diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/MainContent.test.tsx b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/MainContent.test.tsx
index 989a7cb866..7228e608f1 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/MainContent.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/MainContent.test.tsx
@@ -393,6 +393,33 @@ describe('MainContent', () => {
     unmount();
   });
 
+  it('renders BtwDisplay within ScrollableList in alternate buffer mode when btw is active', async () => {
+    vi.mocked(useAlternateBuffer).mockReturnValue(true);
+    const uiStateWithBtw = {
+      ...defaultMockUiState,
+      btwState: {
+        isActive: true,
+        query: 'test query',
+        response: 'test response',
+        isStreaming: false,
+        error: null,
+      },
+    };
+    const { lastFrame, unmount } = await renderWithProviders(<MainContent />, {
+      uiState: uiStateWithBtw as Partial<UIState>,
+    });
+    const output = lastFrame();
+    // Verify ScrollableList is rendered (from our mock)
+    expect(output).toContain('ScrollableList');
+    // Verify btw response is rendered
+    expect(output).toContain('test query');
+    expect(output).toContain('test response');
+
+    expect(output).toMatchSnapshot();
+    // Verify it rendered inside ScrollableList's items in the mock
+    unmount();
+  });
+
   it('renders minimal header in minimal mode (alternate buffer)', async () => {
     vi.mocked(useAlternateBuffer).mockReturnValue(true);
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/MainContent.test.tsx.snap b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/MainContent.test.tsx.snap
index 7dab229ecd..097b3fc177 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/MainContent.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/components/__snapshots__/MainContent.test.tsx.snap
@@ -92,6 +92,23 @@ exports[`MainContent > MainContent Tool Output Height Logic > 'Normal mode - Unc
 "
 `;
 
+exports[`MainContent > renders BtwDisplay within ScrollableList in alternate buffer mode when btw is active 1`] = `
+"ScrollableList
+AppHeader(full)
+▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
+ > Hello                                                                                            
+▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
+✦ Hi there
+╭──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+│ BY THE WAY                                                  Press Esc, Enter or Space to dismiss │
+│                                                                                                  │
+│ Q: test query                                                                                    │
+│                                                                                                  │
+│ test response                                                                                    │
+╰──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
+"
+`;
+
 exports[`MainContent > renders a ToolConfirmationQueue without an extra line when preceded by hidden tools 1`] = `
 "AppHeader(full)
 ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useBtw.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useBtw.test.ts
index 4ca69a0675..4af8495d51 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useBtw.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useBtw.test.ts
@@ -83,8 +83,10 @@ describe('useBtw', () => {
       useBtw(mockGeminiClient as unknown as GeminiClient),
     );
 
+    let submitPromise!: Promise<void>;
     await act(async () => {
-      await result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+      submitPromise = result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+      await submitPromise;
     });
 
     expect(result.current.error).toBe('API Error');
@@ -104,8 +106,10 @@ describe('useBtw', () => {
       useBtw(mockGeminiClient as unknown as GeminiClient),
     );
 
+    let submitPromise!: Promise<void>;
     await act(async () => {
-      await result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+      submitPromise = result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+      await submitPromise;
     });
 
     expect(result.current.error).toBe('Direct string error');
@@ -124,8 +128,10 @@ describe('useBtw', () => {
       useBtw(mockGeminiClient as unknown as GeminiClient),
     );
 
+    let submitPromise!: Promise<void>;
     await act(async () => {
-      await result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+      submitPromise = result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+      await submitPromise;
     });
 
     expect(result.current.error).toBe('Unknown error');
@@ -144,18 +150,25 @@ describe('useBtw', () => {
       useBtw(mockGeminiClient as unknown as GeminiClient),
     );
 
+    let submitPromise!: Promise<void>;
     await act(async () => {
-      await result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+      submitPromise = result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+      await submitPromise;
     });
 
     expect(result.current.error).toBe('Just some raw string value');
   });
 
   it('should reset state on dismiss', async () => {
+    let resolveStream: (value: void) => void;
+    const streamGate = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      resolveStream = resolve;
+    });
+
     const mockStream = (async function* () {
       yield { type: GeminiEventType.Content, value: 'partial' };
       // Hang
-      await new Promise(() => {});
+      await streamGate;
     })();
     mockGeminiClient.sendBtwStream.mockReturnValue(mockStream);
 
@@ -163,14 +176,23 @@ describe('useBtw', () => {
       useBtw(mockGeminiClient as unknown as GeminiClient),
     );
 
-    act(() => {
-      void result.current.submitBtw('test query');
+    let submitPromise!: Promise<void>;
+    await act(async () => {
+      submitPromise = result.current.submitBtw('test query');
     });
 
     expect(result.current.isActive).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.current.query).toBe('test query');
 
-    act(() => {
+    await act(async () => {
       result.current.dismissBtw();
+      resolveStream();
+      // wait for the catch/finally blocks inside submitBtw to finish
+      try {
+        await submitPromise;
+      } catch (_e) {
+        // ignore AbortError
+      }
     });
 
     expect(result.current.isActive).toBe(false);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useBtw.ts b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useBtw.ts
index 4654ef86ca..a1d5ecb130 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useBtw.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ui/hooks/useBtw.ts
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ export const useBtw = (
       abortControllerRef.current.abort();
       abortControllerRef.current = null;
     }
+    requestIdRef.current++;
     dispatch({ type: 'DISMISS' });
   }, []);