diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
index 890ba02840c..379b6732a88 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ import { $statusItemsBySession } from '@/store/composer-status'
 import { notify } from '@/store/notifications'
 import { $previewStatusBySession } from '@/store/preview-status'
 import { listRepoBranches, requestStartWorkSession, startWorkInRepo, switchBranchInRepo } from '@/store/projects'
+import { $activeSessionAwaitingInput } from '@/store/prompts'
 import { toggleReview } from '@/store/review'
 import { $gatewayState, $messages, setSessionPickerOpen } from '@/store/session'
 import { $threadScrolledUp } from '@/store/thread-scroll'
@@ -229,6 +230,11 @@ export function ChatBar({
   const statusItemsBySession = useStore($statusItemsBySession)
   const previewStatusBySession = useStore($previewStatusBySession)
   const scrolledUp = useStore($threadScrolledUp)
+  // The turn is parked on the user (clarify / approval / sudo / secret). Esc must
+  // not interrupt it — there's nothing actively running to stop, and stopping
+  // would discard a question the user may want to come back to. The blocking
+  // prompt owns its own dismissal (Skip, Reject, dialog close).
+  const awaitingInput = useStore($activeSessionAwaitingInput)
   // Pop-out is a shared, persisted state — but secondary windows (the Ctrl+Shift+N
   // tiny window, subagent watch windows) always start docked and can't pop out:
   // a floating composer makes no sense in a single-session side window, and it
@@ -1214,8 +1220,10 @@ export function ChatBar({
         return
       }
 
-      // Otherwise Esc interrupts the running turn (Stop-button parity).
-      if (busy) {
+      // Otherwise Esc interrupts the running turn (Stop-button parity) — unless
+      // the turn is parked waiting on the user, where Esc must not discard the
+      // pending prompt.
+      if (busy && !awaitingInput) {
         event.preventDefault()
         triggerHaptic('cancel')
         void Promise.resolve(onCancel())
@@ -1779,7 +1787,10 @@ export function ChatBar({
   const escCancelRef = useRef<(event: globalThis.KeyboardEvent) => void>(() => {})
 
   escCancelRef.current = (event: globalThis.KeyboardEvent) => {
-    if (event.key !== 'Escape' || event.defaultPrevented || !busy) {
+    // `awaitingInput`: the turn is parked on a clarify / approval / sudo / secret
+    // prompt, which owns Esc (or is meant to persist) — never cancel the stream
+    // out from under it.
+    if (event.key !== 'Escape' || event.defaultPrevented || !busy || awaitingInput) {
       return
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream.ts
index e4d9d03430b..09ba7591716 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-message-stream.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import {
 import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
 import { isProviderSetupErrorMessage } from '@/lib/provider-setup-errors'
 import { parseTodos } from '@/lib/todos'
-import { setClarifyRequest } from '@/store/clarify'
+import { clearClarifyRequest, setClarifyRequest } from '@/store/clarify'
 import { setSessionCompacting } from '@/store/compaction'
 import { refreshBackgroundProcesses } from '@/store/composer-status'
 import { $gateway } from '@/store/gateway'
@@ -913,6 +913,7 @@ export function useMessageStream({
         // session so a background turn finishing can't wipe the active chat's
         // prompt, and vice versa.
         clearAllPrompts(sessionId)
+        clearClarifyRequest(undefined, sessionId)
         setSessionCompacting(sessionId, false)
 
         flushQueuedDeltas(sessionId)
@@ -1185,6 +1186,7 @@ export function useMessageStream({
         // the failed turn (same intent as the message.complete clear).
         if (sessionId) {
           clearAllPrompts(sessionId)
+          clearClarifyRequest(undefined, sessionId)
           setSessionCompacting(sessionId, false)
           compactedTurnRef.current.delete(sessionId)
         }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-prompt-actions.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-prompt-actions.ts
index 513043d01b8..6e2829d6178 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-prompt-actions.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/session/hooks/use-prompt-actions.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import { triggerHaptic } from '@/lib/haptics'
 import { setMutableRef } from '@/lib/mutable-ref'
 import { isProviderSetupErrorMessage } from '@/lib/provider-setup-errors'
 import { setSessionYolo } from '@/lib/yolo-session'
+import { clearClarifyRequest } from '@/store/clarify'
 import { openCommandPalettePage } from '@/store/command-palette'
 import {
   $composerAttachments,
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ import { setPetScale } from '@/store/pet-gallery'
 import { $petGenInput, openPetGenerate } from '@/store/pet-generate'
 import { clearPreviewArtifacts } from '@/store/preview-status'
 import { $activeGatewayProfile, $newChatProfile, ensureGatewayProfile, normalizeProfileKey } from '@/store/profile'
+import { clearAllPrompts } from '@/store/prompts'
 import {
   $busy,
   $connection,
@@ -1535,6 +1537,7 @@ export function usePromptActions({
         awaitingResponse: false,
         streamId: null,
         pendingBranchGroup: null,
+        needsInput: false,
         interrupted: true
       }
     })
@@ -1542,6 +1545,12 @@ export function usePromptActions({
     clearSessionTodos(sessionId)
     clearSessionSubagents(sessionId)
     resetSessionBackground(sessionId)
+    // Stop ends the turn, so the gateway is no longer blocked on any prompt it
+    // raised. Drop this session's pending clarify / approval / sudo / secret so
+    // a dead panel (and the sidebar "needs input" dot) can't linger and accept
+    // an answer the backend will reject.
+    clearAllPrompts(sessionId)
+    clearClarifyRequest(undefined, sessionId)
 
