diff --git a/hermes_cli/config.py b/hermes_cli/config.py
index ac3b0aaf82fc0..bce4bf1dbe072 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/config.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/config.py
@@ -1895,13 +1895,10 @@ def _ensure_hermes_home_managed(home: Path):
         # spinner), or ascii.  Live-swappable via `/indicator <style>`.
         "tui_status_indicator": "kaomoji",
         # Seconds between prompt_toolkit redraws in the classic CLI when idle.
-        # Default 1.0 keeps the wall-clock status-bar read-outs (idle-since-
-        # last-turn) ticking and keeps the bottom chrome alive during idle —
-        # without it prompt_toolkit stops repainting the status bar after a
-        # turn and it can go stale/disappear (#45592).
-        # Set 0 to disable the background refresh if it fights terminal
-        # auto-scroll in non-fullscreen mode on some emulators (#48309).
-        "cli_refresh_interval": 1.0,
+        # Default 0 disables background redraws so non-fullscreen terminal
+        # auto-scroll remains usable (#48309, #53636). Set a positive interval
+        # (for example 1.0) to keep idle status-bar clocks ticking (#45592).
+        "cli_refresh_interval": 0.0,
         "user_message_preview": {  # CLI: how many submitted user-message lines to echo back in scrollback
             "first_lines": 2,
             "last_lines": 2,
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_config.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_config.py
index cc1d0d3616172..fca0e0fab31d2 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_config.py
@@ -1320,12 +1320,9 @@ def test_migrate_to_v15_adds_interim_assistant_message_gate(self, tmp_path):
 class TestCliRefreshIntervalConfig:
     """Test the CLI refresh_interval config default (#45592 / #48309)."""
 
-    def test_default_config_enables_cli_refresh_interval(self):
-        """cli_refresh_interval defaults to 1.0 so the idle status-bar
-        clock keeps ticking and the bottom chrome stays alive during
-        idle (#45592). Users on emulators where the periodic redraw
-        fights auto-scroll can set it to 0 (#48309)."""
-        assert DEFAULT_CONFIG["display"]["cli_refresh_interval"] == 1.0
+    def test_default_config_disables_cli_refresh_interval(self):
+        """Background redraws default off so they cannot fight scrollback."""
+        assert DEFAULT_CONFIG["display"]["cli_refresh_interval"] == 0
 
 
 class TestDiscordChannelPromptsConfig: