diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 8417ebd..650fdf6 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ pub struct App {
     /// (AskUserQuestion/ExitPlanMode seen in the stream, answer not yet
     /// echoed back) — the UI gives the pane more rows while set.
     pub embed_grow: bool,
+    /// When set, the UI should send ctrl-l to the embedded claude at this
+    /// instant (a beat after a turn ends, once Claude Code has printed its
+    /// final transcript lines) so the pane stays prompt-only.
+    pub embed_clear_at: Option<Instant>,
 }
 
 /// Client-side tools that render a large interactive UI in Claude Code.
@@ -47,6 +51,7 @@ impl App {
             show_sessions: true,
             embed_session: None,
             embed_grow: false,
+            embed_clear_at: None,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -338,6 +343,11 @@ impl Drop for Tap {
         if let Some(i) = self.cur.take() {
             s.entries[i].done = true;
         }
+        // A turn of the embedded session just finished streaming: schedule a
+        // transcript wipe shortly after Claude Code prints its final lines.
+        if a.embed_session.as_deref() == Some(a.sessions[self.sidx].key.as_str()) {
+            a.embed_clear_at = Some(Instant::now() + std::time::Duration::from_millis(400));
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/term.rs b/src/term.rs
index 0ac483e..6ec5029 100644
--- a/src/term.rs
+++ b/src/term.rs
@@ -137,6 +137,18 @@ impl EmbeddedTerm {
         });
     }
 
+    /// Ask Claude Code to wipe its transcript from the visible screen
+    /// (ctrl-l clears the terminal but keeps the conversation; the live
+    /// prompt UI redraws immediately). Used to keep the pane prompt-only —
+    /// the feed above already shows everything the transcript would.
+    pub fn clear_screen(&self) {
+        let _ = self
+            .term
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap()
+            .key_down(KeyCode::Char('l'), KeyModifiers::CTRL);
+    }
+
     /// Forward a key press to the child. Returns false for keys we don't map.
     pub fn key(&self, k: ratatui::crossterm::event::KeyEvent) -> bool {
         use ratatui::crossterm::event::KeyCode as CK;
diff --git a/src/ui.rs b/src/ui.rs
index 97e9730..af9b6bf 100644
--- a/src/ui.rs
+++ b/src/ui.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,24 @@ fn event_loop(
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     loop {
         terminal.draw(|f| draw(f, &app, eui))?;
+        // Scheduled transcript wipe (set by the tap when an embedded-session
+        // turn finishes): keeps the pane prompt-only.
+        let clear_due = {
+            let mut a = app.lock().unwrap();
+            if a.embed_clear_at.is_some_and(|t| std::time::Instant::now() >= t) {
+                a.embed_clear_at = None;
+                true
+            } else {
+                false
+            }
+        };
+        if clear_due {
+            if let Some(et) = &eui.term {
+                if !et.exited() {
+                    et.clear_screen();
+                }
+            }
+        }
         if !event::poll(Duration::from_millis(33))? {
             continue;
         }
@@ -193,15 +211,20 @@ fn event_loop(
 
 fn draw(f: &mut Frame, app: &SharedApp, eui: &mut EmbedUi) {
     let mut a = app.lock().unwrap();
-    // Embedded pane height: nothing when hidden; ~35% of the screen normally,
-    // 75% while the tap says an interactive prompt is on screen — Claude
-    // Code's question UI clips its option list to the rows it gets, so the
-    // prompt wants as much height as we can spare.
+    // Embedded pane height: nothing when hidden. The pane is meant to be
+    // prompt-only (the feed above shows the context), so the default is just
+    // tall enough for Claude Code's input box + status rows; while the tap
+    // says an interactive prompt is on screen it grows to 75% so the option
+    // list isn't clipped.
+    const EMBED_COMPACT: u16 = 12; // 10 inner rows + borders
     let show_embed = eui.visible && eui.term.is_some();
     let embed_h = if show_embed {
         let total = f.area().height;
-        let pct = if a.embed_grow { 75 } else { 35 };
-        ((total as u32 * pct / 100) as u16).clamp(10, total.saturating_sub(6))
+        if a.embed_grow {
+            ((total as u32 * 75 / 100) as u16).clamp(10, total.saturating_sub(6))
+        } else {
+            EMBED_COMPACT.min(total.saturating_sub(6))
+        }
     } else {
         0
     };