diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/controllers/input-controller.ts b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/controllers/input-controller.ts
index 723ef0116..4df00bdd6 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/controllers/input-controller.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/src/modes/controllers/input-controller.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import * as path from "node:path";
+import { ThinkingLevel } from "@oh-my-pi/pi-agent-core";
 import type { ImageContent } from "@oh-my-pi/pi-ai";
 import { type AutocompleteProvider, matchesKey, type SlashCommand } from "@oh-my-pi/pi-tui";
 import { $env, isEnoent, logger, sanitizeText } from "@oh-my-pi/pi-utils";
@@ -1525,9 +1526,11 @@ export class InputController {
 	toggleThinkingBlockVisibility(): void {
 		// When thinking is "off", thinking blocks are always hidden (some
 		// providers return them regardless). The toggle is meaningless in
-		// that state regardless of the persisted preference — inform the
-		// user instead of silently flipping the persisted value.
-		if (this.ctx.effectiveHideThinkingBlock) {
+		// that state — inform the user instead of silently flipping the
+		// persisted value. When thinking is on, the toggle works normally
+		// even if blocks are already hidden (user may want to show them).
+		const thinkingOff = (this.ctx.session?.thinkingLevel ?? ThinkingLevel.Off) === ThinkingLevel.Off;
+		if (thinkingOff) {
 			this.ctx.showStatus("Thinking is off — enable thinking to show blocks");
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/packages/coding-agent/test/input-controller-thinking-visibility.test.ts b/packages/coding-agent/test/input-controller-thinking-visibility.test.ts
index 42e559f13..d4d4219d4 100644
--- a/packages/coding-agent/test/input-controller-thinking-visibility.test.ts
+++ b/packages/coding-agent/test/input-controller-thinking-visibility.test.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ describe("InputController thinking visibility", () => {
 			hideThinkingBlock: false,
 			effectiveHideThinkingBlock: false,
 			settings: { set },
-			session: { agent: { hideThinkingSummary: false } },
+			session: { agent: { hideThinkingSummary: false }, thinkingLevel: "high" },
 			chatContainer,
 			streamingComponent: undefined,
 			streamingMessage: undefined,
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ describe("InputController thinking visibility", () => {
 			hideThinkingBlock: false,
 			effectiveHideThinkingBlock: true, // thinking is off → effective is true
 			settings: { set },
-			session: { agent: { hideThinkingSummary: false } },
+			session: { agent: { hideThinkingSummary: false }, thinkingLevel: "off" },
 			chatContainer: { children: [assistant], clear: vi.fn(), addChild: vi.fn() },
 			streamingComponent: undefined,
 			streamingMessage: undefined,
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ describe("InputController thinking visibility", () => {
 			hideThinkingBlock: true,
 			effectiveHideThinkingBlock: true, // thinking is off → effective is true
 			settings: { set },
-			session: { agent: { hideThinkingSummary: false } },
+			session: { agent: { hideThinkingSummary: false }, thinkingLevel: "off" },
 			chatContainer: { children: [assistant], clear: vi.fn(), addChild: vi.fn() },
 			streamingComponent: undefined,
 			streamingMessage: undefined,