diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 51f6da1..cd6a21a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -742,6 +742,23 @@ bottom, each stack rising out of it and the current branch marked. Under each br
 PR state and titles come from a local cache that's refreshed when it goes stale, and the commits
 come from local git, so it stays quick.
 
+`git stack log short` draws the same tree with just the branch names, one line each. It only reads
+local git, so it never waits on GitHub. To make that what `git stack` and `git stack log` show,
+`git config --global stack.log.short true`; `git stack log long` still gets you the full tree.
+
+```
+❯ git stack log short
+○ billing-webhook-retries
+● billing-webhook-schema
+│ ○ fix-login-timeout
+├─┘
+■ main
+```
+
+Flags (on `log`, `log short` and `log long`):
+- `-s` / `--stack` only show the current branch's stack (on a trunk, every stack on it). On a
+  branch that's in no stack it shows them all and says so.
+
 ### `git stack merge [branch]`
 
 There's no `git merge` alias for this one, for obvious reasons.
@@ -798,6 +815,7 @@ Everything is plain `git config`, so set it globally or per repo as you like.
 | `stack.sync.prune` | `always` | what `sync` does with branches whose PRs merged or closed; `ask` on a terminal, or `never` |
 | `stack.merge.method` | (repo default) | `merge`, `squash` or `rebase` for `git stack merge` |
 | `stack.cacheTTL` | `5m` | how long PR state is cached for |
+| `stack.log.short` | `false` | `true` makes `git stack` and `git stack log` show only branch names, like `git stack log short` |
 | `stack.ai.auto` | `false` | `true` makes `create` and `submit` behave as if `--ai` was passed; `--no-ai` still wins |
 | `stack.ai.command` | `claude` | the Claude Code binary used for `--ai` |
 | `stack.ai.model` | `haiku` | model alias passed to `--model` |
diff --git a/cmd/log.go b/cmd/log.go
index 622116f..36792d7 100644
--- a/cmd/log.go
+++ b/cmd/log.go
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ import (
 )
 
 func newLogCmd(c *cli) *cobra.Command {
-	return &cobra.Command{
+	var currentStack bool
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "log",
 		Short: "Show every stack as a tree with PR state",
 		Long: `Shows every stack in the repo as a tree; trunk at the bottom, each stack rising
@@ -22,28 +23,73 @@ since the last push, so its PR is behind), and its own commits, newest first
 and titles come from a local cache and are refreshed when they go stale; the
 commits come from local git.
 
+--stack shows only the current branch's stack (every stack on it, on a trunk).
+git stack log short shows just the branch names and git stack log long the
+full tree; plain log and bare git stack show the full tree unless
+git config stack.log.short is true.
+
 Bare git stack runs this.`,
 		Args:              cobra.NoArgs,
 		ValidArgsFunction: completeNothing,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
-			return showLog(cmd.Context(), c)
+			return showLog(cmd.Context(), c, logMode{currentStack: currentStack})
 		},
 	}
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&currentStack, "stack", "s", false, "only show the current branch's stack")
+	cmd.AddCommand(newLogShortCmd(c, &currentStack), newLogLongCmd(c, &currentStack))
+	return cmd
 }
 
-// showLog renders the stack tree; it backs both `git stack log` and a bare
-// `git stack`.
-func showLog(ctx context.Context, c *cli) error {
+// logFormat is how much of each branch the log shows.
+type logFormat int
+
+const (
+	// logDefault follows stack.log.short.
+	logDefault logFormat = iota
+	logShort
+	logLong
+)
+
+// logMode picks what showLog renders.
+type logMode struct {
+	format logFormat
+	// currentStack shows only the current branch's stack.
+	currentStack bool
+}
+
+// showLog renders the stack tree; it backs `git stack log` (and its short
+// and long), and a bare `git stack`.
+func showLog(ctx context.Context, c *cli, m logMode) error {
 	a, repo, err := c.app(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	v, err := a.View(ctx, repo, app.ViewOptions{PRs: app.PRsFresh, Commits: true})
+	short := m.format == logShort
+	if m.format == logDefault {
+		cfg, err := c.runtime().Config(ctx)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		short = cfg.LogShort
+	}
+	o := app.ViewOptions{CurrentStackOnly: m.currentStack, PRs: app.PRsFresh, Commits: true}
+	if short {
+		// Names only: no PR state, commits or restack checks to work out.
