diff --git a/internal/tui/components/chat/messages/renderer.go b/internal/tui/components/chat/messages/renderer.go
index 2d86d103bc60f2122c3eaf58883bd6d9ac42a47e..5762583870e99591ded1bff84f80c34b3335b190 100644
--- a/internal/tui/components/chat/messages/renderer.go
+++ b/internal/tui/components/chat/messages/renderer.go
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ func earlyState(header string, v *toolCallCmp) (string, bool) {
 	case v.cancelled:
 		message = t.S().Base.Padding(0, 1).Background(t.Border).Render("Cancelled")
 	case v.result.ToolCallID == "":
-		message = t.S().Base.Padding(0, 1).Background(t.Accent).Foreground(t.FgSubtle).Render("Waiting for tool to start...")
+		message = t.S().Base.Foreground(t.FgSubtle).Render("Waiting for tool to start...")
 	default:
 		return "", false
 	}