diff --git a/clients/terminal/tui/widgets/todo_list.py b/clients/terminal/tui/widgets/todo_list.py
index a6cd153..0de0ba6 100644
--- a/clients/terminal/tui/widgets/todo_list.py
+++ b/clients/terminal/tui/widgets/todo_list.py
@@ -77,6 +77,25 @@
         status-marker colours pick up the new palette)."""
         self.update(self._build_content())
 
+    # Display order: in_progress → pending → failed/skipped → done. Lower rank
+    # = higher on screen. Unknown statuses fall in with pending so new work
+    # stays visible rather than sinking below completed steps.
+    _STATUS_RANK: dict[str, int] = {
+        "in_progress": 0,
+        "pending":     1,
+        "failed":      2,
+        "skipped":      2,
+        "done":        3,
+    }
+
+    def _ordered_tasks(self) -> list[dict]:
+        """Tasks grouped by status for display, original order preserved within
+        each group. Does not mutate ``self._tasks``."""
+        return sorted(
+            self._tasks,
+            key=lambda t: self._STATUS_RANK.get(t.get("status", "") or "pending", 1),
+        )
+
     def _build_content(self) -> str:
         theme = get_active_theme()
         dim = theme.text_dim.hex
@@ -88,7 +107,11 @@
         lines: list[str] = [
             f"[{theme.success.hex}]{done}[/{theme.success.hex}]/{n} done"
         ]
-        for t in self._tasks:
+        # Display order: active work on top, queued next, blocked/dismissed
+        # (failed + skipped) below the queue, completed at the bottom. Stable
+        # within a group — original payload order is preserved, only the groups
+        # are reordered. ``self._tasks`` itself keeps the plan's original order.
+        for t in self._ordered_tasks():
             status = t.get("status", "") or "pending"
             icon = _STATUS_ICON.get(status, "?")
             icon_color = getattr(theme, _STATUS_COLOR_ATTR.get(status, "text_dim"), theme.text_dim).hex
diff --git a/tests/clients/test_todo_list.py b/tests/clients/test_todo_list.py
index 88947bc..e161ac3 100644
--- a/tests/clients/test_todo_list.py
+++ b/tests/clients/test_todo_list.py
@@ -123,6 +123,40 @@
 
 
 @pytest.mark.anyio
+async def test_todo_list_groups_by_status_in_progress_first_done_last() -> None:
+    """Steps are grouped for display: in_progress on top, then pending, then
+    failed/skipped, then done at the bottom — regardless of the payload order.
+    Original order is preserved within each group; the header still counts all
+    done steps."""
+    from clients.terminal.tui.tui_app import NaviCodeTui
+
+    # Payload in plan order: done, pending, in_progress, done, failed, skipped.
+    tasks = [
+        {"index": 1, "text": "done one", "status": "done", "validation": ""},
+        {"index": 2, "text": "queued one", "status": "pending", "validation": ""},
+        {"index": 3, "text": "active one", "status": "in_progress", "validation": ""},
+        {"index": 4, "text": "done two", "status": "done", "validation": ""},
+        {"index": 5, "text": "boom", "status": "failed", "validation": ""},
+        {"index": 6, "text": "skip", "status": "skipped", "validation": ""},
+    ]
+    async with NaviCodeTui(new_session=True).run_test() as pilot:
+        await pilot.pause()
+        todo = pilot.app.query_one(TodoList)
+        todo.set_tasks(tasks)
+        plain = _plain(todo._build_content())
+        # Header counts both done steps.
+        assert "2/6 done" in plain
+        # The visible order is the display order, not the payload order.
+        assert plain.index("active one") < plain.index("queued one")
+        assert plain.index("queued one") < plain.index("boom")
+        assert plain.index("boom") < plain.index("done one")
+        assert plain.index("skip") < plain.index("done one")
+        assert plain.index("done one") < plain.index("done two")
+        # Original order preserved within the done group (done one before done two).
+        assert plain.index("done one") < plain.index("done two")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.anyio
 async def test_todo_panel_is_scrollable_and_wraps_list() -> None:
     """The todo lives in its own scrollable panel below the info block, not
     inside StatusPanel."""