diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
index bd0ba788b2b..d9b0152af58 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
@@ -365,6 +365,9 @@ pub(crate) struct ChatWidget {
     pre_review_token_info: Option<Option<TokenUsageInfo>>,
     // Whether to add a final message separator after the last message
     needs_final_message_separator: bool,
+    // Whether actual work (exec commands, MCP tool calls, patches) was done in the current turn.
+    // Used to determine if "Worked for" separator should be shown.
+    had_work_activity: bool,
 
     last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell<Option<usize>>,
     // Feedback sink for /feedback
@@ -1158,13 +1161,17 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         self.flush_active_cell();
 
         if self.stream_controller.is_none() {
-            if self.needs_final_message_separator {
+            if self.needs_final_message_separator && self.had_work_activity {
                 let elapsed_seconds = self
                     .bottom_pane
                     .status_widget()
                     .map(super::status_indicator_widget::StatusIndicatorWidget::elapsed_seconds);
                 self.add_to_history(history_cell::FinalMessageSeparator::new(elapsed_seconds));
                 self.needs_final_message_separator = false;
+                self.had_work_activity = false;
+            } else if self.needs_final_message_separator {
+                // Reset the flag even if we don't show separator (no work was done)
+                self.needs_final_message_separator = false;
             }
             self.stream_controller = Some(StreamController::new(
                 self.last_rendered_width.get().map(|w| w.saturating_sub(2)),
@@ -1230,6 +1237,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
                 self.flush_active_cell();
             }
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (command executed)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn handle_patch_apply_end_now(
@@ -1241,6 +1250,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         if !event.success {
             self.add_to_history(history_cell::new_patch_apply_failure(event.stderr));
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (patch applied)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn handle_exec_approval_now(&mut self, id: String, ev: ExecApprovalRequestEvent) {
@@ -1403,6 +1414,8 @@ impl ChatWidget {
         if let Some(extra) = extra_cell {
             self.add_boxed_history(extra);
         }
+        // Mark that actual work was done (MCP tool call)
+        self.had_work_activity = true;
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn new(common: ChatWidgetInit, thread_manager: Arc<ThreadManager>) -> Self {
@@ -1475,6 +1488,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             is_review_mode: false,
             pre_review_token_info: None,
             needs_final_message_separator: false,
+            had_work_activity: false,
             last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
             feedback,
             current_rollout_path: None,
@@ -1561,6 +1575,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
             is_review_mode: false,
             pre_review_token_info: None,
             needs_final_message_separator: false,
+            had_work_activity: false,
             last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
             feedback,
             current_rollout_path: None,
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
index 1b9723ec54e..7209543cab3 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget/tests.rs
@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ async fn make_chatwidget_manual(
         is_review_mode: false,
         pre_review_token_info: None,
         needs_final_message_separator: false,
+        had_work_activity: false,
         last_rendered_width: std::cell::Cell::new(None),
         feedback: codex_feedback::CodexFeedback::new(),
         current_rollout_path: None,