diff --git a/src/agent/runner.rs b/src/agent/runner.rs
index d9cece5..c584657 100644
--- a/src/agent/runner.rs
+++ b/src/agent/runner.rs
@@ -1003,6 +1003,9 @@ impl Agent {
             all.len(), mem_count, conv_count);
         self.context.entries = all;
         self.compact();
+        // Estimate prompt tokens from budget so status bar isn't 0 on startup
+        let b = self.budget();
+        self.last_prompt_tokens = b.used() as u32;
         true
     }