diff --git a/ui/terminal/smart_status.go b/ui/terminal/smart_status.go
index 8659d4d..57f71ab 100644
--- a/ui/terminal/smart_status.go
+++ b/ui/terminal/smart_status.go
@@ -59,21 +59,24 @@
 // current build status similarly to Ninja's built-in terminal
 // output.
 func NewSmartStatusOutput(w io.Writer, formatter formatter) status.StatusOutput {
-	tableHeight, _ := strconv.Atoi(os.Getenv(tableHeightEnVar))
-
 	s := &smartStatusOutput{
 		writer:    w,
 		formatter: formatter,
 
 		haveBlankLine: true,
 
-		tableMode:            tableHeight > 0,
-		requestedTableHeight: tableHeight,
+		tableMode: true,
 
 		done:     make(chan bool),
 		sigwinch: make(chan os.Signal),
 	}
 
+	if env, ok := os.LookupEnv(tableHeightEnVar); ok {
+		h, _ := strconv.Atoi(env)
+		s.tableMode = h > 0
+		s.requestedTableHeight = h
+	}
+
 	s.updateTermSize()
 
 	if s.tableMode {
@@ -297,6 +300,14 @@
 
 		if s.tableMode {
 			tableHeight := s.requestedTableHeight
+			if tableHeight == 0 {
+				tableHeight = s.termHeight / 4
+				if tableHeight < 1 {
+					tableHeight = 1
+				} else if tableHeight > 10 {
+					tableHeight = 10
+				}
+			}
 			if tableHeight > s.termHeight-1 {
 				tableHeight = s.termHeight - 1
 			}