diff --git a/src/renderer/src/runtime/web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap-dispatch.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/runtime/web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap-dispatch.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1f1ee5f5bd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/runtime/web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap-dispatch.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
+import { dispatchWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap } from './web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap-dispatch'
+import {
+  isWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapInFlight,
+  releaseWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapOnMirrorFrame,
+  resetWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapForTests
+} from './web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap'
+
+const createTerminal = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn())
+vi.mock('./web-runtime-session', () => ({ createWebRuntimeSessionTerminal: createTerminal }))
+
+// What this pins: a throw AFTER the create resolves must not leave the latch in `creating`.
+// `releaseWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapOnMirrorFrame` only ever clears `awaiting-mirror`, so
+// a stranded `creating` claim survives every later mirror frame and makes the workspace refuse to
+// bootstrap a terminal for the rest of the environment's life.
+
+const ENV_ID = 'env-bootstrap-dispatch'
+const WORKTREE_ID = 'repo-1::/w/one'
+
+describe('dispatchWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    resetWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapForTests()
+    createTerminal.mockReset()
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    resetWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapForTests()
+    vi.restoreAllMocks()
+  })
+
+  it('releases the latch when the post-create store read throws', async () => {
+    createTerminal.mockResolvedValue({ status: 'created' })
+    const getState = vi.spyOn(useAppStore, 'getState').mockImplementation(() => {
+      throw new Error('store read blew up')
+    })
+
+    await expect(dispatchWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap(ENV_ID, WORKTREE_ID)).rejects.toThrow(
+      'store read blew up'
+    )
+    getState.mockRestore()
+
+    expect(isWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapInFlight(ENV_ID, WORKTREE_ID)).toBe(false)
+    // A mirror frame cannot rescue a stranded `creating` claim, so the latch had to release itself.
+    releaseWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapOnMirrorFrame(ENV_ID, WORKTREE_ID)
+    expect(isWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapInFlight(ENV_ID, WORKTREE_ID)).toBe(false)
+
+    createTerminal.mockResolvedValue({ status: 'created' })
+    await dispatchWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap(ENV_ID, WORKTREE_ID)
+    expect(createTerminal).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/runtime/web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap-dispatch.ts b/src/renderer/src/runtime/web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap-dispatch.ts
index d4f097a2a68..ad554d1f1c6 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/runtime/web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap-dispatch.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/runtime/web-runtime-initial-terminal-bootstrap-dispatch.ts
@@ -31,22 +31,25 @@ export async function dispatchWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap(
     return false
   }
   let outcome: WebRuntimeTerminalCreateOutcome
+  // Why the row read is inside the try too: a throw between the create and the latch decision
+  // left `creating` held forever — the mirror-frame release only ever clears `awaiting-mirror`,
+  // so every later dispatch for that workspace refused without creating until teardown.
   try {
     outcome = await createWebRuntimeSessionTerminal({ worktreeId, environmentId, activate: true })
+    // Why check the outcome: the create reports RPC and network failures as `{ status: 'failed' }`
+    // rather than throwing, so the catch below never sees them. Both arms report the same way.
+    if (outcome.status === 'failed') {
+      endWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap(environmentId, worktreeId)
+      return false
+    }
+    if (Object.hasOwn(useAppStore.getState().tabsByWorktree, worktreeId)) {
+      endWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap(environmentId, worktreeId)
+    } else {
+      markWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapAwaitingMirror(environmentId, worktreeId)
+    }
   } catch (error) {
     endWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap(environmentId, worktreeId)
     throw error
   }
-  // Why check the outcome: the create reports RPC and network failures as `{ status: 'failed' }`
-  // rather than throwing, so the catch above never sees them. Both arms report the same way.
-  if (outcome.status === 'failed') {
-    endWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap(environmentId, worktreeId)
-    return false
-  }
-  if (Object.hasOwn(useAppStore.getState().tabsByWorktree, worktreeId)) {
-    endWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrap(environmentId, worktreeId)
-  } else {
-    markWebRuntimeInitialTerminalBootstrapAwaitingMirror(environmentId, worktreeId)
-  }
   return true
 }