diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/hooks/use-composer-trigger.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/hooks/use-composer-trigger.test.ts
index c356fae3af84..c7a4e2f138ac 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/hooks/use-composer-trigger.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/hooks/use-composer-trigger.test.ts
@@ -121,3 +121,44 @@ describe('useComposerTrigger — slash anywhere in the prompt', () => {
     expect(hook.result.current.trigger).toBeNull()
   })
 })
+
+describe('useComposerTrigger — free-text slash arguments', () => {
+  it('keeps a picked /goal command as editable text while retaining subcommand completion', () => {
+    const editor = mountEditor('/go')
+    const goal = item('/goal', 'Commands')
+    const { hook } = mountTrigger(editor, [goal])
+
+    act(() => hook.result.current.refreshTrigger())
+    act(() => hook.result.current.replaceTriggerWithChip(goal))
+
+    expect(composerPlainText(editor)).toBe('/goal ')
+    expect(editor.querySelector('[data-slash-kind]')).toBeNull()
+    expect(hook.result.current.trigger).not.toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('does not seal a multi-word /goal into a chip when the option list runs empty', () => {
+    const editor = mountEditor('/goal finish the full prompt')
+    const { hook } = mountTrigger(editor, [])
+
+    act(() => hook.result.current.refreshTrigger())
+
+    expect(hook.result.current.slashFreeTextArgStage).toBe(true)
+    expect(hook.result.current.commitTypedSlashDirective()).toBe(false)
+    expect(composerPlainText(editor)).toBe('/goal finish the full prompt')
+    expect(editor.querySelector('[data-slash-kind]')).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('still commits a fully typed finite option as one directive chip', () => {
+    const editor = mountEditor('/personality creative')
+    const { hook } = mountTrigger(editor, [])
+
+    act(() => hook.result.current.refreshTrigger())
+
+    expect(hook.result.current.slashFreeTextArgStage).toBe(false)
+    act(() => {
+      expect(hook.result.current.commitTypedSlashDirective()).toBe(true)
+    })
+    expect(composerPlainText(editor)).toBe('/personality creative ')
+    expect(editor.querySelector('[data-slash-kind]')?.getAttribute('data-ref-text')).toBe('/personality creative')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/hooks/use-composer-trigger.ts b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/hooks/use-composer-trigger.ts
index 3c22fddb6348..2df218e78f30 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/hooks/use-composer-trigger.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/hooks/use-composer-trigger.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import type { Unstable_TriggerAdapter, Unstable_TriggerItem } from '@assistant-u
 import { type MutableRefObject, type RefObject, useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react'
 
 import { hermesDirectiveFormatter } from '@/components/assistant-ui/directive-text'
-import { desktopSlashCommandTakesArgs } from '@/lib/desktop-slash-commands'
+import { desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode } from '@/lib/desktop-slash-commands'
 
 import {
   COMPLETION_ACTIONS,
@@ -89,11 +89,16 @@ export function useComposerTrigger({
     const before = textBeforeCaret(editor)
     const found = detectTrigger(before ?? composerPlainText(editor))
 
-    // The arg-stage popover is only useful for commands with an options screen.
-    // For a no-arg command it would dead-end on "No matches", so drop it — the
-    // directive is already complete.
+    // A text-only command has no completion screen once its prose begins. Mixed
+    // commands such as /goal stay live so their finite subcommands can still be
+    // suggested, while arbitrary goal text remains valid.
+    const argumentMode =
+      found?.kind === '/' && slashArgStage(found.query)
+        ? desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode(slashCommandToken(found.query))
+        : null
+
     const detected =
-      found?.kind === '/' && slashArgStage(found.query) && !desktopSlashCommandTakesArgs(slashCommandToken(found.query))
+      found?.kind === '/' && slashArgStage(found.query) && argumentMode !== 'options' && argumentMode !== 'mixed'
         ? null
         : found
 
@@ -134,6 +139,11 @@ export function useComposerTrigger({
   // Space/Tab — neither should dead-end on a popover.
   const argStageEmpty = trigger?.kind === '/' && slashArgStage(trigger.query) && !triggerLoading && !triggerItems.length
 
