diff --git a/internal/agent/args.go b/internal/agent/args.go
index 7345231..07eeb3a 100644
--- a/internal/agent/args.go
+++ b/internal/agent/args.go
@@ -300,7 +300,13 @@ func PrintHelp(version string) {
 	}
 
 	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr)
-	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, assistant(tui.Bold("▌ i'm zot. yet another coding agent harness.")))
+	var headline string
+	if useColor {
+		headline = th.AccentBar(th.Assistant) + assistant(tui.Bold("i'm zot. yet another coding agent harness."))
+	} else {
+		headline = "i'm zot. yet another coding agent harness."
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, headline)
 	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, muted("ask anything, or type /help inside the tui to see commands."))
 	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%s %s\n", muted("version:"), fg(version))
 
diff --git a/internal/agent/cli.go b/internal/agent/cli.go
index 0973de3..f74df98 100644
--- a/internal/agent/cli.go
+++ b/internal/agent/cli.go
@@ -512,6 +512,9 @@ func runInteractive(ctx context.Context, args Args, version string) error {
 		}
 		sess = newSess
 		currentAg.SetMessages(msgs)
+		if usage, uerr := core.SessionUsage(path); uerr == nil {
+			currentAg.SeedCost(usage)
+		}
 		sessBaselineMsgs = len(msgs)
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -723,6 +726,9 @@ func openOrCreateSession(args Args, r Resolved, ag *core.Agent, version string)
 	}
 	if s != nil {
 		ag.SetMessages(msgs)
+		if usage, uerr := core.SessionUsage(s.Path); uerr == nil {
+			ag.SeedCost(usage)
+		}
 		return s, nil
 	}
 	return core.NewSession(ZotHome(), args.CWD, r.Provider, r.Model, version)
diff --git a/internal/agent/modes/btw_dialog.go b/internal/agent/modes/btw_dialog.go
index 31ce73b..ce2cef4 100644
--- a/internal/agent/modes/btw_dialog.go
+++ b/internal/agent/modes/btw_dialog.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func (d *btwDialog) Open(th tui.Theme, agent *core.Agent, system, model, seed st
 	d.turns = nil
 	d.loading = false
 	d.cancel = nil
-	d.editor = tui.NewEditor(th.FG256(th.Accent, "▌ "))
+	d.editor = tui.NewEditor(th.AccentBar(th.Accent))
 	d.frozenSystem = system
 	d.frozenMsgs = agent.Messages()
 	d.client = agent.Client
@@ -300,13 +300,13 @@ func (d *btwDialog) Render(th tui.Theme, width int) []string {
 
 	for _, t := range d.turns {
 		out = append(out, "")
-		out = append(out, "  "+th.FG256(th.User, "▌ you"))
+		out = append(out, "  "+th.AccentBar(th.User)+th.FG256(th.User, "you"))
 		for _, line := range strings.Split(t.User, "\n") {
 			out = append(out, "    "+th.FG256(th.Muted, line))
 		}
 		if t.Assistant != "" {
 			out = append(out, "")
-			out = append(out, "  "+th.FG256(th.Assistant, "▌ zot"))
+			out = append(out, "  "+th.AccentBar(th.Assistant)+th.FG256(th.Assistant, "zot"))
 			md := tui.RenderMarkdown(t.Assistant, th, width-4)
 			for _, line := range strings.Split(md, "\n") {
 				out = append(out, "    "+line)
diff --git a/internal/agent/modes/interactive.go b/internal/agent/modes/interactive.go
index 7aec949..a9d1b80 100644
--- a/internal/agent/modes/interactive.go
+++ b/internal/agent/modes/interactive.go
@@ -282,7 +282,10 @@ func NewInteractive(cfg InteractiveConfig) *Interactive {
 			Theme:      cfg.Theme,
 			ImageProto: tui.DetectImageProtocol(),
 		},
-		ed:                tui.NewEditor(cfg.Theme.FG256(cfg.Theme.Accent, "▌ ")),
+		// Prompt is the standard half-block accent bar used by chat
+		// speaker labels too, so the input gutter matches the rest
+		// of the UI.
+		ed:                tui.NewEditor(cfg.Theme.AccentBar(cfg.Theme.Accent)),
 		rend:              tui.NewRenderer(cfg.Terminal),
 		toolCalls:         map[string]*tui.ToolCallView{},
 		dirty:             make(chan struct{}, 8),
@@ -306,6 +309,7 @@ func NewInteractive(cfg InteractiveConfig) *Interactive {
 	if cfg.Agent != nil {
 		i.agent = cfg.Agent
 		i.view.Messages = cfg.Agent.Messages()
+		i.cumUsage = cfg.Agent.Cost()
 	}
 	return i
 }
@@ -812,13 +816,19 @@ func (i *Interactive) redraw() {
 		queue = append(queue, "")
 	}
 
