diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index 0e4a88fd2f..542c96700e 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 
 # Dependencies
 node_modules
+**/node_modules
 .venv
+**/.venv
 
 # CI/CD
 .github
diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 146cb1161b..30d171543b 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ branding:
   agent_name: "My Agent"
   welcome: "Welcome message"
   response_label: " ⚔ Agent "
-  prompt_symbol: "⚔ ❯ "
+  prompt_symbol: "⚔"
 
 tool_prefix: "╎"             # Tool output line prefix
 ```
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 7f4ebc2d15..d988ea6407 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ ENV PLAYWRIGHT_BROWSERS_PATH=/opt/hermes/.playwright
 # that would otherwise accumulate when hermes runs as PID 1. See #15012.
 RUN apt-get update && \
     apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-        build-essential nodejs npm python3 ripgrep ffmpeg gcc python3-dev libffi-dev procps git openssh-client docker-cli tini && \
+    build-essential nodejs npm python3 ripgrep ffmpeg gcc python3-dev libffi-dev procps git openssh-client docker-cli tini && \
     rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Non-root user for runtime; UID can be overridden via HERMES_UID at runtime
@@ -45,7 +45,13 @@ COPY --chown=hermes:hermes . .
 
 # Build browser dashboard and terminal UI assets.
 RUN cd web && npm run build && \
-    cd ../ui-tui && npm run build
+    cd ../ui-tui && npm run build && \
+    rm -rf node_modules/@hermes/ink && \
+    rm -rf packages/hermes-ink/node_modules && \
+    cp -R packages/hermes-ink node_modules/@hermes/ink && \
+    npm install --omit=dev --prefer-offline --no-audit --prefix node_modules/@hermes/ink && \
+    rm -rf node_modules/@hermes/ink/node_modules/react && \
+    node --input-type=module -e "await import('@hermes/ink')"
 
 # ---------- Permissions ----------
 # Make install dir world-readable so any HERMES_UID can read it at runtime.
diff --git a/cli-config.yaml.example b/cli-config.yaml.example
index 56b925f8ff..b2a6868604 100644
--- a/cli-config.yaml.example
+++ b/cli-config.yaml.example
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ display:
   #     agent_name: "My Agent"               # Banner title and branding
   #     welcome: "Welcome message"           # Shown at CLI startup
   #     response_label: " ⚔ Agent "         # Response box header label
-  #     prompt_symbol: "⚔ ❯ "              # Prompt symbol
+  #     prompt_symbol: "⚔"                  # Prompt symbol (bare token; renderers add trailing space)
   #   tool_prefix: "╎"                       # Tool output line prefix (default: ┊)
   #
   skin: default
diff --git a/hermes_cli/commands.py b/hermes_cli/commands.py
index 5c732720e5..7160c16f9d 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/commands.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/commands.py
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ COMMAND_REGISTRY: list[CommandDef] = [
                subcommands=("normal", "fast", "status", "on", "off")),
     CommandDef("skin", "Show or change the display skin/theme", "Configuration",
                cli_only=True, args_hint="[name]"),
+    CommandDef("indicator", "Pick the TUI busy-indicator style", "Configuration",
+               cli_only=True, args_hint="[kaomoji|emoji|unicode|ascii]",
+               subcommands=("kaomoji", "emoji", "unicode", "ascii")),
     CommandDef("voice", "Toggle voice mode", "Configuration",
                args_hint="[on|off|tts|status]", subcommands=("on", "off", "tts", "status")),
     CommandDef("busy", "Control what Enter does while Hermes is working", "Configuration",
diff --git a/hermes_cli/config.py b/hermes_cli/config.py
index 7fdc4d7e07..6d96e62e7e 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/config.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/config.py
@@ -703,6 +703,11 @@ DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
         "personality": "kawaii",
         "resume_display": "full",
         "busy_input_mode": "interrupt",  # interrupt | queue | steer
+        # When true, `hermes --tui` auto-resumes the most recent human-
+        # facing session on launch instead of forging a fresh one.
+        # Mirrors `hermes -c` muscle memory.  Default off so existing
+        # users aren't surprised.  HERMES_TUI_RESUME=<id> always wins.
+        "tui_auto_resume_recent": False,
         "bell_on_complete": False,
         "show_reasoning": False,
         "streaming": False,
@@ -710,6 +715,9 @@ DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
         "inline_diffs": True,     # Show inline diff previews for write actions (write_file, patch, skill_manage)
         "show_cost": False,       # Show $ cost in the status bar (off by default)
         "skin": "default",
+        # TUI busy indicator style: kaomoji (default), emoji, unicode (braille
+        # spinner), or ascii.  Live-swappable via `/indicator <style>`.
+        "tui_status_indicator": "kaomoji",
         "user_message_preview": {  # CLI: how many submitted user-message lines to echo back in scrollback
             "first_lines": 2,
             "last_lines": 2,
diff --git a/hermes_cli/doctor.py b/hermes_cli/doctor.py
index e49844bac2..dbba03fae6 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/doctor.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/doctor.py
@@ -293,15 +293,23 @@ def run_doctor(args):
 
             known_providers: set = set()
             try:
-                from hermes_cli.auth import PROVIDER_REGISTRY
+                from hermes_cli.auth import (
+                    PROVIDER_REGISTRY,
+                    resolve_provider as _resolve_auth_provider,
+                )
                 known_providers = set(PROVIDER_REGISTRY.keys()) | {"openrouter", "custom", "auto"}
             except Exception:
+                _resolve_auth_provider = None
                 pass
             try:
                 from hermes_cli.config import get_compatible_custom_providers as _compatible_custom_providers
-                from hermes_cli.providers import resolve_provider_full as _resolve_provider_full
+                from hermes_cli.providers import (
+                    normalize_provider as _normalize_catalog_provider,
+                    resolve_provider_full as _resolve_provider_full,
+                )
             except Exception:
                 _compatible_custom_providers = None
+                _normalize_catalog_provider = None
                 _resolve_provider_full = None
 
             custom_providers = []
@@ -321,17 +329,43 @@ def run_doctor(args):
                 if name:
                     known_providers.add("custom:" + name.lower().replace(" ", "-"))
 
-            canonical_provider = provider
+            valid_provider_ids = set(known_providers)
+            provider_ids_to_accept = {provider} if provider else set()
+            if _normalize_catalog_provider is not None:
+                for known_provider in known_providers:
+                    try:
+                        valid_provider_ids.add(_normalize_catalog_provider(known_provider))
+                    except Exception:
+                        continue
+
+            runtime_provider = provider
+            if (
+                provider
+                and _resolve_auth_provider is not None
+                and provider not in ("auto", "custom")
+            ):
+                try:
+                    runtime_provider = _resolve_auth_provider(provider)
+                    provider_ids_to_accept.add(runtime_provider)
+                except Exception:
+                    runtime_provider = provider
+
+            catalog_provider = provider
             if (
                 provider
                 and _resolve_provider_full is not None
                 and provider not in ("auto", "custom")
             ):
                 provider_def = _resolve_provider_full(provider, user_providers, custom_providers)
-                canonical_provider = provider_def.id if provider_def is not None else None
+                catalog_provider = provider_def.id if provider_def is not None else None
+                if catalog_provider is not None:
+                    provider_ids_to_accept.add(catalog_provider)
 
             if provider and provider != "auto":
-                if canonical_provider is None or (known_providers and canonical_provider not in known_providers):
+                if catalog_provider is None or (
+                    known_providers
+                    and not (provider_ids_to_accept & valid_provider_ids)
+                ):
                     known_list = ", ".join(sorted(known_providers)) if known_providers else "(unavailable)"
                     check_fail(
                         f"model.provider '{provider_raw}' is not a recognised provider",
@@ -344,7 +378,24 @@ def run_doctor(args):
                     )
 
             # Warn if model is set to a provider-prefixed name on a provider that doesn't use them
-            if default_model and "/" in default_model and canonical_provider and canonical_provider not in ("openrouter", "custom", "auto", "ai-gateway", "kilocode", "opencode-zen", "huggingface", "nous", "lmstudio"):
+            provider_for_policy = runtime_provider or catalog_provider
+            providers_accepting_vendor_slugs = {
+                "openrouter",
+                "custom",
+                "auto",
+                "ai-gateway",
+                "kilocode",
+                "opencode-zen",
+                "huggingface",
+                "lmstudio",
+                "nous",
+            }
+            if (
+                default_model
+                and "/" in default_model
+                and provider_for_policy
+                and provider_for_policy not in providers_accepting_vendor_slugs
+            ):
                 check_warn(
                     f"model.default '{default_model}' uses a vendor/model slug but provider is '{provider_raw}'",
                     "(vendor-prefixed slugs belong to aggregators like openrouter)",
@@ -360,20 +411,24 @@ def run_doctor(args):
             # own env-var checks elsewhere in doctor, and get_auth_status()
             # returns a bare {logged_in: False} for anything it doesn't
             # explicitly dispatch, which would produce false positives.
-            if canonical_provider and canonical_provider not in ("auto", "custom", "openrouter"):
+            if runtime_provider and runtime_provider not in ("auto", "custom", "openrouter"):
                 try:
                     from hermes_cli.auth import PROVIDER_REGISTRY, get_auth_status
-                    pconfig = PROVIDER_REGISTRY.get(canonical_provider)
+                    pconfig = PROVIDER_REGISTRY.get(runtime_provider)
                     if pconfig and getattr(pconfig, "auth_type", "") == "api_key":
-                        status = get_auth_status(canonical_provider) or {}
-                        configured = bool(status.get("configured") or status.get("logged_in") or status.get("api_key"))
+                        status = get_auth_status(runtime_provider) or {}
+                        configured = bool(
+                            status.get("configured")
+                            or status.get("logged_in")
+                            or status.get("api_key")
+                        )
                         if not configured:
                             check_fail(
-                                f"model.provider '{canonical_provider}' is set but no API key is configured",
+                                f"model.provider '{runtime_provider}' is set but no API key is configured",
                                 "(check ~/.hermes/.env or run 'hermes setup')",
                             )
                             issues.append(
-                                f"No credentials found for provider '{canonical_provider}'. "
+                                f"No credentials found for provider '{runtime_provider}'. "
                                 f"Run 'hermes setup' or set the provider's API key in {_DHH}/.env, "
                                 f"or switch providers with 'hermes config set model.provider <name>'"
                             )
diff --git a/hermes_cli/skin_engine.py b/hermes_cli/skin_engine.py
index 5619e7405c..6ca6f8adf3 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/skin_engine.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/skin_engine.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ All fields are optional. Missing values inherit from the ``default`` skin.
       welcome: "Welcome message"          # Shown at CLI startup
       goodbye: "Goodbye! ⚕"              # Shown on exit
       response_label: " ⚕ Hermes "       # Response box header label
-      prompt_symbol: "❯ "                # Input prompt symbol
+      prompt_symbol: "❯"                 # Input prompt symbol (bare token; renderers add trailing space)
       help_header: "(^_^)? Commands"      # /help header text
 
     # Tool prefix: character for tool output lines (default: ┊)
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Hermes Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "Goodbye! ⚕",
             "response_label": " ⚕ Hermes ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "❯ ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "❯",
             "help_header": "(^_^)? Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "┊",
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Ares Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "Farewell, warrior! ⚔",
             "response_label": " ⚔ Ares ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "⚔ ❯ ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "⚔",
             "help_header": "(⚔) Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "╎",
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Hermes Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "Goodbye! ⚕",
             "response_label": " ⚕ Hermes ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "❯ ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "❯",
             "help_header": "[?] Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "┊",
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Hermes Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "Goodbye! ⚕",
             "response_label": " ⚕ Hermes ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "❯ ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "❯",
             "help_header": "(^_^)? Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "┊",
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Hermes Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "Goodbye! ⚕",
             "response_label": " ⚕ Hermes ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "❯ ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "❯",
             "help_header": "[?] Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "│",
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Hermes Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "Goodbye! \u2695",
             "response_label": " \u2695 Hermes ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "\u276f ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "\u276f",
             "help_header": "(^_^)? Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "\u250a",
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Poseidon Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "Fair winds! Ψ",
             "response_label": " Ψ Poseidon ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "Ψ ❯ ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "Ψ",
             "help_header": "(Ψ) Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "│",
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Sisyphus Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "The boulder waits. ◉",
             "response_label": " ◉ Sisyphus ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "◉ ❯ ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "◉",
             "help_header": "(◉) Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "│",
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ _BUILTIN_SKINS: Dict[str, Dict[str, Any]] = {
             "welcome": "Welcome to Charizard Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.",
             "goodbye": "Flame out! ✦",
             "response_label": " ✦ Charizard ",
-            "prompt_symbol": "✦ ❯ ",
+            "prompt_symbol": "✦",
             "help_header": "(✦) Available Commands",
         },
         "tool_prefix": "│",
@@ -780,12 +780,21 @@ def init_skin_from_config(config: dict) -> None:
 # =============================================================================
 
 
-def get_active_prompt_symbol(fallback: str = "❯ ") -> str:
-    """Get the interactive prompt symbol from the active skin."""
+def get_active_prompt_symbol(fallback: str = "❯") -> str:
+    """Return the interactive prompt symbol with a single trailing space.
+
+    Skins store ``prompt_symbol`` as a bare token (no spaces). The trailing
+    space is appended here so callers can drop it straight into a rendered
+    prompt without hand-rolling whitespace.
+    """
     try:
-        return get_active_skin().get_branding("prompt_symbol", fallback)
+        raw = get_active_skin().get_branding("prompt_symbol", fallback)
     except Exception:
-        return fallback
+        raw = fallback
+
+    cleaned = (raw or fallback).strip()
+
+    return f"{cleaned or fallback.strip()} "
 
 
 
diff --git a/model_tools.py b/model_tools.py
index 5c0559f00d..d85a8b8efd 100644
--- a/model_tools.py
+++ b/model_tools.py
@@ -206,6 +206,27 @@ _LEGACY_TOOLSET_MAP = {
 # get_tool_definitions  (the main schema provider)
 # =============================================================================
 
+# Module-level memoization for get_tool_definitions(). Keyed on
+# (frozenset(enabled_toolsets), frozenset(disabled_toolsets), registry._generation).
+# Hot callers (gateway runner, AIAgent.__init__) invoke this on every turn
+# with quiet_mode=True; caching avoids ~7 ms of registry walking + schema
+# filtering + check_fn probing per call. Only active when quiet_mode=True
+# because quiet_mode=False has stdout side effects (tool-selection prints).
+#
+# Invalidation happens transparently via the registry's _generation counter,
+# which bumps on register() / deregister() / register_toolset_alias(). The
+# inner check_fn TTL cache in registry.py handles environment drift (Docker
+# daemon start/stop, env var changes, etc.) on a 30 s horizon.
+_tool_defs_cache: Dict[tuple, List[Dict[str, Any]]] = {}
+
+
+def _clear_tool_defs_cache() -> None:
+    """Drop memoized get_tool_definitions() results. Called when dynamic
+    schema dependencies change (e.g. discord capability cache reset,
+    execute_code sandbox reconfigured)."""
+    _tool_defs_cache.clear()
+
+
 def get_tool_definitions(
     enabled_toolsets: List[str] = None,
     disabled_toolsets: List[str] = None,
@@ -224,6 +245,50 @@ def get_tool_definitions(
     Returns:
         Filtered list of OpenAI-format tool definitions.
     """
+    # Fast path: memoized result when the caller doesn't need stdout prints.
+    # The cache key captures every argument-level input; the registry
+    # generation captures registry mutations (MCP refresh, plugin load).
+    # check_fn results are TTL-cached one level down, inside
+    # registry.get_definitions. The config-mtime fingerprint below captures
+    # user-visible config edits that affect dynamic schemas (execute_code
+    # mode, discord action allowlist, etc.) without needing an explicit
+    # invalidate hook on every config-writer.
+    if quiet_mode:
+        try:
+            from hermes_cli.config import get_config_path
+            cfg_path = get_config_path()
+            cfg_stat = cfg_path.stat()
+            cfg_fp = (cfg_stat.st_mtime_ns, cfg_stat.st_size)
+        except (FileNotFoundError, OSError, ImportError):
+            cfg_fp = None
+        cache_key = (
+            frozenset(enabled_toolsets) if enabled_toolsets is not None else None,
+            frozenset(disabled_toolsets) if disabled_toolsets else None,
+            registry._generation,
+            cfg_fp,
+        )
+        cached = _tool_defs_cache.get(cache_key)
+        if cached is not None:
+            # Update _last_resolved_tool_names so downstream callers see
+            # consistent state even on a cache hit.
+            global _last_resolved_tool_names
+            _last_resolved_tool_names = [t["function"]["name"] for t in cached]
+            # Return a shallow copy of the list but share the dict references —
+            # schemas are treated as read-only by all known callers.
+            return list(cached)
+
+    result = _compute_tool_definitions(enabled_toolsets, disabled_toolsets, quiet_mode)
+    if quiet_mode:
+        _tool_defs_cache[cache_key] = result
+    return result
+
+
+def _compute_tool_definitions(
+    enabled_toolsets: List[str] = None,
+    disabled_toolsets: List[str] = None,
+    quiet_mode: bool = False,
+) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Uncached implementation of :func:`get_tool_definitions`."""
     # Determine which tool names the caller wants
     tools_to_include: set = set()
 
diff --git a/nix/lib.nix b/nix/lib.nix
index 226eb912da..5a08a7a53f 100644
--- a/nix/lib.nix
+++ b/nix/lib.nix
@@ -165,6 +165,17 @@
 
         NEW_HASH=$(echo "$OUTPUT" | awk '/got:/ {print $2; exit}')
         if [ -z "$NEW_HASH" ]; then
+          # Magic-Nix-Cache occasionally returns HTTP 418 / cache-throttled
+          # mid-run; nix then prints "outputs … not valid, so checking is
+          # not possible" without a `got:` line.  That's an infrastructure
+          # blip, not a stale lockfile — warn + skip rather than failing
+          # the lint.  A real hash mismatch would still surface in the
+          # primary `.#$ATTR` build, which is a separate CI job.
+          if echo "$OUTPUT" | grep -qE "throttled|HTTP error 418|substituter .* is disabled|some outputs of .* are not valid"; then
+            echo "    skipped (transient cache failure — see primary nix build for real status)" >&2
+            echo "$OUTPUT" | tail -8 >&2
+            continue
+          fi
           echo "    build failed with no hash mismatch:" >&2
           echo "$OUTPUT" | tail -40 >&2
           exit 1
diff --git a/nix/web.nix b/nix/web.nix
index fbde22af3c..bff29983d6 100644
--- a/nix/web.nix
+++ b/nix/web.nix
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ let
   src = ../web;
   npmDeps = pkgs.fetchNpmDeps {
     inherit src;
-    hash = "sha256-AahWmJ9gDQ9pMPa1FYwUjYdO2mOi6JM9Mst27E0vp68=";
+    hash = "sha256-+B2+Fe4djPzHHcUXRx+m0cuyaopAhW0PcHsMgYfV5VE=";
   };
 
   npm = hermesNpmLib.mkNpmPassthru { folder = "web"; attr = "web"; pname = "hermes-web"; };
diff --git a/scripts/release.py b/scripts/release.py
index 5b0882a947..f8978981a2 100755
--- a/scripts/release.py
+++ b/scripts/release.py
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ AUTHOR_MAP = {
     "6548898+romanornr@users.noreply.github.com": "romanornr",
     "foxion37@gmail.com": "foxion37",
     "bloodcarter@gmail.com": "bloodcarter",
+    "scott@scotttrinh.com": "scotttrinh",
     # contributors (from noreply pattern)
     "david.vv@icloud.com": "davidvv",
     "wangqiang@wangqiangdeMac-mini.local": "xiaoqiang243",
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_cli_skin_integration.py b/tests/cli/test_cli_skin_integration.py
index 08a86782d8..8f58cfdc43 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_cli_skin_integration.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_cli_skin_integration.py
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ class TestCliSkinPromptIntegration:
         cli = _make_cli_stub()
 
         set_active_skin("ares")
-        assert cli._get_tui_prompt_fragments() == [("class:prompt", "⚔ ❯ ")]
+        assert cli._get_tui_prompt_fragments() == [("class:prompt", "⚔ ")]
 
     def test_secret_prompt_fragments_preserve_secret_state(self):
         cli = _make_cli_stub()
         cli._secret_state = {"response_queue": object()}
 
         set_active_skin("ares")
-        assert cli._get_tui_prompt_fragments() == [("class:sudo-prompt", "🔑 ❯ ")]
+        assert cli._get_tui_prompt_fragments() == [("class:sudo-prompt", "🔑 ⚔ ")]
 
     def test_narrow_terminals_compact_voice_prompt_fragments(self):
         cli = _make_cli_stub()
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index d2545e0594..6386e26ec1 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -480,3 +480,29 @@ def _enforce_test_timeout():
     yield
     signal.alarm(0)
     signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, old)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _reset_tool_registry_caches():
+    """Clear tool-registry-level caches between tests.
+
+    The production registry caches ``check_fn()`` results for 30 s
+    (see tools/registry.py) and :func:`get_tool_definitions` memoizes
+    its result (see model_tools.py). Both are keyed on state that tests
+    routinely mutate (env vars, registry._generation, config.yaml mtime)
+    — but a stale result from test A can still be served to test B
+    because 30 s covers the entire suite, and xdist worker reuse means
+    one test's cache lands in another's process. Clearing before every
+    test keeps hermetic behavior.
+    """
+    try:
+        from tools.registry import invalidate_check_fn_cache
+        invalidate_check_fn_cache()
+    except ImportError:
+        pass
+    try:
+        from model_tools import _clear_tool_defs_cache
+        _clear_tool_defs_cache()
+    except ImportError:
+        pass
+    yield
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_cmd_update.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_cmd_update.py
index 1e6a2245b2..caac6d3727 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_cmd_update.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_cmd_update.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ class TestCmdUpdateBranchFallback:
         #   3. web/       — install + "npm run build" for the web frontend
         full_flags = [
             "/usr/bin/npm",
-            "install",
+            "ci",
             "--silent",
             "--no-fund",
             "--no-audit",
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ class TestCmdUpdateBranchFallback:
         assert npm_calls == [
             (full_flags, PROJECT_ROOT),
             (full_flags, PROJECT_ROOT / "ui-tui"),
-            (["/usr/bin/npm", "install", "--silent"], PROJECT_ROOT / "web"),
+            (["/usr/bin/npm", "ci", "--silent"], PROJECT_ROOT / "web"),
             (["/usr/bin/npm", "run", "build"], PROJECT_ROOT / "web"),
         ]
 
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_doctor.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_doctor.py
index ee673035fc..c696e105a5 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_doctor.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_doctor.py
@@ -345,6 +345,59 @@ def test_run_doctor_accepts_bare_custom_provider(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     assert "model.provider 'custom' is not a recognised provider" not in out
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("provider", "default_model"),
+    [
+        ("ai-gateway", "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6"),
+        ("opencode-zen", "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6"),
+        ("kilocode", "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6"),
+        ("kimi-coding", "kimi-k2"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_run_doctor_accepts_hermes_provider_ids_that_catalog_aliases(
+    monkeypatch, tmp_path, provider, default_model
+):
+    home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+    home.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    (home / "config.yaml").write_text(
+        "model:\n"
+        f"  provider: {provider}\n"
+        f"  default: {default_model}\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(doctor_mod, "HERMES_HOME", home)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(doctor_mod, "PROJECT_ROOT", tmp_path / "project")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(doctor_mod, "_DHH", str(home))
+    (tmp_path / "project").mkdir(exist_ok=True)
+
+    fake_model_tools = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        check_tool_availability=lambda *a, **kw: ([], []),
+        TOOLSET_REQUIREMENTS={},
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "model_tools", fake_model_tools)
+
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli import auth as _auth_mod
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_auth_mod, "get_nous_auth_status", lambda: {})
+        monkeypatch.setattr(_auth_mod, "get_codex_auth_status", lambda: {})
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+    buf = io.StringIO()
+    with contextlib.redirect_stdout(buf):
+        doctor_mod.run_doctor(Namespace(fix=False))
+
+    out = buf.getvalue()
+    assert f"model.provider '{provider}' is not a recognised provider" not in out
+    assert f"model.provider '{provider}' is unknown" not in out
+    if provider in {"ai-gateway", "opencode-zen", "kilocode"}:
+        assert (
+            f"model.default '{default_model}' uses a vendor/model slug but provider is '{provider}'"
+            not in out
+        )
+
+
 def test_run_doctor_termux_does_not_mark_browser_available_without_agent_browser(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
     home.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_skin_engine.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_skin_engine.py
index b3fbb8deec..6c23824b9e 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_skin_engine.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_skin_engine.py
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ class TestCliBrandingHelpers:
         from hermes_cli.skin_engine import set_active_skin, get_active_prompt_symbol
 
         set_active_skin("ares")
-        assert get_active_prompt_symbol() == "⚔ ❯ "
+        assert get_active_prompt_symbol() == "⚔ "
 
     def test_active_help_header_ares(self):
         from hermes_cli.skin_engine import set_active_skin, get_active_help_header
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_skin_integration.py b/tests/test_cli_skin_integration.py
index 3a876f777a..ad99358ab1 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli_skin_integration.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli_skin_integration.py
@@ -40,14 +40,14 @@ class TestCliSkinPromptIntegration:
         cli = _make_cli_stub()
 
         set_active_skin("ares")
-        assert cli._get_tui_prompt_fragments() == [("class:prompt", "⚔ ❯ ")]
+        assert cli._get_tui_prompt_fragments() == [("class:prompt", "⚔ ")]
 
     def test_secret_prompt_fragments_preserve_secret_state(self):
         cli = _make_cli_stub()
         cli._secret_state = {"response_queue": object()}
 
         set_active_skin("ares")
-        assert cli._get_tui_prompt_fragments() == [("class:sudo-prompt", "🔑 ❯ ")]
+        assert cli._get_tui_prompt_fragments() == [("class:sudo-prompt", "🔑 ⚔ ")]
 
     def test_icon_only_skin_symbol_still_visible_in_special_states(self):
         cli = _make_cli_stub()
diff --git a/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py b/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
index 7acd4bc790..25f066dd40 100644
--- a/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
+++ b/tests/test_tui_gateway_server.py
@@ -944,6 +944,39 @@ def test_config_set_section_rejects_unknown_section_or_mode(tmp_path, monkeypatc
     assert bad_mode["error"]["code"] == 4002
 
 
+def test_config_mouse_uses_documented_key_with_legacy_fallback(monkeypatch):
+    cfg = {"display": {"tui_mouse": False}}
+    writes = []
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_load_cfg", lambda: cfg)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        server, "_write_config_key", lambda path, value: writes.append((path, value))
+    )
+
+    get_legacy = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "config.get", "params": {"key": "mouse"}}
+    )
+    assert get_legacy["result"]["value"] == "off"
+
+    set_toggle = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "2", "method": "config.set", "params": {"key": "mouse"}}
+    )
+    assert set_toggle["result"] == {"key": "mouse", "value": "on"}
+    assert writes == [("display.mouse_tracking", True)]
+
+    cfg["display"] = {"mouse_tracking": 0, "tui_mouse": True}
+    get_canonical = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "3", "method": "config.get", "params": {"key": "mouse"}}
+    )
+    assert get_canonical["result"]["value"] == "off"
+
+    cfg["display"] = {"mouse_tracking": None, "tui_mouse": False}
+    get_null = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "4", "method": "config.get", "params": {"key": "mouse"}}
+    )
+    assert get_null["result"]["value"] == "on"
+
+
 def test_enable_gateway_prompts_sets_gateway_env(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_EXEC_ASK", raising=False)
     monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION", raising=False)
@@ -980,6 +1013,14 @@ def test_complete_slash_includes_tui_details_command():
     assert any(item["text"] == "/details" for item in resp["result"]["items"])
 
 
+def test_complete_slash_includes_tui_mouse_command():
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "complete.slash", "params": {"text": "/mou"}}
+    )
+
+    assert any(item["text"] == "/mouse" for item in resp["result"]["items"])
+
+
 def test_complete_slash_details_args():
     resp_root = server.handle_request(
         {"id": "0", "method": "complete.slash", "params": {"text": "/details"}}
@@ -1547,6 +1588,19 @@ def test_commands_catalog_surfaces_quick_commands(monkeypatch):
     assert resp["result"]["canon"]["/notes"] == "/notes"
 
 
+def test_commands_catalog_includes_tui_mouse_command():
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "commands.catalog", "params": {}}
+    )
+
+    pairs = dict(resp["result"]["pairs"])
+    tui_cat = next(c for c in resp["result"]["categories"] if c["name"] == "TUI")
+    tui_pairs = dict(tui_cat["pairs"])
+
+    assert "/mouse" in pairs
+    assert "/mouse" in tui_pairs
+
+
 def test_command_dispatch_exec_nonzero_surfaces_error(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         server,
@@ -2633,3 +2687,452 @@ def test_prompt_submit_skips_auto_title_when_response_empty(monkeypatch):
         )
 
     mock_title.assert_not_called()
+
+
+# ── session.most_recent ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_session_most_recent_returns_first_non_denied(monkeypatch):
+    """Drops `tool` rows like session.list does, returns the first hit."""
+
+    class _DB:
+        def list_sessions_rich(self, *, source=None, limit=200):
+            return [
+                {"id": "tool-1", "source": "tool", "title": "noise", "started_at": 100},
+                {"id": "tui-1", "source": "tui", "title": "real", "started_at": 99},
+            ]
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_get_db", lambda: _DB())
+
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "session.most_recent", "params": {}}
+    )
+
+    assert resp["result"]["session_id"] == "tui-1"
+    assert resp["result"]["title"] == "real"
+    assert resp["result"]["source"] == "tui"
+
+
+def test_session_most_recent_returns_null_when_only_tool_rows(monkeypatch):
+    class _DB:
+        def list_sessions_rich(self, *, source=None, limit=200):
+            return [{"id": "tool-1", "source": "tool", "started_at": 1}]
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_get_db", lambda: _DB())
+
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "session.most_recent", "params": {}}
+    )
+
+    assert resp["result"]["session_id"] is None
+
+
+def test_session_most_recent_folds_db_exception_into_null_result(monkeypatch):
+    """Per contract, errors are folded into the null-result shape so
+    callers don't have to special-case JSON-RPC error envelopes for
+    'no answer' (Copilot review on #17130)."""
+
+    class _BrokenDB:
+        def list_sessions_rich(self, *, source=None, limit=200):
+            raise RuntimeError("db locked")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_get_db", lambda: _BrokenDB())
+
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "session.most_recent", "params": {}}
+    )
+
+    assert "error" not in resp
+    assert resp["result"]["session_id"] is None
+
+
+def test_session_most_recent_handles_db_unavailable(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_get_db", lambda: None)
+
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "session.most_recent", "params": {}}
+    )
+
+    assert resp["result"]["session_id"] is None
+# ── browser.manage ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def _stub_urlopen(monkeypatch, *, ok: bool):
+    """Patch urllib.request.urlopen used by browser.manage to short-circuit probes."""
+
+    class _Resp:
+        status = 200 if ok else 503
+
+        def __enter__(self):
+            return self
+
+        def __exit__(self, *_):
+            return False
+
+    def _opener(_url, timeout=2.0):  # noqa: ARG001 — match urllib signature
+        if not ok:
+            raise OSError("probe failed")
+        return _Resp()
+
+    import urllib.request
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(urllib.request, "urlopen", _opener)
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_status_reads_env_var(monkeypatch):
+    """Status returns the env var verbatim (no network I/O)."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", "http://127.0.0.1:9222")
+
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "browser.manage", "params": {"action": "status"}}
+    )
+
+    assert resp["result"] == {"connected": True, "url": "http://127.0.0.1:9222"}
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_status_falls_back_to_config_cdp_url(monkeypatch):
+    """When env is unset, status surfaces ``browser.cdp_url`` from
+    config.yaml so users see what the next tool call will read."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", raising=False)
+
+    fake_cfg = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        read_raw_config=lambda: {"browser": {"cdp_url": "http://lan:9222"}}
+    )
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"hermes_cli.config": fake_cfg}):
+        resp = server.handle_request(
+            {"id": "1", "method": "browser.manage", "params": {"action": "status"}}
+        )
+
+    assert resp["result"] == {"connected": True, "url": "http://lan:9222"}
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_status_does_not_call_get_cdp_override(monkeypatch):
+    """Regression guard for Copilot's "status must not block" review:
+    status must NOT route through `_get_cdp_override`, which performs a
+    `/json/version` HTTP probe with a multi-second timeout."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", "http://127.0.0.1:9222")
+
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: pytest.fail(  # noqa: PT015 — fail loudly if called
+            "_get_cdp_override must not run on /browser status (network I/O)"
+        )
+    )
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        resp = server.handle_request(
+            {"id": "1", "method": "browser.manage", "params": {"action": "status"}}
+        )
+
+    assert resp["result"]["connected"] is True
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_connect_sets_env_and_cleans_twice(monkeypatch):
+    """`/browser connect` must reach the live process: set env, reap browser
+    sessions before AND after publishing the new URL.  The double-cleanup
+    closes the supervisor swap window where ``_ensure_cdp_supervisor``
+    could re-attach to the *old* CDP endpoint between steps."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", raising=False)
+    cleanup_calls: list[str] = []
+
+    def _cleanup_all():
+        cleanup_calls.append(os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""))
+
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        cleanup_all_browsers=_cleanup_all,
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""),
+    )
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        _stub_urlopen(monkeypatch, ok=True)
+        resp = server.handle_request(
+            {
+                "id": "1",
+                "method": "browser.manage",
+                "params": {"action": "connect", "url": "http://127.0.0.1:9222"},
+            }
+        )
+
+    assert resp["result"] == {"connected": True, "url": "http://127.0.0.1:9222"}
+    assert os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL") == "http://127.0.0.1:9222"
+    # First cleanup runs against the OLD env (none here), second against the NEW.
