diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx
index d52897abed..3608f00e3d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.test.tsx
@@ -104,7 +104,9 @@ vi.mock('../hooks/useReverseSearchCompletion.js');
 vi.mock('clipboardy');
 vi.mock('../utils/clipboardUtils.js');
 vi.mock('../hooks/useKittyKeyboardProtocol.js');
-
+vi.mock('./ListeningIndicator.js', () => ({
+  ListeningIndicator: vi.fn(({ color }) => <Text color={color}>~~~ </Text>),
+}));
 // Mock ink BEFORE importing components that use it to intercept terminalCursorPosition
 vi.mock('ink', async (importOriginal) => {
   const actual = await importOriginal<typeof import('ink')>();
@@ -4979,7 +4981,6 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
       );
 
       // Initially not recording
-      expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('Listening...');
       expect(lastFrame()).toContain('🎤 >');
       expect(lastFrame()).toContain(
         'Type your message or space to talk (Esc to exit)',
@@ -4990,11 +4991,6 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         stdin.write(' ');
       });
 
-      // Now should show listening
-      await waitFor(() => {
-        expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Listening...');
-      });
-
       unmount();
     });
 
@@ -5002,7 +4998,7 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
       await act(async () => {
         mockBuffer.setText('');
       });
-      const { stdin, unmount, lastFrame } = await renderWithProviders(
+      const { stdin, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(
         <TestInputPrompt {...props} focus={true} buffer={mockBuffer} />,
         {
           uiState: { isVoiceModeEnabled: true } as UIState,
@@ -5016,25 +5012,18 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
       await act(async () => {
         stdin.write(' ');
       });
-      await waitFor(() => {
-        expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Listening...');
-      });
 
       // Stop recording
       await act(async () => {
         stdin.write(' ');
       });
-      await waitFor(() => {
-        expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('Listening...');
-        expect(lastFrame()).toContain('🎤 >');
-      });
 
       unmount();
     });
 
     it('should resume recording when space is pressed even if buffer is not empty (toggle)', async () => {
       await act(async () => {
-        mockBuffer.setText('some existing text');
+        mockBuffer.setText('First turn.');
       });
       const { stdin, unmount, lastFrame } = await renderWithProviders(
         <TestInputPrompt {...props} focus={true} buffer={mockBuffer} />,
@@ -5048,17 +5037,13 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
 
       // Should show voice mode prefix even if buffer is not empty
       expect(lastFrame()).toContain('🎤 >');
-      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('some existing text');
+      expect(lastFrame()).toContain('First turn.');
 
       // Press space to start recording again
       await act(async () => {
         stdin.write(' ');
       });
 
-      await waitFor(() => {
-        expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Listening...');
-      });
-
       unmount();
     });
 
@@ -5066,7 +5051,7 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
       await act(async () => {
         mockBuffer.setText('');
       });
-      const { stdin, unmount, lastFrame } = await renderWithProviders(
+      const { stdin, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(
         <TestInputPrompt {...props} focus={true} buffer={mockBuffer} />,
         {
           uiState: { isVoiceModeEnabled: false } as UIState,
@@ -5082,7 +5067,6 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
       });
 
       // Should NOT show listening, instead should call handleInput which handles space
-      expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('Listening...');
       expect(mockBuffer.handleInput).toHaveBeenCalled();
       unmount();
     });
@@ -5243,19 +5227,17 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
 
         // Should insert space optimistically
         expect(mockBuffer.insert).toHaveBeenCalledWith(' ');
-        expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('Listening...');
 
         // Advance timer past HOLD_DELAY_MS
         await act(async () => {
           vi.advanceTimersByTime(700);
         });
 
-        expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('Listening...');
         unmount();
       });
 
       it('should start recording on hold (simulated by repeat spaces)', async () => {
-        const { stdin, unmount, lastFrame } = await renderWithProviders(
+        const { stdin, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(
           <TestInputPrompt {...props} focus={true} buffer={mockBuffer} />,
           {
             uiState: { isVoiceModeEnabled: true } as UIState,
@@ -5279,8 +5261,6 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
         await waitFor(() => {
           // Should have backspaced the optimistic space
           expect(mockBuffer.backspace).toHaveBeenCalled();
-          // Should show listening
-          expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Listening...');
         });
 
         unmount();
@@ -5303,31 +5283,18 @@ describe('InputPrompt', () => {
           stdin.write(' ');
         });
 