+		o = app.ViewOptions{CurrentStackOnly: m.currentStack, SkipRestackCheck: true}
+	}
+	v, err := a.View(ctx, repo, o)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	rep := c.report()
-	out := ui.RenderLog(v, ui.LogOptions{Styles: rep.Styles(), Now: time.Now(), Links: rep.Links(), PRURL: rep.PRURL, Width: rep.Width()})
+	if m.currentStack && len(v.Graph.Stacks) > 0 && !v.Graph.Tracked(v.Current) && !v.Graph.IsTrunk(v.Current) {
+		if v.Current == "" {
+			rep.Warn("Not on a branch, so showing every stack")
+		} else {
+			rep.Warn("%s is in no stack, so showing every stack", rep.Branch(v.Current))
+		}
+	}
+	out := ui.RenderLog(v, ui.LogOptions{Styles: rep.Styles(), Now: time.Now(), Links: rep.Links(), PRURL: rep.PRURL, Width: rep.Width(), Short: short})
 	if out == "" {
 		// Not even a trunk: no stacks and no default branch to show.
 		rep.Warn("No stacks yet; check out your trunk and run git stack create to start one")
diff --git a/cmd/log_long.go b/cmd/log_long.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3553ff2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/log_long.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+// newLogLongCmd is `git stack log long`; currentStack is log's persistent
+// --stack flag.
+func newLogLongCmd(c *cli, currentStack *bool) *cobra.Command {
+	return &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "long",
+		Short: "Show every stack as a tree with PR state and commits",
+		Long: `Shows the full tree, as git stack log does without stack.log.short: under each
+branch its PR, state and own commits.`,
+		Args:              cobra.NoArgs,
+		ValidArgsFunction: completeNothing,
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
+			return showLog(cmd.Context(), c, logMode{format: logLong, currentStack: *currentStack})
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/log_short.go b/cmd/log_short.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc27d80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/log_short.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+// newLogShortCmd is `git stack log short`; currentStack is log's persistent
+// --stack flag.
+func newLogShortCmd(c *cli, currentStack *bool) *cobra.Command {
+	return &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "short",
+		Short: "Show every stack as a tree of branch names",
+		Long: `Shows the same tree as git stack log with only the branch names; no PRs, state
+or commits. It reads nothing but local git, so it never touches the network.`,
+		Args:              cobra.NoArgs,
+		ValidArgsFunction: completeNothing,
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
+			return showLog(cmd.Context(), c, logMode{format: logShort, currentStack: *currentStack})
+		},
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/log_test.go b/cmd/log_test.go
index db7e0c3..9495713 100644
--- a/cmd/log_test.go
+++ b/cmd/log_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -65,3 +67,81 @@ func TestLogWithNoStacksShowsTrunk(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("no warning when the trunk is shown:\n%s", errOut)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestLogShortAndStack checks that log short shows only the branch names and
+// that --stack keeps to the current branch's stack, on log and log short.
+func TestLogShortAndStack(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := stackRepo(t) // main -> a (#41) -> b -> c, on b
+	gittest.Run(t, dir, "switch", "-q", "-c", "other", "main")
+	gittest.Commit(t, dir, "other.txt", "other", "other")
+	gittest.Run(t, dir, "switch", "-q", "b")
+	gitDir := gittest.Run(t, dir, "rev-parse", "--absolute-git-dir")
+	meta := `{"schemaVersion":1,"stacks":[{"trunk":{"branch":"main"},"branches":[
+		{"branch":"a","pullRequest":{"number":41,"url":"https://example.com/41"}},{"branch":"b"},{"branch":"c"}]},
+		{"trunk":{"branch":"main"},"branches":[{"branch":"other"}]}]}`
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(gitDir, "gh-stack"), []byte(meta), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	f := fakeGh(t, dir)
+
+	out, errOut, err := runWith(t, f, "--cwd", dir, "log", "short")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("log short: %v\n%s", err, errOut)
+	}
+	if want := "○ c\n● b\n○ a\n│ ○ other\n├─┘\n■ main\n"; out != want {
+		t.Errorf("log short =\n%s\nwant\n%s", out, want)
+	}
+
+	for _, args := range [][]string{{"log", "short", "--stack"}, {"log", "-s", "short"}} {
+		out, errOut, err = runWith(t, f, append([]string{"--cwd", dir}, args...)...)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%v: %v\n%s", args, err, errOut)
+		}
+		if want := "○ c\n● b\n○ a\n■ main\n"; out != want {
+			t.Errorf("%v =\n%s\nwant\n%s", args, out, want)
+		}
+	}
+
+	out, errOut, err = runWith(t, f, "--cwd", dir, "log", "-s")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("log -s: %v\n%s", err, errOut)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(out, "#41") || strings.Contains(out, "other") {
+		t.Errorf("log -s should show the full current stack only:\n%s", out)
+	}
+
+	// From the trunk, every stack on it.