+    assert cleanup_calls == ["", "http://127.0.0.1:9222"]
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_connect_rejects_unreachable_endpoint(monkeypatch):
+    """An unreachable endpoint must NOT mutate the env or reap sessions."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", "http://existing:9222")
+    cleanup_calls: list[str] = []
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        cleanup_all_browsers=lambda: cleanup_calls.append(os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", "")),
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""),
+    )
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        _stub_urlopen(monkeypatch, ok=False)
+        resp = server.handle_request(
+            {
+                "id": "1",
+                "method": "browser.manage",
+                "params": {"action": "connect", "url": "http://unreachable:9222"},
+            }
+        )
+
+    assert "error" in resp
+    # Env preserved; nothing reaped.
+    assert os.environ["BROWSER_CDP_URL"] == "http://existing:9222"
+    assert cleanup_calls == []
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_connect_normalizes_bare_host_port(monkeypatch):
+    """Persist a parsed `scheme://host:port` URL so `_get_cdp_override`
+    can normalize it; storing a bare host:port would break subsequent
+    tool calls (Copilot review on #17120)."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", raising=False)
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        cleanup_all_browsers=lambda: None,
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""),
+    )
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        _stub_urlopen(monkeypatch, ok=True)
+        resp = server.handle_request(
+            {
+                "id": "1",
+                "method": "browser.manage",
+                "params": {"action": "connect", "url": "127.0.0.1:9222"},
+            }
+        )
+
+    assert resp["result"]["connected"] is True
+    # Bare host:port got promoted to a full URL with explicit scheme.
+    assert resp["result"]["url"].startswith("http://")
+    assert os.environ["BROWSER_CDP_URL"].startswith("http://")
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_connect_strips_discovery_path(monkeypatch):
+    """User-supplied discovery paths like `/json` or `/json/version`
+    must collapse to bare `scheme://host:port`; otherwise
+    ``_resolve_cdp_override`` will append ``/json/version`` again and
+    produce a duplicate path (Copilot review round-2 on #17120)."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", raising=False)
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        cleanup_all_browsers=lambda: None,
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""),
+    )
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        _stub_urlopen(monkeypatch, ok=True)
+        resp = server.handle_request(
+            {
+                "id": "1",
+                "method": "browser.manage",
+                "params": {"action": "connect", "url": "http://127.0.0.1:9222/json"},
+            }
+        )
+
+    assert resp["result"]["connected"] is True
+    assert resp["result"]["url"] == "http://127.0.0.1:9222"
+    assert os.environ["BROWSER_CDP_URL"] == "http://127.0.0.1:9222"
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_connect_preserves_devtools_browser_endpoint(monkeypatch):
+    """Concrete devtools websocket endpoints (e.g. Browserbase) must
+    survive verbatim — we only collapse discovery-style paths."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", raising=False)
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        cleanup_all_browsers=lambda: None,
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""),
+    )
+    concrete = "ws://browserbase.example/devtools/browser/abc123"
+
+    class _OkSocket:
+        def __enter__(self): return self
+        def __exit__(self, *a): return False
+
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        # If urlopen is reached for a concrete ws endpoint, the test
+        # would still pass because _stub_urlopen returned ok=True before;
+        # patch it to assert-fail so we prove the HTTP probe is skipped.
+        with patch("urllib.request.urlopen", side_effect=AssertionError("urlopen called")):
+            with patch("socket.create_connection", return_value=_OkSocket()):
+                resp = server.handle_request(
+                    {
+                        "id": "1",
+                        "method": "browser.manage",
+                        "params": {"action": "connect", "url": concrete},
+                    }
+                )
+
+    assert resp["result"]["connected"] is True
+    assert resp["result"]["url"] == concrete
+    assert os.environ["BROWSER_CDP_URL"] == concrete
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_connect_concrete_ws_skips_http_probe(monkeypatch):
+    """Regression for round-2 Copilot review: a hosted CDP endpoint
+    (no HTTP discovery) must connect via TCP-only reachability check.
+    The HTTP probe used to reject these even though they're valid."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", raising=False)
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        cleanup_all_browsers=lambda: None,
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""),
+    )
+    concrete = "wss://chrome.browserless.io/devtools/browser/sess-1"
+
+    seen_targets: list[tuple[str, int]] = []
+
+    class _OkSocket:
+        def __enter__(self): return self
+        def __exit__(self, *a): return False
+
+    def _fake_create_connection(addr, timeout=None):
+        seen_targets.append(addr)
+        return _OkSocket()
+
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        # urlopen would 404/ECONNREFUSED on a real hosted CDP endpoint;
+        # asserting it's never called proves the probe was skipped.
+        with patch("urllib.request.urlopen", side_effect=AssertionError("urlopen called")):
+            with patch("socket.create_connection", side_effect=_fake_create_connection):
+                resp = server.handle_request(
+                    {
+                        "id": "1",
+                        "method": "browser.manage",
+                        "params": {"action": "connect", "url": concrete},
+                    }
+                )
+
+    assert resp["result"] == {"connected": True, "url": concrete}
+    # wss → port 443, host preserved verbatim.
+    assert seen_targets == [("chrome.browserless.io", 443)]
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_connect_concrete_ws_tcp_unreachable(monkeypatch):
+    """If the TCP reachability check fails for a concrete ws endpoint,
+    return a clear 5031 error — no fallback to the HTTP probe (which
+    can never succeed for these URLs anyway)."""
+    monkeypatch.delenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", raising=False)
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        cleanup_all_browsers=lambda: None,
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""),
+    )
+    concrete = "ws://offline.example/devtools/browser/missing"
+
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        with patch("socket.create_connection", side_effect=OSError("ECONNREFUSED")):
+            resp = server.handle_request(
+                {
+                    "id": "1",
+                    "method": "browser.manage",
+                    "params": {"action": "connect", "url": concrete},
+                }
+            )
+
+    assert "error" in resp
+    assert resp["error"]["code"] == 5031
+
+
+def test_browser_manage_disconnect_drops_env_and_cleans(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("BROWSER_CDP_URL", "http://127.0.0.1:9222")
+    cleanup_count = {"n": 0}
+    fake = types.SimpleNamespace(
+        cleanup_all_browsers=lambda: cleanup_count.__setitem__("n", cleanup_count["n"] + 1),
+        _get_cdp_override=lambda: os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", ""),
+    )
+    with patch.dict(sys.modules, {"tools.browser_tool": fake}):
+        resp = server.handle_request(
+            {"id": "1", "method": "browser.manage", "params": {"action": "disconnect"}}
+        )
+
+    assert resp["result"] == {"connected": False}
+    assert "BROWSER_CDP_URL" not in os.environ
+    # Two cleanups: once before env removal, once after, matching connect.
+    assert cleanup_count["n"] == 2
+
+
+# ── config.get indicator normalization ───────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_config_get_indicator_returns_known_value_verbatim(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        server, "_load_cfg", lambda: {"display": {"tui_status_indicator": "emoji"}}
+    )
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "config.get", "params": {"key": "indicator"}}
+    )
+    assert resp["result"] == {"value": "emoji"}
+
+
+def test_config_get_indicator_normalizes_casing_and_whitespace(monkeypatch):
+    """Hand-edited config.yaml stays consistent with what the TUI shows.
+
+    Frontend's `normalizeIndicatorStyle` lowercases + trims, so config.get
+    must do the same — otherwise `/indicator` prints 'EMOJI ' while the
+    UI is actually rendering the kaomoji default."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        server, "_load_cfg", lambda: {"display": {"tui_status_indicator": " EMOJI "}}
+    )
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "config.get", "params": {"key": "indicator"}}
+    )
+    assert resp["result"] == {"value": "emoji"}
+
+
+def test_config_get_indicator_falls_back_to_default_for_unknown(monkeypatch):
+    """An unknown value in config.yaml falls back to the same default
+    the frontend uses (`_INDICATOR_DEFAULT`)."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        server, "_load_cfg", lambda: {"display": {"tui_status_indicator": "rainbow"}}
+    )
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "config.get", "params": {"key": "indicator"}}
+    )
+    assert resp["result"] == {"value": "kaomoji"}
+
+
+def test_config_get_indicator_falls_back_when_unset(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_load_cfg", lambda: {"display": {}})
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "config.get", "params": {"key": "indicator"}}
+    )
+    assert resp["result"] == {"value": "kaomoji"}
+
+
+# ── config.set indicator validation ──────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_config_set_indicator_accepts_known_value(monkeypatch):
+    written: dict = {}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        server, "_write_config_key",
+        lambda k, v: written.update({k: v}),
+    )
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "config.set", "params": {"key": "indicator", "value": "EMOJI"}}
+    )
+    assert resp["result"] == {"key": "indicator", "value": "emoji"}
+    assert written == {"display.tui_status_indicator": "emoji"}
+
+
+def test_config_set_indicator_falsy_non_string_surfaces_in_error(monkeypatch):
+    """`0` / `False` / `[]` are not valid styles, but the error message
+    must still tell the user what they sent — `value or ""` would have
+    erased them to a blank string."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_write_config_key", lambda *a, **k: None)
+
+    for bad in (0, False, []):
+        resp = server.handle_request(
+            {"id": "1", "method": "config.set", "params": {"key": "indicator", "value": bad}}
+        )
+        assert "error" in resp
+        msg = resp["error"]["message"]
+        assert "unknown indicator" in msg
+        # The exact repr varies; `0`/`False` stringify with content,
+        # `[]` becomes an empty list — what matters is the diagnostic
+        # is no longer just `unknown indicator: ` with nothing after.
+        assert msg.split("; ")[0] != "unknown indicator: ''"
+
+
+def test_config_set_indicator_none_keeps_blank_repr(monkeypatch):
+    """`None` is the genuine 'no value' case — empty raw is acceptable."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_write_config_key", lambda *a, **k: None)
+    resp = server.handle_request(
+        {"id": "1", "method": "config.set", "params": {"key": "indicator", "value": None}}
+    )
+    assert "error" in resp
+    assert "unknown indicator: ''" in resp["error"]["message"]
diff --git a/tests/tools/test_dockerfile_pid1_reaping.py b/tests/tools/test_dockerfile_pid1_reaping.py
index 7538162798..52532a78dd 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_dockerfile_pid1_reaping.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_dockerfile_pid1_reaping.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import pytest
 
 REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
 DOCKERFILE = REPO_ROOT / "Dockerfile"
+DOCKERIGNORE = REPO_ROOT / ".dockerignore"
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
@@ -108,17 +109,37 @@ def test_dockerfile_installs_tui_dependencies(dockerfile_text):
     assert "ui-tui/package.json" in dockerfile_text
     assert "ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/package-lock.json" in dockerfile_text
     assert any(
-        "ui-tui" in step
-        and "npm" in step
-        and (" install" in step or " ci" in step)
+        "ui-tui" in step and "npm" in step and (" install" in step or " ci" in step)
         for step in _run_steps(dockerfile_text)
     )
 
 
 def test_dockerfile_builds_tui_assets(dockerfile_text):
     assert any(
-        "ui-tui" in step
-        and "npm" in step
-        and "run build" in step
+        "ui-tui" in step and "npm" in step and "run build" in step
         for step in _run_steps(dockerfile_text)
     )
+
+
+def test_dockerfile_materializes_local_tui_ink_package(dockerfile_text):
+    assert any(
+        "ui-tui" in step
+        and "node_modules/@hermes/ink" in step
+        and "packages/hermes-ink" in step
+        and "rm -rf packages/hermes-ink/node_modules" in step
+        and "npm install --omit=dev" in step
+        and "--prefix node_modules/@hermes/ink" in step
+        and "rm -rf node_modules/@hermes/ink/node_modules/react" in step
+        and "await import('@hermes/ink')" in step
+        for step in _run_steps(dockerfile_text)
+    )
+
+
+def test_dockerignore_excludes_nested_dependency_dirs():
+    if not DOCKERIGNORE.exists():
+        pytest.skip(".dockerignore not present in this checkout")
+
+    text = DOCKERIGNORE.read_text()
+
+    assert "**/node_modules" in text
+    assert "**/.venv" in text
diff --git a/tests/tui_gateway/test_protocol.py b/tests/tui_gateway/test_protocol.py
index 42caaacc58..6c94ec0710 100644
--- a/tests/tui_gateway/test_protocol.py
+++ b/tests/tui_gateway/test_protocol.py
@@ -83,6 +83,134 @@ def test_write_json_broken_pipe(server):
     assert server.write_json({"x": 1}) is False
 
 
+def test_write_json_closed_stream_returns_false(server):
+    """ValueError ('I/O on closed file') used to bubble up; treat as gone."""
+
+    class _Closed:
+        def write(self, _): raise ValueError("I/O operation on closed file")
+        def flush(self): raise ValueError("I/O operation on closed file")
+
+    server._real_stdout = _Closed()
+    assert server.write_json({"x": 1}) is False
+
+
+def test_write_json_unicode_encode_error_re_raises(server):
+    """A non-UTF-8 stdout encoding raises UnicodeEncodeError (a ValueError
+    subclass).  It must NOT be swallowed as 'peer gone' — that would let
+    `entry.py` exit cleanly via the False path and hide the real config
+    bug.  We re-raise so the existing crash-log infrastructure records it."""
+
+    class _AsciiOnly:
+        def write(self, line):
+            line.encode("ascii")  # raises UnicodeEncodeError on non-ascii
+        def flush(self): pass
+
+    server._real_stdout = _AsciiOnly()
+    with pytest.raises(UnicodeEncodeError):
+        server.write_json({"msg": "héllo"})
+
+
+def test_write_json_unrelated_value_error_re_raises(server):
+    """Only ValueError('...closed file...') means peer gone.  Other
+    ValueErrors are programming errors and must surface."""
+
+    class _BadValue:
+        def write(self, _): raise ValueError("something else entirely")
+        def flush(self): pass
+
+    server._real_stdout = _BadValue()
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="something else entirely"):
+        server.write_json({"x": 1})
+
+
+def test_write_json_non_serializable_payload_re_raises(server):
+    """Non-JSON-safe payloads are programming errors — they must NOT be
+    silently dropped via the False path (which would trigger a clean exit
+    in entry.py and mask the real bug)."""
+    import io
+
+    server._real_stdout = io.StringIO()
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        server.write_json({"obj": object()})
+
+
+def test_write_json_peer_gone_oserror_on_flush_returns_false(server):
+    """A flush that raises a peer-gone OSError (EPIPE) must not strand
+    the lock or crash; it returns False so the dispatcher exits cleanly."""
+    import errno
+
+    written = []
+
+    class _FlushPeerGone:
+        def write(self, line): written.append(line)
+        def flush(self): raise OSError(errno.EPIPE, "broken pipe")
+
+    server._real_stdout = _FlushPeerGone()
+    assert server.write_json({"x": 1}) is False
+    assert written and json.loads(written[0]) == {"x": 1}
+
+
+def test_write_json_non_peer_gone_oserror_re_raises(server):
+    """Host I/O failures (ENOSPC, EACCES, EIO …) are NOT peer-gone — they
+    must re-raise so the crash log records them instead of looking like
+    a clean disconnect via the False path."""
+    import errno
+
+    class _DiskFull:
+        def write(self, _): raise OSError(errno.ENOSPC, "no space left")
+        def flush(self): pass
+
+    server._real_stdout = _DiskFull()
+    with pytest.raises(OSError, match="no space"):
+        server.write_json({"x": 1})
+
+
+def test_write_json_skips_flush_when_disable_flush_true(monkeypatch):
+    """`StdioTransport` skips flush when `_DISABLE_FLUSH` is true.
+
+    Tests the runtime *behaviour* via direct module-attr patch.  The env
+    var → module constant wiring is covered by the dedicated env test
+    below; reloading server.py here would re-register atexit hooks and
+    recreate the worker pool.
+    """
+    import importlib
+
+    transport_mod = importlib.import_module("tui_gateway.transport")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(transport_mod, "_DISABLE_FLUSH", True)
+
+    flushed = {"count": 0}
+    written = []
+
+    class _Stream:
+        def write(self, line): written.append(line)
+        def flush(self): flushed["count"] += 1
+
+    stream = _Stream()
+    transport = transport_mod.StdioTransport(lambda: stream, threading.Lock())
+
+    assert transport.write({"x": 1}) is True
+    assert flushed["count"] == 0
+
+
+def test_disable_flush_env_var_actually_wires_to_module_constant(monkeypatch):
+    """End-to-end: setting `HERMES_TUI_GATEWAY_NO_FLUSH=1` and importing
+    `tui_gateway.transport` fresh actually flips `_DISABLE_FLUSH` true.
+
+    Reloads only the transport module — server.py is untouched so its
+    atexit hooks/worker pool stay intact."""
+    import importlib
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_TUI_GATEWAY_NO_FLUSH", "1")
+    transport_mod = importlib.reload(importlib.import_module("tui_gateway.transport"))
+
+    try:
+        assert transport_mod._DISABLE_FLUSH is True
+    finally:
+        # Restore the env-disabled state so other tests see the default.
+        monkeypatch.delenv("HERMES_TUI_GATEWAY_NO_FLUSH", raising=False)
+        importlib.reload(transport_mod)
+
+
 # ── _emit ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
diff --git a/tools/approval.py b/tools/approval.py
index aac0406d54..5521ab5bc8 100644
--- a/tools/approval.py
+++ b/tools/approval.py
@@ -164,6 +164,18 @@ HARDLINE_PATTERNS = [
     (_CMDPOS + r'telinit\s+[06]\b', "telinit 0/6 (shutdown/reboot)"),
 ]
 
+# Pre-compiled variant used by the hot-path matcher. Building these at module
+# load eliminates the ~2.6 ms cold-cache re.compile fan-out on the first
+# terminal() call per process (12 HARDLINE + 47 DANGEROUS patterns, each
+# potentially evicted from Python's 512-entry ``re._cache`` by unrelated
+# regex work elsewhere in the agent). DANGEROUS_PATTERNS_COMPILED is built
+# at the end of this module after DANGEROUS_PATTERNS is defined.
+_RE_FLAGS = re.IGNORECASE | re.DOTALL
+HARDLINE_PATTERNS_COMPILED = [
+    (re.compile(pattern, _RE_FLAGS), description)
+    for pattern, description in HARDLINE_PATTERNS
+]
+
 
 def detect_hardline_command(command: str) -> tuple:
     """Check if a command matches the unconditional hardline blocklist.
@@ -172,8 +184,8 @@ def detect_hardline_command(command: str) -> tuple:
         (is_hardline, description) or (False, None)
     """
     normalized = _normalize_command_for_detection(command).lower()
-    for pattern, description in HARDLINE_PATTERNS:
-        if re.search(pattern, normalized, re.IGNORECASE | re.DOTALL):
+    for pattern_re, description in HARDLINE_PATTERNS_COMPILED:
+        if pattern_re.search(normalized):
             return (True, description)
     return (False, None)
 
@@ -267,6 +279,13 @@ DANGEROUS_PATTERNS = [
 ]
 
 
+# Pre-compiled variant (same rationale as HARDLINE_PATTERNS_COMPILED above).
+DANGEROUS_PATTERNS_COMPILED = [
+    (re.compile(pattern, _RE_FLAGS), description)
+    for pattern, description in DANGEROUS_PATTERNS
+]
+
+
 def _legacy_pattern_key(pattern: str) -> str:
     """Reproduce the old regex-derived approval key for backwards compatibility."""
     return pattern.split(r'\b')[1] if r'\b' in pattern else pattern[:20]
@@ -319,8 +338,8 @@ def detect_dangerous_command(command: str) -> tuple:
         (is_dangerous, pattern_key, description) or (False, None, None)
     """
     command_lower = _normalize_command_for_detection(command).lower()
-    for pattern, description in DANGEROUS_PATTERNS:
-        if re.search(pattern, command_lower, re.IGNORECASE | re.DOTALL):
+    for pattern_re, description in DANGEROUS_PATTERNS_COMPILED:
+        if pattern_re.search(command_lower):
             pattern_key = description
             return (True, pattern_key, description)
     return (False, None, None)
diff --git a/tools/registry.py b/tools/registry.py
index e6d554e2bb..342078191a 100644
--- a/tools/registry.py
+++ b/tools/registry.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import importlib
 import json
 import logging
 import threading
+import time
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Set
 
@@ -97,6 +98,48 @@ class ToolEntry:
         self.max_result_size_chars = max_result_size_chars
 
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# check_fn TTL cache
+#
+# check_fn callables like tools/terminal_tool.check_terminal_requirements
+# probe external state (Docker daemon, Modal SDK install, playwright binary
+# availability). For a long-lived CLI or gateway process, calling them on
+# every get_definitions() is pure waste — external state changes on human
+# timescales. Cache results for ~30 s so env-var flips via ``hermes tools``
+# or live credential file changes propagate within a turn or two without
+# requiring any explicit invalidation.
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+_CHECK_FN_TTL_SECONDS = 30.0
+_check_fn_cache: Dict[Callable, tuple[float, bool]] = {}
+_check_fn_cache_lock = threading.Lock()
+
+
+def _check_fn_cached(fn: Callable) -> bool:
+    """Return bool(fn()), TTL-cached across calls. Swallows exceptions as False."""
+    now = time.monotonic()
+    with _check_fn_cache_lock:
+        cached = _check_fn_cache.get(fn)
+        if cached is not None:
+            ts, value = cached
+            if now - ts < _CHECK_FN_TTL_SECONDS:
+                return value
+    try:
+        value = bool(fn())
+    except Exception:
+        value = False
+    with _check_fn_cache_lock:
+        _check_fn_cache[fn] = (now, value)
+    return value
+
+
+def invalidate_check_fn_cache() -> None:
+    """Drop all cached ``check_fn`` results. Call after config changes that
+    affect tool availability (e.g. ``hermes tools enable``)."""
+    with _check_fn_cache_lock:
+        _check_fn_cache.clear()
+
+
 class ToolRegistry:
     """Singleton registry that collects tool schemas + handlers from tool files."""
 
@@ -108,6 +151,12 @@ class ToolRegistry:
         # reading tool metadata, so keep mutations serialized and readers on
         # stable snapshots.
         self._lock = threading.RLock()
+        # Monotonically-increasing generation counter. Bumped on every
+        # mutation (register / deregister / register_toolset_alias / MCP
+        # refresh). External callers (e.g. get_tool_definitions) can memoize
+        # against it: a cache entry keyed on the generation is valid for as
+        # long as the generation hasn't changed.
+        self._generation: int = 0
 
     def _snapshot_state(self) -> tuple[List[ToolEntry], Dict[str, Callable]]:
         """Return a coherent snapshot of registry entries and toolset checks."""
@@ -158,6 +207,7 @@ class ToolRegistry:
                     alias, existing, toolset,
                 )
             self._toolset_aliases[alias] = toolset
+            self._generation += 1
 
     def get_registered_toolset_aliases(self) -> Dict[str, str]:
         """Return a snapshot of ``{alias: canonical_toolset}`` mappings."""
@@ -225,6 +275,7 @@ class ToolRegistry:
             )
             if check_fn and toolset not in self._toolset_checks:
                 self._toolset_checks[toolset] = check_fn
+            self._generation += 1
 
     def deregister(self, name: str) -> None:
         """Remove a tool from the registry.
@@ -249,6 +300,7 @@ class ToolRegistry:
                     for alias, target in self._toolset_aliases.items()
                     if target != entry.toolset
                 }
+            self._generation += 1
         logger.debug("Deregistered tool: %s", name)
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -259,9 +311,17 @@ class ToolRegistry:
         """Return OpenAI-format tool schemas for the requested tool names.
 
         Only tools whose ``check_fn()`` returns True (or have no check_fn)
-        are included.
+        are included. ``check_fn()`` results are cached for ~30 s via
+        :func:`_check_fn_cached` to amortize repeat probes (check_terminal_
+        requirements probes modal/docker, browser checks probe playwright,
+        etc.); TTL chosen so env-var changes (``hermes tools enable foo``)
+        still take effect in near-real-time without forcing a full cache
+        flush on every call.
         """
         result = []
+        # Per-call cache on top of the 30 s TTL — handles repeat probes of the
+        # same check_fn within one definitions pass without re-reading the
+        # TTL clock.
         check_results: Dict[Callable, bool] = {}
         entries_by_name = {entry.name: entry for entry in self._snapshot_entries()}
         for name in sorted(tool_names):
@@ -270,12 +330,7 @@ class ToolRegistry:
                 continue
             if entry.check_fn:
                 if entry.check_fn not in check_results:
-                    try:
-                        check_results[entry.check_fn] = bool(entry.check_fn())
-                    except Exception:
-                        check_results[entry.check_fn] = False
-                        if not quiet:
-                            logger.debug("Tool %s check raised; skipping", name)
+                    check_results[entry.check_fn] = _check_fn_cached(entry.check_fn)
                 if not check_results[entry.check_fn]:
                     if not quiet:
                         logger.debug("Tool %s unavailable (check failed)", name)
diff --git a/tools/web_tools.py b/tools/web_tools.py
index 4ae4cd66ad..352b4a55b1 100644
--- a/tools/web_tools.py
+++ b/tools/web_tools.py
@@ -45,12 +45,47 @@ import logging
 import os
 import re
 import asyncio
-from typing import List, Dict, Any, Optional
+from typing import List, Dict, Any, Optional, TYPE_CHECKING
 import httpx
 # NOTE: `from firecrawl import Firecrawl` is deliberately NOT at module top —
 # the SDK pulls ~200 ms of imports (httpcore, firecrawl.v1/v2 type trees) and
-# we only need it when the backend is actually "firecrawl". See
-# _get_firecrawl_client() below for the lazy import.
+# we only need it when the backend is actually "firecrawl". We expose
+# ``Firecrawl`` as a thin proxy that imports the SDK on first call/
+# isinstance check, so both (a) the in-module ``Firecrawl(...)`` construction
+# site in _get_firecrawl_client() works unchanged, and (b) tests using
+# ``patch("tools.web_tools.Firecrawl", ...)`` keep working.
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from firecrawl import Firecrawl  # noqa: F401 — type hints only
+
+_FIRECRAWL_CLS_CACHE: Optional[type] = None
+
+
+def _load_firecrawl_cls() -> type:
+    """Import and cache ``firecrawl.Firecrawl``."""
+    global _FIRECRAWL_CLS_CACHE
+    if _FIRECRAWL_CLS_CACHE is None:
+        from firecrawl import Firecrawl as _cls
+        _FIRECRAWL_CLS_CACHE = _cls
+    return _FIRECRAWL_CLS_CACHE
+
+
+class _FirecrawlProxy:
+    """Module-level proxy that looks like ``firecrawl.Firecrawl`` but imports lazily."""
+
+    __slots__ = ()
+
+    def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        return _load_firecrawl_cls()(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    def __instancecheck__(self, obj):
+        return isinstance(obj, _load_firecrawl_cls())
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "<lazy firecrawl.Firecrawl proxy>"
+
+
+Firecrawl = _FirecrawlProxy()
+
 from agent.auxiliary_client import (
     async_call_llm,
     extract_content_or_reasoning,
@@ -239,8 +274,7 @@ def _get_firecrawl_client():
     if _firecrawl_client is not None and _firecrawl_client_config == client_config:
         return _firecrawl_client
 
-    # Lazy import — ~200 ms of SDK init, only paid when firecrawl is actually used.
-    from firecrawl import Firecrawl  # noqa: E402
+    # Uses the module-level `Firecrawl` name (lazy proxy at module top).
     _firecrawl_client = Firecrawl(**kwargs)
     _firecrawl_client_config = client_config
     return _firecrawl_client
diff --git a/tui_gateway/entry.py b/tui_gateway/entry.py
index 38e00ecfac..70fc851820 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/entry.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/entry.py
@@ -29,6 +29,28 @@ def _install_sidecar_publisher() -> None:
     )
 
 
+# How long to wait for orderly shutdown (atexit + finalisers) before
+# falling back to ``os._exit(0)`` so a wedged worker mid-flush can't
+# strand the process.  1s covers the gateway's own shutdown work
+# (thread-pool drain + session finalize) on every machine we've
+# tested; override via ``HERMES_TUI_GATEWAY_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_S`` if a
+# slower environment needs more headroom (e.g. encrypted disks
+# flushing checkpoints) and accept that a longer grace also means a
+# longer wait when shutdown actually deadlocks.
+_DEFAULT_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_S = 1.0
+
+
+def _shutdown_grace_seconds() -> float:
+    raw = (os.environ.get("HERMES_TUI_GATEWAY_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_S") or "").strip()
+    if not raw:
+        return _DEFAULT_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_S
+    try:
+        value = float(raw)
+    except ValueError:
+        return _DEFAULT_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_S
+    return value if value > 0 else _DEFAULT_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_S
+
+
 def _log_signal(signum: int, frame) -> None:
     """Capture WHICH thread and WHERE a termination signal hit us.
 
@@ -38,6 +60,15 @@ def _log_signal(signum: int, frame) -> None:
     handler the gateway-exited banner in the TUI has no trace — the
     crash log never sees a Python exception because the kernel reaps
     the process before the interpreter runs anything.
+
+    Termination semantics: ``sys.exit(0)`` here used to race the worker
+    pool — a thread holding ``_stdout_lock`` mid-flush would block the
+    interpreter shutdown indefinitely.  We now log the stack, give the
+    process the configured shutdown grace
+    (``HERMES_TUI_GATEWAY_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_S``, default
+    ``_DEFAULT_SHUTDOWN_GRACE_S``) to drain naturally on a background
+    thread, and fall back to ``os._exit(0)`` so a wedged write/flush
+    can never strand the process.
     """
     name = {
         signal.SIGPIPE: "SIGPIPE",
@@ -62,7 +93,31 @@ def _log_signal(signum: int, frame) -> None:
     except Exception:
         pass
     print(f"[gateway-signal] {name}", file=sys.stderr, flush=True)
-    sys.exit(0)
+
+    import threading as _threading
+
+    def _hard_exit() -> None:
+        # If a worker thread is still mid-flush on a half-closed pipe,
+        # ``sys.exit(0)`` would wait forever for it to drop the GIL on
+        # interpreter shutdown.  ``os._exit`` skips atexit handlers but
+        # breaks the deadlock.  The crash log + stderr line above are
+        # the forensic trail.
+        os._exit(0)
+
+    timer = _threading.Timer(_shutdown_grace_seconds(), _hard_exit)
+    timer.daemon = True
+    timer.start()
+
+    try:
+        sys.exit(0)
+    except SystemExit:
+        # Re-raise so the main-thread interpreter unwinds and runs
+        # atexit + finalisers inside the grace window.  Python signal
+        # handlers always run on the main thread, but a worker thread
+        # holding ``_stdout_lock`` mid-flush can keep that unwind
+        # waiting indefinitely; the daemon timer above is the safety
+        # net for that exact case.
+        raise
 
 
 # SIGPIPE: ignore, don't exit. The old SIG_DFL killed the process
diff --git a/tui_gateway/server.py b/tui_gateway/server.py
index 0343cb84bb..b956ef0c37 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/server.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/server.py
@@ -491,6 +491,13 @@ def _normalize_completion_path(path_part: str) -> str:
 # ── Config I/O ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 
+# Keep aligned with `INDICATOR_STYLES` / `DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE` in
+# ``ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts`` — both ends validate against the
+# same shape so `config.get indicator` and the live TUI render agree.
+_INDICATOR_STYLES: tuple[str, ...] = ("ascii", "emoji", "kaomoji", "unicode")
+_INDICATOR_DEFAULT = "kaomoji"
+
+
 def _load_cfg() -> dict:
     global _cfg_cache, _cfg_mtime, _cfg_path
     try:
@@ -683,6 +690,21 @@ def _coerce_statusbar(raw) -> str:
     return "top"
 
 
+def _display_mouse_tracking(display: dict) -> bool:
+    """Return canonical display.mouse_tracking with legacy tui_mouse fallback."""
+    if not isinstance(display, dict):
+        return True
+    if "mouse_tracking" in display:
+        raw = display.get("mouse_tracking")
+    else:
+        raw = display.get("tui_mouse", True)
+    if raw is False or raw == 0:
+        return False
+    if isinstance(raw, str):
+        return raw.strip().lower() not in {"0", "false", "no", "off"}
+    return True
+
+
 def _load_reasoning_config() -> dict | None:
     from hermes_constants import parse_reasoning_effort
 
@@ -1788,6 +1810,50 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
         return _err(rid, 5006, str(e))
 
 
+@method("session.most_recent")
+def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
+    """Return the most recent human-facing session id, or ``None``.
+
+    Mirrors ``session.list``'s deny-list behaviour (drops ``tool``
+    sub-agent rows).  Used by TUI auto-resume when
+    ``display.tui_auto_resume_recent`` is on; the field is also handy
+    for any CLI tooling that wants "latest session" without paginating
+    the full list.