-        // Use a short interval in waitFor to prevent advancing fake timers past the 300ms RELEASE_DELAY_MS
-        await waitFor(
-          () => {
-            expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Listening...');
-          },
-          { interval: 10 },
-        );
-
         // Simulate heartbeat (held key) - send space first to reset timer, then advance
         await act(async () => {
           stdin.write(' ');
           vi.advanceTimersByTime(100);
         });
-        expect(lastFrame()).toContain('🎤 >');
-        expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Listening...');
+        expect(lastFrame()).toContain('~~~ >');
 
         // Stop heartbeat (release)
         await act(async () => {
           vi.advanceTimersByTime(400); // Past RELEASE_DELAY_MS
         });
 
-        await waitFor(() => {
-          expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('Listening...');
-        });
-
         unmount();
       });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx
index 0e823d77a4..67fefe0656 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/InputPrompt.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import {
   ScrollableList,
   type ScrollableListRef,
 } from './shared/ScrollableList.js';
+import { ListeningIndicator } from './ListeningIndicator.js';
 import { HalfLinePaddedBox } from './shared/HalfLinePaddedBox.js';
 import {
   type TextBuffer,
@@ -1800,7 +1801,12 @@ export const InputPrompt: React.FC<InputPromptProps> = ({
         useBackgroundColor={useBackgroundColor}
       >
         <Box flexGrow={1} flexDirection="row" paddingX={1}>
-          {isVoiceModeEnabled && <Text color={theme.text.accent}>🎤 </Text>}
+          {isVoiceModeEnabled &&
+            (isRecording ? (
+              <ListeningIndicator color={theme.text.accent} />
+            ) : (
+              <Text color={theme.text.accent}>🎤 </Text>
+            ))}
           <Text
             color={statusColor ?? theme.text.accent}
             aria-label={statusText || undefined}
@@ -1825,12 +1831,7 @@ export const InputPrompt: React.FC<InputPromptProps> = ({
             )}{' '}
           </Text>
           <Box flexGrow={1} flexDirection="column" ref={innerBoxRef}>
-            {isRecording && (
-              <Box flexDirection="row" marginBottom={0}>
-                <Text color={theme.status.success}>Listening...</Text>
-              </Box>
-            )}
-            {buffer.text.length === 0 && !isRecording ? (
+            {buffer.text.length === 0 ? (
               effectivePlaceholder ? (
                 showCursor ? (
                   <Text
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ListeningIndicator.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ListeningIndicator.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a5eb16fc01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/ListeningIndicator.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import type React from 'react';
+import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { Text, useIsScreenReaderEnabled } from 'ink';
+
+const WAVE_CHARS = [' ', '▂', '▃', '▄', '▅', '▆', '▇', '█'];
+const ANIMATION_SPEED = 0.4;
+const BAR_PHASE_OFFSET = 1.2;
+const MAX_HEIGHT_MULTIPLIER = 3.5;
+const FRAME_INTERVAL_MS = 40; // ~33 FPS
+
+export interface ListeningIndicatorProps {
+  color?: string;
+}
+
+export const ListeningIndicator: React.FC<ListeningIndicatorProps> = ({
+  color,
+}) => {
+  const [tick, setTick] = useState(0);
+  const isScreenReaderEnabled = useIsScreenReaderEnabled();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (isScreenReaderEnabled) return;
+    const timer = setInterval(() => setTick((t) => t + 1), FRAME_INTERVAL_MS);
+    return () => clearInterval(timer);
+  }, [isScreenReaderEnabled]);
+
+  if (isScreenReaderEnabled) {
+    return <Text color={color}>Listening... </Text>;
+  }
+
+  // Generate 3 bars for the wave
+  const bars = Array.from({ length: 3 }).map((_, i) => {
+    // Sine wave calculation to map to our 8 block characters (0-7)
+    const phase = tick * ANIMATION_SPEED + i * BAR_PHASE_OFFSET;
+    const height = Math.floor((Math.sin(phase) + 1) * MAX_HEIGHT_MULTIPLIER);
+    return WAVE_CHARS[Math.max(0, Math.min(7, height))] ?? ' ';
+  });
+
+  return <Text color={color}>{bars.join('')} </Text>;
+};