diff --git a/packages/tui/src/component/dialog-project.tsx b/packages/tui/src/component/dialog-project.tsx
index c6bf40f8ec..b0e5fb5931 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/component/dialog-project.tsx
+++ b/packages/tui/src/component/dialog-project.tsx
@@ -53,9 +53,10 @@ export function DialogProject() {
       onSelect={(option) => {
         dialog.clear()
         if (option.value === current()) return
+        // Navigating while already home would remount the footer mid-animation.
+        if (route.data.type !== "home") route.navigate({ type: "home" })
         void data.location
           .setDefault(option.value)
-          .then(() => route.navigate({ type: "home" }))
           .catch((error) =>
             toast.show({ variant: "error", title: "Failed to switch project", message: errorMessage(error) }),
           )
diff --git a/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/home/footer.tsx b/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/home/footer.tsx
index bb870e3812..4a72e3de35 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/home/footer.tsx
+++ b/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/home/footer.tsx
@@ -1,29 +1,21 @@
 import { Plugin } from "@opencode-ai/plugin/tui"
 import { createMemo, Match, Show, Switch } from "solid-js"
 import { useTerminalDimensions } from "@opentui/solid"
-import { FilePath } from "../../ui/file-path"
 import { stringWidth } from "../../util/string-width"
-import { createTypewriter } from "../../ui/typewriter"
+import { DissolveFilePath } from "../../ui/dissolve-file-path"
 
 function Directory(props: { context: Plugin.Context; maxWidth: number }) {
   const directory = createMemo(() =>
     props.context.location ? props.context.ui.format.path(props.context.location.directory) : undefined,
   )
-  const typed = createTypewriter(directory)
 
   return (
-    <Show when={typed.text !== undefined}>
-      <box flexDirection="row" flexShrink={1}>
-        <FilePath
-          value={typed.text ?? ""}
-          maxWidth={props.maxWidth}
-          fg={typed.active ? props.context.theme.text.default : props.context.theme.text.subdued}
-        />
-        <Show when={typed.active}>
-          <text fg={props.context.theme.text.default}>│</text>
-        </Show>
-      </box>
-    </Show>
+    <DissolveFilePath
+      value={directory()}
+      maxWidth={props.maxWidth}
+      fg={props.context.theme.text.subdued}
+      bg={props.context.theme.background.default}
+    />
   )
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/sidebar/footer.tsx b/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/sidebar/footer.tsx
index 67e1b21d01..06c160180e 100644
--- a/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/sidebar/footer.tsx
+++ b/packages/tui/src/feature-plugins/sidebar/footer.tsx
@@ -1,26 +1,18 @@
 import { Plugin } from "@opencode-ai/plugin/tui"
-import { createMemo, Show } from "solid-js"
-import { FilePath } from "../../ui/file-path"
-import { createTypewriter } from "../../ui/typewriter"
+import { createMemo } from "solid-js"
+import { DissolveFilePath } from "../../ui/dissolve-file-path"
 
