diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/logic/slash.ts b/ui-opentui/src/logic/slash.ts
index e82ad9fdc05..b481160d766 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/logic/slash.ts
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/logic/slash.ts
@@ -118,10 +118,10 @@ function isPathLike(word: string): boolean {
 
 /**
  * Decide what to complete for the composer text + cursor offset:
- *   - the text is a slash command — `/` at the very start followed by at least
- *     one command-name char (`/m`, `/model foo`) → `complete.slash {text}`. A
- *     bare `/` (F1) or a `/abs/path` whose first token isn't a valid name (F2) →
- *     no slash menu.
+ *   - the text is a slash command — `/` at the very start → `complete.slash
+ *     {text}`. A bare `/` opens the full command list immediately (glitch
+ *     2026-06-13); `/m`, `/model foo` narrow it. A `/abs/path` whose first token
+ *     isn't a valid name (F2) → no slash menu.
  *   - the WORD under the cursor is an `@`-mention → `complete.path {word}` for
  *     file/dir tagging (F8b).
  *   - otherwise nothing.
@@ -140,7 +140,11 @@ export function planCompletion(text: string, cursor: number = text.length): Comp
     const body = text.slice(1)
     const space = body.search(/\s/)
     const name = space === -1 ? body : body.slice(0, space)
-    if (SLASH_NAME_RE.test(name)) {
+    // Hydrate on a BARE `/` (body === '', glitch 2026-06-13 — open the full
+    // command list on the first slash) or a valid command name. A `/abs/path`
+    // (the lead token contains a `/`) is never a command (F2), and a `/ ` with a
+    // trailing space past an empty name is not arg-completion on nothing.
+    if (body === '' || SLASH_NAME_RE.test(name)) {
       return { from: 0, method: 'complete.slash', params: { text } }
     }
     return null
diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/logic/theme.ts b/ui-opentui/src/logic/theme.ts
index 19ac4d28ee3..4c22730e13d 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/logic/theme.ts
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/logic/theme.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ export interface ThemeBrand {
   name: string
   icon: string
   prompt: string
+  /** The composer glyph while in `!`-shell mode (defaults to `$`); skin-overridable. */
+  shellPrompt?: string
   welcome: string
   goodbye: string
   tool: string
@@ -244,6 +246,7 @@ const BRAND: ThemeBrand = {
   name: 'Hermes Agent',
   icon: '⚕',
   prompt: '❯',
+  shellPrompt: '$',
   welcome: 'Type your message or /help for commands.',
   goodbye: 'Goodbye! ⚕',
   tool: '┊',
diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/test/slash.test.ts b/ui-opentui/src/test/slash.test.ts
index b97fc4d27c8..cc387972667 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/test/slash.test.ts
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/test/slash.test.ts
@@ -88,8 +88,9 @@ describe('planCompletion (items 5 + 13)', () => {
     })
   })
 
-  test('a bare `/` does NOT open the slash menu (F1)', () => {
-    expect(planCompletion('/')).toBeNull()
+  test('a bare `/` opens the slash menu (hydrate immediately — glitch 2026-06-13)', () => {
+    expect(planCompletion('/')).toEqual({ from: 0, method: 'complete.slash', params: { text: '/' } })
+    // a trailing space past the (empty) name is not a command — no arg-complete on nothing.
     expect(planCompletion('/ ')).toBeNull()
   })
 
diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/test/slashMenu.test.tsx b/ui-opentui/src/test/slashMenu.test.tsx
index f33ff6eca67..7321cba22f4 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/test/slashMenu.test.tsx
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/test/slashMenu.test.tsx
@@ -129,16 +129,15 @@ async function mountComposer(historyEntries: string[] = []): Promise<Harness> {
   return { probe, submitted, typed }
 }
 
