diff --git a/src/client/shell/overlays.rs b/src/client/shell/overlays.rs
index 7116713b6..f26cc6e4e 100644
--- a/src/client/shell/overlays.rs
+++ b/src/client/shell/overlays.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ pub(crate) fn render_client_overlay(
         }
     }
     match o {
-        ClientShellOverlay::Onboarding => render_onboarding_overlay(b, p),
+        ClientShellOverlay::Onboarding => render_onboarding_overlay(b, k, p),
         ClientShellOverlay::ProductAnnouncement(v) => render_product_announcement_overlay(b, v, p),
         ClientShellOverlay::ReleaseNotes(v) => {
             render_release_notes_overlay(b, v, &s.update_install_command, p)
@@ -262,7 +262,11 @@ fn panel(
     Some(Rect::new(a.x + 1, a.y + 1, a.width - 2, a.height - 2))
 }
 fn popup(a: Rect, w: u16, h: u16) -> Option<Rect> {
-    let w = w.min(a.width.saturating_sub(4));
+    popup_with_width_cap(a, w, h, 4)
+}
+
+fn popup_with_width_cap(a: Rect, w: u16, h: u16, width_cap: u16) -> Option<Rect> {
+    let w = w.min(a.width.saturating_sub(width_cap));
     let h = h.min(a.height.saturating_sub(2));
     if w < 4 || h < 4 {
         return None;
@@ -533,8 +537,18 @@ fn render_product_announcement_overlay(
     })
 }
 
-fn render_onboarding_overlay(b: &mut Buffer, p: &Palette) -> Option<OverlayRender> {
-    let outer = popup(b.area, 64, 16)?;
+fn render_onboarding_overlay(
+    b: &mut Buffer,
+    k: &LiveKeybindConfig,
+    p: &Palette,
+) -> Option<OverlayRender> {
+    let prefix = k.primary_prefix_label();
+    let hint_width = display_width("  ")
+        + display_width(&prefix)
+        + display_width(crate::ui::ONBOARDING_PREFIX_SUFFIX)
+        + display_width(crate::ui::ONBOARDING_HELP_LABEL)
+        + display_width(crate::ui::ONBOARDING_HELP_SUFFIX);
+    let outer = popup_with_width_cap(b.area, (hint_width + 5).max(64), 16, 3)?;
     let inner = panel(b, outer, p.accent, p.panel_bg)?;
     if inner.height < 11 {
         return Some(OverlayRender {
@@ -584,7 +598,7 @@ fn render_onboarding_overlay(b: &mut Buffer, p: &Palette) -> Option<OverlayRende
     let mut key_x = content.x;
     for (value, style) in [
         ("  ", base),
-        (crate::ui::ONBOARDING_PREFIX_LABEL, accent),
+        (prefix.as_str(), accent),
         (crate::ui::ONBOARDING_PREFIX_SUFFIX, text),
         (crate::ui::ONBOARDING_HELP_LABEL, accent),
         (crate::ui::ONBOARDING_HELP_SUFFIX, text),
diff --git a/src/client/shell/tests/startup_overlays.rs b/src/client/shell/tests/startup_overlays.rs
index 7107aa713..bddcde10c 100644
--- a/src/client/shell/tests/startup_overlays.rs
+++ b/src/client/shell/tests/startup_overlays.rs
@@ -349,6 +349,26 @@ fn startup_onboarding_is_client_rendered_and_modal() {
     assert!(popup_paste.requests.is_empty());
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn startup_onboarding_shows_configured_prefix() {
+    let mut config = Config::default();
+    config.keys.prefix = crate::config::BindingConfig::one("ctrl+shift+b");
+    let config = ClientShellConfig::from_config(&config).with_startup_onboarding(true);
+    let mut state = ClientShellState::new(config);
+    state.set_snapshot(Box::new(snapshot()));
+    state.set_pane_surface(surface());
+
+    let frame = state.compose(70, 20).expect("onboarding frame");
+    let text = frame
+        .cells
+        .iter()
+        .map(|cell| cell.symbol.as_str())
+        .collect::<String>();
+    assert!(text.contains("ctrl+shift+b enters prefix mode"));
+    assert!(text.contains("shows keybinds and settings"));
+    assert!(!text.contains("ctrl+b enters prefix mode"));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn onboarding_completion_persists_and_opens_endpoint_integrations() {
     let path = std::env::temp_dir().join(format!(
diff --git a/src/ui.rs b/src/ui.rs
index 141e09d33..8fb7c7d30 100644
--- a/src/ui.rs
+++ b/src/ui.rs
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ mod widgets;
 
 pub(crate) use self::onboarding::{
     onboarding_welcome_continue_rect, ONBOARDING_DESCRIPTION, ONBOARDING_HELP_LABEL,
-    ONBOARDING_HELP_SUFFIX, ONBOARDING_NEXT, ONBOARDING_PREFIX_LABEL, ONBOARDING_PREFIX_SUFFIX,
-    ONBOARDING_SUBTITLE, ONBOARDING_TITLE,
+    ONBOARDING_HELP_SUFFIX, ONBOARDING_NEXT, ONBOARDING_PREFIX_SUFFIX, ONBOARDING_SUBTITLE,
+    ONBOARDING_TITLE,
 };
 #[cfg(all(test, unix))]
 pub(crate) use self::panes::popup_pane_rects;
diff --git a/src/ui/onboarding.rs b/src/ui/onboarding.rs
index 94c9b2a07..148574d69 100644
--- a/src/ui/onboarding.rs
+++ b/src/ui/onboarding.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ pub(crate) const ONBOARDING_DESCRIPTION: [&str; 3] = [
     "  click the sidebar to switch workspaces, drag pane",
     "  borders to resize, right-click for context menus.",
 ];
-pub(crate) const ONBOARDING_PREFIX_LABEL: &str = "ctrl+b";
 pub(crate) const ONBOARDING_PREFIX_SUFFIX: &str = " enters prefix mode · ";
 pub(crate) const ONBOARDING_HELP_LABEL: &str = "?";
 pub(crate) const ONBOARDING_HELP_SUFFIX: &str = " shows keybinds and settings";