diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 57d1393..4bf48b1 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -7122,8 +7122,12 @@ mod tests {
             otx,
             "agent".into(),
         ));
-
-        // READY is in the default event list (completion notifications)
+        // Opt into "ready" events for this test (not in the default list)
+        {
+            let mut cfg = (*app.config).clone();
+            cfg.orchestrator.events.push("ready".into());
+            app.config = std::sync::Arc::new(cfg);
+        }
         app.notify_orchestrator(watched, &SessionState::Ready);
         assert!(orx.try_recv().is_ok());
         // …but not twice within the cooldown
@@ -7155,9 +7159,13 @@ mod tests {
             otx,
             "agent".into(),
         ));
+        // Opt into "ready" events for this test (not in the default list)
+        {
+            let mut cfg = (*app.config).clone();
+            cfg.orchestrator.events.push("ready".into());
+            app.config = std::sync::Arc::new(cfg);
+        }
 
-        // Simulate an agent CLI that streamed output and then went quiet:
-        // Running with the last output more than 2s ago.
         {
             let s = app.sessions.iter_mut().find(|s| s.id == id).unwrap();
             s.state = SessionState::Running;
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 52d1c0b..d23d49c 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -134,12 +134,11 @@ impl Default for OrchestratorConfig {
             cwd: String::new(),
             hidden: true,
             permission_mode: "accept-edits".to_string(),
-            events: vec![
-                "ready".into(),
-                "waiting".into(),
-                "error".into(),
-                "dead".into(),
-            ],
+            // "ready" is deliberately absent: sessions going idle is the most
+            // frequent and least actionable transition, and each event costs
+            // a full orchestrator turn (expensive on local models). Add
+            // "ready" to [orchestrator].events to opt back in.
+            events: vec!["waiting".into(), "error".into(), "dead".into()],
             event_cooldown_secs: 30,
             approval: "auto".to_string(),
             auto_approve: vec![
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 6fcf997..848d01e 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -371,21 +371,37 @@ async fn run_server() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let mut headless = true;
     let mut relay_task: Option<tokio::task::JoinHandle<()>> = None;
     let mut relay_kitty = false;
+    let mut relay_write_failures: u32 = 0;
     loop {
         if !headless && app.needs_redraw && last_render.elapsed() >= frame_cap {
             let mut layout = ui::LayoutInfo::default();
             if let Err(error) = terminal.draw(|f| {
                 layout = ui::draw(f, &app);
             }) {
+                last_render = Instant::now();
                 if is_transient_terminal_error(&error) {
                     // A busy terminal or relay socket may briefly reject a
-                    // frame. Keep the redraw pending and retry after the frame
-                    // interval instead of terminating the whole application.
-                    last_render = Instant::now();
-                    continue;
+                    // frame; retry. But while attached, repeated timeouts
+                    // mean the relay client is wedged (not draining its
+                    // socket) — without escalation the server would render
+                    // one frame per write-timeout forever and reject new
+                    // reattach attempts as "already attached".
+                    relay_write_failures += 1;
+                    if headless || relay_write_failures < 3 {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                } else if headless {
+                    // No relay client involved: a real backend failure.
+                    return Err(error.into());
                 }
-                return Err(error.into());
+                // The attached client is dead or stalled. Drop it and go
+                // headless instead of hanging or killing the server — the
+                // sessions keep running and the user can reattach.
+                let _ = tx.try_send(AppEvent::Detach);
+                relay_write_failures = 0;
+                continue;
             }
+            relay_write_failures = 0;
             app.output_areas = layout.output_areas.clone();
             app.session_bar_area = layout.session_bar_area;
             app.session_slot_areas = layout.session_slot_areas;
@@ -1386,14 +1402,20 @@ fn spawn_reattach_listener(
                 if stream.write_all(b"{\"ok\":true}\n").await.is_err() {
                     return;
                 }
-                let _ = tx
-                    .send(AppEvent::Reattach {
+                // Bounded: if the main loop is wedged and never drains the
+                // channel, dropping the stream here EOFs the client so it
+                // exits cleanly instead of hanging on a blank screen after
+                // the ok-ack.
+                let _ = tokio::time::timeout(
+                    Duration::from_secs(5),
+                    tx.send(AppEvent::Reattach {
                         stream,
                         rows,
                         cols,
                         kitty,
-                    })
-                    .await;
+                    }),
+                )
+                .await;
             });
         }
     });
@@ -1416,6 +1438,10 @@ async fn do_reattach(
     let Ok(writer_clone) = std_stream.try_clone() else {
         return None;
     };
+    // A stalled client (not draining its socket) must not block the main
+    // loop inside terminal.draw() forever: bound each write, and let the
+    // resulting error surface as a detach in the draw error path.
+    let _ = writer_clone.set_write_timeout(Some(Duration::from_secs(5)));
     let _ = std_stream.set_nonblocking(true); // back to non-blocking for tokio
     let Ok(relay_reader) = tokio::net::UnixStream::from_std(std_stream) else {
         return None;
diff --git a/src/orchestrator/mod.rs b/src/orchestrator/mod.rs
index 0aeca83..deae625 100644
--- a/src/orchestrator/mod.rs
+++ b/src/orchestrator/mod.rs
@@ -214,8 +214,11 @@ pub fn spawn(cfg: OrchestratorConfig, event_tx: mpsc::Sender<AppEvent>) -> Orche
                 Err(e) => format!("[{}: error: {}]", cfg.name, e),
             };
             // Always answer a human; stay quiet only if an event turn produced
-            // nothing (the model may have just filed tool calls / no comment).
-            if any_user || !text.trim().is_empty() {
+            // nothing, or the bare `ok` the system prompt designates as the
+            // "nothing to report" acknowledgment for informational events.
+            let noop_ack =
+                text.trim().eq_ignore_ascii_case("ok") || text.trim().eq_ignore_ascii_case("ok.");
+            if any_user || (!text.trim().is_empty() && !noop_ack) {
                 let _ = event_tx
                     .send(AppEvent::ChatReply {
                         from: cfg.name.clone(),
@@ -636,8 +639,12 @@ session's process (SIGSTOP) without losing its context — its state shows PAUSE
 which is the right lever when concurrent sessions contend for limited CPU or RAM.\n\
 \n\
 Messages starting with [linkshell event] are automatic notifications that a session \
-changed state; investigate briefly (read_output) and tell the user in one or two \
-sentences what happened, what it needs, and what you suggest. Messages starting \
+changed state. For WAITING, ERROR, and DEAD events: investigate briefly (read_output) \
+and tell the user in one or two sentences what happened, what it needs, and what you \
+suggest. For purely informational events that require no action from you or the user \
+(a session simply became READY/idle and nothing depends on it), do NOT call any tools \
+and reply with exactly `ok` — that reply is suppressed and never shown to the user. \
+Messages starting \
 with [linkshell] are system notes.\n\
 \n\
 Your replies render in a small chat pane: be concise, no markdown headers.",
diff --git a/src/session.rs b/src/session.rs
index 7bf238b..8ab5f64 100644
--- a/src/session.rs
+++ b/src/session.rs
@@ -300,6 +300,23 @@ pub struct Session {
     last_screen_hash: u64,
 }
 
