diff --git a/mobile/app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx b/mobile/app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx
index 2119c2da29b..c4701a302db 100644
--- a/mobile/app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx
+++ b/mobile/app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx
@@ -5061,9 +5061,10 @@ export default function SessionScreen() {
                       }
                       style={styles.textInput}
                       value={input}
-                      onChangeText={(text) =>
-                        setInput((previousText) => normalizeTerminalTextInput(text, previousText))
-                      }
+                      // Why: iOS kills an active dictation/IME session when JS
+                      // writes a value that differs from the native field text;
+                      // store the raw field text and normalize at send time.
+                      onChangeText={setInput}
                       placeholder="Type a command…"
                       placeholderTextColor={colors.textMuted}
                       autoCapitalize="none"
diff --git a/mobile/src/terminal/terminal-ios-dictation-write-back.test.ts b/mobile/src/terminal/terminal-ios-dictation-write-back.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8dff075d85e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mobile/src/terminal/terminal-ios-dictation-write-back.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+const sessionRouteSource = readFileSync(
+  new URL('../../app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx', import.meta.url),
+  'utf8'
+)
+
+// Why: iOS terminates an active keyboard-dictation (and IME) session whenever
+// JS writes a value into the focused field that differs from the native text
+// (RN applies it via setTextAndSelection / _setAttributedString). Terminal
+// inputs therefore must echo the raw field text in their controlled value and
+// apply dash normalization only on the send/mirror path. See stablyai/orca#7925.
+describe('terminal iOS dictation write-back', () => {
+  it('does not write normalized text back into the buffered command input value', () => {
+    expect(sessionRouteSource).toContain('onChangeText={setInput}')
+    expect(sessionRouteSource).not.toContain(
+      'setInput((previousText) => normalizeTerminalTextInput'
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('still normalizes the buffered command text at send time', () => {
+    expect(sessionRouteSource).toContain('normalizeTerminalTextInput(input)')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/mobile/src/terminal/use-terminal-live-input-commit.test.ts b/mobile/src/terminal/use-terminal-live-input-commit.test.ts
index 3ddb8868270..b759e30d615 100644
--- a/mobile/src/terminal/use-terminal-live-input-commit.test.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/terminal/use-terminal-live-input-commit.test.ts
@@ -202,6 +202,32 @@ describe('terminal live input commit hook', () => {
     await vi.waitFor(() => expect(sent).toEqual(['a', 'b']))
   })
 
+  it('Given iOS smart-dash text When the change arrives Then the capture echoes the raw field text and the PTY gets normalized bytes', async () => {
+    // Given
+    const { captures, handlers, sent } = createTerminalLiveInputCommitHarness()
+
+    // When: iOS smart punctuation rewrote "--" into an en dash inside the field
+    handlers.handleLiveInputChange('a–')
+
+    // Then: writing "a--" back into the controlled value would kill an active
+    // iOS dictation/IME session, so the capture must keep what iOS produced
+    expect(captures).toEqual(['a–'])
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(sent).toEqual(['a--']))
+  })
+
+  it('Given dictation-style hypothesis revisions When changes arrive Then the field is never rewritten and the PTY converges', async () => {
+    // Given
+    const { captures, handlers, sent } = createTerminalLiveInputCommitHarness()
+
+    // When: iOS dictation replaces its hypothesis as recognition refines
+    handlers.handleLiveInputChange('high')
+    handlers.handleLiveInputChange('hi there')
+
+    // Then: captures only echo the field; the mirror repairs the PTY with DELs
+    expect(captures).toEqual(['high', 'hi there'])
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(sent).toEqual(['high', '\x7f\x7f there']))
+  })
+
   it('Given a trailing space after Hangul When the change arrives Then the space commits the held syllable', async () => {
     // Given
     const { handlers, sent } = createTerminalLiveInputCommitHarness()
diff --git a/mobile/src/terminal/use-terminal-live-input-commit.ts b/mobile/src/terminal/use-terminal-live-input-commit.ts
index cdabe1bed49..9c707dfbb31 100644
--- a/mobile/src/terminal/use-terminal-live-input-commit.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/terminal/use-terminal-live-input-commit.ts
@@ -109,9 +109,11 @@ export function useTerminalLiveInputCommit<TTabType extends string>({
         clearPendingLiveInputCommit()
         return
       }
-      const normalizedText = normalizeTerminalTextInput(text)
-      setLiveInputCapture(normalizedText)
-      applyLiveInputMirror(activeHandle, normalizedText)
+      // Why: iOS kills an active dictation/IME session when JS writes a value
+      // that differs from the native field text, so the controlled capture must
+      // echo the field verbatim; only the PTY mirror sees normalized text.
+      setLiveInputCapture(text)
+      applyLiveInputMirror(activeHandle, normalizeTerminalTextInput(text))
     },
     [
       activeHandle,