diff --git a/internal/ui/model/pills.go b/internal/ui/model/pills.go
index 6bbfc34463a20658411fb74e847e87e4a7c2841b..ae3b09725884a3cb33c42bd363c8f7acceaaae62 100644
--- a/internal/ui/model/pills.go
+++ b/internal/ui/model/pills.go
@@ -154,7 +154,11 @@ func (m *UI) autoExpandPillsIfReasonable() tea.Cmd {
 	if m.pillsExpanded {
 		return nil
 	}
+	if m.pillsAutoExpanded {
+		return nil
+	}
 	m.pillsExpanded = true
+	m.pillsAutoExpanded = true
 	if hasIncompleteTodos(m.session.Todos) {
 		m.focusedPillSection = pillSectionTodos
 	} else {
diff --git a/internal/ui/model/ui.go b/internal/ui/model/ui.go
index 078f051ce1c11adfbe76de103933a200078ee153..6ae48007848ea52f82eba8a0167f6ceb474ed92d 100644
--- a/internal/ui/model/ui.go
+++ b/internal/ui/model/ui.go
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ type UI struct {
 
 	// pills state
 	pillsExpanded      bool
+	pillsAutoExpanded  bool
 	focusedPillSection pillSection
 	promptQueue        int
 	pillsView          string
@@ -3500,6 +3501,7 @@ func (m *UI) newSession() tea.Cmd {
 	m.chat.Blur()
 	m.chat.ClearMessages()
 	m.pillsExpanded = false
+	m.pillsAutoExpanded = false
 	m.promptQueue = 0
 	m.pillsView = ""
 	m.historyReset()