diff --git a/nanobot/cli/commands.py b/nanobot/cli/commands.py
index 7386904d..33b33f54 100644
--- a/nanobot/cli/commands.py
+++ b/nanobot/cli/commands.py
@@ -216,6 +216,29 @@ async def _print_interactive_progress_line(text: str, thinking: ThinkingSpinner
         await _print_interactive_line(text)
 
 
+async def _maybe_print_interactive_progress(
+    msg: Any,
+    thinking: ThinkingSpinner | None,
+    channels_config: Any,
+) -> bool:
+    metadata = msg.metadata or {}
+    if metadata.get("_retry_wait"):
+        await _print_interactive_progress_line(msg.content, thinking)
+        return True
+
+    if not metadata.get("_progress"):
+        return False
+
+    is_tool_hint = metadata.get("_tool_hint", False)
+    if channels_config and is_tool_hint and not channels_config.send_tool_hints:
+        return True
+    if channels_config and not is_tool_hint and not channels_config.send_progress:
+        return True
+
+    await _print_interactive_progress_line(msg.content, thinking)
+    return True
+
+
 def _is_exit_command(command: str) -> bool:
     """Return True when input should end interactive chat."""
     return command.lower() in EXIT_COMMANDS
@@ -1127,19 +1150,11 @@ def agent(
                             turn_done.set()
                             continue
 
-                        if msg.metadata.get("_retry_wait"):
-                            await _print_interactive_progress_line(msg.content, _thinking)
-                            continue
-
-                        if msg.metadata.get("_progress"):
-                            is_tool_hint = msg.metadata.get("_tool_hint", False)
-                            ch = agent_loop.channels_config
-                            if ch and is_tool_hint and not ch.send_tool_hints:
-                                pass
-                            elif ch and not is_tool_hint and not ch.send_progress:
-                                pass
-                            else:
-                                await _print_interactive_progress_line(msg.content, _thinking)
+                        if await _maybe_print_interactive_progress(
+                            msg,
+                            _thinking,
+                            agent_loop.channels_config,
+                        ):
                             continue
 
                         if not turn_done.is_set():
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_interactive_retry_wait.py b/tests/cli/test_interactive_retry_wait.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5cc217c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli/test_interactive_retry_wait.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from nanobot.cli import commands
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_interactive_retry_wait_is_rendered_as_progress_even_when_progress_disabled():
+    """Provider retry waits should not fall through as assistant responses."""
+    calls: list[tuple[str, object | None]] = []
+    thinking = None
+    channels_config = SimpleNamespace(send_progress=False, send_tool_hints=False)
+    msg = SimpleNamespace(
+        content="Model request failed, retry in 2s (attempt 1).",
+        metadata={"_retry_wait": True},
+    )
+
+    async def fake_print(text: str, active_thinking: object | None) -> None:
+        calls.append((text, active_thinking))
+
+    with patch("nanobot.cli.commands._print_interactive_progress_line", side_effect=fake_print):
+        handled = await commands._maybe_print_interactive_progress(
+            msg,
+            thinking,
+            channels_config,
+        )
+
+    assert handled is True
+    assert calls == [("Model request failed, retry in 2s (attempt 1).", thinking)]