diff --git a/src/renderer/components/communication/ChannelSidebar.tsx b/src/renderer/components/communication/ChannelSidebar.tsx
index 14033e18..99161043 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/communication/ChannelSidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/communication/ChannelSidebar.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import { EnvelopeSimple, Hash, Buildings, Megaphone, Fire, MagnifyingGlass, Funn
 import type { AgentRecord, MessageChannel } from "@shared/types"
 import { AgentAvatar } from "./MessageItem"
 import type { ChannelDescriptor, TaskDiscussionDescriptor } from "./ChannelHeader"
+import type { MessageFilters } from "./message-filters"
+import { DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS, hasActiveMessageFilters } from "./message-filters"
 import { useT } from "../../i18n"
 import { Eyebrow, Select } from "../ui"
 
@@ -169,12 +171,7 @@ export function ChannelSidebar({
   )
 }
 
-export interface FilterState {
-  search: string
-  channelType: MessageChannel | "all"
-  priority: string
-  unreadOnly: boolean
-}
+export type FilterState = MessageFilters
 
 export function FilterBar({
   filters,
@@ -209,7 +206,7 @@ export function FilterBar({
           type="button"
           onClick={() => setExpanded(!expanded)}
           className={`flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-lg border px-2.5 py-1.5 text-[11px] font-medium transition ${
-            expanded || filters.channelType !== "all" || filters.priority !== "all" || filters.unreadOnly
+            expanded || hasActiveMessageFilters(filters)
               ? "border-transparent bg-primary text-primary-foreground"
               : "border-border text-muted-foreground hover:border-border"
           }`}
@@ -227,19 +224,6 @@ export function FilterBar({
             exit={{ opacity: 0, height: 0 }}
             className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 overflow-hidden"
           >
-            <Select
-              compact
-              value={filters.channelType}
-              onChange={(v) => onChangeFilters({ ...filters, channelType: v as MessageChannel | "all" })}
-              options={[
-                { value: "all", label: t("comm.allChannels") },
-                { value: "direct", label: t("comm.direct") },
-                { value: "department", label: t("comm.department") },
-                { value: "company", label: t("comm.company") },
-                { value: "project", label: t("nav.projects") },
-                { value: "incident", label: t("comm.incident") },
-              ]}
-            />
             <Select
               compact
               value={filters.priority}
@@ -251,19 +235,10 @@ export function FilterBar({
                 { value: "low", label: t("comm.low") },
               ]}
             />
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              onClick={() => onChangeFilters({ ...filters, unreadOnly: !filters.unreadOnly })}
-              className={`rounded-full px-2.5 py-1.5 text-[11px] font-semibold transition ${
-                filters.unreadOnly ? "bg-primary text-primary-foreground" : "bg-muted text-muted-foreground"
-              }`}
-            >
-              {t("comm.unreadOnly")}
-            </button>
-            {(filters.channelType !== "all" || filters.priority !== "all" || filters.unreadOnly) ? (
+            {filters.priority !== "all" ? (
               <button
                 type="button"
-                onClick={() => onChangeFilters({ search: filters.search, channelType: "all", priority: "all", unreadOnly: false })}
+                onClick={() => onChangeFilters({ ...DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS, search: filters.search })}
                 className="text-[11px] font-medium text-muted-foreground underline transition hover:text-foreground"
               >
                 {t("comm.clearFilters")}
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/communication/CommunicationHub.tsx b/src/renderer/components/communication/CommunicationHub.tsx
index e733d831..d884f429 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/communication/CommunicationHub.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/communication/CommunicationHub.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { MessageComposer, TaskDiscussionComposer, NoChannelComposer } from "./Me
 import { SearchResults } from "./SearchResults"
 import ThreadPanel from "./ThreadPanel"
 import { deriveChannels, deriveTaskDiscussionChannels, getChannelMessages } from "./channel-utils"
+import { DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS, filterChannelMessages } from "./message-filters"
 import { useT, type TranslationFn } from "../../i18n"
 
 
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ export function CommunicationHub({ messages, comments, tasks, agents, projects,
   const [replyTo, setReplyTo] = useState<AgentMessageRecord | null>(null)
   const [optimisticReadIds, setOptimisticReadIds] = useState<Set<string>>(new Set())
   const pendingReadIdsRef = useRef<Set<string>>(new Set())
-  const [filters, setFilters] = useState<FilterState>({ search: "", channelType: "all", priority: "all", unreadOnly: false })
+  const [filters, setFilters] = useState<FilterState>(DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS)
 
