diff --git a/src/ui/observability/format.test.ts b/src/ui/observability/format.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a361e756
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ui/observability/format.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+
+import {
+  formatReportedCost,
+  formatStarted,
+  formatStepCount,
+} from "./format.js";
+
+describe("formatReportedCost", () => {
+  test("is a dash when no span reports a cost", () => {
+    expect(formatReportedCost([{}, { usage: {} }])).toBe("—");
+  });
+
+  test("shows zero when a span reports zero", () => {
+    expect(formatReportedCost([{ usage: { costUsd: 0 } }])).toBe("$0");
+  });
+
+  test("sums the costs that were reported", () => {
+    expect(
+      formatReportedCost([
+        { usage: { costUsd: 1.5 } },
+        { usage: {} },
+        { usage: { costUsd: 2.25 } },
+      ]),
+    ).toBe("$3.75");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("formatStepCount", () => {
+  test("uses the run total when the page is shorter", () => {
+    expect(formatStepCount({ stepCount: 12, spans: [{}, {}] })).toBe("12");
+  });
+
+  test("counts the loaded spans when no total was passed", () => {
+    expect(formatStepCount({ spans: [{}, {}, {}] })).toBe("3");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("formatStarted", () => {
+  test("returns an unparseable value unchanged", () => {
+    expect(formatStarted("not-a-time")).toBe("not-a-time");
+  });
+
+  test("formats a timestamp as a local date and time", () => {
+    const shown = formatStarted("2026-10-24T15:04:00.000Z");
+    expect(shown.includes("T")).toBe(false);
+    expect(shown.includes("2026-10-24")).toBe(false);
+    expect(/\bat\b/i.test(shown)).toBe(false);
+    expect(shown.includes(" · ")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test("leaves a clock time unchanged", () => {
+    expect(formatStarted("09:14:02")).toBe("09:14:02");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/ui/observability/format.ts b/src/ui/observability/format.ts
index 62d6a29f..5692622c 100644
--- a/src/ui/observability/format.ts
+++ b/src/ui/observability/format.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,44 @@ export function formatCost(usd: number): string {
   return `$${usd.toFixed(2)}`;
 }
 
+export function formatReportedCost(
+  spans: readonly { usage?: { costUsd?: number } }[],
+): string {
+  let total = 0;
+  let known = false;
+  for (const span of spans) {
+    const cost = span.usage?.costUsd;
+    if (cost === undefined) continue;
+    known = true;
+    total += cost;
+  }
+  if (!known) return "—";
+  return formatCost(total);
+}
+
+export function formatStepCount(trace: {
+  stepCount?: number;
+  spans: readonly unknown[];
+}): string {
+  if (trace.stepCount !== undefined) return String(trace.stepCount);
+  return String(trace.spans.length);
+}
+
+export function formatStarted(value: string): string {
+  const parsed = Date.parse(value);
+  if (Number.isNaN(parsed)) return value;
+  const date = new Date(parsed);
+  const day = new Intl.DateTimeFormat(undefined, {
+    month: "short",
+    day: "numeric",
+  }).format(date);
+  const time = new Intl.DateTimeFormat(undefined, {
+    hour: "numeric",
+    minute: "2-digit",
+  }).format(date);
+  return `${day} · ${time}`;
+}
+
 export function spanTokens(span: {
   usage?: { inputTokens?: number; outputTokens?: number };
 }): number {
diff --git a/src/ui/observability/model.ts b/src/ui/observability/model.ts
index ff7202aa..00e76114 100644
--- a/src/ui/observability/model.ts
+++ b/src/ui/observability/model.ts
@@ -230,6 +230,8 @@ export type Trace = {
   readonly startedAt: string;
   readonly durationMs: number;
   readonly spans: readonly Span[];
+  /** Steps in the whole run. Omit to count `spans`. */
+  readonly stepCount?: number;
   readonly placement?: Placement;
   readonly principal?: PrincipalRef;
   readonly tenant?: TenantRef;
diff --git a/src/ui/observability/trace-header.tsx b/src/ui/observability/trace-header.tsx
index f448d0a9..3276cffb 100644
--- a/src/ui/observability/trace-header.tsx
+++ b/src/ui/observability/trace-header.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import { Badge } from "../badge.js";
 import {
-  formatCost,
   formatDuration,
+  formatReportedCost,
+  formatStarted,
+  formatStepCount,
   formatTokens,
   spanTokens,
 } from "./format.js";
@@ -26,10 +28,6 @@ export const STATUS_TONE = {
 
 export function TraceHeader({ trace }: { readonly trace: Trace }) {
   const tokens = trace.spans.reduce((sum, span) => sum + spanTokens(span), 0);
-  const cost = trace.spans.reduce(
-    (sum, span) => sum + (span.usage?.costUsd ?? 0),
-    0,
-  );
   return (
     <header className="flex flex-col gap-3 border-b border-border px-4 py-3">
       <div className="flex flex-wrap items-end justify-between gap-4">
@@ -46,14 +44,14 @@ export function TraceHeader({ trace }: { readonly trace: Trace }) {
             </Badge>
           </div>
           <p className="font-mono text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-            {trace.actor} · {trace.startedAt}
+            {trace.actor} · {formatStarted(trace.startedAt)}
           </p>
         </div>
         <dl className="flex gap-6 text-right">
           <Metric label="Duration" value={formatDuration(trace.durationMs)} />
           <Metric label="Tokens" value={formatTokens(tokens)} />
-          <Metric label="Cost" value={formatCost(cost)} />
-          <Metric label="Steps" value={String(trace.spans.length)} />
+          <Metric label="Cost" value={formatReportedCost(trace.spans)} />
+          <Metric label="Steps" value={formatStepCount(trace)} />
         </dl>
       </div>
     </header>
diff --git a/stories/observability/views/run.stories.tsx b/stories/observability/views/run.stories.tsx
index f6fee056..530aa72d 100644
--- a/stories/observability/views/run.stories.tsx
+++ b/stories/observability/views/run.stories.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,20 @@ export const NameOnly = () => (
 );
 NameOnly.storyName = "Name only";
 
+export const ParseableStart = () => {
+  const run = {
+    ...review,
+    startedAt: "2026-10-24T15:04:00.000Z",
+    spans: [span("turn", review), span("sub", review)],
+  };
+  return (
+    <div className="border border-border">
+      <TraceHeader trace={run} />
+    </div>
+  );
+};
+ParseableStart.storyName = "Parseable start";
+
 export const WithSteps = () => (
   <div className="h-[640px] border border-border">
     <Run trace={review}>