diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/components/MessageView.tsx b/packages/happy-app/sources/components/MessageView.tsx
index 2fab4cfba..51f6652b3 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/components/MessageView.tsx
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/components/MessageView.tsx
@@ -134,10 +134,14 @@ function AgentEventBlock(props: {
       }
     };
 
+    const displayText = props.event.endsAt
+      ? t('message.usageLimitUntil', { time: formatTime(props.event.endsAt) })
+      : props.event.message || t('message.usageLimitReached');
+
     return (
-      <View style={styles.agentEventContainer}>
-        <Text style={styles.agentEventText}>
-          {t('message.usageLimitUntil', { time: formatTime(props.event.endsAt) })}
+      <View style={styles.limitReachedContainer}>
+        <Text style={styles.limitReachedText}>
+          {displayText}
         </Text>
       </View>
     );
@@ -212,6 +216,20 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create((theme) => ({
     color: theme.colors.agentEventText,
     fontSize: 14,
   },
+  limitReachedContainer: {
+    marginHorizontal: 16,
+    marginVertical: 8,
+    paddingHorizontal: 16,
+    paddingVertical: 12,
+    backgroundColor: theme.colors.box.warning.background,
+    borderRadius: 12,
+    alignItems: 'center',
+  },
+  limitReachedText: {
+    color: theme.colors.box.warning.text,
+    fontSize: 14,
+    textAlign: 'center',
+  },
   toolContainer: {
     marginHorizontal: 8,
   },
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/reducer/messageToEvent.test.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/reducer/messageToEvent.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ef6629f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/reducer/messageToEvent.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import { parseMessageAsEvent, isRateLimitMessage } from './messageToEvent';
+import { NormalizedMessage } from '../typesRaw';
+
+function createAgentTextMessage(text: string): NormalizedMessage {
+    return {
+        role: 'agent',
+        content: [{ type: 'text', text }],
+        id: 'test-id',
+        localId: null,
+        createdAt: Date.now(),
+        isSidechain: false,
+    } as NormalizedMessage;
+}
+
+describe('messageToEvent', () => {
+    describe('parseMessageAsEvent', () => {
+        it('parses Claude AI usage limit with timestamp', () => {
+            const msg = createAgentTextMessage('Claude AI usage limit reached|1700000000');
+            const event = parseMessageAsEvent(msg);
+            expect(event).toEqual({
+                type: 'limit-reached',
+                endsAt: 1700000000,
+            });
+        });
+
+        it('converts Gemini quota exceeded messages to limit-reached events', () => {
+            const msg = createAgentTextMessage('Gemini quota exceeded. Quota resets in 3h20m. Try using a different model (gemini-2.5-flash-lite) or wait for quota reset.');
+            const event = parseMessageAsEvent(msg);
+            expect(event).not.toBeNull();
+            expect(event!.type).toBe('limit-reached');
+            if (event!.type === 'limit-reached') {
+                expect(event!.message).toContain('Gemini quota exceeded');
+            }
+        });
+
+        it('converts rate limit exceeded messages to limit-reached events', () => {
+            const msg = createAgentTextMessage('Gemini API rate limit exceeded. Please wait a moment and try again.');
+            const event = parseMessageAsEvent(msg);
+            expect(event).not.toBeNull();
+            expect(event!.type).toBe('limit-reached');
+        });
+
+        it('does not convert regular agent messages', () => {
+            const msg = createAgentTextMessage('Hello, how can I help you?');
+            const event = parseMessageAsEvent(msg);
+            expect(event).toBeNull();
+        });
+
+        it('skips sidechain messages', () => {
+            const msg = {
+                ...createAgentTextMessage('Claude AI usage limit reached|1700000000'),
+                isSidechain: true,
+            } as NormalizedMessage;
+            const event = parseMessageAsEvent(msg);
+            expect(event).toBeNull();
+        });
+    });
+
+    describe('isRateLimitMessage', () => {
+        it('detects "rate limit exceeded"', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('API rate limit exceeded')).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it('detects "quota exceeded"', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('Gemini quota exceeded.')).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it('detects "quota exhausted"', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('Your quota has been exhausted')).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it('detects "usage limit reached"', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('Usage limit reached for this account')).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it('detects "resource exhausted"', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED: resource has been exhausted')).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it('detects "rate_limit_error"', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('Error: rate_limit_error on request')).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it('detects "rateLimitExceeded"', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('rateLimitExceeded for model')).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it('is case insensitive', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('RATE LIMIT EXCEEDED')).toBe(true);
