diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx
index 73765dcf04..956130fffe 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Composer.test.tsx
@@ -308,19 +308,19 @@ describe('Composer', () => {
       expect(output).not.toContain('Should not show');
     });
 
-    it('does not render LoadingIndicator when waiting for confirmation', () => {
+    it('renders LoadingIndicator when waiting for confirmation', () => {
       const uiState = createMockUIState({
         streamingState: StreamingState.WaitingForConfirmation,
         thought: {
           subject: 'Confirmation',
-          description: 'Should not show during confirmation',
+          description: 'Should show during confirmation',
         },
       });
 
       const { lastFrame } = renderComposer(uiState);
 
       const output = lastFrame();
-      expect(output).not.toContain('LoadingIndicator');
+      expect(output).toContain('LoadingIndicator');
     });
 
     it('does not render LoadingIndicator when a tool confirmation is pending', () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Footer.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Footer.test.tsx
index 4113060081..cd28462bcd 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Footer.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/Footer.test.tsx
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ describe('<Footer />', () => {
       }),
     });
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain(defaultProps.model);
-    expect(lastFrame()).toMatch(/\(\d+% context left\)/);
+    expect(lastFrame()).toMatch(/\d+% context left/);
   });
 
   it('displays the model name and abbreviated context percentage', () => {
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ describe('<Footer />', () => {
       }),
     });
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain(defaultProps.model);
-    expect(lastFrame()).toMatch(/\(\d+%\)/);
+    expect(lastFrame()).toMatch(/\d+%/);
   });
 
   describe('sandbox and trust info', () => {
@@ -289,9 +289,8 @@ describe('<Footer />', () => {
         }),
       });
       expect(lastFrame()).toContain(defaultProps.model);
-      expect(lastFrame()).not.toMatch(/\(\d+% context left\)/);
+      expect(lastFrame()).not.toMatch(/\d+% context left/);
     });
-
     it('shows the context percentage when hideContextPercentage is false', () => {
       const { lastFrame } = renderWithProviders(<Footer />, {
         width: 120,
@@ -305,9 +304,8 @@ describe('<Footer />', () => {
         }),
       });
       expect(lastFrame()).toContain(defaultProps.model);
-      expect(lastFrame()).toMatch(/\(\d+% context left\)/);
+      expect(lastFrame()).toMatch(/\d+% context left/);
     });
-
     it('renders complete footer in narrow terminal (baseline narrow)', () => {
       const { lastFrame } = renderWithProviders(<Footer />, {
         width: 79,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.test.tsx
index e76c4d49f3..bb01dcb691 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.test.tsx
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ describe('<LoadingIndicator />', () => {
     elapsedTime: 5,
   };
 
-  it('should not render when streamingState is Idle and no loading phrase or thought', () => {
+  it('should render blank when streamingState is Idle and no loading phrase or thought', () => {
     const { lastFrame } = renderWithContext(
       <LoadingIndicator elapsedTime={5} />,
       StreamingState.Idle,
     );
-    expect(lastFrame()).toBe('');
+    expect(lastFrame()?.trim()).toBe('');
   });
 
   it('should render spinner, phrase, and time when streamingState is Responding', () => {
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ describe('<LoadingIndicator />', () => {
       <LoadingIndicator elapsedTime={5} />,
       StreamingState.Idle,
     );
-    expect(lastFrame()).toBe(''); // Initial: Idle (no loading phrase)
+    expect(lastFrame()?.trim()).toBe(''); // Initial: Idle (no loading phrase)
 
     // Transition to Responding
     rerender(
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ describe('<LoadingIndicator />', () => {
         <LoadingIndicator elapsedTime={5} />
       </StreamingContext.Provider>,
     );
-    expect(lastFrame()).toBe(''); // Idle with no loading phrase
+    expect(lastFrame()?.trim()).toBe(''); // Idle with no loading phrase and no spinner
     unmount();
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/Footer.test.tsx.snap b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/Footer.test.tsx.snap
index 4c870387ae..ebe9b0c291 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/Footer.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/Footer.test.tsx.snap
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 // Vitest Snapshot v1, https://vitest.dev/guide/snapshot.html
 
