diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7ec2c03e0f..342d7b8238 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 - Codex: keep local token and cost history visible when remote quota data is unavailable (#1390). Thanks @vaibhavarora14!
 - Doubao: confirm zero-remaining HTTP 200 request limits before falling back, preserving genuine exhaustion and avoiding false 100% usage (#1383). Thanks @LeoLin990405 and @foobra!
 - Menu bar: defer pasteboard writes and copy feedback outside the `NSMenu` tracking callback so in-menu copy buttons no longer beachball on macOS 26 (#1388). Thanks @LeoLin990405!
+- Menu bar: defer merged status-icon redraws until the tracked menu closes while preserving animation lifecycle and quota-warning timing, reducing WindowServer churn during long menu sessions (#1409, fixes #1399). Thanks @kiranmagic7!
 - Menu bar: defer Overview-row provider transitions out of AppKit's click callback so opening provider detail no longer performs a full synchronous menu rebuild (#1325).
 - Menu bar: open cached menus immediately after data-only invalidations, then refresh missing or stale provider data asynchronously without queuing redundant work on close (#1398). Thanks @joshuavial!
 - Menu bar: recycle SwiftUI card hosting views across data refreshes and provider switches, and reconcile matching menu rows in place instead of removing and reinserting every row, cutting open-click, switch, and idle rebuild cost (#1394). Thanks @bcssewl!
diff --git a/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Animation.swift b/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Animation.swift
index bbb42c4429..3b545e6dc4 100644
--- a/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Animation.swift
+++ b/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Animation.swift
@@ -232,8 +232,13 @@ extension StatusItemController {
     }
 
     @discardableResult
-    func applyIcon(phase: Double?) -> Bool {
+    func applyIcon(
+        phase: Double?,
+        bypassMergedMenuTrackingDeferral: Bool = false) -> Bool
+    {
         guard let button = self.statusItem.button else { return false }
+        if !bypassMergedMenuTrackingDeferral,
+           self.deferMergedIconRenderDuringMenuTrackingIfNeeded() { return true }
 
         let style = self.store.iconStyle
         let showUsed = self.settings.usageBarsShowUsed
@@ -395,6 +400,25 @@ extension StatusItemController {
         return false
     }
 
+    private func deferMergedIconRenderDuringMenuTrackingIfNeeded() -> Bool {
+        guard self.shouldMergeIcons, self.isMergedMenuOpen else { return false }
+        self.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking = true
+        self.noteIconPerfRender(skipped: true)
+        return true
+    }
+
+    func applyDeferredMergedIconRenderAfterTrackingIfNeeded() {
+        guard self.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking else { return }
+        guard self.shouldMergeIcons else {
+            self.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking = false
+            return
+        }
+        guard !self.isMergedMenuOpen else { return }
+        self.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking = false
+        let phase: Double? = self.animationDriver == nil ? nil : self.animationPhase
+        self.applyIcon(phase: phase)
+    }
+
     private func shouldSkipMergedIconRender(_ signature: String) -> Bool {
         guard self.shouldMergeIcons else {
             self.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature = signature
@@ -595,6 +619,42 @@ extension StatusItemController {
         return false
     }
 
+    func startQuotaWarningFlash(provider: UsageProvider, postedAt: Date = Date()) {
+        let until = postedAt.addingTimeInterval(Self.quotaWarningFlashDuration)
+        self.quotaWarningFlashUntil[provider] = until
+        self.quotaWarningFlashTasks[provider]?.cancel()
+        self.updateIcons()
+        self.applyQuotaWarningIconDuringMergedMenuTrackingIfNeeded()
+        self.quotaWarningFlashTasks[provider] = Task { [weak self] in
+            try? await Task.sleep(for: .seconds(Self.quotaWarningFlashDuration))
+            await MainActor.run { [weak self] in
+                self?.clearExpiredQuotaWarningFlash(provider: provider)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    func clearExpiredQuotaWarningFlash(provider: UsageProvider, now: Date = Date()) {
+        guard let currentUntil = self.quotaWarningFlashUntil[provider],
+              currentUntil <= now
+        else {
+            return
+        }
+        self.quotaWarningFlashUntil.removeValue(forKey: provider)
+        self.quotaWarningFlashTasks.removeValue(forKey: provider)
+        self.updateIcons()
+        self.applyQuotaWarningIconDuringMergedMenuTrackingIfNeeded()
+    }
+
+    private func applyQuotaWarningIconDuringMergedMenuTrackingIfNeeded() {
+        guard self.shouldMergeIcons,
+              self.isMergedMenuOpen
+        else {
+            return
+        }
+        let phase: Double? = self.animationDriver == nil ? nil : self.animationPhase
+        self.applyIcon(phase: phase, bypassMergedMenuTrackingDeferral: true)
+    }
+
     static func quotaWarningFlashImage(base: NSImage) -> NSImage {
         let image = NSImage(size: base.size)
         image.lockFocus()
diff --git a/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Menu.swift b/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Menu.swift
index 9dfebcf3b9..17fd31bfd9 100644
--- a/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Menu.swift
+++ b/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Menu.swift
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ extension StatusItemController {
 