 function View(props: { context: Plugin.Context }) {
   const directory = createMemo(() =>
     props.context.location ? props.context.ui.format.path(props.context.location.directory) : undefined,
   )
-  const typed = createTypewriter(directory)
   return (
-    <Show when={typed.text !== undefined}>
-      <box flexDirection="row" flexShrink={1}>
-        <FilePath
-          value={typed.text ?? ""}
-          maxWidth={38}
-          fg={typed.active ? props.context.theme.text.default : props.context.theme.text.subdued}
-        />
-        <Show when={typed.active}>
-          <text fg={props.context.theme.text.default}>│</text>
-        </Show>
-      </box>
-    </Show>
+    <DissolveFilePath
+      value={directory()}
+      maxWidth={38}
+      fg={props.context.theme.text.subdued}
+      bg={props.context.theme.background.default}
+    />
   )
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/tui/src/ui/dissolve-file-path.tsx b/packages/tui/src/ui/dissolve-file-path.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2000afda1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/tui/src/ui/dissolve-file-path.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+import { RGBA } from "@opentui/core"
+import { createEffect, createMemo, Index, on, onCleanup, Show } from "solid-js"
+import { createStore } from "solid-js/store"
+import { useConfig } from "../config"
+import { FilePath, truncateFilePath } from "./file-path"
+
+const DURATION = 600
+const FEATHER = 8
+
+// FilePath that cross-dissolves left to right when its value changes. The old
+// path fades out while the new one fades in behind a soft sweep. The initial
+// value renders immediately; only subsequent changes animate.
+export function DissolveFilePath(props: {
+  value: string | undefined
+  maxWidth: number
+  fg: RGBA
+  bg: RGBA
+  basenameFg?: RGBA
+}) {
+  const config = useConfig().data
+  const [store, setStore] = createStore({
+    text: props.value,
+    previous: undefined as string | undefined,
+    progress: 1,
+  })
+
+  createEffect(
+    on(
+      () => props.value,
+      (text) => {
+        // The source can flicker to undefined while a new location syncs;
+        // retain the last path so the change animates as one transition.
+        if (text === undefined || text === store.text) return
+        if (store.text === undefined || !(config.animations ?? true)) {
+          setStore({ text, previous: undefined, progress: 1 })
+          return
+        }
+        setStore({ text, previous: store.text, progress: 0 })
+        const started = performance.now()
+        const timer = setInterval(() => {
+          const progress = Math.min(1, (performance.now() - started) / DURATION)
+          setStore("progress", progress)
+          if (progress >= 1) {
+            clearInterval(timer)
+            setStore("previous", undefined)
+          }
+        }, 33)
+        onCleanup(() => clearInterval(timer))
+      },
+      { defer: true },
+    ),
+  )
+
+  const cells = createMemo(() => {
+    const previous = [...truncateFilePath(store.previous ?? "", props.maxWidth)]
+    const next = [...truncateFilePath(store.text ?? "", props.maxWidth)]
+    const width = Math.max(previous.length, next.length)
+    const sweep = store.progress * (width + FEATHER)
+    return Array.from({ length: width }, (_, index) => {
+      const t = Math.min(1, Math.max(0, (sweep - index) / FEATHER))
+      // Inside the sweep band the cell dips toward the background before the
+      // new character surfaces, reading as a per-column cross-dissolve.
+      const fade = Math.abs(t - 0.5) * 2
+      return {
+        char: (t < 0.5 ? previous[index] : next[index]) ?? " ",
+        fg: mix(props.bg, props.fg, fade),
+      }
+    })
+  })
+
+  return (
+    <Show when={store.text !== undefined}>
+      <Show
+        when={store.previous !== undefined}
+        fallback={
+          <FilePath value={store.text ?? ""} maxWidth={props.maxWidth} fg={props.fg} basenameFg={props.basenameFg} />
+        }
+      >
+        <text wrapMode="none">
+          <Index each={cells()}>{(cell) => <span style={{ fg: cell().fg }}>{cell().char}</span>}</Index>
+        </text>
+      </Show>
+    </Show>
+  )
+}
+
+function mix(from: RGBA, to: RGBA, t: number) {
+  return RGBA.fromValues(
+    from.r + (to.r - from.r) * t,
+    from.g + (to.g - from.g) * t,
+    from.b + (to.b - from.b) * t,
+    from.a + (to.a - from.a) * t,
+  )
+}
diff --git a/packages/tui/src/ui/typewriter.ts b/packages/tui/src/ui/typewriter.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 51a1d318c7..0000000000
--- a/packages/tui/src/ui/typewriter.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-import { createEffect, on, onCleanup } from "solid-js"
-import { createStore } from "solid-js/store"
-import { useConfig } from "../config"
-
-// Retypes a string like a typewriter whenever the source changes. The initial
-// value renders immediately; only subsequent changes animate. While `active`,
-// callers should render a cursor and a brighter style, then settle back down.
-export function createTypewriter(source: () => string | undefined) {
-  const config = useConfig().data
-  const [store, setStore] = createStore({
-    text: source(),
-    active: false,
-  })
-  createEffect(
-    on(
-      source,
-      (text) => {
-        if (text === undefined || !(config.animations ?? true)) {
-          setStore({ text, active: false })
-          return
-        }
-        const timeouts: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>[] = []
-        setStore({ text: "", active: true })
-        let i = 0
-        const type = () => {
-          if (i < text.length) {
-            i++
-            setStore("text", text.slice(0, i))
-            timeouts.push(setTimeout(type, Math.random() < 0.1 ? 40 + Math.random() * 40 : 8 + Math.random() * 18))
-            return
-          }
-          timeouts.push(setTimeout(() => setStore("active", false), 1200))
-        }
-        timeouts.push(setTimeout(type, 120))
-        onCleanup(() => timeouts.forEach(clearTimeout))
-      },
-      { defer: true },
-    ),
-  )
-  return store
-}