diff --git a/coderd/chatd/chatd.go b/coderd/chatd/chatd.go
index bb43a7a9df..31be73030d 100644
--- a/coderd/chatd/chatd.go
+++ b/coderd/chatd/chatd.go
@@ -517,38 +517,8 @@ func (p *Server) ArchiveChat(ctx context.Context, chatID uuid.UUID) error {
 		return xerrors.Errorf("get chat: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	err = p.db.InTx(func(tx database.Store) error {
-		// Collect descendants breadth-first, then archive from leaves upward.
-		descendantIDs := make([]uuid.UUID, 0)
-		queue := []uuid.UUID{chatID}
-		for len(queue) > 0 {
-			parentID := queue[0]
-			queue = queue[1:]
-
-			children, err := tx.ListChildChatsByParentID(ctx, parentID)
-			if err != nil {
-				return xerrors.Errorf("list children of chat %s: %w", parentID, err)
-			}
-			for _, child := range children {
-				descendantIDs = append(descendantIDs, child.ID)
-				queue = append(queue, child.ID)
-			}
-		}
-
-		for i := len(descendantIDs) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
-			if err := tx.ArchiveChatByID(ctx, descendantIDs[i]); err != nil {
-				return xerrors.Errorf("archive descendant chat %s: %w", descendantIDs[i], err)
-			}
-		}
-
-		if err := tx.ArchiveChatByID(ctx, chatID); err != nil {
-			return xerrors.Errorf("archive chat: %w", err)
-		}
-
-		return nil
-	}, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	if err := p.db.ArchiveChatByID(ctx, chatID); err != nil {
+		return xerrors.Errorf("archive chat: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	p.publishChatPubsubEvent(chat, coderdpubsub.ChatEventKindDeleted)
diff --git a/coderd/chats.go b/coderd/chats.go
index 1d176fce1e..c706ae2db1 100644
--- a/coderd/chats.go
+++ b/coderd/chats.go
@@ -409,12 +409,7 @@ func (api *API) archiveChat(rw http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	var err error
-	if api.chatDaemon != nil {
-		err = api.chatDaemon.ArchiveChat(ctx, chat.ID)
-	} else {
-		err = archiveChatTree(ctx, api.Database, chat.ID)
-	}
+	err := api.Database.ArchiveChatByID(ctx, chat.ID)
 	if err != nil {
 		httpapi.Write(ctx, rw, http.StatusInternalServerError, codersdk.Response{
 			Message: "Failed to archive chat.",
@@ -454,19 +449,6 @@ func (api *API) unarchiveChat(rw http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	rw.WriteHeader(http.StatusNoContent)
 }
 