+
+    Contract: a ``{"session_id": null}`` result means "no eligible
+    session found right now".  Errors are also folded into that
+    null-result shape (and logged) so callers don't have to special-
+    case JSON-RPC error envelopes for what is a normal "no answer".
+    """
+    db = _get_db()
+    if db is None:
+        return _ok(rid, {"session_id": None})
+    try:
+        deny = frozenset({"tool"})
+        # Over-fetch by a generous bounded amount so heavy sub-agent
+        # users (lots of recent ``tool`` rows) don't get a false
+        # "no eligible session" answer.  ``session.list`` uses a
+        # similar over-fetch strategy.
+        rows = db.list_sessions_rich(source=None, limit=200)
+        for row in rows:
+            src = (row.get("source") or "").strip().lower()
+            if src in deny:
+                continue
+            return _ok(
+                rid,
+                {
+                    "session_id": row.get("id"),
+                    "title": row.get("title") or "",
+                    "started_at": row.get("started_at") or 0,
+                    "source": row.get("source") or "",
+                },
+            )
+        return _ok(rid, {"session_id": None})
+    except Exception:
+        logger.exception("session.most_recent failed")
+        return _ok(rid, {"session_id": None})
+
+
 @method("session.resume")
 def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
     target = params.get("session_id", "")
@@ -3121,12 +3187,9 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
 
     if key == "mouse":
         raw = str(value or "").strip().lower()
-        display = (
-            _load_cfg().get("display")
-            if isinstance(_load_cfg().get("display"), dict)
-            else {}
-        )
-        current = bool(display.get("tui_mouse", True))
+        cfg = _load_cfg()
+        display = cfg.get("display") if isinstance(cfg.get("display"), dict) else {}
+        current = _display_mouse_tracking(display)
 
         if raw in ("", "toggle"):
             nv = not current
@@ -3137,9 +3200,22 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
         else:
             return _err(rid, 4002, f"unknown mouse value: {value}")
 
-        _write_config_key("display.tui_mouse", nv)
+        _write_config_key("display.mouse_tracking", nv)
         return _ok(rid, {"key": key, "value": "on" if nv else "off"})
 
+    if key == "indicator":
+        # Use an explicit None check rather than `value or ""` so falsy
+        # non-string inputs (0, False, []) still surface as themselves
+        # in the error message instead of looking like a blank value.
+        raw = ("" if value is None else str(value)).strip().lower()
+        if raw not in _INDICATOR_STYLES:
+            return _err(
+                rid, 4002,
+                f"unknown indicator: {raw!r}; pick one of {'|'.join(_INDICATOR_STYLES)}",
+            )
+        _write_config_key("display.tui_status_indicator", raw)
+        return _ok(rid, {"key": key, "value": raw})
+
     if key in ("prompt", "personality", "skin"):
         try:
             cfg = _load_cfg()
@@ -3210,6 +3286,18 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
         return _ok(
             rid, {"value": (_load_cfg().get("display") or {}).get("skin", "default")}
         )
+    if key == "indicator":
+        # Normalize so a hand-edited config.yaml with stray casing or
+        # an unknown value reads back the SAME value the TUI actually
+        # rendered (frontend's `normalizeIndicatorStyle` falls back to
+        # `_INDICATOR_DEFAULT` for the same inputs).  Otherwise
+        # `/indicator` would print one thing while the UI shows another.
+        raw = (_load_cfg().get("display") or {}).get("tui_status_indicator", "")
+        norm = str(raw).strip().lower()
+        return _ok(
+            rid,
+            {"value": norm if norm in _INDICATOR_STYLES else _INDICATOR_DEFAULT},
+        )
     if key == "personality":
         return _ok(
             rid,
@@ -3285,7 +3373,7 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
         return _ok(rid, {"value": _coerce_statusbar(raw)})
     if key == "mouse":
         display = _load_cfg().get("display")
-        on = display.get("tui_mouse", True) if isinstance(display, dict) else True
+        on = _display_mouse_tracking(display)
         return _ok(rid, {"value": "on" if on else "off"})
     if key == "mtime":
         cfg_path = _hermes_home / "config.yaml"
@@ -3354,6 +3442,7 @@ _TUI_HIDDEN: frozenset[str] = frozenset(
 _TUI_EXTRA: list[tuple[str, str, str]] = [
     ("/compact", "Toggle compact display mode", "TUI"),
     ("/logs", "Show recent gateway log lines", "TUI"),
+    ("/mouse", "Toggle mouse/wheel tracking [on|off|toggle]", "TUI"),
 ]
 
 # Commands that queue messages onto _pending_input in the CLI.
@@ -4133,6 +4222,11 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
                 "display": "/logs",
                 "meta": "Show recent gateway log lines",
             },
+            {
+                "text": "/mouse",
+                "display": "/mouse",
+                "meta": "Toggle mouse/wheel tracking [on|off|toggle]",
+            },
         ]
         for extra in extras:
             if extra["text"].startswith(text_lower) and not any(
@@ -4624,12 +4718,51 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
 # ── Methods: browser / plugins / cron / skills ───────────────────────
 
 
+def _resolve_browser_cdp_url() -> str:
+    """Return the configured browser CDP override without network I/O.
+
+    ``/browser status`` must be fast — calling
+    ``tools.browser_tool._get_cdp_override`` would invoke
+    ``_resolve_cdp_override``, which performs an HTTP probe to
+    ``.../json/version`` for discovery-style URLs.  That probe has
+    a multi-second timeout and would block the TUI on a slow or
+    unreachable host even though status only needs to report whether
+    an override is set.
+
+    Mirrors the env/config precedence of ``_get_cdp_override`` (env
+    var first, then ``browser.cdp_url`` from config.yaml) without the
+    websocket-resolution step, so the answer reflects user intent
+    even when the configured host is not currently reachable.  The
+    actual WS normalization happens in ``browser_navigate`` on the
+    next tool call.
+    """
+    env_url = os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", "").strip()
+    if env_url:
+        return env_url
+    try:
+        from hermes_cli.config import read_raw_config
+
+        cfg = read_raw_config()
+        browser_cfg = cfg.get("browser", {}) if isinstance(cfg, dict) else {}
+        if isinstance(browser_cfg, dict):
+            return str(browser_cfg.get("cdp_url", "") or "").strip()
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+    return ""
+
+
 @method("browser.manage")
 def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
     action = params.get("action", "status")
     if action == "status":
-        url = os.environ.get("BROWSER_CDP_URL", "")
-        return _ok(rid, {"connected": bool(url), "url": url})
+        resolved_url = _resolve_browser_cdp_url()
+        return _ok(
+            rid,
+            {
+                "connected": bool(resolved_url),
+                "url": resolved_url,
+            },
+        )
     if action == "connect":
         url = params.get("url", "http://localhost:9222")
         try:
@@ -4640,36 +4773,97 @@ def _(rid, params: dict) -> dict:
             parsed = urlparse(url if "://" in url else f"http://{url}")
             if parsed.scheme not in {"http", "https", "ws", "wss"}:
                 return _err(rid, 4015, f"unsupported browser url: {url}")
-            probe_root = f"{'https' if parsed.scheme == 'wss' else 'http' if parsed.scheme == 'ws' else parsed.scheme}://{parsed.netloc}"
-            probe_urls = [
-                f"{probe_root.rstrip('/')}/json/version",
-                f"{probe_root.rstrip('/')}/json",
-            ]
-            ok = False
-            for probe in probe_urls:
-                try:
-                    with urllib.request.urlopen(probe, timeout=2.0) as resp:
-                        if 200 <= getattr(resp, "status", 200) < 300:
-                            ok = True
-                            break
-                except Exception:
-                    continue
-            if not ok:
-                return _err(rid, 5031, f"could not reach browser CDP at {url}")
 
-            os.environ["BROWSER_CDP_URL"] = url
+            # A concrete ``ws[s]://.../devtools/browser/<id>`` endpoint is
+            # already directly connectable — those are the URLs Browserbase
+            # / browserless / hosted CDP providers return, and they
+            # generally DON'T serve the discovery-style ``/json/version``
+            # path.  Probing it would just reject valid endpoints.  Skip
+            # the HTTP probe and do a TCP-level reachability check instead;
+            # the actual CDP handshake happens on the next ``browser_navigate``.
+            is_concrete_ws = (
+                parsed.scheme in {"ws", "wss"}
+                and parsed.path.startswith("/devtools/browser/")
+            )
+            if is_concrete_ws:
+                import socket
+
+                host = parsed.hostname
+                port = parsed.port or (443 if parsed.scheme == "wss" else 80)
+                if not host:
+                    return _err(rid, 4015, f"missing host in browser url: {url}")
+                try:
+                    with socket.create_connection((host, port), timeout=2.0):
+                        pass
+                except OSError as e:
+                    return _err(rid, 5031, f"could not reach browser CDP at {url}: {e}")
+            else:
+                probe_root = f"{'https' if parsed.scheme == 'wss' else 'http' if parsed.scheme == 'ws' else parsed.scheme}://{parsed.netloc}"
+                probe_urls = [
+                    f"{probe_root.rstrip('/')}/json/version",
+                    f"{probe_root.rstrip('/')}/json",
+                ]
+                ok = False
+                for probe in probe_urls:
+                    try:
+                        with urllib.request.urlopen(probe, timeout=2.0) as resp:
+                            if 200 <= getattr(resp, "status", 200) < 300:
+                                ok = True
+                                break
+                    except Exception:
+                        continue
+                if not ok:
+                    return _err(rid, 5031, f"could not reach browser CDP at {url}")
+
+            # Persist a normalized URL for downstream CDP resolution.
+            # Discovery-style inputs (`http://host:port` or
+            # `http://host:port/json[/version]`) collapse to bare
+            # ``scheme://host:port`` so ``_resolve_cdp_override`` can
+            # safely append ``/json/version`` without producing a
+            # double-discovery path like ``.../json/json/version``.
+            # Concrete websocket endpoints (``/devtools/browser/<id>``
+            # — what Browserbase and other cloud providers return)
+            # are preserved verbatim.
+            if parsed.path.startswith("/devtools/browser/"):
+                normalized = parsed.geturl()
+            else:
+                normalized = parsed._replace(
+                    path="",
+                    params="",
+                    query="",
+                    fragment="",
+                ).geturl()
+
+            # Order matters: clear any cached browser sessions BEFORE
+            # publishing the new env var so an in-flight tool call
+            # observing the old supervisor is reaped first, and the
+            # next call freshly resolves the new URL.  The previous
+            # ordering left a brief window where ``_ensure_cdp_supervisor``
+            # could re-attach to the *old* supervisor.
+            cleanup_all_browsers()
+            os.environ["BROWSER_CDP_URL"] = normalized
+            # Drain any further cached state that could outlive the
+            # cleanup pass (CDP supervisor for the default task,
+            # cached agent-browser timeouts, etc.) so the next
+            # ``browser_navigate`` definitively reaches ``normalized``.
             cleanup_all_browsers()
         except Exception as e:
             return _err(rid, 5031, str(e))
-        return _ok(rid, {"connected": True, "url": url})
+        return _ok(rid, {"connected": True, "url": normalized})
     if action == "disconnect":
-        os.environ.pop("BROWSER_CDP_URL", None)
         try:
             from tools.browser_tool import cleanup_all_browsers
 
             cleanup_all_browsers()
         except Exception:
             pass
+        os.environ.pop("BROWSER_CDP_URL", None)
+        try:
+            from tools.browser_tool import cleanup_all_browsers as _again
+
+            _again()
+        except Exception:
+            pass
         return _ok(rid, {"connected": False})
     return _err(rid, 4015, f"unknown action: {action}")
 
diff --git a/tui_gateway/transport.py b/tui_gateway/transport.py
index a1b4b283db..ce93e518a3 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/transport.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/transport.py
@@ -23,10 +23,45 @@ the stream lazily through a callback.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import contextvars
+import errno
 import json
+import logging
+import os
 import threading
 from typing import Any, Callable, Optional, Protocol, runtime_checkable
 
+# Errno values that mean "the peer is gone" rather than "the host has a
+# real I/O problem".  Anything outside this set re-raises so it surfaces
+# in the crash log instead of looking like a clean disconnect.
+_PEER_GONE_ERRNOS = frozenset({
+    errno.EPIPE,        # write to closed pipe (POSIX)
+    errno.ECONNRESET,   # peer reset the connection
+    errno.EBADF,        # fd closed under us
+    errno.ESHUTDOWN,    # transport endpoint shut down
+    getattr(errno, "WSAECONNRESET", -1),  # win32 mapping (no-op on POSIX)
+    getattr(errno, "WSAESHUTDOWN", -1),
+} - {-1})
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+# Optional knob: when true, StdioTransport does not call ``stream.flush``
+# after writing.  Use this on environments where a half-closed pipe (TUI
+# Node parent quit while the gateway is still emitting events) makes
+# flush block long enough to starve the rest of the worker pool.
+#
+# IMPORTANT: Python text stdout is fully buffered when attached to a
+# pipe (the TUI case), so this knob ONLY makes sense when the gateway
+# is launched with ``-u`` or ``PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1``.  Without one of
+# those, JSON-RPC frames will accumulate in the buffer and the TUI
+# will hang waiting for ``gateway.ready``.  Default stays off so the
+# existing flush-after-write behaviour is unchanged.
+_DISABLE_FLUSH = (os.environ.get("HERMES_TUI_GATEWAY_NO_FLUSH", "") or "").strip().lower() in {
+    "1",
+    "true",
+    "yes",
+    "on",
+}
+
 
 @runtime_checkable
 class Transport(Protocol):
@@ -77,15 +112,72 @@ class StdioTransport:
         self._lock = lock
 
     def write(self, obj: dict) -> bool:
+        """Return ``True`` on success, ``False`` ONLY when the peer is gone.
+
+        Returning ``False`` is the dispatcher's "broken stdout pipe" signal
+        — ``entry.py`` calls ``sys.exit(0)`` when ``write_json`` reports
+        ``False``.  So programming errors (non-JSON-safe payloads, encoding
+        misconfig, unexpected ValueErrors, host I/O bugs like ENOSPC) MUST
+        NOT return ``False``, otherwise a real bug looks like a clean
+        disconnect and is harder to diagnose.  Those re-raise so the
+        existing crash-log infrastructure records the traceback.
+
+        Peer-gone branches:
+          * ``BrokenPipeError``
+          * ``ValueError("...closed file...")``
+          * ``OSError`` whose errno is in :data:`_PEER_GONE_ERRNOS`
+            (EPIPE / ECONNRESET / EBADF / ESHUTDOWN; plus WSA mappings
+            on Windows).  Other OSError errnos (ENOSPC, EACCES, ...) are
+            real host problems and re-raise.
+        """
+        # Serialization is OUTSIDE the lock so a large payload can't
+        # block other threads emitting their own frames.  A non-JSON-safe
+        # payload is a programming error: re-raise so the crash log
+        # captures it instead of silently exiting via the False path.
         line = json.dumps(obj, ensure_ascii=False) + "\n"
-        try:
-            with self._lock:
-                stream = self._stream_getter()
+
+        with self._lock:
+            stream = self._stream_getter()
+            try:
                 stream.write(line)
-                stream.flush()
-            return True
-        except BrokenPipeError:
-            return False
+            except BrokenPipeError:
+                return False
+            except ValueError as e:
+                # ValueError("I/O operation on closed file") is the
+                # ONLY ValueError that means "peer gone".  Anything
+                # else — including UnicodeEncodeError, which is a
+                # ValueError subclass for misconfigured locales —
+                # is a real bug; re-raise so it surfaces in the crash log.
+                if isinstance(e, UnicodeEncodeError) or "closed file" not in str(e):
+                    raise
+                return False
+            except OSError as e:
+                if e.errno not in _PEER_GONE_ERRNOS:
+                    raise
+                logger.debug("StdioTransport write peer gone: %s", e)
+                return False
+
+            # A flush that *raises* with a peer-gone errno means the
+            # dispatcher should exit cleanly.  A flush that *hangs* on
+            # a half-closed pipe holds the lock until it returns — see
+            # ``_DISABLE_FLUSH`` for the "skip flush entirely" escape
+            # hatch.
+            if not _DISABLE_FLUSH:
+                try:
+                    stream.flush()
+                except BrokenPipeError:
+                    return False
+                except ValueError as e:
+                    if isinstance(e, UnicodeEncodeError) or "closed file" not in str(e):
+                        raise
+                    return False
+                except OSError as e:
+                    if e.errno not in _PEER_GONE_ERRNOS:
+                        raise
+                    logger.debug("StdioTransport flush peer gone: %s", e)
+                    return False
+
+        return True
 
     def close(self) -> None:
         return None
diff --git a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/events/cmd-shortcuts.test.ts b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/events/cmd-shortcuts.test.ts
index 250b262e8d..3f1c5109be 100644
--- a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/events/cmd-shortcuts.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/events/cmd-shortcuts.test.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@ describe('enhanced keyboard modifier parsing', () => {
     expect(event.key.super).toBe(true)
   })
 
+  it('preserves forwarded VS Code/Cursor Cmd+C copy sequence as ctrl+super+c', () => {
+    const parsed = parseOne('\u001b[99;13u')
+    const event = new InputEvent(parsed)
+
+    expect(parsed.name).toBe('c')
+    expect(event.key.ctrl).toBe(true)
+    expect(event.key.super).toBe(true)
+  })
+
   it('preserves Cmd on word-delete and word-navigation sequences', () => {
     const backspace = new InputEvent(parseOne('\u001b[127;9u'))
     const left = new InputEvent(parseOne('\u001b[1;9D'))
diff --git a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/hooks/use-selection.ts b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/hooks/use-selection.ts
index bd4ef87fc7..ffd833d343 100644
--- a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/hooks/use-selection.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/hooks/use-selection.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ export function useSelection(): {
    *  replaces the old SGR-7 inverse so syntax highlighting stays readable
    *  under selection). Call once on mount + whenever theme changes. */
   setSelectionBgColor: (color: string) => void
+  /** Monotonic counter incremented on every selection mutation. */
+  version: () => number
 } {
   // Look up the Ink instance via stdout — same pattern as instances map.
   // StdinContext is available (it's always provided), and the Ink instance
@@ -58,7 +60,8 @@ export function useSelection(): {
         shiftSelection: () => {},
         moveFocus: () => {},
         captureScrolledRows: () => {},
-        setSelectionBgColor: () => {}
+        setSelectionBgColor: () => {},
+        version: () => 0
       }
     }
 
@@ -73,7 +76,8 @@ export function useSelection(): {
       shiftSelection: (dRow, minRow, maxRow) => ink.shiftSelectionForScroll(dRow, minRow, maxRow),
       moveFocus: (move: FocusMove) => ink.moveSelectionFocus(move),
       captureScrolledRows: (firstRow, lastRow, side) => ink.captureScrolledRows(firstRow, lastRow, side),
-      setSelectionBgColor: (color: string) => ink.setSelectionBgColor(color)
+      setSelectionBgColor: (color: string) => ink.setSelectionBgColor(color),
+      version: () => ink.getSelectionVersion()
     }
   }, [ink])
 }
diff --git a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/ink.tsx b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/ink.tsx
index 4a26fbafba..fec8b8ad04 100644
--- a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/ink.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/ink.tsx
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ import {
   hasSelection,
   moveFocus,
   selectionBounds,
+  selectionSignature,
   type SelectionState,
   selectLineAt,
   selectWordAt,
@@ -213,7 +214,8 @@ export default class Ink {
   // Fired alongside the terminal repaint whenever the selection mutates
   // so UI (e.g. footer hints) can react to selection appearing/clearing.
   private readonly selectionListeners = new Set<() => void>()
-  private selectionWasActive = false
+  private selectionVersion = 0
+  private lastSelectionSignature = ''
   // DOM nodes currently under the pointer (mode-1003 motion). Held here
   // so App.tsx's handleMouseEvent is stateless — dispatchHover diffs
   // against this set and mutates it in place.
@@ -1661,9 +1663,16 @@ export default class Ink {
     return hasSelection(this.selection)
   }
 
+  getSelectionVersion(): number {
+    return this.selectionVersion
+  }
+
   /**
    * Subscribe to selection state changes. Fires whenever the selection
-   * is started, updated, cleared, or copied. Returns an unsubscribe fn.
+   * mutates — anchor/focus moves, drag updates, programmatic clears.
+   * Does NOT fire on `copySelectionNoClear()` (no mutation, no notify),
+   * which is why version-based subscribers don't risk re-entrant copies.
+   * Returns an unsubscribe fn.
    */
   subscribeToSelectionChange(cb: () => void): () => void {
     this.selectionListeners.add(cb)
@@ -1673,14 +1682,18 @@ export default class Ink {
   private notifySelectionChange(): void {
     this.scheduleRender()
 
-    const active = hasSelection(this.selection)
+    // Only bump version when the selection range actually mutated.
+    // Listeners still fire unconditionally — useHasSelection() snapshots
+    // through React, which dedupes via Object.is on the boolean value.
+    const sig = selectionSignature(this.selection)
 
-    if (active !== this.selectionWasActive) {
-      this.selectionWasActive = active
+    if (sig !== this.lastSelectionSignature) {
+      this.lastSelectionSignature = sig
+      this.selectionVersion += 1
+    }
 
-      for (const cb of this.selectionListeners) {
-        cb()
-      }
+    for (const cb of this.selectionListeners) {
+      cb()
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/selection.ts b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/selection.ts
index 76e776c22e..364a607464 100644
--- a/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/selection.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/packages/hermes-ink/src/ink/selection.ts
@@ -799,6 +799,20 @@ export function hasSelection(s: SelectionState): boolean {
   return s.anchor !== null && s.focus !== null
 }
 
+/**
+ * Stable fingerprint of the user-visible selection state. Used by Ink
+ * to skip incrementing the mutation counter when notifySelectionChange()
+ * fires without an actual change to anchor/focus/isDragging — protects
+ * version-based subscribers (copy-on-select) from re-running for the
+ * same stable selection.
+ */
+export function selectionSignature(s: SelectionState): string {
+  const a = s.anchor ? `${s.anchor.row},${s.anchor.col}` : 'null'
+  const f = s.focus ? `${s.focus.row},${s.focus.col}` : 'null'
+
+  return `${a}|${f}|${s.isDragging ? 1 : 0}`
+}
+
 /**
  * Normalized selection bounds: start is always before end in reading order.
  * Returns null if no active selection.
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/createGatewayEventHandler.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/createGatewayEventHandler.test.ts
index c09bd4ee96..f2326dc5ac 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/createGatewayEventHandler.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/createGatewayEventHandler.test.ts
@@ -293,6 +293,69 @@ describe('createGatewayEventHandler', () => {
     expect(appended[1]).toMatchObject({ role: 'assistant', text: 'final answer' })
   })
 
+  it('annotates gateway.start_timeout with stderr tail lines so users can diagnose without /logs', () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const onEvent = createGatewayEventHandler(buildCtx(appended))
+
+    onEvent({
+      payload: {
+        cwd: '/repo',
+        python: '/opt/venv/bin/python',
+        stderr_tail:
+          '[startup] timed out\nModuleNotFoundError: No module named openai\nFileNotFoundError: ~/.hermes/config.yaml'
+      },
+      type: 'gateway.start_timeout'
+    } as any)
+
+    const messages = getTurnState().activity.map(a => a.text)
+
+    expect(messages.some(m => m.includes('gateway startup timed out'))).toBe(true)
+    expect(messages.some(m => m.includes('ModuleNotFoundError'))).toBe(true)
+    expect(messages.some(m => m.includes('FileNotFoundError'))).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('prefers raw text over Rich-rendered ANSI on message.complete (#16391)', () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const onEvent = createGatewayEventHandler(buildCtx(appended))
+    const raw = 'Hermes here.\n\nLine two.'
+    // Rich-rendered ANSI (`final_response_markdown: render`) used to win,
+    // which left visible escape codes in Ink output. Raw text must win.
+    const rendered = '\u001b[33mHermes here.\u001b[0m\n\n\u001b[2mLine two.\u001b[0m'
+
+    onEvent({ payload: { rendered, text: raw }, type: 'message.complete' } as any)
+
+    const assistant = appended.find(msg => msg.role === 'assistant')
+    expect(assistant?.text).toBe(raw)
+    expect(assistant?.text).not.toContain('\u001b[')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to payload.rendered when text is missing on message.complete', () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const onEvent = createGatewayEventHandler(buildCtx(appended))
+    const rendered = 'fallback when gateway omitted text'
+
+    onEvent({ payload: { rendered }, type: 'message.complete' } as any)
+
+    const assistant = appended.find(msg => msg.role === 'assistant')
+    expect(assistant?.text).toBe(rendered)
+  })
+
+  it('always accumulates raw text in message.delta and ignores `rendered` (#16391)', () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const onEvent = createGatewayEventHandler(buildCtx(appended))
+
+    // Stream of partial text deltas; each delta carries an incremental
+    // Rich-ANSI fragment.  Pre-fix code would replace the whole bufRef
+    // with the latest fragment, dropping prior text.
+    onEvent({ payload: { rendered: '\u001b[33mFi\u001b[0m', text: 'Fi' }, type: 'message.delta' } as any)
+    onEvent({ payload: { rendered: '\u001b[33mrst.\u001b[0m', text: 'rst.' }, type: 'message.delta' } as any)
+    onEvent({ payload: { text: ' second.' }, type: 'message.delta' } as any)
+    onEvent({ payload: {}, type: 'message.complete' } as any)
+
+    const assistant = appended.find(msg => msg.role === 'assistant')
+    expect(assistant?.text).toBe('First. second.')
+  })
+
   it('anchors inline_diff as its own segment where the edit happened', () => {
     const appended: Msg[] = []
     const onEvent = createGatewayEventHandler(buildCtx(appended))
@@ -437,6 +500,152 @@ describe('createGatewayEventHandler', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  it('on gateway.ready with no STARTUP_RESUME_ID and auto_resume off, forges a new session', async () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const newSession = vi.fn()
+    const resumeById = vi.fn()
+    const ctx = buildCtx(appended)
+
+    ctx.session.newSession = newSession
+    ctx.session.resumeById = resumeById
+    ctx.session.STARTUP_RESUME_ID = ''
+    ctx.gateway.rpc = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === 'config.get') {
+        return { config: { display: { tui_auto_resume_recent: false } } }
+      }
+
+      return null
+    })
+
+    createGatewayEventHandler(ctx)({ payload: {}, type: 'gateway.ready' } as any)
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(newSession).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    expect(resumeById).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('on gateway.ready with auto_resume on and a recent session, resumes it', async () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const newSession = vi.fn()
+    const resumeById = vi.fn()
+    const ctx = buildCtx(appended)
+
+    ctx.session.newSession = newSession
+    ctx.session.resumeById = resumeById
+    ctx.session.STARTUP_RESUME_ID = ''
+    ctx.gateway.rpc = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === 'config.get') {
+        return { config: { display: { tui_auto_resume_recent: true } } }
+      }
+
+      if (method === 'session.most_recent') {
+        return { session_id: 'sess-most-recent' }
+      }
+
+      return null
+    })
+
+    createGatewayEventHandler(ctx)({ payload: {}, type: 'gateway.ready' } as any)
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(resumeById).toHaveBeenCalledWith('sess-most-recent'))
+    expect(newSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('on gateway.ready with auto_resume on but no eligible session, falls back to new', async () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const newSession = vi.fn()
+    const resumeById = vi.fn()
+    const ctx = buildCtx(appended)
+
+    ctx.session.newSession = newSession
+    ctx.session.resumeById = resumeById
+    ctx.session.STARTUP_RESUME_ID = ''
+    ctx.gateway.rpc = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === 'config.get') {
+        return { config: { display: { tui_auto_resume_recent: true } } }
+      }
+
+      if (method === 'session.most_recent') {
+        return { session_id: null }
+      }
+
+      return null
+    })
+
+    createGatewayEventHandler(ctx)({ payload: {}, type: 'gateway.ready' } as any)
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(newSession).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    expect(resumeById).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('on gateway.ready when config.get rejects, falls back to new session', async () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const newSession = vi.fn()
+    const resumeById = vi.fn()
+    const ctx = buildCtx(appended)
+
+    ctx.session.newSession = newSession
+    ctx.session.resumeById = resumeById
+    ctx.session.STARTUP_RESUME_ID = ''
+    ctx.gateway.rpc = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === 'config.get') {
+        throw new Error('gateway timeout')
+      }
+
+      return null
+    })
+
+    createGatewayEventHandler(ctx)({ payload: {}, type: 'gateway.ready' } as any)
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(newSession).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    expect(resumeById).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('on gateway.ready when session.most_recent rejects, falls back to new session', async () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const newSession = vi.fn()
+    const resumeById = vi.fn()
+    const ctx = buildCtx(appended)
+
+    ctx.session.newSession = newSession
+    ctx.session.resumeById = resumeById
+    ctx.session.STARTUP_RESUME_ID = ''
+    ctx.gateway.rpc = vi.fn(async (method: string) => {
+      if (method === 'config.get') {
+        return { config: { display: { tui_auto_resume_recent: true } } }
+      }
+
+      if (method === 'session.most_recent') {
+        throw new Error('db locked')
+      }
+
+      return null
+    })
+
+    createGatewayEventHandler(ctx)({ payload: {}, type: 'gateway.ready' } as any)
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(newSession).toHaveBeenCalled())
+    expect(resumeById).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('on gateway.ready with STARTUP_RESUME_ID set, the env wins over config auto_resume', async () => {
+    const appended: Msg[] = []
+    const newSession = vi.fn()
+    const resumeById = vi.fn()
+    const ctx = buildCtx(appended)
+
+    ctx.session.newSession = newSession
+    ctx.session.resumeById = resumeById
+    ctx.session.STARTUP_RESUME_ID = 'env-explicit'
+    ctx.gateway.rpc = vi.fn(async () => ({
+      config: { display: { tui_auto_resume_recent: true } }
+    }))
+
+    createGatewayEventHandler(ctx)({ payload: {}, type: 'gateway.ready' } as any)
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(resumeById).toHaveBeenCalledWith('env-explicit'))
+    expect(newSession).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   it('keeps gateway noise informational and approval out of Activity', async () => {
     const appended: Msg[] = []
     const ctx = buildCtx(appended)
@@ -474,4 +683,87 @@ describe('createGatewayEventHandler', () => {
 
     expect(getTurnState().activity).toMatchObject([{ text: 'boom', tone: 'error' }])
   })
+
+  it('drops stale reasoning/tool/todos events after ctrl-c until the next message starts', () => {
+    // Repro for the discord report: ctrl-c interrupts, but late reasoning/tool
+    // events from the still-winding-down agent loop kept populating the UI for
+    // ~1s, making it look like the interrupt had been ignored.
+    //
+    // Fake timers because `interruptTurn` schedules a real setTimeout for
+    // its cooldown — without flushing it inside this test, the timeout
+    // can fire later and mutate uiStore/turnState during unrelated tests
+    // (cross-file flake).
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+
+    try {
+      const appended: Msg[] = []
+      const ctx = buildCtx(appended)
+      ctx.gateway.gw.request = vi.fn(async () => ({ status: 'interrupted' }))
+      const onEvent = createGatewayEventHandler(ctx)
+
+      patchUiState({ sid: 'sess-1' })
+      onEvent({ payload: {}, type: 'message.start' } as any)
+      onEvent({
+        payload: {
+          context: 'pre',
+          name: 'search',
+          todos: [{ content: 'pre-interrupt', id: 'todo-1', status: 'pending' }],
+          tool_id: 't-1'
+        },
+        type: 'tool.start'
+      } as any)
+
+      // Pre-interrupt todos should land in turn state.
+      expect(getTurnState().todos).toEqual([
+        { content: 'pre-interrupt', id: 'todo-1', status: 'pending' }
+      ])
+
+      turnController.interruptTurn({
+        appendMessage: (msg: Msg) => appended.push(msg),
+        gw: ctx.gateway.gw,
+        sid: 'sess-1',
+        sys: ctx.system.sys
+      })
+
+      onEvent({ payload: { text: 'still thinking…' }, type: 'reasoning.delta' } as any)
+      // Post-interrupt tool.start with a todos payload — must NOT mutate todos.
+      onEvent({
+        payload: {
+          context: 'post',
+          name: 'browser',
+          todos: [{ content: 'late ghost', id: 'todo-ghost', status: 'pending' }],
+          tool_id: 't-2'
+        },
+        type: 'tool.start'
+      } as any)
+      // Late tool.generating must NOT push a 'drafting …' line into the trail.
+      const trailBefore = getTurnState().turnTrail.length
+      onEvent({ payload: { name: 'browser' }, type: 'tool.generating' } as any)
+      expect(getTurnState().turnTrail.length).toBe(trailBefore)
+      onEvent({ payload: { name: 'browser', preview: 'loading' }, type: 'tool.progress' } as any)
+      onEvent({ payload: { summary: 'done', tool_id: 't-2' }, type: 'tool.complete' } as any)
+      onEvent({ payload: { text: 'late chunk' }, type: 'message.delta' } as any)
+
+      expect(getTurnState().tools).toEqual([])
+      expect(turnController.reasoningText).toBe('')
+      expect(turnController.bufRef).toBe('')
+      expect(getTurnState().streamPendingTools).toEqual([])
+      expect(getTurnState().streamSegments).toEqual([])
+      // Stale post-interrupt todos must not have leaked through.
+      // (This test does not assert that pre-interrupt todos are cleared —
+      // current interrupt path leaves them visible until the next message.)
+      expect(getTurnState().todos.find(t => t.content === 'late ghost')).toBeUndefined()
+
+      onEvent({ payload: {}, type: 'message.start' } as any)
+      onEvent({ payload: { text: 'fresh' }, type: 'reasoning.delta' } as any)
+
+      expect(turnController.reasoningText).toBe('fresh')
+    } finally {
+      // Drain pending fake timers BEFORE restoring real timers so a mid-
+      // test assertion failure can't leak the interrupt-cooldown setTimeout
+      // across test files (the original Copilot concern).
+      vi.runAllTimers()
+      vi.useRealTimers()
+    }
+  })
 })
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/createSlashHandler.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/createSlashHandler.test.ts
index 68e66b0c0a..1ec0dba79c 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/createSlashHandler.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/createSlashHandler.test.ts
@@ -195,7 +195,8 @@ describe('createSlashHandler', () => {
     ['/reload-mcp', 'reload.mcp', { session_id: null }],
     ['/stop', 'process.stop', {}],
     ['/fast status', 'config.get', { key: 'fast', session_id: null }],
-    ['/busy status', 'config.get', { key: 'busy' }]
+    ['/busy status', 'config.get', { key: 'busy' }],
+    ['/indicator', 'config.get', { key: 'indicator' }]
   ])('routes %s through native RPC (no slash worker)', (command, method, params) => {
     const rpc = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve({}))
     const ctx = buildCtx({ gateway: { ...buildGateway(), rpc } })
@@ -215,6 +216,24 @@ describe('createSlashHandler', () => {
     expect(ctx.gateway.gw.request).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('hot-swaps the live indicator when /indicator <style> succeeds', async () => {
+    const rpc = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve({ value: 'emoji' }))
+    const ctx = buildCtx({ gateway: { ...buildGateway(), rpc } })
+
+    expect(createSlashHandler(ctx)('/indicator emoji')).toBe(true)
+    expect(rpc).toHaveBeenCalledWith('config.set', { key: 'indicator', value: 'emoji' })
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(getUiState().indicatorStyle).toBe('emoji'))
+  })
+
+  it('rejects unknown indicator styles before hitting the gateway', () => {
+    const rpc = vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve({}))
+    const ctx = buildCtx({ gateway: { ...buildGateway(), rpc } })
+
+    expect(createSlashHandler(ctx)('/indicator sparkle')).toBe(true)
+    expect(rpc).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(ctx.transcript.sys).toHaveBeenCalledWith('usage: /indicator [ascii|emoji|kaomoji|unicode]')
+  })
+
   it('drops stale slash.exec output after a newer slash', async () => {
     let resolveLate: (v: { output?: string }) => void
     let slashExecCalls = 0
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/forceTruecolor.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/forceTruecolor.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7cbf46d2b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/forceTruecolor.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+const ENV_KEYS = ['COLORTERM', 'FORCE_COLOR', 'HERMES_TUI_TRUECOLOR', 'NO_COLOR'] as const
+
+async function withCleanEnv(setup: () => void, body: () => Promise<void>) {
+  const saved: Record<string, string | undefined> = {}
+
+  for (const k of ENV_KEYS) {
+    saved[k] = process.env[k]
+    delete process.env[k]
+  }
+
+  try {
+    setup()
+    await body()
+  } finally {
+    for (const k of ENV_KEYS) {
+      if (saved[k] === undefined) {
+        delete process.env[k]
+      } else {
+        process.env[k] = saved[k]
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+describe('forceTruecolor', () => {
+  it('sets COLORTERM=truecolor and FORCE_COLOR=3 when unset', async () => {
+    await withCleanEnv(
+      () => {},
+      async () => {
+        await import('../lib/forceTruecolor.js?t=' + Date.now())
+        expect(process.env.COLORTERM).toBe('truecolor')
+        expect(process.env.FORCE_COLOR).toBe('3')
+      }
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('respects HERMES_TUI_TRUECOLOR=0 opt-out', async () => {
+    await withCleanEnv(
+      () => {
+        process.env.HERMES_TUI_TRUECOLOR = '0'
+      },
+      async () => {
+        await import('../lib/forceTruecolor.js?t=optout-' + Date.now())
+        expect(process.env.COLORTERM).toBeUndefined()
+        expect(process.env.FORCE_COLOR).toBeUndefined()
+      }
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('respects NO_COLOR', async () => {
+    await withCleanEnv(
+      () => {
+        process.env.NO_COLOR = '1'
+      },
+      async () => {
+        await import('../lib/forceTruecolor.js?t=no-color-' + Date.now())
+        expect(process.env.COLORTERM).toBeUndefined()
+        expect(process.env.FORCE_COLOR).toBeUndefined()
+      }
+    )
+  })
+})
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/platform.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/platform.test.ts
index e3035a79b2..4166f0b71f 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/platform.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/platform.test.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,12 @@ describe('isCopyShortcut', () => {
 
     expect(isCopyShortcut({ ctrl: false, meta: true, super: false }, 'c', {})).toBe(false)
   })
+
+  it('accepts the VS Code/Cursor forwarded Cmd+C copy sequence on macOS', async () => {
+    const { isCopyShortcut } = await importPlatform('darwin')
+
+    expect(isCopyShortcut({ ctrl: true, meta: false, super: true }, 'c', {})).toBe(true)
+  })
 })
 
 describe('isVoiceToggleKey', () => {
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/streamingMarkdown.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/streamingMarkdown.test.ts
index 0655cbba89..1a825a62f1 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/streamingMarkdown.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/streamingMarkdown.test.ts
@@ -116,6 +116,6 @@ describe('streaming theme assumption', () => {
     // Sanity that the theme we pass doesn't change shape. Component import
     // already happens above — this is a smoke test that the module graph
     // for streamingMarkdown wires up without cycles.
-    expect(DEFAULT_THEME.color.amber).toBeTruthy()
+    expect(DEFAULT_THEME.color.accent).toBeTruthy()
   })
 })
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/syntax.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/syntax.test.ts
index 505988b2ab..7978adcaef 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/syntax.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/syntax.test.ts
@@ -19,16 +19,16 @@ describe('syntax highlighter', () => {
   it('paints a whole-line comment dim', () => {
     const tokens = highlightLine('// hello', 'ts', t)
 
-    expect(tokens).toEqual([[t.color.dim, '// hello']])
+    expect(tokens).toEqual([[t.color.muted, '// hello']])
   })
 
   it('paints keywords, strings, and numbers in a ts line', () => {
     const tokens = highlightLine(`const x = 'hi' + 42`, 'ts', t)
     const colors = tokens.map(tok => tok[0])
 
-    expect(colors).toContain(t.color.bronze) // const
-    expect(colors).toContain(t.color.amber) // 'hi'
-    expect(colors).toContain(t.color.cornsilk) // 42
+    expect(colors).toContain(t.color.border) // const
+    expect(colors).toContain(t.color.accent) // 'hi'
+    expect(colors).toContain(t.color.text) // 42
   })
 
   it('falls through unchanged for unknown langs', () => {
@@ -40,6 +40,6 @@ describe('syntax highlighter', () => {
   it('treats `#` as a python comment, not a selector', () => {
     const tokens = highlightLine('# comment', 'py', t)
 
-    expect(tokens).toEqual([[t.color.dim, '# comment']])
+    expect(tokens).toEqual([[t.color.muted, '# comment']])
   })
 })
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/terminalParity.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/terminalParity.test.ts
index 0054343968..e103b0b68c 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/terminalParity.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/terminalParity.test.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ describe('terminalParityHints', () => {
   it('suppresses IDE setup hint when keybindings are already configured', async () => {
     const readFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
       JSON.stringify([
+        {
+          key: 'cmd+c',
+          command: 'workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence',
+          when: 'terminalFocus && terminalTextSelected',
+          args: { text: '\u001b[99;13u' }
+        },
         {
           key: 'shift+enter',
           command: 'workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence',
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/terminalSetup.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/terminalSetup.test.ts
index de23176f26..5508e94ce1 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/terminalSetup.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/terminalSetup.test.ts
@@ -79,11 +79,34 @@ describe('configureTerminalKeybindings', () => {
     expect(writeFile).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
     expect(copyFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled() // no existing file to back up
     const written = writeFile.mock.calls[0]?.[1] as string
+    expect(written).toContain('cmd+c')
+    expect(written).toContain('terminalTextSelected')
+    expect(written).toContain('\\u001b[99;13u')
     expect(written).toContain('shift+enter')
     expect(written).toContain('cmd+enter')
     expect(written).toContain('cmd+z')
   })
 
+  it('only adds the Cmd+C forwarding binding on macOS', async () => {
+    const mkdir = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const readFile = vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(Object.assign(new Error('missing'), { code: 'ENOENT' }))
+    const writeFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const copyFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+
+    const result = await configureTerminalKeybindings('vscode', {
+      fileOps: { copyFile, mkdir, readFile, writeFile },
+      homeDir: '/home/me',
+      platform: 'linux'
+    })
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true)
+    const written = writeFile.mock.calls[0]?.[1] as string
+    expect(written).not.toContain('cmd+c')
+    expect(written).not.toContain('terminalTextSelected')
+    expect(written).not.toContain('\\u001b[99;13u')
+    expect(written).toContain('shift+enter')
+  })
+
   it('reports conflicts without overwriting existing bindings', async () => {
     const mkdir = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
 
@@ -113,6 +136,118 @@ describe('configureTerminalKeybindings', () => {
     expect(copyFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled() // no backup when not writing
   })
 
+  it('flags a global (when-less) binding on the same key as a conflict', async () => {
+    // A user's keybindings.json `cmd+c` with no `when` clause is global —
+    // it overlaps any context, including our terminal scope. We must NOT
+    // silently add a terminal-scoped cmd+c that would shadow it.
+    const mkdir = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const readFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
+      JSON.stringify([
+        {
+          key: 'cmd+c',
+          command: 'myExtension.smartCopy'
+        }
+      ])
+    )
+    const writeFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const copyFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+
+    const result = await configureTerminalKeybindings('vscode', {
+      fileOps: { copyFile, mkdir, readFile, writeFile },
+      homeDir: '/Users/me',
+      platform: 'darwin'
+    })
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(false)
+    expect(result.message).toContain('cmd+c')
+    expect(writeFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('flags an overlapping terminal-context binding as a conflict', async () => {
+    // Existing `cmd+c` scoped to plain `terminalFocus` overlaps with our
+    // `terminalFocus && terminalTextSelected` — both fire when the
+    // terminal is focused with text selected, so the existing binding
+    // would shadow ours. Treat as a conflict even though the strings
+    // aren't identical.
+    const mkdir = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const readFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
+      JSON.stringify([
+        {
+          key: 'cmd+c',
+          command: 'workbench.action.terminal.copySelection',
+          when: 'terminalFocus'
+        }
+      ])
+    )
+    const writeFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const copyFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+
+    const result = await configureTerminalKeybindings('vscode', {
+      fileOps: { copyFile, mkdir, readFile, writeFile },
+      homeDir: '/Users/me',
+      platform: 'darwin'
+    })
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(false)
+    expect(result.message).toContain('cmd+c')
+    expect(writeFile).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('does not flag a negated terminalTextSelected binding as a conflict', async () => {
+    // A binding scoped to "terminal focused but no selected text" is
+    // logically disjoint from our copy-forwarding binding, which requires
+    // terminalTextSelected.
+    const mkdir = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const readFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
+      JSON.stringify([
+        {
+          key: 'cmd+c',
+          command: 'workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence',
+          when: 'terminalFocus && !terminalTextSelected',
+          args: { text: '\u0003' }
+        }
+      ])
+    )
+    const writeFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const copyFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+
+    const result = await configureTerminalKeybindings('vscode', {
+      fileOps: { copyFile, mkdir, readFile, writeFile },
+      homeDir: '/Users/me',
+      platform: 'darwin'
+    })
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true)
+    expect(writeFile).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  it('does not flag a disjoint-when binding on the same key as a conflict', async () => {
+    // VS Code allows multiple bindings for the same key when their `when`
+    // clauses don't overlap. A user's pre-existing cmd+c binding scoped to
+    // editor focus should NOT block our terminal-scoped cmd+c binding.
+    const mkdir = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const readFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
+      JSON.stringify([
+        {
+          key: 'cmd+c',
+          command: 'editor.action.clipboardCopyAction',
+          when: 'editorFocus'
+        }
+      ])
+    )
+    const writeFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+    const copyFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
+
+    const result = await configureTerminalKeybindings('vscode', {
+      fileOps: { copyFile, mkdir, readFile, writeFile },
+      homeDir: '/Users/me',
+      platform: 'darwin'
+    })
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true)
+    expect(writeFile).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
   it('backs up existing keybindings.json only when writing changes', async () => {
     const mkdir = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined)
     const readFile = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(JSON.stringify([]))
@@ -186,6 +321,12 @@ describe('configureTerminalKeybindings', () => {
 
     const readComplete = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
       JSON.stringify([
+        {
+          key: 'cmd+c',
+          command: 'workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence',
+          when: 'terminalFocus && terminalTextSelected',
+          args: { text: '\u001b[99;13u' }
+        },
         {
           key: 'shift+enter',
           command: 'workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence',
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/textInputWrap.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/textInputWrap.test.ts
index a05ed42ffe..5521012e9c 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/textInputWrap.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/textInputWrap.test.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ describe('input metrics helpers', () => {
 
   it('reserves gutters on wide panes without starving narrow composer width', () => {
     expect(stableComposerColumns(100, 3)).toBe(93)
+    expect(stableComposerColumns(100, 5)).toBe(91)
     expect(stableComposerColumns(10, 3)).toBe(5)
     expect(stableComposerColumns(6, 3)).toBe(1)
   })
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/theme.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/theme.test.ts
index db2b1eac38..e3e3cea889 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/theme.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/theme.test.ts
@@ -1,46 +1,90 @@
-import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
-import { DARK_THEME, DEFAULT_THEME, detectLightMode, fromSkin, LIGHT_THEME } from '../theme.js'
+// `theme.js` reads `process.env` at module-load to compute DEFAULT_THEME,
+// and `fromSkin` closes over DEFAULT_THEME.  A developer shell with
+// HERMES_TUI_THEME=light (or HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND set to something
+// bright) would flip the base and turn these assertions into a local-
+// only failure.  We sterilize the relevant env vars + dynamically
+// import the module fresh so EVERY symbol that closes over the env
+// (DEFAULT_THEME, DARK_THEME, LIGHT_THEME, fromSkin) is loaded against
+// a known-empty environment.
+//
+// `detectLightMode` takes env as an explicit arg, so it's safe to import
+// statically — but we stay consistent and dynamic-import it too.
+const RELEVANT_ENV = [
+  'HERMES_TUI_LIGHT',
+  'HERMES_TUI_THEME',
+  'HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND',
+  'COLORFGBG',
+  'TERM_PROGRAM',
+] as const
+
+async function importThemeWithCleanEnv() {
+  for (const key of RELEVANT_ENV) {
+    vi.stubEnv(key, '')
+  }
+  vi.resetModules()
+  return import('../theme.js')
+}
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.unstubAllEnvs()
+  vi.resetModules()
+})
 
 describe('DEFAULT_THEME', () => {
-  it('has brand defaults', () => {
+  it('has brand defaults', async () => {
+    const { DEFAULT_THEME } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
     expect(DEFAULT_THEME.brand.name).toBe('Hermes Agent')
     expect(DEFAULT_THEME.brand.prompt).toBe('❯')
     expect(DEFAULT_THEME.brand.tool).toBe('┊')
   })
 
-  it('has color palette', () => {
-    expect(DEFAULT_THEME.color.gold).toBe('#FFD700')
+  it('has color palette', async () => {
+    const { DEFAULT_THEME } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    expect(DEFAULT_THEME.color.primary).toBe('#FFD700')
     expect(DEFAULT_THEME.color.error).toBe('#ef5350')
   })
 })
 
 describe('LIGHT_THEME', () => {
-  it('avoids bright-yellow accents unreadable on white backgrounds (#11300)', () => {
-    expect(LIGHT_THEME.color.gold).not.toBe('#FFD700')
-    expect(LIGHT_THEME.color.amber).not.toBe('#FFBF00')
-    expect(LIGHT_THEME.color.dim).not.toBe('#B8860B')
+  it('avoids bright-yellow accents unreadable on white backgrounds (#11300)', async () => {
+    const { LIGHT_THEME } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    expect(LIGHT_THEME.color.primary).not.toBe('#FFD700')
+    expect(LIGHT_THEME.color.accent).not.toBe('#FFBF00')
+    expect(LIGHT_THEME.color.muted).not.toBe('#B8860B')
     expect(LIGHT_THEME.color.statusWarn).not.toBe('#FFD700')
   })
 
-  it('keeps the same shape as DARK_THEME', () => {
+  it('keeps the same shape as DARK_THEME', async () => {
+    const { DARK_THEME, LIGHT_THEME } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
     expect(Object.keys(LIGHT_THEME.color).sort()).toEqual(Object.keys(DARK_THEME.color).sort())
     expect(LIGHT_THEME.brand).toEqual(DARK_THEME.brand)
   })
 })
 
 describe('DEFAULT_THEME aliasing', () => {
-  it('defaults to DARK_THEME when nothing signals light', () => {
-    expect(DEFAULT_THEME).toBe(DARK_THEME)
+  it('defaults to DARK_THEME when nothing signals light', async () => {
+    const { DEFAULT_THEME, DARK_THEME: DARK } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    expect(DEFAULT_THEME).toBe(DARK)
   })
 })
 
 describe('detectLightMode', () => {
-  it('returns false on empty env', () => {
+  it('returns false on empty env', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
     expect(detectLightMode({})).toBe(false)
   })
 
-  it('honors HERMES_TUI_LIGHT on/off', () => {
+  it('honors HERMES_TUI_LIGHT on/off', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
     expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_LIGHT: '1' })).toBe(true)
     expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_LIGHT: 'true' })).toBe(true)
     expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_LIGHT: 'on' })).toBe(true)
@@ -48,7 +92,9 @@ describe('detectLightMode', () => {
     expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_LIGHT: 'off' })).toBe(false)
   })
 
-  it('sniffs COLORFGBG bg slots 7 and 15 as light (#11300)', () => {
+  it('sniffs COLORFGBG bg slots 7 and 15 as light (#11300)', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
     expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '0;15' })).toBe(true)
     expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '0;default;15' })).toBe(true)
     expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '0;7' })).toBe(true)
@@ -56,38 +102,136 @@ describe('detectLightMode', () => {
     expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '7;default;0' })).toBe(false)
   })
 
-  it('lets HERMES_TUI_LIGHT=0 override a light COLORFGBG', () => {
+  it('falls through on malformed COLORFGBG with empty/non-numeric trailing field', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+    // `Number('')` is 0, so `'15;'` would have been read as bg=0
+    // (authoritative dark) and incorrectly blocked TERM_PROGRAM.
+    // The strict /^\d+$/ guard makes these fall through instead.
+    const allowList = new Set(['Apple_Terminal'])
+
+    expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '15;', TERM_PROGRAM: 'Apple_Terminal' }, allowList)).toBe(true)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: 'default;default', TERM_PROGRAM: 'Apple_Terminal' }, allowList)).toBe(true)
+    // Without an allow-list match, fall-through still defaults to dark.
+    expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '15;' })).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('lets HERMES_TUI_LIGHT=0 override a light COLORFGBG', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
     expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '0;15', HERMES_TUI_LIGHT: '0' })).toBe(false)
   })
+
+  it('honors HERMES_TUI_THEME=light/dark as a symmetric explicit override', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_THEME: 'light' })).toBe(true)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_THEME: 'dark' })).toBe(false)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '0;15', HERMES_TUI_THEME: 'dark' })).toBe(false)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '15;0', HERMES_TUI_THEME: 'light' })).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('uses HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND luminance when COLORFGBG is missing', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: '#ffffff' })).toBe(true)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: '#000000' })).toBe(false)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: '#1e1e1e' })).toBe(false)
+    // Three-char hex normalises like CSS.
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: '#fff' })).toBe(true)
+    // Garbage falls through to the default-dark path.
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: 'not-a-colour' })).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('rejects partially-invalid hex instead of silently truncating', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+    // `parseInt('fffgff'.slice(2,4), 16)` would return 15 — the strict
+    // regex must reject these inputs so they fall through to default-
+    // dark instead of producing a false-positive light reading.
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: '#fffgff' })).toBe(false)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: 'ffggff' })).toBe(false)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: '#xyz' })).toBe(false)
+    // Wrong length also rejected (no implicit padding/truncation).
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: '#fffff' })).toBe(false)
+    expect(detectLightMode({ HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND: '#fffffff' })).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('treats COLORFGBG as authoritative when present so it dominates the TERM_PROGRAM allow-list', async () => {
+    const { detectLightMode } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+    // Inject a light-default allow-list so the precedence test is
+    // meaningful even though the production allow-list is empty.
+    const allowList = new Set(['Apple_Terminal'])
+
+    // Sanity: the allow-list alone WOULD turn this terminal light.
+    expect(detectLightMode({ TERM_PROGRAM: 'Apple_Terminal' }, allowList)).toBe(true)
+
+    // Dark COLORFGBG must beat the allow-list.
+    expect(
+      detectLightMode({ COLORFGBG: '15;0', TERM_PROGRAM: 'Apple_Terminal' }, allowList),
+    ).toBe(false)
+  })
 })
 
 describe('fromSkin', () => {
-  it('overrides banner colors', () => {
-    expect(fromSkin({ banner_title: '#FF0000' }, {}).color.gold).toBe('#FF0000')
+  // `fromSkin` closes over DEFAULT_THEME (which is env-derived), so we
+  // must dynamic-import it after sterilizing env — otherwise an ambient
+  // HERMES_TUI_THEME=light would flip the base palette and make these
+  // assertions order-dependent on the developer's shell.
+
+  it('overrides banner colors', async () => {
+    const { fromSkin } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    expect(fromSkin({ banner_title: '#FF0000' }, {}).color.primary).toBe('#FF0000')
   })
 
-  it('preserves unset colors', () => {
-    expect(fromSkin({ banner_title: '#FF0000' }, {}).color.amber).toBe(DEFAULT_THEME.color.amber)
+  it('preserves unset colors', async () => {
+    const { DEFAULT_THEME, fromSkin } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    expect(fromSkin({ banner_title: '#FF0000' }, {}).color.accent).toBe(DEFAULT_THEME.color.accent)
   })
 
-  it('overrides branding', () => {
+  it('derives completion current background from resolved completion background', async () => {
+    const { fromSkin } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    const theme = fromSkin({ banner_accent: '#000000', completion_menu_bg: '#ffffff' }, {})
+
+    expect(theme.color.completionBg).toBe('#ffffff')
+    expect(theme.color.completionCurrentBg).toBe('#bfbfbf')
+  })
+
+  it('overrides branding', async () => {
+    const { fromSkin } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
     const { brand } = fromSkin({}, { agent_name: 'TestBot', prompt_symbol: '$' })
+
     expect(brand.name).toBe('TestBot')
     expect(brand.prompt).toBe('$')
   })
 
-  it('defaults for empty skin', () => {
+  it('normalizes skin prompt symbols to trimmed single-line text', async () => {
+    const { DEFAULT_THEME, fromSkin } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
+    expect(fromSkin({}, { prompt_symbol: ' ⚔ ❯ \n' }).brand.prompt).toBe('⚔ ❯')
+    expect(fromSkin({}, { prompt_symbol: ' Ψ > \n' }).brand.prompt).toBe('Ψ >')
+    expect(fromSkin({}, { prompt_symbol: '\n\t' }).brand.prompt).toBe(DEFAULT_THEME.brand.prompt)
+  })
+
+  it('defaults for empty skin', async () => {
+    const { DEFAULT_THEME, fromSkin } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
     expect(fromSkin({}, {}).color).toEqual(DEFAULT_THEME.color)
     expect(fromSkin({}, {}).brand.icon).toBe(DEFAULT_THEME.brand.icon)
   })
 
-  it('passes banner logo/hero', () => {
+  it('passes banner logo/hero', async () => {
+    const { fromSkin } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
+
     expect(fromSkin({}, {}, 'LOGO', 'HERO').bannerLogo).toBe('LOGO')
     expect(fromSkin({}, {}, 'LOGO', 'HERO').bannerHero).toBe('HERO')
   })
 
-  it('maps ui_ color keys + cascades to status', () => {
+  it('maps ui_ color keys + cascades to status', async () => {
+    const { fromSkin } = await importThemeWithCleanEnv()
     const { color } = fromSkin({ ui_ok: '#008000' }, {})
+
     expect(color.ok).toBe('#008000')
     expect(color.statusGood).toBe('#008000')
   })
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/useConfigSync.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/useConfigSync.test.ts
index 5682517441..fc2dad19f1 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/useConfigSync.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/useConfigSync.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 import { $uiState, resetUiState } from '../app/uiStore.js'
-import { applyDisplay, normalizeStatusBar } from '../app/useConfigSync.js'
+import {
+  applyDisplay,
+  normalizeBusyInputMode,
+  normalizeIndicatorStyle,
+  normalizeMouseTracking,
+  normalizeStatusBar
+} from '../app/useConfigSync.js'
 
 describe('applyDisplay', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -65,6 +71,19 @@ describe('applyDisplay', () => {
     expect(s.sections).toEqual({})
   })
 
+  it('uses documented mouse_tracking with legacy tui_mouse fallback', () => {
+    const setBell = vi.fn()
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { mouse_tracking: false } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().mouseTracking).toBe(false)
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { mouse_tracking: true, tui_mouse: false } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().mouseTracking).toBe(true)
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { tui_mouse: false } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().mouseTracking).toBe(false)
+  })
+
   it('parses display.sections into per-section overrides', () => {
     const setBell = vi.fn()
 
@@ -160,3 +179,116 @@ describe('normalizeStatusBar', () => {
     expect(normalizeStatusBar('OFF')).toBe('off')
   })
 })
+
+describe('normalizeMouseTracking', () => {
+  it('defaults on and prefers canonical mouse_tracking over legacy tui_mouse', () => {
+    expect(normalizeMouseTracking({})).toBe(true)
+    expect(normalizeMouseTracking({ mouse_tracking: false })).toBe(false)
+    expect(normalizeMouseTracking({ mouse_tracking: 0 })).toBe(false)
+    expect(normalizeMouseTracking({ mouse_tracking: 'off' })).toBe(false)
+    expect(normalizeMouseTracking({ mouse_tracking: 'false' })).toBe(false)
+    expect(normalizeMouseTracking({ mouse_tracking: null, tui_mouse: false })).toBe(true)
+    expect(normalizeMouseTracking({ mouse_tracking: true, tui_mouse: false })).toBe(true)
+    expect(normalizeMouseTracking({ tui_mouse: false })).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('normalizeBusyInputMode', () => {
+  it('passes through the canonical CLI parity values', () => {
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode('queue')).toBe('queue')
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode('steer')).toBe('steer')
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode('interrupt')).toBe('interrupt')
+  })
+
+  it('trims and lowercases input', () => {
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode(' Queue ')).toBe('queue')
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode('STEER')).toBe('steer')
+  })
+
+  it('defaults to queue for missing/unknown values (TUI-only override)', () => {
+    // CLI / messaging adapters keep `interrupt` as the framework default
+    // (see hermes_cli/config.py + tui_gateway/server.py::_load_busy_input_mode);
+    // the TUI ships `queue` because typing a follow-up while the agent
+    // streams is the common authoring pattern and an unintended interrupt
+    // loses work.
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode(undefined)).toBe('queue')
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode(null)).toBe('queue')
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode('')).toBe('queue')
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode('drop')).toBe('queue')
+    expect(normalizeBusyInputMode(42)).toBe('queue')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('normalizeIndicatorStyle', () => {
+  it('passes through the canonical enum', () => {
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle('kaomoji')).toBe('kaomoji')
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle('emoji')).toBe('emoji')
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle('unicode')).toBe('unicode')
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle('ascii')).toBe('ascii')
+  })
+
+  it('trims and lowercases input', () => {
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle(' Emoji ')).toBe('emoji')
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle('UNICODE')).toBe('unicode')
+  })
+
+  it('defaults to kaomoji for missing/unknown values', () => {
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle(undefined)).toBe('kaomoji')
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle(null)).toBe('kaomoji')
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle('')).toBe('kaomoji')
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle('sparkle')).toBe('kaomoji')
+    expect(normalizeIndicatorStyle(42)).toBe('kaomoji')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('applyDisplay → busy_input_mode', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    resetUiState()
+  })
+
+  it('threads display.busy_input_mode into $uiState', () => {
+    const setBell = vi.fn()
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { busy_input_mode: 'queue' } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().busyInputMode).toBe('queue')
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { busy_input_mode: 'steer' } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().busyInputMode).toBe('steer')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to queue when value is missing or invalid (TUI-only default)', () => {
+    const setBell = vi.fn()
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: {} } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().busyInputMode).toBe('queue')
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { busy_input_mode: 'drop' } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().busyInputMode).toBe('queue')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('applyDisplay → tui_status_indicator', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    resetUiState()
+  })
+
+  it('threads display.tui_status_indicator into $uiState', () => {
+    const setBell = vi.fn()
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { tui_status_indicator: 'emoji' } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().indicatorStyle).toBe('emoji')
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { tui_status_indicator: 'unicode' } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().indicatorStyle).toBe('unicode')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to kaomoji default when missing or invalid', () => {
+    const setBell = vi.fn()
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: {} } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().indicatorStyle).toBe('kaomoji')
+
+    applyDisplay({ config: { display: { tui_status_indicator: 'rainbow' } } }, setBell)
+    expect($uiState.get().indicatorStyle).toBe('kaomoji')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/createGatewayEventHandler.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/createGatewayEventHandler.ts
index 267bf8c166..3abfc18561 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/createGatewayEventHandler.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/createGatewayEventHandler.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 import { STREAM_BATCH_MS } from '../config/timing.js'
 import { buildSetupRequiredSections, SETUP_REQUIRED_TITLE } from '../content/setup.js'
-import type { CommandsCatalogResponse, DelegationStatusResponse, GatewayEvent, GatewaySkin } from '../gatewayTypes.js'
+import type {
+  CommandsCatalogResponse,
+  ConfigFullResponse,
+  DelegationStatusResponse,
+  GatewayEvent,
+  GatewaySkin,
+  SessionMostRecentResponse
+} from '../gatewayTypes.js'
 import { rpcErrorMessage } from '../lib/rpc.js'
 import { topLevelSubagents } from '../lib/subagentTree.js'
 import { formatToolCall, stripAnsi } from '../lib/text.js'
@@ -171,15 +178,46 @@ export function createGatewayEventHandler(ctx: GatewayEventHandlerContext): (ev:
       })
       .catch((e: unknown) => turnController.pushActivity(`command catalog unavailable: ${rpcErrorMessage(e)}`, 'info'))
 
-    if (!STARTUP_RESUME_ID) {
-      patchUiState({ status: 'forging session…' })
-      newSession()
+    if (STARTUP_RESUME_ID) {
+      patchUiState({ status: 'resuming…' })
+      resumeById(STARTUP_RESUME_ID)
 
       return
     }
 
-    patchUiState({ status: 'resuming…' })
-    resumeById(STARTUP_RESUME_ID)
+    // Opt-in: when `display.tui_auto_resume_recent` is true, look up
+    // the most recent human-facing session and resume it instead of
+    // forging a brand-new one.  Mirrors classic CLI's `hermes -c` /
+    // `hermes --tui` muscle memory and addresses the audit's "session
+    // unrecoverable after disconnection" gap.  Default off so existing
+    // users aren't surprised.
+    rpc<ConfigFullResponse>('config.get', { key: 'full' })
+      .then(cfg => {
+        if (!cfg?.config?.display?.tui_auto_resume_recent) {
+          patchUiState({ status: 'forging session…' })
+          newSession()
+
+          return
+        }
+
+        return rpc<SessionMostRecentResponse>('session.most_recent', {}).then(r => {
+          const target = r?.session_id
+
+          if (target) {
+            patchUiState({ status: 'resuming most recent…' })
+            resumeById(target)
+
+            return
+          }
+
+          patchUiState({ status: 'forging session…' })
+          newSession()
+        })
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        patchUiState({ status: 'forging session…' })
+        newSession()
+      })
   }
 
   return (ev: GatewayEvent) => {
@@ -321,12 +359,30 @@ export function createGatewayEventHandler(ctx: GatewayEventHandlerContext): (ev:
       }
 
       case 'gateway.start_timeout': {
-        const { cwd, python } = ev.payload ?? {}
+        const { cwd, python, stderr_tail: stderrTail } = ev.payload ?? {}
         const trace = python || cwd ? ` · ${String(python || '')} ${String(cwd || '')}`.trim() : ''
 
         setStatus('gateway startup timeout')
         turnController.pushActivity(`gateway startup timed out${trace} · /logs to inspect`, 'error')
 
+        // Surface the most useful stderr lines inline so users can tell
+        // "wrong python", "missing dep", and "config parse failure"
+        // apart without leaving the TUI.  Filter blank rows BEFORE
+        // taking the last N so trailing empty lines in the buffer
+        // don't crowd out actual content; truncate to match the
+        // 120-char clip used for `gateway.stderr` activity entries.
