diff --git a/frontend/src/components/NormalizedConversation/PendingApprovalEntry.tsx b/frontend/src/components/NormalizedConversation/PendingApprovalEntry.tsx
index 78816d96..47c8a0b2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/NormalizedConversation/PendingApprovalEntry.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/NormalizedConversation/PendingApprovalEntry.tsx
@@ -17,11 +17,12 @@ import {
 } from '@/components/ui/tooltip';
 import { approvalsApi } from '@/lib/api';
 import { Check, X } from 'lucide-react';
-import { Textarea } from '@/components/ui/textarea';
+import { FileSearchTextarea } from '@/components/ui/file-search-textarea';
 
 import { useHotkeysContext } from 'react-hotkeys-hook';
 import { TabNavContext } from '@/contexts/TabNavigationContext';
 import { useKeyApproveRequest, useKeyDenyApproval, Scope } from '@/keyboard';
+import { useProject } from '@/contexts/project-context';
 
 const DEFAULT_DENIAL_REASON = 'User denied this tool use request.';
 
@@ -129,6 +130,7 @@ function DenyReasonForm({
   onCancel,
   onSubmit,
   inputRef,
+  projectId,
 }: {
   isResponding: boolean;
   value: string;
@@ -136,16 +138,18 @@ function DenyReasonForm({
   onCancel: () => void;
   onSubmit: () => void;
   inputRef: React.RefObject<HTMLTextAreaElement>;
+  projectId?: string;
 }) {
   return (
     <div className="mt-3 bg-background px-3 py-3 text-sm">
-      <Textarea
+      <FileSearchTextarea
         ref={inputRef}
         value={value}
-        onChange={(e) => onChange(e.target.value)}
-        placeholder="Let the agent know why this request was denied..."
+        onChange={onChange}
+        placeholder="Let the agent know why this request was denied... Type @ to search files."
         disabled={isResponding}
-        className="text-sm"
+        className="w-full bg-transparent border px-3 py-2 text-sm resize-none min-h-[80px] focus-visible:outline-none"
+        projectId={projectId}
       />
       <div className="mt-3 flex flex-wrap items-center justify-end gap-2">
         <Button
@@ -177,6 +181,7 @@ const PendingApprovalEntry = ({
   const [denyReason, setDenyReason] = useState('');
 
   const denyReasonRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement | null>(null);
+  const { projectId } = useProject();
 
   const { enableScope, disableScope, activeScopes } = useHotkeysContext();
   const tabNav = useContext(TabNavContext);
@@ -353,6 +358,7 @@ const PendingApprovalEntry = ({
                 onCancel={handleCancelDeny}
                 onSubmit={handleSubmitDeny}
                 inputRef={denyReasonRef}
+                projectId={projectId}
               />
             )}
           </TooltipProvider>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/diff/CommentWidgetLine.tsx b/frontend/src/components/diff/CommentWidgetLine.tsx
index 462a2f43..17875ba1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/diff/CommentWidgetLine.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/diff/CommentWidgetLine.tsx
@@ -82,11 +82,10 @@ export function CommentWidgetLine({
   return (
     <div className="p-4 border-y">
       <FileSearchTextarea
+        ref={textareaRef}
         value={value}
         onChange={setValue}
         placeholder="Add a comment... (type @ to search files)"
-        rows={3}
-        maxRows={10}
         className="w-full bg-primary text-primary-foreground text-sm font-mono resize-none min-h-[60px] focus:outline-none focus:ring-1 focus:ring-primary"
         projectId={projectId}
       />
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/diff/ReviewCommentRenderer.tsx b/frontend/src/components/diff/ReviewCommentRenderer.tsx
index e3259649..aad92454 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/diff/ReviewCommentRenderer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/diff/ReviewCommentRenderer.tsx
@@ -49,11 +49,10 @@ export function ReviewCommentRenderer({
     return (
       <div className="border-y bg-background p-4">
         <FileSearchTextarea
+          ref={textareaRef}
           value={editText}
           onChange={setEditText}
           placeholder="Edit comment... (type @ to search files)"
-          rows={3}
-          maxRows={10}
           className="w-full bg-background text-foreground text-sm font-mono resize-none min-h-[60px] focus:outline-none"
           projectId={projectId}
         />
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ui/file-search-textarea.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ui/file-search-textarea.tsx
index 52ee7ae7..6717d120 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ui/file-search-textarea.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ui/file-search-textarea.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useRef, useState, forwardRef } from 'react';
 import { createPortal } from 'react-dom';
 import { AutoExpandingTextarea } from '@/components/ui/auto-expanding-textarea';
 import { projectsApi } from '@/lib/api';
@@ -24,20 +24,26 @@ interface FileSearchTextareaProps {
   onBlur?: (e: React.FocusEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement>) => void;
 }
 
-export function FileSearchTextarea({
-  value,
-  onChange,
-  placeholder,
-  rows = 3,
-  disabled = false,
-  className,
-  projectId,
-  onKeyDown,
-  maxRows = 10,
-  onPasteFiles,
-  onFocus,
-  onBlur,
-}: FileSearchTextareaProps) {
+export const FileSearchTextarea = forwardRef<
+  HTMLTextAreaElement,
+  FileSearchTextareaProps
+>(function FileSearchTextarea(
+  {
+    value,
+    onChange,
+    placeholder,
+    rows = 3,
+    disabled = false,
+    className,
+    projectId,
+    onKeyDown,
+    maxRows = 10,
+    onPasteFiles,
+    onFocus,
+    onBlur,
+  },
+  ref
+) {
   const [searchQuery, setSearchQuery] = useState('');
   const [searchResults, setSearchResults] = useState<FileSearchResult[]>([]);
   const [showDropdown, setShowDropdown] = useState(false);
@@ -46,7 +52,9 @@ export function FileSearchTextarea({
   const [atSymbolPosition, setAtSymbolPosition] = useState(-1);
   const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(false);
 
-  const textareaRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null);
+  const internalRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null);
+  const textareaRef =
+    (ref as React.RefObject<HTMLTextAreaElement>) || internalRef;
   const dropdownRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
 
   // Search for files when query changes
@@ -348,4 +356,4 @@ export function FileSearchTextarea({
         )}
     </div>
   );
-}
+});