diff --git a/TESTING.md b/TESTING.md
index 2f8ad11..e6c8585 100644
--- a/TESTING.md
+++ b/TESTING.md
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ representative repositories.
       double-clicking opens it, and the mouse wheel scrolls the list.
 - [ ] Home activity filters cycle with `v`; activity targets route to their
       repository, issue, pull request, or commit.
+- [ ] A commit activity preview shows its commit count, short hashes, messages,
+      authors, and timestamps as a readable list rather than raw JSON; opening
+      it shows the head commit and its changed files.
 - [ ] Repository favorites toggle with `*`, sort first per pane, and persist
       after relaunch. Commits switch branches with `b`; file trees, text and
       binary files, commit changes, pull changes, and per-file diffs open.
diff --git a/crates/app/src/presentation/home.rs b/crates/app/src/presentation/home.rs
index 4900eff..9eee7a9 100644
--- a/crates/app/src/presentation/home.rs
+++ b/crates/app/src/presentation/home.rs
@@ -164,25 +164,23 @@ fn activity_row(activity: &models::Activity) -> ActivityRow {
 }
 
 fn activity_detail(activity: &models::Activity) -> String {
-    let text = activity
+    let comment = activity
         .comment
         .as_ref()
-        .and_then(|comment| comment.body.as_deref())
-        .or(activity.content.as_deref())
-        .unwrap_or("");
-    if let Ok(payload) = serde_json::from_str::<serde_json::Value>(text) {
-        let commits = payload.get("Len").and_then(|value| value.as_i64());
+        .and_then(|comment| comment.body.as_deref());
+    let text = comment.or(activity.content.as_deref()).unwrap_or("");
+    if comment.is_none()
+        && let Some(payload) = activity::commit_activity(activity)
+    {
         let message = payload
-            .get("HeadCommit")
-            .and_then(|commit| commit.get("Message"))
-            .and_then(|message| message.as_str())
-            .map(summary)
+            .commits
+            .last()
+            .map(|commit| summary(&commit.message))
             .unwrap_or_default();
         if !message.is_empty() {
-            return match commits {
-                Some(1) => format!("1 commit · {message}"),
-                Some(count) => format!("{count} commits · {message}"),
-                None => message,
+            return match payload.count {
+                1 => format!("1 commit · {message}"),
+                count => format!("{count} commits · {message}"),
             };
         }
     }
diff --git a/crates/gitea/src/activity.rs b/crates/gitea/src/activity.rs
index 47253cb..336ee5a 100644
--- a/crates/gitea/src/activity.rs
+++ b/crates/gitea/src/activity.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,20 @@ pub enum Target {
     },
 }
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub struct CommitActivity {
+    pub count: usize,
+    pub commits: Vec<ActivityCommit>,
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+pub struct ActivityCommit {
+    pub sha: String,
+    pub message: String,
+    pub author: String,
+    pub timestamp: String,
+}
+
 impl Client {
     pub async fn activities(
         &self,
@@ -205,6 +219,28 @@ pub fn target(activity: &models::Activity) -> Option<Target> {
     }
 }
 
+pub fn commit_activity(activity: &models::Activity) -> Option<CommitActivity> {
+    let payload: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(activity.content.as_deref()?).ok()?;
+    let mut commits = field(&payload, "Commits")
+        .and_then(serde_json::Value::as_array)
+        .into_iter()
+        .flatten()
+        .filter_map(activity_commit)
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    if commits.is_empty()
+        && let Some(commit) = field(&payload, "HeadCommit").and_then(activity_commit)
+    {
+        commits.push(commit);
+    }
+    (!commits.is_empty()).then(|| CommitActivity {
+        count: field(&payload, "Len")
+            .and_then(serde_json::Value::as_u64)
+            .and_then(|count| usize::try_from(count).ok())
+            .unwrap_or(commits.len()),
+        commits,
+    })
+}
+
 fn issue_number(activity: &models::Activity) -> Option<i64> {
     activity
         .comment
@@ -233,13 +269,14 @@ fn url_number(url: &str) -> Option<i64> {
 
 fn commit_sha(content: &str) -> Option<String> {
     let payload: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(content).ok()?;
-    payload.get("HeadCommit").and_then(find_sha).or_else(|| {
-        payload
-            .get("Commits")?
-            .as_array()?
-            .last()
-            .and_then(find_sha)
-    })
+    field(&payload, "HeadCommit")
+        .and_then(find_sha)
+        .or_else(|| {
+            field(&payload, "Commits")?
+                .as_array()?
+                .last()
+                .and_then(find_sha)
+        })
 }
 
 fn find_sha(value: &serde_json::Value) -> Option<String> {
@@ -252,6 +289,35 @@ fn find_sha(value: &serde_json::Value) -> Option<String> {
     })
 }
 
