diff --git a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/app-mouse-watchdog.test.ts b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/app-mouse-watchdog.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ef0469424cf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/app-mouse-watchdog.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,242 @@
+import { EventEmitter } from 'events'
+
+import React, { useContext, useEffect } from 'react'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+import StdinContext from './components/StdinContext.js'
+import Text from './components/Text.js'
+import Ink from './ink.js'
+import instances from './instances.js'
+import { csi } from './termio/csi.js'
+import { DEC, DISABLE_MOUSE_TRACKING, enableMouseTrackingFor } from './termio/dec.js'
+
+// DECRQM request for mode 1000 (what the watchdog writes).
+const DECRQM_1000 = csi(`?${DEC.MOUSE_NORMAL}$p`)
+// DA1 sentinel (what querier.flush() writes).
+const DA1_REQUEST = csi('c')
+// DECRPM replies (what the terminal answers).
+const DECRPM_1000_SET = csi(`?${DEC.MOUSE_NORMAL};1$y`)
+const DECRPM_1000_RESET = csi(`?${DEC.MOUSE_NORMAL};2$y`)
+const DA1_REPLY = csi('?62c')
+
+// Watchdog cadence (mirrors MOUSE_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_MS in App.tsx).
+const TICK_MS = 2000
+
+class FakeStdout extends EventEmitter {
+  chunks: string[] = []
+  columns = 80
+  rows = 24
+  isTTY = true
+
+  write(chunk: string | Uint8Array, cb?: (err?: Error | null) => void): boolean {
+    this.chunks.push(typeof chunk === 'string' ? chunk : Buffer.from(chunk).toString('utf8'))
+    cb?.()
+
+    return true
+  }
+}
+
+// Stdin fake with a real readable-style buffer so tests can feed terminal
+// responses (DECRPM / DA1) the way a live pty would deliver them.
+class FakeStdin extends EventEmitter {
+  isTTY = true
+  isRaw = false
+  private buffer: string[] = []
+
+  get readableLength(): number {
+    return this.buffer.reduce((n, c) => n + c.length, 0)
+  }
+
+  ref(): void {}
+  unref(): void {}
+  setEncoding(): this {
+    return this
+  }
+  setRawMode(mode: boolean): this {
+    this.isRaw = mode
+
+    return this
+  }
+  read(): string | null {
+    return this.buffer.shift() ?? null
+  }
+  feed(data: string): void {
+    this.buffer.push(data)
+    this.emit('readable')
+  }
+}
+
+function RawModeConsumer() {
+  const { setRawMode, isRawModeSupported } = useContext(StdinContext)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isRawModeSupported) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    setRawMode(true)
+
+    return () => setRawMode(false)
+  }, [isRawModeSupported, setRawMode])
+
+  return React.createElement(Text, null, 'x')
+}
+
+type Harness = {
+  ink: Ink
+  stdout: FakeStdout
+  stdin: FakeStdin
+  /** Advance one watchdog tick and let the probe write settle. */
+  tickWatchdog: () => Promise<void>
+  /** Feed a terminal response and let promise resolution settle. */
+  answer: (data: string) => Promise<void>
+}
+
+const flushMicrotasks = async () => {
+  // Real setImmediate turns: lets React flush effects (raw-mode enable),
+  // the deferred init writes fire, and querier promise chains settle.
+  // Two rounds cover promise → setImmediate interleave.
+  await new Promise<void>(resolve => setImmediate(resolve))
+  await new Promise<void>(resolve => setImmediate(resolve))
+}
+
+async function mount(mouseTracking: 'all' | 'off' = 'all'): Promise<Harness> {
+  const stdout = new FakeStdout()
+  const stdin = new FakeStdin()
+  const stderr = new FakeStdout()
+
+  const ink = new Ink({
+    exitOnCtrlC: false,
+    patchConsole: false,
+    stderr: stderr as unknown as NodeJS.WriteStream,
+    stdin: stdin as unknown as NodeJS.ReadStream,
+    stdout: stdout as unknown as NodeJS.WriteStream
+  })
+
+  // Production instances are registered by render.ts; direct construction
+  // skips that. The watchdog (like the raw-mode re-assert) resolves its
+  // Ink through this map, so mirror production here.
+  instances.set(stdout as unknown as NodeJS.WriteStream, ink)
+
+  ink.setAltScreenActive(true, mouseTracking)
+  ink.render(React.createElement(RawModeConsumer))
+  ink.onRender()
+  await flushMicrotasks()
+
+  // The XTVERSION probe from raw-mode entry has its own DA1 sentinel
+  // pending. Answer it so the querier queue is empty before tests start.
+  stdin.feed(DA1_REPLY)
+  await flushMicrotasks()
+
+  stdout.chunks = []
+
+  return {
+    ink,
+    stdout,
+    stdin,
+    tickWatchdog: async () => {
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(TICK_MS)
+    },
+    answer: async (data: string) => {
+      stdin.feed(data)
+      await flushMicrotasks()
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+describe('App mouse-mode watchdog', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    // Fake only the interval + Date clock. setImmediate/setTimeout stay
+    // real so React effect flushing and Ink's internal scheduling work.
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ toFake: ['setInterval', 'clearInterval', 'Date'] })
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+
+  it('probes DECRQM on the interval and re-asserts tracking when the terminal reports RESET', async () => {
+    const h = await mount('all')
+
+    await h.tickWatchdog()
+
+    // Probe went out: DECRQM for mode 1000 + DA1 sentinel.
+    const probed = h.stdout.chunks.join('')
+
+    expect(probed).toContain(DECRQM_1000)
+    expect(probed).toContain(DA1_REQUEST)
+
+    h.stdout.chunks = []
+
+    // Terminal says mode 1000 is RESET (someone cleared our modes), then
+    // answers the sentinel.
+    await h.answer(DECRPM_1000_RESET + DA1_REPLY)
+
+    const out = h.stdout.chunks.join('')
+
+    // reassertTerminalModes: DISABLE first, then the full 'all' preset.
+    expect(out).toContain(DISABLE_MOUSE_TRACKING)
+    expect(out).toContain(enableMouseTrackingFor('all'))
+
+    h.ink.unmount()
+  })
+
+  it('does nothing when the terminal reports the mode still SET', async () => {
+    const h = await mount('all')
+
+    await h.tickWatchdog()
+    h.stdout.chunks = []
+
+    await h.answer(DECRPM_1000_SET + DA1_REPLY)
+
+    expect(h.stdout.chunks.join('')).not.toContain(enableMouseTrackingFor('all'))
+
+    h.ink.unmount()
+  })
+
+  it('disables itself permanently when the terminal ignores DECRQM', async () => {
+    const h = await mount('all')
+
+    await h.tickWatchdog()
+    expect(h.stdout.chunks.join('')).toContain(DECRQM_1000)
+    h.stdout.chunks = []
+
+    // Terminal answers only the DA1 sentinel — DECRQM unsupported.
+    await h.answer(DA1_REPLY)
+
+    // No re-assert...
+    expect(h.stdout.chunks.join('')).not.toContain(enableMouseTrackingFor('all'))
+
+    // ...and no further probes on subsequent ticks.
+    await h.tickWatchdog()
+    await h.tickWatchdog()
+    expect(h.stdout.chunks.join('')).not.toContain(DECRQM_1000)
+
+    h.ink.unmount()
+  })
+
+  it('does not probe when mouse tracking is off', async () => {
+    const h = await mount('off')
+
+    await h.tickWatchdog()
+    await h.tickWatchdog()
+
+    expect(h.stdout.chunks.join('')).not.toContain(DECRQM_1000)
+
+    h.ink.unmount()
+  })
+
+  it('skips the probe when a mouse event arrived within the interval', async () => {
+    const h = await mount('all')
+
+    // Half a tick in, a live SGR mouse event (wheel-up at 10;5) proves
+    // tracking works; the interval fires half a tick later → gap < interval.
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(TICK_MS / 2)
+    await h.answer(csi('<64;10;5M'))
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(TICK_MS / 2)
+
+    expect(h.stdout.chunks.join('')).not.toContain(DECRQM_1000)
+
+    h.ink.unmount()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/components/App.tsx b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/components/App.tsx
index a1ebf83b575f..68af579b6e0e 100644
--- a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/components/App.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/components/App.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { InputEvent } from '../events/input-event.js'
 import { TerminalFocusEvent } from '../events/terminal-focus-event.js'
 import instances from '../instances.js'
 import {
+  DECRPM_STATUS,
   INITIAL_STATE,
   type ParsedInput,
   type ParsedKey,
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ import {
 import reconciler from '../reconciler.js'
 import { clearSelection, finishSelection, hasSelection, type SelectionState, startSelection } from '../selection.js'
 import { getTerminalFocused, setTerminalFocused } from '../terminal-focus-state.js'
-import { TerminalQuerier, xtversion } from '../terminal-querier.js'
+import { decrqm, TerminalQuerier, xtversion } from '../terminal-querier.js'
 import { isXtermJs, setXtversionName, supportsExtendedKeys } from '../terminal.js'
 import {
   DISABLE_KITTY_KEYBOARD,
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ import {
   FOCUS_IN,
   FOCUS_OUT
 } from '../termio/csi.js'
-import { DBP, DFE, DISABLE_MOUSE_TRACKING, EBP, EFE, SHOW_CURSOR } from '../termio/dec.js'
+import { DBP, DEC, DFE, DISABLE_MOUSE_TRACKING, EBP, EFE, SHOW_CURSOR } from '../termio/dec.js'
 
