diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index cc8307e..3a61264 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -81,4 +81,5 @@ The domain model (Host, Module, Skeleton, Auto-loader, Enable convention, overla
 - Flake-managed Pi extension, prompt, and skill directories may still be written directly for throwaway development or local experiments.
   The risk is that a later Home Manager activation can overwrite or hide those unmanaged files, so finished work must be promoted into the dotfiles module before it counts as deployed.
 - Pi's tool discovery checks `~/.pi/agent/bin` before `PATH`, and downloaded generic Linux binaries there can be unusable on NixOS with the stub-ld error.
-  A copied or patched Pi launcher that only prepends Nix `fd`/`rg` to `PATH` may still break `@` autocomplete unless the local tool path is removed or Pi validates the local binary before using it.
+  This flake patches Pi to validate local tool binaries before selecting them, so it falls back to usable `fd`/`rg` from `PATH` instead.
+  Stale unpatched launchers are the remaining failure mode for broken `@` autocomplete.
diff --git a/modules/agents/pi/extensions/compact-status.ts b/modules/agents/pi/extensions/compact-status.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb4c00c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/agents/pi/extensions/compact-status.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,254 @@
+import { execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
+import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { homedir } from "node:os";
+import { basename, join } from "node:path";
+import type { ExtensionAPI } from "@earendil-works/pi-coding-agent";
+import { truncateToWidth, visibleWidth } from "@earendil-works/pi-tui";
+
+type QuotaState =
+  | { status: "idle" | "loading" }
+  | { status: "ok"; detail: string; refreshedAt: number; weeklyRemaining?: number; shortRemaining?: number }
+  | { status: "missing" | "error"; detail: string; refreshedAt?: number };
+
+const CODEX_USAGE_ENDPOINTS = [
+  "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/wham/usage",
+  "https://chatgpt.com/backend-api/codex/usage",
+];
+const QUOTA_REFRESH_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
+const REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS = 10_000;
+
+let quotaState: QuotaState = { status: "idle" };
+let quotaRefreshPromise: Promise<void> | null = null;
+
+function shortCwd(cwd: string): string {
+  const home = process.env.HOME;
+  if (home && cwd.startsWith(`${home}/`)) return `~/${basename(cwd)}`;
+  return basename(cwd) || cwd;
+}
+
+function gitBranch(cwd: string): string | null {
+  try {
+    const out = execFileSync("git", ["--no-optional-locks", "symbolic-ref", "--quiet", "--short", "HEAD"], {
+      cwd,
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "ignore"],
+    }).trim();
+    return out || null;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+function authPath(): string {
+  return join(process.env.PI_CODING_AGENT_DIR ?? join(homedir(), ".pi", "agent"), "auth.json");
+}
+
+function readCodexCredentials(): { access: string; accountId?: string } | null {
+  const file = authPath();
+  if (!existsSync(file)) return null;
+  try {
+    const auth = JSON.parse(readFileSync(file, "utf8"));
+    const credential = auth?.["openai-codex"];
+    if (credential?.type !== "oauth" || typeof credential.access !== "string") return null;
+    if (typeof credential.expires === "number" && credential.expires <= Date.now() + 30_000) return null;
+    return {
+      access: credential.access,
+      accountId: typeof credential.accountId === "string" ? credential.accountId : undefined,
+    };
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+function numberValue(value: unknown): number | undefined {
+  if (typeof value === "number" && Number.isFinite(value)) return value;
+  if (typeof value === "string" && value.trim() !== "") {
+    const parsed = Number(value);
+    if (Number.isFinite(parsed)) return parsed;
+  }
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+function objectValue(value: unknown): Record<string, unknown> | undefined {
+  return value && typeof value === "object" && !Array.isArray(value) ? (value as Record<string, unknown>) : undefined;
+}
+