+fn activity_commit(value: &serde_json::Value) -> Option<ActivityCommit> {
+    let sha = find_sha(value).unwrap_or_default();
+    let message = string_field(value, "Message")
+        .unwrap_or_default()
+        .to_string();
+    (!sha.is_empty() || !message.is_empty()).then(|| ActivityCommit {
+        sha,
+        message,
+        author: string_field(value, "AuthorName")
+            .or_else(|| string_field(value, "CommitterName"))
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .to_string(),
+        timestamp: string_field(value, "Timestamp")
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+            .to_string(),
+    })
+}
+
+fn string_field<'a>(value: &'a serde_json::Value, name: &str) -> Option<&'a str> {
+    field(value, name).and_then(serde_json::Value::as_str)
+}
+
+fn field<'a>(value: &'a serde_json::Value, name: &str) -> Option<&'a serde_json::Value> {
+    value
+        .as_object()?
+        .iter()
+        .find_map(|(key, value)| key.eq_ignore_ascii_case(name).then_some(value))
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -299,6 +365,36 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn decodes_forgejo_commit_activity_for_presentation() {
+        let activity = activity(
+            OpType::CommitRepo,
+            r#"{
+                "Commits": [{
+                    "Sha1": "0123456789abcdef",
+                    "Message": "Fix the preview\n\nDetails",
+                    "AuthorName": "Octo Cat",
+                    "Timestamp": "2026-08-04T19:04:30+02:00"
+                }],
+                "HeadCommit": {"Sha1": "0123456789abcdef"},
+                "Len": 1
+            }"#,
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            commit_activity(&activity),
+            Some(CommitActivity {
+                count: 1,
+                commits: vec![ActivityCommit {
+                    sha: "0123456789abcdef".into(),
+                    message: "Fix the preview\n\nDetails".into(),
+                    author: "Octo Cat".into(),
+                    timestamp: "2026-08-04T19:04:30+02:00".into(),
+                }],
+            })
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn filters_issue_and_pull_request_activity() {
         let activities = [
diff --git a/crates/tui/src/app.rs b/crates/tui/src/app.rs
index ebb1860..7089ae1 100644
--- a/crates/tui/src/app.rs
+++ b/crates/tui/src/app.rs
@@ -1163,12 +1163,7 @@ impl App {
                     .as_ref()
                     .and_then(|repo| repo.full_name.as_deref())
                     .unwrap_or("repository");
-                let detail = activity
-                    .comment
-                    .as_ref()
-                    .and_then(|comment| comment.body.clone())
-                    .or(activity.content.clone())
-                    .unwrap_or_else(|| "Server activity".into());
+                let detail = activity_detail(&activity);
                 let target = match gotcha_gitea::activity::target(&activity) {
                     Some(gotcha_gitea::activity::Target::Repository { owner, repository }) => {
                         Target::Repository(
@@ -1869,6 +1864,49 @@ fn short_sha(sha: &str) -> &str {
     sha.get(..8).unwrap_or(sha)
 }
 
+fn activity_detail(activity: &models::Activity) -> String {
+    if let Some(body) = activity
+        .comment
+        .as_ref()
+        .and_then(|comment| comment.body.as_deref())
+    {
+        return body.to_string();
+    }
+    if let Some(payload) = gotcha_gitea::activity::commit_activity(activity) {
+        let noun = if payload.count == 1 {
+            "commit"
+        } else {
+            "commits"
+        };
+        let mut detail = format!("**{} {noun}**", payload.count);
+        for commit in payload.commits {
+            let message = commit.message.lines().next().unwrap_or("Commit");
+            detail.push_str("\n\n- ");
+            if !commit.sha.is_empty() {
+                detail.push('`');
+                detail.push_str(short_sha(&commit.sha));
+                detail.push_str("` ");
+            }
+            detail.push_str(message);
+            let metadata = [commit.author.as_str(), commit.timestamp.as_str()]
+                .into_iter()
+                .filter(|value| !value.is_empty())
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                .join(" · ");
+            if !metadata.is_empty() {
+                detail.push_str("  \n  ");
+                detail.push_str(&metadata);
+            }
+        }
+        return detail;
+    }
+    activity
+        .content
+        .clone()
+        .filter(|content| !content.is_empty())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| "Server activity".into())
+}
+
 fn err(error: gotcha_gitea::Error) -> String {
     error.to_string()
 }
@@ -1950,4 +1988,23 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(app.history.len(), 1);
         assert!(app.confirm.is_some());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn commit_activity_preview_formats_the_payload() {
+        let activity = models::Activity {
+            content: Some(
+                r#"{"Commits":[{"Sha1":"0123456789abcdef","Message":"Fix preview\n\nDetails","AuthorName":"Octo Cat","Timestamp":"2026-08-04T19:04:30+02:00"}],"Len":1}"#
+                    .into(),
+            ),
+            ..Default::default()
+        };
+
+        let detail = activity_detail(&activity);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            detail,
+            "**1 commit**\n\n- `01234567` Fix preview  \n  Octo Cat · 2026-08-04T19:04:30+02:00"
+        );
+        assert!(!detail.contains("\"Commits\""));
+    }
 }