diff --git a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/platform.test.ts b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/platform.test.ts
index aa73de75a89..6f77c619751 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/__tests__/platform.test.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/__tests__/platform.test.ts
@@ -270,6 +270,16 @@ describe('parseVoiceRecordKey (#18994)', () => {
     expect(isVoiceToggleKey({ ctrl: false, meta: false, super: true }, 'b', superB)).toBe(true)
   })
 
+  it('alt+escape does not fire on bare Esc meta-shape', async () => {
+    const { isVoiceToggleKey, parseVoiceRecordKey } = await importPlatform('darwin')
+    const altEscape = parseVoiceRecordKey('alt+escape')
+
+    // Some terminals surface bare Esc as meta=true + escape=true.
+    expect(isVoiceToggleKey({ ctrl: false, escape: true, meta: true, super: false }, '', altEscape)).toBe(false)
+    // Explicit alt bit (kitty-style) still fires the configured chord.
+    expect(isVoiceToggleKey({ alt: true, ctrl: false, escape: true, meta: false, super: false }, '', altEscape)).toBe(true)
+  })
+
   it('rejects matches when Shift is held (different chord than configured)', async () => {
     const { isVoiceToggleKey, parseVoiceRecordKey } = await importPlatform('linux')
 
diff --git a/ui-tui/src/lib/platform.ts b/ui-tui/src/lib/platform.ts
index 1bdbfd3ac2d..0eb372d345f 100644
--- a/ui-tui/src/lib/platform.ts
+++ b/ui-tui/src/lib/platform.ts
@@ -322,7 +322,12 @@ export const isVoiceToggleKey = (
       // protocols. Guard against ctrl/super bits so a chord like
       // Ctrl+Alt+<key> or Cmd+Alt+<key> doesn't spuriously fire the
       // alt binding.
-      return (key.alt === true || key.meta) && !key.ctrl && key.super !== true
+      //
+      // Bare Escape on hermes-ink can arrive as ``key.meta=true`` on some
+      // terminals, so a configured ``alt+escape`` must not match that shape;
+      // require an explicit alt bit for escape chords (Copilot round-7
+      // follow-up on #19835).
+      return (key.alt === true || (key.meta && key.escape !== true)) && !key.ctrl && key.super !== true
     case 'ctrl':
       // Require the Ctrl bit AND a clear Alt/Super so a chord like
       // Ctrl+Alt+<key> / Ctrl+Cmd+<key> doesn't spuriously match