diff --git a/src/main/automations/runtime-terminal-run-observer.test.ts b/src/main/automations/runtime-terminal-run-observer.test.ts
index 0e0a27151d8..20d8450f2c6 100644
--- a/src/main/automations/runtime-terminal-run-observer.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/automations/runtime-terminal-run-observer.test.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ type FakeWaiter = {
 
 function createFakeRuntime(
   initial: Partial<FakePane>,
-  readinessOptions: { resolveUnknown?: boolean } = {}
+  readinessOptions: { resolveUnknown?: boolean; resolveBusy?: boolean } = {}
 ) {
   const pane: FakePane = {
     lastAgentStatus: null,
@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ function createFakeRuntime(
           readiness: { state: 'unknown' as const }
         })
       }
+      if (readinessOptions.resolveBusy && waitOptions?.timeoutMs !== undefined) {
+        return Promise.resolve({
+          satisfied: false,
+          readiness: { state: 'busy' as const }
+        })
+      }
       return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
         const waiter: FakeWaiter = {
           resolve,
@@ -210,6 +216,22 @@ describe('createRuntimeAutomationRunTerminalObserver', () => {
     await run.promise
   })
 
+  it('accepts a title-only working observation before the pane returns to ready', async () => {
+    const runtime = createFakeRuntime(
+      { lastAgentStatus: null, paneTitle: '✳ Claude — working' },
+      { resolveBusy: true }
+    )
+    const run = observe(runtime)
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(1_000)
+    expect(run.settled).toEqual([])
+
+    runtime.setPane({ paneTitle: '✳ Claude — idle' })
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10)
+    expect(run.settled[0]?.status).toBe('completed')
+    await run.promise
+  })
+
   it('stops re-arming the tui-idle wait instead of looping for the process lifetime', async () => {
     const runtime = createFakeRuntime({ lastAgentStatus: 'working' })
     const run = observe(runtime)
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orchestration/db/federation/remote-dispatch-attachment-authority.ts b/src/main/runtime/orchestration/db/federation/remote-dispatch-attachment-authority.ts
index ac85fc7c3c9..968939042c0 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orchestration/db/federation/remote-dispatch-attachment-authority.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orchestration/db/federation/remote-dispatch-attachment-authority.ts
@@ -137,6 +137,29 @@ export function markRemoteAttachmentReady(
   return this.getRemoteDispatchAttachment(dispatchId) as RemoteDispatchAttachmentRow
 }
 
+/** Preserve a prepared attachment and its capability when readiness remains unverifiable. */
+export function markRemoteAttachmentStartUnknown(
+  this: OrchestrationDb,
+  dispatchId: string,
+  stage: string,
+  reason: string
+): RemoteDispatchAttachmentRow {
+  const result = this.db
+    .prepare(
+      `UPDATE remote_dispatch_attachments
+       SET state = 'start_unknown', stage = ?, last_error = ?, updated_at = datetime('now')
+       WHERE dispatch_id = ? AND state = 'starting'`
+    )
+    .run(stage, reason, dispatchId)
+  if (result.changes !== 1) {
+    throw new OrchestrationError(
+      'dispatch_inactive',
+      `Remote Dispatch ${dispatchId} is not starting.`
+    )
+  }
+  return this.getRemoteDispatchAttachment(dispatchId) as RemoteDispatchAttachmentRow
+}
+
 export function failRemoteAttachment(
   this: OrchestrationDb,
   dispatchId: string,
@@ -209,6 +232,7 @@ export function isRemoteAttachmentProcessCurrent(
 export type RemoteDispatchAttachmentAuthorityMethods = {
   prepareRemoteAttachmentAuthority: typeof prepareRemoteAttachmentAuthority
   markRemoteAttachmentReady: typeof markRemoteAttachmentReady
+  markRemoteAttachmentStartUnknown: typeof markRemoteAttachmentStartUnknown
   failRemoteAttachment: typeof failRemoteAttachment
   verifyRemoteAttachmentAuthority: typeof verifyRemoteAttachmentAuthority
   isRemoteAttachmentProcessCurrent: typeof isRemoteAttachmentProcessCurrent
@@ -218,6 +242,7 @@ export function attachRemoteDispatchAttachmentAuthority(ctor: { prototype: objec
   Object.assign(ctor.prototype, {
     prepareRemoteAttachmentAuthority,
     markRemoteAttachmentReady,
+    markRemoteAttachmentStartUnknown,
     failRemoteAttachment,
     verifyRemoteAttachmentAuthority,
     isRemoteAttachmentProcessCurrent
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-attach-receipt.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-attach-receipt.ts
index 6fac7950954..39b2e91ea22 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-attach-receipt.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-attach-receipt.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { OrchestrationWorkerLaunchReceipt } from '../worker/worker-launch-p
 export type RemoteFederatedWorkerStartReceipt = {
   dispatchId: string
   state: string
+  stage?: string
   runtimeEpoch?: string
   worktreeId?: string
   terminalHandle?: string
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start-receipt.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start-receipt.test.ts
index 561e6706b28..6d19b629e20 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start-receipt.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start-receipt.test.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ describe('federated worker start receipt validation', () => {
         }
       })
 
+    // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: the RPC receipt is checked by toMatchObject below.