 import AppContext from './AppContext.js'
 import { ClockProvider } from './ClockContext.js'
@@ -50,6 +51,20 @@ const SUPPORTS_SUSPEND = false
 // but no signal reaches us. 5s is well above normal inter-keystroke gaps
 // but short enough that the first scroll after reattach works.
 const STDIN_RESUME_GAP_MS = 5000
+
+// Mouse-mode watchdog cadence. The stdin-gap re-assert above needs a
+// KEYSTROKE to fire — a mouse-only user whose terminal dropped the DEC
+// mouse modes (e.g. the terminal's own "disable mouse reporting" toggle,
+// which some emulators implement by clearing the modes) produces no stdin
+// at all: mouse reporting is exactly what's off. Recovery would need
+// input, input needs recovery — historically only a window resize broke
+// the deadlock. The watchdog closes it out-of-band: every tick it asks
+// the terminal whether mode 1000 is still set (DECRQM — answered on
+// stdin, no user action needed) and re-asserts tracking when the terminal
+// reports it lost. Terminals that gate delivery without clearing the mode
+// report SET, so an *active* user toggle is never fought; terminals that
+// don't answer DECRQM at all disable the watchdog permanently.
+const MOUSE_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_MS = 2000
 type Props = {
   readonly children: ReactNode
   readonly stdin: NodeJS.ReadStream
@@ -184,6 +199,21 @@ export default class App extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
   // Initialized to now so startup doesn't false-trigger.
   lastStdinTime = Date.now()
 
