diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 6d7028a..c60f373 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "ratatoskr"
-version = "0.2.0"
+version = "0.2.1"
 description = "Worldtree Conversation API debug TUI — multi-pane observability dashboard"
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.12"
diff --git a/src/ratatoskr/tui.py b/src/ratatoskr/tui.py
index 9776cb9..2d6a513 100644
--- a/src/ratatoskr/tui.py
+++ b/src/ratatoskr/tui.py
@@ -214,6 +214,33 @@ class TuiPresenterState:
 class RatatoskrApp(App[int]):
     """Textual TUI shell — single chat pane."""
 
+    # Issue #12 follow-up: anchor layout so Input never moves.
+    # Pre-fix: every widget was auto-stacked. RichLog grew with content,
+    # thinking-current toggled display 0↔N rows per thinking-run — both pushed
+    # Input around mid-turn. Fix: dock the chrome to the top/bottom edges and
+    # let RichLog (the only `1fr` widget) absorb all layout reflows internally
+    # via its scroll viewport, so screen-relative positions stay stable.
+    DEFAULT_CSS = """
+    #thinking-current {
+        dock: top;
+        height: auto;
+    }
+    #transcript {
+        height: 1fr;
+    }
+    #prompt {
+        dock: bottom;
+    }
+    #identity {
+        dock: bottom;
+        height: 1;
+    }
+    #hint {
+        dock: bottom;
+        height: 1;
+    }
+    """
+
     BINDINGS: ClassVar[list[Binding]] = [
         Binding("ctrl+c", "interrupt", "Cancel / Exit", priority=True),
         Binding("ctrl+d", "quit", "Exit immediately", priority=True),
@@ -243,6 +270,14 @@ class RatatoskrApp(App[int]):
 
     def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
         yield Header()
+        # Issue #12 follow-up: thinking-current sits at the TOP under Header (via
+        # DEFAULT_CSS `dock: top`). Pre-fix it lived between hint and Footer in
+        # the auto-stacked flow, so its display=True/False toggle per
+        # thinking-run pushed Input + identity + hint up/down on every cycle.
+        # Docking top + RichLog filling middle stabilises Input's screen
+        # position; thinking-current grows/shrinks under Header where the
+        # reflow doesn't affect anything else.
+        yield Static("", id="thinking-current")
         # markup=False so labeled lines like "[cancel_failed] ..." render verbatim
         # (Rich would otherwise interpret square-bracket spans as style markup and
         # strip them). The post-Done markdown render uses Markdown() directly which
@@ -255,9 +290,6 @@ class RatatoskrApp(App[int]):
         # always-visible.
         yield Static("", id="identity")
         yield Static(self.HINT_IDLE, id="hint")
-        # Issue #12: live thinking widget — hidden by default, shown per-delta
-        # during a thinking run, cleared+hidden at turn terminal.
-        yield Static("", id="thinking-current")
         yield Footer()
 
     async def on_mount(self) -> None:
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 94bc506..c8f416d 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ratatoskr"
-version = "0.2.0"
+version = "0.2.1"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "httpx" },