+        const STDERR_LINE_CAP = 120
+        const STDERR_LINES_MAX = 8
+        const tailLines = (stderrTail ?? '')
+          .split('\n')
+          .map(l => l.trim())
+          .filter(Boolean)
+          .slice(-STDERR_LINES_MAX)
+
+        for (const line of tailLines) {
+          turnController.pushActivity(line.slice(0, STDERR_LINE_CAP), 'error')
+        }
+
         return
       }
 
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts
index 9b987f87d3..baf637aa25 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/interfaces.ts
@@ -27,11 +27,23 @@ export interface StateSetter<T> {
 
 export type StatusBarMode = 'bottom' | 'off' | 'top'
 
+export type BusyInputMode = 'interrupt' | 'queue' | 'steer'
+
+// Single source of truth for indicator style names.  Union type is
+// derived from this tuple so adding/removing a style only touches one
+// line — `useConfigSync` (validation) and `session.ts` (slash arg
+// validation + usage hint) both import it.
+export const INDICATOR_STYLES = ['ascii', 'emoji', 'kaomoji', 'unicode'] as const
+export type IndicatorStyle = (typeof INDICATOR_STYLES)[number]
+export const DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE: IndicatorStyle = 'kaomoji'
+
 export interface SelectionApi {
   captureScrolledRows: (firstRow: number, lastRow: number, side: 'above' | 'below') => void
   clearSelection: () => void
   copySelection: () => Promise<string>
+  copySelectionNoClear: () => Promise<string>
   getState: () => unknown
+  version: () => number
   shiftAnchor: (dRow: number, minRow: number, maxRow: number) => void
   shiftSelection: (dRow: number, minRow: number, maxRow: number) => void
 }
@@ -85,6 +97,7 @@ export interface TranscriptRow {
 export interface UiState {
   bgTasks: Set<string>
   busy: boolean
+  busyInputMode: BusyInputMode
   compact: boolean
   detailsMode: DetailsMode
   detailsModeCommandOverride: boolean
@@ -94,6 +107,7 @@ export interface UiState {
   sections: SectionVisibility
   showCost: boolean
   showReasoning: boolean
+  indicatorStyle: IndicatorStyle
   sid: null | string
   status: string
   statusBar: StatusBarMode
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/slash/commands/ops.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/slash/commands/ops.ts
index ef1b240604..7443552740 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/slash/commands/ops.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/slash/commands/ops.ts
@@ -98,13 +98,16 @@ export const opsCommands: SlashCommand[] = [
       const action = (rawAction || 'status').toLowerCase()
 
       if (!['connect', 'disconnect', 'status'].includes(action)) {
-        return ctx.transcript.sys('usage: /browser [connect|disconnect|status] [url]')
+        return ctx.transcript.sys(
+          'usage: /browser [connect|disconnect|status] [url] · persistent: set browser.cdp_url in config.yaml'
+        )
       }
 
       const payload: Record<string, unknown> = { action }
+      const requested = rest.join(' ').trim()
 
       if (action === 'connect') {
-        payload.url = rest.join(' ').trim() || 'http://localhost:9222'
+        payload.url = requested || 'http://localhost:9222'
       }
 
       ctx.gateway
@@ -113,14 +116,21 @@ export const opsCommands: SlashCommand[] = [
           ctx.guarded<BrowserManageResponse>(r => {
             if (action === 'status') {
               return ctx.transcript.sys(
-                r.connected ? `browser connected: ${r.url || '(url unavailable)'}` : 'browser not connected'
+                r.connected
+                  ? `browser connected: ${r.url || '(url unavailable)'}`
+                  : 'browser not connected (try /browser connect <url> or set browser.cdp_url in config.yaml)'
               )
             }
 
             if (action === 'connect') {
-              return ctx.transcript.sys(
-                r.connected ? `browser connected: ${r.url || '(url unavailable)'}` : 'browser connect failed'
-              )
+              if (r.connected) {
+                ctx.transcript.sys(`browser connected: ${r.url || '(url unavailable)'}`)
+                ctx.transcript.sys('next browser tool call will use this CDP endpoint')
+
+                return
+              }
+
+              return ctx.transcript.sys('browser connect failed')
             }
 
             ctx.transcript.sys('browser disconnected')
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/slash/commands/session.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/slash/commands/session.ts
index 58b389b3b3..5acd417de2 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/slash/commands/session.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/slash/commands/session.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import type {
 } from '../../../gatewayTypes.js'
 import { fmtK } from '../../../lib/text.js'
 import type { PanelSection } from '../../../types.js'
+import { DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE, INDICATOR_STYLES, type IndicatorStyle } from '../../interfaces.js'
 import { patchOverlayState } from '../../overlayStore.js'
 import { patchUiState } from '../../uiStore.js'
 import type { SlashCommand } from '../types.js'
@@ -268,6 +269,45 @@ export const sessionCommands: SlashCommand[] = [
     }
   },
 
+  {
+    help: 'pick the busy indicator: kaomoji (default), emoji, unicode (braille), or ascii',
+    name: 'indicator',
+    usage: `/indicator [${INDICATOR_STYLES.join('|')}]`,
+    run: (arg, ctx) => {
+      const value = arg.trim().toLowerCase()
+
+      if (!value) {
+        return ctx.gateway
+          .rpc<ConfigGetValueResponse>('config.get', { key: 'indicator' })
+          .then(
+            ctx.guarded<ConfigGetValueResponse>(r =>
+              ctx.transcript.sys(`indicator: ${r.value || DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE}`)
+            )
+          )
+      }
+
+      if (!(INDICATOR_STYLES as readonly string[]).includes(value)) {
+        return ctx.transcript.sys(`usage: /indicator [${INDICATOR_STYLES.join('|')}]`)
+      }
+
+      ctx.gateway
+        .rpc<ConfigSetResponse>('config.set', { key: 'indicator', value })
+        .then(
+          ctx.guarded<ConfigSetResponse>(r => {
+            if (!r.value) {
+              return
+            }
+
+            // Hot-swap the running TUI immediately so the next render
+            // uses the new style without waiting for the 5s mtime poll
+            // to re-apply config.full.
+            patchUiState({ indicatorStyle: value as IndicatorStyle })
+            ctx.transcript.sys(`indicator → ${r.value}`)
+          })
+        )
+    }
+  },
+
   {
     help: 'toggle yolo mode (per-session approvals)',
     name: 'yolo',
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/turnController.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/turnController.ts
index 49a7fd7d67..b9e0aa04c1 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/turnController.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/turnController.ts
@@ -316,6 +316,10 @@ class TurnController {
   }
 
   recordTodos(value: unknown) {
+    if (this.interrupted) {
+      return
+    }
+
     const todos = parseTodos(value)
 
     if (todos !== null) {
@@ -397,6 +401,10 @@ class TurnController {
   }
 
   pushTrail(line: string) {
+    if (this.interrupted) {
+      return
+    }
+
     patchTurnState(state => {
       if (state.turnTrail.at(-1) === line) {
         return state
@@ -423,7 +431,13 @@ class TurnController {
   recordMessageComplete(payload: { rendered?: string; reasoning?: string; text?: string }) {
     this.closeReasoningSegment()
 
-    const rawText = (payload.rendered ?? payload.text ?? this.bufRef).trimStart()
+    // Ink renders markdown via <Md>; the gateway's Rich-rendered ANSI
+    // (`payload.rendered`) is for terminals that can't.  Prioritising
+    // `rendered` here garbles output whenever a user opts into
+    // `display.final_response_markdown: render` because raw ANSI escapes
+    // pass through into the React tree.  Prefer raw text and fall back
+    // only when the gateway elected not to send any (#16391).
+    const rawText = (payload.text ?? payload.rendered ?? this.bufRef).trimStart()
     const split = splitReasoning(rawText)
     const finalText = finalTail(split.text, this.segmentMessages)
     const existingReasoning = this.reasoningText.trim() || String(payload.reasoning ?? '').trim()
@@ -508,15 +522,20 @@ class TurnController {
     return { finalMessages, finalText, wasInterrupted }
   }
 
-  recordMessageDelta({ rendered, text }: { rendered?: string; text?: string }) {
-    this.pruneTransient()
-    this.endReasoningPhase()
-
-    if (!text || this.interrupted) {
+  recordMessageDelta({ text }: { rendered?: string; text?: string }) {
+    if (this.interrupted || !text) {
       return
     }
 
-    this.bufRef = rendered ?? this.bufRef + text
+    this.pruneTransient()
+    this.endReasoningPhase()
+
+    // Always accumulate the raw text delta.  The pre-#16391 path replaced
+    // the entire buffer with `rendered` (an *incremental* Rich ANSI
+    // fragment), which on every tick discarded everything streamed so far
+    // — visible as overlapping coloured text and lost prose under
+    // `display.final_response_markdown: render`.
+    this.bufRef += text
 
     if (getUiState().streaming) {
       this.scheduleStreaming()
@@ -524,7 +543,7 @@ class TurnController {
   }
 
   recordReasoningAvailable(text: string) {
-    if (!getUiState().showReasoning) {
+    if (this.interrupted || !getUiState().showReasoning) {
       return
     }
 
@@ -542,7 +561,7 @@ class TurnController {
   }
 
   recordReasoningDelta(text: string) {
-    if (!getUiState().showReasoning) {
+    if (this.interrupted || !getUiState().showReasoning) {
       return
     }
 
@@ -570,6 +589,10 @@ class TurnController {
     duration?: number,
     todos?: unknown
   ) {
+    if (this.interrupted) {
+      return
+    }
+
     this.recordTodos(todos)
     const line = this.completeTool(toolId, fallbackName, error, summary, duration)
 
@@ -585,6 +608,10 @@ class TurnController {
     error?: string,
     duration?: number
   ) {
+    if (this.interrupted) {
+      return
+    }
+
     this.flushStreamingSegment()
     this.pushInlineDiffSegment(diffText, [this.completeTool(toolId, fallbackName, error, '', duration)])
     this.publishToolState()
@@ -626,6 +653,10 @@ class TurnController {
   }
 
   recordToolProgress(toolName: string, preview: string) {
+    if (this.interrupted) {
+      return
+    }
+
     const index = this.activeTools.findIndex(tool => tool.name === toolName)
 
     if (index < 0) {
@@ -645,6 +676,10 @@ class TurnController {
   }
 
   recordToolStart(toolId: string, name: string, context: string) {
+    if (this.interrupted) {
+      return
+    }
+
     this.flushStreamingSegment()
     this.closeReasoningSegment()
     this.pruneTransient()
@@ -716,6 +751,7 @@ class TurnController {
     this.reasoningSegmentIndex = null
     this.turnTools = []
     this.toolTokenAcc = 0
+    this.interrupted = false
     this.persistedToolLabels.clear()
     patchUiState({ busy: true })
     patchTurnState({ activity: [], outcome: '', subagents: [], toolTokens: 0, tools: [], turnTrail: [] })
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/uiStore.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/uiStore.ts
index 1b3a841e18..b3d5a942c7 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/uiStore.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/uiStore.ts
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@ import { MOUSE_TRACKING } from '../config/env.js'
 import { ZERO } from '../domain/usage.js'
 import { DEFAULT_THEME } from '../theme.js'
 
-import type { UiState } from './interfaces.js'
+import { DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE, type UiState } from './interfaces.js'
 
 const buildUiState = (): UiState => ({
   bgTasks: new Set(),
   busy: false,
+  busyInputMode: 'queue',
   compact: false,
   detailsMode: 'collapsed',
   detailsModeCommandOverride: false,
+  indicatorStyle: DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE,
   info: null,
   inlineDiffs: true,
   mouseTracking: MOUSE_TRACKING,
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/useConfigSync.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/useConfigSync.ts
index 26d02d6204..1b9d930b53 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/useConfigSync.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/useConfigSync.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,13 @@ import type {
 } from '../gatewayTypes.js'
 import { asRpcResult } from '../lib/rpc.js'
 
-import type { StatusBarMode } from './interfaces.js'
+import {
+  DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE,
+  INDICATOR_STYLES,
+  type BusyInputMode,
+  type IndicatorStyle,
+  type StatusBarMode,
+} from './interfaces.js'
 import { turnController } from './turnController.js'
 import { patchUiState } from './uiStore.js'
 
@@ -24,6 +30,52 @@ const STATUSBAR_ALIAS: Record<string, StatusBarMode> = {
 export const normalizeStatusBar = (raw: unknown): StatusBarMode =>
   raw === false ? 'off' : typeof raw === 'string' ? (STATUSBAR_ALIAS[raw.trim().toLowerCase()] ?? 'top') : 'top'
 
+const BUSY_MODES = new Set<BusyInputMode>(['interrupt', 'queue', 'steer'])
+
+// TUI defaults to `queue` even though the framework default
+// (`hermes_cli/config.py`) is `interrupt`.  Rationale: in a full-screen
+// TUI you're typically authoring the next prompt while the agent is
+// still streaming, and an unintended interrupt loses work.  Set
+// `display.busy_input_mode: interrupt` (or `steer`) explicitly to
+// opt out per-config; CLI / messaging adapters keep their `interrupt`
+// default unchanged.
+const TUI_BUSY_DEFAULT: BusyInputMode = 'queue'
+
+export const normalizeBusyInputMode = (raw: unknown): BusyInputMode => {
+  if (typeof raw !== 'string') {
+    return TUI_BUSY_DEFAULT
+  }
+
+  const v = raw.trim().toLowerCase() as BusyInputMode
+
+  return BUSY_MODES.has(v) ? v : TUI_BUSY_DEFAULT
+}
+
+const INDICATOR_STYLE_SET: ReadonlySet<IndicatorStyle> = new Set(INDICATOR_STYLES)
+
+export const normalizeIndicatorStyle = (raw: unknown): IndicatorStyle => {
+  if (typeof raw !== 'string') {
+    return DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE
+  }
+
+  const v = raw.trim().toLowerCase() as IndicatorStyle
+
+  return INDICATOR_STYLE_SET.has(v) ? v : DEFAULT_INDICATOR_STYLE
+}
+
+const FALSEY_MOUSE = new Set(['0', 'false', 'no', 'off'])
+const hasOwn = (obj: object, key: PropertyKey) => Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, key)
+
+export const normalizeMouseTracking = (display: { mouse_tracking?: unknown; tui_mouse?: unknown }): boolean => {
+  const raw = hasOwn(display, 'mouse_tracking') ? display.mouse_tracking : display.tui_mouse
+
+  if (raw === false || raw === 0) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  return typeof raw === 'string' ? !FALSEY_MOUSE.has(raw.trim().toLowerCase()) : true
+}
+
 const MTIME_POLL_MS = 5000
 
 const quietRpc = async <T extends Record<string, any> = Record<string, any>>(
@@ -43,11 +95,13 @@ export const applyDisplay = (cfg: ConfigFullResponse | null, setBell: (v: boolea
 
   setBell(!!d.bell_on_complete)
   patchUiState({
+    busyInputMode: normalizeBusyInputMode(d.busy_input_mode),
     compact: !!d.tui_compact,
     detailsMode: resolveDetailsMode(d),
     detailsModeCommandOverride: false,
+    indicatorStyle: normalizeIndicatorStyle(d.tui_status_indicator),
     inlineDiffs: d.inline_diffs !== false,
-    mouseTracking: d.tui_mouse !== false,
+    mouseTracking: normalizeMouseTracking(d),
     sections: resolveSections(d.sections),
     showCost: !!d.show_cost,
     showReasoning: !!d.show_reasoning,
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
index c18deb47bb..70dc96fec3 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/useMainApp.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import type {
 import { useGitBranch } from '../hooks/useGitBranch.js'
 import { useVirtualHistory } from '../hooks/useVirtualHistory.js'
 import { appendTranscriptMessage } from '../lib/messages.js'
+import { isMac } from '../lib/platform.js'
 import { asRpcResult, rpcErrorMessage } from '../lib/rpc.js'
 import { terminalParityHints } from '../lib/terminalParity.js'
 import { buildToolTrailLine, sameToolTrailGroup, toolTrailLabel } from '../lib/text.js'
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ const capHistory = (items: Msg[]): Msg[] => {
   return items[0]?.kind === 'intro' ? [items[0]!, ...items.slice(-(MAX_HISTORY - 1))] : items.slice(-MAX_HISTORY)
 }
 
-const statusColorOf = (status: string, t: { dim: string; error: string; ok: string; warn: string }) => {
+const statusColorOf = (status: string, t: { error: string; muted: string; ok: string; warn: string }) => {
   if (status === 'ready') {
     return t.ok
   }
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ const statusColorOf = (status: string, t: { dim: string; error: string; ok: stri
     return t.warn
   }
 
-  return t.dim
+  return t.muted
 }
 
 export function useMainApp(gw: GatewayClient) {
@@ -143,11 +144,47 @@ export function useMainApp(gw: GatewayClient) {
 
   const hasSelection = useHasSelection()
   const selection = useSelection()
+  const lastCopiedVersionRef = useRef(-1)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     selection.setSelectionBgColor(ui.theme.color.selectionBg)
   }, [selection, ui.theme.color.selectionBg])
 
+  // macOS Terminal.app does not forward Cmd+C to fullscreen TUIs that enable
+  // mouse tracking, so the only reliable native-feeling path is iTerm-style
+  // copy-on-select: once a drag creates a stable TUI selection, write it to
+  // the system clipboard while keeping the highlight visible.
+  //
+  // Subscribe directly via the ink selection bus (not useSyncExternalStore)
+  // so React doesn't re-render MainApp on every drag-move tick. The version
+  // ref de-dupes against re-entrant notifications.
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isMac) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    return selection.subscribe(() => {
+      if (!selection.hasSelection()) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const state = selection.getState() as { isDragging?: boolean } | null
+
+      if (state?.isDragging) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const version = selection.version()
+
+      if (version === lastCopiedVersionRef.current) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      lastCopiedVersionRef.current = version
+      void selection.copySelectionNoClear()
+    })
+  }, [selection])
+
   const clearSelection = useCallback(() => {
     selection.clearSelection()
     getInputSelection()?.collapseToEnd()
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/app/useSubmission.ts b/ui-tui/src/app/useSubmission.ts
index f2468f27e6..2c2c6d48d9 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/app/useSubmission.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/app/useSubmission.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@ import { TYPING_IDLE_MS } from '../config/timing.js'
 import { attachedImageNotice } from '../domain/messages.js'
 import { looksLikeSlashCommand } from '../domain/slash.js'
 import type { GatewayClient } from '../gatewayClient.js'
-import type { InputDetectDropResponse, PromptSubmitResponse, ShellExecResponse } from '../gatewayTypes.js'
+import type {
+  InputDetectDropResponse,
+  PromptSubmitResponse,
+  SessionSteerResponse,
+  ShellExecResponse
+} from '../gatewayTypes.js'
 import { asRpcResult } from '../lib/rpc.js'
 import { hasInterpolation, INTERPOLATION_RE } from '../protocol/interpolation.js'
 import { PASTE_SNIPPET_RE } from '../protocol/paste.js'
@@ -207,6 +212,70 @@ export function useSubmission(opts: UseSubmissionOptions) {
     [interpolate, send, shellExec]
   )
 
+  // Honors `display.busy_input_mode` from config.yaml (CLI parity):
+  //   - 'queue'     (legacy): append to queueRef; drains on busy → false
+  //   - 'steer'     : inject into the current turn via session.steer; falls
+  //                   back to queue when steer is rejected (no agent / no
+  //                   tool window).
+  //   - 'interrupt' (default): cancel the in-flight turn, then send the
+  //                   new text as a fresh prompt so it actually moves.
+  //
+  // `opts.fallbackToFront` controls whether a steer fallback re-inserts
+  // at the front of the queue (used by the queue-edit path to preserve
+  // a picked item's position); the mainline submit path always appends.
+  const handleBusyInput = useCallback(
+    (full: string, opts: { fallbackToFront?: boolean } = {}) => {
+      const live = getUiState()
+      const mode = live.busyInputMode
+      const fallback = (note: string) => {
+        if (opts.fallbackToFront) {
+          composerRefs.queueRef.current.unshift(full)
+          composerActions.syncQueue()
+        } else {
+          composerActions.enqueue(full)
+        }
+        sys(note)
+      }
+
+      if (mode === 'queue') {
+        return composerActions.enqueue(full)
+      }
+
+      if (mode === 'steer' && live.sid) {
+        gw.request<SessionSteerResponse>('session.steer', { session_id: live.sid, text: full })
+          .then(raw => {
+            const r = asRpcResult<SessionSteerResponse>(raw)
+
+            if (r?.status !== 'queued') {
+              fallback('steer rejected — message queued for next turn')
+            }
+          })
+          .catch(() => fallback('steer failed — message queued for next turn'))
+
+        return
+      }
+
+      // 'interrupt' (default): tear down the current turn, then send.
+      // `interruptTurn` fires `session.interrupt` without awaiting; if
+      // the gateway is still mid-response when `prompt.submit` lands,
+      // `send()`'s catch path re-queues with a "queued: ..." sys note
+      // (`isSessionBusyError`) — so a lost race degrades to queue
+      // semantics, not a dropped message.
+      if (live.sid) {
+        turnController.interruptTurn({ appendMessage, gw, sid: live.sid, sys })
+      }
+
+      if (hasInterpolation(full)) {
+        patchUiState({ busy: true })
+
+        return interpolate(full, send)
+      }
+
+      send(full)
+    },
+    [appendMessage, composerActions, composerRefs, gw, interpolate, send, sys]
+  )
+
   const dispatchSubmission = useCallback(
     (full: string) => {
       if (!full.trim()) {
@@ -252,9 +321,16 @@ export function useSubmission(opts: UseSubmissionOptions) {
         }
 
         if (getUiState().busy) {
-          composerRefs.queueRef.current.unshift(picked)
+          // 'interrupt' / 'steer' should reach the live turn instead of
+          // silently going back to the queue.  handleBusyInput resolves
+          // mode-specific behavior (interrupt-and-send, steer, or queue).
+          if (getUiState().busyInputMode === 'queue') {
+            composerRefs.queueRef.current.unshift(picked)
 
-          return composerActions.syncQueue()
+            return composerActions.syncQueue()
+          }
+
+          return handleBusyInput(picked, { fallbackToFront: true })
         }
 
         return sendQueued(picked)
@@ -263,7 +339,7 @@ export function useSubmission(opts: UseSubmissionOptions) {
       composerActions.pushHistory(full)
 
       if (getUiState().busy) {
-        return composerActions.enqueue(full)
+        return handleBusyInput(full)
       }
 
       if (hasInterpolation(full)) {
@@ -274,7 +350,17 @@ export function useSubmission(opts: UseSubmissionOptions) {
 
       send(full)
     },
-    [appendMessage, composerActions, composerRefs, interpolate, send, sendQueued, shellExec, slashRef]
+    [
+      appendMessage,
+      composerActions,
+      composerRefs,
+      handleBusyInput,
+      interpolate,
+      send,
+      sendQueued,
+      shellExec,
+      slashRef
+    ]
   )
 
   const submit = useCallback(
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/banner.ts b/ui-tui/src/banner.ts
index d048b7dac8..80da8f43d7 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/banner.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/banner.ts
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ const LOGO_GRADIENT = [0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2] as const
 const CADUC_GRADIENT = [2, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3] as const
 
 const colorize = (art: string[], gradient: readonly number[], c: ThemeColors): Line[] => {
-  const p = [c.gold, c.amber, c.bronze, c.dim]
+  const p = [c.primary, c.accent, c.border, c.muted]
 
-  return art.map((text, i) => [p[gradient[i]!] ?? c.dim, text])
+  return art.map((text, i) => [p[gradient[i]!] ?? c.muted, text])
 }
 
 export const LOGO_WIDTH = 98
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/agentsOverlay.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/agentsOverlay.tsx
index 6d3917bf73..a3a075afb9 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/agentsOverlay.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/agentsOverlay.tsx
@@ -79,15 +79,15 @@ const FILTER_PREDICATES: Record<FilterMode, (n: SubagentNode) => boolean> = {
 }
 
 const STATUS_GLYPH: Record<Status, { color: (t: Theme) => string; glyph: string }> = {
-  running: { color: t => t.color.amber, glyph: '●' },
-  queued: { color: t => t.color.dim, glyph: '○' },
+  running: { color: t => t.color.accent, glyph: '●' },
+  queued: { color: t => t.color.muted, glyph: '○' },
   completed: { color: t => t.color.statusGood, glyph: '✓' },
   interrupted: { color: t => t.color.warn, glyph: '■' },
   failed: { color: t => t.color.error, glyph: '✗' }
 }
 
 // Heatmap palette — cold → hot, resolved against the active theme.
-const heatPalette = (t: Theme) => [t.color.bronze, t.color.amber, t.color.gold, t.color.warn, t.color.error]
+const heatPalette = (t: Theme) => [t.color.border, t.color.accent, t.color.primary, t.color.warn, t.color.error]
 
 // ── Pure helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ function OverlayScrollbar({
 
   const vBar = (n: number) => (n > 0 ? `${'│\n'.repeat(n - 1)}│` : '')
   const thumbBody = `${'┃\n'.repeat(Math.max(0, thumb - 1))}┃`
-  const thumbColor = grab !== null ? t.color.gold : t.color.amber
-  const trackColor = hover ? t.color.bronze : t.color.dim
+  const thumbColor = grab !== null ? t.color.primary : t.color.accent
+  const trackColor = hover ? t.color.border : t.color.muted
 
   const jump = (row: number, offset: number) => {
     if (!s || !scrollable) {
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ function GanttStrip({
 
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" marginBottom={1}>
-      <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+      <Text color={t.color.muted}>
         Timeline · {fmtElapsedLabel(Math.max(0, totalSeconds))}
         {windowLabel}
       </Text>
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ function GanttStrip({
       {shown.map(({ endAt, idx, node, startAt }) => {
         const active = idx === cursor
         const { color } = statusGlyph(node.item, t)
-        const accent = active ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim
+        const accent = active ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted
 
         const elSec = displayElapsedSeconds(node.item, now)
         const elLabel = elSec != null ? fmtElapsedLabel(elSec) : ''
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ function GanttStrip({
               {'  '}
             </Text>
 
-            <Text color={active ? t.color.amber : color}>{bar(startAt, endAt)}</Text>
+            <Text color={active ? t.color.accent : color}>{bar(startAt, endAt)}</Text>
 
             {elLabel ? (
               <Text color={accent}>
@@ -333,13 +333,13 @@ function GanttStrip({
         )
       })}
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim} dim>
+      <Text color={t.color.muted} dim>
         {'    '}
         {ruler}
       </Text>
 
       {totalSeconds > 0 ? (
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} dim>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} dim>
           {'    '}
           {rulerLabels}
         </Text>
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ function OverlaySection({
     <Box flexDirection="column" marginTop={1}>
       <Box onClick={() => toggleOverlaySection(title, defaultOpen)}>
         <Text color={t.color.label}>
-          <Text color={t.color.amber}>{open ? '▾ ' : '▸ '}</Text>
+          <Text color={t.color.accent}>{open ? '▾ ' : '▸ '}</Text>
           {title}
           {typeof count === 'number' ? ` (${count})` : ''}
         </Text>
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ function Field({ name, t, value }: { name: string; t: Theme; value: ReactNode })
   return (
     <Text wrap="truncate-end">
       <Text color={t.color.label}>{name} · </Text>
-      <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{value}</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.text}>{value}</Text>
     </Text>
   )
 }
@@ -411,8 +411,8 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
 
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column">
-      <Text bold color={t.color.cornsilk} wrap="wrap">
-        {id ? <Text color={t.color.amber}>#{id} </Text> : null}
+      <Text bold color={t.color.text} wrap="wrap">
+        {id ? <Text color={t.color.accent}>#{id} </Text> : null}
         <Text color={color}>{glyph}</Text> {item.goal}
       </Text>
 
@@ -472,20 +472,20 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
           ))}
 
           {filesRead.slice(0, 8).map((p, i) => (
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={`r-${i}`} wrap="truncate-end">
-              <Text color={t.color.dim}>·</Text> {p}
+            <Text color={t.color.text} key={`r-${i}`} wrap="truncate-end">
+              <Text color={t.color.muted}>·</Text> {p}
             </Text>
           ))}
 
-          {filesOverflow > 0 ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>…+{filesOverflow} more</Text> : null}
+          {filesOverflow > 0 ? <Text color={t.color.muted}>…+{filesOverflow} more</Text> : null}
         </OverlaySection>
       ) : null}
 
       {toolLines.length > 0 ? (
         <OverlaySection count={toolLines.length} defaultOpen t={t} title="Tool calls">
           {toolLines.map((line, i) => (
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={i} wrap="wrap">
-              <Text color={t.color.dim}>·</Text> {line}
+            <Text color={t.color.text} key={i} wrap="wrap">
+              <Text color={t.color.muted}>·</Text> {line}
             </Text>
           ))}
         </OverlaySection>
@@ -494,8 +494,8 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
       {outputTail.length > 0 ? (
         <OverlaySection count={outputTail.length} defaultOpen t={t} title="Output">
           {outputTail.map((entry, i) => (
-            <Text color={entry.isError ? t.color.error : t.color.cornsilk} key={i} wrap="wrap">
-              <Text bold color={entry.isError ? t.color.error : t.color.amber}>
+            <Text color={entry.isError ? t.color.error : t.color.text} key={i} wrap="wrap">
+              <Text bold color={entry.isError ? t.color.error : t.color.accent}>
                 {entry.tool}
               </Text>{' '}
               {entry.preview}
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
       {item.notes.length ? (
         <OverlaySection count={item.notes.length} t={t} title="Progress">
           {item.notes.slice(-6).map((line, i) => (
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={i} wrap="wrap">
+            <Text color={t.color.text} key={i} wrap="wrap">
               <Text color={t.color.label}>·</Text> {line}
             </Text>
           ))}
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ function Detail({ id, node, t }: { id?: string; node: SubagentNode; t: Theme })
 
       {item.summary ? (
         <OverlaySection defaultOpen t={t} title="Summary">
-          <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} wrap="wrap">
+          <Text color={t.color.text} wrap="wrap">
             {item.summary}
           </Text>
         </OverlaySection>
@@ -552,16 +552,16 @@ function ListRow({
   const paren = line ? line.indexOf('(') : -1
   const toolShort = line ? (paren > 0 ? line.slice(0, paren) : line).trim() : ''
   const trailing = toolShort ? ` · ${compactPreview(toolShort, 14)}` : ''
-  const fg = active ? t.color.amber : t.color.cornsilk
+  const fg = active ? t.color.accent : t.color.text
 
   return (
     <Text bold={active} color={fg} inverse={active} wrap="truncate-end">
       {' '}
-      <Text color={active ? fg : t.color.dim}>{formatRowId(index)} </Text>
+      <Text color={active ? fg : t.color.muted}>{formatRowId(index)} </Text>
       {indentFor(node.item.depth)}
       {heatMarker ? <Text color={heatMarker}>▍</Text> : null}
       <Text color={active ? fg : color}>{glyph}</Text> {goal}
-      <Text color={active ? fg : t.color.dim}>
+      <Text color={active ? fg : t.color.muted}>
         {toolsCount}
         {kids}
         {trailing}
@@ -585,16 +585,16 @@ function DiffPane({
 }) {
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-      <Text bold color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+      <Text bold color={t.color.text}>
         {label}
       </Text>
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+      <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
         {snapshot.label}
       </Text>
 
       <Box marginTop={1}>
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
           {formatSummary(totals)}
         </Text>
       </Box>
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ function DiffPane({
             const { color, glyph } = statusGlyph(s, t)
 
             return (
-              <Text color={t.color.dim} key={s.id} wrap="truncate-end">
+              <Text color={t.color.muted} key={s.id} wrap="truncate-end">
                 <Text color={color}>{glyph}</Text> {s.goal || 'subagent'}
               </Text>
             )
@@ -644,10 +644,10 @@ function DiffView({
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1} paddingX={1} paddingY={1}>
       <Box flexDirection="column" marginBottom={1}>
-        <Text bold color={t.color.bronze}>
+        <Text bold color={t.color.border}>
           Replay diff
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.dim}>baseline vs candidate · esc/q close</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted}>baseline vs candidate · esc/q close</Text>
       </Box>
 
       <Box flexDirection="row" marginBottom={1}>
@@ -657,24 +657,24 @@ function DiffView({
       </Box>
 
       <Box flexDirection="column" marginTop={1}>
-        <Text bold color={t.color.amber}>
+        <Text bold color={t.color.accent}>
           Δ
         </Text>
 
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {diffMetricLine('agents', aTotals.descendantCount, bTotals.descendantCount, round)}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{diffMetricLine('tools', aTotals.totalTools, bTotals.totalTools, round)}</Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>{diffMetricLine('tools', aTotals.totalTools, bTotals.totalTools, round)}</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {diffMetricLine('depth', aTotals.maxDepthFromHere, bTotals.maxDepthFromHere, round)}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {diffMetricLine('duration', aTotals.totalDuration, bTotals.totalDuration, n => `${n.toFixed(1)}s`)}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {diffMetricLine('tokens', sumTokens(aTotals), sumTokens(bTotals), fmtTokens)}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{diffMetricLine('cost', aTotals.costUsd, bTotals.costUsd, dollars)}</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>{diffMetricLine('cost', aTotals.costUsd, bTotals.costUsd, dollars)}</Text>
       </Box>
     </Box>
   )
@@ -985,11 +985,11 @@ export function AgentsOverlay({ gw, initialHistoryIndex = 0, onClose, t }: Agent
     <Box alignItems="stretch" flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1} paddingX={1} paddingY={1}>
       <Box flexDirection="column" marginBottom={1}>
         <Text wrap="truncate-end">
-          <Text bold color={replayMode ? t.color.bronze : t.color.gold}>
+          <Text bold color={replayMode ? t.color.border : t.color.primary}>
             {title}
           </Text>
           {metaLine ? (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted}>
               {'   '}
               {metaLine}
             </Text>
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ export function AgentsOverlay({ gw, initialHistoryIndex = 0, onClose, t }: Agent
 
       {rows.length === 0 ? (
         <Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1}>
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}>No subagents this turn. Trigger delegate_task to populate the tree.</Text>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}>No subagents this turn. Trigger delegate_task to populate the tree.</Text>
         </Box>
       ) : mode === 'list' ? (
         <Box flexDirection="column" flexGrow={1} flexShrink={1} minHeight={0}>
@@ -1034,17 +1034,17 @@ export function AgentsOverlay({ gw, initialHistoryIndex = 0, onClose, t }: Agent
       )}
 
       <Box flexDirection="column" marginTop={1}>
-        {flash ? <Text color={t.color.amber}>{flash}</Text> : null}
+        {flash ? <Text color={t.color.accent}>{flash}</Text> : null}
 
         {mode === 'list' ? (
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}>
             ↑↓/jk move · g/G top/bottom · Enter/→ open detail{controlsHint} · s sort:{SORT_LABEL[sort]} · f filter:
             {FILTER_LABEL[filter]}
             {history.length > 0 ? ` · [ / ] history ${historyIndex}/${history.length}` : ''}
             {' · q close'}
           </Text>
         ) : (
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}>
             ↑↓/jk scroll · PgUp/PgDn page · g/G top/bottom · Esc/← back to list{controlsHint} · q close
           </Text>
         )}
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
index 42015e11f4..e85a0fb718 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/appChrome.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 import { Box, type ScrollBoxHandle, Text } from '@hermes/ink'
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { type ReactNode, type RefObject, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from 'react'
+import unicodeSpinners from 'unicode-animations'
 
 import { $delegationState } from '../app/delegationStore.js'
+import type { IndicatorStyle } from '../app/interfaces.js'
+import { $uiState } from '../app/uiStore.js'
 import { useTurnSelector } from '../app/turnStore.js'
 import { FACES } from '../content/faces.js'
 import { VERBS } from '../content/verbs.js'
@@ -17,30 +20,103 @@ import type { Msg, Usage } from '../types.js'
 const FACE_TICK_MS = 2500
 const HEART_COLORS = ['#ff5fa2', '#ff4d6d']
 
+// Compact alternates for the `emoji` and `ascii` indicator styles.
