diff --git a/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/test/render.test.tsx b/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/test/render.test.tsx
index 56bda3ea04c..5f1825c756c 100644
--- a/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/test/render.test.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/test/render.test.tsx
@@ -177,6 +177,28 @@ describe('App render (Phase 1, themed)', () => {
     expect(frame).toContain('Tab complete') // dropdown hint
   })
 
+  test('the empty transcript shows the home hint (item 12)', async () => {
+    const store = createSessionStore()
+    store.apply({ type: 'gateway.ready' })
+
+    const frame = await captureFrame(
+      () => (
+        <ThemeProvider theme={() => store.state.theme}>
+          <App store={store} />
+        </ThemeProvider>
+      ),
+      { until: '/help', width: 72, height: 20 }
+    )
+
+    // (theme-independent assertions — testRender reuses a global root, so a prior
+    // test's skin/brand can bleed; the real app has one store. The home hint's
+    // content is what matters here.)
+    expect(frame).toContain('/help') // common command
+    expect(frame).toContain('/agents')
+    expect(frame).toContain('resume a session')
+    expect(frame).toContain('to mention') // the input tips line
+  })
+
   test('the status bar renders model · context% · cwd (item 14)', async () => {
     const store = createSessionStore()
     store.apply({ type: 'gateway.ready' })
diff --git a/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/view/homeHint.tsx b/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/view/homeHint.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cdac3b8bc83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/view/homeHint.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+/**
+ * HomeHint — the empty-transcript home screen (item 12; Ink's `helpHint.tsx`).
+ * Shown when there are no messages yet: the brand line, a few common commands,
+ * and the key input tips. Replaced by the transcript as soon as a turn lands.
+ * Fully themed; decorative, so `selectable={false}` (item 4).
+ */
+import { For } from 'solid-js'
+
+import { useTheme } from './theme.tsx'
+
+const COMMANDS: ReadonlyArray<readonly [string, string]> = [
+  ['/help', 'list all commands'],
+  ['/model', 'switch model'],
+  ['/sessions', 'resume a session'],
+  ['/skills', 'browse skills'],
+  ['/agents', 'live delegation trace'],
+  ['/clear', 'clear the transcript']
+]
+
+export function HomeHint() {
+  const theme = useTheme()
+  return (
+    <box style={{ flexDirection: 'column', flexShrink: 0, paddingLeft: 1, marginTop: 1 }}>
+      <text selectable={false}>
+        <span style={{ fg: theme().color.accent }}>{theme().brand.icon} </span>
+        <b>{theme().brand.name}</b>
+      </text>
+      <text selectable={false}>
+        <span style={{ fg: theme().color.muted }}>{theme().brand.welcome}</span>
+      </text>
+      <box style={{ flexDirection: 'column', marginTop: 1 }}>
+        <For each={COMMANDS}>
+          {([cmd, desc]) => (
+            <text selectable={false}>
+              <span style={{ fg: theme().color.label }}>{cmd.padEnd(11)}</span>
+              <span style={{ fg: theme().color.muted }}>{desc}</span>
+            </text>
+          )}
+        </For>
+      </box>
+      <box style={{ marginTop: 1 }}>
+        <text selectable={false}>
+          <span style={{ fg: theme().color.muted }}>
+            Type to chat · ↑↓ history · @file to mention · Ctrl+C to stop/quit
+          </span>
+        </text>
+      </box>
+    </box>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/view/transcript.tsx b/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/view/transcript.tsx
index d8d3380e3f2..7bf8415ed65 100644
--- a/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/view/transcript.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui-opentui-v2/src/view/transcript.tsx
@@ -11,15 +11,20 @@
  *     measurement → phantom scroll offset that clips the top + leaves a gap),
  *   - `stickyScroll` + `stickyStart="bottom"` to pin the latest line.
  */
-import { For } from 'solid-js'
+import { For, Show } from 'solid-js'
 
 import type { SessionStore } from '../logic/store.ts'
+import { HomeHint } from './homeHint.tsx'
 import { MessageLine } from './messageLine.tsx'
 
 export function Transcript(props: { store: SessionStore }) {
   return (
     <box style={{ flexGrow: 1, minHeight: 0, marginTop: 1 }}>
       <scrollbox style={{ flexGrow: 1, minHeight: 0 }} stickyScroll stickyStart="bottom">
+        {/* empty-transcript home screen (item 12); replaced by messages on the first turn */}
+        <Show when={props.store.state.messages.length === 0}>
+          <HomeHint />
+        </Show>
         <For each={props.store.state.messages}>{message => <MessageLine message={message} />}</For>
       </scrollbox>
     </box>