diff --git a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-05-dashboard-overlay-tabs-phase-2.md b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-05-dashboard-overlay-tabs-phase-2.md
index 6634110..c0fb02c 100644
--- a/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-05-dashboard-overlay-tabs-phase-2.md
+++ b/docs/superpowers/plans/2026-07-05-dashboard-overlay-tabs-phase-2.md
@@ -20,7 +20,12 @@ Create `tests/overlay-render.test.ts` with the initial `pad` tests:
 
 ```typescript
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
-import { pad, frame, renderTabBar, frameContentWidth } from "../src/tui/overlay-render.ts";
+import {
+  pad,
+  frame,
+  renderTabBar,
+  frameContentWidth,
+} from "../src/tui/overlay-render.ts";
 import { noTheme } from "../src/tui/dashboard-theme.ts";
 
 describe("pad", () => {
diff --git a/src/tui/overlay-render.ts b/src/tui/overlay-render.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78123fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tui/overlay-render.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,180 @@
+/**
+ * Overlay rendering utilities for the usage dashboard.
+ *
+ * Replicates patterns from the pi-extension-manager's render helpers using
+ * the dashboard's own DashboardTheme adapter so colors flow through Pi's
+ * live theme.
+ */
+import { truncateToWidth, visibleWidth } from "@earendil-works/pi-tui";
+import type { DashboardTheme } from "./dashboard-theme.ts";
+
+// ── Layout constants ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const PADDING_X = 2;
+const PADDING_Y = 1;
+
+// ── Frame glyphs ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const FRAME = { tl: "┏", tr: "┓", bl: "┗", br: "┛", h: "━", v: "┃" } as const;
+
+// ── Tab types ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+export interface DashboardTab {
+  id: string;
+  label: string;
+}
+
+// ── Utilities ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/**
+ * Pad `text` to exactly `width` visible columns. Truncates if wider.
+ */
+export function pad(text: string, width: number): string {
+  if (width <= 0) return "";
+  const truncated = truncateToWidth(text, width, "");
+  return `${truncated}${" ".repeat(Math.max(0, width - visibleWidth(truncated)))}`;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Calculate the content width inside a frame (excluding borders and padding).
+ */
+export function frameContentWidth(width: number): number {
+  return Math.max(1, width - 2 - PADDING_X * 2);
+}
+
+// ── Frame ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/**
+ * Wrap content `lines` in a bordered frame box.
+ *
+ * Matches the pi-extension-manager's frame rendering:
+ * - Top/bottom borders with optional title
+ * - PADDING_Y blank rows above/below content
+ * - PADDING_X space columns on each side of content
+ * - Overflow truncation with "↓ N more line(s)" when fixedInnerRows is set
+ */
+export function frame(
+  lines: string[],
+  width: number,
+  theme: DashboardTheme,
+  fixedInnerRows?: number,
+  title = "",
+): string[] {
+  const inner = Math.max(1, width - 2);
+  const contentWidth = frameContentWidth(width);
+  const border = (s: string) => theme.fg("borderAccent", s);
+
+  let body = lines;
+  if (fixedInnerRows !== undefined && body.length > fixedInnerRows) {
+    const hidden = body.length - fixedInnerRows + 1;
+    body = [
+      ...body.slice(0, Math.max(0, fixedInnerRows - 1)),
+      theme.fg("dim", `↓ ${hidden} more line(s)`),
+    ].slice(0, fixedInnerRows);
+  }
+
+  const blank = `${border(FRAME.v)}${" ".repeat(inner)}${border(FRAME.v)}`;
+
+  const top = (): string => {
+    if (!title) {
+      return `${border(FRAME.tl)}${border(FRAME.h.repeat(inner))}${border(FRAME.tr)}`;
+    }
+    const titleText = ` ${truncateToWidth(title, Math.max(1, inner - 2), "…")} `;
+    const fill = Math.max(1, inner - visibleWidth(titleText));
+    return `${border(FRAME.tl)}${theme.fg("accent", titleText)}${border(FRAME.h.repeat(fill))}${border(FRAME.tr)}`;
+  };
+
+  const out = [top()];
+  for (let i = 0; i < PADDING_Y; i += 1) out.push(blank);
+  for (const line of body) {
+    out.push(
+      `${border(FRAME.v)}${" ".repeat(PADDING_X)}${pad(line, contentWidth)}${" ".repeat(PADDING_X)}${border(FRAME.v)}`,
+    );
+  }
+  for (let i = 0; i < PADDING_Y; i += 1) out.push(blank);
+  out.push(
+    `${border(FRAME.bl)}${border(FRAME.h.repeat(inner))}${border(FRAME.br)}`,
+  );
+  return out.map((line) => truncateToWidth(line, width, ""));
+}
+
+// ── Tab bar ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+function activePill(theme: DashboardTheme, label: string): string {
+  return theme.fg("accent", theme.inverse(theme.bold(label)));
+}
+
+function inactivePill(theme: DashboardTheme, label: string): string {
+  return theme.bg("selectedBg", theme.fg("accent", label));
+}
+
+/**
+ * Render a tab bar with pill-styled active/inactive tabs.
