diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
index cab0169c..2c01da21 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/branches/BranchCard.svelte
@@ -862,6 +862,11 @@
           onDeleteReview={handleDeleteReview}
           onImageClick={handleImageClick}
           onDeleteImage={handleDeleteImage}
+          onStartQueued={() => {
+            commands
+              .drainQueuedSessions(branch.id)
+              .catch((e) => console.error('Failed to drain queued sessions:', e));
+          }}
           onNewNote={() => sessionMgr.openNewSession('note')}
           onNewCommit={() => sessionMgr.openNewSession('commit')}
           onNewReview={hasCodeChanges ? (e) => sessionMgr.openNewSession('review', e) : undefined}
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
index afd47677..cc290e4b 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/BranchTimeline.svelte
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
     onDeleteNote?: (noteId: string, sessionId?: string) => void;
     onDeleteReview?: (reviewId: string, sessionId?: string) => void;
     onDeleteImage?: (imageId: string) => void;
+    onStartQueued?: () => void;
     /** Optional per-review breakdown of visible comments vs hold-to-reveal annotations. */
     reviewCommentBreakdown?: Record<
       string,
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@
     onDeleteNote,
     onDeleteReview,
     onDeleteImage,
+    onStartQueued,
     reviewCommentBreakdown = {},
     onNewNote,
     onNewCommit,
@@ -170,6 +172,23 @@
 
   let runningSessionIds = $derived.by(() => collectRunningSessionIds(timeline, pendingItems));
 
+  /** True when there is at least one non-queued active session (running in timeline or pending-but-not-queued). */
+  let hasActiveSession = $derived.by(() => {
+    for (const commit of timeline.commits) {
+      if (commit.sessionStatus === 'running') return true;
+    }
+    for (const note of timeline.notes) {
+      if (note.sessionStatus === 'running') return true;
+    }
+    for (const review of timeline.reviews) {
+      if (review.sessionStatus === 'running') return true;
+    }
+    for (const item of pendingItems) {
+      if (item.sessionId && !item.type.startsWith('queued-')) return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+  });
+
   $effect(() => {
     liveSessionHintPoller.syncRunningSessionIds(runningSessionIds);
   });
@@ -501,6 +520,9 @@
           {onSessionClick}
           onItemClick={() => handleItemClick(item)}
           onDeleteClick={item.deleteDisabledReason ? undefined : () => handleDeleteClick(item)}
+          onStartClick={item.type.startsWith('queued-') && !hasActiveSession
+            ? onStartQueued
+            : undefined}
         />
       </div>
     {/each}
diff --git a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/TimelineRow.svelte b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/TimelineRow.svelte
index 310f8aff..cc199571 100644
--- a/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/TimelineRow.svelte
+++ b/apps/staged/src/lib/features/timeline/TimelineRow.svelte
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
     /** When set, the delete button is shown but disabled with this tooltip. */
     deleteDisabledReason?: string;
     onRetryClick?: () => void;
+    onStartClick?: () => void;
   }
 
   let {
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@
     onDeleteClick,
     deleteDisabledReason,
     onRetryClick,
+    onStartClick,
   }: Props = $props();
 
   let isNote = $derived(
@@ -130,6 +132,11 @@
     e.stopPropagation();
     onRetryClick?.();
   }
+
+  function handleStartClick(e: MouseEvent) {
+    e.stopPropagation();
+    onStartClick?.();
+  }
 </script>
 
 <!-- svelte-ignore a11y_click_events_have_key_events -->
@@ -201,13 +208,18 @@
         </div>
       {/if}
     </div>
-    <div class="timeline-actions" class:always-visible={!!onRetryClick}>
+    <div class="timeline-actions" class:always-visible={!!onRetryClick || !!onStartClick}>
+      {#if onStartClick}
+        <button class="action-btn start-btn" onclick={handleStartClick} title="Start">
+          Start
+        </button>
+      {/if}
       {#if onRetryClick}
         <button class="action-btn retry-btn" onclick={handleRetryClick} title="Retry">
           Retry
         </button>
       {/if}
-      {#if hasSession}
+      {#if hasSession && !onStartClick}
         <button class="action-btn session-btn" onclick={handleSessionClick} title="View session">
           <MessageSquare size={12} />
         </button>
@@ -472,14 +484,21 @@
     cursor: not-allowed;
   }
 
-  .retry-btn {
+  .retry-btn,
+  .start-btn {
     width: auto;
     padding: 0 8px;
     font-size: var(--size-xs);
     color: var(--text-muted);
   }
 
-  .retry-btn:hover {
+  .start-btn {
+    border: 1px solid var(--border-muted);
+    border-radius: 4px;
+  }
+
+  .retry-btn:hover,
+  .start-btn:hover {
     color: var(--text-primary);
     background: var(--bg-hover);
   }