }
 
-  /** Filter out system/noise messages that shouldn't show as particles */
-  static #isSystemMessage(msg: InboxMessage): boolean {
-    const text = msg.text ?? '';
-    // JSON system messages (idle_notification, shutdown, etc.)
-    if (text.startsWith('{"type":') || text.startsWith('{"type" :')) return true;
-    // Very short system messages
-    if (text.length < 3) return true;
-    // System notification source
-    if (msg.source === 'system_notification') return true;
-    return false;
-  }
-
   static #buildParticleLabel(
     text: string | undefined,
     kind: 'inbox' | 'comment',