diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/hooks/use-local-chat.ts b/apps/desktop/src/hooks/use-local-chat.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..caacf681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/hooks/use-local-chat.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+/**
+ * Hook for local direct chat with agent via IPC (no Gateway required).
+ *
+ * This hook bridges IPC events to useMessagesStore, allowing the Chat component
+ * to work identically in both local IPC and remote Gateway modes.
+ */
+import { useState, useEffect, useCallback, useRef } from 'react'
+import { useMessagesStore } from '@multica/store'
+
+interface UseLocalChatOptions {
+  agentId: string
+}
+
+interface UseLocalChatReturn {
+  isConnected: boolean
+  isLoading: boolean
+  sendMessage: (content: string) => void
+  disconnect: () => void
+}
+
+/**
+ * Provides local IPC chat that uses the same useMessagesStore as Gateway mode.
+ * This enables full Chat component reuse.
+ */
+export function useLocalChat({ agentId }: UseLocalChatOptions): UseLocalChatReturn {
+  const [isConnected, setIsConnected] = useState(false)
+  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false)
+  const currentStreamRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
+
+  // Subscribe to agent events on mount
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!agentId) return
+
+    const subscribe = async () => {
+      const result = await window.electronAPI.localChat.subscribe(agentId)
+      if (result.ok) {
+        setIsConnected(true)
+      }
+    }
+
+    subscribe()
+
+    // Load message history from agent session
+    const loadHistory = async () => {
+      try {
+        const result = await window.electronAPI.localChat.getHistory(agentId)
+        if (result.messages && result.messages.length > 0) {
+          useMessagesStore.getState().loadMessages(result.messages)
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // History load is best-effort
+      }
+    }
+    loadHistory()
+
+    // Listen for events and route to useMessagesStore
+    window.electronAPI.localChat.onEvent((event) => {
+      if (event.agentId !== agentId) return
+
+      const store = useMessagesStore.getState()
+
+      // Handle error
+      if (event.type === 'error') {
+        store.addAssistantMessage(event.content ?? 'Unknown error', agentId)
+        setIsLoading(false)
+        return
+      }
+
+      // Handle agent events - same logic as connection-store.ts
+      const agentEvent = event.event
+      const streamId = event.streamId
+      if (!agentEvent || !streamId) return
+
+      if (agentEvent.type === 'message_start') {
+        currentStreamRef.current = streamId
+        store.startStream(streamId, agentId)
+        // Extract initial text if any
+        const text = extractTextFromAgentEvent(agentEvent)
+        if (text) store.appendStream(streamId, text)
+      } else if (agentEvent.type === 'message_update') {
+        const text = extractTextFromAgentEvent(agentEvent)
+        if (text && currentStreamRef.current) {
+          store.appendStream(currentStreamRef.current, text)
+        }
+      } else if (agentEvent.type === 'message_end') {
+        const text = extractTextFromAgentEvent(agentEvent)
+        if (currentStreamRef.current) {
+          store.endStream(currentStreamRef.current, text)
+          currentStreamRef.current = null
+        }
+        setIsLoading(false)
+      }
+    })
+
+    return () => {
+      window.electronAPI.localChat.offEvent()
+      window.electronAPI.localChat.unsubscribe(agentId)
+      setIsConnected(false)
+    }
+  }, [agentId])
+
+  const sendMessage = useCallback(
+    async (content: string) => {
+      if (!content.trim() || !agentId || isLoading) return
+
+      // Add user message to store (same as Gateway mode)
+      useMessagesStore.getState().addUserMessage(content.trim(), agentId)
+      setIsLoading(true)
+
+      // Send via IPC
+      const result = await window.electronAPI.localChat.send(agentId, content.trim())
+      if (result.error) {
+        useMessagesStore.getState().addAssistantMessage(`Error: ${result.error}`, agentId)
+        setIsLoading(false)
+      }
+    },
+    [agentId, isLoading]
+  )
+
+  const disconnect = useCallback(() => {
+    useMessagesStore.getState().clearMessages()
+    setIsConnected(false)
+    setIsLoading(false)
+  }, [])
+
+  return {
+    isConnected,
+    isLoading,
+    sendMessage,
+    disconnect,
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Extract text content from AgentEvent message.
+ * Same logic as @multica/sdk extractTextFromEvent.
+ */
+function extractTextFromAgentEvent(event: { message?: { content?: Array<{ type: string; text?: string }> } }): string {
+  if (!event.message?.content) return ''
+  return event.message.content
+    .filter((c): c is { type: 'text'; text: string } => c.type === 'text' && !!c.text)
+    .map((c) => c.text)
+    .join('')
+}
diff --git a/src/agent/async-agent.ts b/src/agent/async-agent.ts
index 9c928232..957509e2 100644
--- a/src/agent/async-agent.ts
+++ b/src/agent/async-agent.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,22 @@ export class AsyncAgent {
     return this.channel;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Subscribe to agent events directly (supports multiple subscribers).
+   * Unlike read(), this allows multiple consumers to receive the same events.
+   */
+  subscribe(callback: (event: AgentEvent) => void): () => void {
+    console.log(`[AsyncAgent] Adding subscriber for agent: ${this.sessionId}`);
+    const unsubscribe = this.agent.subscribe((event) => {
+      console.log(`[AsyncAgent] Event received: ${event.type}`);
+      callback(event);
+    });
+    return () => {
+      console.log(`[AsyncAgent] Removing subscriber for agent: ${this.sessionId}`);
+      unsubscribe();
+    };
+  }
+
   /** Returns a promise that resolves when the current message queue is drained */
   waitForIdle(): Promise<void> {
     return this.queue;