diff --git a/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/components/FlowMap.spec.tsx b/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/components/FlowMap.spec.tsx
index 8cab01c2..4b5ed870 100644
--- a/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/components/FlowMap.spec.tsx
+++ b/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/components/FlowMap.spec.tsx
@@ -143,6 +143,28 @@ describe('tui/components/FlowMap', () => {
       expect(frame).toContain(formatElapsed(now - 90_000, now));
     });
 
+    it('should show pulse icon and elapsed label for running agents in medium mode', () => {
+      const now = 1710700000000;
+      const agents = new Map();
+      agents.set(
+        'a1',
+        createDefaultDashboardNode({
+          id: 'a1',
+          name: 'Architect',
+          stage: 'PLAN',
+          status: 'running',
+          isPrimary: true,
+          startedAt: now - 120_000, // 2 minutes ago
+        }),
+      );
+      const { lastFrame } = render(
+        <FlowMap agents={agents} edges={[]} layoutMode="medium" width={100} height={15} tick={1} now={now} />,
+      );
+      const frame = lastFrame() ?? '';
+      expect(frame).toContain(pulseIcon(1));
+      expect(frame).toContain(formatElapsed(now - 120_000, now));
+    });
+
     it('should NOT show pulse icon when no agents are running', () => {
       const now = 1710700000000;
       const agents = new Map();
diff --git a/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/components/FocusedAgentPanel.spec.tsx b/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/components/FocusedAgentPanel.spec.tsx
index 2ef5e694..2142c2ee 100644
--- a/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/components/FocusedAgentPanel.spec.tsx
+++ b/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/components/FocusedAgentPanel.spec.tsx
@@ -210,6 +210,30 @@ describe('tui/components/FocusedAgentPanel', () => {
       expect(frame).not.toContain('1m 23s');
     });
 
+    it('should show spinner but hide elapsed when tick is provided without now', () => {
+      const runningAgent = createDefaultDashboardNode({
+        id: 'agent-1',
+        name: 'BackendDev',
+        stage: 'ACT',
+        status: 'running',
+        isPrimary: true,
+        progress: 50,
+        startedAt: 1710000000000,
+      });
+      const { lastFrame } = render(
+        <FocusedAgentPanel
+          agent={runningAgent}
+          activeSkills={[]}
+          objectives={[]}
+          eventLog={[]}
+          tick={0}
+        />,
+      );
+      const frame = lastFrame() ?? '';
+      expect(frame).toContain('⠋'); // spinner shown
+      expect(frame).not.toMatch(/\d+m \d+s/); // no elapsed time
+    });
+
     it('should not show elapsed when startedAt is missing', () => {
       const now = 1710000090000;
       const { lastFrame } = render(
diff --git a/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/hooks/use-tick.spec.tsx b/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/hooks/use-tick.spec.tsx
index 85ef9cd3..56134191 100644
--- a/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/hooks/use-tick.spec.tsx
+++ b/apps/mcp-server/src/tui/hooks/use-tick.spec.tsx
@@ -54,6 +54,24 @@ describe('tui/hooks/useTick', () => {
     expect(lastFrame()).toBe('2');
   });
 
+  it('should reset interval when intervalMs prop changes', () => {
+    const clearIntervalSpy = vi.spyOn(global, 'clearInterval');
+    const { lastFrame, rerender } = render(<TestComponent intervalMs={1000} />);
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(1000);
+    });
+    expect(lastFrame()).toBe('1');
+
+    rerender(<TestComponent intervalMs={500} />);
+    expect(clearIntervalSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+    });
+    expect(lastFrame()).toBe('2');
+    clearIntervalSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
   it('should cleanup interval on unmount', () => {
     const clearIntervalSpy = vi.spyOn(global, 'clearInterval');
     const { unmount } = render(<TestComponent />);