diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-forward.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-forward.ts
index 74cf24f913b..d99a36699bf 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-forward.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-forward.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type {
   StructuredAgentSessionHandoffFlowContext,
   StructuredTuiOwner
 } from './structured-agent-session-handoff-types'
+import { StructuredTuiLaunchCleanupError } from './structured-agent-session-handoff-types'
 
 export async function handoffStructuredSessionToTui(
   context: StructuredAgentSessionHandoffFlowContext,
@@ -52,19 +53,32 @@ export async function handoffStructuredSessionToTui(
   })
   context.publishStage(record, 'to-tui')
   let owner: StructuredTuiOwner | null = null
+  let processIdentityCommitted = false
   try {
     await deps.prepareTuiHistoryCatchup?.(sessionId, record.lease.runtimeFence)
     owner = await deps.transport!.launchTui({
       record,
       fence: record.lease.runtimeFence,
-      spawnToken
-    })
-    await deps.store.commitProcessIdentity({
-      sessionId,
-      fence: record.lease.runtimeFence,
-      process: owner.process,
-      now: deps.now()
+      spawnToken,
+      onSpawned: async (spawnedOwner) => {
+        owner = spawnedOwner
+        await deps.store.commitProcessIdentity({
+          sessionId,
+          fence: record.lease.runtimeFence,
+          process: spawnedOwner.process,
+          now: deps.now()
+        })
+        processIdentityCommitted = true
+      }
     })
+    if (!processIdentityCommitted) {
+      await deps.store.commitProcessIdentity({
+        sessionId,
+        fence: record.lease.runtimeFence,
+        process: owner.process,
+        now: deps.now()
+      })
+    }
     record = await deps.store.proveOwner({
       sessionId,
       fence: record.lease.runtimeFence,
@@ -73,14 +87,20 @@ export async function handoffStructuredSessionToTui(
     })
   } catch (error) {
     deps.stopTuiHistoryCatchup?.(sessionId)
+    if (!owner && error instanceof StructuredTuiLaunchCleanupError) {
+      await markManualRecovery(context, sessionId, operationId)
+      throw error
+    }
     if (owner) {
       if (!deps.transport?.stopFailedTuiLaunch) {
+        context.retainOwner(sessionId, owner)
         await markManualRecovery(context, sessionId, operationId)
         throw error
       }
       try {
         await deps.transport.stopFailedTuiLaunch(owner)
       } catch (stopError) {
+        context.retainOwner(sessionId, owner)
         await markManualRecovery(context, sessionId, operationId)
         throw new AggregateError(
           [error, stopError],
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-types.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-types.ts
index 0d663dc3e63..c52013c5b2d 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-types.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-types.ts
@@ -14,12 +14,23 @@ export type StructuredTuiOwner = {
   transcriptPath?: string
 }
 
+export class StructuredTuiLaunchCleanupError extends Error {
+  constructor(
+    launchError: unknown,
+    readonly cleanupError: unknown
+  ) {
+    super('The failed terminal launch could not be proven stopped.', { cause: launchError })
+    this.name = 'StructuredTuiLaunchCleanupError'
+  }
+}
+
 export type StructuredAgentSessionHandoffTransport = {
   hostLabel: string
   launchTui(input: {
     record: AgentSessionRecord
     fence: number
     spawnToken: string
+    onSpawned?: (owner: StructuredTuiOwner) => Promise<void>
   }): Promise<StructuredTuiOwner>
   reproveTuiOwner(input: {
     record: AgentSessionRecord
diff --git a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff.test.ts b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff.test.ts
index 187b12f4a35..22edef8848c 100644
--- a/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff.test.ts
@@ -785,6 +785,7 @@ describe('structured session ownership handoff', () => {
       stage: 'manual-recovery',
       error: { recoverableOwner: 'none' }
     })
+    expect(acquireNativeCalls).toBe(0)
     expect(store.getRecord(SESSION)?.lease.handoffStage).toBe('manual-recovery')
     await coordinator.restore(SESSION)
     expect(coordinator.status(SESSION)).toMatchObject({
