diff --git a/src/vs/sessions/contrib/changes/browser/ciStatusWidget.ts b/src/vs/sessions/contrib/changes/browser/ciStatusWidget.ts
index 4d21fa58b24..be63202797b 100644
--- a/src/vs/sessions/contrib/changes/browser/ciStatusWidget.ts
+++ b/src/vs/sessions/contrib/changes/browser/ciStatusWidget.ts
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ class CICheckListRenderer implements IListRenderer<ICICheckListItem, ICICheckTem
  */
 export class CIStatusWidget extends Disposable {
 
-	static readonly HEADER_HEIGHT = 30;
+	static readonly HEADER_HEIGHT = 38;
 	static readonly MIN_BODY_HEIGHT = 84; // at least 3 checks (3 * 28)
 	static readonly PREFERRED_BODY_HEIGHT = 112; // preferred 4 checks (4 * 28)
 	static readonly MAX_BODY_HEIGHT = 240; // at most ~8 checks
@@ -229,6 +229,10 @@ export class CIStatusWidget extends Disposable {
 		this._chevronNode = dom.append(this._headerNode, $('.group-chevron'));
 		this._chevronNode.classList.add(...ThemeIcon.asClassNameArray(Codicon.chevronDown));
 
+		this._headerNode.setAttribute('role', 'button');
+		this._headerNode.setAttribute('aria-expanded', 'true');
+		this._headerNode.tabIndex = 0;
+
 		this._register(dom.addDisposableListener(this._headerNode, dom.EventType.CLICK, e => {
 			// Don't toggle when clicking the action bar
 			if (dom.isAncestor(e.target as HTMLElement, this._headerActionBarContainer)) {
@@ -236,6 +240,12 @@ export class CIStatusWidget extends Disposable {
 			}
 			this._toggleCollapsed();
 		}));
+		this._register(dom.addDisposableListener(this._headerNode, dom.EventType.KEY_DOWN, e => {
+			if (e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') {
+				e.preventDefault();
+				this._toggleCollapsed();
+			}
+		}));
 
 		// Body (list of checks)
 		this._bodyNode = dom.append(this._domNode, $('.ci-status-widget-body'));
@@ -273,6 +283,7 @@ export class CIStatusWidget extends Disposable {
 			this._model = model;
 			if (!model) {
 				this._checkCount = 0;
+				this._setCollapsed(false);
 				this._renderBody([]);
 				this._renderHeaderActions([]);
 				this._domNode.style.display = 'none';
@@ -376,12 +387,18 @@ export class CIStatusWidget extends Disposable {
 	}
 
 	private _toggleCollapsed(): void {
-		this._collapsed = !this._collapsed;
-		this._updateChevron();
+		this._setCollapsed(!this._collapsed);
 		this._onDidToggleCollapsed.fire(this._collapsed);
+		// Also fires onDidChangeHeight so the SplitView pane updates its min/max constraints
 		this._onDidChangeHeight.fire();
 	}
 
+	private _setCollapsed(collapsed: boolean): void {
+		this._collapsed = collapsed;
+		this._updateChevron();
+		this._headerNode.setAttribute('aria-expanded', String(!collapsed));
+	}
+
 	private _updateChevron(): void {
 		this._chevronNode.className = 'group-chevron';
 		this._chevronNode.classList.add(
diff --git a/src/vs/sessions/contrib/changes/browser/media/ciStatusWidget.css b/src/vs/sessions/contrib/changes/browser/media/ciStatusWidget.css
index 6a635725289..82a901b5556 100644
--- a/src/vs/sessions/contrib/changes/browser/media/ciStatusWidget.css
+++ b/src/vs/sessions/contrib/changes/browser/media/ciStatusWidget.css
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@
 	display: flex;
 	align-items: center;
 	gap: 6px;
-	padding: 8px 0;
+	padding: 6px 2px;
+	margin-top: 2px;
+	border-radius: 8px;
 	min-height: 22px;
 	font-weight: 500;
 	cursor: pointer;
@@ -70,7 +72,7 @@
 
 .ci-status-widget.has-fix-actions:hover .ci-status-widget-counts,
 .ci-status-widget.has-fix-actions:focus-within .ci-status-widget-counts {
-	display: none;
+	visibility: hidden;
 }
 
 .ci-status-widget-count-badge {