diff --git a/agent/display.py b/agent/display.py
index 0da773395..9ef8c5ebc 100644
--- a/agent/display.py
+++ b/agent/display.py
@@ -182,9 +182,8 @@ class KawaiiSpinner:
             frame = self.spinner_frames[self.frame_idx % len(self.spinner_frames)]
             elapsed = time.time() - self.start_time
             line = f"  {frame} {self.message} ({elapsed:.1f}s)"
-            # Use \r + ANSI erase-to-EOL in a single write to avoid the
-            # two-phase clear+redraw that flickers under patch_stdout.
-            self._write(f"\r\033[K{line}", end='', flush=True)
+            pad = max(self.last_line_len - len(line), 0)
+            self._write(f"\r{line}{' ' * pad}", end='', flush=True)
             self.last_line_len = len(line)
             self.frame_idx += 1
             time.sleep(0.12)
@@ -204,7 +203,10 @@ class KawaiiSpinner:
         self.running = False
         if self.thread:
             self.thread.join(timeout=0.5)
-        self._write('\r\033[K', end='', flush=True)
+        # Clear the spinner line with spaces instead of \033[K to avoid
+        # garbled escape codes when prompt_toolkit's patch_stdout is active.
+        blanks = ' ' * max(self.last_line_len + 5, 40)
+        self._write(f"\r{blanks}\r", end='', flush=True)
         if final_message:
             self._write(f"  {final_message}", flush=True)
 
diff --git a/hermes_cli/tools_config.py b/hermes_cli/tools_config.py
index c33a29f1f..9ad8202b9 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/tools_config.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/tools_config.py
@@ -136,9 +136,6 @@ def _prompt_choice(question: str, choices: list, default: int = 0) -> int:
 
 def _prompt_toolset_checklist(platform_label: str, enabled: Set[str]) -> Set[str]:
     """Multi-select checklist of toolsets. Returns set of selected toolset keys."""
-    print(color(f"Tools for {platform_label}", Colors.YELLOW))
-    print(color("  SPACE to toggle, ENTER to confirm.", Colors.DIM))
-    print()
 
     labels = []
     for ts_key, ts_label, ts_desc in CONFIGURABLE_TOOLSETS:
@@ -154,6 +151,12 @@ def _prompt_toolset_checklist(platform_label: str, enabled: Set[str]) -> Set[str
 
         menu_items = [f"  {label}" for label in labels]
 
+        title_lines = [
+            f"Tools for {platform_label}",
+            "  SPACE to toggle, ENTER to confirm.",
+            "",
+        ]
+
         menu = TerminalMenu(
             menu_items,
             multi_select=True,
@@ -166,8 +169,8 @@ def _prompt_toolset_checklist(platform_label: str, enabled: Set[str]) -> Set[str
             menu_cursor_style=("fg_green", "bold"),
             menu_highlight_style=("fg_green",),
             cycle_cursor=True,
-            clear_screen=False,
-            clear_menu_on_exit=False,
+            clear_screen=True,
+            title="\n".join(title_lines),
         )
 
         menu.show()
@@ -181,6 +184,9 @@ def _prompt_toolset_checklist(platform_label: str, enabled: Set[str]) -> Set[str
 
     except (ImportError, NotImplementedError):
         # Fallback: numbered toggle
+        print(color(f"Tools for {platform_label}", Colors.YELLOW))
+        print(color("  SPACE to toggle, ENTER to confirm.", Colors.DIM))
+        print()
         selected = set(pre_selected_indices)
         while True:
             for i, label in enumerate(labels):