+  const slashFreeTextArgStage =
+    trigger?.kind === '/' &&
+    slashArgStage(trigger.query) &&
+    ['mixed', 'text'].includes(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode(slashCommandToken(trigger.query)) ?? '')
+
   const closeTrigger = () => {
     setTrigger(null)
     setTriggerItems([])
@@ -148,9 +158,16 @@ export function useComposerTrigger({
   // the completion list is empty because the arg is already fully typed (the
   // backend completer drops exact matches). Reuses the chip path via a
   // synthetic item whose serialized form is the verbatim text.
-  const commitTypedSlashDirective = () => {
+  const commitTypedSlashDirective = (): boolean => {
     if (trigger?.kind !== '/') {
-      return
+      return false
+    }
+
+    // Free prose must stay ordinary contentEditable text. This guard also
+    // protects against a stale completion result reaching the keydown path
+    // before refreshTrigger has caught up with the latest DOM input.
+    if (desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode(slashCommandToken(trigger.query)) !== 'options') {
+      return false
     }
 
     const text = `/${trigger.query.trimEnd()}`
@@ -168,6 +185,8 @@ export function useComposerTrigger({
         rawText: text
       }
     })
+
+    return true
   }
 
   const replaceTriggerWithChip = (item: Unstable_TriggerItem) => {
@@ -208,15 +227,15 @@ export function useComposerTrigger({
     // there's no command invocation for the args to belong to.
     const command = (item.metadata as { command?: string } | undefined)?.command ?? ''
 
-    const expandsToArgs =
-      trigger.kind === '/' && !trigger.inline && !serialized.includes(' ') && desktopSlashCommandTakesArgs(command)
+    const argumentMode = desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode(command)
+    const expandsToArgs = trigger.kind === '/' && !trigger.inline && !serialized.includes(' ') && argumentMode !== null
 
     const text = starter || serialized.endsWith(' ') ? serialized : `${serialized} `
     const directive = !starter && serialized.match(/^@([^:]+):(.+)$/)
     // No pill while expanding — the bare command stays plain text until an arg
     // is picked, at which point a single pill is emitted for the full command.
     const slashKind = !expandsToArgs && trigger.kind === '/' ? slashChipKindForItem(item) : null
-    const keepTriggerOpen = starter || expandsToArgs
+    const keepTriggerOpen = starter || (expandsToArgs && argumentMode !== 'text')
 
     const finish = () => {
       draftRef.current = composerPlainText(editor)
@@ -288,6 +307,7 @@ export function useComposerTrigger({
     refreshTrigger,
     replaceTriggerWithChip,
     setTriggerActive,
+    slashFreeTextArgStage,
     trigger,
     triggerActive,
     triggerItems,
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
index 5988d6103707..b5a76f349040 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/app/chat/composer/index.tsx
@@ -304,6 +304,7 @@ export function ChatBar({
     refreshTrigger,
     replaceTriggerWithChip,
     setTriggerActive,
+    slashFreeTextArgStage,
     trigger,
     triggerActive,
     triggerItems,
@@ -544,7 +545,9 @@ export function ChatBar({
       // options step, and an arg option commits the full `/cmd arg` chip. Space
       // is slash-only (an `@` mention takes a literal space) and gated to a
       // non-empty query so a bare `/ ` still types a space.
-      const acceptOnSpace = event.key === ' ' && trigger.kind === '/' && Boolean(trigger.query.trim())
+      const acceptOnSpace =
+        event.key === ' ' && trigger.kind === '/' && Boolean(trigger.query.trim()) && !slashFreeTextArgStage
+
       const accept = event.key === 'Enter' || event.key === 'Tab' || acceptOnSpace
 
       if (accept) {
@@ -579,11 +582,12 @@ export function ChatBar({
       slashArgStage(trigger.query) &&
       trigger.query.trim()
     ) {
-      event.preventDefault()
-      triggerKeyConsumedRef.current = true
-      commitTypedSlashDirective()
+      if (commitTypedSlashDirective()) {
+        event.preventDefault()
+        triggerKeyConsumedRef.current = true
 
-      return
+        return
+      }
     }
 
     // ArrowUp/ArrowDown navigate, in priority order: the queue (edit entries in
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.test.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.test.ts
index d8aa1897652d..1fc70dcb5ad5 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.test.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 
 import {
   desktopSkinSlashCompletions,
+  desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode,
   desktopSlashDescription,
   desktopSlashUnavailableMessage,
   filterDesktopCommandsCatalog,
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ describe('desktop slash command curation', () => {
 
   it('routes /pet through the desktop action handler and drops /pets', () => {
     expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/pet')?.surface).toEqual({ kind: 'action', action: 'pet' })
-    expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/pet')?.args).toBe(true)
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/pet')).toBe('options')
     expect(isDesktopSlashSuggestion('/pet')).toBe(true)
     expect(isDesktopSlashCommand('/pet')).toBe(true)
     expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/pets')?.surface).toEqual({ kind: 'unavailable', reason: 'settings' })
@@ -81,14 +82,14 @@ describe('desktop slash command curation', () => {
     expect(desktopSlashUnavailableMessage('/browser')).toBeNull()
     expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/browser')?.surface).toEqual({ kind: 'action', action: 'browser' })
     // Bare /browser expands to its sub-action options in the popover.
-    expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/browser')?.args).toBe(true)
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/browser')).toBe('options')
   })
 