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.ts
index c8c27ee8ec9..f934d6ed406 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.ts
@@ -75,9 +75,10 @@ import {
 import { ensureStructuredAgentSessionHost as installStructuredAgentSessionHost } from './structured-agent-session-runtime'
 import { getStructuredAgentSessionHost } from '../native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-registry'
 import type { AgentSessionAttachParams } from '../native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-attach'
-import type {
-  StructuredAgentSessionHandoffTransport,
-  StructuredTuiOwner
+import {
+  StructuredTuiLaunchCleanupError,
+  type StructuredAgentSessionHandoffTransport,
+  type StructuredTuiOwner
 } from '../native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-handoff-types'
 import type { AgentSessionRecord } from '../../shared/agent-session-record'
 import {
@@ -9121,7 +9122,7 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
   private createStructuredAgentSessionHandoffTransport(): StructuredAgentSessionHandoffTransport {
     return {
       hostLabel: hostname(),
-      launchTui: async ({ record, fence, spawnToken }) => {
+      launchTui: async ({ record, fence, spawnToken, onSpawned }) => {
         const head = record.providerHandleChain.at(-1)
         if (head?.handle.provider !== 'codex') {
           throw new Error('agent_session_identity_required')
@@ -9142,23 +9143,10 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
           if (!terminal.processId || !terminal.paneKey || !terminal.tabId || !terminal.ptyId) {
             throw new Error('The resumed terminal did not publish a process identity.')
           }
-          await this.waitForTerminal(terminal.handle, {
-            condition: 'tui-idle',
-            timeoutMs: 30_000
-          })
-          const proof = await this.waitForStructuredTuiProof({
-            handle: terminal.handle,
-            paneKey: terminal.paneKey,
-            threadId: head.handle.threadId,
-            spawnToken,
-            codexHome: record.accountHome.path,
-            sessionId: record.sessionId
-          })
-          const revealed = await this.focusTerminal(terminal.handle)
-          return this.refreshStructuredTuiOwnerBinding({
+          const spawnedOwner = this.refreshStructuredTuiOwnerBinding({
             terminal: {
               handle: terminal.handle,
-              tabId: revealed.tabId,
+              tabId: terminal.tabId,
               paneKey: terminal.paneKey,
               ptyId: terminal.ptyId
             },
@@ -9173,15 +9161,43 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeService {
               resumed: true,
               fence,
               observedAt: Date.now()
-            }),
+            })
+          })
+          await onSpawned?.(spawnedOwner)
+          await this.waitForTerminal(terminal.handle, {
+            condition: 'tui-idle',
+            timeoutMs: 30_000
+          })
+          const proof = await this.waitForStructuredTuiProof({
+            handle: terminal.handle,
+            paneKey: terminal.paneKey,
+            threadId: head.handle.threadId,
+            spawnToken,
+            codexHome: record.accountHome.path,
+            sessionId: record.sessionId
+          })
+          const revealed = await this.focusTerminal(terminal.handle)
+          return this.refreshStructuredTuiOwnerBinding({
+            ...spawnedOwner,
+            terminal: {
+              handle: terminal.handle,
+              tabId: revealed.tabId,
+              paneKey: terminal.paneKey,
+              ptyId: terminal.ptyId
+            },
+            process: spawnedOwner.process,
             ...(proof.transcriptPath ? { transcriptPath: proof.transcriptPath } : {})
           })
         } catch (error) {
-          await this.closeTerminal(terminal.handle)
-          await this.waitForTerminal(terminal.handle, {
-            condition: 'exit',
-            timeoutMs: 15_000
-          })
+          try {
+            await this.closeTerminal(terminal.handle)
+            await this.waitForTerminal(terminal.handle, {
+              condition: 'exit',
+              timeoutMs: 15_000
+            })
+          } catch (cleanupError) {
+            throw new StructuredTuiLaunchCleanupError(error, cleanupError)
+          }
           throw error
         }
       },