diff --git a/tui_gateway/server.py b/tui_gateway/server.py
index 7e0bef9a13..3aac771928 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/server.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/server.py
@@ -2528,8 +2528,8 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
 
     if key == "statusbar":
         raw = str(value or "").strip().lower()
-        cfg0 = _load_cfg()
-        d0 = cfg0.get("display") if isinstance(cfg0.get("display"), dict) else {}
+        display = _load_cfg().get("display")
+        d0 = display if isinstance(display, dict) else {}
         current = _coerce_statusbar(d0.get("tui_statusbar", "top"))
 
         if raw in ("", "toggle"):
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/useConfigSync.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/useConfigSync.ts
index fb0e679a1f..63b0100ccd 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/useConfigSync.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/useConfigSync.ts
@@ -14,23 +14,16 @@ import type { StatusBarMode } from './interfaces.js'
 import { turnController } from './turnController.js'
 import { patchUiState } from './uiStore.js'
 
-const STATUSBAR_MODES = new Set<StatusBarMode>(['bottom', 'off', 'top'])
-
-export const normalizeStatusBar = (raw: unknown): StatusBarMode => {
-  if (raw === false) {
-    return 'off'
-  }
-
-  if (typeof raw !== 'string') {
-    return 'top'
-  }
-
-  const v = raw.trim().toLowerCase()
-  const mode = (v === 'on' ? 'top' : v) as StatusBarMode
-
-  return STATUSBAR_MODES.has(mode) ? mode : 'top'
+const STATUSBAR_ALIAS: Record<string, StatusBarMode> = {
+  bottom: 'bottom',
+  off: 'off',
+  on: 'top',
+  top: 'top'
 }
 
+export const normalizeStatusBar = (raw: unknown): StatusBarMode =>
+  raw === false ? 'off' : typeof raw === 'string' ? STATUSBAR_ALIAS[raw.trim().toLowerCase()] ?? 'top' : 'top'
+
 const MTIME_POLL_MS = 5000
 
 const quietRpc = async <T extends Record<string, any> = Record<string, any>>(
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
index 2a25aacf7c..36b1e01793 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { type ScrollBoxHandle, useApp, useHasSelection, useSelection, useStdout, useTerminalTitle } from '@hermes/ink'
+import { useApp, useHasSelection, useSelection, useStdout, useTerminalTitle, type ScrollBoxHandle } from '@hermes/ink'
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 
@@ -314,16 +314,15 @@ export function useMainApp(gw: GatewayClient) {
 
   useConfigSync({ gw, setBellOnComplete, setVoiceEnabled, sid: ui.sid })
 
-  // ── Terminal tab title ─────────────────────────────────────────────
-  // model + cwd + 3-state marker so multi-instance users can spot which tab
-  // is working, which is idle, and which is waiting on them.
-  // `⚠` blocked on approval/sudo/secret/clarify, `⏳` busy, `✓` idle.
-  const shortModel = ui.info?.model?.replace(/^.*\//, '') ?? ''
-  const blockedOnInput = !!(overlay.approval || overlay.sudo || overlay.secret || overlay.clarify)
-  const titleStatus = blockedOnInput ? '⚠' : ui.busy ? '⏳' : '✓'
-  const cwdTag = ui.info?.cwd ? ` · ${shortCwd(ui.info.cwd, 24)}` : ''
-  const terminalTitle = shortModel ? `${titleStatus} ${shortModel}${cwdTag}` : 'Hermes'
-  useTerminalTitle(terminalTitle)
+  // Tab title: `⚠` waiting on approval/sudo/secret/clarify, `⏳` busy, `✓` idle.
+  const model = ui.info?.model?.replace(/^.*\//, '') ?? ''
+  const marker =
+    overlay.approval || overlay.sudo || overlay.secret || overlay.clarify ? '⚠' : ui.busy ? '⏳' : '✓'
+  const tabCwd = ui.info?.cwd
+
+  useTerminalTitle(
+    model ? `${marker} ${model}${tabCwd ? ` · ${shortCwd(tabCwd, 24)}` : ''}` : 'Hermes'
+  )
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!ui.sid || !stdout) {