Respect terminalWindowsShell setting for local Windows agent launches (#7526)

Ensure agent CLI startup and draft launch commands use the correct quoting
format based on the user's configured local Windows shell (e.g., cmd.exe).
This avoids using host settings for remote/SSH targets where local shell
preferences do not apply.

src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.test.ts

@@ -3538,6 +3538,7 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
       ...store,
       getSettings: () => ({
         ...store.getSettings(),
+        terminalWindowsShell: 'cmd.exe',
         agentCmdOverrides: {}
       }),
       getRepos: () => [remoteRepo],
@@ -7264,6 +7265,94 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
     )
   })
 
+  it('quotes local Windows bare agent command defaults for cmd.exe terminal creates', async () => {
+    setPlatform('win32')
+    const spawn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: 'pty-bg' })
+    const runtimeStore = {
+      ...store,
+      getSettings: () => ({
+        ...store.getSettings(),
+        disabledTuiAgents: [],
+        terminalWindowsShell: 'cmd.exe',
+        agentCmdOverrides: {},
+        agentDefaultArgs: { claude: '--dangerously-skip-permissions' },
+        agentDefaultEnv: {}
+      })
+    }
+    const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService(runtimeStore)
+    runtime.setPtyController({
+      spawn,
+      write: () => true,
+      kill: () => true,
+      getForegroundProcess: async () => null
+    })
+
+    await runtime.createTerminal(`path:${TEST_WORKTREE_PATH}`, {
+      command: 'claude',
+      title: 'worker'
+    })
+
+    const spawnCall = spawn.mock.calls[0]?.[0] as { command?: string } | undefined
+    expect(spawnCall?.command).toBe('claude "--dangerously-skip-permissions"')
+  })
+
+  it('does not use the local Windows shell setting for remote Windows bare agent creates', async () => {
+    const remoteRepo = {
+      id: TEST_REPO_ID,
+      path: 'C:/remote/repo',
+      displayName: 'repo',
+      badgeColor: 'blue',
+      addedAt: 1,
+      connectionId: 'ssh-1'
+    }
+    const remoteStore = {
+      ...store,
+      getRepos: () => [remoteRepo],
+      getRepo: (id: string) => (id === TEST_REPO_ID ? remoteRepo : undefined),
+      getSettings: () => ({
+        ...store.getSettings(),
+        disabledTuiAgents: [],
+        terminalWindowsShell: 'cmd.exe',
+        agentCmdOverrides: {},
+        agentDefaultArgs: { claude: '--dangerously-skip-permissions' },
+        agentDefaultEnv: {}
+      })
+    }
+    const provider = {
+      exec: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ stdout: '', stderr: '' }),
+      listWorktrees: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([
+        {
+          path: 'C:/remote/repo',
+          head: 'abc',
+          branch: 'main',
+          isBare: false,
+          isMainWorktree: true
+        }
+      ])
+    }