     const result = (await startFederatedWorker({
       params: {
         task: task.id,
@@ -88,4 +89,83 @@ describe('federated worker start receipt validation', () => {
       })
     }
   })
+
+  it('retains remote terminal custody when readiness is unknown before prompt delivery', async () => {
+    const db = new OrchestrationDb(':memory:')
+    const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService()
+    runtime.setOrchestrationDb(db)
+    databases.push(db)
+    const run = db.createRun({
+      objective: 'federated readiness',
+      coordinatorHandle: 'term_coord',
+      coordinatorPaneKey: 'tab_coord:leaf_coord'
+    })
+    const task = db.createTask({ spec: 'remote work', runId: run.id })
+    vi.spyOn(runtime, 'resolveOrchestrationWorkerServer').mockReturnValue({
+      environmentId: 'environment_remote',
+      name: 'remote',
+      peerFingerprint: 'remote_peer',
+      pairingRevision: 73
+    })
+    vi.spyOn(runtime, 'callOrchestrationWorkerServer').mockImplementation(
+      async (_environmentId, method, params) => {
+        if (method === 'status.get') {
+          return {
+            capabilities: [
+              ORCHESTRATION_CONTRACT_RUNTIME_CAPABILITY,
+              ORCHESTRATION_FEDERATION_RUNTIME_CAPABILITY
+            ]
+          }
+        }
+        return {
+          dispatchId: (params as { dispatchId: string }).dispatchId,
+          state: 'outcome_unknown',
+          runtimeEpoch: 'epoch_remote',
+          worktreeId: 'worktree_remote',
+          terminalHandle: 'term_remote',
+          setup: { state: 'running' },
+          effects: [{ kind: 'terminal', action: 'created', id: 'term_remote' }],
+          residualResources: [{ kind: 'terminal', id: 'term_remote' }],
+          failedStage: 'agent_readiness',
+          lastError: 'Agent startup readiness could not be verified (unknown).'
+        }
+      }
+    )
+
+    // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: the RPC receipt is checked by toMatchObject below.
