diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/logic/completionMenu.ts b/ui-opentui/src/logic/completionMenu.ts
index a2f65567417..9b92a27d65c 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/logic/completionMenu.ts
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/logic/completionMenu.ts
@@ -47,12 +47,17 @@ function clampSelected(ctx: MenuKeyContext): number {
  * Route one key press against the open menu. `modified` is Ctrl/Alt/Option —
  * modified arrows/Enter never belong to the menu (Tab/Esc keep their
  * pre-existing modifier-blind accept/dismiss semantics).
+ *
+ * ANY open menu owns plain arrows/Enter (glitch, 2026-06-10): @-path and
+ * arg menus navigate exactly like the slash menu — standard editor-
+ * autocomplete behavior; Esc dismisses to hand the cursor keys back.
+ * (`ctx.slashMenu` still feeds the hint text + suggestion rows.)
  */
 export function routeMenuKey(name: string, modified: boolean, ctx: MenuKeyContext): MenuKeyAction {
   if (ctx.count <= 0) return PASS
   if (name === 'tab') return { index: clampSelected(ctx), kind: 'accept' }
   if (name === 'escape') return { kind: 'dismiss' }
-  if (modified || !ctx.slashMenu) return PASS
+  if (modified) return PASS
   const sel = clampSelected(ctx)
   if (name === 'up') return { kind: 'move', selected: (sel - 1 + ctx.count) % ctx.count }
   if (name === 'down') return { kind: 'move', selected: (sel + 1) % ctx.count }
diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/test/slashMenu.test.tsx b/ui-opentui/src/test/slashMenu.test.tsx
index 2289ee6a7aa..64d9ea523b8 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/test/slashMenu.test.tsx
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/test/slashMenu.test.tsx
@@ -47,9 +47,17 @@ describe('routeMenuKey — key-routing precedence table', () => {
     ['Esc dismisses', 'escape', false, ctx({ selected: 2 }), { kind: 'dismiss' }],
     // NOT the slash menu (path/@-mention dropdown): arrows + Enter keep their
     // existing meanings (history / cursor / textarea submit) …
-    ['Down on a path menu passes', 'down', false, ctx({ slashMenu: false }), { kind: 'pass' }],
-    ['Up on a path menu passes', 'up', false, ctx({ slashMenu: false }), { kind: 'pass' }],
-    ['Enter on a path menu passes (submits as today)', 'return', false, ctx({ slashMenu: false }), { kind: 'pass' }],
+    // glitch 2026-06-10: ANY open menu owns plain arrows/Enter (path/arg menus
+    // navigate like the slash menu; Esc hands the cursor keys back).
+    ['Down on a path menu moves', 'down', false, ctx({ slashMenu: false }), { kind: 'move', selected: 1 }],
+    ['Up on a path menu moves (wraps)', 'up', false, ctx({ slashMenu: false }), { kind: 'move', selected: 2 }],
+    [
+      'Enter on a path menu accepts the highlighted item',
+      'return',
+      false,
+      ctx({ slashMenu: false }),
+      { index: 0, kind: 'accept' }
+    ],
     // … but Tab/Esc keep working on ANY menu (pre-Epic-8 semantics)
     ['Tab on a path menu still accepts', 'tab', false, ctx({ slashMenu: false }), { index: 0, kind: 'accept' }],
     ['Esc on a path menu still dismisses', 'escape', false, ctx({ slashMenu: false }), { kind: 'dismiss' }],
diff --git a/ui-opentui/src/view/composer.tsx b/ui-opentui/src/view/composer.tsx
index fc5b2cc4dbd..32d7f889e8b 100644
--- a/ui-opentui/src/view/composer.tsx
+++ b/ui-opentui/src/view/composer.tsx
@@ -234,7 +234,6 @@ export function Composer(props: {
   // Whether the composer text starts with `/` (slash menu vs path menu) — a
   // signal so the dropdown hint stays reactive; the key handler re-checks
   // `ta.plainText` directly.
-  const [slashText, setSlashText] = createSignal(false)
 
   /** Replace the textarea content and park the cursor at the end (history recall). */
   const setBuffer = (text: string) => {
@@ -416,7 +415,7 @@ export function Composer(props: {
             )}
           </For>
           <text selectable={false} fg={theme().color.muted}>
-            {slashText() ? '↑/↓ select · Enter/Tab accept · Esc dismiss' : 'Tab complete · Esc dismiss'}
+            {'↑/↓ select · Enter/Tab accept · Esc dismiss'}
           </text>
         </box>
       </Show>
@@ -460,7 +459,6 @@ export function Composer(props: {
           }}
           onContentChange={() => {
             const text = ta?.plainText ?? ''
-            setSlashText(text.startsWith('/'))
             setBufText(text) // drives the token analysis (highlight + suggestion)
             props.onType?.(text)
           }}