   it('routes /compress through the session-compression action', () => {
     // /compress must be an action (session.compress RPC), not exec: the slash
     // worker route times out on large sessions (#44456).
     expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/compress')?.surface).toEqual({ kind: 'action', action: 'compress' })
-    expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/compress')?.args).toBe(true)
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/compress')).toBe('text')
     expect(isDesktopSlashCommand('/compress')).toBe(true)
     expect(isDesktopSlashSuggestion('/compress')).toBe(true)
     expect(desktopSlashUnavailableMessage('/compress')).toBeNull()
@@ -144,12 +145,13 @@ describe('desktop slash command curation', () => {
     }
   })
 
-  it('keeps /goal arg text editable instead of sealing it into a chip', () => {
-    // /goal takes free prose (the goal itself) plus subcommands. Without
-    // args:true, Space after the command name committed a sealed directive
-    // chip and the goal text rendered awkwardly after a pill.
-    expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/goal')?.surface).toEqual({ kind: 'exec' })
-    expect(resolveDesktopCommand('/goal')?.args).toBe(true)
+  it('distinguishes free prose from finite slash option lists', () => {
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/goal')).toBe('mixed')
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/steer')).toBe('text')
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/queue')).toBe('text')
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/personality')).toBe('options')
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/handoff')).toBe('options')
+    expect(desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode('/version')).toBeNull()
   })
 
   it('routes /journey (and aliases) to the memory graph overlay action', () => {
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.ts
index 5fccef48c719..81e4a694c015 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/desktop-slash-commands.ts
@@ -91,6 +91,16 @@ export interface SlashCommandBuildCtx {
   sessionId: string
 }
 
+/**
+ * How arguments behave in the Desktop composer.
+ *
+ * - `options` → a finite completion list; picking or fully typing an option may
+ *               commit the complete directive as a chip.
+ * - `text`    → arbitrary prose; the command and its argument stay editable.
+ * - `mixed`   → offers subcommand completions but also accepts arbitrary prose.
+ */
+export type DesktopSlashArgumentMode = 'mixed' | 'options' | 'text'
+
 export interface DesktopCommandSpec {
   /** Canonical command, leading slash included (e.g. `/resume`). */
   name: string
@@ -104,12 +114,8 @@ export interface DesktopCommandSpec {
    * the status bar), so the popover doesn't dead-end on inline completion.
    */
   hidden?: boolean
-  /**
-   * The command has an inline options "screen" (theme / personality / session /
-   * platform / toolset list). Picking the bare command in the popover expands to
-   * that argument step instead of committing — mirroring typing `/<cmd> ` by hand.
-   */
-  args?: boolean
+  /** Composer behavior for text following the command token. */
+  argumentMode?: DesktopSlashArgumentMode
 }
 
 const exec = (): DesktopCommandSurface => ({ kind: 'exec' })
@@ -151,17 +157,22 @@ const DESKTOP_COMMAND_SPECS: readonly DesktopCommandSpec[] = [
     name: '/handoff',
     description: 'Hand off this session to a messaging platform',
     surface: action('handoff'),
-    args: true
+    argumentMode: 'options'
   },
   { name: '/profile', description: 'Switch the active Hermes profile', surface: action('profile') },
-  { name: '/skin', description: 'Switch desktop theme or cycle to the next one', surface: action('skin'), args: true },
-  { name: '/title', description: 'Rename the current session', surface: action('title') },
+  {
+    name: '/skin',
+    description: 'Switch desktop theme or cycle to the next one',
+    surface: action('skin'),
+    argumentMode: 'options'
+  },
+  { name: '/title', description: 'Rename the current session', surface: action('title'), argumentMode: 'text' },
   { name: '/help', description: 'Show desktop slash commands', aliases: ['/commands'], surface: action('help') },
   {
     name: '/browser',
     description: 'Manage browser CDP connection [connect|disconnect|status] (local gateway only)',
     surface: action('browser'),
-    args: true
+    argumentMode: 'options'
   },
   {
     name: '/journey',
@@ -177,7 +188,7 @@ const DESKTOP_COMMAND_SPECS: readonly DesktopCommandSpec[] = [
     description: 'Resume a saved session',
     aliases: ['/sessions', '/switch'],
     surface: picker('session'),
-    args: true
+    argumentMode: 'options'
   },
 
