diff --git a/server/src/matrix/commands/status.rs b/server/src/matrix/commands/status.rs
index 89f535a..e9617ce 100644
--- a/server/src/matrix/commands/status.rs
+++ b/server/src/matrix/commands/status.rs
@@ -16,23 +16,36 @@ pub(super) fn handle_status(ctx: &CommandContext) -> Option<String> {
 
 /// Format a short display label for a work item.
 ///
-/// Extracts the leading numeric ID from the file stem (e.g. `"293"` from
-/// `"293_story_register_all_bot_commands"`) and combines it with the human-
-/// readable name from the front matter when available.
+/// Extracts the leading numeric ID and optional type tag from the file stem
+/// (e.g. `"293"` and `"story"` from `"293_story_register_all_bot_commands"`)
+/// and combines them with the human-readable name from the front matter when
+/// available. Known types (`story`, `bug`, `spike`, `refactor`) are shown as
+/// bracketed labels; unknown or missing types are omitted silently.
 ///
 /// Examples:
-/// - `("293_story_foo", Some("Register all bot commands"))` → `"293 — Register all bot commands"`
-/// - `("293_story_foo", None)` → `"293"`
+/// - `("293_story_foo", Some("Register all bot commands"))` → `"293 [story] — Register all bot commands"`
+/// - `("375_bug_foo", None)` → `"375 [bug]"`
+/// - `("293_story_foo", None)` → `"293 [story]"`
 /// - `("no_number_here", None)` → `"no_number_here"`
 pub(super) fn story_short_label(stem: &str, name: Option<&str>) -> String {
-    let number = stem
-        .split('_')
-        .next()
-        .filter(|s| !s.is_empty() && s.chars().all(|c| c.is_ascii_digit()))
-        .unwrap_or(stem);
-    match name {
-        Some(n) => format!("{number} — {n}"),
+    let mut parts = stem.splitn(3, '_');
+    let first = parts.next().unwrap_or(stem);
+    let (number, type_label) = if !first.is_empty() && first.chars().all(|c| c.is_ascii_digit()) {
+        let t = parts.next().and_then(|t| match t {
+            "story" | "bug" | "spike" | "refactor" => Some(t),
+            _ => None,
+        });
+        (first, t)
+    } else {
+        (stem, None)
+    };
+    let prefix = match type_label {
+        Some(t) => format!("{number} [{t}]"),
         None => number.to_string(),
+    };
+    match name {
+        Some(n) => format!("{prefix} — {n}"),
+        None => prefix,
     }
 }
 
@@ -200,13 +213,13 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn short_label_extracts_number_and_name() {
         let label = story_short_label("293_story_register_all_bot_commands", Some("Register all bot commands"));
-        assert_eq!(label, "293 — Register all bot commands");
+        assert_eq!(label, "293 [story] — Register all bot commands");
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn short_label_number_only_when_no_name() {
         let label = story_short_label("297_story_improve_bot_status_command_formatting", None);
-        assert_eq!(label, "297");
+        assert_eq!(label, "297 [story]");
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -224,6 +237,37 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn short_label_shows_bug_type() {
+        let label = story_short_label("375_bug_default_project_toml", Some("Default project.toml issue"));
+        assert_eq!(label, "375 [bug] — Default project.toml issue");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn short_label_shows_spike_type() {
+        let label = story_short_label("61_spike_filesystem_watcher_architecture", Some("Filesystem watcher architecture"));
+        assert_eq!(label, "61 [spike] — Filesystem watcher architecture");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn short_label_shows_refactor_type() {
+        let label = story_short_label("260_refactor_upgrade_libsqlite3_sys", Some("Upgrade libsqlite3-sys"));
+        assert_eq!(label, "260 [refactor] — Upgrade libsqlite3-sys");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn short_label_omits_unknown_type() {
+        let label = story_short_label("42_task_do_something", Some("Do something"));
+        assert_eq!(label, "42 — Do something");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn short_label_no_type_when_only_id() {
+        // Stem with only a numeric ID and no type segment
+        let label = story_short_label("42", Some("Some item"));
+        assert_eq!(label, "42 — Some item");
+    }
+
     // -- build_pipeline_status formatting -----------------------------------
 
     #[test]
@@ -248,8 +292,8 @@ mod tests {
             "output must not show full filename stem: {output}"
         );
         assert!(
-            output.contains("293 — Register all bot commands"),
-            "output must show number and title: {output}"
+            output.contains("293 [story] — Register all bot commands"),
+            "output must show number, type, and title: {output}"
         );
     }
 
@@ -288,7 +332,7 @@ mod tests {
         let output = build_pipeline_status(tmp.path(), &agents);
 
         assert!(
-            output.contains("293 — Register all bot commands — $0.29"),
+            output.contains("293 [story] — Register all bot commands — $0.29"),
             "output must show cost next to story: {output}"
         );
     }
@@ -351,7 +395,7 @@ mod tests {
         let output = build_pipeline_status(tmp.path(), &agents);
 
         assert!(
-            output.contains("293 — Register all bot commands — $0.29"),
+            output.contains("293 [story] — Register all bot commands — $0.29"),
             "output must show aggregated cost: {output}"
         );
     }