+function windowSeconds(raw: Record<string, unknown>): number | undefined {
+  const seconds = numberValue(raw.limit_window_seconds ?? raw.windowSeconds);
+  if (seconds !== undefined) return seconds;
+  const mins = numberValue(raw.windowDurationMins ?? raw.window_duration_mins);
+  return mins === undefined ? undefined : mins * 60;
+}
+
+function usedPercent(raw: Record<string, unknown>): number | undefined {
+  const value = numberValue(raw.used_percent ?? raw.usedPercent);
+  if (value === undefined) return undefined;
+  return Math.max(0, Math.min(100, value));
+}
+
+function collectWindows(raw: unknown, out: Array<{ seconds?: number; used: number; key: string }> = [], key = "root") {
+  if (Array.isArray(raw)) {
+    raw.forEach((item, index) => collectWindows(item, out, `${key}.${index}`));
+    return out;
+  }
+  const obj = objectValue(raw);
+  if (!obj) return out;
+  const used = usedPercent(obj);
+  if (used !== undefined) out.push({ seconds: windowSeconds(obj), used, key });
+  for (const [childKey, value] of Object.entries(obj)) {
+    if (value && typeof value === "object") collectWindows(value, out, `${key}.${childKey}`);
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+function pickQuotaWindows(raw: unknown): { weeklyRemaining?: number; shortRemaining?: number } | null {
+  const windows = collectWindows(raw);
+  if (windows.length === 0) return null;
+  const weekly = windows.find((window) => window.seconds !== undefined && Math.abs(window.seconds - 604_800) <= 60 * 60)
+    ?? windows.find((window) => /week|weekly|secondary/i.test(window.key));
+  const short = windows.find((window) => window.seconds !== undefined && Math.abs(window.seconds - 18_000) <= 60 * 30)
+    ?? windows.find((window) => /five|session|primary|short/i.test(window.key));
+  return {
+    weeklyRemaining: weekly ? Math.max(0, Math.min(100, 100 - weekly.used)) : undefined,
+    shortRemaining: short ? Math.max(0, Math.min(100, 100 - short.used)) : undefined,
+  };
+}
+
+function safeFg(theme: any, color: string, text: string): string {
+  try {
+    return theme.fg(color, text);
+  } catch {
+    return theme.fg("accent", text);
+  }
+}
+
+function contextColor(percent: number): string {
+  if (percent >= 90) return "error";
+  if (percent >= 70) return "warning";
+  return "success";
+}
+
+function quotaColor(percent: number): string {
+  if (percent >= 80) return "error";
+  if (percent >= 50) return "warning";
+  return "border";
+}
+
+function bar(theme: any, width: number, percent: number | null, glyph: string, colorForPercent: (percent: number) => string): string {
+  const barWidth = Math.max(12, width);
+  if (percent === null) return theme.fg("muted", glyph.repeat(barWidth));
+  const clamped = Math.max(0, Math.min(100, percent));
+  const filled = Math.max(0, Math.min(barWidth, Math.round((clamped / 100) * barWidth)));
+  const empty = Math.max(0, barWidth - filled);
+  return safeFg(theme, colorForPercent(clamped), glyph.repeat(filled)) + theme.fg("dim", glyph.repeat(empty));
+}
+
+async function fetchCodexQuota(force = false): Promise<void> {
+  const fresh = quotaState.status === "ok" && Date.now() - quotaState.refreshedAt < QUOTA_REFRESH_MS;
+  if (!force && fresh) return;
+  if (quotaRefreshPromise) return quotaRefreshPromise;
+
+  quotaState = { status: "loading" };
+  quotaRefreshPromise = (async () => {
+    const credentials = readCodexCredentials();
+    if (!credentials) {
+      quotaState = { status: "missing", detail: "OpenAI Codex OAuth credentials were not found or are expired" };
+      return;
+    }
+
+    let lastError = "quota unavailable";
+    for (const endpoint of CODEX_USAGE_ENDPOINTS) {
+      const controller = new AbortController();
+      const timeout = setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS);
+      try {
+        const headers: Record<string, string> = { Authorization: `Bearer ${credentials.access}` };
+        if (credentials.accountId) headers["ChatGPT-Account-Id"] = credentials.accountId;
+        const response = await fetch(endpoint, { headers, signal: controller.signal });
+        if (!response.ok) {
+          lastError = `${response.status} ${response.statusText}`;
+          continue;
+        }
+        const windows = pickQuotaWindows(await response.json());
+        if (!windows || (windows.weeklyRemaining === undefined && windows.shortRemaining === undefined)) {
+          lastError = "response had no recognized quota windows";
+          continue;
+        }
+        const details = [];
+        if (windows.weeklyRemaining !== undefined) details.push(`weekly ${Math.round(windows.weeklyRemaining)}%`);
+        if (windows.shortRemaining !== undefined) details.push(`short ${Math.round(windows.shortRemaining)}%`);
+        quotaState = {
+          status: "ok",
+          detail: `Codex quota remaining: ${details.join(", ")}`,
+          weeklyRemaining: windows.weeklyRemaining,
+          shortRemaining: windows.shortRemaining,
+          refreshedAt: Date.now(),
+        };
+        return;
+      } catch (error) {
+        lastError = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+      } finally {
+        clearTimeout(timeout);
+      }
+    }
+    quotaState = { status: "error", detail: `Codex quota failed: ${lastError}`, refreshedAt: Date.now() };
+  })().finally(() => {
+    quotaRefreshPromise = null;
+  });
+  return quotaRefreshPromise;
+}
+
+function statusLines(ctx: any, theme: any, width: number): string[] {
+  const cwd = ctx.sessionManager?.getCwd?.() ?? ctx.cwd ?? process.cwd();
+  const branch = gitBranch(cwd);
+  const where = branch ? `󰉋 ${shortCwd(cwd)} 󰘬 ${branch}` : `󰉋 ${shortCwd(cwd)}`;
+  const model = ctx.model?.id ?? process.env.PI_MODEL ?? "no-model";
+  const thinking = ctx.thinkingLevel ?? process.env.PI_REASONING_LEVEL ?? "off";
+  const left = theme.fg("accent", where);
+  const right = theme.fg("dim", `${model} • ${thinking}`);
+  const pad = " ".repeat(Math.max(1, width - visibleWidth(left) - visibleWidth(right)));
+  const contextPercentRaw = ctx.getContextUsage?.()?.percent;
+  const contextPercent = typeof contextPercentRaw === "number" && Number.isFinite(contextPercentRaw) ? contextPercentRaw : null;
+  const quotaConsumed = quotaState.status === "ok" && quotaState.weeklyRemaining !== undefined
+    ? 100 - quotaState.weeklyRemaining
+    : null;
+  return [
+    truncateToWidth(left + pad + right, width),
+    bar(theme, width, contextPercent, "▃", contextColor),
+    bar(theme, width, quotaConsumed, "▔", quotaColor),
+  ];
+}
+
+function setCompactStatusUi(ctx: any) {
+  if (!ctx.hasUI) return;
+  ctx.ui.setWidget("compact-status", (_tui: any, theme: any) => ({
+    invalidate() {},
+    render(width: number) {
+      return statusLines(ctx, theme, width);
+    },
+  }));
+  ctx.ui.setFooter(() => ({ invalidate() {}, render: () => [] }));
+}
+
+export default function compactStatus(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
+  function refreshUi(ctx: any) {
+    setCompactStatusUi(ctx);
+  }
+
+  pi.on("session_start", (_event, ctx) => {
+    refreshUi(ctx);
+    void fetchCodexQuota(false).then(() => refreshUi(ctx));
+  });
+  pi.on("model_select", (_event, ctx) => refreshUi(ctx));
+  pi.on("agent_settled", (_event, ctx) => refreshUi(ctx));
+
+  pi.registerCommand("codex-quota", {
+    description: "Refresh and show ChatGPT Codex quota",
+    handler: async (_args, ctx) => {
+      refreshUi(ctx);
+      await fetchCodexQuota(true);
+      refreshUi(ctx);
+      const level = quotaState.status === "ok" ? "info" : quotaState.status === "missing" ? "warning" : "error";
+      ctx.ui.notify(quotaState.status === "idle" || quotaState.status === "loading" ? "Codex quota refresh in progress" : quotaState.detail, level);
+    },
+  });
+}
diff --git a/modules/agents/pi/patches/pi-flex-spacer.patch b/modules/agents/pi/patches/pi-flex-spacer.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c2d733
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/agents/pi/patches/pi-flex-spacer.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+diff --git a/packages/tui/src/tui.ts b/packages/tui/src/tui.ts
+--- a/packages/tui/src/tui.ts	2026-08-02 00:16:00.000000000 -0400
++++ b/packages/tui/src/tui.ts	2026-08-02 00:16:00.000000000 -0400
+@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ export class TUI extends Container {
+ 	private cursorRow = 0; // Logical cursor row (end of rendered content)
+ 	private hardwareCursorRow = 0; // Actual terminal cursor row (may differ due to IME positioning)
+ 	private showHardwareCursor = process.env.PI_HARDWARE_CURSOR === "1";