-	// Bottom-sticky sections (always visible, never scroll).
-	bottom := make([]string, 0, len(dialog)+len(suggest)+len(queue)+len(edLines)+1)
+	// Bottom-sticky sections (always visible, never scroll). A blank
+	// row is inserted between the status bar and the editor, and a
+	// trailing blank row is added at the very bottom, so the input
+	// has breathing room from the surrounding chrome instead of
+	// sitting flush against the status line and the terminal edge.
+	bottom := make([]string, 0, len(dialog)+len(suggest)+len(queue)+len(edLines)+3)
 	bottom = append(bottom, dialog...)
 	bottom = append(bottom, suggest...)
 	bottom = append(bottom, queue...)
 	bottom = append(bottom, statusLines...)
+	bottom = append(bottom, "")
 	bottom = append(bottom, edLines...)
+	bottom = append(bottom, "")
 
 	_, rows := i.cfg.Terminal.Size()
 	chatRows := rows - len(bottom)
@@ -931,7 +941,10 @@ func (i *Interactive) redraw() {
 	// the blinking cursor shows where the user is actually typing.
 	// Dialogs without a cursor (model picker, /help, /login, etc.)
 	// return -1 and the main editor keeps the cursor.
-	cursorRow := len(visibleChat) + len(dialog) + len(suggest) + len(queue) + len(statusLines) + curR
+	// +1 accounts for the blank row inserted between statusLines
+	// and edLines above. Without it the rendered cursor would land
+	// on the blank instead of inside the editor row.
+	cursorRow := len(visibleChat) + len(dialog) + len(suggest) + len(queue) + len(statusLines) + 1 + curR
 	cursorCol := curC
 	if i.btwDialog.Active() {
 		if r, c := i.btwDialog.CursorPos(cols); r >= 0 {
@@ -2288,6 +2301,7 @@ func (i *Interactive) applySessionSelection(path string) {
 	i.view.InvalidateRenderCache()
 	if i.agent != nil {
 		i.view.Messages = i.agent.Messages()
+		i.cumUsage = i.agent.Cost()
 	}
 	i.mu.Unlock()
 
