diff --git a/cli.py b/cli.py
index a43659c718..a5fe488d59 100644
--- a/cli.py
+++ b/cli.py
@@ -2837,7 +2837,7 @@ class HermesCLI(CLIProcessNotificationsMixin, CLIAgentSetupMixin, CLICommandsMix
         getattr(self, "_write_terminal_breadcrumb", lambda: None)()
 
         self._history_file = _hermes_home / ".hermes_history"
-        self._last_invalidate: float = 0.0  # throttles UI repaints
+        self._last_invalidate: float | None = None  # throttles UI repaints (None = never; monotonic epoch is arbitrary)
         self._init_ui_state()
 
     def _init_session_store(self):
diff --git a/hermes_cli/cli_terminal_mixin.py b/hermes_cli/cli_terminal_mixin.py
index dcfaa60182..8fe300e5e0 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/cli_terminal_mixin.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/cli_terminal_mixin.py
@@ -90,7 +90,11 @@ class CLITerminalMixin:
         if getattr(self, "_terminal_io_broken", False) or getattr(self, "_resize_recovery_pending", False):
             return
         now = time.monotonic()
-        if hasattr(self, "_app") and self._app and (now - getattr(self, "_last_invalidate", 0.0)) >= min_interval:
+        # None sentinel, not 0.0 — monotonic's epoch is arbitrary (boot on Linux), so on
+        # a fresh VM ``now`` can be < min_interval and a 0.0 sentinel would swallow the
+        # first repaint (same class as _schedule_focus_regain_redraw below).
+        last = getattr(self, "_last_invalidate", None)
+        if hasattr(self, "_app") and self._app and (last is None or now - last >= min_interval):
             self._last_invalidate = now
             self._app_invalidate(self._app, "invalidate", swallow=False)
 
@@ -138,7 +142,13 @@ class CLITerminalMixin:
         stacks on stale content (#60920, #25337); terminals without it never emit ``CSI I``.
         """
         now = time.monotonic()
-        if now - getattr(self, "_last_focus_regain_redraw", 0.0) < min_interval:
+        # Sentinel is None, not 0.0: time.monotonic() counts from an arbitrary epoch
+        # (boot on Linux). On a fresh VM (CI runners, containers) ``now`` can be smaller
+        # than ``min_interval``, and ``now - 0.0 < min_interval`` would suppress the
+        # FIRST redraw ever requested (CI run 32494557030: uptime < 60s made the
+        # min_interval=60 rate-limit test fail both attempts).
+        last = getattr(self, "_last_focus_regain_redraw", None)
+        if last is not None and now - last < min_interval:
             return
         self._last_focus_regain_redraw = now
         self._force_full_redraw()
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_force_redraw.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_force_redraw.py
index 81d1312f5f..849e82bc25 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_force_redraw.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_force_redraw.py
@@ -426,3 +426,21 @@ class TestFocusRegainRedraw:
         bare_cli._schedule_focus_regain_redraw(min_interval=0.0)
 
         assert calls == ["redraw", "redraw"]
+
+    def test_first_redraw_fires_even_with_small_monotonic_clock(
+        self, bare_cli, monkeypatch
+    ):
+        """The first-ever redraw must fire regardless of monotonic's epoch.
+
+        time.monotonic() starts from an arbitrary point (boot on Linux); on a
+        fresh CI VM it can be smaller than min_interval. The old 0.0 sentinel
+        turned that into ``now - 0.0 < min_interval`` and silently swallowed
+        the FIRST redraw (CI run 32494557030 — both retry attempts failed).
+        """
+        calls = []
+        bare_cli._force_full_redraw = lambda: calls.append("redraw")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cli_mod.time, "monotonic", lambda: 3.0)
+
+        bare_cli._schedule_focus_regain_redraw(min_interval=60.0)
+
+        assert calls == ["redraw"]