diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
index 3a27a8839b..45118193f2 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs
@@ -425,6 +425,7 @@ pub(crate) const SUBMISSION_CHANNEL_CAPACITY: usize = 512;
 const CYBER_VERIFY_URL: &str = "https://chatgpt.com/cyber";
 const CYBER_SAFETY_URL: &str = "https://developers.openai.com/codex/concepts/cyber-safety";
 const DIRECT_APP_TOOL_EXPOSURE_THRESHOLD: usize = 100;
+const CLI_CREATE_API_KEY_INSTRUCTION: &str = "If a command fails because `OPENAI_API_KEY` is unset, tell the user to set `OPENAI_API_KEY` in this shell or pass `api_key=...` explicitly, and mention that they can run `/create-api-key` to create an OpenAI API key for the current Codex session.";
 
 impl Codex {
     /// Spawn a new [`Codex`] and initialize the session.
@@ -3497,6 +3498,9 @@ impl Session {
             )
             .into_text(),
         );
+        if matches!(session_source, SessionSource::Cli) {
+            developer_sections.push(CLI_CREATE_API_KEY_INSTRUCTION.to_string());
+        }
         let separate_guardian_developer_message =
             crate::guardian::is_guardian_reviewer_source(&session_source);
         // Keep the guardian policy prompt out of the aggregated developer bundle so it
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/create_api_key.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/create_api_key.rs
index 6d41e6a0db..c60a1b80e3 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/create_api_key.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/create_api_key.rs
@@ -205,23 +205,39 @@ fn success_cell(
         .unwrap_or_else(|| provisioned.default_project_id.clone());
     let masked_api_key = mask_api_key(&provisioned.project_api_key);
     let copy_status = match copy_result {
-        Ok(()) => "Copied the full key to your clipboard.".to_string(),
+        Ok(()) => "I copied the full key to your clipboard.".to_string(),
         Err(err) => format!("Could not copy the key to your clipboard: {err}"),
     };
     let session_env_status = match session_env_result {
-        Ok(()) => {
-            format!("Set {OPENAI_API_KEY_ENV_VAR} in this Codex session for spawned commands.")
-        }
+        Ok(()) => format!(
+            "I also set {OPENAI_API_KEY_ENV_VAR} in this Codex session for future commands."
+        ),
         Err(err) => {
             format!("Could not set {OPENAI_API_KEY_ENV_VAR} in this Codex session: {err}")
         }
     };
-    let hint = Some(format!("{copy_status} {session_env_status}"));
 
-    history_cell::new_info_event(
-        format!("Created an API key for {organization} / {project}: {masked_api_key}"),
-        hint,
-    )
+    PlainHistoryCell::new(vec![
+        vec![
+            "• ".dim(),
+            format!("Created an API key for {organization} / {project}: {masked_api_key}.").into(),
+        ]
+        .into(),
+        vec!["  ".into(), format!("{copy_status} {session_env_status}").into()].into(),
+        "".into(),
+        vec![
+            "  ".into(),
+            "To create more keys or monitor usage, go to platform.openai.com.".dark_gray(),
+        ]
+        .into(),
+        "".into(),
+        vec![
+            "  ".into(),
+            "You can start building with the OpenAI API with limited usage of gpt-5.4-nano. To use more models, add credits on platform.openai.com."
+                .dark_gray(),
+        ]
+        .into(),
+    ])
 }
 
 fn mask_api_key(api_key: &str) -> String {
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/snapshots/codex_tui__chatwidget__create_api_key__tests__success_cell_snapshot.snap b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/snapshots/codex_tui__chatwidget__create_api_key__tests__success_cell_snapshot.snap
index 57e054a59d..fe9633dbd7 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/snapshots/codex_tui__chatwidget__create_api_key__tests__success_cell_snapshot.snap
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/snapshots/codex_tui__chatwidget__create_api_key__tests__success_cell_snapshot.snap
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 ---
 source: tui/src/chatwidget/create_api_key.rs
-assertion_line: 232
 expression: render_cell(&cell)
 ---
-• Created an API key for Default Org / Default Project: sk-proj-123 Copied the full key to your clipboard. Set OPENAI_API_KEY in this Codex session for spawned commands.
+• Created an API key for Default Org / Default Project: sk-proj-123.
+  I copied the full key to your clipboard. I also set OPENAI_API_KEY in this Codex session for future commands.
+
+  To create more keys or monitor usage, go to platform.openai.com.
+
+  You can start building with the OpenAI API with limited usage of gpt-5.4-nano. To use more models, add credits on platform.openai.com.
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/snapshots/codex_tui__chatwidget__create_api_key__tests__success_cell_snapshot_when_clipboard_copy_fails.snap b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/snapshots/codex_tui__chatwidget__create_api_key__tests__success_cell_snapshot_when_clipboard_copy_fails.snap
index 901fafb2eb..2f34af08fd 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/snapshots/codex_tui__chatwidget__create_api_key__tests__success_cell_snapshot_when_clipboard_copy_fails.snap
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/snapshots/codex_tui__chatwidget__create_api_key__tests__success_cell_snapshot_when_clipboard_copy_fails.snap
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 ---
 source: tui/src/chatwidget/create_api_key.rs
-assertion_line: 249
 expression: render_cell(&cell)
 ---
-• Created an API key for org-default / proj-default: sk-proj-123 Could not copy the key to your clipboard: clipboard unavailable Could not set OPENAI_API_KEY in this Codex session: dependency env unavailable
+• Created an API key for org-default / proj-default: sk-proj-123.
+  Could not copy the key to your clipboard: clipboard unavailable Could not set OPENAI_API_KEY in this Codex session: dependency env unavailable
+
+  To create more keys or monitor usage, go to platform.openai.com.
+
+  You can start building with the OpenAI API with limited usage of gpt-5.4-nano. To use more models, add credits on platform.openai.com.