diff --git a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/CodeBurnApp.swift b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/CodeBurnApp.swift
index c70c67c..501dcd6 100644
--- a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/CodeBurnApp.swift
+++ b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/CodeBurnApp.swift
@@ -30,11 +30,21 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSPopoverDelegate {
     private let store = AppStore()
     let updateChecker = UpdateChecker()
     private var refreshTask: Task<Void, Never>?
+    /// Held for the lifetime of the app to opt out of App Nap and Automatic Termination.
+    /// Without this the 15s refresh Task gets suspended whenever the user is interacting with
+    /// another app, and the status bar label freezes until they click the menubar icon (which
+    /// calls NSApp.activate and wakes the app back up).
+    private var backgroundActivity: NSObjectProtocol?
 
     func applicationDidFinishLaunching(_ notification: Notification) {
         // Menubar accessory -- no Dock icon, no app switcher entry.
         NSApp.setActivationPolicy(.accessory)
 
+        backgroundActivity = ProcessInfo.processInfo.beginActivity(
+            options: [.userInitiated, .automaticTerminationDisabled, .suddenTerminationDisabled],
+            reason: "CodeBurn menubar polls AI coding cost every 15 seconds while idle in the background."
+        )
+
         restorePersistedCurrency()
         setupStatusItem()
         setupPopover()