     func forgetClosedMenu(_ menu: NSMenu) {
         let key = ObjectIdentifier(menu)
+        let wasMergedMenu = menu === self.mergedMenu
 
         if key == self.providerSwitcherShortcutMenuID {
             self.removeProviderSwitcherShortcutMonitor()
@@ -185,6 +186,9 @@ extension StatusItemController {
         }
         self.parentMenuRebuildsDeferredDuringTracking.remove(key)
         self.scheduleDeferredMenuInteractionRefreshIfNeeded()
+        if wasMergedMenu {
+            self.applyDeferredMergedIconRenderAfterTrackingIfNeeded()
+        }
     }
 
     func menu(_ menu: NSMenu, willHighlight item: NSMenuItem?) {
diff --git a/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Shutdown.swift b/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Shutdown.swift
index 6e44db4e03..5ca3f397bf 100644
--- a/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Shutdown.swift
+++ b/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController+Shutdown.swift
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ extension StatusItemController {
         self.openMenuInvalidationRetryTask = nil
         self.providerSelectionUIRefreshTask?.cancel()
         self.providerSelectionUIRefreshTask = nil
+        self.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking = false
         self.providerSwitcherPointerInteractionMenuID = nil
         self.pendingProviderSwitcherPointerRebuild = nil
     }
diff --git a/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController.swift b/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController.swift
index b1e57e6ea3..ca719199ad 100644
--- a/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController.swift
+++ b/Sources/CodexBar/StatusItemController.swift
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ final class StatusItemController: NSObject, NSMenuDelegate, StatusItemControllin
     /// Monotonic token used to ignore stale deferred provider-switcher menu rebuilds.
     var providerSwitcherUpdateToken = 0
     var providerSelectionUIRefreshTask: Task<Void, Never>?
+    var deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking = false
     var lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature: String?
     var lastAppliedProviderIconRenderSignatures: [UsageProvider: String] = [:]
     var lastObservedStoreIconWorkSignature: String?
@@ -568,26 +569,6 @@ final class StatusItemController: NSObject, NSMenuDelegate, StatusItemControllin
         self.startQuotaWarningFlash(provider: event.provider, postedAt: event.postedAt)
     }
 
-    func startQuotaWarningFlash(provider: UsageProvider, postedAt: Date = Date()) {
-        let until = postedAt.addingTimeInterval(Self.quotaWarningFlashDuration)
-        self.quotaWarningFlashUntil[provider] = until
-        self.quotaWarningFlashTasks[provider]?.cancel()
-        self.updateIcons()
-        self.quotaWarningFlashTasks[provider] = Task { [weak self] in
-            try? await Task.sleep(for: .seconds(Self.quotaWarningFlashDuration))
-            await MainActor.run { [weak self] in
-                guard let self else { return }
-                if let currentUntil = self.quotaWarningFlashUntil[provider],
-                   currentUntil <= Date()
-                {
-                    self.quotaWarningFlashUntil.removeValue(forKey: provider)
-                    self.quotaWarningFlashTasks.removeValue(forKey: provider)
-                    self.updateIcons()
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     private func observeUpdaterChanges() {
         withObservationTracking {
             _ = self.updater.updateStatus.isUpdateReady
@@ -670,7 +651,7 @@ final class StatusItemController: NSObject, NSMenuDelegate, StatusItemControllin
         }
     }
 
-    private func updateIcons() {
+    func updateIcons() {
         #if DEBUG
         guard !self.isReleasedForTesting else { return }
         #endif
@@ -683,6 +664,7 @@ final class StatusItemController: NSObject, NSMenuDelegate, StatusItemControllin
         if self.shouldMergeIcons {
             let skippedMergedRender = self.applyIcon(phase: phase)
             if skippedMergedRender,
+               !self.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking,
                let mergedMenu = self.mergedMenu,
                self.statusItem.menu === mergedMenu
             {
diff --git a/Tests/CodexBarTests/StatusItemAnimationSignatureTests.swift b/Tests/CodexBarTests/StatusItemAnimationSignatureTests.swift
index dfef3960d7..94e3800145 100644
--- a/Tests/CodexBarTests/StatusItemAnimationSignatureTests.swift
+++ b/Tests/CodexBarTests/StatusItemAnimationSignatureTests.swift
@@ -138,6 +138,131 @@ struct StatusItemAnimationSignatureTests {
         #expect(button.imagePosition == .imageLeft)
     }
 
