diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/useQueue.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/useQueue.test.ts
index 78cd358585..ada53589da 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/useQueue.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/useQueue.test.ts
@@ -1,26 +1,26 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
-import { removeAt } from '../hooks/useQueue.js'
+import { removeAtInPlace } from '../hooks/useQueue.js'
 
-describe('removeAt', () => {
+describe('removeAtInPlace', () => {
   it('removes the item at the given index in place', () => {
     const arr = ['a', 'b', 'c']
 
-    removeAt(arr, 1)
+    removeAtInPlace(arr, 1)
     expect(arr).toEqual(['a', 'c'])
   })
 
   it('is a no-op when the index is out of bounds', () => {
     const arr = ['a', 'b']
 
-    removeAt(arr, -1)
-    removeAt(arr, 5)
+    removeAtInPlace(arr, -1)
+    removeAtInPlace(arr, 5)
     expect(arr).toEqual(['a', 'b'])
   })
 
   it('returns the same reference (mutates in place)', () => {
     const arr = ['x']
-    const same = removeAt(arr, 0)
+    const same = removeAtInPlace(arr, 0)
 
     expect(same).toBe(arr)
     expect(arr).toEqual([])
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/useInputHandlers.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/useInputHandlers.ts
index 538b5561b7..84978b98c4 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/useInputHandlers.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/useInputHandlers.ts
@@ -307,14 +307,17 @@ export function useInputHandlers(ctx: InputHandlerContext): InputHandlerResult {
       return scrollTranscript(key.pageUp ? -step : step)
     }
 
-    if (key.escape && terminal.hasSelection) {
-      return clearSelection()
-    }
-
+    // Queue-edit cancel beats selection-clear: the queue header explicitly
+    // promises "Esc cancel", so honoring it takes priority over the implicit
+    // selection-dismissal convention. Without an active edit, fall through.
     if (key.escape && cState.queueEditIdx !== null) {
       return cActions.clearIn()
     }
 
+    if (key.escape && terminal.hasSelection) {
+      return clearSelection()
+    }
+
     if (key.upArrow && !cState.inputBuf.length) {
       const inputSel = getInputSelection()
       const cursor = inputSel && inputSel.start === inputSel.end ? inputSel.start : null
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/queuedMessages.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/queuedMessages.tsx
index 6e954c8345..f66b6fd314 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/queuedMessages.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/queuedMessages.tsx
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ export function QueuedMessages({ cols, queueEditIdx, queued, t }: QueuedMessages
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" marginTop={1}>
       <Text color={t.color.dim} dimColor>
-        queued ({queued.length})
-        {queueEditIdx !== null ? ` · editing ${queueEditIdx + 1} · ⌃X delete · esc cancel` : ''}
+        {`queued (${queued.length})${
+          queueEditIdx !== null ? ` · editing ${queueEditIdx + 1} · Ctrl+X delete · Esc cancel` : ''
+        }`}
       </Text>
 
       {q.showLead && (
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/content/hotkeys.ts b/ui-tui/src/content/hotkeys.ts
index c5e32cd2a2..b79d08061b 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/content/hotkeys.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/content/hotkeys.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export const HOTKEYS: [string, string][] = [
   [paste + '+V / /paste', 'paste text; /paste attaches clipboard image'],
   ['Tab', 'apply completion'],
   ['↑/↓', 'completions / queue edit / history'],
-  ['Ctrl+X', 'delete the queued message you’re editing (esc cancels edit)'],
+  ['Ctrl+X', 'delete the queued message you’re editing (Esc cancels edit)'],
   [action + '+A/E', 'home / end of line'],
   [action + '+Z / ' + action + '+Y', 'undo / redo input edits'],
   [action + '+W', 'delete word'],
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/hooks/useQueue.ts b/ui-tui/src/hooks/useQueue.ts
index 18e9a6c55d..0c79ab4eb4 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/hooks/useQueue.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/hooks/useQueue.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import { useCallback, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 
-export function removeAt<T>(arr: T[], i: number): T[] {
+// Mutates `arr` in place; returned reference is the same input array, kept
+// so callers can chain. Use `Array.prototype.toSpliced` if you need a copy.
+export function removeAtInPlace<T>(arr: T[], i: number): T[] {
   if (i < 0 || i >= arr.length) {
     return arr
   }
@@ -50,7 +52,7 @@ export function useQueue() {
     (i: number) => {
       const before = queueRef.current.length
 
-      removeAt(queueRef.current, i)
+      removeAtInPlace(queueRef.current, i)
 
       if (queueRef.current.length !== before) {
         syncQueue()