diff --git a/Program.cs b/Program.cs
index 5a8d1d2..42b585a 100644
--- a/Program.cs
+++ b/Program.cs
@@ -239,23 +239,70 @@ while (true)
         }
 
         // Phase 1: Show BouncingBar spinner while agent thinks & invokes tools
-        await AnsiConsole.Status()
-            .Spinner(Spinner.Known.BouncingBar)
-            .SpinnerStyle(Style.Parse("cornflowerblue"))
-            .StartAsync("Thinking...", async ctx =>
+        using var spinnerCts = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(responseCts.Token);
+        bool showSpinner = true;
+        
+        CommandTool.PauseSpinner = () => 
+        { 
+            showSpinner = false; 
+            Console.Write("\r" + new string(' ', 40) + "\r"); 
+        };
+        CommandTool.ResumeSpinner = () => 
+        { 
+            showSpinner = true; 
+        };
+
+        var spinnerTask = Task.Run(async () =>
+        {
+            var frames = Spinner.Known.BouncingBar.Frames;
+            var interval = Spinner.Known.BouncingBar.Interval;
+            int i = 0;
+            
+            // Hide cursor
+            Console.Write("\x1b[?25l");
+            try
             {
-                while (await stream.MoveNextAsync())
+                while (!spinnerCts.Token.IsCancellationRequested)
                 {
-                    responseCts.Token.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
-                    CaptureUsage(stream.Current);
-                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(stream.Current.Text))
+                    if (showSpinner)
                     {
-                        firstChunk = stream.Current.Text;
-                        fullResponse = firstChunk;
-                        return; // Break out → stops the spinner
+                        var frame = frames[i % frames.Count];
+                        Console.Write($"\r\x1b[38;5;69m{frame}\x1b[0m Thinking...");
+                        i++;
                     }
+                    try { await Task.Delay(interval, spinnerCts.Token); } catch { }
                 }
-            });
+            }
+            finally
+            {
+                // Clear the spinner line and show cursor
+                if (showSpinner)
+                    Console.Write("\r" + new string(' ', 40) + "\r");
+                Console.Write("\x1b[?25h");
+            }
+        });
+
+        try
+        {
+            while (await stream.MoveNextAsync())
+            {
+                responseCts.Token.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
+                CaptureUsage(stream.Current);
+                if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(stream.Current.Text))
+                {
+                    firstChunk = stream.Current.Text;
+                    fullResponse = firstChunk;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            spinnerCts.Cancel();
+            await Task.WhenAny(spinnerTask);
+            CommandTool.PauseSpinner = null;
+            CommandTool.ResumeSpinner = null;
+        }
 
         // Phase 2: Stream text tokens directly to the console
         if (firstChunk != null)
diff --git a/Tools/CommandTool.cs b/Tools/CommandTool.cs
index 87d9110..e0283af 100644
--- a/Tools/CommandTool.cs
+++ b/Tools/CommandTool.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ namespace AnchorCli.Tools;
 internal static class CommandTool
 {
     public static Action<string> Log { get; set; } = Console.WriteLine;
+    public static Action? PauseSpinner { get; set; }
+    public static Action? ResumeSpinner { get; set; }
 
 #if WINDOWS
     [Description("Execute a PowerShell command after user approval. Prompts with [Y/n] before running. Note: For file editing and operations, use the built-in file tools (ReadFile, ReplaceLines, InsertAfter, DeleteRange, CreateFile, etc.) instead of shell commands.")]
@@ -22,22 +24,34 @@ internal static class CommandTool
         Log($"Command request: {command}");
 
         // Prompt for user approval
-        AnsiConsole.WriteLine();
-        AnsiConsole.Write(
-            new Panel($"[yellow]{Markup.Escape(command)}[/]")
-                .Header("[bold yellow] Run command? [/]")
-                .BorderColor(Color.Yellow)
-                .RoundedBorder()
-                .Padding(1, 0));
-
-        // Drain any buffered keystrokes so stale input doesn't auto-answer
-        while (Console.KeyAvailable)
-            Console.ReadKey(intercept: true);
-
-        if (!AnsiConsole.Confirm("Execute?", defaultValue: true))
+        PauseSpinner?.Invoke();
+        try
         {
-            AnsiConsole.MarkupLine("[dim grey]  ✗ Cancelled by user[/]");
-            return "ERROR: Command execution cancelled by user";
+            AnsiConsole.WriteLine();
+            AnsiConsole.Write(
+                new Panel($"[yellow]{Markup.Escape(command)}[/]")
+                    .Header("[bold yellow] Run command? [/]")
+                    .BorderColor(Color.Yellow)
+                    .RoundedBorder()
+                    .Padding(1, 0));
+
+            // Drain any buffered keystrokes so stale input doesn't auto-answer
+            try
+            {
+                while (Console.KeyAvailable)
+                    Console.ReadKey(intercept: true);
+            }
+            catch { }
+
+            if (!AnsiConsole.Confirm("Execute?", defaultValue: true))
+            {
+                AnsiConsole.MarkupLine("[dim grey]  ✗ Cancelled by user[/]");
+                return "ERROR: Command execution cancelled by user";
+            }
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            ResumeSpinner?.Invoke();
         }
 
         // Execute the command