diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 4cc47f7..8739649 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ edition = "2024"
 description = "Read-only PostgreSQL and SQLite inspection in your terminal"
 
 [dependencies]
-ratatui = { version = "0.30.2", default-features = false, features = ["crossterm"] }
+ratatui = { version = "0.30.2", default-features = false, features = ["crossterm", "unstable-rendered-line-info"] }
 crossterm = "0.29"
 postgres = "0.19"
 postgres-native-tls = "0.5"
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index fd03203..e69de29 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-- [ ] make sure that sensitive information (e.g. passwords) for configured databases are encrypted in such a way that credentials can't be snatched by malicious programs
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 83a06e0..351ddd1 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -159,10 +159,10 @@ impl App {
             );
             return;
         }
-        let [header, body, error_area] = Layout::vertical([
+        let [header, error_area, body] = Layout::vertical([
             Constraint::Length(1),
+            Constraint::Length(u16::from(self.error.is_some())),
             Constraint::Min(4),
-            Constraint::Length(1),
         ])
         .areas(area);
         frame.render_widget(
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ impl App {
         } else if self.page.rows.is_empty() {
             frame.render_widget(
                 Paragraph::new(if self.error.is_some() {
-                    "Could not load rows. See error below."
+                    "Could not load rows. See error above."
                 } else {
                     "No rows."
                 })
@@ -361,11 +361,12 @@ mod tests {
         )?;
         let mut app = super::App::new(crate::db::Database::open_sqlite(file.path())?)?;
         let mut terminal = ratatui::Terminal::new(ratatui::backend::TestBackend::new(100, 20))?;
-        for schema in [false, true] {
+        for (schema, error) in [(false, None), (true, None), (false, Some("Read failed"))] {
             app.show_schema = schema;
+            app.error = error.map(str::to_owned);
             terminal.draw(|frame| app.draw(frame, frame.area(), true))?;
             let buffer = terminal.backend().buffer();
-            let border: String = (0..100).map(|x| buffer[(x, 18)].symbol()).collect();
+            let border: String = (0..100).map(|x| buffer[(x, 19)].symbol()).collect();
             assert!(border.starts_with("└ main.comments [table]"), "{border}");
             assert!(border.ends_with('┘'), "{border}");
             assert!(border.contains(if schema {
@@ -373,6 +374,10 @@ mod tests {
             } else {
                 "rows 1–1"
             }));
+            if let Some(error) = error {
+                let message: String = (0..100).map(|x| buffer[(x, 1)].symbol()).collect();
+                assert!(message.starts_with(error), "{message}");
+            }
         }
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/src/connection.rs b/src/connection.rs
index 9eef685..3f2a321 100644
--- a/src/connection.rs
+++ b/src/connection.rs
@@ -34,8 +34,12 @@ pub fn run(terminal: &mut DefaultTerminal, initial: Option<Database>) -> Result<
             expanded,
         );
         terminal.draw(|frame| {
+            let navigation = Paragraph::new(
+                " Tab focus · Esc explorer · ↑↓/jk move · Enter open · s schema/rows · ←→/hl columns · n/p page · r refresh · c add database · q quit"
+            ).wrap(Wrap { trim: true }).style(Style::default().fg(Color::DarkGray));
+            let help_height = navigation.line_count(frame.area().width) as u16;
             let [main, help] =
-                Layout::vertical([Constraint::Min(1), Constraint::Length(2)]).areas(frame.area());
+                Layout::vertical([Constraint::Min(1), Constraint::Length(help_height)]).areas(frame.area());
             let [sidebar, content] = Layout::horizontal([Constraint::Length(32), Constraint::Min(1)])
                 .areas(main);
             let items = entries.iter().map(|entry| {
@@ -64,9 +68,7 @@ pub fn run(terminal: &mut DefaultTerminal, initial: Option<Database>) -> Result<
             if let Some(error) = &error {
                 frame.render_widget(Paragraph::new(error.as_str()).style(Style::default().fg(Color::Red)), Rect::new(content.x, content.bottom().saturating_sub(1), content.width, 1));
             }
-            frame.render_widget(Paragraph::new(
-                " Tab focus · Esc explorer · ↑↓/jk move · Enter open · s schema/rows\n ←→/hl columns · n/p page · r refresh · c add database · q quit"
-            ).style(Style::default().fg(Color::DarkGray)), help);
+            frame.render_widget(navigation, help);
             if show_form {
                 form.draw(frame);
             }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 8c3f1a9..9f39ed6 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -39,8 +39,9 @@ Navigation:
   r             Refresh relations and the active relation
   Connected databases show their tables and views beneath them in the explorer.
   Enter on the connected database collapses/expands it without reconnecting.
-  Navigation help spans the bottom of the terminal beneath both panes.
-  Relation, page, and column status appears in the rows/schema bottom border.
+  Navigation help spans the bottom as one line, wrapping only when needed.
+  Explorer and rows/schema bottom borders align; relation/page/column status
+  appears in the rows/schema border. Read errors appear above that pane.
   q / Ctrl-C    Quit
   New database window: Up/Down chooses a provider; Enter starts editing.
   Tab/Shift-Tab changes fields; Left/Right changes TLS when that field is focused.