diff --git a/.changeset/cli-sync-ready-debug-leftover.md b/.changeset/cli-sync-ready-debug-leftover.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e20d82336d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/cli-sync-ready-debug-leftover.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@kilocode/cli": patch
+---
+
+Fix a 1-2 second startup delay before home content (agents, news, tips) appears in the TUI.
diff --git a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/context/sync.tsx b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/context/sync.tsx
index a52748d8be5..99c783d24a2 100644
--- a/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/context/sync.tsx
+++ b/packages/opencode/src/cli/cmd/tui/context/sync.tsx
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ export const { use: useSync, provider: SyncProvider } = createSimpleContext({
         return store.status
       },
       get ready() {
-        return true
+        // kilocode_change - drop unreachable `return true` debug leftover from upstream #23037; caused the TUI to flip `ready` before sync finished, producing a 1-2s startup delay before home content (agents/news/tips) appears.
         if (process.env.KILO_FAST_BOOT) return true
         return store.status !== "loading"
       },