diff --git a/bec_widgets/applications/main_app.py b/bec_widgets/applications/main_app.py
index e238599d..0ae9671b 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/applications/main_app.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/applications/main_app.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ from bec_widgets.utils.screen_utils import (
 )
 from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.dock_area.profile_utils import is_experimental_features_enabled
 from bec_widgets.widgets.containers.main_window.main_window import BECMainWindow
+from bec_widgets.widgets.services.bec_status_box.bec_status_box import BECStatusBox
+from bec_widgets.widgets.services.bec_status_box.status_pill import BECStatusPill
 
 startup_profiler.mark("module imports")
 
@@ -65,6 +67,9 @@ class BECMainApp(BECMainWindow):
         self._add_views()
         startup_profiler.mark("views added")
 
+        self._add_status_pill()
+        startup_profiler.mark("status pill")
+
         # Initialize guided tour
         self.guided_tour = GuidedTour(self)
         self._setup_guided_tour()
@@ -139,6 +144,26 @@ class BECMainApp(BECMainWindow):
         # Add guided tour to Help menu
         self._add_guided_tour_to_menu()
 
+    def _add_status_pill(self):
+        """Add the BEC services pill to the status bar, left of the notification indicator."""
+        self.status_pill = BECStatusPill(self, client=self.client)
+        self.status_pill.dock_requested.connect(self.dock_status_box)
+        self.status_bar.insertPermanentWidget(0, self.status_pill)
+
+    def dock_status_box(self) -> None:
+        """Show a status box in the dock area, reusing one that is already docked."""
+        dock_area = self.dock_area.dock_area
+        for widget in dock_area.widget_list():
+            if isinstance(widget, BECStatusBox):
+                dock = next((d for d in dock_area.dock_list() if d.widget() is widget), None)
+                if dock is not None:
+                    dock.toggleView(True)
+                    dock.raise_()
+                break
+        else:
+            dock_area.new("BECStatusBox")
+        self.set_current("dock_area")
+
     # --- Public API ------------------------------------------------------
     def add_section(self, title: str, id: str, position: int | None = None):
         return self.sidebar.add_section(title, id, position)
@@ -392,6 +417,7 @@ class BECMainApp(BECMainWindow):
             help_menu.addAction(tour_action)
 