-func archiveChatTree(ctx context.Context, store database.Store, chatID uuid.UUID) error {
-	children, err := store.ListChildChatsByParentID(ctx, chatID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return xerrors.Errorf("list child chats: %w", err)
-	}
-	for _, child := range children {
-		if err := archiveChatTree(ctx, store, child.ID); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-	return store.ArchiveChatByID(ctx, chatID)
-}
-
 // EXPERIMENTAL: this endpoint is experimental and is subject to change.
 func (api *API) postChatMessages(rw http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	ctx := r.Context()
diff --git a/coderd/chats_test.go b/coderd/chats_test.go
index ffac2eb42e..1bc342c704 100644
--- a/coderd/chats_test.go
+++ b/coderd/chats_test.go
@@ -1209,6 +1209,67 @@ func TestArchiveChat(t *testing.T) {
 		err := client.ArchiveChat(ctx, uuid.New())
 		requireSDKError(t, err, http.StatusNotFound)
 	})
+
+	t.Run("ArchivesChildren", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+
+		ctx := testutil.Context(t, testutil.WaitLong)
+		client, db := newChatClientWithDatabase(t)
+		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client)
+		modelConfig := createChatModelConfig(t, client)
+
+		// Create a parent chat via the API.
+		parentChat, err := client.CreateChat(ctx, codersdk.CreateChatRequest{
+			Content: []codersdk.ChatInputPart{
+				{
+					Type: codersdk.ChatInputPartTypeText,
+					Text: "parent chat",
+				},
+			},
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// Insert child chats directly via the database.
+		child1, err := db.InsertChat(dbauthz.AsSystemRestricted(ctx), database.InsertChatParams{
+			OwnerID:           user.UserID,
+			LastModelConfigID: modelConfig.ID,
+			Title:             "child 1",
+			ParentChatID:      uuid.NullUUID{UUID: parentChat.ID, Valid: true},
+			RootChatID:        uuid.NullUUID{UUID: parentChat.ID, Valid: true},
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		child2, err := db.InsertChat(dbauthz.AsSystemRestricted(ctx), database.InsertChatParams{
+			OwnerID:           user.UserID,
+			LastModelConfigID: modelConfig.ID,
+			Title:             "child 2",
+			ParentChatID:      uuid.NullUUID{UUID: parentChat.ID, Valid: true},
+			RootChatID:        uuid.NullUUID{UUID: parentChat.ID, Valid: true},
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// Archive the parent via the API.
+		err = client.ArchiveChat(ctx, parentChat.ID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		// List chats — none of the family should appear.
+		chats, err := client.ListChats(ctx)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		for _, c := range chats {
+			require.NotEqual(t, parentChat.ID, c.ID, "parent should not appear")
+			require.NotEqual(t, child1.ID, c.ID, "child1 should not appear")
+			require.NotEqual(t, child2.ID, c.ID, "child2 should not appear")
+		}
+
+		// Verify children are archived directly in the DB.
+		dbChild1, err := db.GetChatByID(dbauthz.AsSystemRestricted(ctx), child1.ID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.True(t, dbChild1.Archived, "child1 should be archived")
+
+		dbChild2, err := db.GetChatByID(dbauthz.AsSystemRestricted(ctx), child2.ID)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.True(t, dbChild2.Archived, "child2 should be archived")
+	})
 }
 
 func TestPostChatMessages(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/coderd/database/queries.sql.go b/coderd/database/queries.sql.go
index f43d198ffb..3a3ef330a2 100644
--- a/coderd/database/queries.sql.go
+++ b/coderd/database/queries.sql.go
@@ -2876,7 +2876,8 @@ func (q *sqlQuerier) AcquireChat(ctx context.Context, arg AcquireChatParams) (Ch
 }
 
 const archiveChatByID = `-- name: ArchiveChatByID :exec
-UPDATE chats SET archived = true, updated_at = NOW() WHERE id = $1::uuid
+UPDATE chats SET archived = true, updated_at = NOW()
+WHERE id = $1 OR root_chat_id = $1
 `
 
 func (q *sqlQuerier) ArchiveChatByID(ctx context.Context, id uuid.UUID) error {
diff --git a/coderd/database/queries/chats.sql b/coderd/database/queries/chats.sql
index 26a4b5aff5..bf75a12e62 100644
--- a/coderd/database/queries/chats.sql
+++ b/coderd/database/queries/chats.sql
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 -- name: ArchiveChatByID :exec
-UPDATE chats SET archived = true, updated_at = NOW() WHERE id = @id::uuid;
+UPDATE chats SET archived = true, updated_at = NOW()
+WHERE id = @id OR root_chat_id = @id;
 
 -- name: UnarchiveChatByID :exec
 UPDATE chats SET archived = false, updated_at = NOW() WHERE id = @id::uuid;
diff --git a/site/src/pages/AgentsPage/AgentsPage.tsx b/site/src/pages/AgentsPage/AgentsPage.tsx
index a0826d8497..9945324817 100644
--- a/site/src/pages/AgentsPage/AgentsPage.tsx
+++ b/site/src/pages/AgentsPage/AgentsPage.tsx
@@ -322,7 +322,10 @@ const AgentsPage: FC = () => {
 				queryClient.setQueryData(
 					chatsKey,
 					(prev: TypesGen.Chat[] | undefined) =>
-						prev?.filter((c) => c.id !== updatedChat.id),
+						prev?.filter(
+							(c) =>
+								c.id !== updatedChat.id && c.root_chat_id !== updatedChat.id,
+						),
 				);
 				queryClient.removeQueries({
 					queryKey: chatKey(updatedChat.id),