diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ConfigInitDisplay.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ConfigInitDisplay.test.tsx
index ed4a60a1de..3c98080823 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ConfigInitDisplay.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ConfigInitDisplay.test.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 import { act } from 'react';
 import { render } from '../../test-utils/render.js';
+import { waitFor } from '../../test-utils/async.js';
 import { ConfigInitDisplay } from './ConfigInitDisplay.js';
 import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
 import { AppEvent } from '../../utils/events.js';
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ describe('ConfigInitDisplay', () => {
     const { lastFrame } = render(<ConfigInitDisplay />);
 
     // Wait for listener to be registered
-    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+    await waitFor(() => {
       if (!listener) throw new Error('Listener not registered yet');
     });
 
@@ -84,7 +85,42 @@ describe('ConfigInitDisplay', () => {
     });
 
     // Wait for the UI to update
-    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(lastFrame()).toMatchSnapshot();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('truncates list of waiting servers if too many', async () => {
+    let listener: ((clients?: Map<string, McpClient>) => void) | undefined;
+    mockOn.mockImplementation((event, fn) => {
+      if (event === AppEvent.McpClientUpdate) {
+        listener = fn;
+      }
+    });
+
+    const { lastFrame } = render(<ConfigInitDisplay />);
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      if (!listener) throw new Error('Listener not registered yet');
+    });
+
+    const mockClientConnecting = {
+      getStatus: () => MCPServerStatus.CONNECTING,
+    } as McpClient;
+
+    const clients = new Map<string, McpClient>([
+      ['s1', mockClientConnecting],
+      ['s2', mockClientConnecting],
+      ['s3', mockClientConnecting],
+      ['s4', mockClientConnecting],
+      ['s5', mockClientConnecting],
+    ]);
+
+    act(() => {
+      listener!(clients);
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
       expect(lastFrame()).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
   });
@@ -99,7 +135,7 @@ describe('ConfigInitDisplay', () => {
 
     const { lastFrame } = render(<ConfigInitDisplay />);
 
-    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+    await waitFor(() => {
       if (!listener) throw new Error('Listener not registered yet');
     });
 
@@ -110,7 +146,7 @@ describe('ConfigInitDisplay', () => {
       });
     }
 
-    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+    await waitFor(() => {
       expect(lastFrame()).toMatchSnapshot();
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ConfigInitDisplay.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ConfigInitDisplay.tsx
index 8180bbe8de..59529dc96d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ConfigInitDisplay.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ConfigInitDisplay.tsx
@@ -21,12 +21,28 @@ export const ConfigInitDisplay = () => {
         return;
       }
       let connected = 0;
-      for (const client of clients.values()) {
+      const connecting: string[] = [];
+      for (const [name, client] of clients.entries()) {
         if (client.getStatus() === MCPServerStatus.CONNECTED) {
           connected++;
+        } else {
+          connecting.push(name);
         }
       }
-      setMessage(`Connecting to MCP servers... (${connected}/${clients.size})`);
+
+      if (connecting.length > 0) {
+        const maxDisplay = 3;
+        const displayedServers = connecting.slice(0, maxDisplay).join(', ');
+        const remaining = connecting.length - maxDisplay;
+        const suffix = remaining > 0 ? `, +${remaining} more` : '';
+        setMessage(
+          `Connecting to MCP servers... (${connected}/${clients.size}) - Waiting for: ${displayedServers}${suffix}`,
+        );
+      } else {
+        setMessage(
+          `Connecting to MCP servers... (${connected}/${clients.size})`,
+        );
+      }
     };
 
     appEvents.on(AppEvent.McpClientUpdate, onChange);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/ConfigInitDisplay.test.tsx.snap b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/ConfigInitDisplay.test.tsx.snap
index 9c7b7cc0d7..f858877be0 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/ConfigInitDisplay.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/ConfigInitDisplay.test.tsx.snap
@@ -10,7 +10,12 @@ exports[`ConfigInitDisplay > renders initial state 1`] = `
 Spinner Initializing..."
 `;
 
+exports[`ConfigInitDisplay > truncates list of waiting servers if too many 1`] = `
+"
+Spinner Connecting to MCP servers... (0/5) - Waiting for: s1, s2, s3, +2 more"
+`;
+
 exports[`ConfigInitDisplay > updates message on McpClientUpdate event 1`] = `
 "
-Spinner Connecting to MCP servers... (1/2)"
+Spinner Connecting to MCP servers... (1/2) - Waiting for: server2"
 `;