+    const result = (await startFederatedWorker({
+      params: {
+        task: task.id,
+        from: 'term_coord',
+        on: 'remote',
+        worktree: 'id:worktree_remote',
+        agent: 'codex'
+      },
+      runtime,
+      db,
+      runId: run.id,
+      task,
+      orchestrationMutation: {
+        callerFingerprint: 'caller',
+        requestId: 'remote_unknown',
+        method: 'orchestration.workerStart',
+        payloadHash: 'payload'
+      }
+    })) as { dispatchId: string; state: string; terminalHandle?: string }
+
+    expect(result).toMatchObject({
+      state: 'outcome_unknown',
+      terminalHandle: 'term_remote'
+    })
+    expect(db.getWorkerDispatch(result.dispatchId)).toMatchObject({
+      state: 'start_unknown',
+      agent_terminal_handle: 'term_remote',
+      worktree_id: 'worktree_remote'
+    })
+    expect(db.getFederatedDispatch(result.dispatchId)).toMatchObject({
+      remote_runtime_epoch: 'epoch_remote',
+      remote_worktree_id: 'worktree_remote',
+      remote_terminal_handle: 'term_remote'
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start-receipts.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start-receipts.ts
index 271d2ee90c3..983645e47a0 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start-receipts.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start-receipts.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import type { OrchestrationWorkerLaunchReceipt } from '../worker/worker-launch-preferences'
+import type { OrchestrationDb } from '../../../../orchestration/db'
+import type { RemoteFederatedWorkerStartReceipt } from './federated-attach-receipt'
 
 export type RemoteStartReceipt = {
   dispatchId: string
@@ -29,7 +31,13 @@ export function federatedUnknownReceipt(
   worker: { dispatch_id: string; state: string; stage: string; last_error: string | null },
   taskId: string,
   serverName: string,
-  launch: OrchestrationWorkerLaunchReceipt
+  launch: OrchestrationWorkerLaunchReceipt,
+  details?: {
+    setup?: { state: string }
+    terminalHandle?: string
+    effects?: unknown[]
+    residualResources?: unknown[]
+  }
 ): unknown {
   return {
     taskId,
@@ -38,13 +46,60 @@ export function federatedUnknownReceipt(
     stage: worker.stage,
     server: { name: serverName },
     launch,
+    ...(details?.setup ? { setup: details.setup } : {}),
+    ...(details?.terminalHandle ? { terminalHandle: details.terminalHandle } : {}),
+    ...(details?.effects ? { effects: details.effects } : { effects: [] }),
+    ...(details?.residualResources
+      ? { residualResources: details.residualResources }
+      : { residualResources: [] }),
     failedStage: worker.stage,
     lastError: worker.last_error,
-    effects: [],
-    residualResources: [],
     nextCommands: [
       `orca orchestration worker-show --dispatch ${worker.dispatch_id} --json`,
+      ...(details?.terminalHandle
+        ? [`orca terminal read --terminal ${details.terminalHandle} --screen`]
+        : []),
       `orca orchestration worker-abandon --dispatch ${worker.dispatch_id} --json`
     ]
   }
 }
+
+export function preserveFederatedWorkerStartUnknown(args: {
+  db: OrchestrationDb
+  dispatchId: string
+  taskId: string
+  serverName: string
+  launch: OrchestrationWorkerLaunchReceipt
+  remote: RemoteFederatedWorkerStartReceipt
+}): unknown {
+  const stage = args.remote.failedStage ?? args.remote.stage ?? 'remote_attach'
+  if (args.remote.runtimeEpoch && args.remote.worktreeId && args.remote.terminalHandle) {
+    args.db.updateFederatedDispatchResources({
+      dispatchId: args.dispatchId,
+      remoteRuntimeEpoch: args.remote.runtimeEpoch,
+      worktreeId: args.remote.worktreeId,
+      terminalHandle: args.remote.terminalHandle
+    })
+  }
+  args.db.recordWorkerStage({
+    dispatchId: args.dispatchId,
+    stage,
+    worktreeId: args.remote.worktreeId,
+    terminalHandle: args.remote.terminalHandle,
+    setupState: args.remote.setup?.state,
+    effects: args.remote.effects,
+    residualResources: args.remote.residualResources
+  })
+  const worker = args.db.markWorkerStartUnknown(
+    args.dispatchId,
+    stage,
+    args.remote.lastError ?? 'The worker server reported an unknown start outcome.',
+    args.remote.effects
+  )
+  return federatedUnknownReceipt(worker, args.taskId, args.serverName, args.launch, {
+    setup: args.remote.setup,
+    terminalHandle: args.remote.terminalHandle,
+    effects: args.remote.effects,
+    residualResources: args.remote.residualResources
+  })
+}
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start.ts
index a7c59b7064b..4c47a0fbb33 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federated-worker-start.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ import {
 import { isWorkerStartTimeoutWithinTimerLimit } from '../../../../../../shared/orchestration-timing-budgets'
 import {
   federatedUnknownReceipt,
-  isKnownRemoteStartFailure
+  isKnownRemoteStartFailure,
+  preserveFederatedWorkerStartUnknown
 } from './federated-worker-start-receipts'
 import { parseTaskDeps } from '../worker/task-deps-argument'
 
@@ -239,12 +240,14 @@ export async function startFederatedWorker(args: {
       }
     }
     if (remote.state === 'outcome_unknown') {
-      const worker = db.markWorkerStartUnknown(
-        started.dispatch.id,
-        remote.failedStage ?? 'remote_attach',
-        remote.lastError ?? 'The worker server reported an unknown start outcome.'
