diff --git a/config/reliability-gates.jsonc b/config/reliability-gates.jsonc
index 16706a7f908..890366dcb3e 100644
--- a/config/reliability-gates.jsonc
+++ b/config/reliability-gates.jsonc
@@ -4270,6 +4270,7 @@
         {
           "file": "src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.test.ts",
           "assertions": [
+            "startup waits for hydration before mounting terminal panes while degraded mode remains interactive",
             "only an explicit local execution host can defer cold activation",
             "SSH, remote-runtime, and unresolved owners remain eager"
           ]
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/Terminal.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/Terminal.tsx
index ddbe6249dc1..5f9c333eaa3 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/Terminal.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/Terminal.tsx
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ import { scheduleBackgroundTerminalWorktreeMeasure } from './terminal/background
 import {
   applyBackgroundMountTabRestriction,
   canDeferColdActivationTabsForHost,
+  canMountTerminalWorkspaceForStartup,
   planColdActivationTabDeferral,
   pruneClosedBackgroundMountTabs,
   revealActivationDeferredTabs,
@@ -327,6 +328,7 @@ function Terminal(): React.JSX.Element | null {
   const expandedPaneByTabId = useAppStore((s) => s.expandedPaneByTabId)
   const workspaceSessionReady = useAppStore((s) => s.workspaceSessionReady)
   const hydrationSucceeded = useAppStore((s) => s.hydrationSucceeded)
+  const startupWorktreeRefreshCompleted = useAppStore((s) => s.startupWorktreeRefreshCompleted)
   const openFiles = useAppStore((s) => s.openFiles)
   const activeFileId = useAppStore((s) => s.activeFileId)
   const activeBrowserTabId = useAppStore((s) => s.activeBrowserTabId)
@@ -1152,8 +1154,15 @@ function Terminal(): React.JSX.Element | null {
     terminalSshParkingEnabled,
     workspaceSurfaces
   ])
-  // Why: gate on workspaceSessionReady so TerminalPane doesn't mount and spawn a duplicate PTY before reconnectPersistedTerminals() finishes.
-  if (renderedActiveWorktreeId && workspaceSessionReady) {
+  // Why: a slow post-reconnect step exposes workspaceSessionReady before hydration can populate snapshot capabilities.
+  if (
+    renderedActiveWorktreeId &&
+    canMountTerminalWorkspaceForStartup({
+      workspaceSessionReady,
+      hydrationSucceeded,
+      startupWorktreeRefreshCompleted
+    })
+  ) {
     // Why: mounting every saved tab at once (scrollback replay + WebGL + sync-IPC snapshot per pane) freezes the renderer, so hidden tabs defer and mount on first reveal.
     const worktreeTabs = tabsByWorktree[renderedActiveWorktreeId] ?? []
     const coldActivationDeferralEnabled =
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.test.ts
index 85209b8c633..f98e39cc355 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.test.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
   addBackgroundMountedTerminalWorktree,
   applyBackgroundMountTabRestriction,
   canDeferColdActivationTabsForHost,
+  canMountTerminalWorkspaceForStartup,
   collectDeferredMountTabIds,
   hasRequestedBackgroundTerminalWorktreeMount,
   planColdActivationTabDeferral,
@@ -22,6 +23,32 @@ import {
   shouldMountBackgroundWorktreeTab
 } from './background-terminal-worktree-mount'
 
+describe('terminal workspace startup mount gate', () => {
+  it('waits for hydration unless startup entered degraded mode', () => {
+    expect(
+      canMountTerminalWorkspaceForStartup({
+        workspaceSessionReady: true,
+        hydrationSucceeded: false,
+        startupWorktreeRefreshCompleted: false
+      })
+    ).toBe(false)
+    expect(
+      canMountTerminalWorkspaceForStartup({
+        workspaceSessionReady: true,
+        hydrationSucceeded: true,
+        startupWorktreeRefreshCompleted: false
+      })
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(
+      canMountTerminalWorkspaceForStartup({
+        workspaceSessionReady: true,
+        hydrationSucceeded: false,
+        startupWorktreeRefreshCompleted: true
+      })
+    ).toBe(true)
+  })
+})
+
 describe('background terminal mount request registry', () => {
   it('replays a request made before the Terminal listener mounts', () => {
     takeAllPendingBackgroundTerminalWorktreeMounts()
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.ts
index f0428baa06f..ae8c677c293 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/terminal/background-terminal-worktree-mount.ts
@@ -141,6 +141,16 @@ export function shouldMountBackgroundWorktreeTab(
 // until first reveal, parked byte watchers own their side effects meanwhile.
 export const COLD_ACTIVATION_TAB_DEFER_THRESHOLD = 4
 
+export function canMountTerminalWorkspaceForStartup(args: {
+  workspaceSessionReady: boolean
+  hydrationSucceeded: boolean
+  startupWorktreeRefreshCompleted: boolean
+}): boolean {
+  return (
+    args.workspaceSessionReady && (args.hydrationSucceeded || args.startupWorktreeRefreshCompleted)
+  )
+}
+
 export function canDeferColdActivationTabsForHost(args: {
   executionHostId: string | null
 }): boolean {