diff --git a/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget.rs b/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget.rs
index c320c95bf2..7bbf8186d5 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget.rs
@@ -805,6 +805,8 @@ pub(crate) struct ChatWidget {
     mcp_startup_allow_terminal_only_next_round: bool,
     /// Buffers post-settle MCP startup updates until they cover a full fresh round.
     mcp_startup_pending_next_round: HashMap<String, McpStartupStatus>,
+    /// Tracks whether the buffered next round has seen any `Starting` update yet.
+    mcp_startup_pending_next_round_saw_starting: bool,
     connectors_cache: ConnectorsCacheState,
     connectors_partial_snapshot: Option<ConnectorsSnapshot>,
     connectors_prefetch_in_flight: bool,
@@ -2799,14 +2801,13 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         let mut activated_pending_round = false;
         let startup_status = if self.mcp_startup_ignore_updates_until_next_start {
             if matches!(status, McpStartupStatus::Starting)
-                && !self
-                    .mcp_startup_pending_next_round
-                    .values()
-                    .any(|state| matches!(state, McpStartupStatus::Starting))
+                && !self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round_saw_starting
             {
                 self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round.clear();
                 self.mcp_startup_allow_terminal_only_next_round = false;
             }
+            self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round_saw_starting |=
+                matches!(status, McpStartupStatus::Starting);
             self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round.insert(server, status);
             let Some(expected_servers) = &self.mcp_startup_expected_servers else {
                 return;
@@ -2826,6 +2827,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             }
             self.mcp_startup_ignore_updates_until_next_start = false;
             self.mcp_startup_allow_terminal_only_next_round = false;
+            self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round_saw_starting = false;
             activated_pending_round = true;
             std::mem::take(&mut self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round)
         } else {
@@ -2940,6 +2942,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         self.mcp_startup_ignore_updates_until_next_start = true;
         self.mcp_startup_allow_terminal_only_next_round = false;
         self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round.clear();
+        self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round_saw_starting = false;
         self.update_task_running_state();
         self.maybe_send_next_queued_input();
         self.request_redraw();
@@ -2948,6 +2951,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
     pub(crate) fn finish_mcp_startup_after_lag(&mut self) {
         if self.mcp_startup_ignore_updates_until_next_start {
             self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round.clear();
+            self.mcp_startup_pending_next_round_saw_starting = false;
             self.mcp_startup_allow_terminal_only_next_round = true;
         }
 
@@ -4717,6 +4721,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             mcp_startup_ignore_updates_until_next_start: false,
             mcp_startup_allow_terminal_only_next_round: false,
             mcp_startup_pending_next_round: HashMap::new(),
+            mcp_startup_pending_next_round_saw_starting: false,
             connectors_cache: ConnectorsCacheState::default(),
             connectors_partial_snapshot: None,
             connectors_prefetch_in_flight: false,
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget/tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
index 29fee16dbc..05be68493b 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui_app_server/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
@@ -2077,6 +2077,7 @@ async fn make_chatwidget_manual(
         mcp_startup_ignore_updates_until_next_start: false,
         mcp_startup_allow_terminal_only_next_round: false,
         mcp_startup_pending_next_round: HashMap::new(),
+        mcp_startup_pending_next_round_saw_starting: false,
         connectors_cache: ConnectorsCacheState::default(),
         connectors_partial_snapshot: None,
         plugin_install_apps_needing_auth: Vec::new(),
@@ -11888,6 +11889,67 @@ async fn app_server_mcp_startup_next_round_discards_stale_terminal_updates() {
     assert!(!chat.bottom_pane.is_task_running());
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn app_server_mcp_startup_next_round_keeps_terminal_statuses_after_starting() {
+    let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;
+    chat.show_welcome_banner = false;
+    chat.set_mcp_startup_expected_servers(["alpha".to_string(), "beta".to_string()]);
+
+    chat.finish_mcp_startup_after_lag();
+
+    chat.handle_server_notification(
+        ServerNotification::McpServerStatusUpdated(McpServerStatusUpdatedNotification {
+            name: "alpha".to_string(),
+            status: McpServerStartupState::Starting,
+            error: None,
+        }),
+        /*replay_kind*/ None,
+    );
+    assert!(drain_insert_history(&mut rx).is_empty());
+
+    chat.handle_server_notification(
+        ServerNotification::McpServerStatusUpdated(McpServerStatusUpdatedNotification {
+            name: "alpha".to_string(),
+            status: McpServerStartupState::Failed,
+            error: Some("MCP client for `alpha` failed to start: handshake failed".to_string()),
+        }),
+        /*replay_kind*/ None,
+    );
+
+    let failure_text = drain_insert_history(&mut rx)
+        .iter()
+        .map(|lines| lines_to_single_string(lines))
+        .collect::<String>();
+    assert!(failure_text.contains("MCP client for `alpha` failed to start: handshake failed"));
+
+    chat.handle_server_notification(
+        ServerNotification::McpServerStatusUpdated(McpServerStatusUpdatedNotification {
+            name: "beta".to_string(),
+            status: McpServerStartupState::Starting,
+            error: None,
+        }),
+        /*replay_kind*/ None,
+    );
+    assert!(drain_insert_history(&mut rx).is_empty());
+    assert!(chat.bottom_pane.is_task_running());
+
+    chat.handle_server_notification(
+        ServerNotification::McpServerStatusUpdated(McpServerStatusUpdatedNotification {
+            name: "beta".to_string(),
+            status: McpServerStartupState::Ready,
+            error: None,
+        }),
+        /*replay_kind*/ None,
+    );
+
+    let summary_text = drain_insert_history(&mut rx)
+        .iter()
+        .map(|lines| lines_to_single_string(lines))
+        .collect::<String>();
+    assert_eq!(summary_text, "⚠ MCP startup incomplete (failed: alpha)\n");
+    assert!(!chat.bottom_pane.is_task_running());
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn app_server_mcp_startup_next_round_after_lag_can_settle_without_starting_updates() {
     let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;