+/// Compact human count for status columns: 999, 42.3k, 999.9k, 1.23M, 99.9M,
+/// 999M. Always ≤ 6 chars.
+pub fn fmt_count(n: u64) -> String {
+    let f = n as f64;
+    if n < 1_000 {
+        n.to_string()
+    } else if f < 999_950.0 {
+        format!("{:.1}k", f / 1_000.0)
+    } else if f < 9_995_000.0 {
+        format!("{:.2}M", f / 1_000_000.0)
+    } else if f < 99_950_000.0 {
+        format!("{:.1}M", f / 1_000_000.0)
+    } else {
+        format!("{:.0}M", f / 1_000_000.0)
+    }
+}
+
 impl Session {
     pub fn new(
         id: usize,
@@ -521,19 +538,10 @@ impl Session {
     }
 
     pub fn context_display(&self) -> String {
-        let ctx = self.stats.context_tokens;
-        let max = self.context_max;
-        fn short(n: u64) -> String {
-            if n >= 1000 {
-                format!("{:.1}k", n as f64 / 1000.0)
-            } else {
-                n.to_string()
-            }
-        }
-        match (ctx, max) {
+        match (self.stats.context_tokens, self.context_max) {
             (0, 0) => "—".to_string(),
-            (c, 0) => format!("{} ctx", short(c)),
-            (c, m) => format!("{}/{}", short(c), short(m)),
+            (c, 0) => fmt_count(c),
+            (c, m) => format!("{}/{}", fmt_count(c), fmt_count(m)),
         }
     }
 
@@ -541,10 +549,8 @@ impl Session {
         let total = self.stats.input_tokens + self.stats.output_tokens;
         if total == 0 {
             "—".to_string()
-        } else if total >= 1000 {
-            format!("{:.1}k tok", total as f64 / 1000.0)
         } else {
-            format!("{} tok", total)
+            fmt_count(total)
         }
     }
 