+// Each entry is a fixed-width (display-width) glyph.
+const EMOJI_FRAMES = ['⚕ ', '🌀', '🤔', '✨', '🍵', '🔮']
+const ASCII_FRAMES = ['|', '/', '-', '\\']
+
+// Faster tick for spinner-style indicators — they read as motion only
+// at frame rates closer to their authored interval.
+const SPINNER_TICK_MS = 100
+
+interface IndicatorRender {
+  frame: string
+  intervalMs: number
+  // When false, FaceTicker hides the rotating verb and just shows the
+  // glyph + duration.  Lets `unicode` stay minimal while the other
+  // styles keep the verb-rotation flavour users associate with the
+  // running… status.
+  showVerb: boolean
+}
+
+const renderIndicator = (style: IndicatorStyle, tick: number): IndicatorRender => {
+  if (style === 'kaomoji') {
+    return { frame: FACES[tick % FACES.length] ?? '', intervalMs: FACE_TICK_MS, showVerb: true }
+  }
+
+  if (style === 'emoji') {
+    return {
+      frame: EMOJI_FRAMES[tick % EMOJI_FRAMES.length] ?? '⚕ ',
+      intervalMs: SPINNER_TICK_MS * 6,
+      showVerb: true
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (style === 'ascii') {
+    return {
+      frame: ASCII_FRAMES[tick % ASCII_FRAMES.length] ?? '|',
+      intervalMs: SPINNER_TICK_MS,
+      showVerb: true
+    }
+  }
+
+  // 'unicode' — braille spinner (fixed 1-col).  Authored interval is
+  // ~80ms; honour it but bound below at a safe minimum so React
+  // re-renders stay reasonable.  This style is for users who want
+  // the cleanest possible status, so no verb rotation either.
+  const spinner = unicodeSpinners.braille
+  const frame = spinner.frames[tick % spinner.frames.length] ?? '⠋'
+
+  return { frame, intervalMs: Math.max(SPINNER_TICK_MS, spinner.interval), showVerb: false }
+}
+
 function FaceTicker({ color, startedAt }: { color: string; startedAt?: null | number }) {
+  const ui = useStore($uiState)
+  const style = ui.indicatorStyle
   const [tick, setTick] = useState(() => Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000))
+  const [verbTick, setVerbTick] = useState(() => Math.floor(Math.random() * VERBS.length))
   const [now, setNow] = useState(() => Date.now())
 
+  // Pre-compute cadence + verb-visibility for the active style so an
+  // `/indicator` switch re-arms the interval (and skips the verb timer
+  // for verb-less styles like `unicode`) without leaving the previous
+  // timer dangling.
+  const { intervalMs, showVerb } = renderIndicator(style, 0)
+
   useEffect(() => {
-    const face = setInterval(() => setTick(n => n + 1), FACE_TICK_MS)
+    const glyph = setInterval(() => setTick(n => n + 1), intervalMs)
     const clock = setInterval(() => setNow(Date.now()), 1000)
+    // Verb timer is gated on `showVerb` — `unicode` style hides the verb
+    // entirely, so cycling `verbTick` would be an avoidable re-render.
+    const verb = showVerb ? setInterval(() => setVerbTick(n => n + 1), FACE_TICK_MS) : null
 
     return () => {
-      clearInterval(face)
+      clearInterval(glyph)
       clearInterval(clock)
+
+      if (verb !== null) {
+        clearInterval(verb)
+      }
     }
-  }, [])
+  }, [intervalMs, showVerb])
+
+  const { frame } = renderIndicator(style, tick)
+  const verb = VERBS[verbTick % VERBS.length] ?? ''
+  const verbSegment = showVerb ? ` ${verb}…` : ''
+  const durationSegment = startedAt ? ` · ${fmtDuration(now - startedAt)}` : ''
 
   return (
     <Text color={color}>
-      {FACES[tick % FACES.length]} {VERBS[tick % VERBS.length]}…{startedAt ? ` · ${fmtDuration(now - startedAt)}` : ''}
+      {frame}
+      {verbSegment}
+      {durationSegment}
     </Text>
   )
 }
 
 function ctxBarColor(pct: number | undefined, t: Theme) {
   if (pct == null) {
-    return t.color.dim
+    return t.color.muted
   }
 
   if (pct >= 95) {
@@ -93,7 +169,7 @@ function SpawnHud({ t }: { t: Theme }) {
   const concRatio = maxConc ? widestLevel / maxConc : 0
   const ratio = Math.max(depthRatio, concRatio)
 
-  const color = delegation.paused || ratio >= 1 ? t.color.error : ratio >= 0.66 ? t.color.warn : t.color.dim
+  const color = delegation.paused || ratio >= 1 ? t.color.error : ratio >= 0.66 ? t.color.warn : t.color.muted
 
   const pieces: string[] = []
 
@@ -162,21 +238,21 @@ const modelLabel = (model: string, effort?: string, fast?: boolean) =>
 
 export function GoodVibesHeart({ tick, t }: { tick: number; t: Theme }) {
   const [active, setActive] = useState(false)
-  const [color, setColor] = useState(t.color.amber)
+  const [color, setColor] = useState(t.color.accent)
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (tick <= 0) {
       return
     }
 
-    const palette = [...HEART_COLORS, t.color.amber]
+    const palette = [t.color.error, t.color.warn, t.color.accent]
     setColor(palette[Math.floor(Math.random() * palette.length)]!)
     setActive(true)
 
     const id = setTimeout(() => setActive(false), 650)
 
     return () => clearTimeout(id)
-  }, [t.color.amber, tick])
+  }, [t.color.accent, tick])
 
   if (!active) {
     return null
@@ -217,23 +293,23 @@ export function StatusRule({
   return (
     <Box height={1}>
       <Box flexShrink={1} width={leftWidth}>
-        <Text color={t.color.bronze} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text color={t.color.border} wrap="truncate-end">
           {'─ '}
           {busy ? (
             <FaceTicker color={statusColor} startedAt={turnStartedAt} />
           ) : (
             <Text color={statusColor}>{status}</Text>
           )}
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}> │ {modelLabel(model, modelReasoningEffort, modelFast)}</Text>
-          {ctxLabel ? <Text color={t.color.dim}> │ {ctxLabel}</Text> : null}
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}> │ {modelLabel(model, modelReasoningEffort, modelFast)}</Text>
+          {ctxLabel ? <Text color={t.color.muted}> │ {ctxLabel}</Text> : null}
           {bar ? (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted}>
               {' │ '}
               <Text color={barColor}>[{bar}]</Text> <Text color={barColor}>{pct != null ? `${pct}%` : ''}</Text>
             </Text>
           ) : null}
           {sessionStartedAt ? (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted}>
               {' │ '}
               <SessionDuration startedAt={sessionStartedAt} />
             </Text>
@@ -242,21 +318,21 @@ export function StatusRule({
           {voiceLabel ? (
             <Text
               color={
-                voiceLabel.startsWith('●') ? t.color.error : voiceLabel.startsWith('◉') ? t.color.warn : t.color.dim
+                voiceLabel.startsWith('●') ? t.color.error : voiceLabel.startsWith('◉') ? t.color.warn : t.color.muted
               }
             >
               {' │ '}
               {voiceLabel}
             </Text>
           ) : null}
-          {bgCount > 0 ? <Text color={t.color.dim}> │ {bgCount} bg</Text> : null}
+          {bgCount > 0 ? <Text color={t.color.muted}> │ {bgCount} bg</Text> : null}
           {showCost && typeof usage.cost_usd === 'number' ? (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim}> │ ${usage.cost_usd.toFixed(4)}</Text>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted}> │ ${usage.cost_usd.toFixed(4)}</Text>
           ) : null}
         </Text>
       </Box>
 
-      <Text color={t.color.bronze}> ─ </Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.border}> ─ </Text>
       <Text color={t.color.label}>{cwdLabel}</Text>
     </Box>
   )
@@ -301,8 +377,8 @@ export function TranscriptScrollbar({ scrollRef, t }: TranscriptScrollbarProps)
   const thumb = scrollable ? Math.max(1, Math.round((vp * vp) / total)) : vp
   const travel = Math.max(1, vp - thumb)
   const thumbTop = scrollable ? Math.round((pos / Math.max(1, total - vp)) * travel) : 0
-  const thumbColor = grab !== null ? t.color.gold : hover ? t.color.amber : t.color.bronze
-  const trackColor = hover ? t.color.bronze : t.color.dim
+  const thumbColor = grab !== null ? t.color.primary : hover ? t.color.accent : t.color.border
+  const trackColor = hover ? t.color.border : t.color.muted
 
   const jump = (row: number, offset: number) => {
     if (!s || !scrollable) {
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
index 7d39d571c3..84470c4ccf 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/appLayout.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { AlternateScreen, Box, NoSelect, ScrollBox, Text } from '@hermes/ink'
+import { AlternateScreen, Box, NoSelect, ScrollBox, stringWidth, Text } from '@hermes/ink'
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 import { Fragment, memo, useMemo, useRef } from 'react'
 
@@ -124,8 +124,10 @@ const ComposerPane = memo(function ComposerPane({
   const ui = useStore($uiState)
   const isBlocked = useStore($isBlocked)
   const sh = (composer.inputBuf[0] ?? composer.input).startsWith('!')
-  const pw = 2
-  const inputColumns = stableComposerColumns(composer.cols, pw)
+  const promptText = sh ? '$' : ui.theme.brand.prompt
+  const promptLabel = `${promptText} `
+  const promptWidth = Math.max(1, stringWidth(promptLabel))
+  const inputColumns = stableComposerColumns(composer.cols, promptWidth)
   const inputHeight = inputVisualHeight(composer.input, inputColumns)
   const inputMouseRef = useRef<null | TextInputMouseApi>(null)
 
@@ -146,7 +148,7 @@ const ComposerPane = memo(function ComposerPane({
     }
 
     e.stopImmediatePropagation?.()
-    inputMouseRef.current?.dragAt(e.localRow ?? 0, (e.localCol ?? 0) - pw)
+    inputMouseRef.current?.dragAt(e.localRow ?? 0, (e.localCol ?? 0) - promptWidth)
   }
 
   // Spacer rows live on a different vertical origin; only the column is
@@ -158,7 +160,7 @@ const ComposerPane = memo(function ComposerPane({
     }
 
     e.stopImmediatePropagation?.()
-    inputMouseRef.current?.dragAt(0, (e.localCol ?? 0) - pw)
+    inputMouseRef.current?.dragAt(0, (e.localCol ?? 0) - promptWidth)
   }
 
   const endInputDrag = () => inputMouseRef.current?.end()
@@ -183,13 +185,13 @@ const ComposerPane = memo(function ComposerPane({
       />
 
       {ui.bgTasks.size > 0 && (
-        <Text color={ui.theme.color.dim}>
+        <Text color={ui.theme.color.muted}>
           {ui.bgTasks.size} background {ui.bgTasks.size === 1 ? 'task' : 'tasks'} running
         </Text>
       )}
 
       {status.showStickyPrompt ? (
-        <Text color={ui.theme.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text color={ui.theme.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
           <Text color={ui.theme.color.label}>↳ </Text>
 
           {status.stickyPrompt}
@@ -214,21 +216,21 @@ const ComposerPane = memo(function ComposerPane({
           <>
             {composer.inputBuf.map((line, i) => (
               <Box key={i}>
-                <Box width={2}>
-                  <Text color={ui.theme.color.dim}>{i === 0 ? `${ui.theme.brand.prompt} ` : '  '}</Text>
+                <Box width={promptWidth}>
+                  <Text color={ui.theme.color.muted}>{i === 0 ? promptLabel : ' '.repeat(promptWidth)}</Text>
                 </Box>
 
-                <Text color={ui.theme.color.cornsilk}>{line || ' '}</Text>
+                <Text color={ui.theme.color.text}>{line || ' '}</Text>
               </Box>
             ))}
 
             <Box onMouseDown={captureInputDrag} onMouseDrag={dragFromPromptRow} onMouseUp={endInputDrag} position="relative">
-              <Box width={pw}>
+              <Box width={promptWidth}>
                 {sh ? (
-                  <Text color={ui.theme.color.shellDollar}>$ </Text>
+                  <Text color={ui.theme.color.shellDollar}>{promptLabel}</Text>
                 ) : (
                   <Text bold color={ui.theme.color.prompt}>
-                    {composer.inputBuf.length ? '  ' : `${ui.theme.brand.prompt} `}
+                    {composer.inputBuf.length ? ' '.repeat(promptWidth) : promptLabel}
                   </Text>
                 )}
               </Box>
@@ -254,7 +256,7 @@ const ComposerPane = memo(function ComposerPane({
         )}
       </Box>
 
-      {!composer.empty && !ui.sid && <Text color={ui.theme.color.dim}>⚕ {ui.status}</Text>}
+      {!composer.empty && !ui.sid && <Text color={ui.theme.color.muted}>⚕ {ui.status}</Text>}
 
       <StatusRulePane at="bottom" composer={composer} status={status} />
     </NoSelect>
@@ -319,6 +321,7 @@ export const AppLayout = memo(function AppLayout({
   transcript
 }: AppLayoutProps) {
   const overlay = useStore($overlayState)
+  const ui = useStore($uiState)
 
   // Inline mode skips AlternateScreen so the host terminal's native
   // scrollback captures rows scrolled off the top; composer + progress
@@ -359,7 +362,7 @@ export const AppLayout = memo(function AppLayout({
 
             {SHOW_FPS && (
               <Box flexShrink={0} justifyContent="flex-end" paddingRight={1}>
-                <FpsOverlay />
+                <FpsOverlay t={ui.theme} />
               </Box>
             )}
           </>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/appOverlays.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/appOverlays.tsx
index 25342598b8..1e33559f0a 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/appOverlays.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/appOverlays.tsx
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ export function FloatingOverlays({
   return (
     <Box alignItems="flex-start" bottom="100%" flexDirection="column" left={0} position="absolute" right={0}>
       {overlay.picker && (
-        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.bronze}>
+        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.border}>
           <SessionPicker
             gw={gw}
             onCancel={() => patchOverlayState({ picker: false })}
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ export function FloatingOverlays({
       )}
 
       {overlay.modelPicker && (
-        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.bronze}>
+        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.border}>
           <ModelPicker
             gw={gw}
             onCancel={() => patchOverlayState({ modelPicker: false })}
@@ -142,17 +142,17 @@ export function FloatingOverlays({
       )}
 
       {overlay.skillsHub && (
-        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.bronze}>
+        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.border}>
           <SkillsHub gw={gw} onClose={() => patchOverlayState({ skillsHub: false })} t={ui.theme} />
         </FloatBox>
       )}
 
       {overlay.pager && (
-        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.bronze}>
+        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.border}>
           <Box flexDirection="column" paddingX={1} paddingY={1}>
             {overlay.pager.title && (
               <Box justifyContent="center" marginBottom={1}>
-                <Text bold color={ui.theme.color.gold}>
+                <Text bold color={ui.theme.color.primary}>
                   {overlay.pager.title}
                 </Text>
               </Box>
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ export function FloatingOverlays({
       )}
 
       {!!completions.length && (
-        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.gold}>
+        <FloatBox color={ui.theme.color.primary}>
           <Box flexDirection="column" width={Math.max(28, cols - 6)}>
             {completions.slice(start, start + viewportSize).map((item, i) => {
               const active = start + i === compIdx
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ export function FloatingOverlays({
                     {' '}
                     {item.display}
                   </Text>
-                  {item.meta ? <Text color={ui.theme.color.dim}> {item.meta}</Text> : null}
+                  {item.meta ? <Text color={ui.theme.color.muted}> {item.meta}</Text> : null}
                 </Box>
               )
             })}
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/branding.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/branding.tsx
index 5922e71ba7..25e161fd71 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/branding.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/branding.tsx
@@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ export function Banner({ t }: { t: Theme }) {
       {cols >= (t.bannerLogo ? artWidth(logoLines) : LOGO_WIDTH) ? (
         <ArtLines lines={logoLines} />
       ) : (
-        <Text bold color={t.color.gold}>
+        <Text bold color={t.color.primary}>
           {t.brand.icon} NOUS HERMES
         </Text>
       )}
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim}>{t.brand.icon} Nous Research · Messenger of the Digital Gods</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.muted}>{t.brand.icon} Nous Research · Messenger of the Digital Gods</Text>
     </Box>
   )
 }
@@ -70,19 +70,19 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
 
     return (
       <Box flexDirection="column" marginTop={1}>
-        <Text bold color={t.color.amber}>
+        <Text bold color={t.color.accent}>
           Available {title}
         </Text>
 
         {shown.map(([k, vs]) => (
           <Text key={k} wrap="truncate">
-            <Text color={t.color.dim}>{strip(k)}: </Text>
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{truncLine(strip(k) + ': ', vs)}</Text>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted}>{strip(k)}: </Text>
+            <Text color={t.color.text}>{truncLine(strip(k) + ': ', vs)}</Text>
           </Text>
         ))}
 
         {overflow > 0 && (
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}>
             (and {overflow} {overflowLabel})
           </Text>
         )}
@@ -91,18 +91,18 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
   }
 
   return (
-    <Box borderColor={t.color.bronze} borderStyle="round" marginBottom={1} paddingX={2} paddingY={1}>
+    <Box borderColor={t.color.border} borderStyle="round" marginBottom={1} paddingX={2} paddingY={1}>
       {wide && (
         <Box flexDirection="column" marginRight={2} width={leftW}>
           <ArtLines lines={heroLines} />
           <Text />
 
-          <Text color={t.color.amber}>
+          <Text color={t.color.accent}>
             {info.model.split('/').pop()}
-            <Text color={t.color.dim}> · Nous Research</Text>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted}> · Nous Research</Text>
           </Text>
 
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
             {info.cwd || process.cwd()}
           </Text>
 
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
 
       <Box flexDirection="column" width={w}>
         <Box justifyContent="center" marginBottom={1}>
-          <Text bold color={t.color.gold}>
+          <Text bold color={t.color.primary}>
             {t.brand.name}
             {info.version ? ` v${info.version}` : ''}
             {info.release_date ? ` (${info.release_date})` : ''}
@@ -129,17 +129,17 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
 
         {info.mcp_servers && info.mcp_servers.length > 0 && (
           <Box flexDirection="column" marginTop={1}>
-            <Text bold color={t.color.amber}>
+            <Text bold color={t.color.accent}>
               MCP Servers
             </Text>
 
             {info.mcp_servers.map(s => (
               <Text key={s.name} wrap="truncate">
-                <Text color={t.color.dim}>{`  ${s.name} `}</Text>
-                <Text color={t.color.dim}>{`[${s.transport}]`}</Text>
-                <Text color={t.color.dim}>: </Text>
+                <Text color={t.color.muted}>{`  ${s.name} `}</Text>
+                <Text color={t.color.muted}>{`[${s.transport}]`}</Text>
+                <Text color={t.color.muted}>: </Text>
                 {s.connected ? (
-                  <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+                  <Text color={t.color.text}>
                     {s.tools} tool{s.tools === 1 ? '' : 's'}
                   </Text>
                 ) : (
@@ -152,12 +152,12 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
 
         <Text />
 
-        <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.text}>
           {flat(info.tools).length} tools{' · '}
           {flat(info.skills).length} skills
           {info.mcp_servers?.length ? ` · ${info.mcp_servers.length} MCP` : ''}
           {' · '}
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}>/help for commands</Text>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}>/help for commands</Text>
         </Text>
 
         {typeof info.update_behind === 'number' && info.update_behind > 0 && (
@@ -183,9 +183,9 @@ export function SessionPanel({ info, sid, t }: SessionPanelProps) {
 
 export function Panel({ sections, t, title }: PanelProps) {
   return (
-    <Box borderColor={t.color.bronze} borderStyle="round" flexDirection="column" paddingX={2} paddingY={1}>
+    <Box borderColor={t.color.border} borderStyle="round" flexDirection="column" paddingX={2} paddingY={1}>
       <Box justifyContent="center" marginBottom={1}>
-        <Text bold color={t.color.gold}>
+        <Text bold color={t.color.primary}>
           {title}
         </Text>
       </Box>
@@ -193,25 +193,25 @@ export function Panel({ sections, t, title }: PanelProps) {
       {sections.map((sec, si) => (
         <Box flexDirection="column" key={si} marginTop={si > 0 ? 1 : 0}>
           {sec.title && (
-            <Text bold color={t.color.amber}>
+            <Text bold color={t.color.accent}>
               {sec.title}
             </Text>
           )}
 
           {sec.rows?.map(([k, v], ri) => (
             <Text key={ri} wrap="truncate">
-              <Text color={t.color.dim}>{k.padEnd(20)}</Text>
-              <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{v}</Text>
+              <Text color={t.color.muted}>{k.padEnd(20)}</Text>
+              <Text color={t.color.text}>{v}</Text>
             </Text>
           ))}
 
           {sec.items?.map((item, ii) => (
-            <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={ii} wrap="truncate">
+            <Text color={t.color.text} key={ii} wrap="truncate">
               {item}
             </Text>
           ))}
 
-          {sec.text && <Text color={t.color.dim}>{sec.text}</Text>}
+          {sec.text && <Text color={t.color.muted}>{sec.text}</Text>}
         </Box>
       ))}
     </Box>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/fpsOverlay.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/fpsOverlay.tsx
index f6fc748656..4400c9d44a 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/fpsOverlay.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/fpsOverlay.tsx
@@ -5,23 +5,25 @@ import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react'
 
 import { SHOW_FPS } from '../config/env.js'
 import { $fpsState } from '../lib/fpsStore.js'
+import type { Theme } from '../theme.js'
 
-const fpsColor = (fps: number) => (fps >= 50 ? 'green' : fps >= 30 ? 'yellow' : 'red')
+const fpsColor = (fps: number, t: Theme) =>
+  fps >= 50 ? t.color.statusGood : fps >= 30 ? t.color.statusWarn : t.color.error
 
-export function FpsOverlay() {
+export function FpsOverlay({ t }: { t: Theme }) {
   if (!SHOW_FPS) {
     return null
   }
 
-  return <FpsOverlayInner />
+  return <FpsOverlayInner t={t} />
 }
 
-function FpsOverlayInner() {
+function FpsOverlayInner({ t }: { t: Theme }) {
   const { fps, lastDurationMs, totalFrames } = useStore($fpsState)
 
   // Zero-pad widths so digit churn doesn't jitter the corner.
   return (
-    <Text color={fpsColor(fps)}>
+    <Text color={fpsColor(fps, t)}>
       {fps.toFixed(1).padStart(5)}fps · {lastDurationMs.toFixed(1).padStart(5)}ms · #{totalFrames}
     </Text>
   )
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/markdown.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/markdown.tsx
index a052bbf297..163768a51c 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/markdown.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/markdown.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { Box, Link, Text } from '@hermes/ink'
-import { memo, type ReactNode, useMemo } from 'react'
+import { Fragment, memo, type ReactNode, useMemo } from 'react'
 
 import { ensureEmojiPresentation } from '../lib/emoji.js'
 import { BOX_CLOSE, BOX_OPEN, texToUnicode } from '../lib/mathUnicode.js'
@@ -9,9 +9,10 @@ import type { Theme } from '../theme.js'
 // `\boxed{X}` regions in `texToUnicode` output are marked with the
 // non-printable U+0001 / U+0002 sentinels. Split on them and render the
 // boxed segment with `inverse + bold` so it reads as a highlighter-pen
-// emphasis on top of whatever color the parent `<Text>` is using (amber
-// for math). The leading / trailing space inside the highlight gives a
-// one-cell visual margin so the highlight reads as a block, not a hug.
+// emphasis on top of whatever color the parent `<Text>` is using (the
+// theme accent for math). The leading / trailing space inside the
+// highlight gives a one-cell visual margin so the highlight reads as a
+// block, not a hug.
 const renderMath = (text: string): ReactNode => {
   if (!text.includes(BOX_OPEN)) {
     return text
@@ -144,7 +145,7 @@ const autolinkUrl = (raw: string) =>
 
 const renderAutolink = (k: number, t: Theme, raw: string) => (
   <Link key={k} url={autolinkUrl(raw)}>
-    <Text color={t.color.amber} underline>
+    <Text color={t.color.accent} underline>
       {raw.replace(/^mailto:/, '')}
     </Text>
   </Link>
@@ -171,18 +172,35 @@ export const stripInlineMarkup = (v: string) =>
 const renderTable = (k: number, rows: string[][], t: Theme) => {
   const widths = rows[0]!.map((_, ci) => Math.max(...rows.map(r => stripInlineMarkup(r[ci] ?? '').length)))
 
+  // Thin divider under the header.  Without it tables look like prose
+  // with extra spacing because the header is just accent-coloured text
+  // (#15534).  We avoid full borders on purpose — column widths come
+  // from `stripInlineMarkup(...).length` (UTF-16 code units, not
+  // display width), so a real outline often misaligns on emoji and
+  // East-Asian wide characters; one dim solid rule (`─`) under row 0
+  // plus tab-style column gaps reads cleanly on every terminal we
+  // tested.
+  const sep = widths.map(w => '─'.repeat(Math.max(1, w))).join('  ')
+
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" key={k} paddingLeft={2}>
       {rows.map((row, ri) => (
-        <Box key={ri}>
-          {widths.map((w, ci) => (
-            <Text color={ri === 0 ? t.color.amber : undefined} key={ci}>
-              <MdInline t={t} text={row[ci] ?? ''} />
-              {' '.repeat(Math.max(0, w - stripInlineMarkup(row[ci] ?? '').length))}
-              {ci < widths.length - 1 ? '  ' : ''}
+        <Fragment key={ri}>
+          <Box>
+            {widths.map((w, ci) => (
+              <Text bold={ri === 0} color={ri === 0 ? t.color.accent : undefined} key={ci}>
+                <MdInline t={t} text={row[ci] ?? ''} />
+                {' '.repeat(Math.max(0, w - stripInlineMarkup(row[ci] ?? '').length))}
+                {ci < widths.length - 1 ? '  ' : ''}
+              </Text>
+            ))}
+          </Box>
+          {ri === 0 && rows.length > 1 ? (
+            <Text color={t.color.muted} dimColor>
+              {sep}
             </Text>
-          ))}
-        </Box>
+          ) : null}
+        </Fragment>
       ))}
     </Box>
   )
@@ -203,14 +221,14 @@ function MdInline({ t, text }: { t: Theme; text: string }) {
 
     if (m[1] && m[2]) {
       parts.push(
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} key={parts.length}>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} key={parts.length}>
           [image: {m[1]}] {m[2]}
         </Text>
       )
     } else if (m[3] && m[4]) {
       parts.push(
         <Link key={parts.length} url={m[4]}>
-          <Text color={t.color.amber} underline>
+          <Text color={t.color.accent} underline>
             {m[3]}
           </Text>
         </Link>
@@ -228,7 +246,7 @@ function MdInline({ t, text }: { t: Theme; text: string }) {
       // are verbatim by definition. Letting MdInline reprocess them
       // would corrupt regex examples and shell snippets.
       parts.push(
-        <Text color={t.color.amber} dimColor key={parts.length}>
+        <Text color={t.color.accent} dimColor key={parts.length}>
           {m[7]}
         </Text>
       )
@@ -257,19 +275,19 @@ function MdInline({ t, text }: { t: Theme; text: string }) {
       )
     } else if (m[13]) {
       parts.push(
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} key={parts.length}>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} key={parts.length}>
           [{m[13]}]
         </Text>
       )
     } else if (m[14]) {
       parts.push(
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} key={parts.length}>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} key={parts.length}>
           ^{m[14]}
         </Text>
       )
     } else if (m[15]) {
       parts.push(
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} key={parts.length}>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} key={parts.length}>
           _{m[15]}
         </Text>
       )
@@ -286,13 +304,13 @@ function MdInline({ t, text }: { t: Theme; text: string }) {
     } else if (m[17] ?? m[18]) {
       // Inline math is run through `texToUnicode` (Greek letters, ℕℤℚℝ,
       // operators, sub/superscripts, fractions) and rendered in italic
-      // amber. Italic is the disambiguator — links use amber+underline,
+      // accent. Italic is the disambiguator — links use accent+underline,
       // so without italic readers can't tell `\mathbb{R}` (math) from a
       // hyperlinked word. Anything `texToUnicode` doesn't recognise is
       // preserved verbatim, so unfamiliar commands just look like their
       // raw LaTeX rather than vanishing.
