diff --git a/packages/cli/integration-tests/bootstrap.test.ts b/packages/cli/integration-tests/bootstrap.test.ts
index 700c90a79f..553bd6f8e2 100644
--- a/packages/cli/integration-tests/bootstrap.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/integration-tests/bootstrap.test.ts
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@ describe('Gemini CLI TTY Bootstrap', () => {
 
     // The ready marker we expect to see
     const readyMarker = 'Type your message or @path/to/file';
+    const welcomeMessage = 'Welcome to Gemini CLI!';
 
-    // Verify the initial render completes and displays the marker
+    // Verify the initial render completes and displays the markers
+    await run.expectText(welcomeMessage, 30000);
     await run.expectText(readyMarker, 30000);
 
     // If we reached here, the smoke test passed
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/AppHeader.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/AppHeader.tsx
index 0b15f917a6..d53f1b41a5 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/AppHeader.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/AppHeader.tsx
@@ -124,6 +124,14 @@ export const AppHeader = ({ version, showDetails = true }: AppHeaderProps) => {
         />
       )}
 
+      {showHeader && (
+        <Box paddingLeft={2} marginTop={1}>
+          <Text italic color={theme.text.secondary}>
+            Welcome to Gemini CLI!
+          </Text>
+        </Box>
+      )}
+
       {!(settings.merged.ui.hideTips || config.getScreenReader()) &&
         showTips && <Tips config={config} />}
     </Box>