+  // Mouse-mode watchdog (see MOUSE_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_MS). Runs while raw
+  // mode is on; each tick DECRQM-probes mode 1000 unless a mouse event
+  // arrived within the last interval (tracking provably alive → zero
+  // probe chatter during normal mouse use).
+  mouseWatchdogTimer: NodeJS.Timeout | null = null
+  // A probe round-trip is outstanding. Also latches permanently when the
+  // terminal never answers the DA1 sentinel (non-conforming) so a dead
+  // querier can't accumulate pending promises.
+  mouseWatchdogProbeInFlight = false
+  // Terminal ignored DECRQM (or reported the mode permanently reset) —
+  // probing is useless; the watchdog disables itself for the session.
+  mouseWatchdogUnsupported = false
+  // Timestamp of the last parsed mouse event (any kind).
+  lastMouseEventTime = 0
+
   // Determines if TTY is supported on the provided stdin
   isRawModeSupported(): boolean {
     return this.props.stdin.isTTY
@@ -236,6 +266,11 @@ export default class App extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
       this.incompleteEscapeTimer = null
     }
 
+    if (this.mouseWatchdogTimer) {
+      clearInterval(this.mouseWatchdogTimer)
+      this.mouseWatchdogTimer = null
+    }
+
     if (this.pendingHyperlinkTimer) {
       clearTimeout(this.pendingHyperlinkTimer)
       this.pendingHyperlinkTimer = null
@@ -325,6 +360,13 @@ export default class App extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
         setImmediate(() => {
           instances.get(this.props.stdout)?.reassertTerminalModes()
         })
+
+        // Mouse-mode watchdog: recovers tracking when the terminal drops
+        // the DEC mouse modes with no stdin and no resize to tell us (see
+        // MOUSE_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_MS). Interval, not per-event: the whole
+        // point is firing when NO events arrive.
+        this.mouseWatchdogTimer = setInterval(this.probeMouseTracking, MOUSE_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_MS)
+        this.mouseWatchdogTimer.unref?.()
       }
 
       this.rawModeEnabledCount++
@@ -334,6 +376,11 @@ export default class App extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
 
     // Disable raw mode only when no components left that are using it
     if (--this.rawModeEnabledCount === 0) {
+      if (this.mouseWatchdogTimer) {
+        clearInterval(this.mouseWatchdogTimer)
+        this.mouseWatchdogTimer = null
+      }
+
       this.props.stdout.write(DISABLE_MODIFY_OTHER_KEYS)
       this.props.stdout.write(DISABLE_KITTY_KEYBOARD)
       // Disable terminal focus reporting (DECSET 1004)
@@ -355,6 +402,60 @@ export default class App extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
     }
   }
 