   // Thread panel state from Zustand store
   const activeThreadId = useAppStore((s) => s.activeThreadId)
@@ -96,26 +97,33 @@ export function CommunicationHub({ messages, comments, tasks, agents, projects,
   const taskDiscussionChannels = useMemo(() => deriveTaskDiscussionChannels(comments, tasks, forcedTaskId), [comments, forcedTaskId, tasks])
   const channels: AnyChannel[] = useMemo(() => [...messageChannels, ...taskDiscussionChannels], [messageChannels, taskDiscussionChannels])
 
-  useEffect(() => { if (channels.length === 0) { if (selectedChannelKey) setSelectedChannelKey(null); return }; if (!selectedChannelKey || !channels.some((c) => c.key === selectedChannelKey)) setSelectedChannelKey(channels[0].key) }, [channels, selectedChannelKey])
+  const handleSelectChannel = useCallback((key: string) => {
+    setSelectedChannelKey(key)
+    setReplyTo(null)
+    setFilters(DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS)
+    clearSearch()
+  }, [clearSearch])
+
+  useEffect(() => { if (channels.length === 0) { if (selectedChannelKey) setSelectedChannelKey(null); return }; if (!selectedChannelKey || !channels.some((c) => c.key === selectedChannelKey)) handleSelectChannel(channels[0].key) }, [channels, selectedChannelKey, handleSelectChannel])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!selectedEntityId) return
     const matchMsg = effectiveMessages.find((m) => m.id === selectedEntityId)
     if (matchMsg) {
       const ch = messageChannels.find((ch) => getChannelMessages(effectiveMessages, ch).some((m) => m.id === selectedEntityId))
-      if (ch) setSelectedChannelKey(ch.key)
+      if (ch) handleSelectChannel(ch.key)
       onEntityConsumed?.()
       return
     }
     const matchCom = comments.find((c) => c.id === selectedEntityId)
     if (matchCom) {
-      setSelectedChannelKey(`task-${matchCom.taskId}`)
+      handleSelectChannel(`task-${matchCom.taskId}`)
       onEntityConsumed?.()
       return
     }
     const matchTask = taskDiscussionChannels.find((d) => d.taskId === selectedEntityId)
     if (matchTask) {
-      setSelectedChannelKey(matchTask.key)
+      handleSelectChannel(matchTask.key)
       onEntityConsumed?.()
       return
     }
@@ -125,21 +133,14 @@ export function CommunicationHub({ messages, comments, tasks, agents, projects,
     // the effect refire on every snapshot and block the user from
     // navigating manually inside the communication hub.
     onEntityConsumed?.()
-  }, [selectedEntityId, effectiveMessages, comments, messageChannels, onEntityConsumed, taskDiscussionChannels])
+  }, [selectedEntityId, effectiveMessages, comments, messageChannels, onEntityConsumed, taskDiscussionChannels, handleSelectChannel])
 
   const activeChannel = useMemo(() => channels.find((c) => c.key === selectedChannelKey) ?? null, [channels, selectedChannelKey])
   const channelMessages = useMemo(() => { if (!activeChannel || activeChannel.kind !== "message") return []; return getChannelMessages(effectiveMessages, activeChannel).sort((a, b) => new Date(a.createdAt).getTime() - new Date(b.createdAt).getTime()) }, [effectiveMessages, activeChannel])
   const taskComments = useMemo(() => { if (!activeChannel || activeChannel.kind !== "task") return []; return comments.filter((c) => c.taskId === activeChannel.taskId).sort((a, b) => new Date(a.createdAt).getTime() - new Date(b.createdAt).getTime()) }, [comments, activeChannel])
   const activeTask = useMemo(() => { if (!activeChannel || activeChannel.kind !== "task") return null; return tasks.find((t) => t.id === activeChannel.taskId) ?? null }, [tasks, activeChannel])
 
