diff --git a/lisp/channel-tui-main.lisp b/lisp/channel-tui-main.lisp
index 3760b00..93347a2 100644
--- a/lisp/channel-tui-main.lisp
+++ b/lisp/channel-tui-main.lisp
@@ -868,6 +868,9 @@
           (let ((backend-type (if (typep be 'cl-tty.backend:modern-backend)
                                   "modern" "simple")))
             (add-msg :system (format nil "* ~a backend ~dx~d *" backend-type w h)))
+          ;; Re-query terminal size before initial render (the first
+          ;; query may return 80x24 before the terminal settles)
+          (multiple-value-setq (w h) (cl-tty.backend:backend-size be))
           ;; Initial render
           (cl-tty.backend:backend-clear be)
           (view-status be w h)
@@ -884,7 +887,6 @@
                     (setf (st :connected) nil
                           (st :busy) nil)
                     (add-msg :system "* Connection lost — type /reconnect to retry *"))))
-               ;; Read key input via cl-tty read-event (10ms timeout)
                ;; Read key input via blocking read-char with 0.1s timeout
                ;; (sb-unix:unix-simple-poll returns NIL on fd 0 in this SBCL,
                ;; so read-char-no-hang and read-event never fire. Raw blocking