diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx
index 9a6155da00..cbc9b792c7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx
@@ -646,26 +646,6 @@ describe('Composer', () => {
       expect(lastFrame()).toMatch(/ShellModeIndic[\s\S]*tor/);
     });
 
-    it('shows RawMarkdownIndicator when renderMarkdown is false', async () => {
-      const uiState = createMockUIState({
-        renderMarkdown: false,
-      });
-
-      const { lastFrame } = await renderComposer(uiState);
-
-      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('raw markdown mode');
-    });
-
-    it('does not show RawMarkdownIndicator when renderMarkdown is true', async () => {
-      const uiState = createMockUIState({
-        renderMarkdown: true,
-      });
-
-      const { lastFrame } = await renderComposer(uiState);
-
-      expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('raw markdown mode');
-    });
-
     it.each([
       [ApprovalMode.YOLO, 'YOLO'],
       [ApprovalMode.PLAN, 'plan'],
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.tsx
index d30f52dddf..32ac92318c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.tsx
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import { ToastDisplay, shouldShowToast } from './ToastDisplay.js';
 import { ApprovalModeIndicator } from './ApprovalModeIndicator.js';
 import { ShellModeIndicator } from './ShellModeIndicator.js';
 import { DetailedMessagesDisplay } from './DetailedMessagesDisplay.js';
-import { RawMarkdownIndicator } from './RawMarkdownIndicator.js';
 import { ShortcutsHint } from './ShortcutsHint.js';
 import { ShortcutsHelp } from './ShortcutsHelp.js';
 import { InputPrompt } from './InputPrompt.js';
@@ -114,7 +113,6 @@ export const Composer = ({ isFocused = true }: { isFocused?: boolean }) => {
     suggestionsVisible && suggestionsPosition === 'above';
   const showApprovalIndicator =
     !uiState.shellModeActive && !hideUiDetailsForSuggestions;
-  const showRawMarkdownIndicator = !uiState.renderMarkdown;
   let modeBleedThrough: { text: string; color: string } | null = null;
   switch (showApprovalModeIndicator) {
     case ApprovalMode.YOLO:
@@ -378,26 +376,6 @@ export const Composer = ({ isFocused = true }: { isFocused?: boolean }) => {
                           <ShellModeIndicator />
                         </Box>
                       )}
-                      {showRawMarkdownIndicator && (
-                        <Box
-                          marginLeft={
-                            (showApprovalIndicator ||
-                              uiState.shellModeActive) &&
-                            !isNarrow
-                              ? 1
-                              : 0
-                          }
-                          marginTop={
-                            (showApprovalIndicator ||
-                              uiState.shellModeActive) &&
-                            !isNarrow
-                              ? 1
-                              : 0
-                          }
-                        >
-                          <RawMarkdownIndicator />
-                        </Box>
-                      )}
                     </>
                   )}
                 </Box>
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/RawMarkdownIndicator.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/RawMarkdownIndicator.test.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ae721ccd5..0000000000
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/RawMarkdownIndicator.test.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * @license
- * Copyright 2025 Google LLC
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
- */
-
-import { render } from '../../test-utils/render.js';
-import { RawMarkdownIndicator } from './RawMarkdownIndicator.js';
-import { describe, it, expect, afterEach, beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest';
-
-describe('RawMarkdownIndicator', () => {
-  const originalPlatform = process.platform;
-
-  beforeEach(() => vi.stubEnv('FORCE_GENERIC_KEYBINDING_HINTS', ''));
-
-  afterEach(() => {
-    Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', {
-      value: originalPlatform,
-    });
-    vi.unstubAllEnvs();
-  });
-
-  it('renders correct key binding for darwin', async () => {
-    Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', {
-      value: 'darwin',
-    });
-    const { lastFrame, waitUntilReady, unmount } = render(
-      <RawMarkdownIndicator />,
-    );
-    await waitUntilReady();
-    expect(lastFrame()).toContain('raw markdown mode');
-    expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Option+M to toggle');
-    unmount();
-  });
-
-  it('renders correct key binding for other platforms', async () => {
-    Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', {
-      value: 'linux',
-    });
-    const { lastFrame, waitUntilReady, unmount } = render(
-      <RawMarkdownIndicator />,
-    );
-    await waitUntilReady();
-    expect(lastFrame()).toContain('raw markdown mode');
-    expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Alt+M to toggle');
-    unmount();
-  });
-});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/RawMarkdownIndicator.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/RawMarkdownIndicator.tsx
deleted file mode 100644
index 922c30a36d..0000000000
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/RawMarkdownIndicator.tsx
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,23 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * @license
- * Copyright 2025 Google LLC
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
- */
-
-import type React from 'react';
-import { Box, Text } from 'ink';
-import { theme } from '../semantic-colors.js';
-import { formatCommand } from '../utils/keybindingUtils.js';
-import { Command } from '../../config/keyBindings.js';
-
-export const RawMarkdownIndicator: React.FC = () => {
-  const modKey = formatCommand(Command.TOGGLE_MARKDOWN);
-  return (
-    <Box>
-      <Text>
-        raw markdown mode
-        <Text color={theme.text.secondary}> ({modKey} to toggle) </Text>
-      </Text>
-    </Box>
-  );
-};
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useAlternateBuffer.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useAlternateBuffer.ts
index 8300df70de..3db30202b9 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useAlternateBuffer.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useAlternateBuffer.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
 
+import { useState, useLayoutEffect, type RefObject } from 'react';
 import { useConfig } from '../contexts/ConfigContext.js';
 import type { Config } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
+import { type DOMElement, measureElement } from 'ink';
+import { useTerminalSize } from './useTerminalSize.js';
 
 export const isAlternateBufferEnabled = (config: Config): boolean =>
   config.getUseAlternateBuffer();
@@ -15,3 +18,28 @@ export const useAlternateBuffer = (): boolean => {
   const config = useConfig();
   return isAlternateBufferEnabled(config);
 };
+
+export const useLegacyNonAlternateBufferMode = (
+  rootUiRef: RefObject<DOMElement | null>,
+): boolean => {
+  const isAlternateBuffer = useAlternateBuffer();
+  const { rows: terminalHeight } = useTerminalSize();
+  const [isOverflowing, setIsOverflowing] = useState(false);
+
+  useLayoutEffect(() => {
+    if (isAlternateBuffer || !rootUiRef.current) {
+      if (isOverflowing) setIsOverflowing(false);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const measurement = measureElement(rootUiRef.current);
+    // If the interactive UI is taller than the terminal height, we have a problem.
+    const currentlyOverflowing = measurement.height >= terminalHeight;
+
+    if (currentlyOverflowing !== isOverflowing) {
+      setIsOverflowing(currentlyOverflowing);
+    }
+  }, [isAlternateBuffer, rootUiRef, terminalHeight, isOverflowing]);
+
+  return !isAlternateBuffer && isOverflowing;
+};