+    const spawn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: 'pty-remote-windows-bare' })
+    registerSshGitProvider('ssh-1', provider as never)
+    const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService(remoteStore as never)
+    runtime.setPtyController({
+      spawn,
+      write: () => true,
+      kill: () => true,
+      getForegroundProcess: async () => null
+    })
+
+    try {
+      await runtime.createTerminal('path:C:/remote/repo', {
+        command: 'claude',
+        title: 'worker'
+      })
+
+      const spawnCall = spawn.mock.calls[0]?.[0] as { command?: string } | undefined
+      expect(spawnCall?.command).toBe("claude '--dangerously-skip-permissions'")
+    } finally {
+      unregisterSshGitProvider('ssh-1')
+    }
+  })
+
   it('matches canonical bare agent commands when a command override is configured', async () => {
     const spawn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: 'pty-bg' })
     const runtimeStore = {
@@ -17184,6 +17273,53 @@ describe('OrcaRuntimeService', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  it('uses cmd.exe quoting for mobile agent launch commands in local Windows host runtimes', async () => {
+    await withPlatform('win32', async () => {
+      const spawn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: 'pty-agent-cmd' })
+      const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService({
+        ...store,
+        getProjects: () => [
+          {
+            id: 'project-1',
+            displayName: 'repo',
+            badgeColor: 'blue',
+            sourceRepoIds: [TEST_REPO_ID],
+            localWindowsRuntimePreference: { kind: 'windows-host' },
+            createdAt: 0,
+            updatedAt: 0
+          }
+        ],
+        getSettings: () => ({
+          ...store.getSettings(),
+          disabledTuiAgents: [],
+          agentCmdOverrides: { 'command-code': 'command-code --profile mobile' },
+          agentDefaultArgs: { 'command-code': '--note "can\'t"' },
+          localWindowsRuntimeDefault: { kind: 'wsl', distro: 'Ubuntu' },
+          terminalWindowsShell: 'cmd.exe'
+        })
+      } as never)
+      runtime.setPtyController({
+        spawn,
+        write: () => true,
+        kill: () => true,
+        getForegroundProcess: async () => null
+      })
+      runtime.syncWindowGraph(0, { tabs: [], leaves: [] })
+
+      await runtime.createMobileSessionTerminal(`id:${TEST_WORKTREE_ID}`, {
+        agent: 'command-code'
+      })
+
+      expect(spawn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          command: 'command-code --profile mobile "--note" "can\'t"',
+          cwd: TEST_WORKTREE_PATH,
+          worktreeId: TEST_WORKTREE_ID
+        })
+      )
+    })
+  })
+
   it('publishes headless mobile session agent identity with synthesized PTY status', async () => {
     const spawn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ id: 'pty-agent' })
     const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService({