+    @Test
+    func `merged icon render defers while merged menu is tracking`() async throws {
+        let suite = "StatusItemAnimationSignatureTests-merged-icon-defers-during-tracking"
+        let defaults = try #require(UserDefaults(suiteName: suite))
+        defaults.removePersistentDomain(forName: suite)
+
+        let settings = SettingsStore(
+            userDefaults: defaults,
+            configStore: testConfigStore(suiteName: suite),
+            zaiTokenStore: NoopZaiTokenStore(),
+            syntheticTokenStore: NoopSyntheticTokenStore())
+        settings.statusChecksEnabled = false
+        settings.refreshFrequency = .manual
+        settings.mergeIcons = true
+        settings.selectedMenuProvider = .codex
+        settings.menuBarShowsBrandIconWithPercent = false
+        settings.syntheticAPIToken = "synthetic-test-token"
+
+        let registry = ProviderRegistry.shared
+        for provider in UsageProvider.allCases {
+            guard let metadata = registry.metadata[provider] else { continue }
+            settings.setProviderEnabled(
+                provider: provider,
+                metadata: metadata,
+                enabled: provider == .codex || provider == .synthetic)
+        }
+
+        let fetcher = UsageFetcher()
+        let store = UsageStore(fetcher: fetcher, browserDetection: BrowserDetection(cacheTTL: 0), settings: settings)
+        let controller = StatusItemController(
+            store: store,
+            settings: settings,
+            account: fetcher.loadAccountInfo(),
+            updater: DisabledUpdaterController(),
+            preferencesSelection: PreferencesSelection(),
+            statusBar: self.makeStatusBarForTesting())
+        defer { controller.releaseStatusItemsForTesting() }
+        controller.menuRefreshEnabledOverrideForTesting = true
+
+        func snapshot(usedPercent: Double) -> UsageSnapshot {
+            UsageSnapshot(
+                primary: RateWindow(
+                    usedPercent: usedPercent,
+                    windowMinutes: nil,
+                    resetsAt: nil,
+                    resetDescription: nil),
+                secondary: nil,
+                updatedAt: Date())
+        }
+
+        store._setSnapshotForTesting(snapshot(usedPercent: 20), provider: .codex)
+        for _ in 0..<10 where controller.animationDriver != nil {
+            await Task.yield()
+        }
+        #expect(controller.animationDriver == nil)
+        controller.applyIcon(phase: nil)
+        let initialSignature = try #require(controller.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature)
+
+        let menu = controller.makeMenu()
+        controller.mergedMenu = menu
+        controller.statusItem.menu = menu
+        controller.menuWillOpen(menu)
+        #expect(controller.isMergedMenuOpen)
+
+        store._setSnapshotForTesting(nil, provider: .codex)
+        for _ in 0..<10 where controller.animationDriver == nil {
+            await Task.yield()
+        }
+        #expect(controller.animationDriver != nil)
+        #expect(controller.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking)
+
+        store._setSnapshotForTesting(snapshot(usedPercent: 80), provider: .codex)
+        for _ in 0..<10 where controller.animationDriver != nil {
+            await Task.yield()
+        }
+        #expect(controller.animationDriver == nil)
+        #expect(controller.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking)
+        #expect(controller.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature == initialSignature)
+
+        controller.startQuotaWarningFlash(provider: .codex)
+        #expect(controller.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature?.contains("warningFlash=1") == true)
+
+        let quotaWarningTask = controller.quotaWarningFlashTasks[.codex]
+        controller.clearExpiredQuotaWarningFlash(provider: .codex, now: .distantFuture)
+        quotaWarningTask?.cancel()
+        #expect(controller.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature?.contains("warningFlash=0") == true)
+
+        controller.menuDidClose(menu)
+
+        #expect(!controller.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking)
+        #expect(controller.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature?.contains("warningFlash=0") == true)
+
+        controller.menuWillOpen(menu)
+        settings.selectedMenuProvider = .synthetic
+        #expect(controller.primaryProviderForUnifiedIcon() == .synthetic)
+        #expect(controller.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature?.contains("provider=codex") == true)
+
+        controller.startQuotaWarningFlash(provider: .codex)
+        let switchedProviderWarningTask = controller.quotaWarningFlashTasks[.codex]
+        #expect(controller.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature?.contains("provider=synthetic") == true)
+        controller.clearExpiredQuotaWarningFlash(provider: .codex, now: .distantFuture)
+        switchedProviderWarningTask?.cancel()
+        controller.menuDidClose(menu)
+
+        settings.selectedMenuProvider = .codex
+        for _ in 0..<10 where controller.primaryProviderForUnifiedIcon() != .codex {
+            await Task.yield()
+        }
+
+        controller.menuWillOpen(menu)
+        store._setSnapshotForTesting(nil, provider: .codex)
+        controller.updateAnimationState()
+        controller.applyIcon(phase: controller.animationPhase)
+        #expect(controller.animationDriver != nil)
+        #expect(controller.deferredMergedIconRenderAfterTracking)
+
+        controller.animationDriver?.stop()
+        controller.animationDriver = nil
+        controller.animationPhase = 0
+        controller.menuDidClose(menu)
+
+        #expect(controller.animationDriver == nil)
+        #expect(controller.lastAppliedMergedIconRenderSignature?.contains("primary=nil") == true)
+    }
+
     @Test
     func `merged fallback provider follows enabled provider order`() throws {
         let suite = "StatusItemAnimationSignatureTests-merged-provider-order"