+-	private clearOnShrink = process.env.PI_CLEAR_ON_SHRINK === "1"; // Clear empty rows when content shrinks (default: off)
++	private clearOnShrink = process.env.PI_CLEAR_ON_SHRINK !== "0"; // Clear empty rows when content shrinks (default: on)
+ 	private maxLinesRendered = 0; // Track terminal's working area (max lines ever rendered)
+ 	private previousViewportTop = 0; // Track previous viewport top for resize-aware cursor moves
+ 	private fullRedrawCount = 0;
+
+diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/core/settings-manager.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/core/settings-manager.ts
+--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/core/settings-manager.ts	2026-08-02 00:34:00.000000000 -0400
++++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/core/settings-manager.ts	2026-08-02 00:34:00.000000000 -0400
+@@ -1093,11 +1093,11 @@ export class SettingsManager {
+ 	}
+ 
+ 	getClearOnShrink(): boolean {
+-		// Settings takes precedence, then env var, then default false
++		// Settings takes precedence, then env var, then default true
+ 		if (this.settings.terminal?.clearOnShrink !== undefined) {
+ 			return this.settings.terminal.clearOnShrink;
+ 		}
+-		return process.env.PI_CLEAR_ON_SHRINK === "1";
++		return process.env.PI_CLEAR_ON_SHRINK !== "0";
+ 	}
+ 
+ 	setClearOnShrink(enabled: boolean): void {
+
+diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.ts
+--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.ts	2026-08-01 18:41:36.963495957 -0400
++++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/interactive/interactive-mode.ts	2026-08-01 18:43:04.876341236 -0400
+@@ -210,6 +210,45 @@
+ 	return code !== undefined && DEAD_TERMINAL_ERROR_CODES.has(code);
+ }
+ 
++class FlexSpacerBottomLayout implements Component {
++	private readonly ui: TUI;
++	private readonly flowChildren: Component[];
++	private readonly pinnedChildren: Component[];
++
++	constructor(ui: TUI, flowChildren: Component[], pinnedChildren: Component[]) {
++		this.ui = ui;
++		this.flowChildren = flowChildren;
++		this.pinnedChildren = pinnedChildren;
++	}
++
++	invalidate(): void {
++		for (const child of [...this.flowChildren, ...this.pinnedChildren]) {
++			child.invalidate();
++		}
++	}
++
++	private renderGroup(children: Component[], width: number): string[] {
++		const lines: string[] = [];
++		for (const child of children) {
++			lines.push(...child.render(width));
++		}
++		return lines;
++	}
++
++	render(width: number): string[] {
++		const flowLines = this.renderGroup(this.flowChildren, width);
++		const pinnedLines = this.renderGroup(this.pinnedChildren, width);
++		const terminalRows = this.ui.terminal.rows;
++		const spacerRows = Math.max(0, terminalRows - flowLines.length - pinnedLines.length);
++
++		return [
++			...flowLines,
++			...Array.from({ length: spacerRows }, () => ""),
++			...pinnedLines,
++		];
++	}
++}
++
+ const ANTHROPIC_SUBSCRIPTION_AUTH_WARNING =
+ 	"Anthropic subscription auth is active. Third-party harness usage draws from extra usage and is billed per token, not your Claude plan limits. Manage extra usage at https://claude.ai/settings/usage. Disable this warning in /settings.";
+ 
+@@ -335,6 +374,7 @@
+ 	private fdPath: string | undefined;
+ 	private editorContainer: Container;
+ 	private footer: FooterComponent;
++	private footerContainer: Container;
+ 	private footerDataProvider: FooterDataProvider;
+ 	// Stored so the same manager can be injected into custom editors, selectors, and extension UI.
+ 	private keybindings: KeybindingsManager;
+@@ -477,7 +517,9 @@
+ 		this.editorContainer = new Container();
+ 		this.editorContainer.addChild(this.editor as Component);
+ 		this.footerDataProvider = new FooterDataProvider(this.sessionManager.getCwd());
++		this.footerContainer = new Container();
+ 		this.footer = new FooterComponent(this.session, this.footerDataProvider);
++		this.footerContainer.addChild(this.footer);
+ 		this.footer.setAutoCompactEnabled(this.session.autoCompactionEnabled);
+ 
+ 		// Load hide thinking block setting
+@@ -704,19 +746,25 @@
+ 			console.log(theme.fg("dim", `Model scope: ${modelList}${cycleHint}`));
+ 		}
+ 
+-		// Add header container as first child. Populate it after applying theme settings.
+-		// Keep loaded resources before chat so restored session messages never precede them.