+	gittest.Run(t, dir, "switch", "-q", "main")
+	if out, _, _ = runWith(t, f, "--cwd", dir, "log", "short", "-s"); !strings.Contains(out, "other") || !strings.Contains(out, "○ c") {
+		t.Errorf("log short -s on trunk shows its stacks:\n%s", out)
+	}
+
+	// An untracked branch has no stack, so everything is shown and we say so.
+	gittest.Run(t, dir, "switch", "-q", "loose")
+	out, errOut, err = runWith(t, f, "--cwd", dir, "log", "short", "-s")
+	if err != nil || !strings.Contains(out, "other") || !strings.Contains(errOut, "loose is in no stack") {
+		t.Errorf("log short -s on an untracked branch:\n%s\n%s (%v)", out, errOut, err)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestLogShortConfig checks that stack.log.short makes log and bare git stack
+// short, and that log long still shows everything.
+func TestLogShortConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := stackRepo(t)
+	gittest.Run(t, dir, "config", "stack.log.short", "true")
+	f := fakeGh(t, dir)
+
+	short := "○ c\n● b\n○ a\n■ main\n"
+	for _, args := range [][]string{nil, {"log"}, {"log", "short"}} {
+		out, errOut, err := runWith(t, f, append([]string{"--cwd", dir}, args...)...)
+		if err != nil || out != short {
+			t.Errorf("%v with stack.log.short =\n%s\nwant\n%s (%v %s)", args, out, short, err, errOut)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, args := range [][]string{{"log", "long"}, {"log", "long", "-s"}} {
+		out, errOut, err := runWith(t, f, append([]string{"--cwd", dir}, args...)...)
+		if err != nil || !strings.Contains(out, "#41") || !strings.Contains(out, "│  • ") {
+			t.Errorf("%v should show the full log:\n%s (%v %s)", args, out, err, errOut)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index c8b17ca..1fc7746 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ func newRootCmd(c *cli) *cobra.Command {
 		SilenceErrors:     true,
 		// A bare `git stack` shows the stacks, like `gt log`.
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
-			return showLog(cmd.Context(), c)
+			return showLog(cmd.Context(), c, logMode{})
 		},
 		PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
 			if c.globals.Cwd != "" {
diff --git a/docs/mcp.md b/docs/mcp.md
index 6fad53a..eb2c2b5 100644
--- a/docs/mcp.md
+++ b/docs/mcp.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ path is resolved with `git rev-parse`; anything outside a repository returns `no
 
 | Tool | Purpose | Key inputs | Annotations |
 |---|---|---|---|
-| `stack_view` | Tree of every stack: branches, parents, PR number/state/URL/title, each branch's own `commits`, `needs_restack`, `needs_push`, current branch, untracked branches | `include_untracked`, `fresh` (default true) | read-only, open-world |
+| `stack_view` | Tree of every stack: branches, parents, PR number/state/URL/title, each branch's own `commits`, `needs_restack`, `needs_push`, current branch, untracked branches | `include_untracked`, `current_stack` (only the current branch's stack), `fresh` (default true) | read-only, open-world |
 | `stack_create` | New branch on top of the current one (from trunk: new stack), commit staged changes; with `insert`, right above the current branch even mid-stack, restacking the branches above onto it (the next `stack_submit` regroups the stack on GitHub; a conflict is finished with `stack_continue`, and `stack_abort` puts those branches back but keeps the new branch) | `message` (required), `branch`, `staging` = `all`/`update`/`none`, `use_ai`, `insert` | destructive |
 | `stack_modify` | Amend the current branch (or `mode: commit`) and restack everything above | `mode`, `staging`, `message`, `continue`, `abort` | destructive |
 | `stack_absorb` | Fold each staged hunk into the commit of the current stack that last changed those lines, rewrite it and everything above, then restack what sits above the current branch; the result's `plan` lists every hunk's destination and what stays staged | `staging` = `all`/`update`/`none`, `dry_run` | destructive |
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 9fc903c..4f1b216 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const (
 	KeySubmitDefault  = "stack.submit.default"
 	KeySyncPrune      = "stack.sync.prune"
 	KeyMergeMethod    = "stack.merge.method"
+	KeyLogShort       = "stack.log.short"
 	KeyManagedAliases = "stack.managedAliases"
 	KeyManagedFiles   = "stack.managedFiles"
 )
@@ -57,7 +58,10 @@ type Config struct {
 	SyncPrune string
 	// MergeMethod is merge, squash or rebase; empty leaves it to the
 	// repository's settings.