diff --git a/internal/agent/modes/login_dialog.go b/internal/agent/modes/login_dialog.go
index e0da058..0de9143 100644
--- a/internal/agent/modes/login_dialog.go
+++ b/internal/agent/modes/login_dialog.go
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ func (d *loginDialog) Render(th tui.Theme, width int) []string {
 		lines = append(lines, "")
 		lines = append(lines, th.FG256(th.Muted, "paste the authorization code (or full redirect URL / code#state):"))
 		if d.codeEd == nil {
-			d.codeEd = tui.NewEditor(th.FG256(th.Accent, "▌ "))
+			d.codeEd = tui.NewEditor(th.AccentBar(th.Accent))
 		}
 		edLines, _, _ := d.codeEd.Render(width - 2)
 		for _, l := range edLines {
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func (d *loginDialog) Render(th tui.Theme, width int) []string {
 		lines = append(lines, "")
 		lines = append(lines, th.FG256(th.Muted, "paste the authorization code (or full redirect URL / code#state):"))
 		if d.codeEd == nil {
-			d.codeEd = tui.NewEditor(th.FG256(th.Accent, "▌ "))
+			d.codeEd = tui.NewEditor(th.AccentBar(th.Accent))
 		}
 		edLines, _, _ := d.codeEd.Render(width - 2)
 		for _, l := range edLines {
diff --git a/internal/agent/modes/welcome.go b/internal/agent/modes/welcome.go
index c5d1f53..a35d6de 100644
--- a/internal/agent/modes/welcome.go
+++ b/internal/agent/modes/welcome.go
@@ -10,12 +10,13 @@ import "github.com/patriceckhart/zot/internal/tui"
 // the moment zot starts. After welcomeVersionDuration the caller
 // flips showVersion off and the headline reverts to plain text.
 func welcomeBanner(th tui.Theme, version string, showVersion bool) []string {
-	headline := "▌ i'm zot. yet another coding agent harness."
+	text := "i'm zot. yet another coding agent harness."
 	if showVersion && version != "" {
-		headline = "▌ i'm zot (" + version + "). yet another coding agent harness."
+		text = "i'm zot (" + version + "). yet another coding agent harness."
 	}
+	headline := th.AccentBar(th.Assistant) + th.FG256(th.Assistant, tui.Bold(text))
 	return []string{
-		th.FG256(th.Assistant, tui.Bold(headline)),
+		headline,
 		th.FG256(th.Muted, "  ask anything, or type /help to see commands."),
 		"",
 	}
diff --git a/internal/core/session.go b/internal/core/session.go
index 44c954c..a774c9c 100644
--- a/internal/core/session.go
+++ b/internal/core/session.go
@@ -110,6 +110,38 @@ func NewSession(root, cwd, providerName, model, version string) (*Session, error
 	return s, nil
 }
 
+// SessionUsage returns the most recent cumulative usage row stored in
+// a session file. Sessions append one usage row per completed turn; the
+// latest row's cumulative field is the session total. Missing usage rows
+// are valid for old/empty sessions and return the zero value.
+func SessionUsage(path string) (provider.Usage, error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return provider.Usage{}, err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	var usage provider.Usage
+	sc := bufio.NewScanner(f)
+	sc.Buffer(make([]byte, 0, 64*1024), 20*1024*1024)
+	for sc.Scan() {
+		var head sessionLineHead
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(sc.Bytes(), &head); err != nil || head.Type != "usage" {
+			continue
+		}
+		var row struct {
+			Cumulative provider.Usage `json:"cumulative"`
+		}
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(sc.Bytes(), &row); err == nil {
+			usage = row.Cumulative
+		}
+	}
+	if err := sc.Err(); err != nil {
+		return provider.Usage{}, err
+	}
+	return usage, nil
+}
+
 // OpenSession opens an existing session for appending.
 func OpenSession(path string) (*Session, []provider.Message, error) {
 	f, err := os.Open(path)
diff --git a/internal/tui/theme.go b/internal/tui/theme.go
index 4c8f4e8..5499ab9 100644
--- a/internal/tui/theme.go
+++ b/internal/tui/theme.go
@@ -57,6 +57,22 @@ func (t Theme) FG256(c int, s string) string {
 	return sgrFG(c) + s + reset
 }
 
+// BG256 wraps s in background color c using ANSI 256-color SGR.
+// Useful when the visible cell needs a coloured fill but the
+// underlying character should be a regular space (so mouse-copy
+// from the terminal yields whitespace instead of a glyph).
+func (t Theme) BG256(c int, s string) string {
+	return sgrBG(c) + s + reset
+}
+
+// AccentBar returns a 2-cell-wide leader: a coloured half-block
+// glyph followed by a plain space gutter. Used as the speaker-label
+// prefix in the chat ("▌ you", "▌ zot") and as the editor prompt so
+// the bar reads consistently across the UI.
+func (t Theme) AccentBar(c int) string {
+	return t.FG256(c, "▌ ")
+}
+
 // Highlight paints s with the theme's selection colors (foreground +
 // background). The caller is responsible for padding s to the desired
 // width; styling alone does not extend the background past content.
diff --git a/internal/tui/view.go b/internal/tui/view.go
index 5bcbae0..fd0390b 100644
--- a/internal/tui/view.go
+++ b/internal/tui/view.go
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ func (v *View) BuildWithAnchors(width int) ([]string, []MessageAnchor) {
 			break
 		}
 		if !turnOpen {
-			out = append(out, v.Theme.FG256(v.Theme.Assistant, "▍ zot"))
+			out = append(out, v.Theme.AccentBar(v.Theme.Assistant)+v.Theme.FG256(v.Theme.Assistant, "zot"))
 		}
 		// Stream the partial assistant text through the same markdown
 		// renderer used for finalised messages so code fences, diffs,
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ func (v *View) renderMessage(m provider.Message, width int, turnOpen bool) []str
 