+ *
+ * Dynamic visibility: expands tabs around the active tab to fit `width`,
+ * showing ‹/› indicators when tabs overflow.
+ */
+export function renderTabBar(
+  tabs: DashboardTab[],
+  activeId: string,
+  width: number,
+  theme: DashboardTheme,
+): string {
+  const safeWidth = Math.max(1, width);
+  if (tabs.length === 0) return " ".repeat(safeWidth);
+
+  const activeIndex = Math.max(
+    0,
+    tabs.findIndex((tab) => tab.id === activeId),
+  );
+  const widths = tabs.map((tab) => visibleWidth(tab.label) + 2); // " label "
+
+  const sliceWidth = (s: number, e: number): number => {
+    let total = 0;
+    for (let i = s; i < e; i += 1) total += widths[i]!;
+    total += Math.max(0, e - s - 1); // single-space gaps
+    total += s > 0 ? 2 : 0; // "‹ "
+    total += e < tabs.length ? 2 : 0; // " ›"
+    return total;
+  };
+
+  let start = activeIndex;
+  let end = activeIndex + 1;
+  let preferRight = true;
+  while (start > 0 || end < tabs.length) {
+    let progressed = false;
+    const tryRight = (): boolean => {
+      if (end < tabs.length && sliceWidth(start, end + 1) <= safeWidth) {
+        end += 1;
+        return true;
+      }
+      return false;
+    };
+    const tryLeft = (): boolean => {
+      if (start > 0 && sliceWidth(start - 1, end) <= safeWidth) {
+        start -= 1;
+        return true;
+      }
+      return false;
+    };
+    if (preferRight) {
+      if (tryRight()) progressed = true;
+      if (tryLeft()) progressed = true;
+    } else {
+      if (tryLeft()) progressed = true;
+      if (tryRight()) progressed = true;
+    }
+    if (!progressed) break;
+    preferRight = !preferRight;
+  }
+
+  const cells = tabs.slice(start, end).map((tab) => {
+    const label = ` ${tab.label} `;
+    return tab.id === activeId
+      ? activePill(theme, label)
+      : inactivePill(theme, label);
+  });
+  if (start > 0) cells.unshift(theme.fg("dim", "‹"));
+  if (end < tabs.length) cells.push(theme.fg("dim", "›"));
+  return pad(cells.join(" "), safeWidth);
+}
diff --git a/tests/overlay-render.test.ts b/tests/overlay-render.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58a884a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/overlay-render.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { visibleWidth } from "@earendil-works/pi-tui";
+import {
+  pad,
+  frame,
+  renderTabBar,
+  frameContentWidth,
+} from "../src/tui/overlay-render.ts";
+import { noTheme } from "../src/tui/dashboard-theme.ts";
+
+describe("pad", () => {
+  it("pads short text with trailing spaces", () => {
+    expect(pad("hi", 10)).toBe("hi        ");
+  });
+
+  it("returns text unchanged when it fills the width", () => {
+    expect(pad("hello", 5)).toBe("hello");
+  });
+
+  it("truncates text that exceeds the width", () => {
+    const result = pad("hello world", 5);
+    // truncateToWidth appends an ANSI reset sequence, so check visible width
+    expect(visibleWidth(result)).toBe(5);
+  });
+
+  it("handles zero width", () => {
+    expect(pad("hi", 0)).toBe("");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("frameContentWidth", () => {
+  it("subtracts borders and padding from total width", () => {
+    // width - 2 (borders) - PADDING_X * 2 (4) = width - 6
+    expect(frameContentWidth(20)).toBe(14);
+    expect(frameContentWidth(10)).toBe(4);
+  });
+
+  it("returns 1 for very small widths", () => {
+    expect(frameContentWidth(1)).toBe(1);
+    expect(frameContentWidth(0)).toBe(1);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("frame", () => {
+  it("wraps content lines in a bordered box", () => {