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.headerContainer);
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.loadedResourcesContainer);
+-
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.chatContainer);
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.pendingMessagesContainer);
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.statusContainer);
+ 		this.renderWidgets(); // Initialize with default spacer
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.widgetContainerAbove);
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.editorContainer);
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.widgetContainerBelow);
+-		this.ui.addChild(this.footer);
++		this.ui.addChild(
++			new FlexSpacerBottomLayout(
++				this.ui,
++				[
++					this.headerContainer,
++					this.loadedResourcesContainer,
++					this.chatContainer,
++				],
++				[
++					this.pendingMessagesContainer,
++					this.statusContainer,
++					this.widgetContainerAbove,
++					this.editorContainer,
++					this.widgetContainerBelow,
++					this.footerContainer,
++				],
++			),
++		);
+ 		this.ui.setFocus(this.editor);
+ 
+ 		this.setupKeyHandlers();
+@@ -2033,25 +2081,25 @@
+ 			| ((tui: TUI, thm: Theme, footerData: ReadonlyFooterDataProvider) => Component & { dispose?(): void })
+ 			| undefined,
+ 	): void {
+-		// Dispose existing custom footer
++		// Dispose existing custom footer
+ 		if (this.customFooter?.dispose) {
+ 			this.customFooter.dispose();
+ 		}
+ 
+-		// Remove current footer from UI
++		// Remove current footer from its pinned layout slot.
+ 		if (this.customFooter) {
+-			this.ui.removeChild(this.customFooter);
++			this.footerContainer.removeChild(this.customFooter);
+ 		} else {
+-			this.ui.removeChild(this.footer);
++			this.footerContainer.removeChild(this.footer);
+ 		}
+ 
+ 		if (factory) {
+ 			// Create and add custom footer, passing the data provider
+ 			this.customFooter = factory(this.ui, theme, this.footerDataProvider);
+-			this.ui.addChild(this.customFooter);
++			this.footerContainer.addChild(this.customFooter);
+ 		} else {
+ 			// Restore built-in footer
+ 			this.customFooter = undefined;
+-			this.ui.addChild(this.footer);
++			this.footerContainer.addChild(this.footer);
+ 		}
+ 
+ 		this.ui.requestRender();
diff --git a/modules/agents/pi/patches/pi-tool-lookup-validation.patch b/modules/agents/pi/patches/pi-tool-lookup-validation.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9364a7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/agents/pi/patches/pi-tool-lookup-validation.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/tools-manager.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/tools-manager.ts
+--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/tools-manager.ts	2026-08-01 18:41:36.970496010 -0400
++++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/utils/tools-manager.ts	2026-08-01 18:41:37.028186009 -0400
+@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@
+ function commandExists(cmd: string): boolean {
+ 	try {
+ 		const result = spawnSync(cmd, ["--version"], { stdio: "pipe" });
+-		// Check for ENOENT error (command not found)
+-		return result.error === undefined || result.error === null;
++		return (result.error === undefined || result.error === null) && result.status === 0;
+ 	} catch {
+ 		return false;
+ 	}
+@@ -88,7 +87,7 @@
+ 
+ 	// Check our tools directory first
+ 	const localPath = join(TOOLS_DIR, config.binaryName + (platform() === "win32" ? ".exe" : ""));
+-	if (existsSync(localPath)) {
++	if (existsSync(localPath) && commandExists(localPath)) {
+ 		return localPath;
+ 	}
+ 
diff --git a/modules/agents/pi/pi.nix b/modules/agents/pi/pi.nix
index a880d0c..293d74f 100644
--- a/modules/agents/pi/pi.nix
+++ b/modules/agents/pi/pi.nix
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ let
   cfg = config.modules.agents.pi;
   user = config.user.name;
   piDir = "${config.users.users.${user}.home}/.pi/agent";
+  patchedPi = pkgs.pi-coding-agent.overrideAttrs (old: {
+    patches = (old.patches or [ ]) ++ [
+      ./patches/pi-flex-spacer.patch
+      ./patches/pi-tool-lookup-validation.patch
+    ];
+  });
   herdrPiIntegration = pkgs.stdenvNoCC.mkDerivation {
     name = "herdr-pi-integration";
     nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgs.herdr ];
@@ -40,6 +46,7 @@ in
     home-manager.users.${user} = {
       programs.pi-coding-agent = {
         enable = true;
+        package = patchedPi;
 
         settings = {
           defaultProvider = "openai-codex";