diff --git a/webview-ui/src/components/chat/ChatView.tsx b/webview-ui/src/components/chat/ChatView.tsx
index e73ac677019..afc37c7e560 100644
--- a/webview-ui/src/components/chat/ChatView.tsx
+++ b/webview-ui/src/components/chat/ChatView.tsx
@@ -70,6 +70,11 @@ export interface ChatViewRef {
 
 export const MAX_IMAGES_PER_MESSAGE = 20 // Anthropic limits to 20 images
 
+// Viewport buffer constants
+const VIEWPORT_BUFFER_AT_BOTTOM = 10_000 // Maintains scroll lock when at bottom
+const VIEWPORT_BUFFER_SCROLLED_UP = 1_000 // Reduces memory usage when scrolled up
+const VIEWPORT_BUFFER_TOP = 3_000
+
 const isMac = navigator.platform.toUpperCase().indexOf("MAC") >= 0
 
 const ChatViewComponent: React.ForwardRefRenderFunction<ChatViewRef, ChatViewProps> = (
@@ -174,6 +179,8 @@ const ChatViewComponent: React.ForwardRefRenderFunction<ChatViewRef, ChatViewPro
 	const disableAutoScrollRef = useRef(false)
 	const [showScrollToBottom, setShowScrollToBottom] = useState(false)
 	const [isAtBottom, setIsAtBottom] = useState(false)
+	// Debounced version of isAtBottom to prevent rapid viewport buffer changes
+	const [debouncedIsAtBottom, setDebouncedIsAtBottom] = useState(false)
 	const lastTtsRef = useRef<string>("")
 	const [wasStreaming, setWasStreaming] = useState<boolean>(false)
 	const [showCheckpointWarning, setShowCheckpointWarning] = useState<boolean>(false)
@@ -1430,6 +1437,15 @@ const ChatViewComponent: React.ForwardRefRenderFunction<ChatViewRef, ChatViewPro
 
 	useEvent("wheel", handleWheel, window, { passive: true }) // passive improves scrolling performance
 
+	// Debounce isAtBottom to prevent rapid viewport buffer changes
+	useEffect(() => {
+		const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+			setDebouncedIsAtBottom(isAtBottom)
+		}, 300)
+
+		return () => clearTimeout(timer)
+	}, [isAtBottom])
+
 	// Effect to handle showing the checkpoint warning after a delay
 	useEffect(() => {
 		// Only show the warning when there's a task but no visible messages yet
@@ -1887,7 +1903,12 @@ const ChatViewComponent: React.ForwardRefRenderFunction<ChatViewRef, ChatViewPro
 							ref={virtuosoRef}
 							key={task.ts}
 							className="scrollable grow overflow-y-scroll mb-1"
-							increaseViewportBy={{ top: 3_000, bottom: 1000 }}
+							increaseViewportBy={{
+								top: VIEWPORT_BUFFER_TOP,
+								// Dynamic bottom buffer: larger when at bottom for scroll lock,
+								// smaller when scrolled up for memory efficiency
+								bottom: debouncedIsAtBottom ? VIEWPORT_BUFFER_AT_BOTTOM : VIEWPORT_BUFFER_SCROLLED_UP,
+							}}
 							data={groupedMessages}
 							itemContent={itemContent}
 							atBottomStateChange={(isAtBottom: boolean) => {
@@ -1899,6 +1920,8 @@ const ChatViewComponent: React.ForwardRefRenderFunction<ChatViewRef, ChatViewPro
 							}}
 							atBottomThreshold={10}
 							initialTopMostItemIndex={groupedMessages.length - 1}
+							// Smooth scrolling when new content arrives
+							followOutput="smooth"
 						/>
 					</div>
 					<div className={`flex-initial min-h-0 ${!areButtonsVisible ? "mb-1" : ""}`}>