diff --git a/src/app_controller.py b/src/app_controller.py
index 8188450..bac6b1b 100644
--- a/src/app_controller.py
+++ b/src/app_controller.py
@@ -1293,6 +1293,7 @@ class AppController:
 
  def _handle_request_event(self, event: events.UserRequestEvent) -> None:
   """Processes a UserRequestEvent by calling the AI client."""
+  self._set_status('sending...')
   ai_client.set_current_tier(None) # Ensure main discussion is untagged
   # Clear response area for new turn
   self.ai_response = ""
diff --git a/src/gui_2.py b/src/gui_2.py
index 1825d8d..e6a9828 100644
--- a/src/gui_2.py
+++ b/src/gui_2.py
@@ -1969,7 +1969,7 @@ def hello():
  def _render_discussion_panel(self) -> None:
   if self.perf_profiling_enabled: self.perf_monitor.start_component("_render_discussion_panel")
  # THINKING indicator
-  is_thinking = self.ai_status in ["sending..."]
+  is_thinking = self.ai_status in ['sending...', 'streaming...', 'running powershell...']
   if is_thinking:
    val = math.sin(time.time() * 10 * math.pi)
    alpha = 1.0 if val > 0 else 0.0