-  const filteredMessages = useMemo(() => {
-    let r = channelMessages
-    if (filters.channelType !== "all") r = r.filter((m) => m.channel === filters.channelType)
-    if (filters.search && !searchQuery) { const q = filters.search.toLowerCase(); r = r.filter((m) => m.subject.toLowerCase().includes(q) || m.body.toLowerCase().includes(q) || (agentMap.get(m.fromAgentId)?.name ?? "").toLowerCase().includes(q)) }
-    if (filters.priority !== "all") r = r.filter((m) => m.priority === filters.priority)
-    if (filters.unreadOnly) r = r.filter((m) => !m.readAt)
-    return r
-  }, [channelMessages, filters, agentMap, searchQuery])
+  const filteredMessages = useMemo(() => filterChannelMessages(channelMessages, filters, agentMap, searchQuery), [channelMessages, filters, agentMap, searchQuery])
 
   // Debounced search via IPC
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -200,13 +201,13 @@ export function CommunicationHub({ messages, comments, tasks, agents, projects,
     })
 
     if (matchingChannel) {
-      setSelectedChannelKey(matchingChannel.key)
+      handleSelectChannel(matchingChannel.key)
     }
 
     // Clear search to return to normal view
     setFilters((prev) => ({ ...prev, search: "" }))
     clearSearch()
-  }, [messageChannels, effectiveMessages, clearSearch])
+  }, [messageChannels, effectiveMessages, handleSelectChannel, clearSearch])
 
   const handleSearchKeyDown = useCallback((e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     if (e.key === "Escape") {
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ export function CommunicationHub({ messages, comments, tasks, agents, projects,
   return (
     <div className="flex h-full min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
       <AnimatePresence initial={false}>
-        {showSidebar ? <ChannelSidebar channelGroups={channelGroups} taskDiscussionChannels={taskDiscussionChannels} selectedChannelKey={selectedChannelKey} onSelectChannel={setSelectedChannelKey} unreadByChannel={unreadByChannel} agents={agents} totalChannels={channels.length} onHideSidebar={() => setShowSidebar(false)} /> : null}
+        {showSidebar ? <ChannelSidebar channelGroups={channelGroups} taskDiscussionChannels={taskDiscussionChannels} selectedChannelKey={selectedChannelKey} onSelectChannel={handleSelectChannel} unreadByChannel={unreadByChannel} agents={agents} totalChannels={channels.length} onHideSidebar={() => setShowSidebar(false)} /> : null}
       </AnimatePresence>
       <div className="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col">
         <ChannelHeader activeChannel={activeChannel} showSidebar={showSidebar} onShowSidebar={() => setShowSidebar(true)} channelMessages={channelMessages} taskDiscussionComments={taskComments} activeTask={activeTask} unreadByChannel={unreadByChannel} onNavigateToTask={onNavigateToTask} filterBar={<FilterBar filters={filters} onChangeFilters={setFilters} scopeToggle={scopeToggleElement} onSearchKeyDown={handleSearchKeyDown} />} />
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/communication/MessageList.tsx b/src/renderer/components/communication/MessageList.tsx
index c16d8c72..ddfeb923 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/communication/MessageList.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/communication/MessageList.tsx
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@ import { useRovingTabIndex } from "../../lib/keyboard"
 
 interface FilterState {
   search: string
-  channelType: string
   priority: string
-  unreadOnly: boolean
 }
 
