diff --git a/tui/tui.go b/tui/tui.go
index b265630..4493a32 100644
--- a/tui/tui.go
+++ b/tui/tui.go
@@ -2866,7 +2866,7 @@ func (m model) groupTableRows(columns []tableColumn) []tableRow {
 			case "count":
 				row = append(row, fmt.Sprintf("%d", group.Count))
 			case "time":
-				row = append(row, shortTimestamp(group.Latest))
+				row = append(row, groupTimeForColumn(group.Latest, column.Width))
 			case "age":
 				row = append(row, ageFromTimestamp(group.Latest))
 			case "scope":
@@ -3812,6 +3812,13 @@ func rowTimeForColumn(item Item, width int) string {
 	return rowWhen(item)
 }
 
+func groupTimeForColumn(value string, width int) string {
+	if width <= 5 {
+		return compactDateFromTimestamp(value)
+	}
+	return shortTimestamp(value)
+}
+
 func rowAge(item Item) string {
 	if t, ok := itemSortTime(item); ok {
 		return compactAge(time.Since(t))
diff --git a/tui/tui_test.go b/tui/tui_test.go
index 8180341..c931202 100644
--- a/tui/tui_test.go
+++ b/tui/tui_test.go
@@ -269,11 +269,17 @@ func TestCompactWidthKeepsUsefulColumns(t *testing.T) {
 	group := itemGroup{Kind: "channel", Count: 18, Latest: "2026-05-02T12:00:00Z", Title: "github-secure-session-4"}
 	mediumGroupHeader := groupListHeader(46, sortDefault)
 	mediumGroupLine := groupListLine(group, 46)
+	mediumRows := newModel(Options{Items: []Item{
+		Row{Kind: "message", Container: "github-secure-session-4", Title: "message", CreatedAt: "2026-05-02T12:00:00Z"}.ItemForLayout(LayoutChat),
+	}}).groupTableRows(groupColumns(46, sortDefault))
 	for _, want := range []string{"N", "TIME", "AGE", "GROUP", "05-02", "github-secure"} {
 		if !strings.Contains(mediumGroupHeader+mediumGroupLine, want) {
 			t.Fatalf("medium compact group columns missing %q:\n%s\n%s", want, mediumGroupHeader, mediumGroupLine)
 		}
 	}
+	if len(mediumRows) == 0 || !strings.Contains(strings.Join(mediumRows[0], " "), "05-02") {
+		t.Fatalf("medium group table row should use compact dates: %#v", mediumRows)
+	}
 
 	groupHeader := groupListHeader(56, sortDefault)
 	groupLine := groupListLine(group, 56)