src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.ts

@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ import {
   resolveTuiAgentLaunchArgs,
   resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv
 } from '../../shared/tui-agent-launch-defaults'
+import { resolveLocalWindowsAgentStartupShell } from '../../shared/windows-terminal-shell'
 import {
   getTuiAgentLaunchCommand,
   isTuiAgent,
@@ -787,6 +788,7 @@ type RuntimeStore = {
     agentCmdOverrides?: GlobalSettings['agentCmdOverrides']
     agentDefaultArgs?: GlobalSettings['agentDefaultArgs']
     agentDefaultEnv?: GlobalSettings['agentDefaultEnv']
+    terminalWindowsShell?: GlobalSettings['terminalWindowsShell']
     agentStatusHooksEnabled?: GlobalSettings['agentStatusHooksEnabled']
     defaultTaskSource?: GlobalSettings['defaultTaskSource']
     defaultTaskViewPreset?: GlobalSettings['defaultTaskViewPreset']
@@ -12353,6 +12355,11 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
     // Linux over SSH. Startup command quoting must target the shell that runs it.
     const agentLaunchPlatform = this.getAgentLaunchPlatformForRepo(repo)
     const isRemote = repoIsRemote(repo)
+    const queuedShell = resolveLocalWindowsAgentStartupShell({
+      platform: agentLaunchPlatform,
+      isRemote,
+      terminalWindowsShell: settings.terminalWindowsShell
+    })
     const draftLaunchPlan = buildAgentDraftLaunchPlan({
       agent,
       draft: content,
@@ -12360,6 +12367,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       agentArgs: resolveTuiAgentLaunchArgs(agent, settings.agentDefaultArgs),
       agentEnv: resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv(agent, settings.agentDefaultEnv),
       platform: agentLaunchPlatform,
+      shell: queuedShell,
       isRemote
     })
     if (draftLaunchPlan) {
@@ -12383,6 +12391,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       agentArgs: resolveTuiAgentLaunchArgs(agent, settings.agentDefaultArgs),
       agentEnv: resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv(agent, settings.agentDefaultEnv),
       platform: agentLaunchPlatform,
+      shell: queuedShell,
       isRemote,
       allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true
     })
@@ -12418,6 +12427,12 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
     // Why: CLI clients may target SSH runtimes from macOS/Windows, so quote for
     // the workspace shell rather than the client shell.
     const agentLaunchPlatform = this.getAgentLaunchPlatformForRepo(repo)
+    const isRemote = repoIsRemote(repo)
+    const queuedShell = resolveLocalWindowsAgentStartupShell({
+      platform: agentLaunchPlatform,
+      isRemote,
+      terminalWindowsShell: settings.terminalWindowsShell
+    })
     const startupPlan = buildAgentStartupPlan({
       agent,
       prompt: prompt ?? '',
@@ -12425,7 +12440,8 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       agentArgs: resolveTuiAgentLaunchArgs(agent, settings.agentDefaultArgs),
       agentEnv: resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv(agent, settings.agentDefaultEnv),
       platform: agentLaunchPlatform,
-      isRemote: repoIsRemote(repo),
+      shell: queuedShell,
+      isRemote,
       allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true
     })
     if (!startupPlan) {
@@ -15632,6 +15648,11 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
     const settings = this.store.getSettings()
     const platform = this.getAgentLaunchPlatformForWorkspace(workspace)
     const isRemote = repoIsRemote(workspace.repo)
+    const queuedShell = resolveLocalWindowsAgentStartupShell({
+      platform,
+      isRemote,
+      terminalWindowsShell: settings.terminalWindowsShell
+    })
     const agent = resolveBareAgentLaunchCommand({
       command: opts.command,
       settings,
@@ -15649,6 +15670,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       agentArgs: resolveTuiAgentLaunchArgs(agent, settings.agentDefaultArgs),
       agentEnv: resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv(agent, settings.agentDefaultEnv),
       platform,
+      shell: queuedShell,
       isRemote,
       allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true
     })
@@ -16193,6 +16215,11 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
     // Why: an SSH workspace runs the CLI through the relay shim (plain `orca`),
     // so the Linux-only `orca-ide` rename must not be applied.
     const isRemote = workspace.repo ? repoIsRemote(workspace.repo) : repoIsRemote(workspace)
+    const queuedShell = resolveLocalWindowsAgentStartupShell({
+      platform,
+      isRemote,
+      terminalWindowsShell: settings.terminalWindowsShell
+    })
     const startupPlan = buildAgentStartupPlan({
       agent: opts.agent,
       prompt: '',
@@ -16200,6 +16227,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
       agentArgs: resolveTuiAgentLaunchArgs(opts.agent, settings.agentDefaultArgs),
       agentEnv: resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv(opts.agent, settings.agentDefaultEnv),
       platform,
+      shell: queuedShell,
       isRemote,
       allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true
     })

src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab.test.ts

@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ const store = {
     agentDefaultArgs: Record<string, string>
     agentDefaultEnv: Record<string, Record<string, string>>
     activeRuntimeEnvironmentId: string | null
+    terminalWindowsShell?: string
     experimentalNativeChat?: boolean
     openAgentTabsInChatByDefault?: boolean
   },
@@ -409,7 +410,102 @@ describe('launchAgentInNewTab', () => {
     )
   })
 
