diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/app/(app)/agent-chat/repo-picker.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/app/(app)/agent-chat/repo-picker.tsx
index b13a81b91e..0af4c0c161 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/app/(app)/agent-chat/repo-picker.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/app/(app)/agent-chat/repo-picker.tsx
@@ -107,18 +107,38 @@ export default function RepoPickerScreen() {
       headerContent={
         <View className="flex-row items-center gap-2 rounded-full bg-secondary px-3 py-2 mx-4 mb-3 mt-3">
           <Search size={18} color={colors.mutedForeground} />
-          <TextInput
-            accessibilityLabel={t('agentChat.repoPicker.searchLabel')}
-            placeholder={t('agentChat.repoPicker.searchPlaceholder')}
-            placeholderTextColor={colors.mutedForeground}
-            autoCapitalize="none"
-            autoCorrect={false}
-            clearButtonMode="while-editing"
-            returnKeyType="search"
-            className="h-8 flex-1 p-0 text-base text-foreground"
-            style={{ color: colors.foreground }}
-            onChangeText={setSearch}
-          />
+          {/* The placeholder is a single-line Text overlay, not the input's own
+              placeholder: Android lays the native hint out at the field's width
+              with no line cap, so copy wider than a narrow field wraps onto a
+              second line that the field's fixed height clips against its
+              border. A tail-ellipsized Text truncates the copy at any width
+              instead. Both texts share leading-[normal] and a centred text rect
+              so the overlay sits exactly where the typed text will. */}
+          <View className="relative flex-1">
+            <TextInput
+              accessibilityLabel={t('agentChat.repoPicker.searchLabel')}
+              autoCapitalize="none"
+              autoCorrect={false}
+              clearButtonMode="while-editing"
+              returnKeyType="search"
+              textAlignVertical="center"
+              className="h-8 p-0 text-base leading-[normal] text-foreground"
+              style={{ color: colors.foreground }}
+              onChangeText={setSearch}
+            />
+            {search.length === 0 ? (
+              <View className="absolute inset-0 justify-center" pointerEvents="none">
+                <Text
+                  accessible={false}
+                  numberOfLines={1}
+                  ellipsizeMode="tail"
+                  className="text-base leading-[normal] font-normal text-muted-foreground"
+                >
+                  {t('agentChat.repoPicker.searchPlaceholder')}
+                </Text>
+              </View>
+            ) : null}
+          </View>
         </View>
       }
     >
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/components/agents/picker-search.mounted.test.tsx b/apps/mobile/src/components/agents/picker-search.mounted.test.tsx
index b558b3268f..b71920efe0 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/components/agents/picker-search.mounted.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/components/agents/picker-search.mounted.test.tsx
@@ -147,6 +147,35 @@ describe('repository picker Bitbucket scope note', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('repository picker search placeholder', () => {
+  const copy = 'Search repositories...';
+
+  it('renders a single tail-ellipsized line instead of a wrapping native hint', async () => {
+    const renderer = await mount(RepoPickerScreen);
+    const input = hosts(renderer, 'TextInput')[0];
+    if (!input) {
+      throw new Error('Picker search input did not mount');
+    }
+    // The native hint is what Android lays out at the field width with no line
+    // cap, wrapping onto a second line the fixed-height field then clips.
+    expect(input.props.placeholder).toBeUndefined();
+
+    const placeholder = hosts(renderer, 'Text').find(node => node.props.children === copy);
+    if (!placeholder) {
+      throw new Error('Search placeholder overlay did not mount');
+    }
+    expect(placeholder.props.numberOfLines).toBe(1);
+    expect(placeholder.props.ellipsizeMode).toBe('tail');
+    expect(placeholder.parent?.props.pointerEvents).toBe('none');
+
+    const changeSearch = input.props.onChangeText as (text: string) => void;
+    act(() => {
+      changeSearch('org/repo');
+    });
+    expect(hosts(renderer, 'Text').some(node => node.props.children === copy)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
 async function mount(Component: () => ReactNode) {
   const mounted = await renderWithProviders(createElement(Component));
   onTestFinished(mounted.unmount);