       parts.push(
-        <Text color={t.color.amber} italic key={parts.length}>
+        <Text color={t.color.accent} italic key={parts.length}>
           {renderMath(texToUnicode(m[17] ?? m[18]!))}
         </Text>
       )
@@ -402,11 +420,11 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
       if (media) {
         start('paragraph')
         nodes.push(
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} key={key}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} key={key}>
             {'▸ '}
 
             <Link url={/^(?:\/|[a-z]:[\\/])/i.test(media) ? `file://${media}` : media}>
-              <Text color={t.color.amber} underline>
+              <Text color={t.color.accent} underline>
                 {media}
               </Text>
             </Link>
@@ -453,7 +471,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
 
         nodes.push(
           <Box flexDirection="column" key={key} paddingLeft={2}>
-            {lang && !isDiff && <Text color={t.color.dim}>{'─ ' + lang}</Text>}
+            {lang && !isDiff && <Text color={t.color.muted}>{'─ ' + lang}</Text>}
 
             {block.map((l, j) => {
               if (highlighted) {
@@ -479,7 +497,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
               return (
                 <Text
                   backgroundColor={add ? t.color.diffAdded : del ? t.color.diffRemoved : undefined}
-                  color={add ? t.color.diffAddedWord : del ? t.color.diffRemovedWord : hunk ? t.color.dim : undefined}
+                  color={add ? t.color.diffAddedWord : del ? t.color.diffRemovedWord : hunk ? t.color.muted : undefined}
                   dimColor={isDiff && !add && !del && !hunk && l.startsWith(' ')}
                   key={j}
                 >
@@ -513,7 +531,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
           start('code')
           nodes.push(
             <Box flexDirection="column" key={key} paddingLeft={2}>
-              {inner ? <Text color={t.color.amber}>{renderMath(texToUnicode(inner))}</Text> : null}
+              {inner ? <Text color={t.color.accent}>{renderMath(texToUnicode(inner))}</Text> : null}
             </Box>
           )
           i++
@@ -560,7 +578,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
         nodes.push(
           <Box flexDirection="column" key={key} paddingLeft={2}>
             {block.map((l, j) => (
-              <Text color={t.color.amber} key={j}>
+              <Text color={t.color.accent} key={j}>
                 {renderMath(texToUnicode(l))}
               </Text>
             ))}
@@ -576,7 +594,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
       if (heading) {
         start('heading')
         nodes.push(
-          <Text bold color={t.color.amber} key={key}>
+          <Text bold color={t.color.accent} key={key}>
             <MdInline t={t} text={heading} />
           </Text>
         )
@@ -588,7 +606,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
       if (i + 1 < lines.length && SETEXT_RE.test(lines[i + 1]!)) {
         start('heading')
         nodes.push(
-          <Text bold color={t.color.amber} key={key}>
+          <Text bold color={t.color.accent} key={key}>
             <MdInline t={t} text={line.trim()} />
           </Text>
         )
@@ -600,7 +618,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
       if (HR_RE.test(line)) {
         start('rule')
         nodes.push(
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} key={key}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} key={key}>
             {'─'.repeat(36)}
           </Text>
         )
@@ -614,7 +632,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
       if (footnote) {
         start('list')
         nodes.push(
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} key={key}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} key={key}>
             [{footnote[1]}] <MdInline t={t} text={footnote[2] ?? ''} />
           </Text>
         )
@@ -623,7 +641,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
         while (i < lines.length && /^\s{2,}\S/.test(lines[i]!)) {
           nodes.push(
             <Box key={`${key}-cont-${i}`} paddingLeft={2}>
-              <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+              <Text color={t.color.muted}>
                 <MdInline t={t} text={lines[i]!.trim()} />
               </Text>
             </Box>
@@ -652,7 +670,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
 
           nodes.push(
             <Text key={`${key}-def-${i}`}>
-              <Text color={t.color.dim}> · </Text>
+              <Text color={t.color.muted}> · </Text>
               <MdInline t={t} text={def} />
             </Text>
           )
@@ -672,7 +690,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
 
         nodes.push(
           <Text key={key}>
-            <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted}>
               {' '.repeat(indentDepth(bullet[1]!) * 2)}
               {marker}{' '}
             </Text>
@@ -691,7 +709,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
         start('list')
         nodes.push(
           <Text key={key}>
-            <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted}>
               {' '.repeat(indentDepth(numbered[1]!) * 2)}
               {numbered[2]}.{' '}
             </Text>
@@ -719,7 +737,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
         nodes.push(
           <Box flexDirection="column" key={key}>
             {quoteLines.map((ql, qi) => (
-              <Text color={t.color.dim} key={qi}>
+              <Text color={t.color.muted} key={qi}>
                 {' '.repeat(Math.max(0, ql.depth - 1) * 2)}
                 {'│ '}
                 <MdInline t={t} text={ql.text} />
@@ -756,7 +774,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
       if (summary) {
         start('paragraph')
         nodes.push(
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} key={key}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} key={key}>
             ▶ {summary}
           </Text>
         )
@@ -768,7 +786,7 @@ function MdImpl({ compact, t, text }: MdProps) {
       if (/^<\/?[^>]+>$/.test(line.trim())) {
         start('paragraph')
         nodes.push(
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} key={key}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} key={key}>
             {line.trim()}
           </Text>
         )
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/maskedPrompt.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/maskedPrompt.tsx
index 3739326bcc..27a9021f69 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/maskedPrompt.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/maskedPrompt.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export function MaskedPrompt({ cols = 80, icon, label, onSubmit, sub, t }: Maske
         {icon} {label}
       </Text>
 
-      {sub && <Text color={t.color.dim}> {sub}</Text>}
+      {sub && <Text color={t.color.muted}> {sub}</Text>}
 
       <Box>
         <Text color={t.color.label}>{'> '}</Text>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/messageLine.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/messageLine.tsx
index 99312b0618..0bf9ba6d9b 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/messageLine.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/messageLine.tsx
@@ -80,13 +80,13 @@ export const MessageLine = memo(function MessageLine({
     const preview = compactPreview(stripped, maxChars) || '(empty tool result)'
 
     return (
-      <Box alignSelf="flex-start" borderColor={t.color.dim} borderStyle="round" marginLeft={3} paddingX={1}>
+      <Box alignSelf="flex-start" borderColor={t.color.muted} borderStyle="round" marginLeft={3} paddingX={1}>
         {hasAnsi(msg.text) ? (
           <Text wrap="truncate-end">
             <Ansi>{msg.text}</Ansi>
           </Text>
         ) : (
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
             {preview}
           </Text>
         )}
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export const MessageLine = memo(function MessageLine({
 
   const content = (() => {
     if (msg.kind === 'slash') {
-      return <Text color={t.color.dim}>{msg.text}</Text>
+      return <Text color={t.color.muted}>{msg.text}</Text>
     }
 
     if (msg.role !== 'user' && hasAnsi(msg.text)) {
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ export const MessageLine = memo(function MessageLine({
       return (
         <Text color={body}>
           {head}
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} dimColor>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} dimColor>
             [long message]
           </Text>
           {rest.join('')}
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/modelPicker.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/modelPicker.tsx
index 8164147fa8..833496e4ff 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/modelPicker.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/modelPicker.tsx
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
   })
 
   if (loading) {
-    return <Text color={t.color.dim}>loading models…</Text>
+    return <Text color={t.color.muted}>loading models…</Text>
   }
 
   if (err) {
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
   if (!providers.length) {
     return (
       <Box flexDirection="column">
-        <Text color={t.color.dim}>no authenticated providers</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted}>no authenticated providers</Text>
         <OverlayHint t={t}>Esc/q cancel</OverlayHint>
       </Box>
     )
@@ -176,21 +176,21 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
 
     return (
       <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-        <Text bold color={t.color.amber} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text bold color={t.color.accent} wrap="truncate-end">
           Select provider (step 1/2)
         </Text>
 
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
           Full model IDs on the next step · Enter to continue
         </Text>
 
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
           Current: {currentModel || '(unknown)'}
         </Text>
         <Text color={t.color.label} wrap="truncate-end">
           {provider?.warning ? `warning: ${provider.warning}` : ' '}
         </Text>
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
           {offset > 0 ? ` ↑ ${offset} more` : ' '}
         </Text>
 
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
           return row ? (
             <Text
               bold={providerIdx === idx}
-              color={providerIdx === idx ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim}
+              color={providerIdx === idx ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted}
               inverse={providerIdx === idx}
               key={providers[idx]?.slug ?? `row-${idx}`}
               wrap="truncate-end"
@@ -210,17 +210,17 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
               {i + 1}. {row}
             </Text>
           ) : (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim} key={`pad-${i}`} wrap="truncate-end">
+            <Text color={t.color.muted} key={`pad-${i}`} wrap="truncate-end">
               {' '}
             </Text>
           )
         })}
 
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
           {offset + VISIBLE < rows.length ? ` ↓ ${rows.length - offset - VISIBLE} more` : ' '}
         </Text>
 
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
           persist: {persistGlobal ? 'global' : 'session'} · g toggle
         </Text>
         <OverlayHint t={t}>↑/↓ select · Enter choose · 1-9,0 quick · Esc/q cancel</OverlayHint>
@@ -232,17 +232,17 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
 
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-      <Text bold color={t.color.amber} wrap="truncate-end">
+      <Text bold color={t.color.accent} wrap="truncate-end">
         Select model (step 2/2)
       </Text>
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+      <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
         {names[providerIdx] || '(unknown provider)'} · Esc back
       </Text>
       <Text color={t.color.label} wrap="truncate-end">
         {provider?.warning ? `warning: ${provider.warning}` : ' '}
       </Text>
-      <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+      <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
         {offset > 0 ? ` ↑ ${offset} more` : ' '}
       </Text>
 
@@ -252,11 +252,11 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
 
         if (!row) {
           return !models.length && i === 0 ? (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim} key="empty" wrap="truncate-end">
+            <Text color={t.color.muted} key="empty" wrap="truncate-end">
               no models listed for this provider
             </Text>
           ) : (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim} key={`pad-${i}`} wrap="truncate-end">
+            <Text color={t.color.muted} key={`pad-${i}`} wrap="truncate-end">
               {' '}
             </Text>
           )
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
         return (
           <Text
             bold={modelIdx === idx}
-            color={modelIdx === idx ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim}
+            color={modelIdx === idx ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted}
             inverse={modelIdx === idx}
             key={`${provider?.slug ?? 'prov'}:${idx}:${row}`}
             wrap="truncate-end"
@@ -278,11 +278,11 @@ export function ModelPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, sessionId, t }: ModelPicke
         )
       })}
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+      <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
         {offset + VISIBLE < models.length ? ` ↓ ${models.length - offset - VISIBLE} more` : ' '}
       </Text>
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+      <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
         persist: {persistGlobal ? 'global' : 'session'} · g toggle
       </Text>
       <OverlayHint t={t}>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/overlayControls.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/overlayControls.tsx
index 3087d4aecd..6d9fa5d9ec 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/overlayControls.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/overlayControls.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ export function useOverlayKeys({ disabled = false, onBack, onClose }: OverlayKey
 
 export function OverlayHint({ children, t }: OverlayHintProps) {
   return (
-    <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+    <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
       {children}
     </Text>
   )
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx
index 1be68da178..e9d42485d9 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/prompts.tsx
@@ -48,13 +48,13 @@ export function ApprovalPrompt({ onChoice, req, t }: ApprovalPromptProps) {
 
       <Box flexDirection="column" paddingLeft={1}>
         {shown.map((line, i) => (
-          <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} key={i} wrap="truncate-end">
+          <Text color={t.color.text} key={i} wrap="truncate-end">
             {line || ' '}
           </Text>
         ))}
 
         {overflow > 0 ? (
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}>
             … +{overflow} more line{overflow === 1 ? '' : 's'} (full text above)
           </Text>
         ) : null}
@@ -64,14 +64,14 @@ export function ApprovalPrompt({ onChoice, req, t }: ApprovalPromptProps) {
 
       {OPTS.map((o, i) => (
         <Text key={o}>
-          <Text bold={sel === i} color={sel === i ? t.color.warn : t.color.dim} inverse={sel === i}>
+          <Text bold={sel === i} color={sel === i ? t.color.warn : t.color.muted} inverse={sel === i}>
             {sel === i ? '▸ ' : '  '}
             {i + 1}. {LABELS[o]}
           </Text>
         </Text>
       ))}
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim}>↑/↓ select · Enter confirm · 1-4 quick pick · Ctrl+C deny</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.muted}>↑/↓ select · Enter confirm · 1-4 quick pick · Ctrl+C deny</Text>
     </Box>
   )
 }
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ export function ClarifyPrompt({ cols = 80, onAnswer, onCancel, req, t }: Clarify
 
   const heading = (
     <Text bold>
-      <Text color={t.color.amber}>ask</Text>
-      <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}> {req.question}</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.accent}>ask</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.text}> {req.question}</Text>
     </Text>
   )
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ export function ClarifyPrompt({ cols = 80, onAnswer, onCancel, req, t }: Clarify
           <TextInput columns={Math.max(20, cols - 6)} onChange={setCustom} onSubmit={onAnswer} value={custom} />
         </Box>
 
-        <Text color={t.color.dim}>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted}>
           Enter send · Esc {choices.length ? 'back' : 'cancel'} ·{' '}
           {isMac ? 'Cmd+C copy · Cmd+V paste · Ctrl+C cancel' : 'Ctrl+C cancel'}
         </Text>
@@ -143,14 +143,14 @@ export function ClarifyPrompt({ cols = 80, onAnswer, onCancel, req, t }: Clarify
 
       {[...choices, 'Other (type your answer)'].map((c, i) => (
         <Text key={i}>
-          <Text bold={sel === i} color={sel === i ? t.color.label : t.color.dim} inverse={sel === i}>
+          <Text bold={sel === i} color={sel === i ? t.color.label : t.color.muted} inverse={sel === i}>
             {sel === i ? '▸ ' : '  '}
             {i + 1}. {c}
           </Text>
         </Text>
       ))}
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim}>↑/↓ select · Enter confirm · 1-{choices.length} quick pick · Esc/Ctrl+C cancel</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.muted}>↑/↓ select · Enter confirm · 1-{choices.length} quick pick · Esc/Ctrl+C cancel</Text>
     </Box>
   )
 }
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@ export function ConfirmPrompt({ onCancel, onConfirm, req, t }: ConfirmPromptProp
   const accent = req.danger ? t.color.error : t.color.warn
 
   const rows = [
-    { color: t.color.cornsilk, label: req.cancelLabel ?? 'No' },
-    { color: req.danger ? t.color.error : t.color.cornsilk, label: req.confirmLabel ?? 'Yes' }
+    { color: t.color.text, label: req.cancelLabel ?? 'No' },
+    { color: req.danger ? t.color.error : t.color.text, label: req.confirmLabel ?? 'Yes' }
   ]
 
   return (
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export function ConfirmPrompt({ onCancel, onConfirm, req, t }: ConfirmPromptProp
 
       {req.detail ? (
         <Box paddingLeft={1}>
-          <Text color={t.color.cornsilk} wrap="truncate-end">
+          <Text color={t.color.text} wrap="truncate-end">
             {req.detail}
           </Text>
         </Box>
@@ -207,12 +207,12 @@ export function ConfirmPrompt({ onCancel, onConfirm, req, t }: ConfirmPromptProp
 
       {rows.map((row, i) => (
         <Text key={row.label}>
-          <Text color={sel === i ? accent : t.color.dim}>{sel === i ? '▸ ' : '  '}</Text>
-          <Text color={sel === i ? row.color : t.color.dim}>{row.label}</Text>
+          <Text color={sel === i ? accent : t.color.muted}>{sel === i ? '▸ ' : '  '}</Text>
+          <Text color={sel === i ? row.color : t.color.muted}>{row.label}</Text>
         </Text>
       ))}
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim}>↑/↓ select · Enter confirm · Y/N quick · Esc cancel</Text>
+      <Text color={t.color.muted}>↑/↓ select · Enter confirm · Y/N quick · Esc cancel</Text>
     </Box>
   )
 }
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/queuedMessages.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/queuedMessages.tsx
index f66b6fd314..f4ae8fbdf9 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/queuedMessages.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/queuedMessages.tsx
@@ -23,14 +23,14 @@ export function QueuedMessages({ cols, queueEditIdx, queued, t }: QueuedMessages
 
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" marginTop={1}>
-      <Text color={t.color.dim} dimColor>
+      <Text color={t.color.muted} dimColor>
         {`queued (${queued.length})${
           queueEditIdx !== null ? ` · editing ${queueEditIdx + 1} · Ctrl+X delete · Esc cancel` : ''
         }`}
       </Text>
 
       {q.showLead && (
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} dimColor>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} dimColor>
           {' '}
           …
         </Text>
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ export function QueuedMessages({ cols, queueEditIdx, queued, t }: QueuedMessages
         const active = queueEditIdx === idx
 
         return (
-          <Text color={active ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim} dimColor key={`${idx}-${item.slice(0, 16)}`}>
+          <Text color={active ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted} dimColor key={`${idx}-${item.slice(0, 16)}`}>
             {active ? '▸' : ' '} {idx + 1}. {compactPreview(item, Math.max(16, cols - 10))}
           </Text>
         )
       })}
 
       {q.showTail && (
-        <Text color={t.color.dim} dimColor>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted} dimColor>
           {'  '}…and {queued.length - q.end} more
         </Text>
       )}
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/sessionPicker.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/sessionPicker.tsx
index e9bd64d018..c5696a068a 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/sessionPicker.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/sessionPicker.tsx
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export function SessionPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, t }: SessionPickerProps)
   })
 
   if (loading) {
-    return <Text color={t.color.dim}>loading sessions…</Text>
+    return <Text color={t.color.muted}>loading sessions…</Text>
   }
 
   if (err) {
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export function SessionPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, t }: SessionPickerProps)
   if (!items.length) {
     return (
       <Box flexDirection="column">
-        <Text color={t.color.dim}>no previous sessions</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted}>no previous sessions</Text>
         <OverlayHint t={t}>Esc/q cancel</OverlayHint>
       </Box>
     )
@@ -105,11 +105,11 @@ export function SessionPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, t }: SessionPickerProps)
 
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-      <Text bold color={t.color.amber}>
+      <Text bold color={t.color.accent}>
         Resume Session
       </Text>
 
-      {offset > 0 && <Text color={t.color.dim}> ↑ {offset} more</Text>}
+      {offset > 0 && <Text color={t.color.muted}> ↑ {offset} more</Text>}
 
       {items.slice(offset, offset + VISIBLE).map((s, vi) => {
         const i = offset + vi
@@ -117,30 +117,30 @@ export function SessionPicker({ gw, onCancel, onSelect, t }: SessionPickerProps)
 
         return (
           <Box key={s.id}>
-            <Text bold={selected} color={selected ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim} inverse={selected}>
+            <Text bold={selected} color={selected ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted} inverse={selected}>
               {selected ? '▸ ' : '  '}
             </Text>
 
             <Box width={30}>
-              <Text bold={selected} color={selected ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim} inverse={selected}>
+              <Text bold={selected} color={selected ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted} inverse={selected}>
                 {String(i + 1).padStart(2)}. [{s.id}]
               </Text>
             </Box>
 
             <Box width={30}>
-              <Text bold={selected} color={selected ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim} inverse={selected}>
+              <Text bold={selected} color={selected ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted} inverse={selected}>
                 ({s.message_count} msgs, {age(s.started_at)}, {s.source || 'tui'})
               </Text>
             </Box>
 
-            <Text bold={selected} color={selected ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim} inverse={selected} wrap="truncate-end">
+            <Text bold={selected} color={selected ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted} inverse={selected} wrap="truncate-end">
               {s.title || s.preview || '(untitled)'}
             </Text>
           </Box>
         )
       })}
 
-      {offset + VISIBLE < items.length && <Text color={t.color.dim}> ↓ {items.length - offset - VISIBLE} more</Text>}
+      {offset + VISIBLE < items.length && <Text color={t.color.muted}> ↓ {items.length - offset - VISIBLE} more</Text>}
       <OverlayHint t={t}>↑/↓ select · Enter resume · 1-9 quick · Esc/q cancel</OverlayHint>
     </Box>
   )
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/skillsHub.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/skillsHub.tsx
index 3284b145f5..941ee0b275 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/skillsHub.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/skillsHub.tsx
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
   })
 
   if (loading) {
-    return <Text color={t.color.dim}>loading skills…</Text>
+    return <Text color={t.color.muted}>loading skills…</Text>
   }
 
   if (err && stage === 'category') {
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
   if (!cats.length) {
     return (
       <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-        <Text color={t.color.dim}>no skills available</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted}>no skills available</Text>
         <OverlayHint t={t}>Esc/q cancel</OverlayHint>
       </Box>
     )
@@ -206,12 +206,12 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
 
     return (
       <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-        <Text bold color={t.color.amber}>
+        <Text bold color={t.color.accent}>
           Skills Hub
         </Text>
 
-        <Text color={t.color.dim}>select a category</Text>
-        {offset > 0 && <Text color={t.color.dim}> ↑ {offset} more</Text>}
+        <Text color={t.color.muted}>select a category</Text>
+        {offset > 0 && <Text color={t.color.muted}> ↑ {offset} more</Text>}
 
         {items.map((row, i) => {
           const idx = offset + i
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
           return (
             <Text
               bold={catIdx === idx}
-              color={catIdx === idx ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim}
+              color={catIdx === idx ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted}
               inverse={catIdx === idx}
               key={row}
               wrap="truncate-end"
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
           )
         })}
 
-        {offset + VISIBLE < rows.length && <Text color={t.color.dim}> ↓ {rows.length - offset - VISIBLE} more</Text>}
+        {offset + VISIBLE < rows.length && <Text color={t.color.muted}> ↓ {rows.length - offset - VISIBLE} more</Text>}
         <OverlayHint t={t}>↑/↓ select · Enter open · 1-9,0 quick · Esc/q cancel</OverlayHint>
       </Box>
     )
@@ -241,13 +241,13 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
 
     return (
       <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-        <Text bold color={t.color.amber}>
+        <Text bold color={t.color.accent}>
           {selectedCat}
         </Text>
 
-        <Text color={t.color.dim}>{skills.length} skill(s)</Text>
-        {!skills.length ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>no skills in this category</Text> : null}
-        {offset > 0 && <Text color={t.color.dim}> ↑ {offset} more</Text>}
+        <Text color={t.color.muted}>{skills.length} skill(s)</Text>
+        {!skills.length ? <Text color={t.color.muted}>no skills in this category</Text> : null}
+        {offset > 0 && <Text color={t.color.muted}> ↑ {offset} more</Text>}
 
         {items.map((row, i) => {
           const idx = offset + i
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
           return (
             <Text
               bold={skillIdx === idx}
-              color={skillIdx === idx ? t.color.amber : t.color.dim}
+              color={skillIdx === idx ? t.color.accent : t.color.muted}
               inverse={skillIdx === idx}
               key={row}
               wrap="truncate-end"
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
         })}
 
         {offset + VISIBLE < skills.length && (
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}> ↓ {skills.length - offset - VISIBLE} more</Text>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}> ↓ {skills.length - offset - VISIBLE} more</Text>
         )}
         <OverlayHint t={t}>
           {skills.length ? '↑/↓ select · Enter open · 1-9,0 quick · Esc back · q close' : 'Esc back · q close'}
@@ -278,16 +278,16 @@ export function SkillsHub({ gw, onClose, t }: SkillsHubProps) {
 
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" width={width}>
-      <Text bold color={t.color.amber}>
+      <Text bold color={t.color.accent}>
         {info?.name ?? skillName}
       </Text>
 
-      <Text color={t.color.dim}>{info?.category ?? selectedCat}</Text>
-      {info?.description ? <Text color={t.color.cornsilk}>{info.description}</Text> : null}
-      {info?.path ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>path: {info.path}</Text> : null}
-      {!info && !err ? <Text color={t.color.dim}>loading…</Text> : null}
+      <Text color={t.color.muted}>{info?.category ?? selectedCat}</Text>
+      {info?.description ? <Text color={t.color.text}>{info.description}</Text> : null}
+      {info?.path ? <Text color={t.color.muted}>path: {info.path}</Text> : null}
+      {!info && !err ? <Text color={t.color.muted}>loading…</Text> : null}
       {err ? <Text color={t.color.label}>error: {err}</Text> : null}
-      {installing ? <Text color={t.color.amber}>installing…</Text> : null}
+      {installing ? <Text color={t.color.accent}>installing…</Text> : null}
 
       <OverlayHint t={t}>i reinspect · x reinstall · Enter/Esc back · q close</OverlayHint>
     </Box>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/textInput.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/textInput.tsx
index 216c89b78b..0052e69ed7 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/textInput.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/textInput.tsx
@@ -360,6 +360,10 @@ export function TextInput({
 
   const nativeCursor = focus && termFocus && !selected && !!stdout?.isTTY
 
+  // Placeholder text is just a hint, not a selection — render it dim
+  // without inverse styling. In a TTY the hardware cursor parks at column
+  // 0 and visually marks the input start. Non-TTY surfaces still need the
+  // synthetic inverse first-char to draw a cursor at all.
   const rendered = useMemo(() => {
     if (!focus) {
       return display || dim(placeholder)
@@ -711,6 +715,14 @@ export function TextInput({
     if (range && range.start === range.end) {
       selRef.current = null
       setSel(null)
+
+      return
+    }
+
+    const normalized = selRange()
+
+    if (isMac && normalized) {
+      void writeClipboardText(vRef.current.slice(normalized.start, normalized.end))
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/thinking.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/thinking.tsx
index 0c2b9549c8..38232220a5 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/thinking.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/thinking.tsx
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ function TreeRow({
   return (
     <Box>
       <NoSelect flexShrink={0} fromLeftEdge width={lead.length}>
-        <Text color={stemColor ?? t.color.dim} dim={stemDim}>
+        <Text color={stemColor ?? t.color.muted} dim={stemDim}>
           {lead}
         </Text>
       </NoSelect>
@@ -246,12 +246,12 @@ function Chevron({
   title: string
   tone?: 'dim' | 'error' | 'warn'
 }) {
-  const color = tone === 'error' ? t.color.error : tone === 'warn' ? t.color.warn : t.color.dim
+  const color = tone === 'error' ? t.color.error : tone === 'warn' ? t.color.warn : t.color.muted
 
   return (
     <Box onClick={(e: any) => onClick(!!e?.shiftKey || !!e?.ctrlKey)}>
       <Text color={color} dim={tone === 'dim'}>
-        <Text color={t.color.amber}>{open ? '▾ ' : '▸ '}</Text>
+        <Text color={t.color.accent}>{open ? '▾ ' : '▸ '}</Text>
         {title}
         {typeof count === 'number' ? ` (${count})` : ''}
         {suffix ? (
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ function Chevron({
 }
 
 function heatColor(node: SubagentNode, peak: number, theme: Theme): string | undefined {
-  const palette = [theme.color.bronze, theme.color.amber, theme.color.gold, theme.color.warn, theme.color.error]
+  const palette = [theme.color.border, theme.color.accent, theme.color.primary, theme.color.warn, theme.color.error]
   const idx = hotnessBucket(node.aggregate.hotness, peak, palette.length)
 
   // Below the median bucket we keep the default dim stem so cool branches
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ function SubagentAccordion({
   const hasTools = item.tools.length > 0
   const noteRows = [...(summary ? [summary] : []), ...item.notes]
   const hasNotes = noteRows.length > 0
-  const noteColor = statusTone === 'error' ? t.color.error : statusTone === 'warn' ? t.color.warn : t.color.dim
+  const noteColor = statusTone === 'error' ? t.color.error : statusTone === 'warn' ? t.color.warn : t.color.muted
 
   const sections: {
     header: ReactNode
@@ -460,10 +460,10 @@ function SubagentAccordion({
           {item.tools.map((line, index) => (
             <TreeTextRow
               branch={index === item.tools.length - 1 ? 'last' : 'mid'}
-              color={t.color.cornsilk}
+              color={t.color.text}
               content={
                 <>
-                  <Text color={t.color.amber}>● </Text>
+                  <Text color={t.color.accent}>● </Text>
                   {line}
                 </>
               }
@@ -649,22 +649,22 @@ export const Thinking = memo(function Thinking({
         {preview ? (
           mode === 'full' ? (
             lines.map((line, index) => (
-              <Text color={t.color.dim} key={index} wrap="wrap-trim">
+              <Text color={t.color.muted} key={index} wrap="wrap-trim">
                 {line || ' '}
                 {index === lines.length - 1 ? (
-                  <StreamCursor color={t.color.dim} streaming={streaming} visible={active} />
+                  <StreamCursor color={t.color.muted} streaming={streaming} visible={active} />
                 ) : null}
               </Text>
             ))
           ) : (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim} wrap="truncate-end">
+            <Text color={t.color.muted} wrap="truncate-end">
               {preview}
-              <StreamCursor color={t.color.dim} streaming={streaming} visible={active} />
+              <StreamCursor color={t.color.muted} streaming={streaming} visible={active} />
             </Text>
           )
         ) : (
-          <Text color={t.color.dim}>
-            <StreamCursor color={t.color.dim} streaming={streaming} visible={active} />
+          <Text color={t.color.muted}>
+            <StreamCursor color={t.color.muted} streaming={streaming} visible={active} />
           </Text>
         )}
       </Box>
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
 
     if (parsed) {
       groups.push({
-        color: parsed.mark === '✗' ? t.color.error : t.color.cornsilk,
+        color: parsed.mark === '✗' ? t.color.error : t.color.text,
         content: parsed.call,
         details: [],
         key: `tr-${i}`,
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
 
       if (parsed.detail) {
         pushDetail({
-          color: parsed.mark === '✗' ? t.color.error : t.color.dim,
+          color: parsed.mark === '✗' ? t.color.error : t.color.muted,
           content: parsed.detail,
           dimColor: parsed.mark !== '✗',
           key: `tr-${i}-d`
@@ -815,9 +815,9 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
       const label = toolTrailLabel(line.slice(9).replace(/…$/, '').trim())
 
       groups.push({
-        color: t.color.cornsilk,
+        color: t.color.text,
         content: label,
-        details: [{ color: t.color.dim, content: 'drafting...', dimColor: true, key: `tr-${i}-d` }],
+        details: [{ color: t.color.muted, content: 'drafting...', dimColor: true, key: `tr-${i}-d` }],
         key: `tr-${i}`,
         label
       })
@@ -827,12 +827,12 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
 
     if (line === 'analyzing tool output…') {
       pushDetail({
-        color: t.color.dim,
+        color: t.color.muted,
         dimColor: true,
         key: `tr-${i}`,
         content: groups.length ? (
           <>
-            <Spinner color={t.color.amber} variant="think" /> {line}
+            <Spinner color={t.color.accent} variant="think" /> {line}
           </>
         ) : (
           line
@@ -842,20 +842,20 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
       continue
     }
 
-    meta.push({ color: t.color.dim, content: line, dimColor: true, key: `tr-${i}` })
+    meta.push({ color: t.color.muted, content: line, dimColor: true, key: `tr-${i}` })
   }
 
   for (const tool of tools) {
     const label = formatToolCall(tool.name, tool.context || '')
 
     groups.push({
-      color: t.color.cornsilk,
+      color: t.color.text,
       key: tool.id,
       label,
       details: [],
       content: (
         <>
-          <Spinner color={t.color.amber} variant="tool" /> {label}
+          <Spinner color={t.color.accent} variant="tool" /> {label}
           {tool.startedAt ? ` (${fmtElapsed(now - tool.startedAt)})` : ''}
         </>
       )
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
 
   for (const item of activity.slice(-4)) {
     const glyph = item.tone === 'error' ? '✗' : item.tone === 'warn' ? '!' : '·'
-    const color = item.tone === 'error' ? t.color.error : item.tone === 'warn' ? t.color.warn : t.color.dim
+    const color = item.tone === 'error' ? t.color.error : item.tone === 'warn' ? t.color.warn : t.color.muted
     meta.push({ color, content: `${glyph} ${item.text}`, dimColor: item.tone === 'info', key: `a-${item.id}` })
   }
 
@@ -998,14 +998,14 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
             }
           }}
         >
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} dim={!thinkingLive}>
-            <Text color={t.color.amber}>{openThinking ? '▾ ' : '▸ '}</Text>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} dim={!thinkingLive}>
+            <Text color={t.color.accent}>{openThinking ? '▾ ' : '▸ '}</Text>
             {thinkingLive ? (
-              <Text bold color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+              <Text bold color={t.color.text}>
                 Thinking
               </Text>
             ) : (
-              <Text color={t.color.dim} dim>
+              <Text color={t.color.muted} dim>
                 Thinking
               </Text>
             )}
@@ -1068,7 +1068,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
                   color={group.color}
                   content={
                     <>
-                      <Text color={t.color.amber}>● </Text>
+                      <Text color={t.color.accent}>● </Text>
                       {toolLabel(group)}
                     </>
                   }
@@ -1182,7 +1182,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
           color={t.color.statusFg}
           content={
             <>
-              <Text color={t.color.amber}>Σ </Text>
+              <Text color={t.color.accent}>Σ </Text>
               {totalTokensLabel}
             </>
           }
@@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@ export const ToolTrail = memo(function ToolTrail({
       ) : null}
       {outcome ? (
         <Box marginTop={1}>
-          <Text color={t.color.dim} dim>
+          <Text color={t.color.muted} dim>
             · {outcome}
           </Text>
         </Box>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/components/todoPanel.tsx b/ui-tui/src/components/todoPanel.tsx
index 9480ee0af8..41196b060b 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/components/todoPanel.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/components/todoPanel.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import type { TodoItem } from '../types.js'
 const rowColor = (t: Theme, status: TodoItem['status']) => {
   const tone = todoTone(status)
 
-  return tone === 'active' ? t.color.cornsilk : tone === 'body' ? t.color.statusFg : t.color.dim
+  return tone === 'active' ? t.color.text : tone === 'body' ? t.color.statusFg : t.color.muted
 }
 
 export const TodoPanel = memo(function TodoPanel({
@@ -56,16 +56,16 @@ export const TodoPanel = memo(function TodoPanel({
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" marginBottom={1}>
       <Box onClick={handleToggle}>
-        <Text color={t.color.dim}>
-          <Text color={t.color.amber}>{effectiveCollapsed ? '▸ ' : '▾ '}</Text>
-          <Text bold color={t.color.cornsilk}>
+        <Text color={t.color.muted}>
+          <Text color={t.color.accent}>{effectiveCollapsed ? '▸ ' : '▾ '}</Text>
+          <Text bold color={t.color.text}>
             Todo
           </Text>{' '}
           <Text color={t.color.statusFg} dim>
             ({done}/{todos.length})
           </Text>
           {incomplete && pending > 0 && (
-            <Text color={t.color.dim} dim>
+            <Text color={t.color.muted} dim>
               {' '}
               · incomplete · {pending} still {pending === 1 ? 'pending' : 'pending/in_progress'}
             </Text>
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/domain/roles.ts b/ui-tui/src/domain/roles.ts
index f92d175e65..9e33aa094e 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/domain/roles.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/domain/roles.ts
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ import type { Theme } from '../theme.js'
 import type { Role } from '../types.js'
 
 export const ROLE: Record<Role, (t: Theme) => { body: string; glyph: string; prefix: string }> = {
-  assistant: t => ({ body: t.color.cornsilk, glyph: t.brand.tool, prefix: t.color.bronze }),
-  system: t => ({ body: '', glyph: '·', prefix: t.color.dim }),
-  tool: t => ({ body: t.color.dim, glyph: '⚡', prefix: t.color.dim }),
+  assistant: t => ({ body: t.color.text, glyph: t.brand.tool, prefix: t.color.border }),
+  system: t => ({ body: '', glyph: '·', prefix: t.color.muted }),
+  tool: t => ({ body: t.color.muted, glyph: '⚡', prefix: t.color.muted }),
   user: t => ({ body: t.color.label, glyph: t.brand.prompt, prefix: t.color.label })
 }
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/entry.tsx b/ui-tui/src/entry.tsx
index 85e4d7e112..f1ce52bab5 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/entry.tsx
+++ b/ui-tui/src/entry.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env -S node --max-old-space-size=8192 --expose-gc
+// Must be first import — mutates process.env.FORCE_COLOR / COLORTERM before
+// any chalk / supports-color import so the banner gradient renders in
+// truecolor instead of being downsampled to 256-color (which collapses
+// gold #FFD700 and amber #FFBF00 to the same slot).