+  it('quotes local Windows default agent args for cmd.exe empty launches', async () => {
+    store.settings.terminalWindowsShell = 'cmd.exe'
+    const { launchAgentInNewTab } = await import('./launch-agent-in-new-tab')
+
+    launchAgentInNewTab({
+      agent: 'claude',
+      worktreeId: 'wt-1',
+      launchPlatform: 'win32'
+    })
+
+    expect(mockQueueTabStartupCommand).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'tab-1',
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        command: 'claude "--dangerously-skip-permissions"'
+      })
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('keeps PowerShell quoting for local Windows default agent args', async () => {
+    store.settings.terminalWindowsShell = 'powershell.exe'
+    const { launchAgentInNewTab } = await import('./launch-agent-in-new-tab')
+
+    launchAgentInNewTab({
+      agent: 'claude',
+      worktreeId: 'wt-1',
+      launchPlatform: 'win32'
+    })
+
+    expect(mockQueueTabStartupCommand).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'tab-1',
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        command: "claude '--dangerously-skip-permissions'"
+      })
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('quotes local Windows explicit agent args for cmd.exe prompt launches', async () => {
+    store.settings.terminalWindowsShell = 'cmd.exe'
+    const { launchAgentInNewTab } = await import('./launch-agent-in-new-tab')
+
+    launchAgentInNewTab({
+      agent: 'codex',
+      worktreeId: 'wt-1',
+      prompt: 'fix the spinner',
+      agentArgs: '--model gpt-5',
+      launchPlatform: 'win32'
+    })
+
+    expect(mockQueueTabStartupCommand).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'tab-1',
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        command: 'codex "--model" "gpt-5" "fix the spinner"'
+      })
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('quotes local Windows draft launches for Git Bash', async () => {
+    store.settings.terminalWindowsShell = 'git-bash'
+    const { launchAgentInNewTab } = await import('./launch-agent-in-new-tab')
+
+    launchAgentInNewTab({
+      agent: 'claude',
+      worktreeId: 'wt-1',
+      prompt: "review Bob's change",
+      promptDelivery: 'draft',
+      launchPlatform: 'win32'
+    })
+
+    expect(mockQueueTabStartupCommand).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'tab-1',
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        command: "claude '--dangerously-skip-permissions' --prefill 'review Bob'\\''s change'"
+      })
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('does not use the local Windows shell setting for remote Windows launches', async () => {
+    store.settings.terminalWindowsShell = 'cmd.exe'
+    store.repos = [{ id: 'repo-1', connectionId: 'ssh-1', path: 'C:\\remote\\repo' }]
+    const { launchAgentInNewTab } = await import('./launch-agent-in-new-tab')
+
+    launchAgentInNewTab({
+      agent: 'claude',
+      worktreeId: 'wt-1'
+    })
+
+    expect(mockQueueTabStartupCommand).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'tab-1',
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        command: "claude '--dangerously-skip-permissions'"
+      })
+    )
+  })
+
   it('uses WSL launch quoting by default for Windows-path projects forced to WSL', async () => {
+    store.settings.terminalWindowsShell = 'cmd.exe'
     store.projects = [
       {
         id: 'repo-1',

