diff --git a/src/aare/gui/widgets/status_bar.py b/src/aare/gui/widgets/status_bar.py
index 4b31e3f8..a89583d9 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/widgets/status_bar.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/widgets/status_bar.py
@@ -93,16 +93,15 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
 
         self.exp_shutter_label = ValueLabel("ExpHutch Shutter", "", self)
 
-        # Every readout lives in ONE wrapping flow host: on narrow windows
-        # QStatusBar used to clip/hide the labels outright, now they wrap to
-        # extra rows and stay readable. Fixed order: passives first, then the
-        # operables (shared ClickableLabel hover affordance) — Cryo | Fast
-        # Shutter | State | p-group | Session at the end. The old left/right
-        # split (addWidget vs addPermanentWidget) is gone with the wrap; no
-        # showMessage is ever used here, so nothing hides the host.
-        # TODO(cryo): passive for now, but placed with the operables because a
-        # cryo operation (fill/anneal menu) is planned; when it gets a click
-        # handler, swap it to a ClickableLabel so it inherits the affordance.
+        # Split layout: the passive readouts wrap in a flow host (narrow
+        # windows used to clip them outright), while the four operables —
+        # Fast Shutter | State | p-group | Session — are addPermanentWidget
+        # so QStatusBar itself pins them to the right corner at a fixed spot
+        # regardless of wrapping; no showMessage is ever used here, so
+        # nothing hides either side.
+        # TODO(cryo): a cryo operation (fill/anneal menu) is planned; when it
+        # gets a click handler, swap to ClickableLabel and move it over to
+        # the permanent (right-pinned) group with the other operables.
         self.info_host = FlowHost(self)
         for widget in (
             self.message_label,
@@ -116,14 +115,22 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
             self.tell_state_label,
             self.busy_label,
             self.cryo_label,
-            self.shutter_label,
-            self.state_label,
-            self.pgroup_label,
-            self.session_label,
         ):
             self.info_host.add_widget(widget)
         self.addWidget(self.info_host, 1)
 
+        for widget in (self.shutter_label, self.state_label, self.pgroup_label, self.session_label):
+            self.addPermanentWidget(widget)
+
+    def _ratchet_widths(self, *labels: QLabel) -> None:
+        # ponytail: grow-only min-width ratchet — per-tick number width
+        # changes used to re-flow the row and jitter every neighbour; pin
+        # each label to the widest text it has shown. Never shrinks until
+        # restart, which is fine for a status bar; per-label fixed widths
+        # from font metrics if a pathological long value ever sticks.
+        for label in labels:
+            label.setMinimumWidth(max(label.minimumWidth(), label.sizeHint().width()))
+
     def set_theme(self, theme: str) -> None:
         """Adopt the theme's flag colors: recolor the connection message and
         re-render the DAQ-driven labels from the last status right away."""
@@ -156,6 +163,7 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
     @Slot(float)
     def update_sharpness(self, val: float):
         self.sharpness.set_value(f"{val:.3f}")
+        self._ratchet_widths(self.sharpness)
 
     @Slot(float)
     def update_samcam_fps(self, fps: float):
@@ -166,6 +174,7 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
             self.samcam_fps.set_value("error")
             return
         self.samcam_fps.set_value(f"{fps:.1f}")
+        self._ratchet_widths(self.samcam_fps)
 
     @Slot(DAQStatusModel)
     def update_daq_status(self, status: DAQStatusModel):
@@ -284,6 +293,21 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
 
             html_content_session = f"""Session: {session_flag}"""
             self.session_label.setText(html_content_session)
+
+            self._ratchet_widths(
+                self.flux,
+                self.transmission,
+                self.ring_current,
+                self.wvl,
+                self.cryo_label,
+                self.shutter_label,
+                self.exp_shutter_label,
+                self.tell_state_label,
+                self.busy_label,
+                self.state_label,
+                self.pgroup_label,
+                self.session_label,
+            )
         except Exception:
             logger.exception("Error updating DAQ status in status bar")
 
@@ -378,6 +402,7 @@ class StatusBar(QStatusBar):
             text = "Session: Vacant"
 
         self.session_label.setText(text)
+        self._ratchet_widths(self.session_label)
 
     def show_session_menu(self, global_pos: QPoint | None = None):
         menu = QMenu(self)
diff --git a/tests/unit/gui/test_status_bar.py b/tests/unit/gui/test_status_bar.py
index dc4f4e7f..86312997 100644
--- a/tests/unit/gui/test_status_bar.py
+++ b/tests/unit/gui/test_status_bar.py
@@ -64,22 +64,39 @@ def test_state_menu_gates_beam_location_for_non_staff(qtbot, daq_status_factory,
     assert not _state_menu_entries(non_staff)["Beam location (admin mode only)"]
 
 
-def test_readouts_wrap_instead_of_clipping(qtbot):
+def test_readout_width_ratchets_so_numbers_do_not_jitter(qtbot, daq_status_factory):
     bar = _bar(qtbot)
+    # A wide value pins the minimum width; a narrower one must NOT shrink it,
+    # otherwise every tick re-flows the row and neighbours jitter.
+    bar.update_samcam_fps(1234.5)
+    bar.update_sharpness(0.123)
+    wide = bar.samcam_fps.minimumWidth()
+    assert wide >= bar.samcam_fps.sizeHint().width()
+    bar.update_samcam_fps(5.0)
+    assert bar.samcam_fps.minimumWidth() == wide
+    # The DAQ tick ratchets the rest, session-display path included.
+    bar.update_daq_status(daq_status_factory())
+    bar._update_session_display()
+    assert bar.ring_current.minimumWidth() >= bar.ring_current.sizeHint().width()
+    assert bar.session_label.minimumWidth() >= bar.session_label.sizeHint().width()
+
+
+def test_readouts_wrap_instead_of_clipping(qtbot, daq_status_factory):
+    bar = _bar(qtbot)
+    # Labels are empty until a DAQ tick paints them; feed one so the flow
+    # measures realistic widths (empty labels never trigger a wrap).
+    bar.update_daq_status(daq_status_factory())
     host = bar.info_host
     flow = host.layout()
     assert isinstance(flow, FlowLayout)  # narrows Optional for the checker
-    # Every readout is in the flow host, none clipped away by QStatusBar.
-    for label in (
-        bar.flux,
-        bar.busy_label,
-        bar.cryo_label,
-        bar.shutter_label,
-        bar.state_label,
-        bar.pgroup_label,
-        bar.session_label,
-    ):
+    # Passive readouts wrap in the flow host; the four operables are
+    # addPermanentWidget so QStatusBar pins them to the right corner and
+    # they never move when the flow wraps.
+    for label in (bar.flux, bar.busy_label, bar.cryo_label):
         assert label.parentWidget() is host
+    for label in (bar.shutter_label, bar.state_label, bar.pgroup_label, bar.session_label):
+        assert label.parentWidget() is bar
+        assert label.parentWidget() is not host
     # Narrow width -> the flow reports a taller (multi-row) height than one
     # row, and resizing the host pins its minimum height to the wrapped
     # height so the bar grows instead of cutting labels off.