+import './lib/forceTruecolor.js'
+
 import type { FrameEvent } from '@hermes/ink'
 
 import { GatewayClient } from './gatewayClient.js'
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/gatewayClient.ts b/ui-tui/src/gatewayClient.ts
index 9bf681f8b2..838bf31fbc 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/gatewayClient.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/gatewayClient.ts
@@ -117,8 +117,18 @@ export class GatewayClient extends EventEmitter {
         return
       }
 
+      // Append the most recent gateway stderr/log lines to the timeout
+      // event so users can tell apart "wrong python", "missing dep",
+      // and "config parse failure" from one glance instead of having
+      // to dig through `/logs`.  Capped to keep the activity feed
+      // readable on slow boots.
+      const stderrTail = this.getLogTail(20)
+
       this.pushLog(`[startup] timed out waiting for gateway.ready (python=${python}, cwd=${cwd})`)
-      this.publish({ type: 'gateway.start_timeout', payload: { cwd, python } })
+      this.publish({
+        type: 'gateway.start_timeout',
+        payload: { cwd, python, stderr_tail: stderrTail }
+      })
     }, STARTUP_TIMEOUT_MS)
 
     this.proc = spawn(python, ['-m', 'tui_gateway.entry'], { cwd, env, stdio: ['pipe', 'pipe', 'pipe'] })
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/gatewayTypes.ts b/ui-tui/src/gatewayTypes.ts
index 605d51213f..f1df5edfce 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/gatewayTypes.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/gatewayTypes.ts
@@ -53,15 +53,25 @@ export type CommandDispatchResponse =
 
 export interface ConfigDisplayConfig {
   bell_on_complete?: boolean
+  busy_input_mode?: string
   details_mode?: string
   inline_diffs?: boolean
+  mouse_tracking?: boolean | null | number | string
   sections?: Record<string, string>
   show_cost?: boolean
   show_reasoning?: boolean
   streaming?: boolean
   thinking_mode?: string
+  tui_auto_resume_recent?: boolean
   tui_compact?: boolean
-  tui_mouse?: boolean
+  /** Legacy alias for display.mouse_tracking. */
+  tui_mouse?: boolean | null | number | string
+  // Forward-compat: backend may send styles this client doesn't know yet —
+  // `normalizeIndicatorStyle` falls back to 'kaomoji' for those — but the
+  // wire type is documented as `string` so consumers don't get a false
+  // narrowing-and-autocomplete contract on a value that requires runtime
+  // validation anyway.
+  tui_status_indicator?: string
   tui_statusbar?: 'bottom' | 'off' | 'on' | 'top' | boolean
 }
 
@@ -119,6 +129,13 @@ export interface SessionListResponse {
   sessions?: SessionListItem[]
 }
 
+export interface SessionMostRecentResponse {
+  session_id?: null | string
+  source?: string
+  started_at?: number
+  title?: string
+}
+
 export interface SessionTitleResponse {
   pending?: boolean
   session_key?: string
@@ -415,7 +432,11 @@ export type GatewayEvent =
   | { payload?: { state?: 'idle' | 'listening' | 'transcribing' }; session_id?: string; type: 'voice.status' }
   | { payload?: { no_speech_limit?: boolean; text?: string }; session_id?: string; type: 'voice.transcript' }
   | { payload: { line: string }; session_id?: string; type: 'gateway.stderr' }
-  | { payload?: { cwd?: string; python?: string }; session_id?: string; type: 'gateway.start_timeout' }
+  | {
+      payload?: { cwd?: string; python?: string; stderr_tail?: string }
+      session_id?: string
+      type: 'gateway.start_timeout'
+    }
   | { payload?: { preview?: string }; session_id?: string; type: 'gateway.protocol_error' }
   | { payload?: { text?: string }; session_id?: string; type: 'reasoning.delta' | 'reasoning.available' }
   | { payload: { name?: string; preview?: string }; session_id?: string; type: 'tool.progress' }
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/lib/forceTruecolor.ts b/ui-tui/src/lib/forceTruecolor.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..78ff5bd719
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui-tui/src/lib/forceTruecolor.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+/**
+ * Force 24-bit truecolor output before any chalk / supports-color import.
+ *
+ * Why this exists:
+ *   The base CLI (Python/Rich) emits banner colors as truecolor ANSI
+ *   (`\033[38;2;R;G;Bm`). The TUI renders through Ink → chalk, whose
+ *   supports-color auto-detection defaults to 256-color on macOS Terminal.app
+ *   and any terminal that does NOT set `COLORTERM=truecolor`. In 256-color
+ *   mode, chalk downsamples `#FFD700` (gold) and `#FFBF00` (amber) to the
+ *   *same* xterm-256 palette slot (220) — collapsing the banner gradient
+ *   into a single flat yellow band. The bronze and dim rows also lose
+ *   contrast against each other.
+ *
+ *   Terminal.app (macOS 12+), iTerm2, kitty, Alacritty, VS Code, Cursor,
+ *   and WezTerm all render truecolor correctly. The few that don't
+ *   (ancient xterm, some CI environments) can set `HERMES_TUI_TRUECOLOR=0`
+ *   to opt out.
+ *
+ * This MUST run before any `chalk` or `supports-color` import. supports-color
+ * caches its level on first load, so nudging env vars after that point has
+ * no effect.
+ */
+
+if (
+  process.env.HERMES_TUI_TRUECOLOR !== '0' &&
+  !process.env.NO_COLOR &&
+  !process.env.FORCE_COLOR
+) {
+  if (!process.env.COLORTERM) {
+    process.env.COLORTERM = 'truecolor'
+  }
+  process.env.FORCE_COLOR = '3'
+}
+
+export {}
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/lib/platform.ts b/ui-tui/src/lib/platform.ts
index c8b38b0d5f..343d8f8683 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/lib/platform.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/lib/platform.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,13 @@ export const isCopyShortcut = (
   ch: string,
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env
 ): boolean =>
-  isAction(key, ch, 'c') || (isRemoteShell(env) && (key.meta || key.super === true) && ch.toLowerCase() === 'c')
+  ch.toLowerCase() === 'c' &&
+  (isAction(key, ch, 'c') ||
+    (isRemoteShell(env) && (key.meta || key.super === true)) ||
+    // VS Code/Cursor/Windsurf terminal setup forwards Cmd+C as a CSI-u
+    // sequence with the super bit plus a benign ctrl bit. Accept that shape
+    // even though raw Ctrl+C should remain interrupt on local macOS.
+    (isMac && key.ctrl && (key.meta || key.super === true)))
 
 /**
  * Voice recording toggle key (Ctrl+B).
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/lib/syntax.ts b/ui-tui/src/lib/syntax.ts
index 06173b63e9..3b66f6ddc7 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/lib/syntax.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/lib/syntax.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export function highlightLine(line: string, lang: string, t: Theme): Token[] {
   }
 
   if (spec.comment && line.trimStart().startsWith(spec.comment)) {
-    return [[t.color.dim, line]]
+    return [[t.color.muted, line]]
   }
 
   const tokens: Token[] = []
@@ -97,11 +97,11 @@ export function highlightLine(line: string, lang: string, t: Theme): Token[] {
     const ch = tok[0]!
 
     if (ch === '"' || ch === "'" || ch === '`') {
-      tokens.push([t.color.amber, tok])
+      tokens.push([t.color.accent, tok])
     } else if (ch >= '0' && ch <= '9') {
-      tokens.push([t.color.cornsilk, tok])
+      tokens.push([t.color.text, tok])
     } else if (spec.keywords.has(tok)) {
-      tokens.push([t.color.bronze, tok])
+      tokens.push([t.color.border, tok])
     } else {
       tokens.push(['', tok])
     }
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/lib/terminalSetup.ts b/ui-tui/src/lib/terminalSetup.ts
index 3c17734c63..dc00512b6b 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/lib/terminalSetup.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/lib/terminalSetup.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export type TerminalSetupResult = {
 }
 
 const DEFAULT_FILE_OPS: FileOps = { copyFile, mkdir, readFile, writeFile }
+const COPY_SEQUENCE = '\u001b[99;13u'
 const MULTILINE_SEQUENCE = '\\\r\n'
 
 const TERMINAL_META: Record<SupportedTerminal, { appName: string; label: string }> = {
@@ -33,7 +34,14 @@ const TERMINAL_META: Record<SupportedTerminal, { appName: string; label: string
   windsurf: { appName: 'Windsurf', label: 'Windsurf' }
 }
 
-const TARGET_BINDINGS: Keybinding[] = [
+const MAC_COPY_BINDING: Keybinding = {
+  key: 'cmd+c',
+  command: 'workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence',
+  when: 'terminalFocus && terminalTextSelected',
+  args: { text: COPY_SEQUENCE }
+}
+
+const BASE_BINDINGS: Keybinding[] = [
   {
     key: 'shift+enter',
     command: 'workbench.action.terminal.sendSequence',
@@ -66,6 +74,9 @@ const TARGET_BINDINGS: Keybinding[] = [
   }
 ]
 
+const targetBindings = (platform: NodeJS.Platform): Keybinding[] =>
+  platform === 'darwin' ? [MAC_COPY_BINDING, ...BASE_BINDINGS] : BASE_BINDINGS
+
 export function detectVSCodeLikeTerminal(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): null | SupportedTerminal {
   const askpass = env['VSCODE_GIT_ASKPASS_MAIN']?.toLowerCase() ?? ''
 
@@ -172,6 +183,90 @@ function sameBinding(a: Keybinding, b: Keybinding): boolean {
   return a.key === b.key && a.command === b.command && a.when === b.when && a.args?.text === b.args?.text
 }
 
+type WhenRequirements = {
+  forbidden: Set<string>
+  required: Set<string>
+}
+
+const WHEN_TOKEN_RE = /!?[A-Za-z_][\w.]*/g
+
+function parseWhenRequirements(when: string): WhenRequirements {
+  const required = new Set<string>()
+  const forbidden = new Set<string>()
+
+  for (const [token] of when.matchAll(WHEN_TOKEN_RE)) {
+    if (token.startsWith('!')) {
+      forbidden.add(token.slice(1))
+    } else {
+      required.add(token)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return { forbidden, required }
+}
+
+function requirementsContradict(a: WhenRequirements, b: WhenRequirements): boolean {
+  for (const token of a.required) {
+    if (b.forbidden.has(token)) {
+      return true
+    }
+  }
+
+  for (const token of b.required) {
+    if (a.forbidden.has(token)) {
+      return true
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
+
+function whensOverlap(a: string, b: string): boolean {
+  if (a === b) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  // Empty when = global, overlaps every context.
+  if (!a || !b) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  const left = parseWhenRequirements(a)
+  const right = parseWhenRequirements(b)
+
+  if (requirementsContradict(left, right)) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  // This intentionally avoids a full VS Code when-clause parser. If two
+  // same-key bindings share a positive context token and don't explicitly
+  // contradict each other, they can fire together in that context.
+  for (const token of left.required) {
+    if (right.required.has(token)) {
+      return true
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
+
+// VS Code allows multiple bindings on the same key as long as their `when`
+// clauses don't overlap. We flag a conflict when the contexts overlap but
+// the bindings differ — e.g. existing `terminalFocus` cmd+c overlaps with
+// our `terminalFocus && terminalTextSelected`, so the existing binding
+// would shadow ours when text isn't selected.
+function bindingsConflict(existing: Keybinding, target: Keybinding): boolean {
+  if (existing.key !== target.key) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  if (!whensOverlap(existing.when ?? '', target.when ?? '')) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  return !sameBinding(existing, target)
+}
+
 async function backupFile(filePath: string, ops: FileOps): Promise<void> {
   const stamp = new Date().toISOString().replace(/[:.]/g, '-')
   await ops.copyFile(filePath, `${filePath}.backup.${stamp}`)
@@ -240,10 +335,9 @@ export async function configureTerminalKeybindings(
       }
     }
 
-    const conflicts = TARGET_BINDINGS.filter(target =>
-      keybindings.some(
-        existing => isKeybinding(existing) && existing.key === target.key && !sameBinding(existing, target)
-      )
+    const targets = targetBindings(platform)
+    const conflicts = targets.filter(target =>
+      keybindings.some(existing => isKeybinding(existing) && bindingsConflict(existing, target))
     )
 
     if (conflicts.length) {
@@ -256,7 +350,7 @@ export async function configureTerminalKeybindings(
 
     let added = 0
 
-    for (const target of TARGET_BINDINGS.slice().reverse()) {
+    for (const target of targets.slice().reverse()) {
       const exists = keybindings.some(existing => isKeybinding(existing) && sameBinding(existing, target))
 
       if (!exists) {
@@ -340,7 +434,7 @@ export async function shouldPromptForTerminalSetup(options?: {
       return true
     }
 
-    return TARGET_BINDINGS.some(
+    return targetBindings(platform).some(
       target => !parsed.some(existing => isKeybinding(existing) && sameBinding(existing, target))
     )
   } catch {
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/theme.ts b/ui-tui/src/theme.ts
index daeedb3377..e87e6eeb61 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/theme.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/theme.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 export interface ThemeColors {
-  gold: string
-  amber: string
-  bronze: string
-  cornsilk: string
-  dim: string
+  primary: string
+  accent: string
+  border: string
+  text: string
+  muted: string
   completionBg: string
   completionCurrentBg: string
 
@@ -88,18 +88,26 @@ const BRAND: ThemeBrand = {
   helpHeader: '(^_^)? Commands'
 }
 
+const cleanPromptSymbol = (s: string | undefined, fallback: string) => {
+  const cleaned = String(s ?? '')
+    .replace(/\s+/g, ' ')
+    .trim()
+
+  return cleaned || fallback
+}
+
 export const DARK_THEME: Theme = {
   color: {
-    gold: '#FFD700',
-    amber: '#FFBF00',
-    bronze: '#CD7F32',
-    cornsilk: '#FFF8DC',
+    primary: '#FFD700',
+    accent: '#FFBF00',
+    border: '#CD7F32',
+    text: '#FFF8DC',
+    muted: '#CC9B1F',
     // Bumped from the old `#B8860B` darkgoldenrod (~53% luminance) which
     // read as barely-visible on dark terminals for long body text.  The
     // new value sits ~60% luminance — readable without losing the "muted /
     // secondary" semantic.  Field labels still use `label` (65%) which
     // stays brighter so hierarchy holds.
-    dim: '#CC9B1F',
     completionBg: '#FFFFFF',
     completionCurrentBg: mix('#FFFFFF', '#FFBF00', 0.25),
 
@@ -141,11 +149,11 @@ export const DARK_THEME: Theme = {
 // cleanly (#11300).
 export const LIGHT_THEME: Theme = {
   color: {
-    gold: '#8B6914',
-    amber: '#A0651C',
-    bronze: '#7A4F1F',
-    cornsilk: '#3D2F13',
-    dim: '#7A5A0F',
+    primary: '#8B6914',
+    accent: '#A0651C',
+    border: '#7A4F1F',
+    text: '#3D2F13',
+    muted: '#7A5A0F',
     completionBg: '#F5F5F5',
     completionCurrentBg: mix('#F5F5F5', '#A0651C', 0.25),
 
@@ -179,23 +187,129 @@ export const LIGHT_THEME: Theme = {
   bannerHero: ''
 }
 
-// Pick light vs dark. Explicit `HERMES_TUI_LIGHT` wins; otherwise sniff
-// `COLORFGBG` (set by XFCE Terminal, rxvt, Terminal.app, etc.) — last field is the
-// background ANSI index; 7/15 are the "white" slots most light themes emit (#11300).
-export function detectLightMode(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): boolean {
-  const explicit = (env.HERMES_TUI_LIGHT ?? '').trim().toLowerCase()
+const TRUE_RE = /^(?:1|true|yes|on)$/
+const FALSE_RE = /^(?:0|false|no|off)$/
 
-  if (/^(?:1|true|yes|on)$/.test(explicit)) {
+// Reserved for future TERM_PROGRAM-based heuristics.  Empty by default:
+// most modern terminals (Ghostty, Warp, iTerm2, Apple_Terminal) ship a
+// dark profile out of the box, so guessing wrong here is more annoying
+// than missing a light user — light users can always set
+// `HERMES_TUI_LIGHT=1` or `HERMES_TUI_THEME=light`.
+const LIGHT_DEFAULT_TERM_PROGRAMS = new Set<string>()
+
+// Best-effort RGB → luminance check.  Currently only accepts a 3- or
+// 6-digit hex value (with or without a leading `#`); the env var name
+// `HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND` is intentionally generic so a future OSC11
+// query helper can cache its answer there too, but additional formats
+// (rgb()/hsl()/named colours) would need explicit parsing here first.
+const LUMA_LIGHT_THRESHOLD = 0.6
+
+// Strict allow-list: parseInt(..., 16) silently truncates at the first
+// non-hex character (e.g. `fffgff` would parse as `fff` and yield a
+// false-positive "white" reading), so reject anything that doesn't match
+// the canonical 3- or 6-digit shape up front.
+const HEX_3_RE = /^[0-9a-f]{3}$/
+const HEX_6_RE = /^[0-9a-f]{6}$/
+
+function backgroundLuminance(raw: string): null | number {
+  const v = raw.trim().toLowerCase()
+
+  if (!v) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const hex = v.startsWith('#') ? v.slice(1) : v
+  const rgb = HEX_6_RE.test(hex)
+    ? [parseInt(hex.slice(0, 2), 16), parseInt(hex.slice(2, 4), 16), parseInt(hex.slice(4, 6), 16)]
+    : HEX_3_RE.test(hex)
+      ? [parseInt(hex[0]! + hex[0]!, 16), parseInt(hex[1]! + hex[1]!, 16), parseInt(hex[2]! + hex[2]!, 16)]
+      : null
+
+  if (!rgb) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  // Rec. 709 luma — close enough for "is this background bright".
+  return (0.2126 * rgb[0]! + 0.7152 * rgb[1]! + 0.0722 * rgb[2]!) / 255
+}
+
+// Pick light vs dark with ordered, explainable signals (#11300):
+//
+//   1. `HERMES_TUI_LIGHT` boolean — `1`/`true`/`yes`/`on` → light;
+//      `0`/`false`/`no`/`off` → dark.  Either explicit value wins
+//      regardless of any later signal.
+//   2. `HERMES_TUI_THEME` named override — `light` / `dark` win over
+//      every signal below.
+//   3. `HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND` hex hint (3- or 6-digit) — luminance
+//      ≥ LUMA_LIGHT_THRESHOLD → light.
+//   4. `COLORFGBG` last field — XFCE / rxvt / Terminal.app emit
+//      slot 7 or 15 on light profiles; 0–15 ranges are otherwise
+//      treated as authoritatively dark so the TERM_PROGRAM
+//      allow-list below cannot override an explicit dark profile.
+//   5. `TERM_PROGRAM` light-default allow-list (currently empty).
+//
+// Anything we can't decide stays dark — the default Hermes palette
+// is the dark one.
+export function detectLightMode(
+  env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env,
+  // Injectable so tests can prove the COLORFGBG-over-TERM_PROGRAM
+  // precedence rule even though the production allow-list is empty.
+  lightDefaultTermPrograms: ReadonlySet<string> = LIGHT_DEFAULT_TERM_PROGRAMS,
+): boolean {
+  const lightFlag = (env.HERMES_TUI_LIGHT ?? '').trim().toLowerCase()
+
+  if (TRUE_RE.test(lightFlag)) {
     return true
   }
 
-  if (/^(?:0|false|no|off)$/.test(explicit)) {
+  if (FALSE_RE.test(lightFlag)) {
     return false
   }
 
-  const bg = Number((env.COLORFGBG ?? '').trim().split(';').at(-1))
+  const themeFlag = (env.HERMES_TUI_THEME ?? '').trim().toLowerCase()
 
-  return bg === 7 || bg === 15
+  if (themeFlag === 'light') {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  if (themeFlag === 'dark') {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  const bgHint = backgroundLuminance(env.HERMES_TUI_BACKGROUND ?? '')
+
+  if (bgHint !== null) {
+    return bgHint >= LUMA_LIGHT_THRESHOLD
+  }
+
+  const colorfgbg = (env.COLORFGBG ?? '').trim()
+
+  if (colorfgbg) {
+    // Validate as a decimal integer before coercing — `Number('')` is 0,
+    // so a malformed `COLORFGBG='15;'` would otherwise look like an
+    // authoritative dark slot and incorrectly block the TERM_PROGRAM
+    // allow-list.  Anything that isn't pure digits falls through.
+    const lastField = colorfgbg.split(';').at(-1) ?? ''
+
+    if (/^\d+$/.test(lastField)) {
+      const bg = Number(lastField)
+
+      if (bg === 7 || bg === 15) {
+        return true
+      }
+
+      // Slots 0–6 and 8–14 are the dark half of the 0–15 ANSI range.
+      // When COLORFGBG is set we trust it as authoritative — a non-light
+      // value here shouldn't get overridden by the TERM_PROGRAM allow-list.
+      if (bg >= 0 && bg < 16) {
+        return false
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  const termProgram = (env.TERM_PROGRAM ?? '').trim()
+
+  return lightDefaultTermPrograms.has(termProgram)
 }
 
 export const DEFAULT_THEME: Theme = detectLightMode() ? LIGHT_THEME : DARK_THEME
@@ -213,19 +327,20 @@ export function fromSkin(
   const d = DEFAULT_THEME
   const c = (k: string) => colors[k]
 
-  const amber = c('ui_accent') ?? c('banner_accent') ?? d.color.amber
-  const accent = c('banner_accent') ?? c('banner_title') ?? d.color.amber
-  const dim = c('banner_dim') ?? d.color.dim
+  const accent = c('ui_accent') ?? c('banner_accent') ?? d.color.accent
+  const bannerAccent = c('banner_accent') ?? c('banner_title') ?? d.color.accent
+  const muted = c('banner_dim') ?? d.color.muted
+  const completionBg = c('completion_menu_bg') ?? d.color.completionBg
 
   return {
     color: {
-      gold: c('banner_title') ?? d.color.gold,
-      amber,
-      bronze: c('banner_border') ?? d.color.bronze,
-      cornsilk: c('banner_text') ?? d.color.cornsilk,
-      dim,
-      completionBg: c('completion_menu_bg') ?? '#FFFFFF',
-      completionCurrentBg: c('completion_menu_current_bg') ?? mix('#FFFFFF', accent, 0.25),
+      primary: c('ui_primary') ?? c('banner_title') ?? d.color.primary,
+      accent,
+      border: c('ui_border') ?? c('banner_border') ?? d.color.border,
+      text: c('ui_text') ?? c('banner_text') ?? d.color.text,
+      muted,
+      completionBg,
+      completionCurrentBg: c('completion_menu_current_bg') ?? mix(completionBg, bannerAccent, 0.25),
 
       label: c('ui_label') ?? d.color.label,
       ok: c('ui_ok') ?? d.color.ok,
@@ -233,8 +348,8 @@ export function fromSkin(
       warn: c('ui_warn') ?? d.color.warn,
 
       prompt: c('prompt') ?? c('banner_text') ?? d.color.prompt,
-      sessionLabel: c('session_label') ?? dim,
-      sessionBorder: c('session_border') ?? dim,
+      sessionLabel: c('session_label') ?? muted,
+      sessionBorder: c('session_border') ?? muted,
 
       statusBg: d.color.statusBg,
       statusFg: d.color.statusFg,
@@ -254,7 +369,7 @@ export function fromSkin(
     brand: {
       name: branding.agent_name ?? d.brand.name,
       icon: d.brand.icon,
-      prompt: branding.prompt_symbol ?? d.brand.prompt,
+      prompt: cleanPromptSymbol(branding.prompt_symbol, d.brand.prompt),
       welcome: branding.welcome ?? d.brand.welcome,
       goodbye: branding.goodbye ?? d.brand.goodbye,
       tool: toolPrefix || d.brand.tool,
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/types/hermes-ink.d.ts b/ui-tui/src/types/hermes-ink.d.ts
index 7bd436bd1c..4a0bd75f1c 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/types/hermes-ink.d.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/types/hermes-ink.d.ts
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ declare module '@hermes/ink' {
     readonly clearSelection: () => void
     readonly hasSelection: () => boolean
     readonly getState: () => unknown
+    readonly version: () => number
     readonly subscribe: (cb: () => void) => () => void
     readonly shiftAnchor: (dRow: number, minRow: number, maxRow: number) => void
     readonly shiftSelection: (dRow: number, minRow: number, maxRow: number) => void
diff --git a/website/docs/user-guide/features/hooks.md b/website/docs/user-guide/features/hooks.md
index f3cbeb79f3..3412255992 100644
--- a/website/docs/user-guide/features/hooks.md
+++ b/website/docs/user-guide/features/hooks.md
@@ -182,6 +182,161 @@ async def handle(event_type: str, context: dict):
         }, timeout=5)
 ```
 
+### Tutorial: BOOT.md — Run a Startup Checklist on Every Gateway Boot
+
+A popular pattern from the community: drop a Markdown checklist at `~/.hermes/BOOT.md`, and have the agent run it once every time the gateway starts. Useful for "on every boot, check overnight cron failures and ping me on Discord if anything failed," or "summarize the last 24h of deploy.log and post it to Slack #ops."
+
+This tutorial shows how to build it yourself as a user-defined hook. Hermes does not ship a built-in BOOT.md hook — you wire up exactly the behavior you want.
+
+#### What we're building
+
+1. A file at `~/.hermes/BOOT.md` with natural-language startup instructions.
+2. A gateway hook that fires on `gateway:startup`, spawns a one-shot agent with your gateway's resolved model/credentials, and runs the BOOT.md instructions.
+3. A `[SILENT]` convention so the agent can opt out of sending a message when there's nothing to report.
+
+#### Step 1: Write your checklist
+
+Create `~/.hermes/BOOT.md`. Write it as if you were giving instructions to a human assistant:
+
+```markdown
+# Startup Checklist
+
+1. Run `hermes cron list` and check if any scheduled jobs failed overnight.
+2. If any failed, send a summary to Discord #ops using the `send_message` tool.
+3. Check if `/opt/app/deploy.log` has any ERROR lines from the last 24 hours. If yes, summarize them and include in the same Discord message.
+4. If nothing went wrong, reply with only `[SILENT]` so no message is sent.
+```
+
+The agent sees this as part of its prompt, so anything you can describe in plain language works — tool calls, shell commands, sending messages, summarizing files.
+
+#### Step 2: Create the hook
+
+```text
+~/.hermes/hooks/boot-md/
+├── HOOK.yaml
+└── handler.py
+```
+
+**`~/.hermes/hooks/boot-md/HOOK.yaml`**
+
+```yaml
+name: boot-md
+description: Run ~/.hermes/BOOT.md on gateway startup
+events:
+  - gateway:startup
+```
+
+**`~/.hermes/hooks/boot-md/handler.py`**
+
+```python
+"""Run ~/.hermes/BOOT.md on every gateway startup."""
+
+import logging
+import threading
+from pathlib import Path
+
+logger = logging.getLogger("hooks.boot-md")
+
+BOOT_FILE = Path.home() / ".hermes" / "BOOT.md"
+
+
+def _build_prompt(content: str) -> str:
+    return (
+        "You are running a startup boot checklist. Follow the instructions "
+        "below exactly.\n\n"
+        "---\n"
+        f"{content}\n"
+        "---\n\n"
+        "Execute each instruction. Use the send_message tool to deliver any "
+        "messages to platforms like Discord or Slack.\n"
+        "If nothing needs attention and there is nothing to report, reply "
+        "with ONLY: [SILENT]"
+    )
+
+
+def _run_boot_agent(content: str) -> None:
+    """Spawn a one-shot agent and execute the checklist.
+
+    Uses the gateway's resolved model and runtime credentials so this works
+    against custom endpoints, aggregators, and OAuth-based providers alike.
+    """
+    try:
+        from gateway.run import _resolve_gateway_model, _resolve_runtime_agent_kwargs
+        from run_agent import AIAgent
+
+        agent = AIAgent(
+            model=_resolve_gateway_model(),
+            **_resolve_runtime_agent_kwargs(),
+            platform="gateway",
+            quiet_mode=True,
+            skip_context_files=True,
+            skip_memory=True,
+            max_iterations=20,
+        )
+        result = agent.run_conversation(_build_prompt(content))
+        response = result.get("final_response", "")
+        if response and "[SILENT]" not in response:
+            logger.info("boot-md completed: %s", response[:200])
+        else:
+            logger.info("boot-md completed (nothing to report)")
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.error("boot-md agent failed: %s", e)
+
+
+async def handle(event_type: str, context: dict) -> None:
+    if not BOOT_FILE.exists():
+        return
+    content = BOOT_FILE.read_text(encoding="utf-8").strip()
+    if not content:
+        return
+
+    logger.info("Running BOOT.md (%d chars)", len(content))
+
+    # Background thread so gateway startup isn't blocked on a full agent turn.
+    thread = threading.Thread(
+        target=_run_boot_agent,
+        args=(content,),
+        name="boot-md",
+        daemon=True,
+    )
+    thread.start()
+```
+
+The two key lines:
+
+- `_resolve_gateway_model()` reads the gateway's currently-configured model.
+- `_resolve_runtime_agent_kwargs()` resolves provider credentials the same way a normal gateway turn does — including API keys, base URLs, OAuth tokens, and credential pools.
+
+Without these, a bare `AIAgent()` falls back to built-in defaults and will 401 against any non-default endpoint.
+
+#### Step 3: Test it
+
+Restart the gateway:
+
+```bash
+hermes gateway restart
+```
+
+Watch the logs:
+
+```bash
+hermes logs --follow --level INFO | grep boot-md
+```
+
+You should see `Running BOOT.md (N chars)` followed by either `boot-md completed: ...` (summary of what the agent did) or `boot-md completed (nothing to report)` when the agent replied `[SILENT]`.
+
+Delete `~/.hermes/BOOT.md` to disable the checklist — the hook stays loaded but silently skips when the file isn't there.
+
+#### Extending the pattern
+
+- **Schedule-aware checklists:** key off `datetime.now().weekday()` inside BOOT.md's instructions ("if it's Monday, also check the weekly deploy log"). The instructions are free-form text, so anything the agent can reason about is fair game.
+- **Multiple checklists:** point the hook at a different file (`STARTUP.md`, `MORNING.md`, etc.) and register separate hook directories for each.
+- **Non-agent variant:** if you don't need a full agent loop, skip `AIAgent` entirely and have the handler post a fixed notification directly via `httpx`. Cheaper, faster, and has no provider dependency.
+
+#### Why this isn't a built-in
+
+An earlier version of Hermes shipped this as a built-in hook and silently spawned an agent with bare defaults on every gateway boot. That surprised users with custom endpoints and made the feature invisible to users who didn't know it was running. Keeping it as a documented pattern — built by you, in your hooks directory — means you see exactly what it does and opt in by writing the files.
+
 ### How It Works
 
 1. On gateway startup, `HookRegistry.discover_and_load()` scans `~/.hermes/hooks/`
diff --git a/website/docs/user-guide/features/skins.md b/website/docs/user-guide/features/skins.md
index 793040c8e6..5648c46e03 100644
--- a/website/docs/user-guide/features/skins.md
+++ b/website/docs/user-guide/features/skins.md
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ Text strings used throughout the CLI interface.
 | `welcome` | Welcome message shown at CLI startup | `Welcome to Hermes Agent! Type your message or /help for commands.` |
 | `goodbye` | Message shown on exit | `Goodbye! ⚕` |
 | `response_label` | Label on the response box header | ` ⚕ Hermes ` |
-| `prompt_symbol` | Symbol before the user input prompt | `❯ ` |
+| `prompt_symbol` | Symbol before the user input prompt (bare token, renderers add a trailing space) | `❯` |
 | `help_header` | Header text for the `/help` command output | `(^_^)? Available Commands` |
 
 ### Other top-level keys
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ branding:
   welcome: "Welcome to My Agent! Type your message or /help for commands."
   goodbye: "See you later! ⚡"
   response_label: " ⚡ My Agent "
-  prompt_symbol: "⚡ ❯ "
+  prompt_symbol: "⚡"
   help_header: "(⚡) Available Commands"
 
 tool_prefix: "┊"