diff --git a/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.editMessage.test.tsx b/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.editMessage.test.tsx
index 73af37d509..2a537cf3d4 100644
--- a/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.editMessage.test.tsx
+++ b/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.editMessage.test.tsx
@@ -1,18 +1,5 @@
 import { renderInMode, testBothModes } from "./TUIChat.dualModeHelper.js";
-
-async function waitForCondition(
-  conditionFn: () => boolean,
-  timeoutMs = 2000,
-  intervalMs = 50,
-): Promise<void> {
-  const startTime = Date.now();
-  while (Date.now() - startTime < timeoutMs) {
-    if (conditionFn()) {
-      return;
-    }
-    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, intervalMs));
-  }
-}
+import { waitForCondition } from "./TUIChat.testHelper.js";
 
 /**
  * Integration tests for the message edit feature in TUIChat
diff --git a/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.fileSearch.test.tsx b/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.fileSearch.test.tsx
index b38a90cb62..b469b27255 100644
--- a/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.fileSearch.test.tsx
+++ b/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.fileSearch.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { renderInMode, testSingleMode } from "./TUIChat.dualModeHelper.js";
-import { waitForNextRender } from "./TUIChat.testHelper.js";
+import { waitForCondition } from "./TUIChat.testHelper.js";
 
 describe("TUIChat - @ File Search Tests", () => {
   testSingleMode("shows @ character when user types @", "local", async () => {
@@ -34,17 +34,20 @@ describe("TUIChat - @ File Search Tests", () => {
       // Type @ followed by text to filter files
       stdin.write("@READ");
 
-      // Wait for file search to filter and display results
-      await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 500));
+      let frame = lastFrame();
 
-      const frame = lastFrame()!;
+      await waitForCondition(() => {
+        frame = lastFrame();
+        return frame?.includes("@READ") ?? false;
+      });
 
+      expect(frame).toBeDefined();
       // Should show the typed text
       expect(frame).toContain("@READ");
 
       // Should show either navigation hints or at least indicate file search is working
-      const hasNavigationHints = frame.includes("↑/↓ to navigate");
-      const hasFileSearch = frame.includes("@READ");
+      const hasNavigationHints = frame!.includes("↑/↓ to navigate");
+      const hasFileSearch = frame!.includes("@READ");
       expect(hasNavigationHints || hasFileSearch).toBe(true);
 
       // Local mode specific UI expectations
@@ -57,10 +60,13 @@ describe("TUIChat - @ File Search Tests", () => {
 
     // Type multiple @ characters
     stdin.write("@@test");
-    // Wait for UI update
-    await waitForNextRender();
 
-    const frame = lastFrame();
+    let frame = lastFrame();
+
+    await waitForCondition(() => {
+      frame = lastFrame();
+      return frame?.includes("@@test") ?? false;
+    });
 
     // Should handle multiple @ without crashing
     expect(frame).toBeDefined();
diff --git a/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.slashCommands.test.tsx b/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.slashCommands.test.tsx
index 1f63f3814b..6f44933b64 100644
--- a/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.slashCommands.test.tsx
+++ b/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.slashCommands.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { renderInMode, testBothModes } from "./TUIChat.dualModeHelper.js";
-import { waitForNextRender } from "./TUIChat.testHelper.js";
+import { waitForCondition, waitForNextRender } from "./TUIChat.testHelper.js";
 
 describe("TUIChat - Slash Commands Tests", () => {
   testBothModes("shows slash when user types /", async (mode) => {
@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@ describe("TUIChat - Slash Commands Tests", () => {
 
     // Type /exi to trigger slash command filtering
     stdin.write("/exi");
-    await waitForNextRender();
 
-    const frame = lastFrame();
+    let frame = lastFrame();
+
+    await waitForCondition(() => {
+      frame = lastFrame();
+      return frame?.includes("/exi") ?? false;
+    });
 
     // Should show the typed command
     expect(frame).toContain("/exi");
diff --git a/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.testHelper.ts b/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.testHelper.ts
index 37ebb5c3ee..00a0e16a32 100644
--- a/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.testHelper.ts
+++ b/extensions/cli/src/ui/__tests__/TUIChat.testHelper.ts
@@ -458,6 +458,24 @@ export function expectNormalMode(frame: string | undefined) {
   expect(frame).toContain("Continue CLI");
 }
 
+/**
+ * Helper to wait for a condition to be true
+ * similar to `waitFor` in testing libraries
+ */
+export async function waitForCondition(
+  conditionFn: () => boolean,
+  timeoutMs = 2000,
+  intervalMs = 50,
+): Promise<void> {
+  const startTime = Date.now();
+  while (Date.now() - startTime < timeoutMs) {
+    if (conditionFn()) {
+      return;
+    }
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, intervalMs));
+  }
+}
+
 // Make runTest available globally for test files
 declare global {
   var runTest: (