     try {
       await requestGateway('session.interrupt', { session_id: sessionId })
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
index c087c5986b8..706345f708a 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/components/assistant-ui/thread.tsx
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ import { $backgroundResume } from '@/store/background-delegation'
 import { $compactionActive } from '@/store/compaction'
 import type { ComposerAttachment } from '@/store/composer'
 import { notifyError } from '@/store/notifications'
+import { $activeSessionAwaitingInput } from '@/store/prompts'
 import { $connection } from '@/store/session'
 import { notifyThreadEditClose, notifyThreadEditOpen } from '@/store/thread-scroll'
 import { $voicePlayback } from '@/store/voice-playback'
@@ -485,6 +486,10 @@ const StreamStallIndicator: FC = () => {
 
   const [stalled, setStalled] = useState(false)
   const compacting = useStore($compactionActive)
+  // A pending clarify / approval / sudo / secret means the turn is paused on the
+  // user, not working — so don't resurrect the "thinking" timer while they
+  // decide (matches the pet's awaitingInput pose taking priority over busy).
+  const awaitingInput = useStore($activeSessionAwaitingInput)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setStalled(false)
@@ -493,7 +498,7 @@ const StreamStallIndicator: FC = () => {
     return () => window.clearTimeout(id)
   }, [activity])
 
-  const active = stalled || compacting
+  const active = (stalled || compacting) && !awaitingInput
   const elapsed = useElapsedSeconds(active)
 
   if (!active) {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/prompts.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/prompts.test.ts
index 57f1985e7a1..a761adf6f25 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/prompts.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/prompts.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
+import { clearClarifyRequest, setClarifyRequest } from './clarify'
 import {
+  $activeSessionAwaitingInput,
   $approvalRequest,
   $secretRequest,
   $sudoRequest,
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 
 afterEach(() => {
   clearAllPrompts()
+  clearClarifyRequest()
   $activeSessionId.set(null)
 })
 
@@ -130,3 +133,26 @@ describe('clearAllPrompts', () => {
     expect($approvalRequest.get()?.command).toBe('y')
   })
 })
+
+describe('$activeSessionAwaitingInput', () => {
+  it('is true while any blocking prompt (clarify or approval/sudo/secret) is parked on the active session', () => {
+    expect($activeSessionAwaitingInput.get()).toBe(false)
+
+    setApprovalRequest({ command: 'x', description: 'd', sessionId: 's1' })
+    expect($activeSessionAwaitingInput.get()).toBe(true)
+
+    clearApprovalRequest('s1')
+    expect($activeSessionAwaitingInput.get()).toBe(false)
+
+    setClarifyRequest({ choices: null, question: 'q', requestId: 'c1', sessionId: 's1' })
+    expect($activeSessionAwaitingInput.get()).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('ignores a prompt parked on a background session', () => {
+    setSudoRequest({ requestId: 'r', sessionId: 's2' })
+    expect($activeSessionAwaitingInput.get()).toBe(false)
+
+    $activeSessionId.set('s2')
+    expect($activeSessionAwaitingInput.get()).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/store/prompts.ts b/apps/desktop/src/store/prompts.ts
index 2d7a74baa8b..285abad10f1 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/store/prompts.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/store/prompts.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { atom, computed, type ReadableAtom } from 'nanostores'
 
+import { $clarifyRequest } from './clarify'
 import { $activeSessionId } from './session'
 
 // Blocking interactive prompts the gateway raises mid-turn. Each maps to a
@@ -110,6 +111,16 @@ export const $secretRequest = secret.$active
 export const setSecretRequest = secret.set
 export const clearSecretRequest = secret.clear
 
+// True when the active session is blocked on the user (clarify question or an
+// approval / sudo / secret prompt). Mirrors the pet's `awaitingInput` concept
+// (agent/pet/state.py): the turn is paused on you, not working — so callers can
+// suppress "thinking" indicators and the Esc-to-interrupt shortcut while you
+// decide, instead of treating the wait as an in-flight turn.
+export const $activeSessionAwaitingInput = computed(
+  [$clarifyRequest, $approvalRequest, $sudoRequest, $secretRequest],
+  (clarify, approval, sudo, secret) => Boolean(clarify || approval || sudo || secret)
+)
+
 // Drop in-flight prompts for `sessionId` (a turn ended) across all three kinds —
 // or every parked prompt when no session is given (global reset / tests).
 export function clearAllPrompts(sessionId?: string | null): void {