src/renderer/src/lib/launch-agent-in-new-tab.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
   resolveTuiAgentLaunchArgs,
   resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv
 } from '../../../shared/tui-agent-launch-defaults'
+import { resolveLocalWindowsAgentStartupShell } from '../../../shared/windows-terminal-shell'
 import { TUI_AGENT_CONFIG } from '../../../shared/tui-agent-config'
 import { repoIsRemote } from '../../../shared/agent-launch-remote'
 import { seedCommandCodeSubmittedPromptStatus } from '@/lib/command-code-prompt-status-seed'
@@ -119,12 +120,26 @@ export function launchAgentInNewTab(args: LaunchAgentInNewTabArgs): LaunchAgentI
   // Why: SSH remotes deploy the CLI shim as plain `orca`, so the Linux-only
   // `orca-ide` rename must not be applied for remote launches.
   const isRemote = repo ? repoIsRemote(repo) : false
+  const queuedShell = resolveLocalWindowsAgentStartupShell({
+    platform: resolvedLaunchPlatform,
+    isRemote,
+    terminalWindowsShell: store.settings?.terminalWindowsShell
+  })
   const cmdOverrides = store.settings?.agentCmdOverrides ?? {}
   const effectiveAgentArgs =
     agentArgs !== undefined
       ? agentArgs
       : resolveTuiAgentLaunchArgs(agent, store.settings?.agentDefaultArgs)
   const agentEnv = resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv(agent, store.settings?.agentDefaultEnv)
+  const startupPlanBase = {
+    agent,
+    cmdOverrides,
+    platform: resolvedLaunchPlatform,
+    shell: queuedShell,
+    isRemote,
+    agentArgs: effectiveAgentArgs,
+    agentEnv
+  }
   const trimmedPrompt = prompt?.trim() ?? ''
   const hasPrompt = trimmedPrompt.length > 0
   const isFollowupPath = TUI_AGENT_CONFIG[agent].promptInjectionMode === 'stdin-after-start'
@@ -143,13 +158,8 @@ export function launchAgentInNewTab(args: LaunchAgentInNewTabArgs): LaunchAgentI
     // Why: generated multi-line prompts are too large to echo through a shell
     // argv/prefill command. Launch cleanly, then paste+submit inside the TUI.
     startupPlan = buildAgentStartupPlan({
-      agent,
+      ...startupPlanBase,
       prompt: '',
-      cmdOverrides,
-      platform: resolvedLaunchPlatform,
-      isRemote,
-      agentArgs: effectiveAgentArgs,
-      agentEnv,
       allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true
     })
     pasteDraftAfterLaunch = trimmedPrompt
@@ -157,13 +167,8 @@ export function launchAgentInNewTab(args: LaunchAgentInNewTabArgs): LaunchAgentI
     forcePasteAfterLaunch = true
   } else if (hasPrompt && promptDelivery === 'draft') {
     const draftLaunchPlan = buildAgentDraftLaunchPlan({
-      agent,
-      draft: trimmedPrompt,
-      cmdOverrides,
-      platform: resolvedLaunchPlatform,
-      isRemote,
-      agentArgs: effectiveAgentArgs,
-      agentEnv
+      ...startupPlanBase,
+      draft: trimmedPrompt
     })
     if (draftLaunchPlan) {
       startupPlan = {
@@ -179,38 +184,23 @@ export function launchAgentInNewTab(args: LaunchAgentInNewTabArgs): LaunchAgentI
       }
     } else {
       startupPlan = buildAgentStartupPlan({
-        agent,
+        ...startupPlanBase,
         prompt: '',
-        cmdOverrides,
-        platform: resolvedLaunchPlatform,
-        isRemote,
-        agentArgs: effectiveAgentArgs,
-        agentEnv,
         allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true
       })
       pasteDraftAfterLaunch = trimmedPrompt
     }
   } else if (hasPrompt && isFollowupPath) {
     startupPlan = buildAgentStartupPlan({
-      agent,
+      ...startupPlanBase,
       prompt: '',
-      cmdOverrides,
-      platform: resolvedLaunchPlatform,
-      isRemote,
-      agentArgs: effectiveAgentArgs,
-      agentEnv,
       allowEmptyPromptLaunch: true
     })
     pasteDraftAfterLaunch = trimmedPrompt
   } else {
     startupPlan = buildAgentStartupPlan({
-      agent,
+      ...startupPlanBase,
       prompt: hasPrompt ? trimmedPrompt : '',
-      cmdOverrides,
-      platform: resolvedLaunchPlatform,
-      isRemote,
-      agentArgs: effectiveAgentArgs,
-      agentEnv,
       allowEmptyPromptLaunch: !hasPrompt
     })
   }

src/shared/windows-terminal-shell.ts

@@ -35,3 +35,16 @@ export function resolveWindowsShellStartupFamily(
   }
   return 'powershell'
 }
+
+export function resolveLocalWindowsAgentStartupShell(args: {
+  platform: NodeJS.Platform
+  isRemote: boolean
+  terminalWindowsShell?: string | null
+}): AgentStartupShell | undefined {
+  // Why: terminalWindowsShell describes the local host shell; SSH/remote
+  // targets need their own shell signal before we can safely override quoting.
+  if (args.platform !== 'win32' || args.isRemote) {
+    return undefined
+  }
+  return resolveWindowsShellStartupFamily(args.terminalWindowsShell)
+}