diff --git a/python/gvtest/live_display.py b/python/gvtest/live_display.py
index 7fd498d..da8b813 100644
--- a/python/gvtest/live_display.py
+++ b/python/gvtest/live_display.py
@@ -98,8 +98,11 @@ def stop(self) -> None:
     def test_started(
         self, test_id: int, name: str, config: str
     ) -> None:
-        """No-op for progress mode (no running panel)."""
-        pass
+        """Log START message above the progress bar."""
+        self.log(
+            f"[blue]{'START'.ljust(8)}[/blue]"
+            f"[bold]{name}[/bold] {config}"
+        )
 
     def test_finished(
         self, test_id: int, status: str
diff --git a/python/gvtest/runner.py b/python/gvtest/runner.py
index d226708..9f0bacf 100644
--- a/python/gvtest/runner.py
+++ b/python/gvtest/runner.py
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ def run(self) -> None:
             from gvtest.live_display import LiveDisplay
             from rich.console import Console
             self.live_display = LiveDisplay(
-                Console(highlight=False)
+                Console(highlight=False, stderr=True)
             )
             # Start with 0, update total after enqueue
             self.live_display.start(0)
diff --git a/python/gvtest/tests.py b/python/gvtest/tests.py
index 657099d..ac3b18b 100644
--- a/python/gvtest/tests.py
+++ b/python/gvtest/tests.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 from rich.console import Console
 from rich.table import Table
 
-_console = Console(highlight=False)
+_console = Console(highlight=False, stderr=True)
 
 
 class TestRun(object):
@@ -268,36 +268,28 @@ def __exec_process(self, command: str, envvars: dict[str, str] | None = None) ->
         if envvars is not None:
             env.update(envvars)
 
-        # Use a PTY to isolate terminal state — prevents
-        # tests from corrupting the parent terminal
-        # (e.g. raw mode, no-echo from SDL2/ncurses)
-        master_fd, slave_fd = os.openpty()
-
+        # Use pipes + start_new_session for isolation.
+        # The new session prevents child processes from
+        # corrupting the parent terminal (SDL2/ncurses),
+        # and os.killpg() can kill the whole group.
         proc: subprocess.Popen[bytes] = subprocess.Popen(
-            command, stdout=slave_fd,
-            stderr=slave_fd, stdin=slave_fd,
+            command, stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+            stderr=subprocess.STDOUT,
+            stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
             shell=True, cwd=self.test.path, env=env,
             start_new_session=True
         )
 
-        # Close slave in parent — only the child uses it
-        os.close(slave_fd)
-
         self.current_proc = proc
 
         self.lock.release()
 
-        # Read from master fd
-        master_file = os.fdopen(master_fd, 'rb')
-        try:
-            for line in io.TextIOWrapper(
-                master_file, encoding="utf-8",
-                errors='replace'
-            ):
-                self.__dump_test_msg(line)
-        except IOError:
-            # PTY closed when process exits
-            pass
+        assert proc.stdout is not None
+        for line in io.TextIOWrapper(
+            proc.stdout, encoding="utf-8",
+            errors='replace'
+        ):
+            self.__dump_test_msg(line)
 
         retval: int = proc.wait()
         self.current_proc = None
diff --git a/python/gvtest/tui.py b/python/gvtest/tui.py
index 962dc5d..1834af1 100644
--- a/python/gvtest/tui.py
+++ b/python/gvtest/tui.py
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ def run(self, stdscr: Any) -> None:
         curses.init_pair(3, curses.COLOR_GREEN, -1)
         curses.init_pair(4, curses.COLOR_YELLOW, -1)
         curses.init_pair(5, curses.COLOR_MAGENTA, -1)
-        curses.init_pair(6, curses.COLOR_CYAN, -1)
+        curses.init_pair(6, curses.COLOR_BLUE, -1)
         # Progress bar colors (background)
         curses.init_pair(7, curses.COLOR_BLACK,
                          curses.COLOR_GREEN)
@@ -601,6 +601,9 @@ def _draw_targets(
                     completed / total * bar_w
                 )
                 filled_w = max(1, min(filled_w, bar_w))
+                # Ensure at least 1 empty char when not done
+                if completed < total and filled_w == bar_w:
+                    filled_w = bar_w - 1
                 # Distribute within filled_w
                 g = max(1, round(
                     passed / completed * filled_w
@@ -753,6 +756,10 @@ def _draw_progress(
                 self.completed / self.total * bar_w
             )
             filled_w = max(1, min(filled_w, bar_w))
+            # Ensure at least 1 empty char when not done
+            if (self.completed < self.total
+                    and filled_w == bar_w):
+                filled_w = bar_w - 1
             g = max(1, round(
                 self.passed / self.completed * filled_w
             )) if self.passed > 0 else 0