diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts
index af13e047c..da9d0baed 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts
@@ -303,6 +303,7 @@ export interface AppLayoutStatusProps {
   showStickyPrompt: boolean
   statusColor: string
   stickyPrompt: string
+  turnStartedAt: null | number
   voiceLabel: string
 }
 
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
index 27401b418..28b2a26f9 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ export function useMainApp(gw: GatewayClient) {
   const [voiceRecording, setVoiceRecording] = useState(false)
   const [voiceProcessing, setVoiceProcessing] = useState(false)
   const [sessionStartedAt, setSessionStartedAt] = useState(() => Date.now())
+  const [turnStartedAt, setTurnStartedAt] = useState<null | number>(null)
   const [goodVibesTick, setGoodVibesTick] = useState(0)
   const [bellOnComplete, setBellOnComplete] = useState(false)
 
@@ -283,6 +284,14 @@ export function useMainApp(gw: GatewayClient) {
     sys
   })
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (ui.busy) {
+      setTurnStartedAt(prev => prev ?? Date.now())
+    } else {
+      setTurnStartedAt(null)
+    }
+  }, [ui.busy])
+
   useConfigSync({ gw, setBellOnComplete, setVoiceEnabled, sid: ui.sid })
 
   // ── Terminal tab title ─────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -635,9 +644,21 @@ export function useMainApp(gw: GatewayClient) {
       showStickyPrompt: !!stickyPrompt,
       statusColor: statusColorOf(ui.status, ui.theme.color),
       stickyPrompt,
+      turnStartedAt: ui.sid ? turnStartedAt : null,
       voiceLabel: voiceRecording ? 'REC' : voiceProcessing ? 'STT' : `voice ${voiceEnabled ? 'on' : 'off'}`
     }),
-    [cwd, gitBranch, goodVibesTick, sessionStartedAt, stickyPrompt, ui, voiceEnabled, voiceProcessing, voiceRecording]
+    [
+      cwd,
+      gitBranch,
+      goodVibesTick,
+      sessionStartedAt,
+      stickyPrompt,
+      turnStartedAt,
+      ui,
+      voiceEnabled,
+      voiceProcessing,
+      voiceRecording
+    ]
   )
 
   const appTranscript = useMemo(
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
index 2f5f807de..da5507e28 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
@@ -12,18 +12,24 @@ import type { Msg, Usage } from '../types.js'
 const FACE_TICK_MS = 2500
 const HEART_COLORS = ['#ff5fa2', '#ff4d6d']
 
-function FaceTicker({ color }: { color: string }) {
+function FaceTicker({ color, startedAt }: { color: string; startedAt?: null | number }) {
   const [tick, setTick] = useState(() => Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000))
+  const [now, setNow] = useState(() => Date.now())
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const id = setInterval(() => setTick(n => n + 1), FACE_TICK_MS)
+    const face = setInterval(() => setTick(n => n + 1), FACE_TICK_MS)
+    const clock = setInterval(() => setNow(Date.now()), 1000)
 
-    return () => clearInterval(id)
+    return () => {
+      clearInterval(face)
+      clearInterval(clock)
+    }
   }, [])
 
   return (
     <Text color={color}>
       {FACES[tick % FACES.length]} {VERBS[tick % VERBS.length]}…
+      {startedAt ? ` · ${fmtDuration(now - startedAt)}` : ''}
     </Text>
   )
 }
@@ -100,6 +106,7 @@ export function StatusRule({
   bgCount,
   sessionStartedAt,
   showCost,
+  turnStartedAt,
   voiceLabel,
   t
 }: StatusRuleProps) {
@@ -120,7 +127,7 @@ export function StatusRule({
       <Box flexShrink={1} width={leftWidth}>
         <Text color={t.color.bronze} wrap="truncate-end">
           {'─ '}
-          {busy ? <FaceTicker color={statusColor} /> : <Text color={statusColor}>{status}</Text>}
+          {busy ? <FaceTicker color={statusColor} startedAt={turnStartedAt} /> : <Text color={statusColor}>{status}</Text>}
           <Text color={t.color.dim}> │ {model}</Text>
           {ctxLabel ? <Text color={t.color.dim}> │ {ctxLabel}</Text> : null}
           {bar ? (
@@ -288,11 +295,12 @@ interface StatusRuleProps {
   cols: number
   cwdLabel: string
   model: string
-  sessionStartedAt?: number | null
+  sessionStartedAt?: null | number
   showCost: boolean
   status: string
   statusColor: string
   t: Theme
+  turnStartedAt?: null | number
   usage: Usage
   voiceLabel?: string
 }
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
index f13adf1bb..ad854033a 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ const ComposerPane = memo(function ComposerPane({
             status={ui.status}
             statusColor={status.statusColor}
             t={ui.theme}
+            turnStartedAt={status.turnStartedAt}
             usage={ui.usage}
             voiceLabel={status.voiceLabel}
           />