diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
index 19da0daf210..6443493c7b6 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { useVirtualHistory } from '../hooks/useVirtualHistory.js'
 import { composerPromptWidth } from '../lib/inputMetrics.js'
 import { appendTranscriptMessage } from '../lib/messages.js'
 import { DEFAULT_VOICE_RECORD_KEY, isMac, type ParsedVoiceRecordKey } from '../lib/platform.js'
+import { createResizeCoalescer } from '../lib/resizeCoalescer.js'
 import { asRpcResult, rpcErrorMessage } from '../lib/rpc.js'
 import { terminalParityHints } from '../lib/terminalParity.js'
 import { buildToolTrailLine, formatAbandonedClarify, sameToolTrailGroup, toolTrailLabel } from '../lib/text.js'
@@ -145,7 +146,15 @@ export function useMainApp(gw: GatewayClient) {
       return
     }
 
-    const sync = () => setCols(stdout.columns ?? 80)
+    // A drag-resize emits a burst of 'resize' events; syncing `cols` on every
+    // one remounts the visible transcript rows each tick (they're keyed on
+    // cols so yoga re-measures), turning a smooth drag into a flickering
+    // remount storm. Coalesce the burst with a leading+trailing throttle: the
+    // first event reflows immediately (the drag stays responsive), the rest
+    // collapse to at most one reflow per RESIZE_COALESCE_MS, and the trailing
+    // edge always applies the final width so the settled layout is exact.
+    const coalescer = createResizeCoalescer(() => setCols(stdout.columns ?? 80), RESIZE_COALESCE_MS)
+    const sync = () => coalescer.schedule()
 
     stdout.on('resize', sync)
 
@@ -154,6 +163,7 @@ export function useMainApp(gw: GatewayClient) {
     }
 
     return () => {
+      coalescer.cancel()
       stdout.off('resize', sync)
 
       if (stdout.isTTY) {
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/lib/resizeCoalescer.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/lib/resizeCoalescer.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b7db0c14748
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui-tui/src/lib/resizeCoalescer.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import { createResizeCoalescer } from './resizeCoalescer.js'
+
+describe('createResizeCoalescer', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+
+  it('reflows immediately on the first event (leading edge)', () => {
+    const reflow = vi.fn()
+    const coalescer = createResizeCoalescer(reflow, 32)
+
+    coalescer.schedule()
+
+    expect(reflow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  it('collapses a rapid burst into one leading + one trailing reflow', () => {
+    const reflow = vi.fn()
+    const coalescer = createResizeCoalescer(reflow, 32)
+
+    // A drag: five events inside one 32ms window.
+    coalescer.schedule()
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5)
+      coalescer.schedule()
+    }
+
+    // Only the leading edge has fired mid-burst.
+    expect(reflow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+    // The trailing edge lands the final width once the window settles.
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(32)
+    expect(reflow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+  })
+
+  it('reflows immediately again once the interval has elapsed', () => {
+    const reflow = vi.fn()
+    const coalescer = createResizeCoalescer(reflow, 32)
+
+    coalescer.schedule()
+    expect(reflow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+
+    // Gap longer than the window — the next event is a fresh leading edge.
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(40)
+    coalescer.schedule()
+
+    expect(reflow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+  })
+
+  it('cancel() drops a pending trailing reflow', () => {
+    const reflow = vi.fn()
+    const coalescer = createResizeCoalescer(reflow, 32)
+
+    coalescer.schedule() // leading
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(5)
+    coalescer.schedule() // schedules a trailing reflow
+    coalescer.cancel()
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(100)
+    expect(reflow).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  it('continuous dragging reflows about once per interval, not per event', () => {
+    const reflow = vi.fn()
+    const coalescer = createResizeCoalescer(reflow, 30)
+
+    // 30 events over 300ms (one every 10ms) — a sustained drag.
+    for (let i = 0; i < 30; i++) {
+      coalescer.schedule()
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(10)
+    }
+
+    // Flush the final trailing reflow.
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(30)
+
+    // ~300ms / 30ms ≈ 10 reflows, not 30. Bound it loosely to stay robust.
+    expect(reflow.mock.calls.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(12)
+    expect(reflow.mock.calls.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(8)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/lib/resizeCoalescer.ts b/ui-tui/src/lib/resizeCoalescer.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fd63127d4b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui-tui/src/lib/resizeCoalescer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+export interface ResizeCoalescer {
+  /** Call on each terminal 'resize' event. */
+  schedule: () => void
+  /** Drop any pending trailing reflow (effect cleanup). */
+  cancel: () => void
+}
+
+/**
+ * Leading + trailing throttle for terminal-resize bursts.
+ *
+ * A drag-resize emits a burst of 'resize' events; reflowing on every one
+ * remounts the visible transcript rows each tick (they're keyed on cols so
+ * yoga re-measures off live geometry), turning a smooth drag into a
+ * flickering remount storm.
+ *
+ * `schedule()` reflows immediately on the first event (the drag stays
+ * responsive), then collapses subsequent events to at most one `reflow()`
+ * per `intervalMs`, and always fires a trailing `reflow()` so the final
+ * width lands exactly. `cancel()` clears a pending trailing reflow.
+ *
+ * Uses `Date.now()` + `setTimeout` directly so it is deterministically
+ * testable under fake timers.
+ */
+export function createResizeCoalescer(reflow: () => void, intervalMs: number): ResizeCoalescer {
+  // -Infinity (not 0) so the first schedule() always satisfies the
+  // elapsed >= interval leading-edge check regardless of the wall clock.
+  let lastReflow = Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY
+  let trailing: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined
+
+  const run = () => {
+    lastReflow = Date.now()
+    reflow()
+  }
+
+  return {
+    schedule() {
+      const elapsed = Date.now() - lastReflow
+
+      clearTimeout(trailing)
+      trailing = undefined
+
+      if (elapsed >= intervalMs) {
+        run()
+      } else {
+        trailing = setTimeout(() => {
+          trailing = undefined
+          run()
+        }, intervalMs - elapsed)
+      }
+    },
+    cancel() {
+      clearTimeout(trailing)
+      trailing = undefined
+    }
+  }
+}