 interface MessageListProps {
@@ -128,11 +126,11 @@ export function MessageList({
       <div className="flex h-full flex-col items-center justify-center text-center">
         <Tray size={36} className="mb-3 text-muted-foreground" />
         <div className="text-[14px] font-medium text-muted-foreground">
-          {filters.search || filters.unreadOnly || filters.priority !== "all"
+          {filters.search || filters.priority !== "all"
             ? t("comm.noMatchFilters")
             : t("comm.noMessagesChannel")}
         </div>
-        {(filters.search || filters.unreadOnly || filters.priority !== "all") ? (
+        {(filters.search || filters.priority !== "all") ? (
           <div className="mt-1 text-[13px] text-muted-foreground">{t("comm.adjustFilters")}</div>
         ) : null}
       </div>
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/communication/message-filters.ts b/src/renderer/components/communication/message-filters.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ec7ab67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/components/communication/message-filters.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import type { AgentMessageRecord, AgentRecord } from "@shared/types"
+
+export interface MessageFilters {
+  search: string
+  priority: string
+}
+
+export const DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS: MessageFilters = {
+  search: "",
+  priority: "all",
+}
+
+export function hasActiveMessageFilters(filters: MessageFilters): boolean {
+  return filters.search.length > 0 || filters.priority !== "all"
+}
+
+export function filterChannelMessages(
+  messages: AgentMessageRecord[],
+  filters: MessageFilters,
+  agentMap: Map<string, AgentRecord>,
+  searchQuery: string,
+): AgentMessageRecord[] {
+  let result = messages
+  if (filters.search && !searchQuery) {
+    const query = filters.search.toLowerCase()
+    result = result.filter((message) =>
+      message.subject.toLowerCase().includes(query)
+      || message.body.toLowerCase().includes(query)
+      || (agentMap.get(message.fromAgentId)?.name ?? "").toLowerCase().includes(query)
+    )
+  }
+  if (filters.priority !== "all") {
+    result = result.filter((message) => message.priority === filters.priority)
+  }
+  return result
+}
diff --git a/tests/unit/message-filters.test.ts b/tests/unit/message-filters.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..39b01cbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/message-filters.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import type { AgentMessageRecord, AgentRecord } from "../../src/shared/types";
+import {
+  DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS,
+  filterChannelMessages,
+  hasActiveMessageFilters,
+} from "../../src/renderer/components/communication/message-filters";
+
+function agent(id: string, name: string): AgentRecord {
+  return {
+    id,
+    companyId: "company-1",
+    name,
+    role: name,
+    title: name,
+    department: null,
+    status: "active",
+    reportsTo: null,
+    connectorId: "openai-codex",
+    workspaceId: null,
+    model: null,
+    capabilities: "",
+    budgetMonthlyUsd: 0,
+    spentMonthlyUsd: 0,
+    metadataJson: "{}",
+    heartbeatEnabled: false,
+    heartbeatIntervalSec: 300,
+    lastHeartbeatAt: null,
+    createdAt: "2026-04-22T00:00:00.000Z",
+    updatedAt: "2026-04-22T00:00:00.000Z",
+  };
+}
+
+function message(input: Partial<AgentMessageRecord>): AgentMessageRecord {
+  return {
+    id: input.id ?? "msg-1",
+    companyId: "company-1",
+    fromAgentId: input.fromAgentId ?? "agent-ceo",
+    toAgentId: input.toAgentId ?? null,
+    senderKind: input.senderKind ?? "agent",
+    channel: input.channel ?? "company",
+    channelTargetId: input.channelTargetId ?? null,
+    subject: input.subject ?? "Subject",
+    body: input.body ?? "Body",
+    priority: input.priority ?? "normal",
+    parentMessageId: input.parentMessageId ?? null,
+    attachmentsJson: input.attachmentsJson ?? "[]",
+    createdAt: input.createdAt ?? "2026-04-22T00:00:00.000Z",
+    readAt: input.readAt ?? null,
+  };
+}
+
+describe("message filters", () => {
+  it("keeps read and unread channel messages in the default channel view", () => {
+    const read = message({ id: "read", readAt: "2026-04-22T00:00:01.000Z" });
+    const unread = message({ id: "unread", readAt: null });
+
+    const result = filterChannelMessages(
+      [read, unread],
+      DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS,
+      new Map(),
+      "",
+    );
+
+    expect(result.map((entry) => entry.id)).toEqual(["read", "unread"]);
+  });
+
+  it("filters by text and sender inside the selected channel", () => {
+    const ceo = agent("agent-ceo", "Ada CEO");
+    const cto = agent("agent-cto", "Grace CTO");
+    const messages = [
+      message({ id: "ceo", fromAgentId: ceo.id, subject: "Launch", body: "Board update" }),
+      message({ id: "cto", fromAgentId: cto.id, subject: "Infra", body: "Runtime ready" }),
+    ];
+
+    const result = filterChannelMessages(
+      messages,
+      { ...DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS, search: "grace" },
+      new Map([
+        [ceo.id, ceo],
+        [cto.id, cto],
+      ]),
+      "",
+    );
+
+    expect(result.map((entry) => entry.id)).toEqual(["cto"]);
+  });
+
+  it("detects active message filters", () => {
+    expect(hasActiveMessageFilters(DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS)).toBe(false);
+    expect(hasActiveMessageFilters({ ...DEFAULT_MESSAGE_FILTERS, priority: "urgent" })).toBe(true);
+  });
+});