diff --git a/web/public/character-busy.gif b/web/public/character-busy.gif
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..75888bb
Binary files /dev/null and b/web/public/character-busy.gif differ
diff --git a/web/src/App.tsx b/web/src/App.tsx
index 2f31c56..e300bdb 100644
--- a/web/src/App.tsx
+++ b/web/src/App.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { AuthScreen } from "@/components/auth/auth-screen";
 import { ChatAttachmentList } from "@/components/chat/chat-attachment-list";
 import { ChatMessagesPanel } from "@/components/chat/chat-messages-panel";
 import { SearchResultsPanel } from "@/components/search/search-results-panel";
+import { SybilCharacter } from "@/components/sybil-character";
 import {
   createChat,
   createChatFromSearch,
@@ -1999,12 +2000,9 @@ export default function App() {
                 Sybil Web{authMode ? ` (${authMode === "open" ? "open mode" : "token mode"})` : ""}
               </p>
             </div>
-            <img
-              aria-hidden="true"
-              alt=""
-              className="absolute right-4 top-3 aspect-square h-[calc(100%-1.5rem)] rounded-xl border border-violet-200/24 bg-white/6 object-cover p-1 shadow-[inset_0_1px_0_hsl(252_90%_86%/0.12),0_10px_24px_hsl(240_80%_2%/0.3)]"
-              draggable={false}
-              src="/character-idle.gif"
+            <SybilCharacter
+              className="absolute right-4 top-3 h-[calc(100%-1.5rem)]"
+              isBusy={isSending}
             />
           </div>
 
diff --git a/web/src/components/sybil-character.tsx b/web/src/components/sybil-character.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f5e4259
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/components/sybil-character.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import { useEffect } from "preact/hooks";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+const CHARACTER_IDLE_SRC = "/character-idle.gif";
+const CHARACTER_BUSY_SRC = "/character-busy.gif";
+
+type SybilCharacterProps = {
+  className?: string;
+  isBusy?: boolean;
+};
+
+export function SybilCharacter({ className, isBusy = false }: SybilCharacterProps) {
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const busyImage = new Image();
+    busyImage.src = CHARACTER_BUSY_SRC;
+  }, []);
+
+  return (
+    <img
+      aria-hidden="true"
+      alt=""
+      className={cn(
+        "aspect-square rounded-xl border border-violet-200/24 bg-white/6 object-cover p-1 shadow-[inset_0_1px_0_hsl(252_90%_86%/0.12),0_10px_24px_hsl(240_80%_2%/0.3)]",
+        className
+      )}
+      data-state={isBusy ? "busy" : "idle"}
+      draggable={false}
+      src={isBusy ? CHARACTER_BUSY_SRC : CHARACTER_IDLE_SRC}
+    />
+  );
+}
diff --git a/web/tsconfig.tsbuildinfo b/web/tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
index 88d2ce5..409faae 100644
--- a/web/tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
+++ b/web/tsconfig.tsbuildinfo
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"root":["./src/app.tsx","./src/main.tsx","./src/root-router.tsx","./src/vite-env.d.ts","./src/components/auth/auth-screen.tsx","./src/components/chat/chat-attachment-list.tsx","./src/components/chat/chat-messages-panel.tsx","./src/components/markdown/markdown-content.tsx","./src/components/search/search-results-panel.tsx","./src/components/ui/button.tsx","./src/components/ui/input.tsx","./src/components/ui/scroll-area.tsx","./src/components/ui/separator.tsx","./src/components/ui/textarea.tsx","./src/hooks/use-session-auth.ts","./src/lib/api.ts","./src/lib/utils.ts","./src/pages/search-route-page.tsx"],"version":"5.9.3"}
\ No newline at end of file
+{"root":["./src/app.tsx","./src/main.tsx","./src/root-router.tsx","./src/vite-env.d.ts","./src/components/sybil-character.tsx","./src/components/auth/auth-screen.tsx","./src/components/chat/chat-attachment-list.tsx","./src/components/chat/chat-messages-panel.tsx","./src/components/markdown/markdown-content.tsx","./src/components/search/search-results-panel.tsx","./src/components/ui/button.tsx","./src/components/ui/input.tsx","./src/components/ui/scroll-area.tsx","./src/components/ui/separator.tsx","./src/components/ui/textarea.tsx","./src/hooks/use-session-auth.ts","./src/lib/api.ts","./src/lib/utils.ts","./src/pages/search-route-page.tsx"],"version":"5.9.3"}
\ No newline at end of file