diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/StatusRow.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/StatusRow.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b80dbacabe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/StatusRow.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import { renderWithProviders } from '../../test-utils/render.js';
+import { StatusRow } from './StatusRow.js';
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, type Mock } from 'vitest';
+import { useComposerStatus } from '../hooks/useComposerStatus.js';
+import { type UIState } from '../contexts/UIStateContext.js';
+import { type TextBuffer } from '../components/shared/text-buffer.js';
+import { type SessionStatsState } from '../contexts/SessionContext.js';
+import { type ThoughtSummary } from '../types.js';
+import { ApprovalMode } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
+
+vi.mock('../hooks/useComposerStatus.js', () => ({
+  useComposerStatus: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+describe('<StatusRow />', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  const defaultUiState: Partial<UIState> = {
+    currentTip: undefined,
+    thought: null,
+    elapsedTime: 0,
+    currentWittyPhrase: undefined,
+    activeHooks: [],
+    buffer: { text: '' } as unknown as TextBuffer,
+    sessionStats: { lastPromptTokenCount: 0 } as unknown as SessionStatsState,
+    shortcutsHelpVisible: false,
+    contextFileNames: [],
+    showApprovalModeIndicator: ApprovalMode.DEFAULT,
+    allowPlanMode: false,
+    shellModeActive: false,
+    renderMarkdown: true,
+    currentModel: 'gemini-3',
+  };
+
+  it('renders status and tip correctly when they both fit', async () => {
+    (useComposerStatus as Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      isInteractiveShellWaiting: false,
+      showLoadingIndicator: true,
+      showTips: true,
+      showWit: true,
+      modeContentObj: null,
+      showMinimalContext: false,
+    });
+
+    const uiState: Partial<UIState> = {
+      ...defaultUiState,
+      currentTip: 'Test Tip',
+      thought: { subject: 'Thinking...' } as unknown as ThoughtSummary,
+      elapsedTime: 5,
+      currentWittyPhrase: 'I am witty',
+    };
+
+    const { lastFrame, waitUntilReady } = await renderWithProviders(
+      <StatusRow
+        showUiDetails={false}
+        isNarrow={false}
+        terminalWidth={100}
+        hideContextSummary={false}
+        hideUiDetailsForSuggestions={false}
+        hasPendingActionRequired={false}
+      />,
+      {
+        width: 100,
+        uiState,
+      },
+    );
+
+    await waitUntilReady();
+    const output = lastFrame();
+    expect(output).toContain('Thinking...');
+    expect(output).toContain('I am witty');
+    expect(output).toContain('Tip: Test Tip');
+  });
+
+  it('renders correctly when interactive shell is waiting', async () => {
+    (useComposerStatus as Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      isInteractiveShellWaiting: true,
+      showLoadingIndicator: false,
+      showTips: false,
+      showWit: false,
+      modeContentObj: null,
+      showMinimalContext: false,
+    });
+
+    const { lastFrame, waitUntilReady } = await renderWithProviders(
+      <StatusRow
+        showUiDetails={true}
+        isNarrow={false}
+        terminalWidth={100}
+        hideContextSummary={false}
+        hideUiDetailsForSuggestions={false}
+        hasPendingActionRequired={false}
+      />,
+      {
+        width: 100,
+        uiState: defaultUiState,
+      },
+    );
+
+    await waitUntilReady();
+    expect(lastFrame()).toContain('! Shell awaiting input (Tab to focus)');
+  });
+
+  it('renders tip with absolute positioning when it fits but might collide (verification of container logic)', async () => {
+    (useComposerStatus as Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      isInteractiveShellWaiting: false,
+      showLoadingIndicator: true,
+      showTips: true,
+      showWit: true,
+      modeContentObj: null,
+      showMinimalContext: false,
+    });
+
+    const uiState: Partial<UIState> = {
+      ...defaultUiState,
+      currentTip: 'Test Tip',
+    };
+
+    const { lastFrame, waitUntilReady } = await renderWithProviders(
+      <StatusRow
+        showUiDetails={false}
+        isNarrow={false}
+        terminalWidth={100}
+        hideContextSummary={false}
+        hideUiDetailsForSuggestions={false}
+        hasPendingActionRequired={false}
+      />,
+      {
+        width: 100,
+        uiState,
+      },
+    );
+
+    await waitUntilReady();
+    expect(lastFrame()).toContain('Tip: Test Tip');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/StatusRow.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/StatusRow.tsx
index 4585438bee..adaa339a64 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/StatusRow.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/StatusRow.tsx
@@ -179,7 +179,13 @@ export const StatusRow: React.FC<StatusRowProps> = ({
       const observer = new ResizeObserver((entries) => {
         const entry = entries[0];
         if (entry) {
-          setTipWidth(Math.round(entry.contentRect.width));
+          const width = Math.round(entry.contentRect.width);
+          // Only update if width > 0 to prevent layout feedback loops
+          // when the tip is hidden. This ensures we always use the
+          // intrinsic width for collision detection.
+          if (width > 0) {
+            setTipWidth(width);
+          }
         }
       });
       observer.observe(node);
@@ -230,6 +236,10 @@ export const StatusRow: React.FC<StatusRowProps> = ({
   const showRow1 = showUiDetails || showRow1Minimal;
   const showRow2 = showUiDetails || showRow2Minimal;
 
+  const onStatusResize = useCallback((width: number) => {
+    if (width > 0) setStatusWidth(width);
+  }, []);
+
   const statusNode = (
     <StatusNode
       showTips={showTips}
@@ -242,7 +252,7 @@ export const StatusRow: React.FC<StatusRowProps> = ({
       errorVerbosity={
         settings.merged.ui.errorVerbosity as 'low' | 'full' | undefined
       }
-      onResize={setStatusWidth}
+      onResize={onStatusResize}
     />
   );
 
@@ -322,20 +332,23 @@ export const StatusRow: React.FC<StatusRowProps> = ({
 
           <Box
             flexShrink={0}
-            marginLeft={LAYOUT.TIP_LEFT_MARGIN}
+            marginLeft={showTipLine ? LAYOUT.TIP_LEFT_MARGIN : 0}
             marginRight={
-              isNarrow
-                ? LAYOUT.TIP_RIGHT_MARGIN_NARROW
-                : LAYOUT.TIP_RIGHT_MARGIN_WIDE
+              showTipLine
+                ? isNarrow
+                  ? LAYOUT.TIP_RIGHT_MARGIN_NARROW
+                  : LAYOUT.TIP_RIGHT_MARGIN_WIDE
+                : 0
             }
+            position={showTipLine ? 'relative' : 'absolute'}
+            {...(showTipLine ? {} : { top: -100, left: -100 })}
           >
             {/* 
-                We always render the tip node so it can be measured by ResizeObserver,
-                but we control its visibility based on the collision detection.
+                We always render the tip node so it can be measured by ResizeObserver.
+                When hidden, we use absolute positioning so it can still be measured 
+                but doesn't affect the layout of Row 1. This prevents layout loops.
             */}
-            <Box display={showTipLine ? 'flex' : 'none'}>
-              {!isNarrow && tipContentStr && renderTipNode()}
-            </Box>
+            {!isNarrow && tipContentStr && renderTipNode()}
           </Box>
         </Box>
       )}