diff --git a/services/ui/routes.ts b/services/ui/routes.ts
index 3c5f56f..3f0d8c2 100644
--- a/services/ui/routes.ts
+++ b/services/ui/routes.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,26 @@ export function createRoutes(): Hono {
     }
   });
 
+  // --- Credit top-up proxy (forwards to vers-landing) ---
+
+  routes.post("/ui/api/topup-credits", async (c) => {
+    try {
+      const body = await c.req.arrayBuffer();
+      const resp = await fetch("https://vers.sh/api/reef/topup-credits", {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: {
+          "Content-Type": "application/json",
+          Authorization: `Bearer ${AUTH_TOKEN}`,
+        },
+        body,
+      });
+      const text = await resp.text();
+      return c.body(text, resp.status as any, { "Content-Type": "application/json" });
+    } catch (e) {
+      return c.json({ error: "Top-up proxy error", details: String(e) }, 502);
+    }
+  });
+
   // --- API proxy (injects bearer token so browser never needs it) ---
 
   routes.all("/ui/api/*", async (c) => {
diff --git a/services/ui/static/app.js b/services/ui/static/app.js
index 516298d..3cd5a51 100644
--- a/services/ui/static/app.js
+++ b/services/ui/static/app.js
@@ -528,6 +528,67 @@ function finishConversation(conversationId, fallbackSummary) {
     addConversationMessage(conversationId, 'assistant', fallbackSummary);
   }
   conversation.working = false;
+
+  // Show credit top-up widget when credits are exhausted
+  const text = (conversation.messages.length > 0 && conversation.messages[conversation.messages.length - 1]?.dataset?.rawContent) || fallbackSummary || '';
+  if (text && text.includes('No credits available')) {
+    showCreditTopup(conversationId);
+  }
+}
+
+function showCreditTopup(conversationId) {
+  const el = document.createElement('div');
+  el.className = 'credit-topup';
+  el.innerHTML = `
+    <div class="credit-topup-header">Credits exhausted</div>
+    <div class="credit-topup-body">
+      <span>Add credits to continue:</span>
+      <div class="credit-topup-amounts">
+        <button class="credit-btn" data-cents="500">$5</button>
+        <button class="credit-btn" data-cents="1000">$10</button>
+        <button class="credit-btn" data-cents="2500">$25</button>
+        <button class="credit-btn" data-cents="5000">$50</button>
+      </div>
+      <div class="credit-topup-status"></div>
+    </div>
+  `;
+  el.querySelectorAll('.credit-btn').forEach((btn) => {
+    btn.addEventListener('click', () => handleCreditTopup(el, Number(btn.dataset.cents), conversationId));
+  });
+  const messagesEl = $('branch-messages');
+  if (messagesEl) {
+    messagesEl.appendChild(el);
+    autoScroll($('branch-scroll'));
+  }
+}
+
+async function handleCreditTopup(widget, amountCents, conversationId) {
+  const statusEl = widget.querySelector('.credit-topup-status');
+  const buttons = widget.querySelectorAll('.credit-btn');
+  buttons.forEach((b) => { b.disabled = true; });
+  statusEl.textContent = 'Charging card...';
+  statusEl.className = 'credit-topup-status';
+
+  try {
+    const resp = await fetch(`${API}/topup-credits`, {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ amountCents }),
+    });
+    const data = await resp.json();
+    if (!resp.ok) {
+      statusEl.textContent = data.error || 'Top-up failed';
+      statusEl.className = 'credit-topup-status error';
+      buttons.forEach((b) => { b.disabled = false; });
+      return;
+    }
+    statusEl.textContent = `Added $${(amountCents / 100).toFixed(2)} in credits. You can continue working.`;
+    statusEl.className = 'credit-topup-status success';
+  } catch (err) {
+    statusEl.textContent = 'Network error — try again';
+    statusEl.className = 'credit-topup-status error';
+    buttons.forEach((b) => { b.disabled = false; });
+  }
 }
 
 async function setConversationClosed(conversationId, closed) {
@@ -1688,6 +1749,62 @@ function syncViewportMode() {
 if (mobileMq.addEventListener) mobileMq.addEventListener('change', syncViewportMode);
 else if (mobileMq.addListener) mobileMq.addListener(syncViewportMode);
 