-      )
-      return federatedUnknownReceipt(worker, taskForRemote.id, server.name, launch)
+      return preserveFederatedWorkerStartUnknown({
+        db,
+        dispatchId: started.dispatch.id,
+        taskId: taskForRemote.id,
+        serverName: server.name,
+        launch,
+        remote
+      })
     }
     const worker = db.failWorkerStart(
       started.dispatch.id,
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation-readiness-custody.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation-readiness-custody.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4521444566d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation-readiness-custody.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import type { RuntimeRpcResponse } from '../../../../../../shared/runtime-rpc-envelope'
+import { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../../../orca-runtime'
+import { OrchestrationDb } from '../../../../orchestration/db'
+import type { OrchestrationEnvironmentTransport } from '../../../../orchestration/environment-transport'
+import { RpcDispatcher } from '../../../dispatcher'
+import { ORCHESTRATION_METHODS } from '../../orchestration'
+import { createFederationWorkerStartRequest } from './federation-request.test-support'
+import { configureFederationWorkerRuntime } from './federation-runtime.test-support'
+
+describe('federated readiness custody', () => {
+  let homeDb: OrchestrationDb
+  let workerDb: OrchestrationDb
+  let homeRuntime: OrcaRuntimeService
+  let workerRuntime: OrcaRuntimeService
+  let homeDispatcher: RpcDispatcher
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    homeDb = new OrchestrationDb(':memory:')
+    workerDb = new OrchestrationDb(':memory:')
+    workerRuntime = new OrcaRuntimeService()
+    workerRuntime.setOrchestrationDb(workerDb)
+    configureFederationWorkerRuntime(workerRuntime)
+    const workerDispatcher = new RpcDispatcher({
+      runtime: workerRuntime,
+      methods: ORCHESTRATION_METHODS
+    })
+    const transport: OrchestrationEnvironmentTransport = {
+      resolve: () => ({
+        environmentId: 'environment_windows',
+        name: 'windows',
+        peerFingerprint: 'windows_peer_fingerprint',
+        pairingRevision: 73
+      }),
+      call: async (_selector, method, params, _timeoutMs, envelope) => {
+        if (method === 'status.get') {
+          return {
+            id: 'status',
+            ok: true,
+            result: workerRuntime.getStatus(),
+            _meta: { runtimeId: workerRuntime.getRuntimeId() }
+          }
+        }
+        // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: RpcDispatcher returns the transport envelope required by this adapter.
