diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
index cb037e0aeb..94ac8d7961 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
@@ -240,8 +240,7 @@ impl ChatWidget<'_> {
                 self.request_redraw()?;
             }
             EventMsg::Error { message } => {
-                self.conversation_history
-                    .add_background_event(format!("Error: {message}"));
+                self.conversation_history.add_error(message);
                 self.bottom_pane.set_task_running(false)?;
             }
             EventMsg::ExecApprovalRequest {
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/conversation_history_widget.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/conversation_history_widget.rs
index f8fc53f920..fde5ea34b9 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/conversation_history_widget.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/conversation_history_widget.rs
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ impl ConversationHistoryWidget {
         self.add_to_history(HistoryCell::new_background_event(message));
     }
 
+    pub fn add_error(&mut self, message: String) {
+        self.add_to_history(HistoryCell::new_error_event(message));
+    }
+
     /// Add a pending patch entry (before user approval).
     pub fn add_patch_event(
         &mut self,
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs
index d8e2b2e289..2590a01168 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ pub(crate) enum HistoryCell {
     /// Background event
     BackgroundEvent { lines: Vec<Line<'static>> },
 
+    /// Error event from the backend.
+    ErrorEvent { lines: Vec<Line<'static>> },
+
     /// Info describing the newly‑initialized session.
     SessionInfo { lines: Vec<Line<'static>> },
 
@@ -245,6 +248,12 @@ impl HistoryCell {
         HistoryCell::BackgroundEvent { lines }
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn new_error_event(message: String) -> Self {
+        let lines: Vec<Line<'static>> =
+            vec![vec!["ERROR".red().bold(), message.into()].into(), "".into()];
+        HistoryCell::ErrorEvent { lines }
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn new_session_info(config: &Config, model: String) -> Self {
         let mut lines: Vec<Line<'static>> = Vec::new();
 
@@ -332,6 +341,7 @@ impl HistoryCell {
             HistoryCell::UserPrompt { lines, .. }
             | HistoryCell::AgentMessage { lines, .. }
             | HistoryCell::BackgroundEvent { lines, .. }
+            | HistoryCell::ErrorEvent { lines, .. }
             | HistoryCell::SessionInfo { lines, .. }
             | HistoryCell::ActiveExecCommand { lines, .. }
             | HistoryCell::CompletedExecCommand { lines, .. }