     def cleanup(self):
+        self.status_pill.cleanup()
         for view_id, idx in self._view_index.items():
             view = self.stack.widget(idx)
             view.close()
diff --git a/bec_widgets/widgets/services/bec_status_box/status_pill.py b/bec_widgets/widgets/services/bec_status_box/status_pill.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9660fa4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bec_widgets/widgets/services/bec_status_box/status_pill.py
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+"""Compact status-bar pill for the BEC status box.
+
+The pill shows the overall BEC state in a few words. Clicking it opens the full status box in a
+popup, which has a button to put a status box into the dock area.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from bec_qthemes import material_icon
+from qtpy.QtCore import QPoint, QSize, Qt, Signal
+from qtpy.QtWidgets import (
+    QApplication,
+    QFrame,
+    QHBoxLayout,
+    QLabel,
+    QPushButton,
+    QSizePolicy,
+    QToolButton,
+    QVBoxLayout,
+    QWidget,
+)
+
+from bec_widgets.utils.colors import rgba
+from bec_widgets.widgets.services.bec_status_box.bec_status_box import BECStatusBox
+from bec_widgets.widgets.services.bec_status_box.status_box_widgets import theme_colors, tone_color
+
+PILL_TEXT = {"All core services running": "BEC running", "Waiting for BEC services": "BEC: waiting"}
+
+
+class StatusPopup(QFrame):
+    """Popup frame holding the full status box and the dock button."""
+
+    dock_requested = Signal()
+
+    def __init__(self, parent: QWidget, status_box: BECStatusBox):
+        super().__init__(parent, Qt.WindowType.Popup)
+        self.setObjectName("StatusPopup")
+        self.setFrameShape(QFrame.Shape.StyledPanel)
+        layout = QVBoxLayout(self)
+        layout.setContentsMargins(8, 8, 8, 8)
+        layout.setSpacing(4)
+        header = QHBoxLayout()
+        title = QLabel("BEC services", self)
+        title.setObjectName("popupTitle")
+        self.dock_button = QToolButton(self)
+        self.dock_button.setObjectName("dockButton")
+        self.dock_button.setText("Open in dock area")
+        self.dock_button.setToolButtonStyle(Qt.ToolButtonStyle.ToolButtonTextBesideIcon)
+        self.dock_button.setIconSize(QSize(16, 16))
+        self.dock_button.setAutoRaise(True)
+        self.dock_button.setCursor(Qt.CursorShape.PointingHandCursor)
+        self.dock_button.clicked.connect(self._on_dock)
+        header.addWidget(title)
+        header.addStretch()
+        header.addWidget(self.dock_button)
+        layout.addLayout(header)
+        self.status_box = status_box
+        status_box.setParent(self)
+        layout.addWidget(status_box, 1)
+        self.resize(400, 540)
+        self.apply_theme()
+
+    def _on_dock(self):
+        self.hide()
+        self.dock_requested.emit()
+
+    def apply_theme(self) -> None:
+        """Restyle with the current theme colors."""
+        colors = theme_colors()
+        self.dock_button.setIcon(
+            material_icon(
+                "dock_to_right", size=(16, 16), color=colors["FG"], convert_to_pixmap=False
+            )
+        )
+        self.setStyleSheet(
+            f"#StatusPopup {{ background: {colors['BG'].name()}; border: 1px solid "
+            f"{colors['BORDER'].name()}; border-radius: 8px; }}"
+            f"#popupTitle {{ color: {colors['FG'].name()}; font-weight: bold; }}"
+        )
+
+
+class BECStatusPill(QPushButton):
+    """A pill for the status bar that summarises BEC and opens the status box on click.
+
+    Args:
+        parent (QWidget | None): The parent widget, usually the main window.
+        view (str | None): View of the status box in the popup, "qml" or "widgets".
+        client: The BEC client, passed to the status box.
+    """
+
+    dock_requested = Signal()
+
+    def __init__(self, parent: QWidget | None = None, view: str | None = None, client=None):
+        super().__init__(parent)
+        self.setObjectName("BECStatusPill")
+        self.setCursor(Qt.CursorShape.PointingHandCursor)
+        self.setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy.Policy.Fixed, QSizePolicy.Policy.Fixed)
+        self.setIconSize(QSize(10, 10))
+        self.status_box = BECStatusBox(view=view, client=client, rpc_exposed=False)
+        self.popup = StatusPopup(self, self.status_box)
+        self.popup.dock_requested.connect(self.dock_requested)
+        self.model = self.status_box.model
+        self.model.summaryChanged.connect(self.refresh)
+        self.model.restartChanged.connect(self.refresh)
+        self.clicked.connect(self.toggle_popup)
+        theme = getattr(QApplication.instance(), "theme", None)
+        if theme is not None:
+            theme.theme_changed.connect(self.apply_theme)
+        self.refresh()
+
+    @property
+    def tone(self) -> str:
+        """The tone of the pill, following a running restart first."""
+        state = self.model.restartState
+        if state:
+            return {"running": "progress", "done": "success"}.get(state, "emergency")
+        return self.model.tone
+
+    def text_for_state(self) -> str:
+        """The short pill text."""
+        if self.model.restartState:
+            return self.model.restartText.replace("BEC server", "BEC")
+        return PILL_TEXT.get(self.model.headline, self.model.headline)
+
+    def refresh(self) -> None:
+        """Update the text, colors and tooltip from the model."""
+        self.setText(self.text_for_state())
+        self.setToolTip(f"{self.model.headline}\n{self.model.detail}\nClick for details")
+        self.apply_theme()
+
+    def apply_theme(self, _theme: str | None = None) -> None:
+        """Restyle with the current theme colors."""
+        colors = theme_colors()
+        accent = tone_color(colors, self.tone)
+        self.setIcon(material_icon("circle", size=(10, 10), color=accent, filled=True))
+        self.setStyleSheet(
+            f"#BECStatusPill {{ color: {colors['FG'].name()}; background: {rgba(accent, 38)};"
+            f" border: 1px solid {rgba(accent, 120)}; border-radius: 9px; padding: 1px 10px;"
+            f" font-size: 11px; }}"
+            f"#BECStatusPill:hover {{ background: {rgba(accent, 70)}; }}"
+        )
+        self.popup.apply_theme()
+
+    def toggle_popup(self) -> None:
+        """Open the status box above the pill, or close it when open."""
+        if self.popup.isVisible():
+            self.popup.hide()
+            return
+        size = self.popup.size()
+        anchor = self.mapToGlobal(QPoint(self.width(), 0))
+        self.popup.move(anchor.x() - size.width(), anchor.y() - size.height() - 6)
+        self.popup.show()
+        self.popup.raise_()
+
+    def cleanup(self) -> None:
+        """Clean up the status box inside the popup."""
+        self.status_box.cleanup()
+        self.status_box.deleteLater()
+        self.popup.deleteLater()
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_bec_status_pill.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_bec_status_pill.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..75577f8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_bec_status_pill.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# pylint: skip-file
+from unittest import mock
+
+import pytest
+
+from bec_widgets.applications.main_app import BECMainApp
+from bec_widgets.tests.client_mocks import mocked_client
+from bec_widgets.tests.utils import create_widget
+from bec_widgets.widgets.services.bec_status_box.bec_status_box import BECStatusBox
+from bec_widgets.widgets.services.bec_status_box.status_pill import BECStatusPill
+
+from .test_bec_status_box import _all_services
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def pill(qtbot, mocked_client):
+    widget = create_widget(qtbot, BECStatusPill, view="widgets", client=mocked_client)
+    yield widget
+    widget.popup.hide()
+    widget.cleanup()
+
+
+def test_pill_text_follows_state(pill):
+    assert pill.text() == "BEC: waiting"
+    pill.status_box.update_service_status(*_all_services())
+    assert pill.text() == "BEC running"
+    assert pill.tone == "success"
+    pill.status_box.update_service_status(*_all_services(skip=["ScanBundler"]))
+    assert pill.text() == "Scan bundler: not connected"
+    assert pill.tone == "emergency"
+
+
+def test_pill_shows_restart(pill):
+    pill.status_box.update_service_status(*_all_services())
+    pill.model.set_restart("running", "Restarting BEC server · 2/5")
+    assert pill.text() == "Restarting BEC · 2/5"
+    assert pill.tone == "progress"
+
+
+def test_pill_toggles_popup(pill, qtbot):
+    pill.click()
+    qtbot.waitUntil(pill.popup.isVisible)
+    pill.click()
+    qtbot.waitUntil(lambda: not pill.popup.isVisible())
+
+
+def test_dock_button_requests_dock(pill, qtbot):
+    pill.click()
+    with qtbot.waitSignal(pill.dock_requested):
+        pill.popup.dock_button.click()
+    assert not pill.popup.isVisible()
+
+
+def test_main_app_docks_one_status_box(qtbot, mocked_client):
+    app = BECMainApp(client=mocked_client, anim_duration=60, show_examples=False)
+    qtbot.addWidget(app)
+    assert isinstance(app.status_pill, BECStatusPill)
+
+    def docked():
+        return [w for w in app.dock_area.dock_area.widget_list() if isinstance(w, BECStatusBox)]
+
+    before = len(docked())
+    app.dock_status_box()
+    assert len(docked()) == before + 1
+    app.dock_status_box()
+    assert len(docked()) == before + 1