+        return (await workerDispatcher.dispatch({
+          id: `remote_${method}`,
+          authToken: 'run-home-device-token',
+          method,
+          params,
+          orchestrationContractVersion: envelope?.orchestrationContractVersion,
+          orchestrationRequestId: envelope?.orchestrationRequestId,
+          orchestrationCapability: envelope?.orchestrationCapability
+        })) as RuntimeRpcResponse<unknown>
+      }
+    }
+    homeRuntime = new OrcaRuntimeService(null, undefined, {
+      orchestrationEnvironmentTransport: transport
+    })
+    homeRuntime.setOrchestrationDb(homeDb)
+    homeDispatcher = new RpcDispatcher({ runtime: homeRuntime, methods: ORCHESTRATION_METHODS })
+    vi.spyOn(homeRuntime, 'getTerminalPaneKey').mockReturnValue(
+      'tab_coord:aaaaaaaa-aaaa-4aaa-8aaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa'
+    )
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    homeRuntime.stopOrchestrationFederationRelay()
+    homeDb.close()
+    workerDb.close()
+  })
+
+  it('preserves paired-runtime custody when startup readiness is unsupported', async () => {
+    vi.mocked(workerRuntime.waitForTerminal).mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      handle: 'term_windows_worker',
+      condition: 'tui-idle',
+      satisfied: false,
+      status: 'running',
+      exitCode: null,
+      readiness: { state: 'unsupported', source: 'capability', agent: 'codex' }
+    })
+    const run = homeDb.createRun({
+      objective: 'Mac to Windows',
+      coordinatorHandle: 'term_coord',
+      coordinatorPaneKey: 'tab_coord:aaaaaaaa-aaaa-4aaa-8aaa-aaaaaaaaaaaa'
+    })
+    const task = homeDb.createTask({ spec: 'Audit Windows behavior', runId: run.id })
+
+    const response = await homeDispatcher.dispatch(createFederationWorkerStartRequest(task.id))
+
+    expect(response).toMatchObject({
+      ok: true,
+      result: {
+        state: 'outcome_unknown',
+        stage: 'agent_readiness',
+        terminalHandle: 'term_windows_worker'
+      }
+    })
+    const dispatch = homeDb.getDispatchContext(task.id)
+    expect(dispatch).toBeDefined()
+    if (!dispatch) {
+      return
+    }
+    expect(homeDb.getTask(task.id)?.status).toBe('blocked')
+    expect(homeDb.getWorkerDispatch(dispatch.id)).toMatchObject({
+      state: 'start_unknown',
+      worktree_id: 'repo::windows-worktree',
+      agent_terminal_handle: 'term_windows_worker'
+    })
+    expect(homeDb.getFederatedDispatch(dispatch.id)).toMatchObject({
+      remote_runtime_epoch: workerRuntime.getRuntimeId(),
+      remote_worktree_id: 'repo::windows-worktree',
+      remote_terminal_handle: 'term_windows_worker'
+    })
+    expect(workerDb.getRemoteDispatchAttachment(dispatch.id)).toMatchObject({
+      state: 'start_unknown',
+      stage: 'agent_readiness',
+      worktree_id: 'repo::windows-worktree',
+      terminal_handle: 'term_windows_worker',
+      capability_hash: expect.any(String)
+    })
+    expect(workerRuntime.sendTerminalAgentPrompt).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation-readiness-outcome.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation-readiness-outcome.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..58182a7ffff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation-readiness-outcome.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import type { RuntimeTerminalWait } from '../../../../../../shared/runtime-types'
+import { describeTerminalWaitBlockedReason } from '../../../../../../shared/terminal-wait-blocked-reason-legacy-alias'
+import type { OrcaRuntimeService } from '../../../../orca-runtime'
+import type { OrchestrationDb } from '../../../../orchestration/db'
+import type { WorkerSetupReceipt } from '../worker/worker-topology'
+import type { OrchestrationWorkerLaunchReceipt } from '../worker/worker-launch-preferences'
+import type { FederationEffect } from './federation-effects'
+
+type FederatedReadinessOutcome =
+  | { state: 'ready'; capability: string }
+  | { state: 'failed'; stage: string; reason: string }
+  | { state: 'unknown'; receipt: unknown }
+
+export function prepareFederatedReadinessOutcome(args: {
+  runtime: OrcaRuntimeService
+  db: OrchestrationDb
+  dispatchId: string
+  wait: RuntimeTerminalWait
+  worktreeId: string
+  terminalHandle: string