   // Backend-executed commands that render useful inline output.
@@ -194,7 +205,7 @@ const DESKTOP_COMMAND_SPECS: readonly DesktopCommandSpec[] = [
     name: '/approvals',
     description: 'Show or set approval mode [manual|smart|off]',
     surface: exec(),
-    args: true
+    argumentMode: 'options'
   },
   {
     name: '/agents',
@@ -202,7 +213,13 @@ const DESKTOP_COMMAND_SPECS: readonly DesktopCommandSpec[] = [
     aliases: ['/tasks'],
     surface: exec()
   },
-  { name: '/background', description: 'Run a prompt in the background', aliases: ['/bg', '/btw'], surface: exec() },
+  {
+    name: '/background',
+    description: 'Run a prompt in the background',
+    aliases: ['/bg', '/btw'],
+    surface: exec(),
+    argumentMode: 'text'
+  },
   // /compress must be an action (session.compress RPC), not exec: the slash
   // worker route times out on large sessions (30s WS / 45s pipe) before the
   // LLM summarise call finishes, then command.dispatch surfaces a bogus
@@ -212,16 +229,26 @@ const DESKTOP_COMMAND_SPECS: readonly DesktopCommandSpec[] = [
     description: 'Compress this conversation context',
     aliases: ['/compact'],
     surface: action('compress'),
-    args: true
+    argumentMode: 'text'
   },
   { name: '/debug', description: 'Create a debug report', surface: exec() },
-  { name: '/goal', description: 'Manage the standing goal for this session', surface: exec(), args: true },
-  { name: '/personality', description: 'Switch personality for this session', surface: exec(), args: true },
+  {
+    name: '/goal',
+    description: 'Manage the standing goal for this session',
+    surface: exec(),
+    argumentMode: 'mixed'
+  },
+  {
+    name: '/personality',
+    description: 'Switch personality for this session',
+    surface: exec(),
+    argumentMode: 'options'
+  },
   {
     name: '/pet',
     description: 'Toggle or adopt a petdex mascot (/pet, /pet list, /pet boba)',
     surface: action('pet'),
-    args: true
+    argumentMode: 'options'
   },
   {
     name: '/hatch',
@@ -229,7 +256,13 @@ const DESKTOP_COMMAND_SPECS: readonly DesktopCommandSpec[] = [
     aliases: ['/generate-pet'],
     surface: action('hatch')
   },
-  { name: '/queue', description: 'Queue a prompt for the next turn', aliases: ['/q'], surface: exec() },
+  {
+    name: '/queue',
+    description: 'Queue a prompt for the next turn',
+    aliases: ['/q'],
+    surface: exec(),
+    argumentMode: 'text'
+  },
   { name: '/retry', description: 'Retry the last user message', surface: exec() },
   { name: '/rollback', description: 'List or restore filesystem checkpoints', surface: exec() },
   {
@@ -242,9 +275,19 @@ const DESKTOP_COMMAND_SPECS: readonly DesktopCommandSpec[] = [
     description: 'Show current session status',
     surface: rpc('session.status', ctx => ({ session_id: ctx.sessionId }))
   },
-  { name: '/steer', description: 'Steer the current run after the next tool call', surface: exec(), args: true },
+  {
+    name: '/steer',
+    description: 'Steer the current run after the next tool call',
+    surface: exec(),
+    argumentMode: 'text'
+  },
   { name: '/stop', description: 'Stop running background processes', surface: exec() },
-  { name: '/tools', description: 'List or toggle tools available to the agent', surface: exec(), args: true },
+  {
+    name: '/tools',
+    description: 'List or toggle tools available to the agent',
+    surface: exec(),
+    argumentMode: 'options'
+  },
   { name: '/undo', description: 'Remove the last user/assistant exchange', surface: exec() },
   { name: '/usage', description: 'Show token usage for this session', surface: exec() },
   { name: '/version', description: 'Show Hermes Agent version', surface: exec() },
@@ -433,13 +476,8 @@ export function desktopSlashDescription(command: string, fallback = ''): string
   return SPEC_BY_NAME.get(canonicalDesktopSlashCommand(command))?.description || fallback
 }
 
-/**
- * True when picking the bare command should expand to its inline argument
- * options (theme / personality / session / platform / toolset) rather than
- * committing immediately. Lets the popover act as a two-step picker.
- */
-export function desktopSlashCommandTakesArgs(command: string): boolean {
-  return resolveDesktopCommand(command)?.args ?? false
+export function desktopSlashCommandArgumentMode(command: string): DesktopSlashArgumentMode | null {
+  return resolveDesktopCommand(command)?.argumentMode ?? null
 }
 
 export function desktopSkinSlashCompletions(