+    const lines = frame(["hello", "world"], 20, noTheme);
+    // Top border
+    expect(lines[0]).toContain("┏");
+    expect(lines[0]).toContain("┓");
+    // Bottom border
+    expect(lines[lines.length - 1]).toContain("┗");
+    expect(lines[lines.length - 1]).toContain("┛");
+    // Content lines have vertical borders
+    const contentLine = lines.find((l) => l.includes("hello"));
+    expect(contentLine).toBeDefined();
+    expect(contentLine).toContain("┃");
+  });
+
+  it("includes padding rows above and below content", () => {
+    const lines = frame(["test"], 20, noTheme);
+    // Structure: top border, 1 padding row, content, 1 padding row, bottom border
+    expect(lines.length).toBe(5); // 1 top + 1 pad + 1 content + 1 pad + 1 bottom
+  });
+
+  it("truncates overflow with indicator when fixedInnerRows is set", () => {
+    const content = ["line1", "line2", "line3", "line4", "line5"];
+    const lines = frame(content, 30, noTheme, 3);
+    const joined = lines.join("\n");
+    expect(joined).toContain("line1");
+    expect(joined).toContain("line2");
+    expect(joined).toContain("more line(s)");
+    expect(joined).not.toContain("line5");
+  });
+
+  it("renders a title in the top border when provided", () => {
+    const lines = frame(["content"], 30, noTheme, undefined, "My Title");
+    expect(lines[0]).toContain("My Title");
+    expect(lines[0]).toContain("┏");
+  });
+
+  it("pads content to frameContentWidth", () => {
+    const lines = frame(["hi"], 20, noTheme);
+    // Content line: ┃ + 2 pad + content padded to contentWidth + 2 pad + ┃
+    // All lines should be exactly 20 chars wide (in visible width)
+    for (const line of lines) {
+      expect(line.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(20);
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("renders an empty frame when content is empty", () => {
+    const lines = frame([], 20, noTheme);
+    // Structure: top border, 1 padding row, 1 padding row, bottom border (no content rows)
+    expect(lines.length).toBe(4); // 1 top + 1 pad + 1 pad + 1 bottom
+    expect(lines[0]).toContain("┏");
+    expect(lines[lines.length - 1]).toContain("┗");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("renderTabBar", () => {
+  const tabs = [
+    { id: "stats", label: "Usage Statistics" },
+    { id: "current", label: "Current Usage" },
+    { id: "insights", label: "Insights" },
+  ];
+
+  it("renders all tabs with active tab highlighted", () => {
+    const result = renderTabBar(tabs, "stats", 80, noTheme);
+    expect(result).toContain("Usage Statistics");
+    expect(result).toContain("Current Usage");
+    expect(result).toContain("Insights");
+  });
+
+  it("returns empty padding for no tabs", () => {
+    const result = renderTabBar([], "stats", 20, noTheme);
+    expect(result.trim()).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("shows overflow indicators when tabs exceed width", () => {
+    const result = renderTabBar(tabs, "insights", 20, noTheme);
+    // At 20 chars wide, not all tabs can fit
+    expect(result).toContain("Insights");
+  });
+
+  it("pads result to the requested width", () => {
+    const result = renderTabBar(tabs, "stats", 80, noTheme);
+    // Result should be padded to exactly 80 visible chars
+    expect(visibleWidth(result)).toBe(80);
+  });
+
+  it("defaults to first tab when activeId is not found", () => {
+    const result = renderTabBar(tabs, "nonexistent", 80, noTheme);
+    // First tab becomes active by default (Math.max(0, findIndex(...)))
+    expect(result).toContain("Usage Statistics");
+  });
+});