+  terminalOwnership: 'created' | 'external'
+  setup: WorkerSetupReceipt
+  launch: OrchestrationWorkerLaunchReceipt
+  effects: FederationEffect[]
+}): FederatedReadinessOutcome {
+  const reason = args.wait.blockedReason
+    ? `Agent startup blocked: ${describeTerminalWaitBlockedReason(args.wait.blockedReason)}`
+    : `Agent startup readiness could not be verified (${args.wait.readiness?.state ?? args.wait.status}); no prompt was submitted.`
+  if (!args.wait.satisfied) {
+    const setupFailed =
+      args.setup.startupPolicy === 'wait-for-setup' &&
+      (args.setup.state === 'failed' || args.wait.status === 'exited')
+    const knownAgentExit =
+      args.setup.startupPolicy !== 'wait-for-setup' && args.wait.status === 'exited'
+    if (setupFailed || knownAgentExit) {
+      return { state: 'failed', stage: setupFailed ? 'setup_wait' : 'agent_readiness', reason }
+    }
+  }
+
+  const authority = args.runtime.getOrchestrationDispatchAuthority(args.terminalHandle)
+  const paneKey = authority?.paneKey ?? args.runtime.getTerminalPaneKey(args.terminalHandle)
+  const processIncarnation =
+    authority?.processIncarnation ?? args.runtime.getTerminalProcessIncarnation(args.terminalHandle)
+  if (!paneKey || !processIncarnation) {
+    throw new Error('stable_pane_required')
+  }
+  const capability = args.db.prepareRemoteAttachmentAuthority({
+    dispatchId: args.dispatchId,
+    paneKey,
+    processIncarnation,
+    worktreeId: args.worktreeId,
+    terminalHandle: args.terminalHandle,
+    setupState: args.setup.state,
+    effects: args.effects,
+    hostScope: authority?.hostScope ? JSON.stringify(authority.hostScope) : null,
+    terminalOwnership: args.terminalOwnership
+  })
+  if (args.wait.satisfied) {
+    return { state: 'ready', capability }
+  }
+
+  const attachment = args.db.markRemoteAttachmentStartUnknown(
+    args.dispatchId,
+    'agent_readiness',
+    reason
+  )
+  return {
+    state: 'unknown',
+    receipt: {
+      dispatchId: args.dispatchId,
+      state: 'outcome_unknown',
+      stage: attachment.stage,
+      runtimeEpoch: args.runtime.getRuntimeId(),
+      worktreeId: args.worktreeId,
+      terminalHandle: args.terminalHandle,
+      setup: args.setup,
+      launch: args.launch,
+      effects: args.effects,
+      // oxlint-disable-next-line typescript/consistent-type-assertions -- SAFETY: attachment authority persists residual_resources as a JSON array.
+      residualResources: JSON.parse(attachment.residual_resources) as unknown[]
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation.ts
index 8d9d92547c8..976b76a55b1 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/orchestration/federation/federation.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import type { TuiAgent } from '../../../../../../shared/tui-agent'
-import { describeTerminalWaitBlockedReason } from '../../../../../../shared/terminal-wait-blocked-reason-legacy-alias'
 import { buildDispatchPreamble } from '../../../../orchestration/preamble'
 import { OrchestrationError } from '../../../../orchestration/orchestration-error'
 import { defineMethod } from '../../../core'
@@ -24,6 +23,7 @@ import {
   resolveWorkerStartReadinessTimeoutMs
 } from '../../../../../../shared/orchestration-timing-budgets'
 import { assertWorkerStartTaskSpecWithinPromptBudget } from '../worker/worker-start-prompt-budget'
+import { prepareFederatedReadinessOutcome } from './federation-readiness-outcome'
 
 export const ORCHESTRATION_FEDERATION_ATTACH_METHODS = [
   defineMethod({
@@ -217,34 +217,27 @@ export const ORCHESTRATION_FEDERATION_ATTACH_METHODS = [
           timeoutMs: readinessTimeoutMs
         })
         persistFederatedSetupWaitOutcome({ ...setupStage, wait })
-        if (!wait.satisfied) {
-          if (setup.state === 'failed') {
-            failedStage = 'setup_wait'
-          }
-          throw new Error(
-            wait.blockedReason
-              ? `Agent startup blocked: ${describeTerminalWaitBlockedReason(wait.blockedReason)}`
-              : `Agent did not become ready (${wait.status}).`
-          )
-        }
-        const authority = runtime.getOrchestrationDispatchAuthority(terminalHandle)
-        const paneKey = authority?.paneKey ?? runtime.getTerminalPaneKey(terminalHandle)
-        const processIncarnation =