+  // Mouse-mode watchdog tick. Asks the terminal whether DEC mode 1000 is
+  // still set (DECRQM); if the terminal reports RESET while we expect
+  // tracking on, someone cleared our modes out from under us (terminal
+  // "disable mouse reporting" toggle, an external app, tmux) — re-assert.
+  // See MOUSE_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_MS for the full rationale. Timeout-free:
+  // the querier's DA1 sentinel resolves the probe with `undefined` when
+  // the terminal ignores DECRQM, which permanently disables the watchdog.
+  probeMouseTracking = (): void => {
+    if (this.mouseWatchdogUnsupported || this.mouseWatchdogProbeInFlight) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    const ink = instances.get(this.props.stdout)
+
+    // Only probe when tracking is supposed to be armed (alt screen active,
+    // not paused, preset ≠ 'off'). Covers /mouse off, editor handoffs, and
+    // inline mode without extra wiring.
+    if (!ink?.expectsMouseTracking || !this.props.stdout.isTTY) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    // A recent mouse event proves tracking is alive — skip the probe so
+    // normal mouse use generates zero query chatter.
+    if (Date.now() - this.lastMouseEventTime < MOUSE_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_MS) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    this.mouseWatchdogProbeInFlight = true
+
+    void Promise.all([this.querier.send(decrqm(DEC.MOUSE_NORMAL)), this.querier.flush()])
+      .then(([r]) => {
+        this.mouseWatchdogProbeInFlight = false
+
+        if (!r || r.status === DECRPM_STATUS.NOT_RECOGNIZED || r.status === DECRPM_STATUS.PERMANENTLY_RESET) {
+          // Terminal ignored DECRQM or can't set the mode at all — probing
+          // is useless for the rest of the session.
+          this.mouseWatchdogUnsupported = true
+          logForDebugging('mouse watchdog: DECRQM unsupported, disabling')
+
+          return
+        }
+
+        // Re-check expectation: state may have legitimately changed (e.g.
+        // /mouse off, pause) while the probe was in flight.
+        if (r.status === DECRPM_STATUS.RESET && instances.get(this.props.stdout)?.expectsMouseTracking) {
+          logForDebugging('mouse watchdog: terminal lost mouse tracking, re-asserting')
+          instances.get(this.props.stdout)?.reassertTerminalModes()
+        }
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        this.mouseWatchdogProbeInFlight = false
+      })
+  }
+
   // Helper to flush incomplete escape sequences
   flushIncomplete = (): void => {
     // Clear the timer reference
@@ -568,11 +669,21 @@ function processKeysInBatch(app: App, items: ParsedInput[], _unused1: undefined,
     // Terminal sends 1-indexed col/row; convert to 0-indexed for the
     // screen buffer. Button bit 0x20 = drag (motion while button held).
     if (item.kind === 'mouse') {
+      // Proof-of-life for the mouse-mode watchdog: any parsed mouse event
+      // means tracking is armed, so the next probe tick can skip.
+      app.lastMouseEventTime = Date.now()
       handleMouseEvent(app, item)
 
       continue
     }
 
+    // Wheel events stay ParsedKey (routed through the keybinding system),
+    // but they're mouse-tracking traffic all the same — stamp proof-of-life
+    // so a wheel-only user doesn't trigger redundant watchdog probes.
+    if (item.kind === 'key' && (item.name === 'wheelup' || item.name === 'wheeldown')) {
+      app.lastMouseEventTime = Date.now()
+    }
+
     const sequence = item.sequence
 
     // Handle terminal focus events (DECSET 1004)
diff --git a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/ink.tsx b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/ink.tsx
index 4c175721466d..609bcad54b74 100644
--- a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/ink.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/ink.tsx
@@ -1342,6 +1342,18 @@ export default class Ink {
     return this.altScreenActive
   }
 
+  /**
+   * True while the terminal is expected to have DEC mouse tracking armed:
+   * alt screen active, not paused for an editor handoff, and the current
+   * preset isn't 'off'. Gates App's mouse-mode watchdog (DECRQM probe) so
+   * it never probes when tracking is intentionally disabled (/mouse off),
+   * during pause (probe bytes would leak into the external editor's
+   * session), or after unmount.
+   */
+  get expectsMouseTracking(): boolean {
+    return this.altScreenActive && !this.isPaused && !this.isUnmounted && this.altScreenMouseTracking !== 'off'
+  }
+
   /**
    * Re-assert terminal modes after a gap (>5s stdin silence or event-loop
    * stall). Catches tmux detach→attach, ssh reconnect, and laptop