diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
index a4e6542e61..8ddb597a6d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/app.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use crate::bottom_pane::SelectionItem;
 use crate::bottom_pane::SelectionViewParams;
 use crate::bottom_pane::popup_consts::standard_popup_hint_line;
 use crate::chatwidget::ChatWidget;
+use crate::chatwidget::DEFAULT_MODEL_DISPLAY_NAME;
 use crate::chatwidget::ExternalEditorState;
 use crate::cwd_prompt::CwdPromptAction;
 use crate::diff_render::DiffSummary;
@@ -740,7 +741,7 @@ impl App {
     fn insert_startup_header(&mut self, tui: &mut tui::Tui) {
         let placeholder_style = Style::default().add_modifier(Modifier::DIM | Modifier::ITALIC);
         let header = Arc::new(history_cell::SessionHeaderHistoryCell::new_with_style(
-            "loading".to_string(),
+            DEFAULT_MODEL_DISPLAY_NAME.to_string(),
             placeholder_style,
             None,
             self.config.cwd.clone(),
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
index ad91aeffcd..0a32e8be7d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ use tokio::task::JoinHandle;
 use tracing::debug;
 use tracing::warn;
 
-const DEFAULT_MODEL_DISPLAY_NAME: &str = "loading";
+pub(crate) const DEFAULT_MODEL_DISPLAY_NAME: &str = "loading";
 const PLAN_IMPLEMENTATION_TITLE: &str = "Implement this plan?";
 const PLAN_IMPLEMENTATION_YES: &str = "Yes, implement this plan";
 const PLAN_IMPLEMENTATION_NO: &str = "No, stay in Plan mode";
diff --git a/codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs b/codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs
index 9ffa46199f..b547de97c8 100644
--- a/codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/tui/src/history_cell.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 //! bumps the active-cell revision tracked by `ChatWidget`, so the cache key changes whenever the
 //! rendered transcript output can change.
 
+use crate::chatwidget::DEFAULT_MODEL_DISPLAY_NAME;
 use crate::diff_render::create_diff_summary;
 use crate::diff_render::display_path_for;
 use crate::exec_cell::CommandOutput;
@@ -1191,7 +1192,7 @@ impl SessionHeaderHistoryCell {
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn is_loading_placeholder(&self) -> bool {
-        self.model == "loading"
+        self.model == DEFAULT_MODEL_DISPLAY_NAME
     }
 }