diff --git a/persistent-memory.md b/persistent-memory.md
index b52df56..2db1016 100644
--- a/persistent-memory.md
+++ b/persistent-memory.md
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ separate dev team rather than an in-tree Worldtree tool.
 
 ## Current state / in-flight
 
-_As of 2026-05-24 (post-v0.6.3 Australis restored, $background → black):_
+_As of 2026-05-24 (post-v0.6.4 picker Aurora-blue highlight):_
 
-**Status: v0.6.3 shipped.** Nine core issues complete (`sse_client`
+**Status: v0.6.4 shipped.** Nine core issues complete (`sse_client`
 #1, `sessions` #2, `cli` #3, `tui` #4, `--end-user-id` #5, TUI
 startup error visibility #6, presenter contract semantics amendment
 #12, startup agent picker #8, §5 layout reshape + Tools pane #13)
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ Static in the footer (static "Tools" v1; dynamic when more tabs
 land). CLI mode (--send) unaffected by design — INV-018.
 
 Last commits on `main`:
-- v0.6.3 style(tui): restore Australis palette, only $background → pure black
-- `d845b20` style(tui): neutralize Australis dark palette — bg no longer blue-tinted (v0.6.2, reverted)
+- v0.6.4 style(tui): picker highlighted item → Aurora blue (brand selection treatment)
+- `ac690c1` style(tui): restore Australis palette, only $background → pure black (v0.6.3)
+- `d845b20` style(tui): neutralize Australis dark palette (v0.6.2, reverted)
 - `8463eb2` style(tui): kill remaining blue + thinking-current into pane (v0.6.1)
 - `cfee89a` refactor(tui): streaming + turn headers + Thinking pane (v0.6.0)
 - `7106af5` style(tui): UI polish pass — terminal label colors, placeholders (v0.5.1)
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index eb97527..8de5235 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "ratatoskr"
-version = "0.6.3"
+version = "0.6.4"
 description = "Worldtree Conversation API debug TUI — multi-pane observability dashboard"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
diff --git a/src/ratatoskr/tui.py b/src/ratatoskr/tui.py
index 8b99c62..7e80837 100644
--- a/src/ratatoskr/tui.py
+++ b/src/ratatoskr/tui.py
@@ -425,22 +425,34 @@ class AgentPickerApp(App[str | None]):
         background: $background;
     }
     /* Multi-line agent items. Each ListItem is auto-height so the full
-       description wraps below the agent_id/name line — no truncation. */
+       description wraps below the agent_id/name line — no truncation.
+       v0.6.4: lock bg to $background so Textual's auto background-tint on
+       focus doesn't bleed through unwanted color into the non-highlighted
+       items. */
     #agent-list > ListItem {
         height: auto;
         padding: 1 1;
         background: $background;
     }
-    /* v0.6.1: override Textual's default ListView:focus highlight, which
-       defaults to $primary (Aurora blue) and made the picker unreadable.
-       Both selectors needed — focused state has higher specificity in
-       Textual's defaults. */
-    ListView > ListItem.--highlight,
-    ListView:focus > ListItem.--highlight {
-        background: $au-dark-30;
+    /* v0.6.4: highlighted item gets Aurora blue background (Textual's
+       default $block-cursor-background = $primary). Override only the
+       text-color descendants so id-line/desc stay readable on blue. The
+       background itself comes from Textual's default ListItem.-highlight
+       rule — we removed our previous overriding selectors.
+
+       Textual's class is `-highlight` (single dash). Use plain descendant
+       combinator to bypass internal DOM wrappers. */
+    #agent-list:focus ListItem.-highlight {
+        background: $primary;
     }
-    /* Children of highlighted items keep their colors — the dark-30 bg
-       provides enough contrast for bright-blue id + dark-60 desc text. */
+    #agent-list:focus ListItem.-highlight .agent-id-line {
+        color: $au-bright-white;
+        text-style: bold;
+    }
+    #agent-list:focus ListItem.-highlight .agent-desc {
+        color: $au-bright-80;
+    }
+    /* Default (unhighlighted) item text styling. */
     .agent-id-line {
         color: $au-bright-blue;
         text-style: bold;
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 85a4816..a6e9a45 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ratatoskr"
-version = "0.6.3"
+version = "0.6.4"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "httpx" },