diff --git a/lib/common.sh b/lib/common.sh
index e5568a2..9426176 100644
--- a/lib/common.sh
+++ b/lib/common.sh
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ ui_quiet_run() {
     if   (( nc >= 256 )); then depth=256
     elif (( nc >= 8 ));   then depth=16
     fi
+    # The bare Linux VT is 16-color VGA: 48;5;N codes are ignored there, and
+    # its blue/bright-blue backgrounds render nearly identically (VM-proven:
+    # "solid blue, no breathing" on the console). Cap to the 16-color path.
+    case "${TERM:-}" in linux*|console*) depth=16 ;; esac
 
     local -a bg=()
     case "$depth" in
@@ -119,7 +123,9 @@ ui_quiet_run() {
         # shades must differ enough to survive flicker fusion — a subtle ramp
         # at 20fps reads as a solid block (VM-proven).
         256) bg=( "48;5;17" "48;5;19" "48;5;21" "48;5;27" "48;5;33" "48;5;39" "48;5;45" "48;5;39" "48;5;33" "48;5;27" "48;5;21" "48;5;19" ) ;;
-        16)  bg=( "44" "104" "44" "104" ) ;;
+        # On/off pulse, NOT shade alternation: console blues fuse to solid.
+        # Empty element = frame without the block (block breathes in/out).
+        16)  bg=( "44" "44" "" "" ) ;;
     esac
     local -a ch=( "|" "/" "-" "\\" )
 
@@ -131,10 +137,20 @@ ui_quiet_run() {
                 | grep -E '^(Installing|Upgrading|Downgrading|Removing|Verifying|Preparing|Cleanup):' \
                 | tail -n 1 || true)
         if (( depth >= 16 )); then
-            if [[ -n "$cur" ]]; then
-                printf '\r\033[%sm \033[0m %s: %s' "${bg[$(( f % ${#bg[@]} ))]}" "$msg" "$cur" >&2
+            local code="${bg[$(( f % ${#bg[@]} ))]}"
+            if [[ -n "$code" ]]; then
+                if [[ -n "$cur" ]]; then
+                    printf '\r\033[%sm \033[0m %s: %s' "$code" "$msg" "$cur" >&2
+                else
+                    printf '\r\033[%sm \033[0m %s' "$code" "$msg" >&2
+                fi
             else
-                printf '\r\033[%sm \033[0m %s' "${bg[$(( f % ${#bg[@]} ))]}" "$msg" >&2
+                # block "breathes out": just the text that frame
+                if [[ -n "$cur" ]]; then
+                    printf '\r   %s: %s' "$msg" "$cur" >&2
+                else
+                    printf '\r   %s' "$msg" >&2
+                fi
             fi
         else
             if [[ -n "$cur" ]]; then
diff --git a/lib/ui-block.sh b/lib/ui-block.sh
index bc08152..f5d36a6 100644
--- a/lib/ui-block.sh
+++ b/lib/ui-block.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ _ub_depth() {
   if   [[ "$n" -ge 256 ]]; then echo 256
   elif [[ "$n" -ge 8   ]]; then echo 16
   else echo 0; fi
+  # bare Linux VT: cap regardless of what tput reports
+  case "${TERM:-}" in linux*|console*) echo 16 ;; esac
 }
 
 # paint one background-coloured block (a SPACE) + message
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ _ub_busy_loop() {
   depth=$(_ub_depth)
   case "$depth" in
     256) pal=(17 19 21 27 33 39 45 39 33 27 21 19) ;;  # deep breathe: dark navy to bright blue
-    16)  pal=(44 104 44 104) ;;                          # blue / bright blue
+    16)  pal=(44 44 "" "") ;;                            # on/off pulse: console blues fuse
     *)   pal=("|" "/" "-" "\\") ;;                       # last-resort spinner
   esac
   while :; do
@@ -51,7 +53,11 @@ _ub_busy_loop() {
       if [[ "$depth" -eq 256 ]]; then
         _ub_paint "48;5;$i" "$_UB_MSG"       # 256-colour cube background
       elif [[ "$depth" -eq 16 ]]; then
-        _ub_paint "$i" "$_UB_MSG"            # plain ANSI background (44/104)
+        if [[ -n "$i" ]]; then
+          _ub_paint "$i" "$_UB_MSG"          # plain ANSI background (blue)
+        else
+          printf '\r   %s' "$_UB_MSG" >&"$_UB_FD"   # block breathes out
+        fi
       else
         printf '\r[%s] %s' "$i" "$_UB_MSG" >&"$_UB_FD"
       fi