diff --git a/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Surface View/SurfaceTitleBar.swift b/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Surface View/SurfaceTitleBar.swift
index 01f6b1afa..8e0814ec4 100644
--- a/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Surface View/SurfaceTitleBar.swift	
+++ b/macos/Sources/Ghostty/Surface View/SurfaceTitleBar.swift	
@@ -7,13 +7,17 @@ struct SurfaceTitleBar: View {
 
     @State private var isEditing = false
     @State private var editText = ""
+    @State private var isCancelling = false
     @FocusState private var fieldFocused: Bool
 
     private var displayTitle: String {
         if surfaceView.isUserSetTitle {
             return surfaceView.title
         }
-        return URL(fileURLWithPath: surfaceView.pwd ?? "/").lastPathComponent
+        if let pwd = surfaceView.pwd, !pwd.isEmpty, pwd != "/" {
+            return URL(fileURLWithPath: pwd).lastPathComponent
+        }
+        return surfaceView.title.isEmpty ? "terminal" : surfaceView.title
     }
 
     var body: some View {
@@ -26,28 +30,41 @@ struct SurfaceTitleBar: View {
                     .textFieldStyle(.plain)
                     .multilineTextAlignment(.center)
                     .focused($fieldFocused)
-                    .onSubmit { commit() }
-                    .onExitCommand { cancel() }
+                    .onSubmit { fieldFocused = false }
+                    .onExitCommand { isCancelling = true; fieldFocused = false }
                     .onChange(of: fieldFocused) { focused in
-                        if !focused { commit() }
+                        guard !focused else { return }
+                        if isCancelling {
+                            isCancelling = false
+                            cancel()
+                        } else {
+                            commit()
+                        }
                     }
+                    .onAppear { fieldFocused = true }
                     .padding(.horizontal, 8)
+                    .font(.system(size: 11))
             } else {
                 Text(displayTitle)
                     .lineLimit(1)
                     .truncationMode(.middle)
                     .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                    .font(.system(size: 11))
                     .onTapGesture(count: 2) { startEditing() }
+                    .accessibilityLabel("Pane title: \(displayTitle)")
             }
         }
         .frame(height: 22)
         .frame(maxWidth: .infinity)
+        .accessibilityElement(children: .contain)
+        .accessibilityLabel(isEditing ? "Title editor" : "Pane title: \(displayTitle)")
     }
 
     private func startEditing() {
         editText = surfaceView.isUserSetTitle ? surfaceView.title : ""
+        isCancelling = false
         isEditing = true
-        fieldFocused = true
+        // Focus is set via .onAppear on the TextField
     }
 
     private func commit() {