diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.test.tsx
index cb4b65097a..fca56afd38 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.test.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import { StreamingContext } from '../contexts/StreamingContext.js';
 import { StreamingState } from '../types.js';
 import { vi } from 'vitest';
 import * as useTerminalSize from '../hooks/useTerminalSize.js';
-import * as terminalUtils from '../utils/terminalUtils.js';
 
 // Mock GeminiRespondingSpinner
 vi.mock('./GeminiRespondingSpinner.js', () => ({
@@ -35,12 +34,7 @@ vi.mock('../hooks/useTerminalSize.js', () => ({
   useTerminalSize: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
-vi.mock('../utils/terminalUtils.js', () => ({
-  shouldUseEmoji: vi.fn(() => true),
-}));
-
 const useTerminalSizeMock = vi.mocked(useTerminalSize.useTerminalSize);
-const shouldUseEmojiMock = vi.mocked(terminalUtils.shouldUseEmoji);
 
 const renderWithContext = (
   ui: React.ReactElement,
@@ -264,34 +258,13 @@ describe('<LoadingIndicator />', () => {
     const output = lastFrame();
     expect(output).toBeDefined();
     if (output) {
-      expect(output).toContain('💬');
+      expect(output).toContain('Thinking... ');
       expect(output).toContain('Thinking about something...');
       expect(output).not.toContain('and other stuff.');
     }
     unmount();
   });
 
-  it('should use ASCII fallback thought indicator when emoji is unavailable', async () => {
-    shouldUseEmojiMock.mockReturnValue(false);
-    const props = {
-      thought: {
-        subject: 'Thinking with fallback',
-        description: 'details',
-      },
-      elapsedTime: 5,
-    };
-    const { lastFrame, unmount, waitUntilReady } = renderWithContext(
-      <LoadingIndicator {...props} />,
-      StreamingState.Responding,
-    );
-    await waitUntilReady();
-    const output = lastFrame();
-    expect(output).toContain('o Thinking with fallback');
-    expect(output).not.toContain('💬');
-    shouldUseEmojiMock.mockReturnValue(true);
-    unmount();
-  });
-
   it('should prioritize thought.subject over currentLoadingPhrase', async () => {
     const props = {
       thought: {
@@ -307,13 +280,13 @@ describe('<LoadingIndicator />', () => {
     );
     await waitUntilReady();
     const output = lastFrame();
-    expect(output).toContain('💬');
+    expect(output).toContain('Thinking... ');
     expect(output).toContain('This should be displayed');
     expect(output).not.toContain('This should not be displayed');
     unmount();
   });
 
-  it('should not display thought icon for non-thought loading phrases', async () => {
+  it('should not display thought indicator for non-thought loading phrases', async () => {
     const { lastFrame, unmount, waitUntilReady } = renderWithContext(
       <LoadingIndicator
         currentLoadingPhrase="some random tip..."
@@ -322,7 +295,7 @@ describe('<LoadingIndicator />', () => {
       StreamingState.Responding,
     );
     await waitUntilReady();
-    expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('💬');
+    expect(lastFrame()).not.toContain('Thinking... ');
     unmount();
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.tsx
index 3d6a838370..4cb49d5750 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/LoadingIndicator.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import { formatDuration } from '../utils/formatters.js';
 import { useTerminalSize } from '../hooks/useTerminalSize.js';
 import { isNarrowWidth } from '../utils/isNarrowWidth.js';
 import { INTERACTIVE_SHELL_WAITING_PHRASE } from '../hooks/usePhraseCycler.js';
-import { shouldUseEmoji } from '../utils/terminalUtils.js';
 
 interface LoadingIndicatorProps {
   currentLoadingPhrase?: string;
@@ -59,9 +58,7 @@ export const LoadingIndicator: React.FC<LoadingIndicatorProps> = ({
   const hasThoughtIndicator =
     currentLoadingPhrase !== INTERACTIVE_SHELL_WAITING_PHRASE &&
     Boolean(thought?.subject?.trim());
-  const thinkingIndicator = hasThoughtIndicator
-    ? `${shouldUseEmoji() ? '💬' : 'o'} `
-    : '';
+  const thinkingIndicator = hasThoughtIndicator ? 'Thinking... ' : '';
 
   const cancelAndTimerContent =
     showCancelAndTimer &&
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/messages/ThinkingMessage.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/messages/ThinkingMessage.tsx
index 010cef46ca..595f898ffa 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/messages/ThinkingMessage.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/messages/ThinkingMessage.tsx
@@ -131,15 +131,14 @@ export const ThinkingMessage: React.FC<ThinkingMessageProps> = ({
   );
 
   const fullSummaryDisplayLines = useMemo(
-    () => (fullLines.length > 0 ? wrapLineToWidth(fullLines[0], contentWidth) : []),
+    () =>
+      fullLines.length > 0 ? wrapLineToWidth(fullLines[0], contentWidth) : [],
     [fullLines, contentWidth],
   );
 
   const fullBodyDisplayLines = useMemo(
     () =>
-      fullLines
-        .slice(1)
-        .flatMap((line) => wrapLineToWidth(line, contentWidth)),
+      fullLines.slice(1).flatMap((line) => wrapLineToWidth(line, contentWidth)),
     [fullLines, contentWidth],
   );
 
@@ -163,7 +162,7 @@ export const ThinkingMessage: React.FC<ThinkingMessageProps> = ({
         <>
           <Text color={theme.text.primary} italic>
             {' '}
-            Thinking...
+            Thinking...{' '}
           </Text>
           <Box flexDirection="row">
             <Box width={THINKING_LEFT_PADDING} />
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/utils/terminalUtils.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/utils/terminalUtils.ts
index b0a3b93034..18cd08f952 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/utils/terminalUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/utils/terminalUtils.ts
@@ -43,25 +43,3 @@ export function isITerm2(): boolean {
 export function resetITerm2Cache(): void {
   cachedIsITerm2 = undefined;
 }
-
-/**
- * Returns true if the terminal likely supports emoji.
- */
-export function shouldUseEmoji(): boolean {
-  const locale = (
-    process.env['LC_ALL'] ||
-    process.env['LC_CTYPE'] ||
-    process.env['LANG'] ||
-    ''
-  ).toLowerCase();
-  const supportsUtf8 = locale.includes('utf-8') || locale.includes('utf8');
-  if (!supportsUtf8) {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  if (process.env['TERM'] === 'linux') {
-    return false;
-  }
-
-  return true;
-}