 	switch m.Role {
 	case provider.RoleUser:
-		header := v.Theme.FG256(v.Theme.User, "▍ you")
+		header := v.Theme.AccentBar(v.Theme.User) + v.Theme.FG256(v.Theme.User, "you")
 		lines = append(lines, header)
 		for _, c := range m.Content {
 			switch b := c.(type) {
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ func (v *View) renderMessage(m provider.Message, width int, turnOpen bool) []str
 		// assistant messages (e.g. another tool_use round-trip after a
 		// tool result) reuse the header that's already on screen.
 		if !turnOpen {
-			lines = append(lines, v.Theme.FG256(v.Theme.Assistant, "▍ zot"))
+			lines = append(lines, v.Theme.AccentBar(v.Theme.Assistant)+v.Theme.FG256(v.Theme.Assistant, "zot"))
 		}
 		// Indent assistant body the same 4 cells the user body uses,
 		// so the conversation column lines up vertically. The width
@@ -1742,17 +1742,39 @@ func StatusBar(p StatusBarParams) []string {
 
 	// On narrow terminals the single line wraps badly. If the visible
 	// width exceeds cols and we have a busy prefix, split: keep the
-	// busy prefix on line 1, put model+stats on line 2.
+	// busy prefix on line 1, then put model and (if still needed)
+	// stats on their own rows. This mirrors the idle split below.
 	if p.Cols > 0 && p.BusyPrefix != "" && visibleWidth(primary) > p.Cols {
 		busyLine := pad + p.BusyPrefix
-		var infoBuilder strings.Builder
-		infoBuilder.WriteString(pad)
-		infoBuilder.WriteString(th.FG256(th.Muted, left))
-		if middle != "" {
-			infoBuilder.WriteString(pad)
-			infoBuilder.WriteString(th.FG256(th.Muted, middle))
+		modelLine := pad + th.FG256(th.Muted, left)
+		lines := []string{busyLine}
+		if middle != "" && visibleWidth(modelLine+pad+th.FG256(th.Muted, middle)) > p.Cols {
+			lines = append(lines, modelLine)
+			lines = append(lines, pad+th.FG256(th.Muted, middle))
+		} else {
+			var infoBuilder strings.Builder
+			infoBuilder.WriteString(modelLine)
+			if middle != "" {
+				infoBuilder.WriteString(pad)
+				infoBuilder.WriteString(th.FG256(th.Muted, middle))
+			}
+			lines = append(lines, infoBuilder.String())
+		}
+		if cwd != "" {
+			lines = append(lines, pad+th.FG256(th.Muted, cwd))
+		}
+		return lines
+	}
+
+	// Idle narrow split: keep provider/model on the first status line,
+	// move usage/cost/context stats to the next, then cwd below. This
+	// avoids the terminal's hard wrap cutting the stats or pushing cwd
+	// into an awkward position on small widths.
+	if p.Cols > 0 && p.BusyPrefix == "" && middle != "" && visibleWidth(primary) > p.Cols {
+		lines := []string{
+			pad + th.FG256(th.Muted, left),
+			pad + th.FG256(th.Muted, middle),
 		}
-		lines := []string{busyLine, infoBuilder.String()}
 		if cwd != "" {
 			lines = append(lines, pad+th.FG256(th.Muted, cwd))
 		}