diff --git a/.changeset/smooth-turtles-fix.md b/.changeset/smooth-turtles-fix.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5a3491d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/smooth-turtles-fix.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@clack/prompts': patch
+---
+
+Fix terminal cursor line-tracking offsets in MultiSelectPrompt to prevent option text from visually overwriting itself on smaller displays.
diff --git a/packages/prompts/src/multi-select.ts b/packages/prompts/src/multi-select.ts
index e5db7069..0a94c5d2 100644
--- a/packages/prompts/src/multi-select.ts
+++ b/packages/prompts/src/multi-select.ts
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ export const multiselect = <Value>(opts: MultiSelectOptions<Value>) => {
 						)
 						.join('\n');
 					// Calculate rowPadding: title lines + footer lines (error message + trailing newline)
-					const titleLineCount = title.split('\n').length;
+					const titleLineCount = title.split('\n').length - 1;
 					const footerLineCount = footer.split('\n').length + 1; // footer + trailing newline
 					return `${title}${prefix}${limitOptions({
 						output: opts.output,
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ export const multiselect = <Value>(opts: MultiSelectOptions<Value>) => {
 				}
 				default: {
 					const prefix = hasGuide ? `${styleText('cyan', S_BAR)}  ` : '';
-					const titleLineCount = title.split('\n').length;
+					const titleLineCount = title.split('\n').length - 1;
 					const footerLines = showInstructions
 						? formatInstructionFooter(MULTISELECT_INSTRUCTIONS, hasGuide)
 						: hasGuide