-describe('slash menu — opens only after a name char (F1)', () => {
-  test('a bare `/` does NOT open the menu (F1 — type a char first)', async () => {
+describe('slash menu — opens on the first slash, hydrating the full command list', () => {
+  test('a bare `/` opens the menu immediately (hydrate on first slash — glitch 2026-06-13)', async () => {
     const h = await mountComposer()
     try {
       await h.probe.keys.typeText('/')
       await h.probe.settle()
       const frame = h.probe.frame()
-      expect(frame).not.toContain('/clear')
-      expect(frame).not.toContain('Esc dismiss')
-      expect(frame).toContain('/') // the slash stays in the composer
+      expect(frame).toContain('/clear')
+      expect(frame).toContain('Esc dismiss')
     } finally {
       h.probe.destroy()
     }
diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/view/composer.tsx b/ui-opentui/src/view/composer.tsx
index 6d0dbc7ed2a..3bf7e226543 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/view/composer.tsx
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/view/composer.tsx
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ export function Composer(props: {
     const s = suggested()
     return s ? [{ display: `/${s.name}`, meta: 'did you mean? (Tab/Enter to accept)', text: s.name }] : []
   }
+  /** `!`-shell mode (F9): the buffer leads with `!`, so submit runs the rest in
+   *  the shell (no model turn). Drives the distinct prompt glyph + alert note so
+   *  the mode is visually unmistakable. */
+  const shellMode = createMemo(() => bufText().startsWith('!'))
 
   // Native highlight plumbing: one SyntaxStyle per mount holding the token
   // style; ranges are recomputed from `analysis()` on every change (clear+add —
@@ -507,11 +511,22 @@ export function Composer(props: {
           not a background tint. PRIMARY BOLD: the idle view's one bright action
           (design pass — gold sits on the newest answer and on the ❯ waiting for
           the next command, nowhere else). */}
+      {/* shell-mode (F9) affordance: a `!`-led buffer runs in the shell, so the
+          input wears an alert-colored note (this slot is otherwise the slash/path
+          dropdown, which never coexists with `!`). */}
+      <Show when={shellMode()}>
+        <box style={{ flexDirection: 'row', flexShrink: 0, paddingLeft: GUTTER }}>
+          <text selectable={false} fg={theme().color.warn}>
+            {'shell mode — Enter runs this in your shell (no model turn) · Esc/⌫ to leave'}
+          </text>
+        </box>
+      </Show>
       <box style={{ flexDirection: 'row', flexShrink: 0 }}>
         <box style={{ flexShrink: 0, width: GUTTER }}>
           <text selectable={false}>
-            <span style={{ fg: theme().color.primary }}>
-              <b>{theme().brand.prompt}</b>
+            {/* the glyph flips to the shell prompt in an alert color while in `!`-mode */}
+            <span style={{ fg: shellMode() ? theme().color.warn : theme().color.primary }}>
+              <b>{shellMode() ? (theme().brand.shellPrompt ?? '$') : theme().brand.prompt}</b>
             </span>
           </text>
         </box>
diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/view/transcript.tsx b/ui-opentui/src/view/transcript.tsx
index bb519183c74..75d571be45a 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/view/transcript.tsx
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/view/transcript.tsx
@@ -478,7 +478,16 @@ export function Transcript(props: { store: SessionStore }) {
 
   return (
     <box style={{ flexGrow: 1, minHeight: 0 }}>
-      <scrollbox ref={setScroll} style={{ flexGrow: 1, minHeight: 0 }} stickyScroll stickyStart="bottom">
+      {/* reserve a 1-cell right gutter so the vertical scrollbar never paints OVER
+          hard-width content (markdown tables / code blocks clipped their right
+          border under the bar — glitch 2026-06-13). */}
+      <scrollbox
+        ref={setScroll}
+        style={{ flexGrow: 1, minHeight: 0 }}
+        contentOptions={{ paddingRight: 1 }}
+        stickyScroll
+        stickyStart="bottom"
+      >
         <ScrollAnchorProvider scroll={scroll}>
           {/* display flags (/compact, /details — Epic 3) for the rows below */}
           <DisplayProvider flags={() => ({ compact: props.store.state.compact, details: props.store.state.details })}>