-exports[`<Footer /> > footer configuration filtering (golden snapshots) > renders complete footer in narrow terminal (baseline narrow) > complete-footer-narrow 1`] = `" ...s/to/make/it/long           no sandbox            gemini-pro /model (100%)"`;
+exports[`<Footer /> > footer configuration filtering (golden snapshots) > renders complete footer in narrow terminal (baseline narrow) > complete-footer-narrow 1`] = `" ...s/to/make/it/long            no sandbox             /model gemini-pro 100%"`;
 
-exports[`<Footer /> > footer configuration filtering (golden snapshots) > renders complete footer with all sections visible (baseline) > complete-footer-wide 1`] = `" ...directories/to/make/it/long              no sandbox (see /docs)               gemini-pro /model (100% context left)"`;
+exports[`<Footer /> > footer configuration filtering (golden snapshots) > renders complete footer with all sections visible (baseline) > complete-footer-wide 1`] = `" ...directories/to/make/it/long               no sandbox (see /docs)                /model gemini-pro 100% context left"`;
 
 exports[`<Footer /> > footer configuration filtering (golden snapshots) > renders footer with CWD and model info hidden to test alignment (only sandbox visible) > footer-only-sandbox 1`] = `"                                                 no sandbox (see /docs)"`;
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useLoadingIndicator.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useLoadingIndicator.test.tsx
index df0a766fae..23da2131b2 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useLoadingIndicator.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useLoadingIndicator.test.tsx
@@ -76,9 +76,7 @@ describe('useLoadingIndicator', () => {
     vi.spyOn(Math, 'random').mockImplementation(() => 0.5); // Always witty
     const { result } = renderLoadingIndicatorHook(StreamingState.Idle);
     expect(result.current.elapsedTime).toBe(0);
-    expect(WITTY_LOADING_PHRASES).toContain(
-      result.current.currentLoadingPhrase,
-    );
+    expect(result.current.currentLoadingPhrase).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
   it('should show interactive shell waiting phrase when shouldShowFocusHint is true', async () => {
@@ -198,9 +196,7 @@ describe('useLoadingIndicator', () => {
     });
 
     expect(result.current.elapsedTime).toBe(0);
-    expect(WITTY_LOADING_PHRASES).toContain(
-      result.current.currentLoadingPhrase,
-    );
+    expect(result.current.currentLoadingPhrase).toBeUndefined();
 
     // Timer should not advance
     await act(async () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/usePhraseCycler.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/usePhraseCycler.test.tsx
index 40b47664d1..62c5430f23 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/usePhraseCycler.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/usePhraseCycler.test.tsx
@@ -45,12 +45,12 @@ describe('usePhraseCycler', () => {
     vi.restoreAllMocks();
   });
 
-  it('should initialize with a witty phrase when not active and not waiting', () => {
+  it('should initialize with an empty string when not active and not waiting', () => {
     vi.spyOn(Math, 'random').mockImplementation(() => 0.5); // Always witty
     const { lastFrame } = render(
       <TestComponent isActive={false} isWaiting={false} />,
     );
-    expect(WITTY_LOADING_PHRASES).toContain(lastFrame());
+    expect(lastFrame()).toBe('');
   });
 
   it('should show "Waiting for user confirmation..." when isWaiting is true', async () => {
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ describe('usePhraseCycler', () => {
     });
     expect(customPhrases).toContain(lastFrame()); // Should be one of the custom phrases
 
-    // Deactivate -> resets to first phrase in sequence
+    // Deactivate -> resets to undefined (empty string in output)
     rerender(
       <TestComponent
         isActive={false}
@@ -206,8 +206,8 @@ describe('usePhraseCycler', () => {
     await act(async () => {
       await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(0);
     });
-    // The phrase should be the first phrase after reset
-    expect(customPhrases).toContain(lastFrame());
+    // The phrase should be empty after reset
+    expect(lastFrame()).toBe('');
 
     // Activate again -> this will show a tip on first activation, then cycle from where mock is
     rerender(