-	MergeMethod    string
+	MergeMethod string
+	// LogShort makes git stack and git stack log show only branch names,
+	// as git stack log short does.
+	LogShort       bool
 	ManagedAliases []string
 	ManagedFiles   []string
 }
@@ -138,6 +142,12 @@ func FromEntries(entries []git.ConfigEntry) (*Config, error) {
 			default:
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %q is not one of merge, squash, rebase", KeyMergeMethod, v)
 			}
+		case strings.ToLower(KeyLogShort):
+			b, err := parseBool(v)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", KeyLogShort, err)
+			}
+			c.LogShort = b
 		case strings.ToLower(KeyManagedAliases):
 			c.ManagedAliases = append(c.ManagedAliases, v)
 		case strings.ToLower(KeyManagedFiles):
diff --git a/pkg/config/config_test.go b/pkg/config/config_test.go
index 90fe265..88fbf05 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config_test.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ func TestFromEntries(t *testing.T) {
 		{Key: "stack.ai.auto", Value: "yes"},
 		{Key: "stack.cachettl", Value: "30s"},
 		{Key: "stack.submit.default", Value: "publish"},
+		{Key: "stack.log.short", Value: "true"},
 		{Key: "stack.managedaliases", Value: "c"},
 		{Key: "stack.managedaliases", Value: "co"},
 		{Key: "stack.unknownkey", Value: "ignored"},
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@ func TestFromEntries(t *testing.T) {
 	if !c.AIAuto {
 		t.Errorf("stack.ai.auto yes should enable auto AI: %+v", c)
 	}
+	if !c.LogShort {
+		t.Errorf("stack.log.short true should make the log short: %+v", c)
+	}
 	if c.SubmitDefault != config.SubmitPublish || !slices.Equal(c.ManagedAliases, []string{"c", "co"}) {
 		t.Errorf("submit/aliases: %+v", c)
 	}
@@ -48,6 +52,7 @@ func TestFromEntriesRejectsBadValues(t *testing.T) {
 		{Key: "stack.cachettl", Value: "5"},
 		{Key: "stack.submit.default", Value: "maybe"},
 		{Key: "stack.ai.auto", Value: "sometimes"},
+		{Key: "stack.log.short", Value: "brief"},
 	} {
 		_, err := config.FromEntries([]git.ConfigEntry{e})
 		if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "stack.") {
diff --git a/pkg/mcp/server_test.go b/pkg/mcp/server_test.go
index 1bcb9ac..3cadd65 100644
--- a/pkg/mcp/server_test.go
+++ b/pkg/mcp/server_test.go
@@ -284,6 +284,27 @@ func TestViewCommits(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestViewCurrentStack(t *testing.T) {
+	h := newHarness(t)
+	defer h.assertNoStdout()
+	gittest.Run(t, h.dir, "branch", "x", "main")
+	h.backend.SetGraph(stack.NewGraph([]stack.Stack{
+		{Trunk: "main", Branches: []stack.Branch{{Name: "a"}, {Name: "b"}}},
+		{Trunk: "main", Branches: []stack.Branch{{Name: "x"}}},
+	}))
+
+	var v viewOutput
+	h.call("stack_view", map[string]any{"fresh": false}, &v)
+	if len(v.Stacks) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("every stack without current_stack: %+v", v.Stacks)
+	}
+	v = viewOutput{}
+	h.call("stack_view", map[string]any{"fresh": false, "current_stack": true}, &v)
+	if len(v.Stacks) != 1 || v.Stacks[0].Branches[0].Name != "a" || !slices.Equal(v.Trunks, []string{"main"}) {
+		t.Errorf("current_stack should keep only b's stack: %+v", v)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestViewCreateModifyNavigate(t *testing.T) {
 	h := newHarness(t)
 	defer h.assertNoStdout()
diff --git a/pkg/mcp/tools.go b/pkg/mcp/tools.go
index 690687b..3491590 100644
--- a/pkg/mcp/tools.go
+++ b/pkg/mcp/tools.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type repoArg struct {
 type viewInput struct {
 	repoArg
 	IncludeUntracked bool  `json:"include_untracked,omitempty" jsonschema:"also list local branches that are in no stack"`
+	CurrentStack     bool  `json:"current_stack,omitempty" jsonschema:"only the current branch's stack and its trunk (from a trunk, every stack on it); every stack when the current branch is in none"`
 	Fresh            *bool `json:"fresh,omitempty" jsonschema:"refresh pull request state from GitHub when the cache is stale (default true); false never touches the network"`
 }
 
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ func (s *Server) view(ctx context.Context, req *mcp.CallToolRequest, in viewInpu
 	if in.Fresh != nil && !*in.Fresh {
 		mode = app.PRsCached
 	}
-	v, err := a.View(ctx, repo, app.ViewOptions{IncludeUntracked: in.IncludeUntracked, PRs: mode, Commits: true})
+	v, err := a.View(ctx, repo, app.ViewOptions{IncludeUntracked: in.IncludeUntracked, CurrentStackOnly: in.CurrentStack, PRs: mode, Commits: true})
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, viewOutput{}, wrapErr(err)
 	}
@@ -93,6 +94,10 @@ func (s *Server) view(ctx context.Context, req *mcp.CallToolRequest, in viewInpu
 		}
 	}
 	for _, st := range v.Graph.Stacks {
+		if r, ok := rowsByName[st.Bottom()]; !ok || !r.Tracked {
+			// Left out of the view (current_stack).
