diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/GenerationPreviewStage.module.css b/apps/web/src/components/GenerationPreviewStage.module.css
index a0d55c212..8e650f338 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/GenerationPreviewStage.module.css
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/GenerationPreviewStage.module.css
@@ -257,20 +257,6 @@
   }
 }
 
-.meta {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-wrap: wrap;
-  align-items: center;
-  justify-content: center;
-  gap: 8px;
-  font-size: 12px;
-  color: var(--text-faint);
-}
-
-.metaDivider {
-  opacity: 0.6;
-}
-
 .retry {
   margin-top: 4px;
   min-height: 34px;
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/GenerationPreviewStage.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/GenerationPreviewStage.tsx
index 4a67d8125..733ef5a79 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/GenerationPreviewStage.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/GenerationPreviewStage.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
 import { useT } from '../i18n';
 import type { GenerationPreviewModel } from '../runtime/generation-preview';
-import { formatGenerationElapsed } from '../runtime/generation-preview';
 import { Icon } from './Icon';
 import styles from './GenerationPreviewStage.module.css';
 
@@ -12,19 +10,9 @@ type Props = {
 
 export function GenerationPreviewStage({ model, onRetry }: Props) {
   const t = useT();
-  const [now, setNow] = useState(() => Date.now());
 
   const generating = model.phase === 'generating';
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!generating) return undefined;
-    const id = window.setInterval(() => setNow(Date.now()), 1000);
-    return () => window.clearInterval(id);
-  }, [generating, model.startedAt]);
-
-  const elapsedSec = Math.max(0, Math.round((now - model.startedAt) / 1000));
-  const elapsedLabel = formatGenerationElapsed(elapsedSec);
-
   const stepLabels: Record<GenerationPreviewModel['steps'][number]['id'], string> = {
     understand: t('generationPreview.stepUnderstand'),
     generate: t('generationPreview.stepGenerate'),
@@ -47,7 +35,7 @@ export function GenerationPreviewStage({ model, onRetry }: Props) {
         ? t('generationPreview.stoppedLead')
         : model.phase === 'awaiting-input'
           ? t('generationPreview.awaitingLead')
-          : model.activityLabel || t('generationPreview.footnote');
+          : model.activityLabel;
 
   const markIcon =
     model.phase === 'failed' ? 'close' : model.phase === 'stopped' ? 'stop' : 'sparkles';
@@ -69,11 +57,11 @@ export function GenerationPreviewStage({ model, onRetry }: Props) {
         <Icon name={markIcon} size={24} />
       </div>
       <h1 className={styles.title}>{title}</h1>
-      {showSubstatus ? null : (
+      {!showSubstatus && lead ? (
         <p className={styles.lead} data-live={generating && Boolean(model.activityLabel)}>
           {lead}
         </p>
-      )}
+      ) : null}
       <div
         className={styles.progress}
         data-active={generating}
@@ -118,17 +106,6 @@ export function GenerationPreviewStage({ model, onRetry }: Props) {
           ) : null}
         </div>
       ) : null}
-      {generating ? (
-        <div className={styles.meta}>
-          <span data-testid="generation-preview-elapsed">
-            {t('generationPreview.elapsed', { elapsed: elapsedLabel })}
-          </span>
-          <span className={styles.metaDivider} aria-hidden>
-            ·
-          </span>
-          <span>{t('generationPreview.estimate')}</span>
-        </div>
-      ) : null}
       {model.phase === 'failed' && onRetry ? (
         <button
           type="button"
diff --git a/apps/web/src/runtime/generation-preview.ts b/apps/web/src/runtime/generation-preview.ts
index 9f6db8253..038bdc6a7 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/runtime/generation-preview.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/runtime/generation-preview.ts
@@ -249,14 +249,6 @@ export function generationPreviewProgress(steps: GenerationPreviewStep[]): numbe
   return Math.max(8, Math.min(steps.some((step) => step.status === 'failed') ? 72 : 92, Math.round(score * 100)));
 }
 
-export function formatGenerationElapsed(seconds: number): string {
-  const safe = Math.max(0, Math.floor(seconds));
-  if (safe < 60) return `${safe}s`;
-  const minutes = Math.floor(safe / 60);
-  const remainder = safe % 60;
-  return remainder > 0 ? `${minutes}m ${remainder}s` : `${minutes}m`;
-}
-
 function isActiveRunStatus(status: ChatMessage['runStatus']): boolean {
   return status === 'queued' || status === 'running';
 }
diff --git a/apps/web/tests/runtime/generation-preview.test.ts b/apps/web/tests/runtime/generation-preview.test.ts
index 277a2366c..a9b85e2f3 100644
--- a/apps/web/tests/runtime/generation-preview.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/tests/runtime/generation-preview.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import {
   buildGenerationPreviewState,
   derivePrototypeGenerationSteps,
-  formatGenerationElapsed,
   workspaceHasPreviewSurface,
 } from '../../src/runtime/generation-preview';
 import type { AgentEvent, ChatMessage } from '../../src/types';
@@ -309,8 +308,4 @@ describe('generation preview helpers', () => {
     ).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it('formats elapsed durations for the meta row', () => {
-    expect(formatGenerationElapsed(42)).toBe('42s');
-    expect(formatGenerationElapsed(125)).toBe('2m 5s');
-  });
 });