diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/daemon/pair.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/daemon/pair.ts
index a30f0e2cc..a2ca3aab2 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/daemon/pair.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/daemon/pair.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { generateLocalPairingOffer, loadConfig, resolvePaseoHome } from "@getpas
 import { tryConnectToDaemon } from "../../utils/client.js";
 import { resolveLocalDaemonState, resolveTcpHostFromListen } from "./local-daemon.js";
 import { addJsonOption } from "../../utils/command-options.js";
+import { formatPairingInstructions } from "../../output/pairing.js";
 
 interface PairOptions {
   home?: string;
@@ -97,6 +98,11 @@ function outputPairingResult(
     return;
   }
 
-  const qrBlock = pairing.qr ? `${pairing.qr}\n` : "";
-  process.stdout.write(`\nScan to pair:\n${qrBlock}${pairing.url}\n`);
+  process.stdout.write(
+    formatPairingInstructions({
+      url: pairing.url,
+      qr: pairing.qr,
+      columns: process.stdout.columns,
+    }),
+  );
 }
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/onboard.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/onboard.ts
index 2600bdb29..22e10cf4a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/onboard.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/onboard.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   type DaemonStartOptions,
 } from "./daemon/local-daemon.js";
 import { tryConnectToDaemon } from "../utils/client.js";
+import { formatPairingInstructions } from "../output/pairing.js";
 
 interface OnboardOptions extends DaemonStartOptions {
   timeout?: string;
@@ -520,11 +521,13 @@ export async function runOnboard(options: OnboardOptions): Promise<void> {
     return;
   }
 
-  renderNote(
-    pairing.qr ?? "QR is unavailable in this terminal. Use the pairing link below.",
-    "Scan to pair",
+  process.stdout.write(
+    formatPairingInstructions({
+      url: pairing.url,
+      qr: pairing.qr,
+      columns: process.stdout.columns,
+    }),
   );
-  renderNote(pairing.url, "Pairing link");
   printNextSteps(pairing.url, paseoHome, richUi);
   if (richUi) {
     outro("Paseo is ready!");
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/output/pairing.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/output/pairing.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..00ed6b0a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/output/pairing.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { formatPairingInstructions } from "./pairing.js";
+
+const QR = "\u001b[47m\u001b[30m      \n ████ \n      \u001b[0m";
+const URL = "https://app.paseo.sh/#offer=pairing-offer";
+
+describe("formatPairingInstructions", () => {
+  it("prints the QR and an unmodified pairing-link line when the terminal is wide enough", () => {
+    const output = formatPairingInstructions({ qr: QR, url: URL, columns: 7 });
+
+    expect(output).toContain(QR);
+    expect(output.split("\n")).toContain(URL);
+  });
+
+  it("does not print a QR that would reach the terminal edge", () => {
+    const output = formatPairingInstructions({ qr: QR, url: URL, columns: 6 });
+
+    expect(output).not.toContain(QR);
+    expect(output).toContain("Resize the terminal to at least 7 columns");
+    expect(output.split("\n")).toContain(URL);
+  });
+
+  it("does not risk printing a QR when terminal width is unknown", () => {
+    const output = formatPairingInstructions({ qr: QR, url: URL });
+
+    expect(output).not.toContain(QR);
+    expect(output).toContain("terminal width could not be detected");
+    expect(output.split("\n")).toContain(URL);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/output/pairing.ts b/packages/cli/src/output/pairing.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d0da5bf6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/output/pairing.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+const ANSI_PATTERN = new RegExp(`${String.fromCharCode(0x1b)}\\[[0-9;]*m`, "g");
+
+interface PairingInstructions {
+  url: string;
+  qr: string | null;
+  columns?: number;
+}
+
+function visibleWidth(value: string): number {
+  return Math.max(
+    ...value
+      .replace(ANSI_PATTERN, "")
+      .split("\n")
+      .map((line) => line.length),
+  );
+}
+
+function formatQr(qr: string | null, columns: number | undefined): string {
+  if (!qr) {
+    return "QR code is unavailable. Use the pairing link below.";
+  }
+
+  if (columns === undefined) {
+    return "QR code not shown because terminal width could not be detected.";
+  }
+
+  const width = visibleWidth(qr);
+  if (columns <= width) {
+    return `QR code not shown. Resize the terminal to at least ${width + 1} columns, then run this command again.`;
+  }
+
+  return qr;
+}
+
+export function formatPairingInstructions({ url, qr, columns }: PairingInstructions): string {
+  return `\nScan to pair:\n${formatQr(qr, columns)}\n\nPairing link:\n${url}\n`;
+}
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/pairing-qr.test.ts b/packages/server/src/server/pairing-qr.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..27f317c6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/pairing-qr.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import * as QRCode from "qrcode";
+import { renderPairingQr } from "./pairing-qr.js";
+
+const ESCAPE = String.fromCharCode(0x1b);
+const ANSI_PATTERN = new RegExp(`${ESCAPE}\\[[0-9;]*m`, "g");
+
+describe("renderPairingQr", () => {
+  it("renders a theme-independent QR code with a four-module quiet zone", async () => {
+    const url = "https://app.paseo.sh/#offer=test-pairing-offer";
+    const qr = await renderPairingQr(url);
+    const styledLines = qr.split("\n");
+    const visibleLines = qr.replace(ANSI_PATTERN, "").split("\n");
+    const moduleCount = QRCode.create(url).modules.size;
+
+    expect(
+      styledLines.every(
+        (line) => line.startsWith(`${ESCAPE}[47m${ESCAPE}[30m`) && line.endsWith(`${ESCAPE}[0m`),
+      ),
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(visibleLines.every((line) => line.length === moduleCount + 8)).toBe(true);
+    expect(visibleLines.slice(0, 2).every((line) => line.trim() === "")).toBe(true);
+    expect(visibleLines.slice(-2).every((line) => line.trim() === "")).toBe(true);
+    expect(visibleLines.every((line) => line.startsWith("    ") && line.endsWith("    "))).toBe(
+      true,
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/server/src/server/pairing-qr.ts b/packages/server/src/server/pairing-qr.ts
index 8b8f31f44..7d9d13167 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/server/pairing-qr.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/server/pairing-qr.ts
@@ -1,50 +1,18 @@
 import * as QRCode from "qrcode";
-import type { QRCodeToStringOptionsTerminal, QRCodeToStringOptionsOther } from "qrcode";
-import type { Logger } from "pino";
+import type { QRCodeToStringOptionsOther } from "qrcode";
 