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('Quota Exceeded')).toBe(true);
+        });
+
+        it('does not match regular messages', () => {
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('Hello world')).toBe(false);
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('The rate of change is high')).toBe(false);
+            expect(isRateLimitMessage('This is a limited feature')).toBe(false);
+        });
+    });
+});
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/reducer/messageToEvent.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/reducer/messageToEvent.ts
index cf19990bf..e2d9b9c91 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/reducer/messageToEvent.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/reducer/messageToEvent.ts
@@ -29,19 +29,27 @@ export function parseMessageAsEvent(msg: NormalizedMessage): AgentEvent | null {
     // Check for agent messages that should become events
     if (msg.role === 'agent') {
         for (const content of msg.content) {
-            // Check for Claude AI usage limit messages
             if (content.type === 'text') {
+                // Check for Claude AI usage limit messages (format: "Claude AI usage limit reached|{timestamp}")
                 const limitMatch = content.text.match(/^Claude AI usage limit reached\|(\d+)$/);
                 if (limitMatch) {
                     const timestamp = parseInt(limitMatch[1], 10);
                     if (!isNaN(timestamp)) {
                         return {
                             type: 'limit-reached',
-                            endsAt: timestamp
+                            endsAt: timestamp,
                         } as AgentEvent;
                     }
                 }
-                
+
+                // Check for generic rate limit / quota messages from any backend
+                const text = content.text;
+                if (isRateLimitMessage(text)) {
+                    return {
+                        type: 'limit-reached',
+                        message: text,
+                    } as AgentEvent;
+                }
             }
             
             // Check for mcp__happy__change_title tool calls
@@ -74,4 +82,21 @@ export function parseMessageAsEvent(msg: NormalizedMessage): AgentEvent | null {
 export function shouldSkipNormalProcessing(msg: NormalizedMessage): boolean {
     // If a message converts to an event, it should skip normal processing
     return parseMessageAsEvent(msg) !== null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Detects rate limit / quota exhaustion messages from any backend.
+ * These messages should be surfaced as limit-reached events for visual emphasis.
+ */
+export function isRateLimitMessage(text: string): boolean {
+    const lower = text.toLowerCase();
+    return (
+        (lower.includes('rate limit') && lower.includes('exceeded')) ||
+        (lower.includes('quota') && lower.includes('exceeded')) ||
+        (lower.includes('quota') && lower.includes('exhausted')) ||
+        (lower.includes('usage limit') && lower.includes('reached')) ||
+        (lower.includes('resource') && lower.includes('exhausted')) ||
+        lower.includes('rate_limit_error') ||
+        lower.includes('ratelimitexceeded')
+    );
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/typesRaw.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/typesRaw.ts
index 5ac33bb0f..b39c0ac2d 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/typesRaw.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/sync/typesRaw.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ const agentEventSchema = z.discriminatedUnion('type', [z.object({
     message: z.string(),
 }), z.object({
     type: z.literal('limit-reached'),
-    endsAt: z.number(),
+    endsAt: z.number().optional(),
+    message: z.string().optional(),
 }), z.object({
     type: z.literal('ready'),
 })]);
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/_default.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/_default.ts
index c3a0d673a..e92d4478a 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/_default.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/_default.ts
@@ -746,6 +746,7 @@ export const en = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `Switched to ${mode} mode`,
         unknownEvent: 'Unknown event',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `Usage limit reached until ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: 'Usage limit reached. Please wait and try again.',
         unknownTime: 'unknown time',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ca.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ca.ts
index 76d928500..a28bbff72 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ca.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ca.ts
@@ -747,6 +747,7 @@ export const ca: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `S'ha canviat al mode ${mode}`,
         unknownEvent: 'Esdeveniment desconegut',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `Límit d'ús assolit fins a ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: 'Límit d\'ús assolit. Espereu i torneu-ho a provar.',
         unknownTime: 'temps desconegut',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/en.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/en.ts