@@ -665,6 +671,36 @@ pub fn extract_waiting_prompt(lines: &VecDeque<String>) -> Option<String> {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn fmt_count_tiers_and_width() {
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(0), "0");
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(999), "999");
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(1_000), "1.0k");
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(42_340), "42.3k");
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(999_900), "999.9k");
+        // The 1000k boundary rolls over to M instead of "1000.0k".
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(999_950), "1.00M");
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(1_234_000), "1.23M");
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(12_340_000), "12.3M");
+        assert_eq!(fmt_count(123_400_000), "123M");
+        for n in [
+            0,
+            999,
+            1_000,
+            999_949,
+            999_950,
+            9_994_999,
+            99_949_999,
+            u32::MAX as u64,
+        ] {
+            assert!(
+                fmt_count(n).chars().count() <= 6,
+                "{} too wide",
+                fmt_count(n)
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn waiting_prompt_prefers_recent_question_and_ignores_box_drawing() {
         let lines = VecDeque::from([
@@ -821,8 +857,8 @@ mod tests {
         shell.stats.output_tokens = 1;
         shell.stats.context_tokens = 1250;
         shell.stats.total_cost_usd = 0.1234;
-        assert_eq!(shell.tokens_display(), "1.0k tok");
-        assert_eq!(shell.context_display(), "1.2k ctx");
+        assert_eq!(shell.tokens_display(), "1.0k");
+        assert_eq!(shell.context_display(), "1.2k");
         assert_eq!(shell.cost_display(), "$0.123");
 
         shell.context_max = 32768;
diff --git a/src/ui.rs b/src/ui.rs
index 3c0da12..e101d45 100644
--- a/src/ui.rs
+++ b/src/ui.rs
@@ -545,24 +545,17 @@ fn orchestrator_row(app: &App) -> Option<OrchRow> {
             },
             tokens: if total == 0 {
                 "—".into()
-            } else if total >= 1000 {
-                format!("{:.1}k tok", total as f64 / 1000.0)
             } else {
-                format!("{total} tok")
+                crate::session::fmt_count(total)
             },
-            ctx: {
-                fn short(n: u64) -> String {
-                    if n >= 1000 {
-                        format!("{:.1}k", n as f64 / 1000.0)
-                    } else {
-                        n.to_string()
-                    }
-                }
-                match (stats.context_tokens, app.orchestrator_ctx_max) {
-                    (0, None) => "—".into(),
-                    (c, None) => format!("{} ctx", short(c)),
-                    (c, Some(m)) => format!("{}/{}", short(c), short(m)),
-                }
+            ctx: match (stats.context_tokens, app.orchestrator_ctx_max) {
+                (0, None) => "—".into(),
+                (c, None) => crate::session::fmt_count(c),
+                (c, Some(m)) => format!(
+                    "{}/{}",
+                    crate::session::fmt_count(c),
+                    crate::session::fmt_count(m)
+                ),
             },
             cost: if stats.total_cost_usd > 0.0 {
                 format!("${:.3}", stats.total_cost_usd)
@@ -631,9 +624,9 @@ fn draw_status_panel(f: &mut Frame<'_>, app: &App, area: Rect) -> Vec<Rect> {
             Span::styled("│ ", hdr_style),
             Span::styled(format!("{:>6}  ", "Time"), hdr_style),
             Span::styled("│ ", hdr_style),
-            Span::styled(format!("{:>8}  ", "Tokens"), hdr_style),
+            Span::styled(format!("{:>6}  ", "Tokens"), hdr_style),
             Span::styled("│ ", hdr_style),
-            Span::styled(format!("{:>8}  ", "Ctx"), hdr_style),
+            Span::styled(format!("{:>13}  ", "Ctx"), hdr_style),
             Span::styled("│ ", hdr_style),
             Span::styled(format!("{:>7}", "Cost"), hdr_style),
         ];
@@ -747,10 +740,10 @@ fn draw_status_panel(f: &mut Frame<'_>, app: &App, area: Rect) -> Vec<Rect> {
                 Style::default().fg(Color::Gray),
             ),
             Span::raw("│ "),
-            Span::styled(format!("{:>8}  ", tokens), Style::default().fg(Color::Cyan)),
+            Span::styled(format!("{:>6}  ", tokens), Style::default().fg(Color::Cyan)),
             Span::raw("│ "),
             Span::styled(
-                format!("{:>8}  ", context),
+                format!("{:>13}  ", context),
                 Style::default().fg(Color::Magenta),
             ),
             Span::raw("│ "),
@@ -818,12 +811,12 @@ fn draw_status_panel(f: &mut Frame<'_>, app: &App, area: Rect) -> Vec<Rect> {
                 Span::styled(format!("{:>6}  ", ""), Style::default().fg(Color::Gray)),
                 Span::raw("│ "),
                 Span::styled(
-                    format!("{:>8}  ", o.tokens),
+                    format!("{:>6}  ", o.tokens),
                     Style::default().fg(Color::Cyan),
                 ),
                 Span::raw("│ "),
                 Span::styled(
-                    format!("{:>8}  ", o.ctx),
+                    format!("{:>13}  ", o.ctx),
                     Style::default().fg(Color::Magenta),
                 ),
                 Span::raw("│ "),