-          authority?.processIncarnation ?? runtime.getTerminalProcessIncarnation(terminalHandle)
-        if (!paneKey || !processIncarnation) {
-          throw new Error('stable_pane_required')
-        }
-        const capability = db.prepareRemoteAttachmentAuthority({
+        const readiness = prepareFederatedReadinessOutcome({
+          runtime,
+          db,
           dispatchId: params.dispatchId,
-          paneKey,
-          processIncarnation,
           worktreeId: worktree.id,
           terminalHandle,
-          setupState: setup.state,
-          effects,
-          hostScope: authority?.hostScope ? JSON.stringify(authority.hostScope) : null,
-          terminalOwnership: params.terminal ? 'external' : 'created'
+          terminalOwnership: params.terminal ? 'external' : 'created',
+          wait,
+          setup,
+          launch: launch.receipt,
+          effects
         })
+        if (readiness.state === 'failed') {
+          failedStage = readiness.stage
+          throw new Error(readiness.reason)
+        }
+        if (readiness.state === 'unknown') {
+          monitorFederatedSetup({ ...setupStage, runtime })
+          return readiness.receipt
+        }
+        const { capability } = readiness
         failedStage = 'dispatch_input'
         const prompt = await runtime.sendTerminalAgentPrompt(
           terminalHandle,
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/terminal-wait-name-only-idle.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/terminal-wait-name-only-idle.test.ts
index e7adaf36dff..a6b27521354 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/terminal-wait-name-only-idle.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/terminal-wait-name-only-idle.test.ts
@@ -125,6 +125,18 @@ describe('tui-idle evidence ranking', () => {
     ).resolves.toMatchObject({ satisfied: true })
   })
 
+  it('reports an explicit provider working title as busy instead of unknown', async () => {
+    const pty = makeTuiIdlePty({ lastAgentStatus: 'working', lastOscTitle: '⠋ Codex' })
+    const { wait } = createWait({ pty, agent: 'codex' })
+    const result = wait.wait(HANDLE, { condition: 'tui-idle', timeoutMs: 100 })
+
+    await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(100)
+    await expect(result).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      satisfied: false,
+      readiness: { state: 'busy', source: 'title', agent: 'codex' }
+    })
+  })
+
   it('accepts a provider-specific ready screen when launch metadata is absent', async () => {
     const pty = makeTuiIdlePty({
       preview: 'OpenAI Codex\nModel: gpt-5\nDirectory: /tmp/repo'
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/tui-idle-evidence.ts b/src/main/runtime/tui-idle-evidence.ts
index 69913e3846d..b5345a4b7e8 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/tui-idle-evidence.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/tui-idle-evidence.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { AgentStatus } from '../../shared/agent-detection'
+import { detectAgentStatusFromTitle, type AgentStatus } from '../../shared/agent-detection'
 import { isFreshNonDoneAgentStatus } from '../../shared/agent-status-freshness'
 import type { AgentStatusState } from '../../shared/agent-status-types'
 import { getAgentReadinessCapability } from '../../shared/agent-readiness-capabilities'
@@ -112,6 +112,18 @@ export function observeTuiIdle(input: TuiIdleSatisfactionInput): TuiIdleObservat
   if (hasFreshWorkingFirstPartyStatus(input.firstPartyStatus)) {
     return { state: 'busy', source: 'first-party', agent }
   }
+  // A provider-owned working title is a positive busy observation for title-capable launch
+  // paths. Automation consumers use this edge to distinguish a real working turn from an
+  // unknown/unsupported pane; it never satisfies `tui-idle` and therefore cannot prove readiness.
+  if (
+    agent &&
+    supportsEvidence(agent, 'title') &&
+    [input.rendererTitle, input.record.lastOscTitle].some(
+      (title) => title && detectAgentStatusFromTitle(title) === 'working'
+    )
+  ) {
+    return { state: 'busy', source: 'title', agent }
+  }
   if (hasExplicitIdleTitle(input.record, input.rendererTitle) && supportsEvidence(agent, 'title')) {
     return { state: 'ready', source: 'title', agent }
   }