-function parseBooleanEnv(value: string | undefined): boolean | undefined {
-  if (value === undefined) return undefined;
-  const normalized = value.trim().toLowerCase();
-  if (["1", "true", "yes", "y", "on"].includes(normalized)) return true;
-  if (["0", "false", "no", "n", "off"].includes(normalized)) return false;
-  return undefined;
-}
-
-function shouldPrintPairingQr(): boolean {
-  const env = parseBooleanEnv(process.env.PASEO_PAIRING_QR);
-  if (env !== undefined) return env;
-  return process.stdout.isTTY ?? false;
-}
+const BLACK_ON_WHITE = "\u001b[47m\u001b[30m";
+const RESET_COLORS = "\u001b[0m";
 
 export async function renderPairingQr(url: string): Promise<string> {
-  const terminalOptions: QRCodeToStringOptionsTerminal = {
-    type: "terminal",
-    small: true,
-  };
-
   const utf8Options: QRCodeToStringOptionsOther = {
     type: "utf8",
+    margin: 4,
   };
 
-  try {
-    return await QRCode.toString(url, terminalOptions);
-  } catch {
-    return await QRCode.toString(url, utf8Options);
-  }
-}
-
-export async function printPairingQrIfEnabled(args: {
-  url: string;
-  logger?: Logger;
-}): Promise<void> {
-  if (!shouldPrintPairingQr()) return;
-
-  const qr = await renderPairingQr(args.url);
-  const out = `\nScan to pair:\n${qr}\n${args.url}\n`;
-
-  try {
-    process.stdout.write(out);
-  } catch (error) {
-    args.logger?.debug({ error }, "Failed to print pairing QR");
-  }
+  const qr = await QRCode.toString(url, utf8Options);
+  return qr
+    .split("\n")
+    .map((line) => `${BLACK_ON_WHITE}${line}${RESET_COLORS}`)
+    .join("\n");
 }