diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 87cf7f0a..df229b62 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -490,11 +490,13 @@ Full shortcut catalog: [docs/KEYBINDINGS.md](docs/KEYBINDINGS.md).
 
 User config: `~/.codewhale/config.toml` (legacy `~/.deepseek/config.toml` fallback). Project overlay: `<workspace>/.codewhale/config.toml` (legacy `<workspace>/.deepseek/config.toml`) (denied: `api_key`, `base_url`, `provider`, `mcp_config_path`). [config.example.toml](config.example.toml) has every option.
 
-The TUI footer can be trimmed or reordered with `/statusline`, or by setting
+The TUI footer can be trimmed with `/statusline`, or by setting
 `[tui].status_items` in config. Current footer customization selects from the
 built-in chips such as `mode`, `model`, `status`, `git_branch`, `tokens`, and
-`cache`; multi-line layouts, custom colors, and external command widgets are
-not part of the current statusline surface.
+`cache`; chip order is controlled by the order of keys in `status_items` in
+`config.toml`. The interactive picker writes the canonical order. Multi-line
+layouts, custom colors, and external command widgets are not part of the
+current statusline surface.
 
 Custom DeepSeek-compatible endpoints usually do not need a new provider. Keep
 `provider = "deepseek"` and set `[providers.deepseek].base_url` / `model`, or
diff --git a/config.example.toml b/config.example.toml
index 70e54dd1..fecf15e3 100644
--- a/config.example.toml
+++ b/config.example.toml
@@ -432,9 +432,10 @@ osc8_links = true            # emit OSC 8 escapes around URLs (Cmd+click in iTer
 # Ordered footer chips shown in the TUI status line. Omit the key to use the
 # built-in default; set [] to hide all configurable chips. You can also edit
 # this interactively with `/statusline`.
-# Supported keys: mode, model, cost, balance, status, coherence, agents,
+# Supported keys: mode, model, cost, balance (DeepSeek / DeepSeekCN only),
+# status, coherence, agents,
 # reasoning_replay, prefix_stability, cache, context_percent, git_branch,
-# last_tool_elapsed, rate_limit, tokens.
+# last_tool_elapsed (placeholder), rate_limit (placeholder), tokens.
 # status_items = ["mode", "model", "status", "git_branch", "tokens", "cache"]
 # notification_condition = "always" # always | never — overrides [notifications].threshold_secs.
 #                                    "always" = notify on every successful turn (no threshold);
diff --git a/docs/GUIDE.md b/docs/GUIDE.md
index 7deb35a6..c02ece24 100644
--- a/docs/GUIDE.md
+++ b/docs/GUIDE.md
@@ -181,12 +181,13 @@ The interactive TUI has a few stable regions:
   hints.
 
 The footer status line is configurable. Run `/statusline` to choose which
-footer chips are visible, or set `[tui].status_items` in `config.toml` for a
-stable order. Supported keys currently include `mode`, `model`, `cost`,
-`balance`, `status`, `coherence`, `agents`, `reasoning_replay`,
-`prefix_stability`, `cache`, `context_percent`, `git_branch`,
-`last_tool_elapsed`, `rate_limit`, and `tokens`. Omit `status_items` to keep
-the built-in default order; set it to `[]` to hide configurable chips.
+footer chips are visible, or set `[tui].status_items` in `config.toml` to
+control both selection and order. Supported keys currently include `mode`,
+`model`, `cost`, `balance` (DeepSeek / DeepSeekCN only), `status`, `coherence`,
+`agents`, `reasoning_replay`, `prefix_stability`, `cache`, `context_percent`,
+`git_branch`, `last_tool_elapsed` (placeholder), `rate_limit` (placeholder),
+and `tokens`. Omit `status_items` to keep the built-in default order; set it to
+`[]` to hide configurable chips.
 
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 or edits code, the action appears there. If a command fails, use the visible