+			continue
+		}
 		vs := viewStack{Trunk: st.Trunk, Number: st.Number, Branches: []viewBranch{}}
 		parent := st.Trunk
 		for _, b := range st.Branches {
diff --git a/pkg/ui/log.go b/pkg/ui/log.go
index ec60439..138b92b 100644
--- a/pkg/ui/log.go
+++ b/pkg/ui/log.go
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ type LogOptions struct {
 	// would run past it is cut short with "…". 0 never cuts (not a
 	// terminal).
 	Width int
+	// Short shows only the branch names, with no PR, state or commits.
+	Short bool
 }
 
 // RenderLog renders every stack as a tree: trunk at the bottom, each stack a
@@ -55,6 +57,14 @@ type LogOptions struct {
 //	├─┘
 //	■ main
 //
+// Short leaves just the branch names, one line each:
+//
+//	● feat-b
+//	○ feat-a
+//	│ ○ hotfix
+//	├─┘
+//	■ main
+//
 // A trunk with no stacks is still drawn, so an empty repository shows where a
 // stack would start. Untracked branches are not shown. It returns "" when
 // there is no trunk at all.
@@ -96,6 +106,9 @@ func RenderLog(v *app.View, o LogOptions) string {
 			for i := len(s) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
 				r := s[i]
 				b.WriteString(prefix + logMarker(r, st) + " " + logName(r, st) + "\n")
+				if o.Short {
+					continue
+				}
 				pr, title := logPR(r, o)
 				b.WriteString(FitLine(gutter+"  "+pr, title, o.Width) + "\n")
 				if meta := logMeta(r, o); meta != "" {
@@ -119,7 +132,7 @@ func RenderLog(v *app.View, o LogOptions) string {
 			b.WriteString(st.Prefix.Render(join) + "\n")
 		}
 		b.WriteString(logMarker(g.trunk, st) + " " + logName(g.trunk, st))
-		if age := RelativeTime(g.trunk.LastCommit, o.Now); age != "" {
+		if age := RelativeTime(g.trunk.LastCommit, o.Now); age != "" && !o.Short {
 			b.WriteString("  " + st.Muted.Render(age))
 		}
 		b.WriteString("\n")
diff --git a/pkg/ui/log_test.go b/pkg/ui/log_test.go
index 277d395..caaea52 100644
--- a/pkg/ui/log_test.go
+++ b/pkg/ui/log_test.go
@@ -74,6 +74,25 @@ func TestRenderLogPlain(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRenderLogShort(t *testing.T) {
+	out := RenderLog(&app.View{Rows: logRows()}, LogOptions{Now: now, Short: true})
+	want := strings.Join([]string{
+		"○ feat/ui-tests",
+		"● feat/ui",
+		"○ feat/api",
+		"│ ○ fix/typo",
+		"├─┘",
+		"■ main",
+		"",
+		"○ hotfix",
+		"■ release",
+		"",
+	}, "\n")
+	if out != want {
+		t.Errorf("RenderLog short =\n%s\nwant\n%s", out, want)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestRenderLogBranch covers the block under one branch: the PR and title
 // line, the state line and the commit list.
 func TestRenderLogBranch(t *testing.T) {