+// =============================================================================
+// Credits menu (header)
+// =============================================================================
+
+(function initCreditsMenu() {
+  const trigger = $('credits-trigger');
+  const dropdown = $('credits-dropdown');
+  if (!trigger || !dropdown) return;
+
+  trigger.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
+    e.stopPropagation();
+    dropdown.classList.toggle('open');
+  });
+
+  document.addEventListener('click', () => dropdown.classList.remove('open'));
+  dropdown.addEventListener('click', (e) => e.stopPropagation());
+
+  dropdown.querySelectorAll('.credit-btn').forEach((btn) => {
+    btn.addEventListener('click', () => {
+      const cents = Number(btn.dataset.cents);
+      const statusEl = $('credits-dropdown-status');
+      const buttons = dropdown.querySelectorAll('.credit-btn');
+      buttons.forEach((b) => { b.disabled = true; });
+      statusEl.textContent = 'Charging card...';
+      statusEl.className = 'credits-dropdown-status';
+
+      fetch(`${API}/topup-credits`, {
+        method: 'POST',
+        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ amountCents: cents }),
+      })
+        .then((r) => r.json().then((d) => ({ ok: r.ok, data: d })))
+        .then(({ ok, data }) => {
+          if (!ok) {
+            statusEl.textContent = data.error || 'Top-up failed';
+            statusEl.className = 'credits-dropdown-status error';
+            buttons.forEach((b) => { b.disabled = false; });
+          } else {
+            statusEl.textContent = `Added $${(cents / 100).toFixed(2)}`;
+            statusEl.className = 'credits-dropdown-status success';
+            setTimeout(() => {
+              dropdown.classList.remove('open');
+              statusEl.textContent = '';
+              buttons.forEach((b) => { b.disabled = false; });
+            }, 2000);
+          }
+        })
+        .catch(() => {
+          statusEl.textContent = 'Network error';
+          statusEl.className = 'credits-dropdown-status error';
+          buttons.forEach((b) => { b.disabled = false; });
+        });
+    });
+  });
+})();
+
 // =============================================================================
 // Init
 // =============================================================================
diff --git a/services/ui/static/index.html b/services/ui/static/index.html
index 1524f1a..54b7501 100644
--- a/services/ui/static/index.html
+++ b/services/ui/static/index.html
@@ -18,6 +18,19 @@ <h1>▸ reef</h1>
         <span class="dot"></span>
         <span class="label">connecting</span>
       </div>
+      <div class="credits-menu" id="credits-menu">
+        <button class="credits-trigger" id="credits-trigger">+ credits</button>
+        <div class="credits-dropdown" id="credits-dropdown">
+          <div class="credits-dropdown-title">Add LLM credits</div>
+          <div class="credits-dropdown-amounts">
+            <button class="credit-btn" data-cents="500">$5</button>
+            <button class="credit-btn" data-cents="1000">$10</button>
+            <button class="credit-btn" data-cents="2500">$25</button>
+            <button class="credit-btn" data-cents="5000">$50</button>
+          </div>
+          <div class="credits-dropdown-status" id="credits-dropdown-status"></div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
     </header>
 
     <div id="workspace">
diff --git a/services/ui/static/style.css b/services/ui/static/style.css
index acef77d..b96c6fa 100644
--- a/services/ui/static/style.css
+++ b/services/ui/static/style.css
@@ -1043,3 +1043,73 @@ header h1 {
     font-size: 10px;
   }
 }
+
+/* Credits menu (header) */
+.credits-menu { position: relative; margin-left: 8px; }
+.credits-trigger {
+  padding: 3px 10px;
+  background: transparent;
+  border: 1px solid var(--accent-dim);
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  color: var(--accent);
+  font-family: var(--font);
+  font-size: 11px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: background 0.15s;
+}
+.credits-trigger:hover { background: var(--accent-dim); color: var(--bg); }
+.credits-dropdown {
+  display: none;
+  position: absolute;
+  right: 0; top: calc(100% + 6px);
+  background: var(--bg-card);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-light);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+  padding: 12px 14px;
+  min-width: 220px;
+  z-index: 100;
+  box-shadow: 0 4px 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
+}
+.credits-dropdown.open { display: block; }
+.credits-dropdown-title { color: var(--text-bright); font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 12px; }
+.credits-dropdown-amounts { display: flex; gap: 6px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
+.credits-dropdown-status { font-size: 11px; color: var(--text-dim); margin-top: 8px; min-height: 1em; }
+.credits-dropdown-status.success { color: var(--accent); }
+.credits-dropdown-status.error { color: var(--error); }
+
+/* Credit top-up widget (inline, on exhaustion) */
+.credit-topup {
+  margin: 12px 0;
+  padding: 14px 16px;
+  background: var(--bg-card);
+  border: 1px solid var(--warn);
+  border-radius: 8px;
+}
+.credit-topup-header {
+  color: var(--warn);
+  font-weight: 600;
+  margin-bottom: 8px;
+}
+.credit-topup-body { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 8px; }
+.credit-topup-body span { color: var(--text-dim); }
+.credit-topup-amounts { display: flex; gap: 8px; flex-wrap: wrap; }
+.credit-btn {
+  padding: 6px 14px;
+  background: transparent;
+  border: 1px solid var(--accent-dim);
+  border-radius: 4px;
+  color: var(--accent);
+  font-family: var(--font);
+  font-size: 13px;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: background 0.15s, border-color 0.15s;
+}
+.credit-btn:hover:not(:disabled) {
+  background: var(--accent-dim);
+  border-color: var(--accent);
+  color: var(--bg);
+}
+.credit-btn:disabled { opacity: 0.4; cursor: not-allowed; }
+.credit-topup-status { font-size: 12px; color: var(--text-dim); min-height: 1em; }
+.credit-topup-status.success { color: var(--accent); }
+.credit-topup-status.error { color: var(--error); }