index b86aa4af6..f136c27ba 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/en.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/en.ts
@@ -762,6 +762,7 @@ export const en: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `Switched to ${mode} mode`,
         unknownEvent: 'Unknown event',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `Usage limit reached until ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: 'Usage limit reached. Please wait and try again.',
         unknownTime: 'unknown time',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/es.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/es.ts
index 41c17664e..d1991cafd 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/es.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/es.ts
@@ -747,6 +747,7 @@ export const es: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `Cambiado al modo ${mode}`,
         unknownEvent: 'Evento desconocido',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `Límite de uso alcanzado hasta ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: 'Límite de uso alcanzado. Espera e inténtalo de nuevo.',
         unknownTime: 'tiempo desconocido',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/it.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/it.ts
index 6dbfb52ac..e5765d8cb 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/it.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/it.ts
@@ -776,6 +776,7 @@ export const it: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `Passato alla modalità ${mode}`,
         unknownEvent: 'Evento sconosciuto',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `Limite di utilizzo raggiunto fino a ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: 'Limite di utilizzo raggiunto. Attendi e riprova.',
         unknownTime: 'ora sconosciuta',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ja.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ja.ts
index 090480d7a..0679beea6 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ja.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ja.ts
@@ -779,6 +779,7 @@ export const ja: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `${mode}モードに切り替えました`,
         unknownEvent: '不明なイベント',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `${time}まで使用制限中`,
+        usageLimitReached: '使用制限に達しました。しばらく待ってから再試行してください。',
         unknownTime: '不明な時間',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/pl.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/pl.ts
index 55401af6a..f8f8dc77a 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/pl.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/pl.ts
@@ -757,6 +757,7 @@ export const pl: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `Przełączono na tryb ${mode}`,
         unknownEvent: 'Nieznane zdarzenie',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `Osiągnięto limit użycia do ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: 'Osiągnięto limit użycia. Poczekaj i spróbuj ponownie.',
         unknownTime: 'nieznany czas',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/pt.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/pt.ts
index 75d9afed2..697f23d36 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/pt.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/pt.ts
@@ -747,6 +747,7 @@ export const pt: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `Mudou para o modo ${mode}`,
         unknownEvent: 'Evento desconhecido',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `Limite de uso atingido até ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: 'Limite de uso atingido. Aguarde e tente novamente.',
         unknownTime: 'horário desconhecido',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ru.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ru.ts
index 930474bb7..12a54c3d5 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ru.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/ru.ts
@@ -745,6 +745,7 @@ export const ru: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `Переключено в режим ${mode}`,
         unknownEvent: 'Неизвестное событие',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `Лимит использования достигнут до ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: 'Лимит использования достигнут. Подождите и попробуйте снова.',
         unknownTime: 'неизвестное время',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/zh-Hans.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/zh-Hans.ts
index a9db3ead3..bf4585399 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/zh-Hans.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/zh-Hans.ts
@@ -749,6 +749,7 @@ export const zhHans: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `已切换到 ${mode} 模式`,
         unknownEvent: '未知事件',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `使用限制到 ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: '已达到使用限制。请稍候再试。',
         unknownTime: '未知时间',
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/zh-Hant.ts b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/zh-Hant.ts
index e09ca6f3c..734412d13 100644
--- a/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/zh-Hant.ts
+++ b/packages/happy-app/sources/text/translations/zh-Hant.ts
@@ -748,6 +748,7 @@ export const zhHant: TranslationStructure = {
         switchedToMode: ({ mode }: { mode: string }) => `已切換到 ${mode} 模式`,
         unknownEvent: '未知事件',
         usageLimitUntil: ({ time }: { time: string }) => `使用限制到 ${time}`,
+        usageLimitReached: '已達到使用限制。請稍候再試。',
         unknownTime: '未知時間',
     },