diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FooterConfigDialog.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FooterConfigDialog.test.tsx
index c97b62d4b4..07dc6a7859 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FooterConfigDialog.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FooterConfigDialog.test.tsx
@@ -22,23 +22,25 @@ describe('<FooterConfigDialog />', () => {
     vi.restoreAllMocks();
   });
 
-  it('renders correctly with default settings', () => {
+  it('renders correctly with default settings', async () => {
     const settings = createMockSettings();
-    const { lastFrame } = renderWithProviders(
+    const { lastFrame, waitUntilReady } = renderWithProviders(
       <FooterConfigDialog onClose={mockOnClose} />,
       { settings },
     );
 
+    await waitUntilReady();
     expect(lastFrame()).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
 
   it('toggles an item when enter is pressed', async () => {
     const settings = createMockSettings();
-    const { lastFrame, stdin } = renderWithProviders(
+    const { lastFrame, stdin, waitUntilReady } = renderWithProviders(
       <FooterConfigDialog onClose={mockOnClose} />,
       { settings },
     );
 
+    await waitUntilReady();
     act(() => {
       stdin.write('\r'); // Enter to toggle
     });
@@ -58,11 +60,12 @@ describe('<FooterConfigDialog />', () => {
 
   it('reorders items with arrow keys', async () => {
     const settings = createMockSettings();
-    const { lastFrame, stdin } = renderWithProviders(
+    const { lastFrame, stdin, waitUntilReady } = renderWithProviders(
       <FooterConfigDialog onClose={mockOnClose} />,
       { settings },
     );
 
+    await waitUntilReady();
     // Initial order: cwd, git-branch, ...
     const output = lastFrame();
     const cwdIdx = output!.indexOf('] cwd');
@@ -88,11 +91,12 @@ describe('<FooterConfigDialog />', () => {
 
   it('closes on Esc', async () => {
     const settings = createMockSettings();
-    const { stdin } = renderWithProviders(
+    const { stdin, waitUntilReady } = renderWithProviders(
       <FooterConfigDialog onClose={mockOnClose} />,
       { settings },
     );
 
+    await waitUntilReady();
     act(() => {
       stdin.write('\x1b'); // Esc
     });
@@ -104,11 +108,12 @@ describe('<FooterConfigDialog />', () => {
 
   it('highlights the active item in the preview', async () => {
     const settings = createMockSettings();
-    const { lastFrame, stdin } = renderWithProviders(
+    const { lastFrame, stdin, waitUntilReady } = renderWithProviders(
       <FooterConfigDialog onClose={mockOnClose} />,
       { settings },
     );
 
+    await waitUntilReady();
     expect(lastFrame()).toContain('~/project/path');
 
     // Move focus down to 'git-branch'
@@ -123,11 +128,12 @@ describe('<FooterConfigDialog />', () => {
 
   it('shows an empty preview when all items are deselected', async () => {
     const settings = createMockSettings();
-    const { lastFrame, stdin } = renderWithProviders(
+    const { lastFrame, stdin, waitUntilReady } = renderWithProviders(
       <FooterConfigDialog onClose={mockOnClose} />,
       { settings },
     );
 
+    await waitUntilReady();
     for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
       act(() => {
         stdin.write('\r'); // Toggle (deselect)
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FooterConfigDialog.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FooterConfigDialog.tsx
index a5e6311e87..d3995fb56e 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FooterConfigDialog.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/FooterConfigDialog.tsx
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ export const FooterConfigDialog: React.FC<FooterConfigDialogProps> = ({
         return true;
       }
 
-      if (keyMatchers[Command.RETURN](key)) {
+      if (keyMatchers[Command.RETURN](key) || key.name === 'space') {
         if (isResetFocused) {
           handleResetToDefaults();
         } else if (isShowLabelsFocused) {
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ export const FooterConfigDialog: React.FC<FooterConfigDialogProps> = ({
 
       <Box marginTop={1} flexDirection="column">
         <Text color={theme.text.secondary}>
-          ↑/↓ navigate · ←/→ reorder · enter select · esc close
+          ↑/↓ navigate · ←/→ reorder · enter/space select · esc close
         </Text>
       </Box>
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/FooterConfigDialog.test.tsx.snap b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/FooterConfigDialog.test.tsx.snap
index b9ab209f14..85f03e8786 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/FooterConfigDialog.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/FooterConfigDialog.test.tsx.snap
@@ -1,33 +1,34 @@
 // Vitest Snapshot v1, https://vitest.dev/guide/snapshot.html
 
 exports[`<FooterConfigDialog /> > renders correctly with default settings 1`] = `
-"╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
-│                                                                                                                      │
-│  Configure Footer                                                                                                    │
-│                                                                                                                      │
-│  Select which items to display in the footer.                                                                        │
-│                                                                                                                      │
-│  > [✓] cwd                Current working directory                                                                  │
-│    [✓] git-branch         Current git branch name (not shown when unavailable)                                       │
-│    [✓] sandbox-status     Sandbox type and trust indicator                                                           │
-│    [✓] model-name         Current model identifier                                                                   │
-│    [✓] usage-limit        Remaining usage on daily limit (not shown when unavailable)                                │
-│    [ ] context-remaining  Percentage of context window remaining                                                     │
-│    [ ] memory-usage       Memory used by the application                                                             │
-│    [ ] session-id         Unique identifier for the current session                                                  │
-│    [ ] code-changes       Lines added/removed in the session (not shown when zero)                                   │
-│    [ ] token-count        Total tokens used in the session (not shown when zero)                                     │
-│                                                                                                                      │
-│    [✓] Show footer labels                                                                                            │
-│    Reset to default footer                                                                                           │
-│                                                                                                                      │
-│  ↑/↓ navigate · ←/→ reorder · enter select · esc close                                                               │
-│                                                                                                                      │
-│  ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
-│  │ Preview:                                                                                                       │  │
-│  │ Path             Branch   /docs    /model           /stats                                                     │  │
-│  │ ~/project/path   main     docker   gemini-2.5-pro   daily 97%                                                  │  │
-│  └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
-│                                                                                                                      │
-╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯"
+"╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+│                                                                                                  │
+│  Configure Footer                                                                                │
+│                                                                                                  │
+│  Select which items to display in the footer.                                                    │
+│                                                                                                  │
+│  > [✓] cwd                Current working directory                                              │
+│    [✓] git-branch         Current git branch name (not shown when unavailable)                   │
+│    [✓] sandbox-status     Sandbox type and trust indicator                                       │
+│    [✓] model-name         Current model identifier                                               │
+│    [✓] usage-limit        Remaining usage on daily limit (not shown when unavailable)            │
+│    [ ] context-remaining  Percentage of context window remaining                                 │
+│    [ ] memory-usage       Memory used by the application                                         │
+│    [ ] session-id         Unique identifier for the current session                              │
+│    [ ] code-changes       Lines added/removed in the session (not shown when zero)               │
+│    [ ] token-count        Total tokens used in the session (not shown when zero)                 │
+│                                                                                                  │
+│    [✓] Show footer labels                                                                        │
+│    Reset to default footer                                                                       │
+│                                                                                                  │
+│  ↑/↓ navigate · ←/→ reorder · enter/space select · esc close                                     │
+│                                                                                                  │
+│  ┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
+│  │ Preview:                                                                                   │  │
+│  │ Path             Branch   /docs    /model           /stats                                 │  │
+│  │ ~/project/path   main     docker   gemini-2.5-pro   daily 97%                              │  │
+│  └────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
+│                                                                                                  │
+╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
+"
 `;