diff --git a/src/ast/types.rs b/src/ast/types.rs
index 0315ad4..60aeed6 100644
--- a/src/ast/types.rs
+++ b/src/ast/types.rs
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ impl Value {
             Value::Function { .. } => StaticType::Any, // Dynamic function
             Value::Object(o) => StaticType::Object(o.type_name()),
             Value::Cell(c) => c.borrow().static_type(),
-            Value::TailCallRequest(_) => panic!("Internal VM state leaked: TailCallRequest"),
+            Value::TailCallRequest(_) => StaticType::Any, // Internal state, but typable as Any
         }
     }
 }
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for Value {
             Value::Function(_) => write!(f, "<native fn>"),
             Value::Object(o) => write!(f, "<{}>", o.type_name()),
             Value::Cell(c) => write!(f, "{}", c.borrow()),
-            Value::TailCallRequest(_) => panic!("Internal VM state leaked: TailCallRequest"),
+            Value::TailCallRequest(_) => write!(f, "<tail call request>"),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index b4643ce..7cda528 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,24 @@ impl CompilerApp {
                 let mut vm = myc::ast::vm::VM::new(self.env.global_values.clone());
                 let mut observer = myc::ast::vm::TracingObserver::new();
                 let res = vm.run_with_observer(&mut observer, &linked);
-                self.trace_logs = observer.logs;
+                
+                // Batch-truncate logs for GUI performance (once after execution)
+                let mut logs = observer.logs;
+                if logs.len() > 1000 {
+                    logs.truncate(1000);
+                    logs.push("... [Trace truncated to 1,000 entries] ...".to_string());
+                }
+                
+                for line in &mut logs {
+                    if line.len() > 255 {
+                        if let Some((idx, _)) = line.char_indices().nth(255) {
+                            line.truncate(idx);
+                            line.push_str("...");
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                self.trace_logs = logs;
                 self.active_tab = AppTab::Trace;
                 res?
             } else {
@@ -362,20 +379,14 @@ impl eframe::App for CompilerApp {
                                 );
                             },
                             AppTab::Trace => {
-                                let mut combined = self.trace_logs.join("\n");
-                                let mut layouter = |ui: &egui::Ui, buffer: &dyn egui::TextBuffer, _wrap_width: f32| {
-                                    let layout_job = highlight_myc(ui.ctx(), buffer.as_str());
-                                    ui.painter().layout_job(layout_job)
-                                };
-
-                                ui.add_sized(
-                                    ui.available_size(),
-                                    egui::TextEdit::multiline(&mut combined)
-                                        .font(egui::TextStyle::Monospace)
-                                        .desired_width(f32::INFINITY)
-                                        .interactive(false)
-                                        .layouter(&mut layouter)
-                                );
+                                egui::ScrollArea::vertical()
+                                    .id_salt("trace_log_scroll")
+                                    .show(ui, |ui| {
+                                        ui.style_mut().override_text_style = Some(egui::TextStyle::Monospace);
+                                        for line in &self.trace_logs {
+                                            ui.label(line);
+                                        }
+                                    });
                             }
                         }
                     });